The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
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Japan to relist South Korea as preferred trade country in July
TOKYO - Japan will relist South Korea as a preferred trade partner on July 21 after a similar move by Seoul on Tokyo's trade status, the Japanese government said Tuesday in the latest sign of a thaw in bilateral relations.
The actions mark the normalization of trade between the two countries after their ties worsened to their lowest point in decades over wartime history.
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Decoupling to hurt both democratic, autocratic economies: Japan white paper
TOKYO - The global economy faces a "crisis of division" on the back of an intensifying U.S.-China technology war, the Japanese government warned Tuesday in a white paper, saying a severe economic decoupling between democratic and autocratic states would deal a blow to both sides.
The government underscored the importance of rebuilding a rules-based trade order, developing resilient supply chains, and strengthening cooperation with developing and emerging countries collectively called the Global South to restore confidence in the global economy.
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Japan, EU to boost economic security ties, with China, Russia in mind
TOKYO - Japan and the European Union agreed Tuesday to deepen economic security cooperation by strengthening supply chain resilience for semiconductors and other critical materials, apparently with China and Russia in mind.
During their third high-level dialogue on economic issues such as trade and energy, Japanese and EU representatives also said they will take measures to counter China's so-called economic coercion, involving the use of economic means to achieve political goals and exert influence on other countries, Japan's trade ministry said.
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Kabuki actor Ennosuke arrested for alleged role in mother's suicide
TOKYO - Popular Japanese Kabuki actor Ichikawa Ennosuke, 47, was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of helping his mother take her own life in mid-May, in what is believed to have been a family suicide pact, an investigative source said.
Ennosuke, whose real name is Takahiko Kinoshi, was found collapsed at his parents' home in Tokyo on May 18, along with his mother Nobuko, 75, and his father Hiroyuki, 76, known as Kabuki actor Ichikawa Danshiro.
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Japan PM to visit Europe for NATO, EU summits, Middle East in July
TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Tuesday he will make a four-day trip from July 11 to Lithuania to participate in a NATO summit and Belgium for talks with European Union leaders.
He told executive members of his ruling Liberal Democratic Party that he is also planning to visit Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar later in the month, aiming to deepen economic and security relations with the Middle Eastern countries.
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Japan finance chief vows to respond to excessive forex moves
TOKYO - Japan will take "appropriate" steps to cope with excess volatility in foreign exchange markets, Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki said Tuesday in his latest warning against the yen's rapid fall against the U.S. dollar.
Suzuki said currency moves should be stable, reflecting economic fundamentals, and added that a weak yen has both positive and negative effects on the economy.
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Japan ruling parties agree on election cooperation to avoid friction
TOKYO - Japan's ruling parties agreed Tuesday to cooperate in all constituencies except those in Tokyo for the next general election, brushing aside concerns that they may end their decades-long alliance amid increased friction over the fielding of candidates.
The decision came after weeks of wrangling between the Liberal Democratic Party, led by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and its junior coalition partner Komeito over putting forward candidates in a newly established electoral district in Tokyo.
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Nissan investors OK new management with reduced Renault influence
YOKOHAMA - Shareholders of Nissan Motor Co. on Tuesday approved a renewed management on Tuesday that diminishes the influence from its biggest shareholder and alliance partner, Renault SA, as it seeks to rebalance its rocky partnership with the French company.
At its annual general meeting in Yokohama, the shareholders approved a company proposal to nominate 10 directors, including current CEO Makoto Uchida. The proposal did not include the reappointment of Chief Operating Officer Ashwani Gupta, a former Renault executive who stepped down Tuesday.
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Man admits to stabbing passengers in 2021 random Tokyo train attack
TOKYO - A 37-year-old man accused of attempted murder admitted Tuesday to stabbing three passengers in a random knife attack on a Tokyo commuter train in 2021, but his defense team argued his intent to kill was not firm in his first court hearing.
Yusuke Tsushima is indicted for seriously injuring a then 20-year-old female university student by stabbing her several times in the chest and back, as well as injuring a woman in her 50s and a man in his 30s on an Odakyu Electric Railway train on Aug. 6, 2021.
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Video: Fireworks by Chinese artist Cai in Fukushima
