The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
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China urges ASEAN regional forum to oppose Fukushima water release
JAKARTA/HANOI - China has called for the chair statement of an ASEAN Regional Forum meeting later this week to express opposition to Japan's planned release of treated radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear plant, a diplomatic source said Monday.
The move reflects Beijing's efforts to involve the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and its partners in putting more pressure on Tokyo to halt the water discharge plan at the 27-member forum's ministerial meeting slated for Friday in Jakarta.
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Japan corporate bankruptcies highest in 5 yrs in wake of pandemic
TOKYO - The number of corporate bankruptcies in Japan for the first six months of 2023 rose 32.1 percent from a year earlier to a five-year high of 4,042, as businesses took on increased debt to stay afloat amid the coronavirus pandemic, a survey by a credit research company showed Monday.
The rise in failures involving liabilities exceeding 10 million yen ($70,000) comes as many companies have begun repaying interest-free and unsecured loans, which lenders extended under a government program in response to the pandemic, Tokyo Shoko Research Ltd. said.
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Ukraine police begin training in Japan on identifying war dead
TOKYO - Senior police officials from Ukraine began a training program Monday in Tokyo on ways to identify war dead, hoping to learn from Japan's experience in carrying out mass autopsies after its 2011 earthquake-tsunami disaster.
During the five-day program through Friday, the 10 Ukrainian police officials will be trained on mass autopsy procedures, collection of specimens, and DNA analysis, according to Japan's National Police Agency.
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5 dead, 3 unaccounted for as heavy rain hits southwest Japan
TOKYO - Heavy rain pounded parts of Japan's southwestern region Monday, causing mudslides and river overflows and leaving at least five people dead and three others unaccounted for.
The Japan Meteorological Agency temporarily issued its highest rain alert level for the first time this year for neighboring Fukuoka and Oita prefectures, urging residents to take immediate measures to secure their safety.
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Japan not opposed to U.S. plan to supply cluster munitions to Ukraine
TOKYO - Japan did not voice opposition Monday to a U.S. plan to provide cluster munitions to Ukraine for its counteroffensive against Russia, with some NATO members concerned over the supply of the weapons ahead of their summit later this week.
Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno refrained from making a direct assessment on the U.S. plan, but the top government spokesman said Tokyo has confirmed Washington's commitment to mitigating the impact of the weapons on civilians in Ukraine.
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IAEA chief meets S. Korea lawmakers, stresses Fukushima water safety
SEOUL - The chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency emphasized the safety of Japan's planned discharge of treated radioactive water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant into the sea at a meeting Sunday with lawmakers from South Korea's main opposition party.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi held talks with several National Assembly members of the Democratic Party, including Wi Seong Gon, who told Grossi that the agency's report of the safety review on the plan is flawed.
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China welcomes Solomon Islands leader amid rivalry with U.S.
BEIJING - China welcomed on Monday Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, who is on an official visit to the Asian country, according to Hong Kong media, as Beijing plays tug-of-war with the United States over wider influence in the Pacific region.
Warmly receiving Sogavare at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Chinese Premier Li Qiang said China is willing to expand dialogue and exchanges, as well as strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation with the island country, Hong Kong's Phoenix TV said.
Chinese President Xi Jinping also held talks with the Solomon Islands leader, China Central Television said.
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Prosecutors plan to prove guilt at 1966 Japan murder retrial
SHIZUOKA, Japan - Prosecutors conveyed to a Japanese court Monday that they will argue for the conviction of a former death-row inmate at an upcoming retrial for a 1966 quadruple murder in central Japan, they said.
Iwao Hakamata, 87, spent nearly half a century behind bars before new evidence led to his release in 2014. Although his defense team calls for his innocence and an upcoming retrial is highly expected to lead to his exoneration, the prosecutors' move is likely to increase the likelihood of a prolonged trial.
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Video: New "shimenawa" straw rope at World Heritage Kumano Nachi Taisha shrine
