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 from former imperial branch families and allowing female members to retain their imperial status even after marrying commoners.
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Steps to sustain Japan imperial family leave aides concerned, public split
TOKYO – Officials and staff who work in support of Japan’s imperial family are facing unprecedented uncertainty as to how their duties in the royal system will be affected by the country’s legal change aimed at making the world’s oldest hereditary monarchy sustainable.
The move has also split public opinion and prompted many to express concern about entering uncharted territory. Both Imperial Household Agency officials and ordinary Japanese, however, welcome aspects of the revised Imperial House Law, such as allowing men from former imperial branch families to be adopted and letting princesses retain their royal status after marriage to commoners.
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Japan gallery home to famous A-bomb paintings seeks financial support
TOKYO – An art gallery in eastern Japan housing a series of paintings depicting the horrors of the 1945 U.S. atomic bombings is scheduled to reopen next year after renovation but faces an uncertain future due to the expected mounting costs of operating the facility.
Yukinori Okamura, managing director of the Maruki Gallery for the Hiroshima Panels, is seeking support to keep the legacy of the artwork alive. “The significance of these paintings is only growing,” as the number of atomic bomb survivors dwindles and fewer people remain to pass on their stories, he said.
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Basketball: B.League set for 1st game overseas in Manila in September
TOKYO – The B.League will host its first overseas games in September in the Philippines as Japan’s top basketball competition seeks to raise its international profile while bolstering ties with the 2023 World Cup co-host.
Levanga Hokkaido will face Gunma Crane Thunders in preseason games Sept. 9-10 at SM Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, the venue for the FIBA Basketball World Cup final, in a year marking the 70th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and the Philippines.
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Japan lawmakers to defer consumption tax cut decision to PM amid impasse
TOKYO – Japan’s ruling and opposition parties are set to give up on reaching consensus over a proposed consumption tax cut on foods, effectively ending monthslong discussions, and leaving Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to make the final decision, sources close to the matter said Friday.
The report of the cross-party council expected by the end of this month will likely mention both the plan to slash the rate to 1 percent from 8 percent for two years from April 2027 as pushed by the government and the ruling bloc, and proposals by opposition parties such as to provide cash handouts instead of a tax cut, the sources said.
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U.S., Japan top diplomats to attend ASEAN-related meetings next week
WASHINGTON/TOKYO – U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will be in Manila, the capital of the Philippines, next week to attend meetings related to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the State Department said Friday.
With Southeast Asia hit hard by the energy crunch triggered by the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran and China increasing its presence in the region, the focus will be on whether Rubio can forge closer ties between the United States and ASEAN members, including Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.
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Xi vows continued help for Thailand, Cambodia to settle border dispute
HONG KONG – Chinese President Xi Jinping vowed Friday to continue helping Thailand and Cambodia resolve their long-standing territorial dispute “properly and peacefully” during separate talks in Shanghai with the leaders of the two Southeast Asian countries, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.
In his meeting with Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, Xi expressed hope that Bangkok and Phnom Penh will remain committed to dialogue, saying Beijing “stands ready to continue playing a constructive role” in the process, the ministry said.
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Canadian tourist injured in bear attack in northeastern Japan
FUKUSHIMA, Japan – A Canadian tourist in her 30s sustained injuries Friday after a bear attacked her in Fukushima Prefecture, northeastern Japan, the latest in a series of such incidents across the country.
The woman was strolling alone at Goshikinuma Ponds, a popular tourist spot in the foothills of Mt. Bandai, when the bear scratched her face and right arm at around 3 p.m., police and local firefighters said. The bear then vanished into the woods.