The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
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Japan PM Suga to resign amid criticism over COVID-19 response
TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga expressed his intention to resign Friday amid mounting criticism over his response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The development came just under a year after Suga took office and as his ruling Liberal Democratic Party prepares to hold its presidential election on Sept. 29, with campaigning starting on Sept. 17.
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Tokyo stocks surge on Japan PM Suga's departure
TOKYO - Tokyo stocks extended their gains Friday afternoon on news that Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga will resign without seeking re-election in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party leadership race slated for later this month.
As of 1 p.m., the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average gained 524.99 points, or 1.84 percent, from Thursday to 29,068.50. The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange was trading at 2,014.98, up 31.41 points, or 1.58 percent, briefly rising to its highest level in 30 years.
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Vaccination minister Kono to run in LDP leadership race: source
TOKYO - Japan's vaccination minister Taro Kono on Friday expressed his intent to run in the presidential election of the governing Liberal Democratic Party, a source close to him said, following Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's abrupt announcement of withdrawal from the race.
Kono, a former foreign minister and defense minister, who doubles as administrative and regulatory reform minister, has been high on the list of possible future prime ministers in media opinion polls.
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Tokyo Stock Exchange mulls extending trading hours by 30 min
TOKYO - The Tokyo Stock Exchange is planning on extending its trading hours by an extra 30 minutes in a bid to make it more convenient for investors, a source familiar with the matter said Friday.
The extension, which will take place within a few years, will see the market close at 3.30 p.m. rather than the current 3 p.m., according to the source.
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Paralympics: Kimura, Tomita win gold, silver in 100 butterfly S11
TOKYO - Japan's Keiichi Kimura and Uchu Tomita won gold and silver, respectively, in the men's 100-meter butterfly S11 class at the Tokyo Paralympics on Friday.
The medal is the second of the Paralympics for the 30-year-old Kimura and third for the 32-year-old Tomita.
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Suga impressed by Paralympians "overcoming difficulties"
TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said Friday he has been impressed by the performances of athletes "overcoming difficulties" and competing at the Tokyo Paralympics, voicing hope to continue promoting the spirit of "barrier free."
Suga made the remarks in a meeting with International Paralympic Committee President Andrew Parsons, which was held about an hour after the premier told the press that he will not run for re-election as head of the governing Liberal Democratic Party later this month, paving the way for a new Japanese leader after just one year in office.
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China likely to watch Japan's stance on Taiwan after Suga resigns
BEIJING - China is expected to closely watch whether Japan's stance on the Taiwan issue will change under a new leader, after Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga expressed on Friday his intention to resign, diplomats said.
The Chinese leadership under President Xi Jinping, meanwhile, is likely to adopt a "well-balanced" diplomatic strategy that would not hurt its ties with Japan, as its strains with the United States have shown few signs of easing soon, they added.
