Japan to Certify Essential Service Providers

Japan expressed grave concern on Tuesday over the conviction of Jimmy Lai, founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily in Hong Kong, for violating the national security law.

Two people who were found dead after a fire at a sauna facility in the Akasaka district of Tokyo's Minato Ward on Monday may have been trapped inside a sauna unit due to a broken door, investigative sources said Tuesday.

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc. announced Tuesday that Junichi Hanzawa, currently president of MUFG Bank, will succeed Hironori Kamezawa as president of the group next spring.

Japan's Foreign Ministry will set up by the end of March next year a new office tasked with mediating peace between third countries, it was learned Tuesday.

Japan's ruling parties have given up on enacting a bill to reduce the number of House of Representatives seats by the end of the current extraordinary session of the Diet on Wednesday.

The Japan Shogi Association announced Tuesday a review of its professional tournament rules for pregnant female players.

The Japanese government is planning to dispatch civilian personnel by the end of this year at the earliest to the U.S.-led Civil-Military Coordination Center overseeing a ceasefire and humanitarian assistance in the Palestinian territory of Gaza.

Japanese startup Space One Co. will launch a Kairos small rocket carrying artificial satellites on Feb. 25 next year after two failed attempts.

Fuji Media Holdings Inc. said Monday that its top shareholder, Aya Nomura, has told the company that she aims to raise her stake in the parent of Fuji Television Network Inc. to up to 33.3 pct.

The Japanese government on Tuesday called on people to remain prepared for a possible major earthquake and tsunami although the Japan Meteorological Agency's week-long advisory for a potential megaquake in northern and northeastern Japan expired at the end of Monday.