Japan

The world's first chemical tanker ship fitted with massive rigid aluminium "sails" has left Rotterdam, its owner hoping to plot a route to bringing down the shipping industry's huge carbon footprint.

The MT Chemical Challenger, a 16,000-ton chemicals transporter set sail from Antwerp for Istanbul on Feb. 16, and will undergo sea trials along the way.

I look like one of those very expensive real-life silicone sex dolls you can only get in Japan, was her response to her critics

Ukrainian troops, reeling from the loss of a key town, now face "extremely difficult" conditions all along the frontline with Russia because of delayed foreign aid, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

Ukraine's Prime Minister urged Japan's government and private sector yesterday to step up support for the country's reconstruction, promising an "economic miracle" once the almost two-year-old war with Russia ends.

Day 726 of the invasion of Ukraine. Summary of key events in the last 24 hours:

In a strategic move that is seen strengthening the Cypriot flag, SafeΒulkers Inc, a prominent shipping company, has added two state-of-the-art vessels to its fleet.

The newly constructed bulk carriers, MV Ammoxostos and MV Kerynia, built in Japan to rigorous modern and environmental standards, were unveiled at a naming ceremony in January at the Oshima Shipbuilding shipyard.

Japan's economy has unexpectedly contracted, leading the country to slip from its position as the world's third-largest economy to the fourth spot, now behind Germany.

In a bid to keep the flow of education constant and parallel to the practices undertaken in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries (OECD), the Education Ministry has launched an effort to work on extending school terms in Türkiye.

Japan has slipped to the world's fourth-largest economy, as government data released Thursday showed it fell behind Germany's in 2023.

The numbers highlight how the Japanese economy has gradually lost its competitiveness and productivity while the population shrinks as Japanese people age and have fewer children, analysts say.

The wars in Ukraine and Gaza most likely mark the end of the system of global government instituted after World War II. However dysfunctional the UN Security Council was from the start, it had not been undermined to the level that it is today.