Japan supporters cheer ahead of a Rugby World Cup Pool D match against England at Stade de Nice in Nice, France, on Sept. 17, 2023. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.

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2 tril. yen Toshiba takeover bid succeeds, Japan investor group says

TOKYO - A 2 trillion yen ($13.5 billion) takeover bid for Toshiba Corp. by a consortium led by Japan Industrial Partners Inc. has succeeded, the Tokyo-based fund group said Thursday, paving the way for the troubled conglomerate to end its 74-year history as a listed company and rebuild itself as a private firm.

The bid, launched from Aug. 8 through Wednesday for 4,620 yen per share, attracted 78.65 percent of Toshiba's outstanding shares, the JIP-led group said. More than two-thirds of the shares must be tendered for the bid to be successful.

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Japan's PM Kishida vows to begin outlining new economic steps next week

NEW YORK - Prime Minister Fumio Kishida pledged Wednesday to begin outlining early next week the pillars of a new economic stimulus package that he described as "drastic," as Japan's economy has shown few signs of achieving a sustainable growth path.

At a press conference during the U.N. General Assembly in New York, Kishida said fresh economic measures would include steps to respond to sharp price hikes, promote wage and investment growth, and mitigate the adverse effects of a declining population.

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Latest gaming PCs proving popular at Tokyo Game Show

CHIBA, Japan - New gaming PCs were among the exhibits that drew the most attention from visitors to the Tokyo Game Show, one of the world's biggest gaming events which opened on Thursday, with the organizer expecting some 200,000 people to attend the four-day trade fair.

The annual gaming extravaganza is using the entire Makuhari Messe convention center in Chiba for the first time in four years following the lifting of restrictions related to the coronavirus pandemic.

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IT giants warned over low pay to press in online news distribution

TOKYO - Japan's Fair Trade Commission warned Google and other tech giants on Thursday that using news content from news media on their online platforms without proper compensation could potentially violate antimonopoly laws.

The warning comes amid growing global concerns that these platforms are generating substantial revenue from the internet distribution of news, while news media operators, including newspapers, magazines and broadcasters, seem to be grappling with exploitation due to inadequate compensation.

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Ex-lawmaker, YouTuber GaaSyy released on 30 mil. yen bail

TOKYO - Former Japanese lawmaker and YouTuber GaaSyy, who has been indicted on five charges including habitual online intimidation of celebrities, was released Thursday on bail after posting a 30 million yen ($203,000) bond.

The 51-year-old defendant, whose real name is Yoshikazu Higashitani, admitted to the charges and apologized for causing "huge psychological pain and economic damage (to the victims)" during his first trial hearing at the Tokyo District Court on Tuesday.

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Japan demands release of citizen detained in China for spying

TOKYO - The government of Japan said Thursday it has called on China to release a Japanese businessman facing espionage allegations, confirming he was placed in criminal detention earlier this month, a step that could lead to his formal arrest.

The man in his 50s is an employee of Japanese drugmaker Astellas Pharma Inc. and was initially held by Chinese authorities in March. He has been put under watch at a detention facility in Beijing, according to sources familiar with the bilateral ties.

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Japan new top diplomat vows to keep supporting Ukraine in Russia war

NEW YORK - Japan's new foreign minister, Yoko Kamikawa, told her Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba on Wednesday that Tokyo will continue providing support to Kyiv in its fight against Russia, her ministry said.

In the meeting on the sidelines of the annual session of the U.N. General Assembly in New York, Kamikawa also told Kuleba that Japan will work with Ukraine to achieve a just and lasting peace to the war that followed Russia's invasion in February 2022, the Foreign Ministry added.

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Event for Japan-China friendship's 45th anniv. to be held in Tokyo

TOKYO - A group formed by Japanese economic and political leaders dedicated to maintaining good relations between Japan and China is planning to hold a reception in Tokyo next month to commemorate 45 years since the enactment of a bilateral treaty of peace and friendship, diplomatic sources said Thursday.

Although it is not clear whether Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will attend the ceremony slated for Oct. 23, whether he and Chinese President Xi Jinping exchange messages of friendship to mark the occasion will likely be a focal point amid soured bilateral relations, according to the sources.

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Studio Ghibli to become Nippon TV subsidiary

TOKYO - Studio Ghibli Inc., the production company of anime director Hayao Miyazaki, is set to become a subsidiary of Nippon Television Network Corp., with the major Japanese broadcaster aiming to help manage the studio, the companies said Thursday.

Nippon Television plans to acquire 42.3 percent of voting rights at an undisclosed price on Oct. 6 to become the studio's leading shareholder. It said it aims to build on its longtime relationship with the company, which has included its airing of many of the studio's films starting with "Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind" in 1985.

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Video: Danjiri festival in Osaka