People walk near collapsed buildings in Amizmiz, Morocco, on Sept. 12, 2023, following a deadly earthquake that hit the North African country late at night on Sept. 8. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo
The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
———-
Kishida revamps Cabinet with record 5 women to boost sluggish support
TOKYO – Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Wednesday reshuffled his Cabinet, tapping a record-tying five women as ministers including its top diplomat, in a bid to boost his government’s popularity amid speculation that he is exploring the best timing to dissolve the House of Representatives for a snap election.
Kishida, a dovish moderate, hopes the revamp will help pave the way for his Liberal Democratic Party to emerge victorious again from the next lower house election and strengthen support from within his party before the LDP presidential race next year.
———-
Blinken to speak with new Japan foreign minister in coming days
WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to speak with new Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa in the coming days, a State Department official said Wednesday.
“The U.S.-Japan relationship has never been stronger,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said during a press briefing. “Our alliance is a cornerstone of peace, security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and across the world.”
———-
North Korea’s Kim pledges support for Russia, enhancing ties: Tass
BEIJING – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un pledged his support for Russia’s war on Ukraine and expressed confidence in further developing bilateral ties and forming a strategic relationship in his talks with President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, Tass news agency reported.
During the discussions at the Vostochny Cosmodrome space launch center in the Russian Far East, Kim was quoted as telling Putin that Moscow is waging “a sacred fight” to ensure its security while combating “hegemonic forces that oppose Russia.”
———-
Japan’s Cabinet revamp raises hopes, concerns among lawmakers
TOKYO – The lineup of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s revamped Cabinet drew a mixed reaction among Japan’s political circles on Wednesday, as ruling party members expressed both hopes and concerns while opposition lawmakers said the new roster lacked freshness.
Kishida picked 11 members to serve in Cabinet posts for the first time, with a record-tying five female ministers appointed in a reshuffle that opposition lawmakers have framed as the premier’s attempt to solidify his support base and remain in power.
———-
U.S. gives measured response to Putin-Kim summit
WASHINGTON – U.S. officials on Wednesday had a relatively measured response to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, saying the exact outcome of the summit remains unclear, while voicing concern about Moscow’s deepening cooperation with Pyongyang.
“We’re watching this very, very closely. We’ll see what the two sides say as a result of this,” White House national security spokesman John Kirby said. “We continue to urge North Korea to meet its public commitments not to support Russia’s war on Ukraine.”
———-
Japan may take steps to keep athletes safe at Asian Games in China
TOKYO – Japan is considering measures to prevent its athletes from running into trouble during the Asian Games in China amid anti-Japanese sentiment there, following the release of treated radioactive water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant into the sea.
Japanese Olympic Committee President Yasuhiro Yamashita told a regular press conference Wednesday in Tokyo that the JOC is coordinating with the Foreign Ministry and the Japanese Embassy in Beijing to see what measures need to be taken.
———-
New Foreign Minister Kamikawa vows to enhance Japan’s presence
TOKYO – New Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa pledged Wednesday to do her best to “enhance Japan’s presence,” with the nation facing challenges including building stable ties with China and tackling military threats posed by neighboring nations.
The veteran ruling Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker, who belongs to an intraparty faction led by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, became the first female foreign minister in around 20 years in Japan, succeeding Yoshimasa Hayashi in the latest Cabinet reshuffle.
———-
Rugby: Japan hope to smash predictable England before getting smashed
TOULOUSE, France – The game of rugby was invented 200 years ago and has undergone many changes since then, but according to scrum coach Shin Hasegawa, the Brave Blossoms’ next opponent at the Rugby World Cup have been playing the same way for much of that time.
“England have been playing the same way for the past 100 years,” Hasegawa said Wednesday following his team’s training run at Stade Ernest Wallon.
———-
Video: Devastating floods in Libya
