The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
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Sapporo's 2030 Winter Olympics bid dropped, 2034 or later targeted
TOKYO - The city of Sapporo and the Japanese Olympic Committee on Wednesday abandoned their bid to host the 2030 Winter Olympics and decided to aim for 2034 or later.
Sapporo has been unable to build momentum as public sentiment has soured following revelations of widespread bribery and bid-rigging related to the Tokyo Games held in the summer of 2021.
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Japan payments clearing network disruption continues for 2nd day
TOKYO - Japan's payments clearing network has not yet recovered from a system problem detected the previous day, its operator said Wednesday, warning delays to bank fund transfers may persist.
"We have worked to restore the system overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday, but there was no clear idea of when the situation will be resolved as of 7 a.m. Wednesday," Japanese Banks' Payment Clearing Network said in a press release.
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Tokyo Stock Exchange opens new platform for carbon credit trading
TOKYO - Tokyo Stock Exchange Inc. on Wednesday opened a platform on which carbon credits can be traded as part of efforts to accelerate decarbonization in the private sector.
The exchange allows companies to buy and sell "J-Credit," an asset certified by the Japanese government and allocated to organizations that have reduced carbon dioxide emissions through renewable energy use, tree-planting, and other measures.
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Australian journalist detained by China returns home
SYDNEY - Australian journalist Cheng Lei returned home on Wednesday after more than three years of detention in China, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.
Cheng, who faced a closed trial on national security charges in 2022, arrived in Melbourne and was reunited with her two children and family, Albanese told a press conference in the south-eastern coastal city.
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Japan to tackle hay fever by felling cedar forests near major cities
TOKYO - Japan on Wednesday compiled a policy package to tackle hay fever caused by pollen from cedar and cypress trees, with plans to accelerate their reduction and replace them with varieties that produce less pollen.
The government is expected to initially focus on areas ringing major cities, such as Tokyo and Osaka, and cut down 70,000 hectares of forest annually over the next 10 years, higher than the current removal rate of 50,000 hectares annually.
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China to host int'l forum on Belt and Road initiative next week
BEIJING - China said Wednesday it will host an international forum on its signature Belt and Road initiative next week in Beijing, with President Xi Jinping to deliver a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the event held to mark the global infrastructure strategy's 10th anniversary.
The two-day forum starting next Tuesday is expected to draw representatives from over 130 countries, including Russian President Vladimir Putin. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said in a statement its theme will be "high-quality Belt and Road cooperation: together for common development and prosperity."
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Sony to launch new model of PlayStation 5 on Nov. 10 in Japan
TOKYO - Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. said Wednesday that Japanese stores will begin selling in November a new model of its hugely popular PlayStation 5 game console that is physically smaller but with increased memory capacity.
The PS5 console equipped with an Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive will go on sale Nov. 10 priced at 66,980 yen ($450), while the digital version without a disc drive that requires users to download games onto the console will cost 59,980 yen, according to Sony Group Corp's game unit.
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Driver arrested after elderly woman dragged by van for 2 km in Tokyo
TOKYO - A driver was arrested Tuesday after a woman in her 80s was hit by a van and dragged for about 2 kilometers in western Tokyo, resulting in her death, police said.
Yoshihiro Sumiyama, 53, an office worker in Higashimurayama, has denied the charges of negligent driving resulting in death and violating the traffic law, saying he does not recall hitting anyone, according to police.
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Video: Tokyo-born panda put on public view in China
