Japan defense minister meets Okinawa gov.

Japan defense minister meets Okinawa gov.

Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki speaks to reporters following a meeting with Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi in Naha, capital of the southern Japan island prefecture of Okinawa, on Jan. 8, 2026.

Japan defense minister meets Okinawa gov.

Japan defense minister meets Okinawa gov.

Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi (L) holds talks with Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki in Naha, capital of the southern Japan island prefecture of Okinawa, on Jan. 8, 2026.

Japan defense minister meets Okinawa gov.

Japan defense minister meets Okinawa gov.

Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi speaks to reporters following a meeting with Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki in Naha, capital of the southern Japan island prefecture of Okinawa, on Jan. 8, 2026.

Ex-Japan governor sent sexually harassing texts to staff

Ex-Japan governor sent sexually harassing texts to staff

Photo taken Jan. 7, 2026, in Nagoya shows a list of sexually harassing texts that former Fukui Gov. Tatsuji Sugimoto sent to female prefectural government staff, in an investigative report published the same day by external lawyers. The central Japan governor, who stepped down the previous month, sent approximately 1,000 inappropriate messages to multiple female staff members and also touched female staff members' bodies several times.

Ex-Japan governor sent sexually harassing texts to staff

Ex-Japan governor sent sexually harassing texts to staff

Photo taken Jan. 7, 2026, in Nagoya shows a list of sexually harassing texts that former Fukui Gov. Tatsuji Sugimoto sent to female prefectural government staff, in an investigative report published the same day by external lawyers. The central Japan governor, who stepped down the previous month, sent approximately 1,000 inappropriate messages to multiple female staff members and also touched female staff members' bodies several times.

Ex-Japan governor sent sexually harassing texts to staff

Ex-Japan governor sent sexually harassing texts to staff

File photo shows Fukui Gov. Tatsuji Sugimoto speaking at a press conference in Fukui, central Japan, on Dec. 4, 2025, after the prefectural parliament approved his resignation over a sexual harassment allegation. An investigative report by external lawyers said on Jan. 7, 2026, that he sent some 1,000 sexually harassing texts to multiple female staff of the local government and touched female staff members' bodies several times.

Tokyo Gov. Koike

TOKYO, Japan, Dec. 25 Kyodo - Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike gives an interview at the Tokyo metropolitan government headquarters in the capital on Dec. 25, 2025. (Kyodo)

New Year address by Tokyo Gov. Koike

New Year address by Tokyo Gov. Koike

Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike delivers a New Year address at the metropolitan government headquarters in the capital on Jan. 5, 2026.

Tokyo Gov. Koike

Tokyo Gov. Koike

Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike gives an interview at the Tokyo metropolitan government headquarters in the capital on Dec. 25, 2025.

Tokyo Gov. Koike

Tokyo Gov. Koike

Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike gives an interview at the Tokyo metropolitan government headquarters in the capital on Dec. 25, 2025.

Tokyo Gov. Koike

Tokyo Gov. Koike

Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike gives an interview at the Tokyo metropolitan government headquarters in the capital on Dec. 25, 2025.

Tokyo Gov. Koike

Tokyo Gov. Koike

Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike gives an interview at the Tokyo metropolitan government headquarters in the capital on Dec. 25, 2025.

Tokyo Gov. Koike

Tokyo Gov. Koike

Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike gives an interview at the Tokyo metropolitan government headquarters in the capital on Dec. 25, 2025.

Aftermath of strong earthquake in Aomori Pref.

Aftermath of strong earthquake in Aomori Pref.

Aomori Gov. Soichiro Miyashita inspects an area affected by a strong earthquake in Hachinohe in the northeastern Japan prefecture of Aomori on Dec. 10, 2025, two days after the disaster.

Tokyo Deaflympics: Closing ceremony

Tokyo Deaflympics: Closing ceremony

Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike addresses the closing ceremony of the Tokyo Deaflympics at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium in the Japanese capital on Nov. 26, 2025.

Niigata gov. OKs TEPCO's 1st nuclear reactor restart since Fukushima

NIIGATA, Japan, Nov. 21 Kyodo - Niigata Gov. Hideyo Hanazumi holds an unscheduled press conference in Niigata, northwest of Tokyo, on Nov. 21, 2025, saying he will approve the restart of the No. 6 reactor at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant in the prefecture, the first for its operator Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. since the 2011 Fukushima nuclear crisis. (Kyodo)

Farewell ceremony for Osaka expo mascot

Farewell ceremony for Osaka expo mascot

Osaka Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura (3rd from L, back row) and the members of a Japanese dance group Avantgardey pose for a photo with one of the monuments of Myaku-Myaku, the official mascot of the World Exposition in Osaka, during a farewell ceremony at the event's venue in Osaka on Nov. 29, 2025, before all similar statues are removed from the site.

Landfill work begins for U.S. base transfer within Okinawa

Landfill work begins for U.S. base transfer within Okinawa

Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki meets the press at the prefectural headquarters in Naha on Nov. 28, 2025, as work gets under way to dump landfill into Oura Bay off the Henoko coastal area in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, for the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station within the southern Japan island prefecture.

Niigata gov. OKs TEPCO's 1st nuclear reactor restart since Fukushima

Niigata gov. OKs TEPCO's 1st nuclear reactor restart since Fukushima

Members of a citizens group rally in front of the Niigata prefectural government office in Niigata, northwest of Tokyo, on Nov. 21, 2025, in protest over Niigata Gov. Hideyo Hanazumi's decision the same day to approve the restart of the No. 6 reactor at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant in the prefecture, the first for its operator Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. since the 2011 Fukushima nuclear crisis.

Niigata gov. OKs TEPCO's 1st nuclear reactor restart since Fukushima

Niigata gov. OKs TEPCO's 1st nuclear reactor restart since Fukushima

Members of a citizens group rally in front of the Niigata prefectural government office in Niigata, northwest of Tokyo, on Nov. 21, 2025, in protest over Niigata Gov. Hideyo Hanazumi's decision the same day to approve the restart of the No. 6 reactor at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant in the prefecture, the first for its operator Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. since the 2011 Fukushima nuclear crisis.

Niigata gov. OKs TEPCO's 1st nuclear reactor restart since Fukushima

Niigata gov. OKs TEPCO's 1st nuclear reactor restart since Fukushima

Members of a citizens group rally in front of the Niigata prefectural government office in Niigata, northwest of Tokyo, on Nov. 21, 2025, in protest over Niigata Gov. Hideyo Hanazumi's decision the same day to approve the restart of the No. 6 reactor at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant in the prefecture, the first for its operator Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. since the 2011 Fukushima nuclear crisis.

Niigata gov. OKs TEPCO's 1st nuclear reactor restart since Fukushima

Niigata gov. OKs TEPCO's 1st nuclear reactor restart since Fukushima

Niigata Gov. Hideyo Hanazumi holds an unscheduled press conference in Niigata, northwest of Tokyo, on Nov. 21, 2025, saying he will approve the restart of the No. 6 reactor at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant in the prefecture, the first for its operator Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. since the 2011 Fukushima nuclear crisis.

Niigata gov. OKs TEPCO's 1st nuclear reactor restart since Fukushima

Niigata gov. OKs TEPCO's 1st nuclear reactor restart since Fukushima

Niigata Gov. Hideyo Hanazumi holds an unscheduled press conference in Niigata, northwest of Tokyo, on Nov. 21, 2025, saying he will approve the restart of the No. 6 reactor at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant in the prefecture, the first for its operator Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. since the 2011 Fukushima nuclear crisis.

Niigata gov. OKs TEPCO's 1st nuclear reactor restart since Fukushima

Niigata gov. OKs TEPCO's 1st nuclear reactor restart since Fukushima

Niigata Gov. Hideyo Hanazumi holds an unscheduled press conference in Niigata, northwest of Tokyo, on Nov. 21, 2025, saying he will approve the restart of the No. 6 reactor at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant in the prefecture, the first for its operator Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. since the 2011 Fukushima nuclear crisis.

Niigata gov. OKs TEPCO's 1st nuclear reactor restart since Fukushima

Niigata gov. OKs TEPCO's 1st nuclear reactor restart since Fukushima

Niigata Gov. Hideyo Hanazumi holds an unscheduled press conference in Niigata, northwest of Tokyo, on Nov. 21, 2025, saying he will approve the restart of the No. 6 reactor at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant in the prefecture, the first for its operator Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. since the 2011 Fukushima nuclear crisis.

Niigata gov. OKs TEPCO's 1st nuclear reactor restart since Fukushima

Niigata gov. OKs TEPCO's 1st nuclear reactor restart since Fukushima

Photo taken on Nov. 7, 2025, shows the No. 6 reactor (C) at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant in Niigata Prefecture, northwest of Tokyo. Niigata Gov. Hideyo Hanazumi agreed on Nov. 21 to the restart of the reactor, the first for its operator Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. since the 2011 Fukushima nuclear crisis.

Niigata gov. OKs TEPCO's 1st nuclear reactor restart since Fukushima

Niigata gov. OKs TEPCO's 1st nuclear reactor restart since Fukushima

Photo taken on Nov. 7, 2025, shows the No. 6 reactor (C) at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant in Niigata Prefecture, northwest of Tokyo. Niigata Gov. Hideyo Hanazumi agreed on Nov. 21 to the restart of the reactor, the first for its operator Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. since the 2011 Fukushima nuclear crisis.

Niigata gov. OKs TEPCO's 1st nuclear reactor restart since Fukushima

Niigata gov. OKs TEPCO's 1st nuclear reactor restart since Fukushima

Photo taken on Nov. 7, 2025, shows the No. 6 reactor (C) at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant in Niigata Prefecture, northwest of Tokyo. Niigata Gov. Hideyo Hanazumi agreed on Nov. 21 to the restart of the reactor, the first for its operator Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. since the 2011 Fukushima nuclear crisis.

Japan PM Takaichi meets Tokyo Gov. Koike

Japan PM Takaichi meets Tokyo Gov. Koike

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (R) shakes hands with Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike as they hold talks at the premier's office in Tokyo on Nov. 19, 2025.

Japan PM Takaichi meets Tokyo Gov. Koike

Japan PM Takaichi meets Tokyo Gov. Koike

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (R) shakes hands with Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike as they hold talks at the premier's office in Tokyo on Nov. 19, 2025.

Japan PM Takaichi meets Tokyo Gov. Koike

Japan PM Takaichi meets Tokyo Gov. Koike

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (R) holds talks with Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike at the premier's office in Tokyo on Nov. 19, 2025.

Tokyo Deaflympics: Opening Ceremony

Tokyo Deaflympics: Opening Ceremony

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (front, R) and Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike attend the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Deaflympics at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium in the Japanese capital on Nov. 15, 2025.

Tokyo Deaflympics: Opening Ceremony

Tokyo Deaflympics: Opening Ceremony

Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike delivers a speech at the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Deaflympics at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium in the Japanese capital on Nov. 15, 2025.

Tokyo Deaflympics: Football

Tokyo Deaflympics: Football

Fukushima Gov. Masao Uchibori addresses a ceremony in sign language ahead of a men's football group-stage match between Japan and Australia at the Tokyo Deaflympics at the J-Village football training center in the northeastern Japan prefecture on Nov. 14, 2025.

Tokyo Deaflympics: Football

Tokyo Deaflympics: Football

Fukushima Gov. Masao Uchibori addresses a ceremony in sign language ahead of a men's football group-stage match between Japan and Australia at the Tokyo Deaflympics at the J-Village football training center in the northeastern Japan prefecture on Nov. 14, 2025.

Japan imperial family

Japan imperial family

Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike (far L) talks to Japan's Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako and their daughter Aiko (far R) on Oct. 23, 2025, at the Tokyo metropolitan memorial hall, which honors the estimated 100,000 people killed during U.S. air raids on the capital on the night of March 10, 1945, toward the end of World War II. (Pool photo)

Tokyo governor meets Deaflympics athletes

Tokyo governor meets Deaflympics athletes

Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike (bottom, C) poses for a photo with Japanese athletes competing in the 2025 Tokyo Deaflympics with ties to the Japanese capital, at the metropolitan government headquarters building on Nov. 6, 2025, ahead of the event's opening on Nov. 15.

Tokyo governor meets Deaflympics athletes

Tokyo governor meets Deaflympics athletes

Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike (L) makes a speech at the metropolitan government headquarters building on Nov. 6, 2025, to Japanese athletes competing in the 2025 Tokyo Deaflympics with ties to the Japanese capital, ahead of the event's opening on Nov. 15.

Japanese startup for art by people with disabilities

Japanese startup for art by people with disabilities

Fumito Matsuda (2nd from R), co-CEO of Heralbony Co., a Japanese start-up commercializing artwork by people with disabilities, and his elderly brother Shota (4th from R) pose for a photo on June 25, 2025, during their visit to meet Iwate Gov. Takuya Tasso (C) at the Iwate prefectural government office in Morioka in the northeastern Japan prefecture. The brothers visited the office to tell the governor that the company won the Gold prize in the "Glass: The Lion for Change" category of the Cannes Lions Awards.

Japanese startup for art by people with disabilities

Japanese startup for art by people with disabilities

Fumito Matsuda (L), co-CEO of Heralbony Co., a Japanese start-up commercializing artwork by people with disabilities, and his elderly brother Shota pose for a photo on June 25, 2025, during their visit to the Iwate prefectural government office in Morioka in the northeastern Japan prefecture. The two visited the office to tell Iwate Gov. Takuya Tasso that the company won the Gold prize in the "Glass: The Lion for Change" category of the Cannes Lions Awards.

Japanese startup for art by people with disabilities

Japanese startup for art by people with disabilities

Fumito Matsuda (L), co-CEO of Heralbony Co., a Japanese start-up commercializing artwork by people with disabilities, and his elderly brother Shota pose for a photo on June 25, 2025, during their visit to the Iwate prefectural government office in Morioka in the northeastern Japan prefecture. The two visited the office to tell Iwate Gov. Takuya Tasso that the company won the Gold prize in the "Glass: The Lion for Change" category of the Cannes Lions Awards.

JIP chief Yoshimura

JIP chief Yoshimura

Hirofumi Yoshimura, Osaka gov. and chief of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's new coalition partner Japan Innovation Party, holds a press conference at the prefectural headquarters in Osaka on Oct. 22, 2025, a day after Sanae Takaichi was elected Japan's first female prime minister in parliament with the backing of the JIP.

JIP chief Yoshimura

JIP chief Yoshimura

Hirofumi Yoshimura, Osaka gov. and chief of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's new coalition partner Japan Innovation Party, holds a press conference at the prefectural headquarters in Osaka on Oct. 22, 2025, a day after Sanae Takaichi was elected Japan's first female prime minister in parliament with the backing of the JIP.

JIP headquarters

JIP headquarters

Photo taken in Osaka on Oct. 19, 2025, shows the headquarters of the Japan Innovation Party, which became the ruling Liberal Democratic Party' new coalition partner the following day. LDP President Sanae Takaichi was elected Japan's first female prime minister with the party's backing in parliament on Oct. 21. Posters of JIP chief and Osaka Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura are shown.

JIP headquarters

JIP headquarters

Photo taken in Osaka on Oct. 19, 2025, shows the headquarters of the Japan Innovation Party, which became the ruling Liberal Democratic Party' new coalition partner the following day. LDP President Sanae Takaichi was elected Japan's first female prime minister with the party's backing in parliament on Oct. 21. Posters of JIP chief and Osaka Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura are shown.

Moms For Liberty "Joyful Warriors" Summit - Florida

Moms For Liberty "Joyful Warriors" Summit - Florida

Florida Lt. Gov. Jarrid " Jay" Collins at the Moms For Liberty "Joyful Warriors" National Summit at the Gaylord Palms Resort in Kissimmee, FL, USA, October 17, 2025. Photo by Dominic Gwinn/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

Moms For Liberty "Joyful Warriors" Summit - Florida

Moms For Liberty "Joyful Warriors" Summit - Florida

Florida Lt. Gov. Jarrid " Jay" Collins at the Moms For Liberty "Joyful Warriors" National Summit at the Gaylord Palms Resort in Kissimmee, FL, USA, October 17, 2025. Photo by Dominic Gwinn/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

US: Flooding Leaves 2 Homes Lost, Disaster Emergency Declared in Southwest CO

At least two homes were lost, and hundreds of homes were evacuated after unprecedented flooding swept through southwestern Colorado over the weekend. Gov. Jared Polis declared a disaster emergency for La Plata and Archuleta counties on Sunday, October 12.

Final day of Osak expo

Final day of Osak expo

Osaka Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura speaks at the closing ceremony of the World Exposition in Osaka on Oct. 13, 2025.

Japan LDP leadership election

Japan LDP leadership election

Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki meets the press in Uruma in the southern island prefecture of Okinawa on Oct. 4, 2025, following former internal affairs minister Sanae Takaichi's victory in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's presidential election.