TOKYO -
The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
----------
Japan pitches frigate export to New Zealand in defense ministerial talks
SINGAPORE - Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi made a pitch for the possible export of the country's advanced Mogami-class frigate to New Zealand on Saturday during the first trilateral meeting with his New Zealand and Australian counterparts.
Koizumi, New Zealand's Chris Penk and Australia's Richard Marles met on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue regional security forum in Singapore, reaffirming their commitment to closer defense cooperation following Japan's recent easing of rules governing defense equipment exports.
----------
Japan, S. Korea to resume search-and-rescue drill after about 9 years
SINGAPORE - Japan and South Korea will resume a joint search-and-rescue exercise next month for the first time in about nine years, reflecting improving ties between the two nations after years of strained diplomatic and defense relations.
South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu Back said Saturday at the start of talks with his Japanese counterpart, Shinjiro Koizumi, in Singapore, that the humanitarian exercise involving the South Korean Navy and Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force will be held on June 7.
----------
Japan top court study sees AI useful in summarizing documents, risks remain
TOKYO - Artificial intelligence may be effective in processing large volumes of documents and summarizing arguments in civil trials, but risks remain, the results of a project by Japan's top court showed Saturday.
The Supreme Court has been weighing the pros and cons of allowing the use of AI in court, where judges are required to scrutinize facts and evidence to make fair judgments. Its recent feasibility study also pointed to the risks of overreliance on and overconfidence in AI.
----------
Japan PM vows "breakthrough" with N. Korea in abduction issue
TOKYO - Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Saturday expressed her determination to achieve a "breakthrough" in resolving the longstanding issue of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea, vowing to weigh all options, including summit talks.
At a rally in Tokyo calling for the return of Japanese abductees, Takaichi urged North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to take a "courageous step" together for the benefit of the peoples of the two countries.
----------
Hegseth hails better ties with China but warns of its military rise
SINGAPORE - U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Saturday that relations between his country and China are better than they have been in many years under President Donald Trump's leadership but warned of the Asian power's rapid military rise.
In his speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia's annual security forum, in Singapore, Hegseth said there is "rightful alarm" in the Indo-Pacific about "China's historic military buildup and the expansion of its military activities in the region and beyond."
----------
Head of small Japan opposition party remains open to joining ruling bloc
TOKYO - Yuichiro Tamaki, leader of the opposition Democratic Party for the People, on Saturday left open the possibility of joining the ruling coalition led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, depending on how much trust the two sides can build.
Senior members of Takaichi's Liberal Democratic Party have made remarks in recent days courting the DPP, as the ruling coalition continues to struggle in the House of Councillors, where it lacks a majority, unlike in the House of Representatives.
----------
Japan ethylene plants' operating rate at record low amid Mideast disruption
TOKYO - The operating rate of plants in Japan producing ethylene, used widely to make detergents, pharmaceuticals and paints, hit a record low in April amid the disruption of supplies of its oil-derived feedstock naphtha due to the Middle East conflict, an industry group said.
The utilization rate sank to 67.3 percent, the lowest since comparable data became available in 1996 and below the previous low of 68.8 percent in March, the Japan Petrochemical Industry Association said earlier in May.
----------
Football: Osako hat-trick as Kobe trounce Kashima 5-0 in playoffs 1st leg
KOBE - Yuya Osako grabbed a hat-trick as Group West winners Vissel Kobe hammered Group East champions Kashima Antlers 5-0 at home on Saturday in the playoffs' first leg of the J-League first-division tournament.
The one-off competition, named the "100 Year Vision League," is held in the first half of this calendar year, before the Japanese domestic season starts, in parallel with top club competitions in Europe and Asia.
----------
VIDEO: Footballer Wataru Endo dons straw hat for "One Piece" collaboration
