TOKYO - The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
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Japan to review tort liability for online abuse amid growing severity
TOKYO - Japan's Justice Ministry said Tuesday it will set up a study group to review Civil Code provisions for tort liability for online abuse amid the issue's growing severity.
The 10-member group, comprising civil law experts and judges, will hold its first meeting Wednesday and start discussions on a revision to clarify standards for calculating consolation payments. If it reaches a conclusion, it will refer the matter to the Legislative Council, an advisory body to the justice minister.
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1st public insurance-covered iPS heart sheet surgery conducted in Japan
OSAKA - A Japanese hospital on Tuesday conducted surgery using a cardiac muscle sheet derived from induced pluripotent stem cells, making it the first such case since the regenerative treatment was allowed to be covered by public health insurance, according to the startup that developed the product.
The procedure involving the cardiac muscle sheet called RiHeart finished "smoothly" at a hospital in Osaka, Cuorips Inc., the startup originating from the University of Osaka that developed the product, said in a press release. The patient was a female in her 50s from Kanagawa Prefecture.
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Japan, Mongolia leaders meet in Tokyo with economic cooperation eyed
TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Mongolian Prime Minister Nyam-Osor Uchral began talks in Tokyo on Tuesday, during which they are expected to cover areas such as deeper economic cooperation between the countries including infrastructure.
The first meeting between the two leaders comes as Japan seeks to further strengthen ties with Mongolia, a strategically important democratic country sandwiched between China and Russia, amid Beijing's growing military clout in the Indo-Pacific region and Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine since 2022.
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Japan elderly population hits fresh high at 29.4%: 2025 census
TOKYO - People aged 65 and over account for a record-high 29.4 percent of Japan's population, the finalized 2025 census results showed Tuesday, 0.9 percentage point higher than in the previous survey in 2020 and underscoring the rapidly graying society.
The population of Japan including foreign residents fell 3.17 million, or 2.5 percent, from 2020 to 122,972,528 last year, according to the latest census.
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Toyota global sales, output in Aug. fall for 2nd month on weak China demand
NAGOYA - Toyota Motor Corp. said Tuesday its global sales fell 6.4 percent from a year earlier to 790,743 units in August, marking the second straight month of decline, due to weak demand in China amid rising gasoline prices stemming from the Middle East conflict.
Global production dropped 5.9 percent from the previous year to 700,860 vehicles in the reporting month, also down for a second straight month, as some countries had fewer operating days, according to the world's largest automaker by volume.
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Xi "effective" in impacting Trump's views on Asia: ex-U.S. senior diplomat
TOKYO - Chinese President Xi Jinping has been "effective" in impacting the way U.S. President Donald Trump views the world including Taiwan, and is trying to drive a wedge between Japan and the United States, according to former Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell.
Speaking following the Sept. 24 U.S.-China summit, Campbell, chairman of geopolitical consulting firm The Asia Group, said Monday in Tokyo that Xi's attempt to imprint his view on Trump, as seen by Trump referring to the two countries as past "allies" who fought together in World War II, is "concerning."
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Japan trade group led by ex-minister meets Chinese Vice Premier He
BEIJING - A Japanese business delegation led by former Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya on Tuesday met with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in Beijing, with the group seeking to improve bilateral ties strained following Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's remarks on a Taiwan emergency.
The roughly 50-member group, which includes Japanese corporate executives, is on a four-day visit to China through Wednesday. On Monday, Iwaya held talks with China's top diplomat Wang Yi.
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Japan retains economic assessment, warns of Middle East, disaster impacts
TOKYO - The Japanese government on Tuesday retained its view that the economy is recovering at a moderate pace in its monthly assessment for September, while continuing to warn that the impacts of the situation in the Middle East and natural disasters should be closely monitored.
In the near term, the moderate recovery is expected to be supported by improving employment and incomes as well as the effects of government policies, while developments in the Middle East and natural disasters warrant close attention, the Cabinet Office said in the monthly economic report.
