TOKYO - The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
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More Japan firms report customer data leaks as unauthorized access widens
TOKYO - More Japanese companies, including the maker of Citizen watches, reported Tuesday unauthorized access to servers and possible leaks of personal information, with the Japanese government describing the situation as "serious."
GMO Research & AI Inc., a subsidiary of GMO Internet Group Inc., has said up to around 948,500 records of members of its infoQ survey website have been stolen, including members' names, email addresses, home addresses, phone numbers and encrypted passwords.
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Japan set for record unauthorized access cases in 2026
TOKYO - Japanese companies and local governments reported 600 cases of unauthorized access to their networks in the first nine months of this year, a security firm tally showed Tuesday, with the pace leaving them on track to top a record 644 cases in 2024.
The number for the January-September period already exceeded the 593 reported for all of 2025, according to data compiled from publicly disclosed information compiled by Trend Micro Inc., which began releasing data under the current tallying method in 2024.
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Suzuki to launch ultracompact EV model in intensifying race in Japan
TOKYO - Suzuki Motor Corp. said Tuesday it will launch an ultracompact electric vehicle model in November in Japan in the hope of enticing customers with affordable prices in intensifying competition with BYD Co. and other rivals in the segment.
Set to go on sale on Nov. 16, the e SKY offers a cruising range of around 310 kilometers on a single charge. After a government subsidy of 568,000 yen ($3,600), the prices of the small EV start at 1.55 million yen.
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Japan introduces 4-stage flood-risk system for underpasses
TOKYO - Japan's transport ministry on Tuesday released a new policy categorizing the country's underpasses into four stages according to flood risk to help prevent accidents, following a series of fatalities linked to heavy rain.
Local road authorities will classify individual underpasses into four stages based on factors such as topography and past flooding, with stage 1 representing the highest risk.
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Japan hands over Russian ransomware suspect to Germany
TOKYO - Japan has handed over to German authorities a detained Russian national suspected of being a key member of the international ransomware group, a source familiar with the matter said Tuesday.
The cybercrime group known as Qilin is alleged to have carried out a cyberattack against Japanese beverage maker Asahi Group Holdings Ltd. in 2025.
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Japan's Kumamoto gov., mascot Kumamon thank Taiwan for quake aid
TAIPEI - Kumamoto Gov. Takashi Kimura and the southwestern Japanese prefecture's popular mascot Kumamon on Tuesday thanked Taiwan for its support following a major quake in July during an event to promote Kumamoto products at a Taipei convenience store.
Kimura helped hand out free bread made with flour and milk from the prefecture to Kumamon fans and customers lining up outside the FamilyMart store.
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Man under investigation for covertly taking images of 40 boys at kids' club
YOKOHAMA - Police are investigating a former male employee of an after-school care club for elementary students in Yokohama near Tokyo on suspicion of covertly taking images of around 40 to 50 boys in the club's care, city authorities said Tuesday.
The case came to light in May, Yokohama officials said. According to the police investigation, the former employee possessed a large number of photos and videos believed to have been taken in a boys' bathroom.
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Japan to provide $10 million in humanitarian aid to Yemen, Djibouti
TOKYO - The Japanese government said Tuesday it will provide a total of $10 million to Yemen and Djibouti to address growing humanitarian needs amid escalating attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels.
Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said the emergency assistance will be provided as peace and stability in the Middle East, including around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, "is of utmost importance to the entire international community, including Japan, from the perspective of energy security."
