Kyodo News Digest: Aug. 15, 2023

The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.

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Japan PM Kishida sends offering to Yasukuni shrine on WWII anniv.

TOKYO - Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Tuesday sent a ritual offering to the controversial Yasukuni shrine in Tokyo, seen by some as a symbol of Japan's past militarism, as the nation marked the 78th anniversary of the end of World War II, a ruling lawmaker said.

In another development, economic security minister Sanae Takaichi visited the Shinto shrine, marking the fourth consecutive year that a Cabinet member has offered prayers at Yasukuni on the anniversary of Japan's surrender in the war.

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Japan April-June GDP grows 6.0%, fastest since 2020 but outlook murky

TOKYO - Japan's economy grew at a stronger-than-expected annualized real 6.0 percent in the April-June quarter on robust auto exports and a revival in inbound tourism, though an unexpected drop in private consumption cast a pall over the outlook, preliminary government data showed Tuesday.

Real gross domestic product, adjusted for inflation, increased for the third straight quarter, marking the fastest growth since the October-December period in 2020. It increased 1.5 percent from the previous quarter.

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Typhoon Lan lands in western Japan, causes holiday travel chaos

TOKYO - Slow-moving Typhoon Lan made landfall on the Kii Peninsula in western Japan on Tuesday, bringing heavy rainfall, disrupting air, road and train services and causing havoc for domestic and international travelers during the summer holidays.

Around 650 people were forced to stay overnight at Kansai airport, located on an artificial island in Osaka Bay, after rail and road access was cut off by to the typhoon. Many people had to sleep in the airport's lobby, and the facility operator handed out sleeping bags and water to those stranded there.

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Japan to respond appropriately to excess forex moves: finance chief

TOKYO - Japan will take "appropriate" action in response to excessive forex moves and is closely watching market developments, Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki said Tuesday after the yen weakened relative to the U.S. dollar to levels near where the government has previously intervened.

Suzuki said currency moves should be stable, reflecting economic fundamentals.

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Switzerland, Liechtenstein end post-Fukushima Japan food import curbs

TOKYO - Switzerland and Liechtenstein on Tuesday lifted import restrictions on food products from 10 Japanese prefectures imposed after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear plant disaster, the Japanese government said.

Following a similar move by the European Union earlier this month, the two countries will no longer require radiation tests on some agricultural and fishery products from the prefectures, including Fukushima. Switzerland and Liechtenstein are not EU members.

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Trump hit with 4th indictment, this time in Georgia

NEW YORK - Former U.S. President Donald Trump was indicted Monday for the fourth time, this time in Georgia, where prosecutors accuse him of having attempted to overturn his narrow 2020 presidential election loss by interfering with the state's vote-counting procedures.

The state indictment comes roughly two weeks after Trump, 77, who is far ahead of his rivals in the race for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, was charged by a federal grand jury with four felony counts related to efforts to overturn his loss to then Democratic candidate Joe Biden in the previous presidential election.

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South Korea, Japan are partners pursuing common interests, Yoon says

SEOUL - South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said Tuesday South Korea and Japan are partners who share universal values and have common interests, as he spoke at a ceremony to commemorate the end of Japanese colonial rule 78 years ago.

Yoon also reiterated the importance of trilateral security cooperation with Japan and the United States amid continued nuclear and missile threats from North Korea, in the speech delivered on Liberation Day.

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Rugby: Injuries delay Japan naming full World Cup squad

TOKYO - Japan coach Jamie Joseph went with the tried and tested as he named his squad Tuesday for this year's Rugby World Cup in France, though injuries meant he could only name 30 of the 33 required players.

Captained by back-row forward Kazuki Himeno, the squad is based on the group chosen to play in the recent Pacific Nations Series and two warm-up games against an All Blacks XV. But injuries suffered in those matches -- particularly among the second-row forwards -- means Joseph will wait until the tournament deadline of Aug. 21 before adding the final three players.

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Video: Shanshan festival in Tottori

Aug 15, 2023 | KYODO NEWS