TOKYO - The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
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ICC chief vows to resist U.S. pressure after sanctions
TOKYO - Tomoko Akane, president of the International Criminal Court, vowed Wednesday to resist U.S. sanctions against her and protect the Hague-based judicial body amid mounting pressure from Washington.
"I have no reason to incur (U.S.) sanctions," Akane said at an online press conference. "I will resist any adverse consequences."
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Japan, Australia, Indonesia agree to promote defense cooperation
TOKYO - The defense chiefs of Japan, Australia and Indonesia agreed Wednesday to promote defense cooperation in their first trilateral telephone talks amid China's growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region.
Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles and Indonesian counterpart Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, exchanged views on the security environment in the region and confirmed the importance of close communication among the three nations, the Japanese Defense Ministry said.
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Japan reveals plan to enhance energy supply structure amid Mideast conflict
TOKYO - Japan's government on Wednesday revealed a comprehensive plan to strengthen its energy supply structure, focusing on diversifying oil procurement sources and supporting pipeline construction in crude-producing nations amid the conflict in the Middle East.
The package of policies, which also seeks to promote decarbonization and enhance Japan's energy self-sufficiency through renewable and nuclear power, was presented at a government meeting on green transformation held at Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's office in Tokyo.
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China's Xi to attend regional summit in Kyrgyzstan, visit Egypt
BEIJING - Chinese President Xi Jinping will make a five-day trip to Kyrgyzstan and Egypt from this weekend during which he will attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in the Central Asian country, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said Wednesday.
The summit of the SCO, a regional security and economic bloc, will be held in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan. Russian President Vladimir Putin also plans to attend the meeting, according to the Kremlin.
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Mercury tops 40C in southwest Japan's Fukuoka for record 10th day
TOKYO - The southwestern Japanese city of Fukuoka experienced another day of sweltering heat Wednesday, with the mercury topping 40 C for a record 10th consecutive day, the weather agency said.
Hakata Ward in Fukuoka saw the temperature hit 40.4 C. A wide area of Japan experienced scorching heat due to high pressure, with the city also affected by hot, moist air from a typhoon flowing into the surrounding region, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.
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7 worked on railway tracks right before train hit 4 in accident near Tokyo
UTSUNOMIYA, Japan - Seven people were working on railway tracks immediately before an express train hit four of them in a fatal accident at a station north of Tokyo, investigative sources said Wednesday.
The remaining three, including a work leader, escaped death, some by climbing onto the platform, at Shin-kanuma Station on the Tobu Nikko Line in Tochigi Prefecture, according to the sources.
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Asian Games: Common area, fitness facilities readied for athletes
NAGOYA - Athletes at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games will have access to an outdoor common area for events and socializing, as well as several fitness facilities at their lodging base, which was opened to the media on Wednesday.
Some 2,000 people are expected to stay at the Athlete Plaza at Nagoya Port's Garden Pier, which will officially open on Sept. 6 ahead of the Sept. 19-Oct. 4 Asian Games, while about 1,000 are expected to stay there for the Asian Para Games in October.
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Sumo: Aonishiki trains around pain ahead of ozeki return
TOKYO - Ukrainian star Aonishiki said Wednesday he is managing injuries to his left ankle and big toe as he prepares for his ozeki return at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament starting Sept. 13 at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan arena.
The 22-year-old, who won his third top-division title and clinched promotion back to the second-highest rank at last month's Nagoya meet, worked up a sweat helping other wrestlers practice their charges at the regional summer tour stop in Kawasaki near Tokyo.
