TOKYO - The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
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Japan's Hayabusa2 space probe flies by asteroid Torifune at close range
TOKYO - Japan's Hayabusa2 space probe made what is believed to be a close flyby of the asteroid Torifune on Sunday, the country's space agency said.
The flyby observation mission, which requires highly accurate navigation, was also aimed at testing technologies needed for planetary defense, or efforts to mitigate the risk of asteroids colliding with Earth, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency said.
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Japan to use ODA to help Vietnam, other nations curb manga, anime piracy
TOKYO - Japan plans to use its official development assistance to help about 10 developing countries including Vietnam and Indonesia curb the rising piracy of Japanese manga, anime and games, a Japanese government official said Sunday.
The Foreign Ministry aims to support copyright laws and training to prevent the distribution of fake products, with government data estimating 10.4 trillion yen ($64.82 billion) in total losses last year from the illegal uploading of manga and anime and online sales of counterfeit character goods.
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U.S. marks 250th birthday with Trump saying, "Nobody can be like us"
WASHINGTON - The United States on Saturday marked the 250th anniversary of its independence, with President Donald Trump asserting his country holds supremacy in military power and in everything else, so, "Nobody can be like us."
Before Trump delivered a late-night speech, containing a mix of patriotic appeals and campaign-like messages, at a monument-filled park in the heart of Washington, a range of festivities, including military flyovers and fireworks displays, took place across the country.
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Japanese wins gold at renowned int'l ballet competition in Moscow
MOSCOW - Ryoma Hudzeleu won the senior solo division at the 15th International Ballet Competition in Moscow, organizers said Sunday, making him the first Japanese competitor since 2017 to secure a gold medal at one of the world's top three contests.
The 20-year-old from Tokyo has a Belarusian father and studied ballet in Belarus and Germany before joining the Mariinsky Ballet of Russia in 2025.
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4 climbers rescued by helicopter after encountering bear in northern Japan
SAPPORO - Four climbers were rescued by helicopter from a mountain in Hokkaido, northern Japan, after being stranded for about three and a half hours due to an encounter with a brown bear, police said Sunday.
On Saturday at 2:30 p.m., a man in his 60s saw a bear around 50 meters ahead on the trail while climbing down a 2,141-meter mountain. According to the police, the bear was about 1.5 meters long.
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China frees underground Christian church pastor after Trump request
BEIJING - Chinese authorities have freed Jin Mingri, the founder of an underground Christian church network in China, after U.S. President Donald Trump requested his release during talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in May, sources familiar with the matter said Sunday.
The pastor of the Zion Church, also known as Ezra Jin, had been detained since last October when Chinese police cracked down on leaders of the unregistered religious institution. A source close to the church said Beijing showed "goodwill" and a diplomatic deal was reached in time for the U.S. Independence Day on Saturday.
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Pallas's cat kittens to be shown to public at Kobe zoo
KOBE - Five kittens born to a Pallas's cat, widely considered to be the world's oldest living feline species, are scheduled to be shown to the public at a zoo in western Japan later this month.
According to Kobe Animal Kingdom based in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture, the kittens, were given names linked to sunlight. Weighing around 120 to 180 grams shortly after their birth in May they have grown to more than 750 grams as of late June.
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Anime "Crayon Shin-chan" characters featured on manhole covers near Tokyo
SAITAMA, Japan - Manhole covers featuring characters from the popular manga and anime series "Crayon Shin-chan" were unveiled Sunday in Kasukabe, Saitama Prefecture, near Tokyo, where the story is set.
The Kasukabe city government said the manhole covers, which come in two designs and are approximately 60 centimeters in diameter, feature the city's symbol, wisteria flower, along with vividly colored illustrations of the main character, Shinnosuke Nohara, and his family.
