The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
Kishida says no plan to dissolve Diet after defeat in by-elections
TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Tuesday that he has no intention of dissolving parliament, two days after his Liberal Democratic Party lost three seats in House of Representatives by-elections with a slush funds scandal eroding the LDP's popularity.
Kishida told reporters that the LDP and the government will "concentrate on achieving results by tackling several issues" such as political funds reform and that he has "no plan at all" to dissolve the lower house for a snap election.
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Japan likely conducted forex intervention worth around 5 tril. yen
TOKYO - Japan likely spent some 5 trillion yen ($32 billion) on Monday in currency market intervention, data by its central bank and market sources showed Tuesday, in the clearest evidence yet of the nation's attempt to slow the yen's rapid fall.
The government has not confirmed that it intervened after the yen on Monday tumbled versus the U.S. dollar beyond the 160 line, a 34-year low, and then jumped to the 154 zone in a short span of time.
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Foreigner hotel stays in Japan surges 68% to record high in March
TOKYO - Overnight stays at accommodation facilities in Japan by foreigners jumped 68.2 percent in March from a year earlier to about 12.70 million, the highest monthly figure on the back of a weaker yen, preliminary government data showed Tuesday.
The latest number exceeded the previous single-month high for overnight stays by foreigners of around 12.30 million in December 2023, according to the Japan Tourism Association.
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China uses water cannon at Philippine ships in South China Sea
MANILA - Three Chinese coast guard vessels on Tuesday fired water cannon at two Philippine government ships near the Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea, the Philippine Coast Guard said, in another indication of heightening tensions between Manila and Beijing over their competing claims in the sea.
The attack on a vessel belonging to the Philippine fisheries bureau and a coast guard ship took place while they were on a maritime patrol in the waters near the shoal, located 124 nautical miles west of the northern Philippine province of Zambales, according to the coast guard.
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Renowned Japanese wedding dress designer Yumi Katsura dies at 94
TOKYO - Yumi Katsura, a bridal fashion designer known for popularizing Western-style wedding dresses in Japan, died Friday, her company said. She was 94.
Katsura, whose real name was Yumi Yuki, studied haute couture in Paris before teaching at a dressmaking school run by her mother. She began working as Japan's first bridal fashion designer in 1964.
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Taiwan leaders affirm friendship with Japan ruling party lawmakers
TAIPEI - Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen and the president-elect, Lai Ching-te, affirmed stronger friendship and cooperation between the island and Japan as they met a Japanese ruling party delegation in Taipei on Tuesday, according to the Presidential Office.
The 11-member group of the Liberal Democratic Party Youth Division led by Takako Suzuki, 38, a House of Representatives lawmaker, is on a five-day trip to Taiwan through Friday. Tsai said the joint effort of each generation is required for regional peace and stability, as well as mutual friendship.
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Town begins work to block Mt. Fuji photo spot due to unruly tourists
KOFU, Japan - A Japanese town on Tuesday began work to set up a large black screen to block the view of Mt. Fuji at a popular photo spot in response to what it calls unruly behavior from tourists.
The sight of Japan's highest mountain towering over a Lawson convenience store in Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi Prefecture, can be captured from across a road and has become popular among foreign tourists after the picturesque location rose to fame on social media.
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Japan job availability down to 1.29 in FY 2023, 1st fall in 3 yrs
TOKYO - Japan's job availability ratio for fiscal 2023 fell 0.02 point to 1.29 from the previous year, marking its first decline in three years, government data showed Tuesday.
For March, the job availability ratio was up 0.02 point from February to 1.28, meaning there were 128 jobs available for every 100 job seekers, figures from the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare showed.
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Japan protests against S. Korean lawmakers' visit to disputed islets
TOKYO - The Japanese government on Tuesday protested against South Korean lawmakers' visit to a pair of disputed islets, maintaining they are inherently part of Japan's territory.
The Foreign Ministry stated that Tokyo lodged a protest with Seoul, describing the landing of the lawmakers on Takeshima, known as Dokdo in South Korea, as "absolutely unacceptable and extremely regrettable."
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IMF revises up Asia-Pacific growth outlook to 4.5% from 4.2%
SINGAPORE - The International Monetary Fund projected on Tuesday that the Asia and Pacific region will grow by 4.5 percent this year, revising upward its October forecast of 4.2 percent, mainly due to strong investment in China and India.
China's economy is expected to grow 4.6 percent, up 0.4 percentage point from the previous forecast, the IMF said. It projected India's growth to be 6.8 percent, up 0.5 point.
Video: A candle artist organizes an event to pray for earthquake struck region in Ishikawa Prefecture
