Osaka governor, mayor announce twin elections

Osaka governor, mayor announce twin elections

Hirofumi Yoshimura (R), Osaka governor and leader of the Japan Innovation Party, and Osaka mayor Hideyuki Yokoyama meet the press in Osaka on Jan. 15, 2026. The Osaka governor and Osaka mayor said they will resign and run for reelection to their respective posts as part of the JIP's third attempt to transform the western Japan city into a metropolis like Tokyo.

Japan Innovation Party leader Yoshimura

Japan Innovation Party leader Yoshimura

Hirofumi Yoshimura, Osaka governor and leader of the Japan Innovation Party, speaks to the press at the prefectural government office in Osaka on Jan. 15, 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.

BOJ chief

BOJ chief

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda attends a meeting hosted by the Japanese Business Federation in Tokyo on Dec. 25, 2025.

BOJ chief

BOJ chief

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda attends a meeting hosted by the Japanese Business Federation in Tokyo on Dec. 25, 2025.

BOJ chief Ueda

BOJ chief Ueda

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda speaks in Tokyo on Dec. 25, 2025.

BOJ chief Ueda

BOJ chief Ueda

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda speaks in Tokyo on Dec. 25, 2025.

BOJ chief Ueda

BOJ chief Ueda

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda speaks in Tokyo on Dec. 25, 2025.

BOJ raises key rate to 30-year-high of 0.75%

TOKYO, Japan, Dec. 19 Kyodo - Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda attends a press conference at the central bank's headquarters in Tokyo on Dec. 19, 2025, following the second day of a two-day policy-setting meeting at which the BOJ raised its key interest rate to a 30-year high of around 0.75 percent from 0.50 percent. (Kyodo)

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda Press Conference

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda Press Conference

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda Press Conference=December 19,2025,Tokyo

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda Press Conference

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda Press Conference

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda Press Conference=December 19,2025,Tokyo

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda Press Conference

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda Press Conference

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda Press Conference=December 19,2025,Tokyo

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda Press Conference

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda Press Conference

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda Press Conference=December 19,2025,Tokyo

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda Press Conference

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda Press Conference

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda Press Conference=December 19,2025,Tokyo

BOJ raises key rate to 30-year-high of 0.75%

BOJ raises key rate to 30-year-high of 0.75%

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda attends a press conference at the central bank's headquarters in Tokyo on Dec. 19, 2025, following the second day of a two-day policy-setting meeting at which the BOJ raised its key interest rate to a 30-year high of around 0.75 percent from 0.50 percent.

BOJ raises key rate to 30-year-high of 0.75%

BOJ raises key rate to 30-year-high of 0.75%

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda attends a press conference at the central bank's headquarters in Tokyo on Dec. 19, 2025, following the second day of a two-day policy-setting meeting at which the BOJ raised its key interest rate to a 30-year high of around 0.75 percent from 0.50 percent.

BOJ raises key rate to 30-year-high of 0.75%

BOJ raises key rate to 30-year-high of 0.75%

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda attends a press conference at the central bank's headquarters in Tokyo on Dec. 19, 2025, following the second day of a two-day policy-setting meeting at which the BOJ raised its key interest rate to a 30-year high of around 0.75 percent from 0.50 percent.

BOJ raises key rate to 30-year-high of 0.75%

BOJ raises key rate to 30-year-high of 0.75%

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda attends a press conference at the central bank's headquarters in Tokyo on Dec. 19, 2025, following the second day of a two-day policy-setting meeting at which the BOJ raised its key interest rate to a 30-year high of around 0.75 percent from 0.50 percent.

BOJ raises key rate to 30-year-high of 0.75%

BOJ raises key rate to 30-year-high of 0.75%

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda attends a press conference at the central bank's headquarters in Tokyo on Dec. 19, 2025, following the second day of a two-day policy-setting meeting at which the BOJ raised its key interest rate to a 30-year high of around 0.75 percent from 0.50 percent.

BOJ raises key rate to 30-year-high of 0.75%

BOJ raises key rate to 30-year-high of 0.75%

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda attends a press conference at the central bank's headquarters in Tokyo on Dec. 19, 2025, following the second day of a two-day policy-setting meeting at which the BOJ raised its key interest rate to a 30-year high of around 0.75 percent from 0.50 percent.

BOJ policy-setting meeting

BOJ policy-setting meeting

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda arrives at the central bank's headquarters in Tokyo on Dec. 18, 2025, for the first day of a two-day monetary policy meeting. (Pool photo)

BOJ policy-setting meeting

BOJ policy-setting meeting

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda arrives at the central bank's headquarters in Tokyo on Dec. 18, 2025, for the first day of a two-day monetary policy meeting. (Pool photo)

BOJ policy-setting meeting

BOJ policy-setting meeting

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda arrives at the central bank's headquarters in Tokyo on Dec. 19, 2025, for the second day of a two-day monetary policy meeting.

BOJ policy-setting meeting

BOJ policy-setting meeting

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda arrives at the central bank's headquarters in Tokyo on Dec. 19, 2025, for the second day of a two-day monetary policy meeting.

BOJ policy-setting meeting

BOJ policy-setting meeting

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda arrives at the central bank's headquarters in Tokyo on Dec. 19, 2025, for the second day of a two-day monetary policy meeting.

BOJ policy-setting meeting

BOJ policy-setting meeting

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda arrives at the central bank's headquarters in Tokyo on Dec. 18, 2025, for the first day of a two-day policy-setting meeting. (Pool photo)

BOJ chief Ueda

BOJ chief Ueda

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda attends a press conference in Nagoya in Aichi Prefecture, central Japan, on Dec. 1, 2025.

BOJ chief Ueda

BOJ chief Ueda

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda attends a press conference in Nagoya in Aichi Prefecture, central Japan, on Dec. 1, 2025.

BOJ chief Ueda

BOJ chief Ueda

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda attends a press conference in Nagoya in Aichi Prefecture, central Japan, on Dec. 1, 2025.

BOJ chief Ueda

BOJ chief Ueda

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda attends a press conference in Nagoya in Aichi Prefecture, central Japan, on Dec. 1, 2025.

BOJ chief Ueda

BOJ chief Ueda

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo speaks at a meeting with local business leaders in Nagoya in Aichi Prefecture, central Japan, on Dec. 1, 2025.

CORRECTED: BOJ chief Ueda

CORRECTED: BOJ chief Ueda

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda speaks at a meeting with local business leaders in Nagoya in Aichi Prefecture, central Japan, on Dec. 1, 2025.

BOJ chief in parliament

BOJ chief in parliament

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda speaks during a parliamentary session in Tokyo on Nov. 21, 2025.

Japan PM, BOJ chief hold talks

Japan PM, BOJ chief hold talks

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (R) and Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda shake hands ahead of their talks at the premier's office in Tokyo on Nov. 18, 2025.

Japan PM, BOJ chief hold talks

Japan PM, BOJ chief hold talks

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (R) and Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda shake hands ahead of their talks at the premier's office in Tokyo on Nov. 18, 2025.

Japan PM, BOJ chief hold talks

Japan PM, BOJ chief hold talks

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda meets the press after holding talks with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi at the premier's office in Tokyo on Nov. 18, 2025.

Japan PM, BOJ chief hold talks

Japan PM, BOJ chief hold talks

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda meets the press after holding talks with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi at the premier's office in Tokyo on Nov. 18, 2025.

Japan PM, BOJ chief hold talks

Japan PM, BOJ chief hold talks

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda meets the press after holding talks with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi at the premier's office in Tokyo on Nov. 18, 2025.

BOJ chief in parliament

BOJ chief in parliament

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda speaks during a House of Councillors Budget Committee session in Tokyo on Nov. 13, 2025.

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.

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda Press Conference

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda Press Conference

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda Press Conference=October 30,2025,Tokyo

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda Press Conference

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda Press Conference

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda Press Conference=October 30,2025,Tokyo

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda Press Conference

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda Press Conference

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda Press Conference=October 30,2025,Tokyo

[Breaking News]BOJ policy-setting meeting

TOKYO, Japan, Oct. 30 Kyodo - Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda holds a press conference at the central bank's headquarters in Tokyo on Oct. 30, 2025, following the BOJ's two-day policy-setting meeting. (Kyodo)

BOJ policy-setting meeting

BOJ policy-setting meeting

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda holds a press conference at the central bank's headquarters in Tokyo on Oct. 30, 2025, following the BOJ's two-day policy-setting meeting.

BOJ policy-setting meeting

BOJ policy-setting meeting

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda holds a press conference at the central bank's headquarters in Tokyo on Oct. 30, 2025, following the BOJ's two-day policy-setting meeting.

BOJ policy-setting meeting

BOJ policy-setting meeting

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda holds a press conference at the central bank's headquarters in Tokyo on Oct. 30, 2025, following the BOJ's two-day policy-setting meeting.

BOJ policy-setting meeting

BOJ policy-setting meeting

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda (C) attends the second day of the central bank's two-day policy setting meeting at the BOJ headquarters in Tokyo on Oct. 30, 2025. (Pool photo)