TOKYO - The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.

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Japan party leaders clash on economy in 1st weekend of election campaign

TOKYO - Japan's ruling and opposition party leaders offered competing plans for the economy on Saturday, the first weekend after official campaigning began for the Feb. 8 House of Representatives election earlier this week.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, head of the Liberal Democratic Party, pitched her "responsible yet aggressive" fiscal measures in Shizuoka Prefecture in central Japan, while Yoshihiko Noda, co-leader of the new main opposition Centrist Reform Alliance, speaking in Saitama Prefecture near Tokyo, criticized her for prioritizing a snap election over passing the budget.

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7 Japan winter sports bodies take steps against defamation of athletes

TOKYO - Seven of the nine winter sports bodies belonging to the Japanese Olympic Committee or the Japanese Paralympic Committee are taking measures to defend athletes on their roster from defamation, a Kyodo News survey showed Saturday, ahead of the Milan Cortina games, which start next week.

Japanese sport governing bodies have joined their overseas peers in tackling an increase in defamatory attacks on athletes in recent years.

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FOCUS: Tax cut pledges in Japan's election put fiscal sustainability in doubt

TOKYO - Economists have sounded a note of warning about the pledges made by most of Japan's political parties, including the ruling bloc, to cut the consumption tax in their election campaigns, saying such "populist" commitments should be avoided given the country's strained fiscal health.

With Japanese government bond yields continuing to rise, concerns about promising tax reductions without feasible plans to make up for lost revenue could erode market confidence in fiscal policy and trigger further selling in the debt market, they say.

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Japan, Britain leaders to confirm ties on defense, economic security

TOKYO - The leaders of Japan and Britain are expected to agree on Saturday to cooperate in fields ranging from defense to economic security amid China's growing military clout in the region.

At their meeting in Tokyo, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and her British counterpart Keir Starmer are likely to affirm their commitment to a "free and open Indo-Pacific," a Japanese government official said.

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Tennis: Japanese wheelchair star Oda wins 4th straight major in Melbourne

MELBOURNE - Japanese prodigy Tokito Oda beat Spain's Martin de la Puente 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 in the Australian Open men's wheelchair tennis final on Saturday to become the reigning champion of all four Grand Slams.

The 19-year-old world No. 1 has now captured eight Grand Slam singles crowns and is only the second player, after compatriot Shingo Kunieda, to win all four majors in succession.

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6 arrested over 58 million yen robbery of Japanese men in Hong Kong

HONG KONG - Six people have been arrested over the robbery of about 58 million yen ($375,000) from two Japanese outside a currency exchange outlet in Hong Kong, local police said Saturday.

Hong Kong police said the suspects, comprising both men and women, include three Japanese nationals. Local media reported the incident, in which the victims were carrying about 190 million yen in total, occurred on Friday morning.

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Pokemon event at Yasukuni shrine canceled after drawing China's ire

SHANGHAI - A Pokemon card game event originally scheduled to be held at the war-linked Yasukuni shrine in Tokyo on the weekend has been canceled after triggering a backlash from China, according to the license management company and Chinese media.

The Pokemon Company on Friday issued an apology on its website, saying it had listed information about an event at the shrine for Saturday organized by individuals without confirming it. The event was later called off.

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Japan tightens security for Feb. 8 election in wake of ex-PM Abe shooting

TOKYO - Japan's Feb. 8 House of Representatives election will be the third national vote since tightened security measures for senior figures were introduced after the fatal shooting of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2022.

As the campaign intensifies, posts hinting at harm toward candidates are spreading on social media, prompting police to strengthen efforts to detect and disrupt potential terrorist threats in online spaces.