The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
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Japan to begin contentious Fukushima radioactive water release Aug. 24
TOKYO - Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Japan will start releasing treated radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the sea on Thursday, weather conditions permitting, despite concerns among local fishermen and persistent opposition from China.
The controversial decision was made at a ministerial meeting on Tuesday morning, as a significant amount of the water has accumulated at the site since the 2011 nuclear accident triggered by a devastating earthquake and ensuing tsunami.
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North Korea intends to launch "satellite" within week from Aug. 24
TOKYO - The Japanese government said Tuesday it has been notified that North Korea intends to launch a "satellite" between Thursday and Aug. 31 in what is believed to be a rerun of a failed attempt a few months ago.
Pyongyang tried to launch what it called a military reconnaissance satellite into orbit on May 31 but was unsuccessful.
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SoftBank-backed chip firm Arm to list on Nasdaq in over $60 bil. IPO
TOKYO - SoftBank Group Corp.-backed British chip designer Arm said Monday it has filed to list its shares on the U.S. Nasdaq stock exchange, with its market capitalization estimated to exceed $60 billion in what could be the largest initial public offering this year.
The chip giant, whose technology powers most smartphones worldwide, is expected to go public in September, people familiar with the matter said, although it did not specify the timing of the listing or the offer price. SoftBank will continue to hold the majority of its shares.
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China protests Fukushima water release, South Korea sees no problem
SEOUL/BEIJING - China expressed Tuesday strong opposition to Japan's plan to release treated radioactive water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant into the sea later this week, while South Korea said it has found no scientific or technical issues despite opposition among many locals.
The Hong Kong government said it will restrict Japanese seafood imports from 10 prefectures -- Tokyo, Fukushima, Chiba, Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Miyagi, Niigata, Nagano and Saitama -- beginning Thursday when the water discharge will start.
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Fishermen, locals decry Japan gov't Fukushima nuclear plant water discharge
TOKYO - Fishermen and other locals in northeastern Japan have expressed opposition to the government's decision Tuesday to begin discharging treated radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the sea later this week.
One fishing industry worker in coastal Fukushima Prefecture said the decision to start releasing the water Thursday was a "surprise attack" because it was made without the national fisheries federation first being notified. In the capital, too, activists came out to protest the move.
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Hokkaido's elusive cattle-attacking "ninja" bear shot by hunter
KUSHIRO, Japan - A three-year search for the "ninja bear" that attacked dozens of cattle in eastern Hokkaido came to an end after the animal was found to have been shot by a hunter in July, local officials said Tuesday.
The brown bear is believed to have attacked a total of 66 cows since the summer of 2019 and was codenamed "OSO18" after an 18-centimeter paw print was found at the first known attack site in the Shimoosotsubetsu district of Shibecha town.
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Thai parliament selects Srettha Thavisin of Pheu Thai party as PM
BANGKOK - Thailand's parliament elected Srettha Thavisin, a former property tycoon from the Pheu Thai party, which garnered the second-highest votes in the May 14 general election, as prime minister on Tuesday, ending a prolonged wait for a new government.
The vote took place just a day after Pheu Thai announced its coalition with 10 other parties, including those that supported the pro-military government of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, who declared his retirement from politics last month.
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North Korea resumes international passenger flights after COVID hiatus
BEIJING - North Korea resumed international passenger flights on Tuesday, with a morning plane from Pyongyang arriving in Beijing and a return flight later departing for the North Korean capital, marking the end of a suspension since early 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Over 100 people boarded the return flight to the capital operated by North Korea's state-run carrier, Air Koryo. Many North Korean nationals were stranded in China after Pyongyang shut its borders in early 2020 to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.
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Video: Soviet emblem on Kyiv monument replaced
