Japan

Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba speaks during a press conference at the prime minister's office in Tokyo on Dec. 24, 2024.

Japan's government on Dec. 27 approved a record budget for the next fiscal year, ramping up spending on social welfare, as the population ages, and defense to tackle regional threats.

Bulgaria has secured the 40th spot in the global ranking of tourist destinations, according to the World Economic Forum's index. The top three positions are held by the USA, Spain, and Japan, respectively.

Japan and the United States are discussing ways to boost military cooperation, Tokyo's top government spokesman said Monday, after reports said U.S. operations in the country could be strengthened to counter China.

In a concerning trend for Japan's demographic landscape, the year 2023 saw a significant decline in the number of newborns, marking a record low in the country's history. According to government data reported by Kyodo News, Japan's population shrank by its largest ever margin, with births plummeting by 5.1 percent compared to the previous year, totaling just 758,631 infants.

Greece's current account deficit recorded an increase of 120.7 million euros year‑on‑year and stood at €1.8 billion in April, but fell €3 billion to stand at €5.6 billion in the January-April period, the Bank of Greece said on Tuesday.

Greece's current account deficit recorded an increase of 120.7 million euros year‑on‑year and stood at 1.8 billion in April but fell by 3.0 billion euros to stand at 5.6 billion in the January-April period, the Bank of Greece said on Tuesday.

More than 50 US and Japanese warplanes flew over waters off Japan this week amid rising tensions with China and Russia

Abe (67) was left unconscious after he was shot by an unidentified assailant, who was taken into custody by police at the scene, Kyodo reported.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said he did not know Abe's condition after the attack, and Kyodo news agency and NHK reported that Abe, 67, was unconscious and in cardiac arrest when he was taken to hospital.

Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, an arch-conservative and one of his nation's most divisive figures, was shot dead during a campaign speech on July 8 in western Japan. He was airlifted to a hospital but officials said he was not breathing and his heart had stopped. Later, Japan's NHK television said Abe has died in the hospital. 

Showing off their awkward moves in shirts, ties and brightly colored belly warmers, four men in their 50s and 60s have become Japan's latest TikTok sensation.

The group's mission? To promote their small countryside town, whose population is in decline, through dance routines to pop tunes that fans call "adorable."