TOKYO -
The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
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Trump says North Korean leader has responded to his request for talks
WASHINGTON - U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has responded to his request to talk.
Trump's statement came a day after he said in a social media post that he had ordered the Pentagon to significantly reduce joint military drills with South Korea, citing his "very good relationship" with Kim.
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Russia summons Japan ambassador over isle row, report says envoy to comply
MOSCOW - Russia said Monday it has summoned the Japanese ambassador in Moscow after Tokyo lodged a strong protest over Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent visit to the disputed Etorofu Island.
Ambassador Akira Muto will appear at the Russian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday, ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said, according to Tass news agency.
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Japan PM Takaichi has 1st hospital checkup in 6 months over hand injury
TOKYO - Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi underwent a medical checkup at a hospital in Tokyo on Monday lasting more than six hours, her first in six months following a hand injury that aggravated her rheumatoid arthritis.
Her previous hospital visit was shortly after the February general election, during which she said she had hurt her right hand while shaking hands with supporters at a campaign event.
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S. Korea hopes for U.S.-N. Korea dialogue after Trump message over drills
SEOUL - South Korea on Monday expressed hope that the "amicable" relationship between Washington and Pyongyang would pave the way for substantial dialogue after U.S. President Donald Trump said he had ordered the downsizing of a joint military exercise with South Korea.
Trump, on Sunday, wrote on social media that he does not like such joint drills as they are costly and send an "inappropriate and hostile" signal to North Korea, citing his "very good relationship" with leader Kim Jong Un.
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China conducts suspected marine research within Japan's EEZ
NAHA, Japan - A Chinese marine research vessel was seen on Monday extending a wire-like object into the sea within Japan's exclusive economic zone off Hateruma, an island in the country's southwest, the Japan Coast Guard said.
Since Saturday, similar Chinese activities have been spotted around the Senkaku Islands -- Japan-administered, China-claimed uninhabited islands in the East China Sea -- as well as Kumejima, an island off Okinawa's main island, according to the coast guard.
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Fukushima fully resumes Taiwan peach exports for 1st time since disaster
FUKUSHIMA, Japan - Peach exports from Fukushima Prefecture to Taiwan resumed in full on Monday for the first time since shipments were halted following the 2011 nuclear crisis in northeastern Japan.
Around 4.5 tons of peaches from Fukushima, one of the country's key producers, are scheduled to be shipped to Taiwan by Sept. 11, farm cooperatives and prefectural authorities said, following the lifting of import restrictions on Japanese food products last November.
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Death toll from M7.7 Indonesia quake rises to 68 as search continues
JAKARTA - The death toll from a powerful earthquake that rattled Indonesia reached 68 on Monday while the search for victims continued, authorities said.
Most of the casualties were found in the central part of Flores Island in East Nusa Tenggara Province, according to a National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman. The magnitude 7.7 quake struck off the coast of the island early Saturday morning.
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JAPAN BIZ: More Japan hotels offer sleep tourism experiences to promote better sleep
TOKYO - An increasing number of hotels in Japan are offering "sleep tourism" experiences -- stays designed to promote high-quality and restful sleep.
The trend, which started gaining popularity overseas several years ago, provides hotels with an opportunity to attract new health-conscious guests.
