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Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks at the first meeting of a cross-party "national council" to discuss her pledge to suspend the consumption tax on food for two years at the premier's office in Tokyo on Feb. 26, 2026.

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Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks at the first meeting of a cross-party "national council" to discuss her pledge to suspend the consumption tax on food for two years at the premier's office in Tokyo on Feb. 26, 2026.

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Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks at the first meeting of a cross-party "national council" to discuss her pledge to suspend the consumption tax on food for two years at the premier's office in Tokyo on Feb. 26, 2026.

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Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks at the first meeting of a cross-party "national council" to discuss her pledge to suspend the consumption tax on food for two years at the premier's office in Tokyo on Feb. 26, 2026.

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Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks at the first meeting of a cross-party "national council" to discuss her pledge to suspend the consumption tax on food for two years at the premier's office in Tokyo on Feb. 26, 2026.

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Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Takahiro Anno (2nd from R), leader of Team Mirai, speaks at the first meeting of a cross-party "national council" to discuss Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's pledge to suspend the consumption tax on food for two years at the premier's office in Tokyo on Feb. 26, 2026.

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Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (2nd from L) speaks at the first meeting of a cross-party "national council" to discuss her pledge to suspend the consumption tax on food for two years at the premier's office in Tokyo on Feb. 26, 2026.

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Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Takahiro Anno, leader of Team Mirai, speaks at the first meeting of a cross-party "national council" to discuss Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's pledge to suspend the consumption tax on food for two years at the premier's office in Tokyo on Feb. 26, 2026.

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Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Takahiro Anno (R), leader of Team Mirai, speaks at the first meeting of a cross-party "national council" to discuss Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's pledge to suspend the consumption tax on food for two years at the premier's office in Tokyo on Feb. 26, 2026.

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Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Photo taken on Feb. 26, 2026, shows the first meeting of a cross-party "national council" to discuss Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's pledge to suspend the consumption tax on food for two years at the premier's office in Tokyo.

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Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Photo taken on Feb. 26, 2026, shows the first meeting of a cross-party "national council" to discuss Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's pledge to suspend the consumption tax on food for two years at the premier's office in Tokyo.

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Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Fumitake Fujita (L), co-leader of the Japan Innovation Party, attends the first meeting of a cross-party "national council" to discuss Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's pledge to suspend the consumption tax on food for two years at the premier's office in Tokyo on Feb. 26, 2026.

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Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Photo taken on Feb. 26, 2026, shows the first meeting of a cross-party "national council" to discuss Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's pledge to suspend the consumption tax on food for two years at the premier's office in Tokyo.

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Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Fumitake Fujita, co-leader of the Japan Innovation Party, attends the first meeting of a cross-party "national council" to discuss Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's pledge to suspend the consumption tax on food for two years at the premier's office in Tokyo on Feb. 26, 2026.

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Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Japan cross-party council discusses food tax cut

Fumitake Fujita (C), co-leader of the Japan Innovation Party, and Takahiro Anno (L), leader of Team Mirai, attend the first meeting of a cross-party "national council" to discuss Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's pledge to suspend the consumption tax on food for two years at the premier's office in Tokyo on Feb. 26, 2026.

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Congress of Workers' Party of Korea

PYONGYANG, North Korea, Feb. 19 Kyodo - A notice board is set up in Pyongyang on Feb. 19, 2026, ahead of the upcoming congress of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, being held for the first time in five years. (Kyodo)

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Japan: Hay Fever Alert Issued as Mass Pollen Dispersal Expected to Peak Nationwide

As of February 16, the start of cedar pollen dispersal has been confirmed in parts of the region stretching from Kyushu to Tokai. By late February, dispersal is expected to begin across a wide area ranging from Kyushu to southern Tohoku. In Shizuoka Prefecture specifically, cedar pollen began dispersing in early February 2026; total volume is expected to reach 1.9 times the average of the past 10 years. Thick pollen is visible in the video, creating hazy conditions across the mountain range.

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UK: Crowds Fill Trafalgar Square to Mark Four Years Since Ukraine Invasion 2

Large crowds gathered in London’s Trafalgar Square on Tuesday evening, February 24, to mark four years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Thousands attended the memorial rally to honor those who have lost their lives in the war.

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UK: Crowds Fill Trafalgar Square to Mark Four Years Since Ukraine Invasion

Large crowds gathered in London’s Trafalgar Square on Tuesday evening, February 24, to mark four years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Thousands attended the memorial rally to honor those who have lost their lives in the war.

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Spain: Final Piece of Central Tower Put in Place on Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia

The final piece of the central tower of Barcelona’s Sagrada Família, known as the Tower of Jesus Christ, was put in place on Friday, February 20. This historic milestone makes the landmark the world’s tallest church at 172.5 meters, marking a significant step toward the completion of Antoni Gaudí’s masterpiece 144 years after construction began.

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Spain: Final Piece of Central Tower Put in Place on Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia 2

The final piece of the central tower of Barcelona’s Sagrada Família, known as the Tower of Jesus Christ, was put in place on Friday, February 20. This historic milestone makes the landmark the world’s tallest church at 172.5 meters, marking a significant step toward the completion of Antoni Gaudí’s masterpiece 144 years after construction began.

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Congress of Workers' Party of Korea

Congress of Workers' Party of Korea

A notice board is hung on the wall of a building in Pyongyang on Feb. 19, 2026, ahead of the upcoming congress of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, being held for the first time in five years.

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Congress of Workers' Party of Korea

Congress of Workers' Party of Korea

A notice board is hung on the wall of a building in Pyongyang on Feb. 19, 2026, ahead of the upcoming congress of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, being held for the first time in five years.

  •  
Congress of Workers' Party of Korea

Congress of Workers' Party of Korea

A notice board is set up in Pyongyang on Feb. 19, 2026, ahead of the upcoming congress of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, being held for the first time in five years.

  •  
Congress of Workers' Party of Korea

Congress of Workers' Party of Korea

A notice board is set up in Pyongyang on Feb. 19, 2026, ahead of the upcoming congress of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, being held for the first time in five years.

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Japan Tobacco CEO

Japan Tobacco CEO

Takehiko Tsutsui, president and chief executive officer of Japan Tobacco Inc., gives an interview at the company's headquarters in Tokyo on Feb. 16, 2026, saying the company plans to invest about 800 billion yen over the next three years to expand its market share in its growing heated tobacco business.

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Japan Tobacco CEO

Japan Tobacco CEO

Takehiko Tsutsui, president and chief executive officer of Japan Tobacco Inc., gives an interview at the company's headquarters in Tokyo on Feb. 16, 2026, saying the company plans to invest about 800 billion yen over the next three years to expand its market share in its growing heated tobacco business.

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Japan Tobacco President, CEO Tsutsui

Japan Tobacco President, CEO Tsutsui

Takehiko Tsutsui, president and chief executive officer of Japan Tobacco Inc., gives an interview at the company's headquarters in Tokyo on Feb. 16, 2026, saying the company plans to invest about 800 billion yen over the next three years to expand its market share in its growing heated tobacco business.

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Hamburger chain Lotteria renamed after 54 years

Hamburger chain Lotteria renamed after 54 years

Combined photo taken on Jan. 23, 2026, shows Lotteria (top) and Zotteria hamburger chain signs. Lotteria, open since 1972, will be renamed Zetteria after restaurant operator Zensho Holdings Co. acquired Lotteria outlets in 2023.

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TEPCO nuclear power plant

TEPCO nuclear power plant

A monitor at Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.'s headquarters in Tokyo displays a live stream of the control room for the No. 6 reactor at its Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power complex on Feb. 16, 2026, as the company restarted power generation and transmission on a trial basis the same day, gearing up to resume nuclear power supply for the first time in 14 years.

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TEPCO nuclear power plant

TEPCO nuclear power plant

A monitor at Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.'s headquarters in Tokyo displays a live stream of the control room for the No. 6 reactor at its Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power complex on Feb. 16, 2026, as the company restarted power generation and transmission on a trial basis the same day, gearing up to resume nuclear power supply for the first time in 14 years.

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TEPCO nuclear power plant

TEPCO nuclear power plant

A monitor at Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.'s headquarters in Tokyo displays a live stream of the control room for the No. 6 reactor at its Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power complex on Feb. 16, 2026, as the company restarted power generation and transmission on a trial basis the same day, gearing up to resume nuclear power supply for the first time in 14 years.

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TEPCO nuclear power plant

TEPCO nuclear power plant

Photo taken on Feb. 16, 2026, shows the control room for the No. 6 reactor at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power complex operated by Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. in Niigata Prefecture, northwest of Tokyo. The plant restarted power generation and transmission on a trial basis the same day, as the company gears up to resume nuclear power supply for the first time in 14 years. (Pool photo)

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TEPCO nuclear power plant

TEPCO nuclear power plant

Takeyuki Inagaki, head of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power complex operated by Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. in Niigata Prefecture, northwest of Tokyo, stands in the central control room for the No. 6 reactor on Feb. 16, 2026, as TEPCO restarted power generation and transmission on a trial basis the same day, gearing up to resume nuclear power supply for the first time in 14 years. (Pool photo)

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TEPCO nuclear power plant

TEPCO nuclear power plant

Photo taken on Feb. 16, 2026, shows the No. 6 reactor at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power complex operated by Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. in Niigata Prefecture, northwest of Tokyo. The plant restarted power generation and transmission on a trial basis the same day, as the company gears up to resume nuclear power supply for the first time in 14 years. (Pool photo)

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[Breaking News]Fire festival in western Japan

SHINGU, Japan, Feb. 6 Kyodo - A traditional fire festival dating back about 1,400 years is held at Kamikura shrine in Shingu in the western Japan prefecture of Wakayama on Feb. 6, 2026. (Kyodo)

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[Breaking News]Pro-democracy publisher Lai sentenced to 20 years

HONG KONG, China, Feb. 9 Kyodo - A vehicle believed to be carrying Jimmy Lai, founder of the now-defunct pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, leaves the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts building after the 78-year-old was sentenced to 20 years in prison in his national security collusion trial in Hong Kong on Feb. 9, 2026. (Kyodo)

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Mountain burning event in central Japan

Mountain burning event in central Japan

Spectators watch as "kaya" thatch plants are burnt during a traditional burning event on 580-meter-tall Mt. Omuro in Ito in Shizuoka Prefecture, central Japan, on Feb. 15, 2026. The practice, dating back over 700 years, is said to herald the arrival of spring.

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Mountain burning event in central Japan

Mountain burning event in central Japan

Spectators watch as "kaya" thatch plants are burnt during a traditional burning event on 580-meter-tall Mt. Omuro in Ito in Shizuoka Prefecture, central Japan, on Feb. 15, 2026. The practice, dating back over 700 years, is said to herald the arrival of spring.

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Fire festival in western Japan

Fire festival in western Japan

A man wearing an ogre costume takes part in the annual "Dadaoshi" fire festival, dating back 1,000 years, at Hase temple in Sakurai in Nara Prefecture, western Japan, on Feb. 14, 2026.

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Fire festival in western Japan

Fire festival in western Japan

A man wearing an ogre costume takes part in the annual "Dadaoshi" fire festival, dating back 1,000 years, at Hase temple in Sakurai in Nara Prefecture, western Japan, on Feb. 14, 2026.

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Pakistan: Traditional Basant Kite Festival Returns to Lahore After Past Safety Bans

The ancient Basant festival returned to the streets of Lahore for the first time in nearly two decades, marking the arrival of spring with traditional kite flying. The event was banned in 2007 following years of fatalities and injuries caused by sharp kite strings, falls from rooftops, and aerial firing.

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Pakistan: Traditional Basant Kite Festival Returns to Lahore After Past Safety Bans 2

The ancient Basant festival returned to the streets of Lahore for the first time in nearly two decades, marking the arrival of spring with traditional kite flying. The event was banned in 2007 following years of fatalities and injuries caused by sharp kite strings, falls from rooftops, and aerial firing.

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Pro-democracy publisher Lai sentenced to 20 years

Pro-democracy publisher Lai sentenced to 20 years

A vehicle believed to be carrying Jimmy Lai, founder of the now-defunct pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, leaves the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts building after the 78-year-old was sentenced to 20 years in prison in his national security collusion trial in Hong Kong on Feb. 9, 2026.

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Fire festival in western Japan

Fire festival in western Japan

A traditional fire festival dating back about 1,400 years is held at Kamikura shrine in Shingu in the western Japan prefecture of Wakayama on Feb. 6, 2026.

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Fire festival in western Japan

Fire festival in western Japan

A traditional fire festival dating back about 1,400 years is held at Kamikura shrine in Shingu in the western Japan prefecture of Wakayama on Feb. 6, 2026.

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Fire festival in western Japan

Fire festival in western Japan

A traditional fire festival dating back about 1,400 years is held at Kamikura shrine in Shingu in the western Japan prefecture of Wakayama on Feb. 6, 2026.

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Japan: Record January Snowfall Hits Aomori, Disrupting Traffic and Trains

On January 28, Aomori City recorded 150 centimeters of snowfall for the first time in 40 years, causing traffic congestion across the city and a series of train service suspensions. Snow depth reached 154 centimeters by 9 p.m., tying for the second-highest January total on record, last seen on January 30, 1986. According to Aomori Prefecture, as of 2 p.m. on January 29, two people had died and 85 others were injured, while damage was confirmed at four residential properties. The video captures conditions in Aomori City on the morning of January 29, showing the extent of the heavy snowfall.

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Retired shogi player Hifumi Kato dies at 86

Retired shogi player Hifumi Kato dies at 86

Retired pro shogi player Hifumi Kato (R) chats with young player Sota Fujii in Tokyo in November 2018. The former holder of the most prestigious Meijin title, Kato died of pneumonia on Jan. 22, 2026, aged 86. He had held the record for becoming the youngest pro shogi player at 14 years and seven months in 1954 until Fujii broke it at 14 years and two months in 2016, while he played to the age of 77 years and five months, the oldest on record.

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Retired shogi player Hifumi Kato dies at 86

Retired shogi player Hifumi Kato dies at 86

Retiring pro shogi player Hifumi Kato waves after his retirement press conference in Tokyo in June 2017. The former holder of the most prestigious Meijin title, Kato died of pneumonia on Jan. 22, 2026, aged 86. He had held the record for becoming the youngest pro shogi player at 14 years and seven months in 1954 until Sota Fujii broke it at 14 years and two months in 2016, while he played to the age of 77 years and five months, the oldest on record.

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