TOKYO - The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
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Japan revises imperial law for sustainable system, keeps male-line throne
TOKYO - Japan's parliament on Friday revised the Imperial House Law to address the issue of the shrinking royal family, while retaining the long-standing male-only succession system, despite public support for female emperors.
The first substantive revision to the 1947 law introduced two changes -- permitting the adoption of males aged 15 and over from former imperial branch families descended from emperors through the male line and allowing female members to retain their imperial status even after marrying commoners.
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Japan Diet enacts divisive law penalizing national flag desecration
TOKYO - Japan's parliament on Friday enacted a divisive law introducing criminal penalties for desecrating the national flag, achieving a key legislative goal of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in the current Diet session.
The ruling parties argued the law was needed because Japan already criminalized desecration of foreign flags but had no equivalent provision covering its own. Some opposition parties and legal experts criticized the measure, saying it may infringe on freedom of expression and could be unconstitutional.
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Japan Diet passes law to revise controversial retrial system for 1st time
TOKYO - The Japanese parliament on Friday enacted a revised law that prohibits, in principle, prosecutors from appealing court decisions granting retrials, marking the first reform to the post-World War II criminal retrial system, which has been criticized for delaying justice to the wrongly convicted.
The amendment to the 1948 Code of Criminal Procedure has been hailed as a step to address prolonged retrial proceedings, which in some cases have lasted for decades, but still leaves room for prosecutorial appeals in a disappointment to the families of the unjustly convicted.
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Trump accuses China of meddling in U.S. elections in his speech to nation
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump on Thursday spent considerable time accusing China of meddling in key U.S. elections during a prime-time speech he delivered to the nation from the White House.
Trump's allegations against China came despite easing tensions between the two countries and his agreement with Chinese President Xi Jinping two months ago to establish a constructive and stable bilateral relationship.
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Japan Diet extended for 8 days to debate ruling bloc's key bills
TOKYO - Japan's parliament decided on Friday to extend its current session for eight days until July 25 as the ruling bloc needs more time to pass key bills.
The Diet debate schedule has become packed after a stalemate following an opposition boycott that started in late June over a bill to slash the number of House of Representatives seats sponsored by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party.
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BOJ to stand pat on rates in July, may raise growth forecast
TOKYO - The Bank of Japan is expected to keep its key interest rate steady at its policy meeting in late July while likely revising upward its economic growth outlook for the current fiscal year on strong demand related to artificial intelligence, sources familiar with the matter said Friday.
Keeping the short-term policy rate at around 1.0 percent after raising it to a 31-year high at the previous meeting would allow the central bank more time to assess the impact of the latest rate hike, as well as rising crude oil prices, on businesses and households.
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China's Xi seeks fair global AI governance, vows support for Global South
SHANGHAI - Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday called for a fair and equitable global artificial intelligence governance system and vowed support for developing and emerging nations in the Global South to strengthen AI capacity-building, according to state-run media.
In his speech at the opening ceremony of the World AI Conference in Shanghai, Xi stressed the importance of bridging the digital divide to prevent "new historical injustices" in the technology field and pledged that Beijing would provide 5,000 training opportunities for developing countries over the next five years.
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Sumo: Yokozuna Hoshoryu suffers 2nd loss as Shishi takes sole Nagoya lead
NAGOYA - Yokozuna Hoshoryu stumbled to his second defeat after six days at the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament on Friday as Ukrainian rank-and-filer Shishi became the only wrestler boasting a perfect record.
Hoshoryu (4-2) was seemingly in a comfortable position against Hakunofuji (5-1) after quickly securing a left overarm belt hold, but the No. 3 maegashira showed good tenacity to stay inside the ring at Nagoya's IG Arena.
