The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
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Japan's financial regulators to oversee computer system at Mizuho Bank
TOKYO - Japan's financial watchdog said Wednesday it requested Mizuho Financial Group Inc. and its banking arm Mizuho Bank to submit a work plan for system maintenance after a series of system failures this year, in a rare move to effectively oversee the system of a major bank.
The Financial Services Agency made the request as part of its business improvement order issued amid lingering concerns over the security of the financial group's system after it experienced seven failures this year.
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Quad leaders to oppose attempts to change status quo in East China Sea
WASHINGTON - Leaders of the United States, Japan, Australia and India are expected to signal their opposition to China's attempts to change the status quo in the East and South China seas when they meet in Washington later this week, sources familiar with the matter said Wednesday.
According to the sources, a draft of a joint leaders' statement uses tougher language than before regarding the situation in the waters where China is stepping up its territorial claims, saying that the Quad members "oppose challenges to the maritime rules-based order," particularly in the East and South China seas.
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China's Xi calls for dialogue, cooperation amid tensions with U.S.
BEIJING - Chinese President Xi Jinping, in a video speech at the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday, called on world leaders to resolve their differences and problems through "dialogue and cooperation," as his country's tensions with the United States have shown few signs of improving soon.
Xi also urged other nations not to create a small circle targeting China, in an apparent reference to the so-called Quad, comprising the United States, Japan, India and Australia, as well as a new security partnership involving Australia, Britain and the United States.
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U.S. lifts post-Fukushima import restrictions on Japan farm products
TOKYO - The United States has lifted all of its restrictions on imports of food products from Japan established in the wake of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster, Japan's farm ministry said Wednesday.
Under the restrictions, U.S. imports of a total of 100 agricultural products produced in 14 Japanese prefectures including Fukushima had been suspended.
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BOJ keeps monetary policy steady amid COVID-19, supply concerns
TOKYO - The Bank of Japan on Wednesday kept its ultraeasy monetary policy intact to help the economy weather curbs to combat COVID-19 and supply chain disruptions in Southeast Asia.
At the end of a two-day policy-setting meeting, the BOJ stuck to its overall assessment of the economy as picking up even in a "severe" situation. But it acknowledged the impact of supply-side constraints on exports and industrial production, key drivers of the world's third-largest economy.
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Biden vows "new era" of diplomacy with allies, focus on Indo-Pacific
WASHINGTON - U.S. President Joe Biden on Tuesday pledged the start of a "new era of relentless diplomacy" involving working with allies and partners to tackle challenges such as the coronavirus pandemic and defending human rights, while signaling the country's shifting of focus to the Indo-Pacific amid increasing competition with China.
Biden's first speech to the U.N. General Assembly since taking office largely highlighted multilateralism in contrast to his predecessor Donald Trump's "America First" unilateralist policies, even though Biden himself has recently faced criticism for upsetting allies over some key foreign policy moves.
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LDP president candidates vow to double spending on children
TOKYO - All four contenders in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's presidential election vowed Wednesday to double Japan's budget for children if they are elected the successor to Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga as the country struggles to address its persistently low birth rate.
Former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida, vaccination minister Taro Kono and LDP executive acting secretary general Seiko Noda also agreed on the need to create an agency for spearheading policies on children during a debate held ahead of the Sept. 29 vote that effectively decides the country's next prime minister.
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China Evergrande vows to make coupon payment on bonds due Sept. 23
BEIJING - The main unit of major Chinese property developer Evergrande Group said Wednesday that it will make a coupon payment on bonds due Thursday amid mounting fears that the firm would soon go into default.
Financial market participants had become worried that a possible bankruptcy of Evergrande, whose liabilities have swelled to around 2 trillion yuan ($309 billion), could cause another global financial crisis like the one of 2008.
