The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
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Japan likely to send 1st astronaut to Moon under U.S.-led project
TOKYO - The United States and Japan are making final arrangements to land a Japanese astronaut on the surface of the Moon for the first time, under a U.S.-led lunar exploration program, sources familiar with the matter said Sunday.
The Artemis program aims to achieve a historic milestone by sending U.S. astronauts to the lunar surface for the first time in over half a century by 2025 at the earliest, and a Japanese astronaut may be among the next to land on the Earth's satellite, according to the sources.
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Japan to spend 164.7 billion yen on 2025 Expo amid public skepticism
TOKYO - The Japanese government is estimated to spend a higher-than-expected 164.7 billion yen ($1.16 billion) on the 2025 World Exposition in Osaka, amid public concern about inflated costs for the global event.
In addition to the total, which includes spending on bidding activities, the central government, local authorities and the private sector are projected to pour some 9.7 trillion yen into the development of infrastructure for the event.
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Japan-owned tanker attacked by drone fired from Iran in Indian Ocean
WASHINGTON - A Japanese-owned commercial tanker was attacked by a drone launched from Iran in the Indian Ocean on Saturday, causing a fire but leaving no one injured, the U.S. Department of Defense said.
The Liberia-flagged, Netherlands-operated chemical tanker was struck about 370 kilometers off India "by a one-way attack drone fired from Iran," the Pentagon said in a statement, adding the fire on board has been extinguished.
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Horse racing: Take steers Do Deuce to Arima Kinen triumph
FUNABASHI, Japan - Jockey Yutaka Take extended his record for career G1 victories to 81 on Sunday aboard second favorite Do Deuce at the 68th running of the Arima Kinen.
The victory on turf over 2,500 meters at Nakayama Racecourse in 2 minutes, 30.9 seconds was the 4-year-old colt's third Grade 1 victory and Take's fourth in the Arima Kinen.
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Boxing: "Monster" Inoue confident ahead of historic fight
YOKOHAMA - Japanese boxer Naoya Inoue sounded poised as he reflected on history Sunday, two days ahead of a fight that could make him the second man to unify all four world championships in two different weight classes.
He will face the Philippines' Marlon Tapales on Tuesday at Tokyo's Ariake Arena for the undisputed super bantamweight world title.
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Japan government to bypass Okinawa governor, approve U.S. base relocation
NAHA - The Japanese government is arranging to approve a modified plan for landfill work to relocate a key U.S. base within Okinawa next week bypassing the local government, which seems poised to defy a court order mandating the approval, sources with knowledge of the matter said Saturday.
Land minister Tetsuo Saito is poised to make approval by proxy for the plan on Thursday in what will be the first such move by the central government on behalf of a local government, central government sources said.
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Figure skating: Sakamoto reigns supreme at Japan national championships
NAGANO, Japan - Two-time defending women's world champion Kaori Sakamoto earned a spot at March's worlds by winning her third straight Japan national title Sunday.
Sakamoto, who entered the nationals fresh off her first Grand Prix Final title this month, took an 8.86-point lead into her free skate at Nagano Big Hat from Friday's short program.
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Baseball: Reliever Matsui signs 5-year deal with Padres
NEW YORK - Japanese left-handed reliever Yuki Matsui has signed a five-year contract with the San Diego Padres, the major league club said Saturday, with the deal expected to be worth $28 million.
The 28-year-old, who has recorded 236 saves with a 2.40 ERA in 10 seasons, all with the Rakuten Eagles in the Pacific League, will join compatriot Yu Darvish at the Padres.
Video: Panda at Shirahama zoo gets Christmas presents
