TOKYO - The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
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A quarter of Japan municipalities see population drop by over 10%: Kyodo
TOKYO - A quarter of Japan's municipalities saw their population decline by more than 10 percent between 2020 and 2025, Kyodo News analysis of census data showed Sunday.
Significant depopulation often leads to a deterioration of public services, prompting some experts to highlight the urgent need to adapt to rapid change.
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Student loan borrowers unexpectedly hit by Japan's shift to higher rates
TOKYO - The Bank of Japan's move to raise its policy rate to rein in inflation has pushed up borrowing costs in Japan, and people repaying their student loans after college are no exception.
For some recent graduates, the interest rate on their loans, which is determined after finishing school, has climbed far more than expected, rising more than sixfold from the level just before they entered college.
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Iran declares closure of Strait of Hormuz after U.S. retaliation
TEHRAN/WASHINGTON - Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps declared on Sunday the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key energy chokepoint, Iranian media reported, following U.S. retaliatory strikes on Iran over an attack on a container ship transiting the key waterway.
The U.S. Central Command said it had begun launching fresh strikes after Iran attacked the container ship. "The United States is imposing a heavy cost by continuing to degrade Iran's ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial ships freely transiting the strait," it said in a post on X on Saturday.
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Japan, U.S., 12 other nations affirm 2016 S. China Sea arbitral ruling
TOKYO - Japan, the Philippines, the United States and 11 other countries on Sunday reaffirmed an international arbitral ruling 10 years ago that invalidated Beijing's sweeping claims in the South China Sea and described them as having "no legal basis."
In a joint statement, the countries described the ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague as "a significant milestone" and one that is "final, legally binding, and definitive between China and the Philippines with respect to the maritime entitlements and claims" addressed by the tribunal.
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Japan's summer outbound travel to fall 9% on weak yen, 1st post-COVID drop
TOKYO - Overseas trips from Japan are expected to decrease by 8.8 percent to a cumulative 2.17 million for this year's summer holiday period, the first year-on-year decline since the post-pandemic recovery in 2023, as consumers feel the impact of the weak yen and rising costs, according to major travel agency JTB Corp.
Higher costs are steering vacationers away from long-haul destinations such as North America and Australia, while domestic travel may also struggle as people become more frugal amid inflation, according to the company's projections for the July 15 to Aug. 31 period.
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Sumo: Returning yokozuna Onosato loses on Nagoya meet opening day
NAGOYA - Yokozuna Onosato fell to a worrying opening day defeat while his fellow returning grand champion, Hoshoryu, triumphed as the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament began on Sunday.
After missing the majority of the last two tournaments with left shoulder pain, Onosato bettered new komusubi Yoshinofuji in the opening clash but quickly resorted to an ill-fated pull-down attempt and was easily pushed out at a stunned IG Arena in Nagoya.
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Baseball: Dodgers' Yamamoto tagged with loss, not pitching at All-Star
LOS ANGELES - Yoshinobu Yamamoto gave up six runs over six innings to pick up the loss as the Los Angeles Dodgers were routed 9-2 by the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday, while his manager ruled him out of pitching in the All-Star Game.
Yamamoto (9-6) surrendered his most runs of the year so far on five hits and four walks in a 103-pitch effort at Dodger Stadium, yielding the game's opening run on a grounder with runners on the corners in the fourth inning before enduring a five-run sixth.
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Golf: Iwai 3 strokes off pace heading into Evian Open final round
EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France - Japan's Akie Iwai sat three shots off the pace after three rounds at the Evian Championship on Saturday, keeping her hopes alive for a first major LPGA Tour title.
Beginning the day a stroke off the top in second, Iwai carded eight birdies and two bogeys for a 6-under 65 at Evian Resort Golf Club in France to go 16 under par and chases South Korean leader Ryu Hae Ran, who shot a major record of 60 on the day.
