TOKYO - The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
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Democrats retake Congress in U.S. voter rebuke of Trump, Republicans
WASHINGTON - Democrats retook control of both chambers of Congress in Tuesday's midterm elections, according to projections by major U.S. media outlets, in a sharp voter rebuke of President Donald Trump and his Republican Party over their performance during his second term.
The Republican rout came amid voter discontent over inflation, gas prices and the cost of living, with the U.S.-Iran war, launched by Trump in February, remaining in a stalemate.
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Japan-U.S. alliance essential regardless of midterm results: gov't
TOKYO - Japan's top government spokesman said Wednesday the nation's alliance with the United States remains essential for global peace and stability, regardless of the outcome of the U.S. midterm elections.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara also said at a press conference in Tokyo that the government will monitor the financial markets "with a high sense of urgency," after media projections showed that Democrats took control of both houses of Congress in Tuesday's elections.
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Japan ground defense force's intelligence unit secretly profiled citizens
TOKYO - The Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force's intelligence unit secretly profiled citizens using a wide-ranging checklist that included beliefs, ideologies and sexual preference, raising possible violations of the personal information protection law, former troop members and other sources said Wednesday.
The unit based in Camp Asaka in Tokyo systematically collected the data without its members revealing their identities and compiled it into a report, justifying the practice as needed to understand the beliefs and principles of potential collaborators, the sources said.
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No. of Japanese newborns rises for 1st time in 11 yrs in Jan.-June of 2026
TOKYO - The number of babies born to Japanese nationals in Japan rose 0.4 percent from a year ago to 320,458 in the January-June period of 2026, marking the first year-on-year gain in 11 years on a first-half basis, government data showed Wednesday.
Experts said the increase in births may have been supported by a rise in marriages in 2024 and 2025, a key factor influencing birth numbers.
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Tokyo stocks end lower in volatile trade as U.S. Democrats retake Congress
TOKYO - Tokyo stocks ended lower in volatile trading Wednesday, with the Nikkei briefly plunging toward 60,000, as media projections showed Democrats had regained control of both houses of the U.S. Congress.
The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average ended down 893.23 points, or 1.42 percent, from Monday at 62,188.63. The broader Topix index finished 34.90 points, or 0.89 percent, lower at 3,895.38.
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Ransomware attacks on Japanese companies more than double in 5 years
TOKYO - Ransomware attacks on Japanese companies totaled 239 from January through October, more than double the number recorded in 2021, a survey by a cybersecurity firm showed Wednesday, underscoring the growing cyber threat in the country.
A separate survey by a U.S. company also found that 37 percent of targeted Japanese firms paid ransoms, with experts warning against doing so as there is no guarantee that attacks will stop after payment.
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Chinese exports of rare earth to Japan crater after PM's Taiwan remark
TOKYO - Chinese exports to Japan of the rare earth element yttrium, crucial for semiconductor manufacturing equipment, plummeted 98 percent between January and September from a year ago, according to Chinese data, as diplomatic ties remain soured.
The numbers from China's customs come nearly a year since Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made remarks about a potential Taiwan contingency that angered Beijing and led it to tighten the screws on Japan through measures such as export restrictions.
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Japan space probe aims to capture its 1st Mercury images next spring
TOKYO - Japan's Mercury probe Mio, part of the Japan-Europe joint Mercury exploration mission BepiColombo, is on course to attempt to take its first images of Mercury next spring after arriving at the planet later this month, sources close to the matter said Wednesday.
It is expected to capture Mercury's tenuous sodium atmosphere and possibly its terrain, marking the start of preparations for full-scale scientific observations after a 10-billion-kilometer journey over roughly eight years.
