The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
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Japan to release hundreds of thousands of kl of reserve oil
TOKYO - Japan will release hundreds of thousands of kiloliters of crude oil from its emergency reserves, industry minister Koichi Hagiuda said on Wednesday, as the country seeks to address rising prices in tandem with the United States and other major energy-consuming countries.
Hagiuda told reporters the timing of the release is still "under consideration," adding, "We will be in step with the United States and other nations concerned."
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Japan's Kishida meets Vietnam PM in 1st hosting of foreign leader
TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida began talks with his Vietnamese counterpart Pham Minh Chinh in Tokyo on Wednesday evening, with the two expected to discuss ways to boost security cooperation as well as aid the post-coronavirus economic recovery.
Kishida, who is hosting his first foreign leader since taking office on Oct. 4, is expected to call on Chinh to work together toward realizing a "free and open Indo-Pacific" region, where China has been increasing its clout, according to Japanese officials.
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Junior high school boy dies after being stabbed by schoolmate
NAGOYA - A 14-year-old junior high school boy died after being stabbed by another student at his school in central Japan on Wednesday, local police said, with an investigation under way on whether the two had been involved in some kind of altercation.
The police arrested the alleged attacker, also 14. He has admitted to stabbing his schoolmate, Yuzuki Ito and the police said they confiscated a 20-centimeter-long kitchen knife that was used in the attack.
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Tokyo reports 5 daily COVID-19 cases, lowest level this year
TOKYO - The Tokyo metropolitan government reported five new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, the lowest level on record for this year.
The tally was down from the previous record low for this year of six logged Monday.
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Japan, U.K. foreign ministers affirm cooperation in Indo-Pacific
TOKYO - Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi held phone talks with his British counterpart Liz Truss on Wednesday, with the two agreeing to step up security cooperation in order to realize a "free and open Indo-Pacific" region.
During the roughly 30-minute conversation, the two affirmed their "strong opposition to unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force in the East and South China seas," according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry.
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Japan foreign minister says no decision made on China visit
TOKYO - Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said Wednesday that nothing has been decided on whether he will meet his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi's request to officially visit China.
Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party has taken a cautious stance on the request as the two countries remain at odds over territorial and human rights issues.
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U.S. invites Taiwan to virtual "Summit for Democracy" in Dec.
WASHINGTON - The U.S. administration of President Joe Biden has invited Taiwan, along with Japan and dozens of other countries, to a virtual meeting of the leaders of the world's democracies in December, the State Department website showed Tuesday.
But Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen will not participate, apparently to avoid angering China, with the island's Foreign Ministry saying digital minister Audrey Tang and representative to the United States Hsiao Bi-khim will join it instead.
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Shinsei Bank drops defense plan against SBI's hostile takeover
TOKYO - Shinsei Bank said Wednesday it will drop its plan to launch a defense against a hostile takeover bid by SBI Holdings Inc., making it almost certain that the midsize Japanese lender will come under the wing of the major online financial group.
Shinsei had objected to SBI's unsolicited tender offer to raise its stake from around 20 percent to 48 percent. An extraordinary shareholders' meeting of Shinsei planned for Thursday to seek approval for the defense plan was canceled.
