TOKYO -- Japanese Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama and health minister Kenichiro Ueno agreed Wednesday to raise medical service fees by 2.22 pct for a fiscal 2026 review.

TOKYO -- The Japanese government plans to lower passport application fees by up to 7,000 yen, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi has announced.

FUKUI -- The Japan Atomic Energy Agency said Tuesday that about 20 milliliters of water containing radioactive tritium leaked at its Fugen advanced converter reactor in the city of Tsuruga in Fukui Prefecture, central Japan.

Companies employing foreigners in Vietnam often face questions about jurisdiction and procedures when applying for temporary resident cards, particularly when business operations span multiple provinces or cities.

TOKYO -- Tokyo Electric Power Co (9501.T) plans to restart the first unit of its Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant, the world's biggest, on January 20, TEPCO President Tomiaki Kobayakawa told reporters on Wednesday.

Pham Nhat Vuong, chairman of Vingroup, saw his net worth surge by US$3.4 billion in a single day, officially reaching $30 billion on Tuesday and overtaking Chinese billionaire Jack Ma on Forbes’ list of the world’s richest people.

Gold surged past $4,500-an-ounce for the first time on Wednesday, while silver and platinum also hit record highs, as investors piled into precious metals to hedge against geopolitical and trade risks, and on expectations of further U.S. rate cuts in 2026.

The U.S. Powerball jackpot climbed to an estimated $1.7 billion ahead of the Christmas Eve drawing on Wednesday night, making it among the largest lottery drawings in American history.

At Demo Day 2025, many Vietnamese start-ups presented products with artificial intelligence at their core, targeting familiar bottlenecks across the market.

Before the government’s Decree 282 officially took effect in mid-December, authorities in Da Nang City, central Vietnam had already moved decisively to tackle noise pollution caused by loud karaoke in residential areas.

Phu Quoc Special Zone in southern Vietnam is experiencing a bustling end-of-year tourism season as large numbers of international visitors flock to its most popular attractions.

FIFA’s official World Cup Facebook page has published several Vietnam-language posts highlighting players from Vietnam’s under-22 men’s team following its gold medal win at the 2025 Southeast Asian Games, drawing strong engagement from Vietnamese fans.

While Vietnam has long celebrated inspiring performances in Olympic-style sports such as athletics, swimming, and weightlifting, the country continues to struggle in professional team and racket sports at the 2025 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.

TOKYO -- The Japan Newspaper Publishers and Editors Association on Tuesday urged the government to consider appropriate protection of content, saying that news articles have been used by generative artificial intelligence without permission.

TOKYO -- The Japanese government at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday adopted its first basic plan on the development and utilization of artificial intelligence.

Can Tho City in southern Vietnam will host a low-altitude fireworks display and a drone light show this weekend to celebrate its first River Culture Festival, city authorities said, as part of efforts to highlight the Mekong Delta hub’s river-based heritage and tourism appeal.

The government’s Decree 282/2025, which took effect in mid-December and replaced Decree 144/2021, is expected to remove long-standing bottlenecks in dealing with noise pollution, but grassroots authorities are still struggling, hampered by a lack of equipment, manpower, and technical procedures to handle violations effectively.

The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has officially conceded to the penalty of forfeiting the match to Vietnam in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, following a controversy over naturalized players, according to Indonesian media sources.

Health authorities in Ho Chi Minh City reported 102 suspected food poisoning cases after residents ate ‘banh mi’ purchased from a shop in Phu My Ward, prompting an urgent investigation and large-scale medical response.

Police in Ho Chi Minh City confirmed on Monday that they had arrested seven suspects connected to a large-scale operation that allegedly converted pork into counterfeit beef using pig blood and a banned chemical.

Vietnam has urged Thailand and Cambodia to exercise maximum restraint and refrain from the use of force amid ongoing clashes along their shared border, warning that prolonged hostilities could undermine regional peace, stability, and ASEAN unity.

Police and relevant forces in Thanh Hoa Province, north-central Vietnam have confiscated more than 10 metric tons of frozen bummalo imported from China, with laboratory tests confirming the presence of banned formaldehyde, a highly toxic chemical prohibited in food processing, authorities said on Tuesday.

After more than two months of construction, Ho Chi Minh City’s first dedicated bicycle lanes along Mai Chi Tho Boulevard in An Khanh Ward are gradually taking shape, marking a milestone in the city’s push toward greener and safer urban transport.

Infidelity in the digital age no longer needs a hotel room or a paper trail but it rather unfolds quietly through screens and usernames.

Consumers in Ho Chi Minh City are gaining access to more reliable outlets for clean and safe agricultural products, following a recent coôperation deal between Saigon Co.op and the Ho Chi Minh City Farmers’ Union.

Germany's federal and state government tax revenues fell 1.3% in November from the same month a year ago, the finance ministry said on Tuesday.

From supplements to meditation retreats, investing in wellbeing has become a non-negotiable for young people.

Police in Thanh Hoa Province, north-central Vietnam have detained two women accused of faking a death to fraudulently claim more than US$48,700 in life insurance payouts in a scheme that took place five years ago.

The U.S. Powerball jackpot has climbed to an estimated $1.6 billion ahead of Monday night's drawing, cementing its place among the largest lottery prizes in American history.

After one year of operation, the Ben Thanh-Suoi Tien metro line, the first of its kind in Ho Chi Minh City, has gradually woven itself into the daily life of the southern metropolis.

Vietnam’s young chess players delivered outstanding performances at the FIDE World U9–U17 Rapid & Blitz Chess Championships 2025 in Antalya, Turkey from December 15 to 21, winning one gold and two silver medals.

Forty-two people in Ho Chi Minh City were hospitalized with suspected food poisoning after eating ‘banh mi’ from a local shop, a local hospital said on Monday.

Car production in Thailand in November rose 11.06% from a year earlier to reach 130,222 units, the Federation of Thai Industries said on Monday.

Many residents in Vietnam are being driven out of their own homes by relentless karaoke noise, urging authorities to respond swiftly, enforce the law rigorously, and protect the identities of those who report violations.

TOKYO -- The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's launch of its No. 8 H3 rocket on Monday was unsuccessful, failing to send the Michibiki No. 5 positioning satellite into the intended orbit.