KYODO NEWS - 9 minutes ago - 20:08 | All, Japan, World
The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
Japan grounds Ospreys after U.S. Air Force safety concerns
SAGA, Japan - The Ground Self-Defense Force has temporarily grounded its V-22 Osprey fleet based at a camp east of Tokyo after the U.S. Air Force halted flights of its fleet over safety concerns, the Defense Ministry said Saturday.
The suspension of flights for the tilt-rotor aircraft stationed at Camp Kisarazu in Chiba Prefecture came after the Air Force directed a "safety standdown" of its CV-22 fleet on Tuesday due to a clutch malfunction inside the plane's gearboxes.
Japan to keep interest in Russia's Sakhalin 2 gas project
TOKYO - Japan plans to retain its interest in the Sakhalin 2 oil and gas project and will notify Russia of its intention by the early September deadline, with two major Japanese energy companies set to sign on, sources familiar with the matter said Friday.
The likely participation of Jera Co., a Tokyo-based power generator, and Tokyo Gas Co. would help Japan procure liquefied natural gas from Russia, the sources said.
Baseball: Shohei Ohtani gets nod from Angels to take part in his 1st WBC
DETROIT - Two-way star Shohei Ohtani was given approval Friday to take part in his first World Baseball Classic next March by Los Angeles Angels General Manager Perry Minasian.
Ohtani, the reigning American League MVP, in July spoke of his desire to play in the tournament after missing the last edition in 2017 due to a right ankle injury while he was still a member of the Nippon Ham Fighters in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball.
Xi's 3rd term most likely endorsed at conclave of China's top echelon
BEIJING - Chinese President Xi Jinping appears to have secured an endorsement from other Communist Party leaders during their annual summer conclave to stay in power for an unprecedented third term, according to sources close to the matter.
But while there were no objections to Xi serving as general secretary for five more years, there was little support for reviving the title of party chairman for him among the current and retired leaders at the secretive gathering in the seaside resort of Beidaihe, held ahead of the party's twice-a-decade congress this fall, the Chinese sources said.
Xi, Putin may hold talks in Central Asia in Sept.: WSJ
WASHINGTON - Chinese President Xi Jinping is preparing to travel to Central Asia and meet with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in mid-September, The Wall Street Journal said Friday.
Quoting "people familiar with the planning," the business daily reported that Xi may attend the Sept. 15-16 annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, in person and meet with Putin there.
Police to revise rules for VIP protection after Abe shooting
TOKYO - The National Police Agency will revise its general rules for VIP protection for the first time in around 30 years, after flaws in protecting former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe last month led to his fatal shooting, police sources said Friday.
The agency is also considering expanding training for security personnel and increasing the number of officers assigned to protect dignitaries, with the revisions to be finalized and announced as early as next week, the sources said.
Japan gov't investigating mistreatment of pregnant foreign trainees
TOKYO - The Japanese government is conducting a survey to determine whether foreign technical trainees have been forced by employers or intermediary groups to leave the country because they fell pregnant or gave birth.
The Immigration Services Agency of Japan and the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare are working together on what appears to be the first survey of its kind, amid increased attention over a growing number of cases of harassment and abuse of trainees.
Tokyo court recognizes trans woman as parent of girl born before transition
TOKYO - A Tokyo court on Friday acknowledged the parent-child relationship between a transgender woman and her daughter conceived using her frozen sperm and born to her female partner before legally transitioning, partially overturning an earlier family court decision.
The Tokyo High Court, however, did not recognize the woman in her 40s, who was assigned male at birth and underwent gender reassignment surgery in 2018, as the parent of a second daughter born to her partner in 2020, after she had legally changed her gender to female on her family registry.
KYODO NEWS - 9 minutes ago - 20:08 | All, Japan, World
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