TOKYO - The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
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G7 summit pledges action on critical minerals amid China concerns
EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France - Leaders of the Group of Seven major democracies agreed Wednesday to diversify global critical mineral supply chains and reduce dependence on any single supplier, unveiling a coordinated strategy aimed at strengthening economic security in an apparent reference to China.
In a joint declaration on the topic issued on the final day of their three-day summit in the French lakeside town of Evian-les-Bains, the G7 pledged to respond collectively to economic coercion involving critical minerals, including export restrictions and retaliatory trade measures.
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Japan's ruling LDP proposes food consumption tax cut to 1% from April 2027
TOKYO - Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Wednesday proposed reducing the consumption tax rate on food and beverages from the current 8 percent to 1 percent for two years starting April 2027, rather than cutting it to zero as pledged in the last general election campaign.
The proposal was made by LDP tax policy chief Itsunori Onodera at a meeting of the cross-party national council on taxation and social security as a draft for an interim report on the issue to be compiled later this month, after monthslong discussions.
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Japan PM Takaichi touts G7 unity on energy security, critical minerals
ARCHAMPS, France - Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Wednesday hailed the outcome of the Group of Seven summit, saying leaders delivered a strong and unified message on energy security and critical mineral supply chains.
Speaking at a news conference after the three-day summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, Takaichi pointed to a series of joint statements as evidence that the group is resolved to address growing economic and security challenges.
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U.S. Fed signals one interest rate hike by year-end as chair Warsh debuts
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Federal Reserve on Wednesday signaled one quarter-point interest rate hike by the end of this year amid growing inflation concerns, marking a course change under new chair Kevin Warsh as he presided over his first monetary policy meeting.
Based on the central bank's latest economic projections, however, the anticipated year-end rates for 2027 and 2028 suggest likely rate cuts. Policymakers had previously indicated a rate cut by the end of this year.
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Trump says U.S. open to resuming attacks on Iran
EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France - The United States is open to resuming attacks on Iran if Tehran does not sufficiently comply with the terms of a recent preliminary peace deal between the two sides, President Donald Trump said Wednesday.
Trump, attending a Group of Seven summit in France, stressed that the so-called U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding, which calls for the fighting to stop and the Strait of Hormuz to be reopened, is not final.
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Japan's emperor, empress pay respects at war memorial in Amsterdam
AMSTERDAM - Japan's Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako on Wednesday attended a welcome ceremony at Dam Square in Amsterdam and paid their respects at a war memorial.
The ceremony began at around 10 a.m. The couple, alongside King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima, were welcomed by the Dutch and Japanese national anthems and received a guard of honor.
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Ukraine to expand use of fully autonomous AI drones in war with Russia
KYIV - Ukraine plans to expand its operational use of artificial intelligence-enabled autonomous drones against Russian forces by the end of this year, a representative from a Ukrainian government platform recently told Kyodo News.
The goal is to use technological innovation to improve the precision and target-identification capabilities of both offensive and defensive operations and help Ukraine seize the initiative in the war against Russia, which has a significant advantage in troop numbers.
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Tokyo-Osaka bullet train private-room seats to start from 42,100 yen
Tokyo - Central Japan Railway Co. said Wednesday that a private-room seat on the Tokaido Shinkansen Line, to be introduced in October, will cost from 42,100 yen ($260) for a one-way trip between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka.
The fare includes the base and express fares, totaling about 14,000 yen. The private rooms will be introduced on the shinkansen departing Tokyo Station at 6 a.m. on Oct. 1.
