The Latest Breaking News from The Japan News/Yomiuri

A clause requiring efforts to respect human rights will be included in the bidding instructions and contracts used when the government purchases products and services from businesses, it has been decided.

ICHINOMIYA, Chiba -- Thirty-two dolphins washed up along the coast in Chiba Prefecture on Monday morning. Despite hours of efforts by surfers and local residents to return them to the sea, three of the animals died.

The government intends to tighten the screening process for the establishment of new private universities, to curb the overall number of universities, the Yomiuri Shimbun has learned.

The Sumida River Fireworks Festival, a midsummer tradition in Tokyo, is expected to be held for the first time in four years after having been canceled amid the coronavirus pandemic.

New employees at major daily consumer goods firm Lion Corp. and its group companies attend a ceremony for fresh recruits in Taito Ward, Tokyo, on Monday morning. The participants, including 86 new workers, did not wear face masks. Many companies across the nation held similar events on the day, and…

The death of Ryuichi Sakamoto on March 28, which was announced Sunday, has reverberated across the globe. He was an academically trained composer who produced a wide variety of music ranging from experimental works to film scores and hit pop songs. His music transcended borders and touched the hearts of…

BEIJING -- Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang has called on Japan, with which China will mark the 45th anniversary this year of the signing of their treaty of peace and friendship, to eliminate "obstacles" and move their bilateral relationship forward.

BEIJING -- Japan and China made no clear progress Sunday in talks between Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and his Chinese counterpart, Qin Gang. Nevertheless, the two foreign chiefs agreed on the need to continue dialogue with the aim of improving bilateral ties.

Analysis of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's comments in the latest Diet session indicates the chronically low birth rate and support for child-rearing are at the forefront of his policy agenda.

EVA Airways Corp. on Saturday resumed a regular service between Komatsu Airport in Ishikawa Prefecture and Taipei for the first time in about three years.

TAKAMATSU -- Tours atop part of the Seto Ohashi Bridge have begun for the season, offering visitors a magnificent view of the islands in the Seto Inland Sea.