The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
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Next Japan PM Kishida to create new ministerial post for economic security
TOKYO - Prospective Japanese prime minister Fumio Kishida plans to create a new ministerial post for economic security in a veiled counter to alleged technology theft by China, sources familiar with the matter said Saturday.
Kishida, who will launch his Cabinet after being elected prime minister in an extraordinary Diet session Monday, is also considering appointing a prime ministerial advisor on the issue, the sources said.
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Philippine president Duterte says he is retiring from politics
MANILA - Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said Saturday he is retiring from politics at the end of his term next year, adding he will no longer run in the vice presidential election.
Duterte, who is limited to a single six-year term as president under the Constitution, had said that he would run as his party's candidate in the vice presidential race in May.
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U.S. seeks to work with next Japan PM on Quad: Pentagon official
WASHINGTON - The United States hopes to work with Japan to further advance the Quad group under the presumptive next Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks suggested Friday, referring to the four Indo-Pacific democracies seen as coming together to counter China's assertiveness in the region.
Noting that the United States has a "very enduring and durable alliance" with Japan, Hicks told an online event organized by a Washington think tank, "We fully anticipate having a very positive relationship, including through the Quad" which also involves Australia and India.
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Japan eateries to begin experimenting with using proof of vaccination
TOKYO - The Japanese government will, from this month, start experimenting with using proof of COVID-19 vaccination at eateries and other places in 13 prefectures after it relaxed restrictions to prevent the spread of coronavirus infections.
The experiment, also to be carried out at sports stadiums, small live music venues and theaters, aims to confirm whether checking visitors' proof of vaccination or negative test results can be conducted smoothly.
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Athletics: Japan bidding to host 2025 world championships
TOKYO - The Japan Association of Athletics Federations has entered a bid to host the 2025 world athletics championships, a source with knowledge of the matter said Saturday.
The federation submitted its bid by the Oct. 1 deadline, and though there was no coordination with local governments, Tokyo is one of the candidates to host the event.
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Congratulations, concerns abound over Princess Mako's marriage
TOKYO - Many people expressed congratulations to Japanese Princess Mako and her boyfriend Kei Komuro following Friday's announcement of their marriage later this month, but some aired concerns over the princess' mental health and a money dispute involving Komuro's family.
Daina Ito, a 21-year-old university student from Sapporo on the northern main island of Hokkaido, was among those who viewed the news positively, saying, "As a woman, I want to celebrate."
