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Members of Japan’s figure skating team — (from R) Wakaba Higuchi, Yuma Kagiyama, Kaori Sakamoto, Shoma Uno, Riku Miura, Ryuichi Kihara, Misato Komatsubara and Tim Koleto — celebrate after finishing third in the team event at the Beijing Winter Olympics on Feb. 7, 2022, at the Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo
The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
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Tokyo, others ask to extend COVID quasi-emergency as Omicron rages
TOKYO – Tokyo and 12 other prefectures currently under a COVID-19 quasi-state of emergency have requested an extension to the measure set to end this weekend, the prefectural governments said Tuesday.
Japan has been struggling to stem a new wave of infections spurred by the highly transmissible Omicron variant of the virus.
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Biden’s visit to Japan eyed in latter half of May: source
TOKYO – The U.S. government has proposed the latter half of May as the timing for President Joe Biden’s visit to Japan to attend the “Quad” summit that will also involve the leaders of Australia and India, according to a diplomatic source.
Arrangements have been under way for Biden’s first visit to Japan since becoming president in 2021. Last month, he signaled to Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during a virtual meeting that he intends to travel to the Asian country in late spring for the Quad meeting.
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Olympics: Yuzuru Hanyu hits hurdle in title defense as Nathan Chen shines
BEIJING – Yuzuru Hanyu hit an early hurdle in his bid for a third straight Olympic figure skating gold medal on Tuesday, as American Nathan Chen underscored his status as the Beijing Games men’s singles favorite with a world record short program.
Three-time world champion Chen leads the competition, with Japanese team bronze medalists Yuma Kagiyama and Shoma Uno second and third, respectively, and Hanyu eighth following the opening day of the competition at the Capital Indoor Stadium.
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Softbank Group gives up deal to sell U.K. chip firm over regulatory issues
TOKYO – Japanese investment and technology conglomerate SoftBank Group Corp. said Tuesday it has agreed to terminate a deal to sell its stake in British chip designer Arm Ltd. to U.S. semiconductor maker Nvidia Corp. due to regulatory hurdles.
The announcement came after issues were raised by regulators in the United States and Europe on the potential impact on competition in the semiconductor industry. Britain had also expressed concerns over implications for national security.
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Nissan lifts FY 2021 net profit outlook to 205 bil. yen
TOKYO – Nissan Motor Co. lifted on Tuesday its net profit outlook for the current business year to March to 205 billion yen ($1.8 billion) from its earlier projection of 180 billion yen, helped by a weaker yen and a reduction in costs.
The Japanese automaker expects to return to the black after two straight years of massive losses.
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U.S., Japan reach deal to ease Trump-era steel tariffs
WASHINGTON – The United States said Monday it has agreed with Japan to grant certain relief from steel tariffs imposed during the previous administration under Donald Trump, a move welcomed by Tokyo as “a step” to resolve the years-long trade irritant.
The agreement, which will take effect on April 1, comes as the U.S. administration of President Joe Biden is working to rebuild alliances undermined by Trump’s unilateralist foreign and trade policy, and is seeking to collectively address what they view as unfair trade practices by countries such as China.
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Japan to provide $18.5 million in humanitarian aid to Myanmar
TOKYO – Japan said Tuesday it will extend an additional $18.5 million in humanitarian aid to Myanmar where daily necessities are in short supply since the military coup a year ago.
The money will be used to deliver items including food and medical products through international organizations and the secretariat of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, according to the Foreign Ministry.
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Japan-backed African development confab to be held in August
TOKYO – A Japan-supported international conference on African development will be held in late August although it may be switched to a virtual format depending on the coronavirus situation, a senior official said Tuesday.
The two-day meeting from Aug. 27 will be hosted by Tunisia, with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida expected to be one of the participants, according to Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno. It will be the eighth round of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development, or TICAD.
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