The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
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Japan logs "extreme heat" in 2nd largest number of areas in July
TOKYO - A cumulative total of 2,435 locations in Japan recorded temperatures of 35 C or higher in July, in the month's second-highest figure of areas hit by "extreme heat" since records began in 2012, weather agency data showed Tuesday.
The Japanese archipelago has been enveloped in a high-pressure system from the Pacific Ocean, leading to continued hot weather. The Japan Meteorological Agency expects the heat to persist due to global warming and this year's El Nino phenomenon, in which ocean surface temperatures rise in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean.
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Toyota profit doubles to record high as production recovers
TOKYO - Toyota Motor Corp. said Tuesday its operating profit in the three months ended June almost doubled from a year earlier to 1.12 trillion yen ($7.8 billion), a quarterly record for a Japanese company, helped by the yen's weakness and robust sales as its production recovered from the coronavirus pandemic.
That represents a 93.7 percent increase from the April-June period last year. Its sales rose 24.2 percent to 10.5 trillion yen while its net profit jumped 78.0 percent to 1.31 trillion yen, both a record high for the fiscal first quarter.
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France to begin evacuating citizens from Niger after coup
NAIROBI - The French government said Tuesday it will begin evacuation support for its citizens and other nationals from Niger, following a military coup that has sparked protests in the western African state against the former colonizing country.
Evacuees will likely include about 10 Japanese citizens who engage in international aid activities there, according to the Japanese Embassy in Ivory Coast, which also covers Niger.
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Switzerland to lift Fukushima disaster import curbs on Japan foods
FUKUSHIMA, Japan - Switzerland plans to lift on Aug. 15 import restrictions it has been imposing on food products from parts of Japan after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster, the Fukushima prefectural government said Tuesday.
Switzerland will follow in the footsteps of the European Union, which will remove the remaining controls requiring radiation tests on some agricultural and fishery products from 10 prefectures, including Fukushima, on Thursday. Switzerland is not an EU member.
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Myanmar junta pardons deposed leader Suu Kyi on 5 offenses
YANGON - The Myanmar military junta said Tuesday it will pardon deposed civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi on five criminal offenses, reducing the 78-year-old's 33-year prison term by six years.
A junta spokesman confirmed the six-year reduction. The decision is seen as amnesty amid the completion of a grand Buddha statue constructed by the junta.
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Okinawa braces for powerful typhoon, flights canceled
TOKYO - Okinawa on Tuesday braced for a powerful and large typhoon, expected to reach Japan's southern island prefecture the following day, forcing the cancellation of all flights from the capital as the weather agency warned of strong winds and storm tides.
The city office in the Okinawan prefectural capital of Naha also urged around 315,700 people to evacuate due to the approaching typhoon.
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Seafood import controls in China vex Japan eateries, dealers
SHANGHAI - Fresh sashimi and sushi dishes made from seafood imports from Japan have vanished from Japanese restaurants in China after it introduced blanket radiation testing last month, leaving related businesses at a loss what to do.
China's decision to keep imports of fresh seafood and other marine products from Japan at customs for up to one month before clearance has prompted some businesses in the country to seek alternative procurement sources.
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Ad hoc office of Japanese embassy to Sudan relocated to Egypt
TOKYO - Japan on Tuesday relocated the ad hoc office of its embassy to conflict-torn Sudan from nearby country Djibouti to the Egyptian capital Cairo, the Foreign Ministry said.
With the relocation, Tokyo aims to enhance its information gathering on the northeastern African nation, where its military and a paramilitary group continue to battle for power since April, according to the ministry.
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Taiwan to donate timber to help rebuild castle in Japan's Okinawa
TAIPEI - Taiwan will donate five large pieces of timber to help rebuild a castle in Japan's Okinawa Prefecture that burned down in 2019, the Foreign Ministry said.
The donation of the cypress for the reconstruction of Shuri Castle, part of a UNESCO World Heritage site, demonstrates the profound friendship between Taiwan and Japan, the ministry said while referring to Japan's provision of coronavirus vaccines to the self-ruled territory at the height of the pandemic.
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Video: Popular Kabuki actor Ichikawa Ennosuke released on bail
