The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
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Police say No. of cyber scams in Japan up 8% in 2023, most in 10 yrs
TOKYO - Japan saw an 8.3 percent increase in the number of police-recognized cyber and phone scams in 2023, with the 19,033 cases the most in 10 years, while the number of people linked to overseas-based crime rings was the highest ever seen, data showed Thursday.
Cases of telecommunications fraud increased for the third consecutive year and the cost to victims jumped 19 percent to 44.1 billion yen ($298 million), up for the second consecutive year, according to the National Police Agency.
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Tokyo stocks at 34-yr high as BOJ hints at maintaining easing policy
TOKYO - Tokyo stocks ended at 34-year highs Thursday as exporter issues were boosted by a weakening yen against the U.S. dollar after Bank of Japan Deputy Governor Shinichi Uchida hinted the bank will maintain its accommodative policy stance even after ending negative rates.
The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average logged the biggest daily rise in nearly three months, ending up 743.36 points, or 2.06 percent, from Wednesday at 36,863.28. The broader Topix index finished 12.68 points, or 0.50 percent, higher at 2,562.63.
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China no longer No. 1 source of U.S. imports, 1st time since 2008
WASHINGTON - China was the second-biggest source of imported goods in the United States last year on a customs-cleared basis, losing the top spot it had held since 2008 to Mexico, official trade data showed Wednesday.
The change in ranking provided further evidence of the United States' reduced economic reliance on China, although the administration of President Joe Biden has reiterated it has no intention of decoupling from the Asian power.
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Accommodative policy to stay after negative rate ends: BOJ deputy
TOKYO - The Bank of Japan will likely maintain its accommodative policy stance even if it moves to end its negative interest rate after achieving stable inflation, a deputy chief said Thursday.
Deputy Governor Shinichi Uchida said the likelihood of attaining the central bank's 2 percent inflation target accompanied by pay hikes is "gradually rising" but it needs to examine more data, including the outcome of spring wage negotiations between management and labor unions.
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SoftBank Group posts 458.72 bil. yen net loss in April-Dec.
TOKYO - SoftBank Group Corp. said Thursday it posted a net loss of 458.72 billion yen ($3.1 billion) for the nine months ended December, as it still struggles with its investment business.
The net loss decreased from 912.51 billion yen in the same period last year as better-performing stock markets boosted the value of its investment portfolio.
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Honda ups net profit outlook to record 960 bil. yen on U.S. sales
TOKYO - Honda Motor Co. on Thursday raised its net profit outlook for the current fiscal year to a record 960 billion yen ($6.5 billion), helped by robust auto sales in North America and the weakening yen.
The latest net profit projection, up from its previous estimate of 930 billion yen, for the year to March represents 47.4 percent growth from the previous year.
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Voting underway in Pakistan to elect new government
ISLAMABAD - Pakistani voters went to the polls Thursday to elect a new government, with former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and independent candidates backed by detained former premier Imran Khan vying to take power.
The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz party of Sharif, whose corruption charges were overturned in November and December last year following his return from self-imposed exile, is considered the frontrunner in the National Assembly election.
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Baseball: 2028 Olympics proposes ways for MLB players to take part
LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles Olympics organizing committee briefed Major League Baseball owners Wednesday on possible methods that would allow its active players to compete for the first time in the Olympics, the Athletic reported.
According to the story, Los Angeles organizing committee chairman Casey Wasserman outlined four possibilities to make participating in the 2028 Olympics more appealing to MLB teams, including a small six- to eight-team tournament and a brief five- or six-day competition in mid-July.
Video: Fire festival in western Japan
