TOKYO - The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
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Japan, U.S. form $1 billion partnership on AI-driven projects
WASHINGTON - Japan and the United States said Thursday they have agreed to form a $1 billion partnership aimed at advancing emerging technologies using artificial intelligence.
With Japan becoming the first international partner for U.S. President Donald Trump's "Genesis Mission," a national effort to unlock scientific discoveries, the two countries will each invest $500 million over five years in the AI-driven initiative.
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Japan gov't mulls subsidies for restaurants, farmers hit by tax cut
TOKYO - The Japanese government is considering extending support to restaurant operators and farmers hit by a drop in sales under an envisaged cut in the consumption tax on food items, sources familiar with the matter said Thursday.
While cross-party discussions are still ongoing on the idea of a tax reduction, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who is seen as leaning toward lowering the rate on food items to 1 percent from the current 8 percent, told a parliamentary session that the government will "extend thorough support."
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Japan's real wages in April rise 1.9% on year, up for 4th straight month
TOKYO - Japan's real wages in April rose 1.9 percent from a year earlier, increasing for the fourth straight month, government data showed Friday.
Nominal wages, or the average monthly cash earnings per worker including base and overtime pay, were up 3.5 percent at 312,425 yen ($1,900), marking three straight months of growth surpassing 3 percent for the first time in more than 34 years, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare said.
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Japan seeks to replace up to 5 nuclear reactors by 2040s, 14 by 2050s
TOKYO - Japan's industry ministry aims to replace up to five aging nuclear reactors by the 2040s and around 14 by the 2050s, sources familiar with the planning said Thursday.
Since the tsunami-triggered Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in March 2011, the government has not disclosed specific replacement targets for reactors slated to be decommissioned.
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Island nations agree in Tokyo on fund to address maritime conservation
TOKYO - Island nations agreed Thursday to establish a support fund for maritime conservation efforts as part of an action plan unveiled at the conclusion of a two-day conference in Tokyo.
At the inaugural Island States Ocean Summit, participants shared concerns that the marine environment is facing a compounding crisis driven by climate change, stalled international discussions, and a shortage of experts.
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Japan PM declines to confirm alleged smear video audio, irking opposition
TOKYO - Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Thursday declined an opposition lawmaker's request to listen to audio relating to reports alleging her office made anonymous videos smearing political opponents, drawing opposition ire.
Takaichi cited a full schedule and objections to subscribing to the magazine behind the reports in rejecting the Centrist Reform Alliance lawmaker's request regarding a recorded conversation that reportedly showed her publicly funded first secretary speaking with a man who has claimed to have made the videos.
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Bear that attacked 4 escapes Fukushima factory by unlatching window
FUKUSHIMA, Japan - A bear that had remained inside an electronics company's factory in Fukushima after attacking four people escaped from the premises, possibly by unlatching a window on its own, city officials said Thursday.
The bear is believed to have fled Wednesday night as authorities were preparing emergency hunting measures that would allow the municipality to authorize the use of firearms. The city is urging residents to remain vigilant.
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Man held after woman fatally stabbed on road in Japan's Hokkaido
SAPPORO - Police arrested a 27-year-old man Thursday on suspicion of attempted murder after the stabbing of a 21-year-old woman in Chitose on Japan's northernmost main island of Hokkaido, police said.
The woman, identified as Sri Rahayu, an Indonesian, was later confirmed dead at a hospital. The suspect, Mahmudi Agung Laksana Aji, also of Indonesian nationality, is believed to have been acquainted with her, according to the police.
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37th anniversary of Tiananmen Square crackdown
