TOKYO – The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
TOKYO – Nearly 70 percent of executives of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s local chapters in Japan’s 47 prefectures support stricter regulations on land purchases by foreign individuals or companies, a Kyodo News poll showed Saturday, ahead of the Oct. 4 party leadership election.
The survey, conducted on Monday when the campaign for the LDP race kicked off, showed 32 of the 47 believe regulations on land purchases by foreign nationals or entities “should be strengthened.”
Japan to face price hikes on over 3,000 food items in October
TOKYO – Consumers in Japan are expected to face prices hikes on more than 3,000 food and beverage items for the first time in six months in October mainly due to an increase in raw material and labor costs.
The burden on Japanese households will be felt even more also because three-month subsidies on electricity and gas bills will end at the end of this month, keeping pressure on real wages that fell for the seventh consecutive month in July, as salary growth has been outpaced by price increases
Japan major bank to make 1-month paternity leave mandatory
TOKYO – Japan’s Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. will require its employees to take at least one month’s paternity leave in principle from October to encourage participation in childcare and improve the working environment, the company said.
As part of the measures to be adopted by fiscal year 2028, the major bank will pay a bonus of 50,000 yen ($335) to employees on parental leave and their colleagues if the business continues to operate stably during their absence.
Japan’s Yoneda wins international contest for young conductors in France
BESANCON, France – Japan’s Satoshi Yoneda won an international competition in France for up-and-coming orchestra conductors on Saturday, becoming the 11th Japanese winner of the contest that produced internationally successful conductors including the late Seiji Ozawa.
Yoneda, 29, hailing from the western Japan city of Okayama, was among the three finalists in the weeklong 59th edition of the Besancon International Competition for Young Conductors, along with 26-year-old American Kyrian Friedenberg and China’s Tianyi Xie, 21, who was the youngest candidate.
Golf: Japan’s women showing U.S. LPGA Tour there is power in numbers
TOKYO – Japanese female golfers have enjoyed great success this year on the U.S. LPGA Tour, racking up five wins, including two majors, as a record-high 13 players test themselves on the other side of the Pacific.
The loss of talent contributed to the domestic LPGA of Japan Tour seeing some 500 fewer spectators per tournament. But on the international stage, Japan has never been so popular.
Baseball: Suzuki blasts home run No. 31 in Cubs’ win against Cardinals
CHICAGO – Seiya Suzuki continued his hot streak with home run No. 31 for the Chicago Cubs in Saturday’s 7-3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals, a day after becoming the third Japanese player with 30 homers in a Major League Baseball season.
The 31-year-old put the Cubs up 4-1 as he led off the sixth inning with a high fly ball to left center at Wrigley Field, going deep for the fourth time in three games.
TOKYO – Japanese police suspect a group is selling fake Taiwanese driver’s licenses to help Chinese tourists take advantage of an easier process to obtain documents for driving cars in Japan.
The police arrested two Chinese earlier this month on suspicion of applying online using fake Taiwanese driver’s licenses to get Japanese translations to use in the country.
Chinese premier warns tariff hikes denting global economic growth
NEW YORK – Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Friday warned that the risks of higher tariffs denting global economic growth have risen, in a veiled criticism of the United States, calling in a U.N. speech for the international community to reject unilateralism and protectionism.
To achieve sustained economic development, Li told the U.N. General Assembly in New York, “self-isolation” is not the answer, and the only right way to move forward will be to pursue “openness and cooperation.”
VIDEO: Hakamata’s sister thanks supporters
