TOKYO - The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
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Holiday exodus begins in Japan, heavier congestion than 2025 predicted
TOKYO - The summer holiday exodus began in Japan on Saturday, with rail and expressway operators forecasting heavier congestion than last year.
Traffic jams stretching nearly 20 kilometers clogged the Tomei Expressway and the Kanetsu Expressway around noon, according to the Japan Road Traffic Information Center. Expressway operators have said they expect traffic jams of 10 km or longer to occur more frequently during the season than 2025.
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Taiwan military, coast guard hold drill to repel China landing
KAOHSIUNG, Taiwan - Taiwan's military and coast guard conducted an exercise Saturday as part of the island's largest annual Han Kuang military drills, simulating efforts to prevent an amphibious landing by forces from mainland China, which claims the self-ruled democracy as part of its territory.
The exercise, conducted in the southern port city of Kaohsiung, saw Taiwan's military deploy special operations assault boats and a reconnaissance drone to prevent enemy forces from landing. Meanwhile, a Coast Guard Administration vessel capable of carrying missiles also set sail.
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Over 1,200 disaster relief volunteers enter quake-hit Kumamoto
KUMAMOTO, Japan - Over 1,200 disaster relief volunteers have entered quake-hit Kumamoto Prefecture since municipalities started accepting them this month.
Disaster volunteer centers have been set up in 11 municipalities in the southwestern Japan prefecture based on local requests, and 10 of them had begun dispatching volunteers by Saturday. These 10 local governments have received more applications than the number of volunteers they solicited.
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Japan space agency postpones H3 rocket launch again to Tuesday
TOKYO - The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency said Saturday it has rescheduled the launch of an H3 rocket to Tuesday from the previously planned Monday due to unfavorable weather conditions around the launch site.
The launch from the Tanegashima Space Center in southwestern Japan was initially scheduled for Friday this week but was postponed to Monday due to Typhoon Dolphin.
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Japanese teens explore Taiwan's chip industry at summer camp
YUNLIN, Taiwan - From operating drones to visiting a museum run by chip giant Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., 30 Japanese high school students got a glimpse of Taiwan's semiconductor industry during a six-day summer camp in July aimed at encouraging them to study and work there.
The camp was organized by the National Yunlin University of Science and Technology in central western Taiwan, where the students attended a lecture on the history of semiconductors before trying their hand at flying drones.
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Japan eyes enhancing Japanese language support for foreign children
TOKYO - The Japanese government is expected to enhance support for beginner Japanese-language programs for children newly arrived from overseas, as the need for such education grows with the increasing number of foreign residents.
A report by an education ministry's panel of experts, compiled in June, emphasized that the central government should take "a leading role" in enhancing educational standards across the country for children of foreign nationals, such as by creating models for Japanese-language "pre-class" programs and teaching guidelines for them.
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Football: Japan's former Inter defender Nagatomo opts to continue career
TOKYO - Japan fullback Yuto Nagatomo, who set a national record by appearing in five World Cups, has decided to continue his career with J.League first-division club FC Tokyo, a source familiar with the matter said Saturday.
The 39-year-old Nagatomo, who spent seven seasons with Italian giants Inter Milan from January 2011, amassed 146 international caps with Japan and is only behind Yasuhito Endo's 152 on the list.
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Baseball: Ichiro thrills Seattle crowd in Mariners alumni home run derby
SEATTLE - Hall of Famer Ichiro Suzuki thrilled local fans Friday at the Seattle Mariners' first-ever alumni home run derby, held as part of the club's 50th season celebration, hitting four straight shots over the fence.
The 52-year-old missed the final round for the top two among seven participants at T-Mobile Park, but he finished one point behind Austin Nola and Stefen Romero, both in their 30s, who advanced with nine points.
