TOKYO -
The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
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Japan, U.S. defense chiefs agree to boost deterrence amid China clout
CEBU, Philippines - Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and his U.S. counterpart Pete Hegseth agreed Wednesday in the Philippines the importance of increased defense investment and continued strategic alignment to strengthen the deterrence of the bilateral security alliance amid rising military activities by China.
The ministers agreed on efforts to "implement an effective denial defense in the First Island Chain," an area east of China's coast that includes Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines, according to the U.S. Defense Department.
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Cyberattack-hit GMO says website with purported customer info taken down
TOKYO - Cyberattack-hit Japanese internet service provider GMO Internet Group Inc. said Wednesday that a website where a hacker had posted what it claimed was customer information has become inaccessible.
"We have confirmed that the offender's website domain has been taken down," GMO said, after the hacker believed to be behind a recently confirmed unauthorized access to GMO's foreign exchange trading service disclosed some customer information on Tuesday as the company failed to respond to a ransom demand.
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Japan, Germany leaders to agree on boosting economic security cooperation
TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz are set to agree on Wednesday to step up collaboration in securing semiconductor and critical mineral supplies, amid shared economic security concerns regarding China.
At their meeting in Tokyo, the two leaders are also expected to affirm deeper cooperation in developing and producing defense equipment, according to diplomatic sources from both countries, as the global security environment increasingly deteriorates.
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Japan municipalities step up measures against disruptive Halloween crowds
TOKYO - With Halloween approaching, Japanese municipalities are stepping up measures against disruptive celebrations in major entertainment districts as larger crowds are expected this year with the event falling on a Saturday.
Halloween is not a traditional festivity in Japan, but has evolved into a major urban event in recent years, particularly in Tokyo's Shibuya district, where revelers in costumes gather for street celebrations.
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Japan university seeks approval for uterus transplants
NAGOYA - A Japanese medical university said Wednesday it is seeking approval for conducting a clinical trial of uterine transplants, aiming to enable pregnancy and childbirth by women without a uterus.
Fujita Health University in Aichi Prefecture said it submitted a proposal to its internal review board on Monday. If a uterus transplant is conducted as planned, it would mark the first case in Japan.
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Over 1,000 still in shelters 3 months after M7.1 quake hit Kumamoto
KUMAMOTO, Japan - More than 1,000 people are still taking shelter in evacuation centers, awaiting temporary housing three months after a magnitude-7.1 earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture, damaging their homes.
The quake occurred at around 4:27 p.m. on July 28. As of Monday, the death toll stood at 38 -- 36 from confirmed disaster-related causes and two suspected to be disaster-related -- bringing the number of casualties to 420.
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U.S. midterms loom with Democrats seeking to retake Congress, rein in Trump
WASHINGTON - U.S. voters will head to the polls in one week for the Nov. 3 midterm elections, widely viewed as a referendum on Republican President Donald Trump in his second term, with inflation and the cost of living remaining top concerns for many Americans amid the stalemated U.S.-Iran war.
Republicans currently hold majorities in both chambers of Congress, but Democrats are favored to win back the House of Representatives and are also mounting a strong challenge for control of the Senate.
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Judo: Japanese Olympic silver medalist Izumi coaches Egypt's national team
TOKYO - Japanese Olympic silver medalist Hiroshi Izumi led Egypt's national team as head coach at the judo world championships in Baku earlier this month.
"Athletes who could not win before are now able to win. Coaching has its challenges, but it is also rewarding," said Izumi, 44, who won a silver medal in the men's 90-kilogram class at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
