Kyodo News Digest: July 17, 2022

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

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Shooter signaled Abe killing in letter to Unification Church critic

OSAKA – The man charged with murdering Shinzo Abe sent a letter to a critic of the Unification Church signaling his intention to kill the former prime minister prior to the shooting earlier this month, the recipient said Sunday.

The letter shows the strong resentment that the assailant, Tetsuya Yamagami, 41, felt toward the church, with which he believed Abe had ties. Police appear to be aware of the letter.

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Athletics: Sani Brown 1st Japanese to reach 100m final at worlds

EUGENE, Oregon – Abdul Hakim Sani Brown became the first Japanese to qualify for the 100 meters final Saturday at the World Athletics Championships, where he finished seventh in the men’s sprint event.

Fred Kerley led an American podium sweep after he ran 9.86 seconds for the gold medal in front of a roaring home crowd at Hayward Field, with Marvin Bracy and Trayvon Bromell both finishing on 9.88 seconds and a photo finish giving the former silver and the latter bronze.

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Tokyo falls to 9th most expensive city for expats amid weak yen

TOKYO – Tokyo has tumbled to the ninth-most expensive city for people working abroad in 2022 from third a year earlier, partly due to the weakening of the yen against the U.S. dollar and other major currencies, according to an annual cost of living survey by a U.S. consulting firm.

The Mercer’s Cost of Living Survey comes as the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, now in its third year, the consequences of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, varying exchange rates, and surging prices put a squeeze on pay and savings across the world.

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Taiwan’s Tsai vows to win year-end local elections

TAIPEI – Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen pledged on Sunday to win year-end local elections across the island, which are viewed as indicators of voter sentiment ahead of the next presidential and island-wide legislative elections in 2024.

Speaking at the ruling Democratic Progressive Party’s national congress in Taipei, Tsai, who heads the independence-leaning party, said the voter rejection in the last island-wide local elections in 2018 taught the DPP that the party needed to do better.

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Sport climbing: Higuchi, Tanii win lead silver at World Games

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – Japan’s Masahiro Higuchi and Natsuki Tanii each won a silver medal in the men’s and women’s lead event, respectively, at the World Games on Saturday.

Switzerland’s Sascha Lehmann claimed the men’s lead gold medal, and Austria’s Jessica Pilz took the women’s title in the final sport climbing event of the July 7-17 competition featuring non-Olympic sports.

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Sumo: Terunofuji survives scare to join Nagoya leaders

NAGOYA – Yokozuna Terunofuji overcame a severe challenge from No. 4 maegashira Wakamotoharu on Sunday to join the leading pack with his sixth win at the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament.

The eighth day’s final bout at Dolphins Arena proved to be a show-stopper.