TOKYO – The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
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Trump touts good U.S. ties with Japan, China amid tensions
WASHINGTON – U.S. President Donald Trump said he had a “great talk” with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Monday night and thinks that both Japan and China are “doing fine,” amid an escalating diplomatic row between Asia’s top two economies.
Trump made his first public remarks about their phone conversation, while speaking to reporters on Tuesday aboard Air Force One on his way to Florida for the Thanksgiving holiday. The conversation took place after Trump’s call with Chinese President Xi Jinping amid rising tensions between Tokyo and Beijing over Taiwan.
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Sumo: Young Ukrainian star Aonishiki becomes country’s 1st ozeki
KURUME, Japan – Ukrainian sumo wrestler Aonishiki was promoted Wednesday to the sport’s second-highest rank, ozeki, in the wake of his victory at the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament.
The 21-year-old becomes the first Ukrainian ozeki after winning his maiden elite-level championship at the 15-day meet through Sunday at Fukuoka Kokusai Center while competing from the third-highest rank, sekiwake.
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Japan’s FY 2025 tax revenue likely to reach record 80.7 trillion yen
TOKYO – Japan’s tax revenue for the current fiscal year through March is expected to reach around 80.7 trillion yen ($517 billion), hitting a new record for the sixth consecutive year, a source close to the matter said Wednesday.
The projected amount is higher than the 77.8 trillion yen estimated in the fiscal 2025 initial budget, according to the source.
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Hokkaido governor set to OK restart of Japan’s newest reactor at Tomari
SAPPORO – The Hokkaido governor is set to approve the restart of Japan’s newest reactor at the Tomari nuclear power plant, judging it to be an unavoidable step to cope with higher electricity demand, a source close to the matter said Wednesday.
The No. 3 unit at the Tomari plant, operated by Hokkaido Electric Power Co., has cleared safety screenings by the nuclear regulator. Its operations have been suspended since May 2012, one year after the Fukushima nuclear disaster.
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Japan gov’t task force starts talks on tighter crypto asset regulations
TOKYO – A task force under Japan’s financial watchdog began discussions on Wednesday to tighten rules on crypto assets, including measures against insider trading and steps to protect users, as authorities seek to crack down on illicit deals amid growing demand for the assets as investment products.
The working group of the Financial Services Agency plans to soon compile a report outlining the specifics of the tighter rules under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act, which covers securities such as stocks and bonds.
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Japanese baby girl dies after taxi crash during Seoul family trip
SEOUL – A Japanese infant girl died earlier this month after sustaining critical injuries in a collision when a taxi carrying her and her family, who were sightseeing, veered into the opposite lane in central Seoul in October, local police said.
The infant’s parents were also injured in the accident. The girl died on Nov. 19.
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Baseball: Japan’s superstar Ohtani still weighing two-way role at WBC
LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani said Tuesday he is “not sure yet” of his role for Japan at the World Baseball Classic in March, indicating he is still weighing whether to pitch during the tournament.
The 31-year-old, fresh off winning back-to-back World Series championships and National League MVP Awards with the Dodgers, announced a day earlier that he will be part of Samurai Japan’s WBC title defense.
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No new casualties, home damage confirmed in Kumamoto Pref. after M5.8 quake
KUMAMOTO, Japan – No new casualties or residential damage were confirmed in southwestern Japan’s Kumamoto Prefecture on Wednesday after an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.8 hit the region the previous evening, the prefectural government said.
Two prefectural roads remain closed to traffic Wednesday due to falling rocks and cracks on the road surface. In the village of Ubuyama, where the quake registered upper 5 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale of 7, two vehicles were struck by falling rocks on a prefectural road, but no injuries were reported.
Video: Aonishiki to parade for the champion
