The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
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Japan PM vows to swiftly arrange abductee talks with North Korea
TOKYO - Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Saturday he wants to establish senior-level negotiations between Japan and North Korea in a bid to arrange a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at an early date on the return of Japanese abductees.
In his remarks to a gathering in Tokyo seeking the return of Japanese nationals abducted by the North in the 1970s and 1980s, Kishida reiterated that he is committed to realizing unconditional talks with Kim "at the earliest opportunity."
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Japan, U.S. industry chiefs agree to boost semiconductor cooperation
DETROIT - Japanese industry minister Yasutoshi Nishimura and his U.S. counterpart Gina Raimondo on Friday agreed to boost cooperation on the development of next-generation semiconductors.
During the meeting in Detroit, they also confirmed the need to reinforce global supply chains with other partners and through multilateral engagements such as the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, a U.S.-led economic initiative launched last year involving 14 countries in the region.
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Shooter in deadly central Japan attack referred to prosecutors
NAGANO, Japan - The suspect in a shooting and stabbing attack in central Japan's Nagano Prefecture that resulted in a 12-hour standoff and left four people dead was referred to prosecutors Saturday.
Masanori Aoki, 31, had been arrested on suspicion of the murder of one policeman, who was killed along with another police officer who rushed to the scene in the city of Nakano, following a standoff at his home. The other fatalities were two local women whom he believed "said bad things about me," according to police.
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Toyota puts liquid hydrogen-powered car into 24-hour race
OYAMA, Japan - Toyota Motor Corp. on Saturday entered a racing car powered by liquid hydrogen into a 24-hour endurance race in central Japan, making it the first such car in the world to participate in an official race.
The move is the latest endeavor by the Japanese automaker to popularize hydrogen as a cleaner alternative to fossil fuel amid tightening environmental regulations worldwide since it does not emit carbon dioxide when burnt.
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Yellen warns deal on debt ceiling must be struck by June 5
WASHINGTON - Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Friday warned that the U.S. government will not be able to pay all of its bills on time if Congress does not raise the debt ceiling by June 5.
In a letter to House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy and other congressional leaders, she set a more specific deadline for legislators to strike a deal on the limit, which defines the maximum amount of money the government can legally borrow to cover its spending.
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Japan AI startup launches robot for home use
TOKYO - A Japanese artificial intelligence startup has launched a robot for home use capable of delivering items in response to verbal commands, such as bringing dishes and condiments to the dining room table or books and drinks to the sofa.
The rectangular robot called "Kachaka," developed by Tokyo-based Preferred Robotics Inc., attaches to the bottom of a specially designed table fitted with caster wheels.
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Sumo: Terunofuji clinches 8th Emperor's Cup with win over Kiribayama
TOKYO - Lone yokozuna Terunofuji completed a triumphant comeback from injury Saturday at the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament, outlasting title rival Kiribayama to clinch the championship with a day to spare.
Returning from dual knee surgeries in October, the 31-year-old grand champion claimed his eighth Emperor's Cup by improving to an insurmountable 13-1 with victory over sekiwake Kiribayama (11-3) in the final bout of Day 14 at Ryogoku Kokugikan.
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China warns against Japan PM's attendance at NATO summit
BEIJING - China expressed caution Friday at Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's attendance at a NATO summit scheduled for July, saying Tokyo should not do anything that damages mutual trust between regional countries.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said at a press conference in Beijing that NATO's eastward foray into the Asia-Pacific "undermines regional peace and stability" and countries in the area "should be on high alert."
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South Korea fund compensates surviving Japan wartime labor victim
SEOUL - A South Korean government-backed foundation said Friday it paid compensation to one of the three surviving Korean plaintiffs who won lawsuits over wartime forced labor during Japan's colonial rule.
The Foundation for Victims of Forced Mobilization by Imperial Japan, which has been paying damages to other plaintiffs instead of two Japanese companies that were sued, said the person was the first plaintiff who is still alive and agreed to accept compensation by the organization.
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Video: Stabbing, shooting in central Japan
