The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
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Yen sharply rebounds vs dollar amid suspected intervention
SINGAPORE - The yen rallied sharply after dropping to a new 34-year low in the 160 level against the U.S. dollar in Asian trading on Monday amid speculation of intervention by Japanese authorities.
The dollar topped the 160 yen line for the first time since April 1990, rising from the 158 yen level in thin trading with financial markets in Tokyo closed for a national holiday.
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China's Xi to visit France, Serbia and Hungary from Sun.
BEIJING - Chinese President Xi Jinping will make a six-day visit to France, Serbia and Hungary from Sunday to hold summit talks with the leaders of the three European countries, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.
It will be Xi's first trip to Europe in about five years and comes as China marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties with France and the 75th anniversary with Hungary, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a press conference Monday.
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Another man arrested in case of 2 burnt bodies found outside Tokyo
TOKYO - Police on Monday arrested another man in a case involving two burnt bodies found at a riverside north of Tokyo, with investigators suspecting he may have issued instructions to a man already apprehended in connection with the incident.
Hikaru Sasaki, 28, was tracked down in the southern island prefecture of Okinawa, where he appears to have been hiding for several days. He had an airline ticket bound for a different location.
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Japan to trial AI scheme for spotting bears as attacks on humans rise
The Japanese government is planning to trial an artificial intelligence system for spotting wild bears to better deal with an increasing number of attacks by the animals on humans, a government source said Monday.
Under the system, AI will use security camera footage to instantly detect bears and share the information with the relevant authorities. The pilot scheme is planned to begin by summer in Toyama Prefecture, central Japan.
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Ex-U.S. No. 2 diplomat Wendy Sherman among foreigners decorated in Japan
TOKYO - Former U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman is among the 101 foreigners recognized in this year's spring decorations for their notable contributions to Japan, the government said Monday.
Sherman, 74, who served as the first female No. 2 official at the U.S. State Department from 2021 to 2023, will be bestowed with the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun.
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Japanese firm aims to spread new baseball game for everyone
NEW YORK - A new baseball game based on a popular, decades-old toy version of the sport is allowing people with and without disabilities to experience the joys of the diamond.
Universal Baseball, developed by Tokyo-based railcar maintenance firm Horie Sharyo Denso Corp., was played in New York on April 21, for the first time outside Japan, with former Yankees slugger Hideki Matsui appearing as a special guest.
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Baseball: Yanagita homer wraps up Hawks' 3rd straight walk-off win
FUKUOKA - Yuki Yanagita hit a walk-off three-run homer with two outs in the ninth inning to give the SoftBank Hawks a 5-4 victory over the Seibu Lions on Monday.
With runners on first and second, Yanagita drove a 1-0 pitch from Albert Abreu over the fence in right-center at Mizuho PayPay Dome in Fukuoka.
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Kin of Japanese abducted by N. Korea departs for U.S. to seek support
TOKYO - The families of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea decades ago departed for Washington on Monday to seek support from U.S legislators and government officials for their return.
The members of the families include Takuya Yokota, the head of a group representing the families of Japanese kidnapped in the 1970s and 1980s, and Koichiro Iizuka, secretary general of the group.
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Tokyo-Hakata shinkansen trains to offer private rooms from FY 2026
TOKYO - Shinkansen bullet trains linking Tokyo, Osaka and Hakata will start to offer special seats in dedicated rooms from fiscal 2026 as its operator seeks to satisfy growing demand for luxury and privacy on rail journeys.
Central Japan Railway Co. plans to install two private rooms per bullet train, equipped with reclining seats with foot rests. Passengers can have access to Wi-Fi, and adjust settings such as lighting, air-conditioning and audio based on their preference.
Video: Swans gather at Onuma swamp in Hokkaido
