The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
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Japan eyeing more sanctions on Russia, Kishida hints
TOKYO - Prime Minister Fumio Kishida indicated Saturday that Japan will consider concrete steps for additional sanctions on Russia in coordination with other Group of Seven members over its aggression in Ukraine.
"Each country is about to work on concrete steps now," Kishida told reporters in Ishinomaki in Miyagi Prefecture, northeastern Japan. "We would like to take specific actions in partnership with other G-7 members."
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G-7 to take steps to strip Russia of trade benefits as WTO member
WASHINGTON - The United States, Japan and other Group of Seven industrialized nations on Friday agreed to take steps to strip Russia of trade benefits it has enjoyed as a member of the World Trade Organization, ratcheting up pressure on Moscow following its invasion of Ukraine.
Ending benefits such as low tariffs and few trade barriers in unison with other nations that make up half of the global economy will be another "crushing blow to the Russian economy," U.S. President Joe Biden said at the White House as he announced a fresh set of sanctions the G-7 leaders have agreed on.
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Kyiv citizens carry on as before with war on their doorstep
TOKYO - Many people living in Kyiv are choosing to stay in the city and refusing to yield to Russian threats, though the increased shelling of civilian targets has forced a significant number of residents to flee as Moscow's troops close in on the capital, says a Ukrainian journalist.
"I am at home, and I can hear explosions frequently," says freelance journalist Tetiana Druzhenko, 28, in a recent email interview with Kyodo News.
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Ex-PM Abe wants attempts to alter status quo in Asia quashed
TOKYO - Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe urged other countries Saturday to join forces in dismissing attempts to alter the status quo in Asia by force, taking aim at China's assertive territorial claims in the region.
During a visit to Malaysia, the former Japanese leader said in a speech that Russia's aggression in Ukraine poses a "serious threat" to the international order.
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Russian war threatening global food supplies: G-7 farm ministers
TOKYO - Farm ministers from the Group of Seven major developed countries on Friday accused Russia of threatening global food supplies by invading Ukraine, a major agricultural producer, and driving more people into starvation.
In a joint statement released after an online meeting, the G-7 ministers also vowed to ensure food supplies to the Ukrainian people and support its agriculture industry while sharing concerns about Moscow's military attack since Feb. 24, causing further rises in food prices.
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U.S. sanctions Russian firms after N. Korea found testing ICBM system
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Treasury Department on Friday announced sanctions on three Russian companies and two related individuals for allegedly supporting North Korea's weapons development program, after Pyongyang was found to have recently tested a new intercontinental ballistic missile system.
"The DPRK continues to launch ballistic missiles in blatant violation of international law, posing a grave threat to global security," Brian Nelson, undersecretary of the Treasury for terrorism and financial intelligence, said in a press release.
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Crisis drives Japan publishers to reprint books on Ukraine, Russia
TOKYO - Japanese publishing companies are increasingly reprinting books as well as giving free online access to manga on Ukraine and Russia amid heightened interest among readers following Moscow's invasion of the Eastern European country.
But some firms are wary and rather low key in promoting the republished materials out of consideration for the victims, whose numbers continue to grow in the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. "I feel guilty about the sales," a publishing industry official said.
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Gymnastics: Icon Kohei Uchimura retires after one-of-a-kind festive finale
TOKYO - Japanese artistic gymnastics great Kohei Uchimura had his last hurrah on Saturday, the 2012 and 2016 Olympic men's all-around gold medalist retiring after performing at a packed Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium.
The winner of a staggering 40 straight tournaments in the all-around at home and abroad from 2008 through 2017, Uchimura made one last appearance in a unique event dubbed "Kohei Uchimura the Final," joined by his Japan teammates.
