TOKYO - The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
----------
Motegi demands Russia free detained Japanese journalist in meeting: Japan
ATLANTA - Japan called on Russia to immediately release a detained Japanese journalist in a meeting between their foreign ministers, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said.
Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi made the call as he met his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of a Group of 20 foreign ministers meeting in the U.S. state of Georgia.
----------
G20 foreign ministers meet amid high oil prices, wars in Iran and Ukraine
ATLANTA - Foreign ministers from the Group of 20 major economies met Friday to discuss geopolitical tensions, energy security and strengthening supply chains as the world remains rocked by high oil prices and the wars in Iran and Ukraine.
The two-day meeting, held in the southern U.S. state of Georgia and hosted by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, sets the stage for the G20 summit in Florida in December to be chaired by President Donald Trump.
----------
Japan may not call China "threat" in security strategy, keep current label
TOKYO - The Japanese government is unlikely to label China as a "threat" in its key security strategy document to be revised by the year-end, possibly retaining the current language that describes Beijing's assertiveness as "the greatest strategic challenge," sources close to the matter said Friday.
The idea to not use tougher language against China is apparently to avoid fueling further tensions to already strained Sino-Japanese ties, at a time when the United States, Japan's close security ally, has been moving to build a "constructive relationship of strategic stability" with the world's second-largest economy.
----------
BOJ sees 2% inflation target generally hit, holds policy rate steady
TOKYO - The Bank of Japan on Friday said underlying inflation had "generally" reached its 2 percent target after a nearly 14-year effort involving unconventional monetary easing, with its governor signaling room for further interest rate hikes to stabilize prices over the longer term.
After the BOJ decided to leave its policy rate steady at 1.25 percent as widely expected, Governor Kazuo Ueda stressed that the central bank's policy focus has shifted toward containing inflation and anchoring it at its 2 percent target, a departure from years of efforts to push up prices.
----------
Japan Foreign Ministry hit by hacking, along with ANA, Muji brand operator
TOKYO - The Japanese Foreign Ministry said Friday its network connected to external systems has been targeted by unauthorized access, leading to a possible personal information leak, while more major companies from various sectors reported potential or actual breaches.
According to the Foreign Ministry, about 3,600 records containing personal information, such as email addresses and names, may have been compromised, including 900 records belonging to people outside the ministry.
----------
Japan's anime market tops 4 tril. yen for 1st time
TOKYO - Japan's anime market reached 4.45 trillion yen ($28 billion) in 2025, topping 4 trillion yen for the first time on strong overseas sales, the Association of Japanese Animations said Friday.
The market more than doubled from 1.8 trillion yen in 2015, with overseas sales reaching 2.54 trillion yen, according to preliminary data from the association.
----------
Toyota, Waymo to begin autonomous taxi trial service in Japan in 2027
NAGOYA - Toyota Motor Corp. and Waymo LLC, the self-driving vehicle unit of Google parent Alphabet Inc., said Friday they will launch a trial service of autonomous taxis in Japan in 2027.
The two companies aim to eventually commercialize the service following initial operations involving testing and validation using Toyota's bZ4X electric vehicles.
----------
Uniqlo opens revamped shop in Shanghai amid sluggish China consumption
SHANGHAI - The Uniqlo clothing chain on Friday opened a revamped global flagship shop in Shanghai amid sluggish personal spending in China, as the Japanese company seeks to increase profitability by streamlining its outlets in the world's second-largest economy.
The store, which originally opened in 2013 on Shanghai's Middle Huaihai Road in the historic former French Concession, has moved to the center of the area, where many popular fashion brands are located. Its interior design adopts a fusion style of Eastern and Western cultures.
