TOKYO - The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
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Oil tanker that passed through Hormuz may arrive in Japan Monday
TOKYO - An oil tanker operated by a unit of Idemitsu Kosan Co. that has transited the Strait of Hormuz is expected to arrive in Japan possibly on Monday, according to the Japanese trade ministry.
Idemitsu Maru is set to become the first crude oil tanker to reach Japan since the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran in late February led to the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz -- a crucial waterway for global energy shipments on which the resource-poor Asian nation heavily relies for oil imports.
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APEC trade ministers gather in China amid concern over unilateralism
SUZHOU, China - Trade ministers from 21 Pacific Rim economies gathered Friday in Suzhou, eastern China, for a two-day meeting amid concern over the rise of unilateralism under U.S. President Donald Trump's protectionist "America First" agenda that led to the imposition of global tariffs.
The trade chiefs of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum will explore ways to further promote free trade in their region as well as deepen collaboration in digital transformation involving artificial intelligence.
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Kyoto school operator violated political neutrality in fatal Okinawa trip
TOKYO - The operator of a high school in Kyoto Prefecture violated the law obliging schools to maintain political neutrality during a trip that culminated in a fatal boat accident, the education ministry said Friday.
It is the first such violation of the Basic Act on Education since the law was revised in 2006, according to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. The law states schools shall refrain from political activities.
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Ex-Suntory chairman Niinami not indicted over supplement imports
FUKUOKA - Former Suntory Holdings Ltd. Chairman Takeshi Niinami has not been indicted for allegedly importing illegal supplements, along with a female acquaintance, prosecutors said Friday.
The decision came after the two had been referred to prosecutors by the Fukuoka prefectural police in April on suspicion of violating the special narcotics law. Police said Niinami, 67, had denied involvement in the case.
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Japan's university graduate employment rate remains at 98%
TOKYO - A total of 98.0 percent of new university graduates who sought jobs were employed as of April 1, the same rate as the previous year and the second highest level on record, the labor ministry said Friday.
The figure reflects the continued demand for students, with an official of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare saying the labor shortage is tied to factors such as the country's declining birthrate and greying population.
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Japan gov't to get access to Anthropic's latest AI: finance minister
TOKYO - The Japanese government is set to be granted access to U.S. startup Anthropic's latest artificial intelligence model Claude Mythos later in the month, Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said Friday, in a move that would likely help strengthen cyber defense.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said during his three-day visit to Japan through May 13 that the Japanese government and the country's financial institutions would be given access within two weeks, according to the minister.
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Sydney turns on for annual Vivid light festival
SYDNEY - Sydney transformed into a kaleidoscopic display of light and color Friday as the harbor city switched on for the annual Vivid Sydney festival.
The event, which will run through June 13, sees the city lit up with 43 light installations and projections in an unbroken 6.5-kilometer walk along the Sydney Harbour foreshore, transforming iconic landmarks such as the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge with glowing displays.
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Figure skating: Uno returns, targets Olympics in ice dance with Honda
TOKYO - Former world champion and three-time Olympic medalist Shoma Uno will return to competition with former world junior champion Marin Honda in ice dance from the new season, with the pair aiming for the 2030 Winter Olympics, they said Friday.
"Day by day, we are moving forward with strong determination while taking on new challenges," Uno and Honda, who have publicly acknowledged they are in a relationship, said in an Instagram post.
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VIDEO: Cormorant fishing begins in southwestern Japan
