The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
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Japan considering legally binding regulations for AI developers
TOKYO - The Japanese government is considering introducing legally binding regulations on developers of large-scale artificial intelligence systems to ensure they implement measures to address disinformation and other risks, sources close to the matter said Monday.
While the government had previously leaned toward making such measures voluntary, it has recognized the need for penal regulations, similar to moves made by the European Union and other countries, amid concerns over potential AI misuse.
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BOJ to debate end of negative rate policy after bumper wage hikes
TOKYO - The Bank of Japan will debate ending its negative interest rate policy at its two-day policy meeting from Monday as accelerating wage growth is increasing the chance of attaining stable inflation without hurting the economy.
If the Policy Board decides to remove the negative rate and goes ahead with what will effectively be the central bank's first hike in 17 years, it will mark a major shift away from the unprecedented monetary easing that Japan has seen over the past decade to put an end to deflation.
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Putin scores landslide win to extend his 24-yr rule in Russia
TOKYO - Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday clinched a landslide election victory that will extend his nearly quarter-century of rule for six more years, consolidating his grip on power amid the country's war in Ukraine.
Putin, 71, had won more than 87 percent of the votes with nearly 100 percent of the ballots counted, overwhelming three other candidates, the preliminary results from the country's election commission showed. The outcome drew critical reactions from Western nations that viewed the election as far from free and fair.
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3 ballistic missiles fired by N. Korea, fall outside Japan's EEZ
TOKYO - North Korea launched three ballistic missiles toward the Sea of Japan on Monday that likely fell outside of Japan's exclusive economic zone, prompting Tokyo to lodge a stern protest, the Japanese government said.
Pyongyang fired two missiles around 7:44 a.m. and one about 8:21 a.m., with each flying around 350 kilometers at a maximum altitude of about 50 km, the Defense Ministry said. The last ballistic missile launch by North Korea on Jan. 14 involved an intermediate-range missile.
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Antony Blinken warns of technology threat to democracy at Seoul forum
SEOUL - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday called for strengthened measures to counter authoritarian regimes using advanced technologies to threaten democracy.
Speaking at a multilateral forum in Seoul, Blinken said, "As authoritarian and repressive regimes deploy technologies to undermine democracy and human rights, we need to ensure that technology sustains and supports democratic values and norms."
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Japan to study health impact of PFAS chemicals amid growing fears
TOKYO - Japan will launch a study on the health impact of potentially harmful chemicals known as PFAS, a government source said Monday, after their detection across the country fueled concern among local residents.
PFAS, or polyfluoroalkyl substances, used in various products such as frying pan coatings and water-repellent clothing, have been detected in high concentrations at places near Self-Defense Forces and U.S military bases as well as industrial areas.
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Japan society on transgender issues to drop "disorder" from name
TOKYO - The Japanese Society of Gender Identity Disorder, a body promoting transgender studies, has decided to drop "disorder" from its name based on the latest understanding of people with gender identities differing from those assigned at birth.
The change, announced Sunday at its general meeting, is in line with the World Health Organization's recent advice to use the term "gender incongruence" instead of "gender disorder." The society's new English name is yet to be formally decided.
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Chinese professor at Japan university missing after visiting homeland
SHANGHAI - A Chinese professor at a western Japan university has gone missing after visiting his homeland last summer, the college said Monday, sparking fears that he has been detained by Chinese authorities.
Hu Shiyun, a professor at Kobe Gakuin University, became unreachable after arriving in China following the end of summer school courses in August last year. Hu's family told the university in late September that they had not heard from him, the school said.
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