The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
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Quad leaders show opposition to change in status quo by force
TOKYO - The leaders of Japan, the United States, Australia and India on Tuesday expressed opposition to a change of status quo by force in any part of the world, as Russia's war in Ukraine heightens concerns over a similar situation occurring in the Indo-Pacific.
The Quad group also agreed to invest more than $50 billion in infrastructure assistance and investment in the Indo-Pacific over the next five years, while unveiling a maritime initiative to help countries in the region track illegal fishing and monitor other activities in their waters.
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ANA to remove self-check-in machines at domestic airports next year
TOKYO - All Nippon Airways Co. said Tuesday the Japanese airline will remove self-check-in machines for domestic flights at 51 domestic airports from April next year as most passengers can complete their pre-flight procedures via a smartphone app.
The move, which entails removal of 437 machines used for domestic flights, is part of efforts to offer contactless services amid the coronavirus pandemic and reduce costs associated with airport check-ins.
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Sunken Hokkaido tour boat drops back to seabed while being towed
SAPPORO - A sightseeing boat that sank off Hokkaido a month ago, leaving 14 people dead and 12 missing, dropped back to the seabed at a depth of around 180 meters as a salvage company was attempting to tow it, the Japan Coast Guard said Tuesday, in a setback to efforts to bring it to port for an investigation into the cause of the accident.
The company was scheduled to tow the 19-ton Kazu I to shallow waters in order to load it onto a barge and drain it of seawater for several days before transporting it to the nearby port of Abashiri.
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Japan, Australia leaders meet on fringes of Quad to boost ties
TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met with new Australian leader Anthony Albanese on Tuesday to deepen bilateral ties in a region where Russia's invasion of Ukraine has raised concerns about an assertive China.
Fresh out of an election win that made possible Australia's first change of government in nine years, Albanese is in Japan for a summit with his U.S., Japanese and Indian counterparts under the "Quad" framework.
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Japan town recovers most of 46.3 mil. yen mistakenly sent to resident
YAMAGUCHI, Japan - A western Japanese town that mistakenly sent 46.3 million yen ($363,000) in COVID-19 relief money to a resident has legally recovered about 43 million yen, or about 90 percent of it, the mayor said Tuesday.
The 24-year-old resident, Sho Taguchi, has been arrested for alleged computer fraud after failing to return the money to the town of Abu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, telling his lawyer he had used it all on online casinos overseas.
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China congratulates new Australian PM despite tensions over COVID
TOKYO - Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Tuesday that China had reached out to congratulate him on his appointment, despite recent bilateral tensions after Canberra called for an inquiry into the origins of the novel coronavirus.
"I have received, now, a letter of congratulations from Premier Li (Keqiang), as I have from other world leaders. And I welcome that," Albanese said, adding that the Australian government would "respond appropriately in time."
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Kishida, Modi focus on Russia's war in Ukraine, assertive China
TOKYO - Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi started a meeting Tuesday that will likely focus on Russia's war in Ukraine and China's assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region.
Kishida and Modi are expected to agree to deepen bilateral ties in security, economic and other realms, with this year marking the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and India.
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China's Foreign Minister Wang to visit Solomon Islands
BEIJING - Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit the Solomon Islands in the southwest Pacific Ocean soon, his ministry said Tuesday, amid mounting concern that Beijing's military influence may grow in the region.
In April, China and the Solomon Islands signed a security pact, which would reportedly allow the deployment of Chinese police, military and other armed personnel, as well as the docking of the Asian nation's ships in the islands.
