The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
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Police question man believed to be 1970s bombing fugitive
TOKYO - Tokyo police are questioning a man, believed to be Satoshi Kirishima, who is wanted for his suspected involvement in a bombing, one in a string of explosions that rocked the capital in the 1970s, at a hospital in Kanagawa Prefecture, investigative sources said Friday.
The man, who checked into the hospital in Kamakura under a different name to receive treatment for terminal cancer, was reported to the police by hospital staff after he confessed to being Kirishima, they said.
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Japan's foreign worker population tops 2 million for first time
TOKYO - The number of foreign workers in Japan as of the end of last October topped 2 million for the first time, government data showed Friday, as the country grapples with labor shortages amid an aging population.
The rise to a record 2,048,675 foreign workers, up 225,950, or 12.4 percent, from the previous year, was also due to a recovery in the number of technical interns following the end of Japan's strict coronavirus border controls.
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Japanese lawmaker Ikeda indicted over ruling party slush fund scandal
TOKYO - A lawmaker formerly of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party was indicted Friday for his alleged failure to report millions of yen in connection with a political fundraising scandal that has rocked the LDP led by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
The indictment of House of Representatives member Yoshitaka Ikeda, 57, came amid a series of criminal cases being built against lawmakers and accountants over the violation of the political funds control law. His secretary Kazuhiro Kakinuma, 45, was also indicted.
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Japan's Diet starts 150-day regular session, funds scandal in focus
TOKYO - Japan's parliament convened a 150-day ordinary session on Friday, with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida set to be grilled over a political fundraising scandal that has continued to rattle his ruling Liberal Democratic Party.
During the Diet session through June 23, the government's response to a powerful earthquake in central Japan on New Year's Day is also likely to be a key agenda item, as the disaster-hit areas will accelerate efforts toward reconstruction, lawmakers said.
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Biden to host Japan PM Kishida in Washington on April 10
WASHINGTON - U.S. President Joe Biden will host Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida for an official visit on April 10, including a state dinner, to discuss efforts to reinforce the bilateral alliance and cooperation in dealing with challenges facing the Indo-Pacific region, the White House said Thursday.
White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement that Kishida's visit to Washington will emphasize "the enduring strength of our alliance partnership, the unwavering U.S. commitment to Japan and Japan's increasing global leadership role."
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Baseball: Sasaki, Marines end contract standoff
CHIBA, Japan - Pitcher Roki Sasaki agreed to terms on his contract for the 2024 season, the Lotte Marines announced Friday, just six days before the team is set to hold its first spring training workout.
The 22-year-old, the youngest pitcher to throw a perfect game in Japan, had been the subject of several media reports claiming he has demanded Lotte allow him to sign with an MLB team before the Marines could earn a substantial posting fee.
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Kyoto Animation arsonist's defense appeals death sentence
KYOTO - The defense team for the arsonist in the 2019 attack on a Kyoto Animation Co. studio that killed 36 people has appealed his death sentence, the Kyoto District Court said Friday.
Shinji Aoba, 45, was found guilty Thursday of conducting what has gone down as one of the worst mass murders in Japan's history. The trial centered on whether his mental state meant he could be found criminally responsible. The court sided with the prosecution to rule that while he was subject to delusional thinking, his state of mind had limited effect on his actions.
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Japan revokes approval for 3 Daihatsu models on safety test rigging
TOKYO - Japan's transport ministry on Friday revoked the certification necessary for the mass production of three models of truck built by Daihatsu Motor Co. over safety test rigging.
The three models are the Gran Max light commercial vehicle, the Town Ace, which Daihatsu produces for Toyota Motor Corp., and the Bongo for Mazda Motor Corp.
Video: A young prodigious Go player moves to South Korea
