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

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Acquittal upheld for ex-TEPCO execs over Fukushima nuclear crisis

TOKYO - An appeals court on Wednesday upheld an acquittal of three former executives of Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. who were accused of failing to prevent the 2011 disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in northeastern Japan.

The Tokyo High Court decision followed a Tokyo District Court ruling in 2019 that found former TEPCO Chairman Tsunehisa Katsumata, 82, along with Ichiro Takekuro, 76, and Sakae Muto, 72, both former vice presidents, could not have predicted the massive tsunami that crippled the power plant and led to core meltdowns.

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Senior U.S., China officials agree to boost decarbonization dialogue

WASHINGTON - The United States and China on Wednesday agreed to enhance dialogue over issues such as decarbonization during their ministerial talks in Zurich.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Chinese Vice Premier Liu He also agreed to work toward arranging to visit each other's countries, according to Washington and reporting in Beijing's official Xinhua news agency.

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Kishida's speech to highlight child policy as investment for future

TOKYO - Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is set to pledge to secure funds for policies to combat Japan's declining birthrate in his speech at the opening of a regular parliamentary session next week, a draft of the address showed Wednesday.

While the government has been criticized for lacking countermeasures that have an immediate effect, Kishida will underscore the need to enhance public support for child-rearing by describing such policies as "the most effective investment for the future."

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Japan eyes 4.5 tril. yen rise in debt costs in FY 2026 on high yields

TOKYO - The Finance Ministry expects higher long-term interest rates to push up Japan's debt-servicing costs in fiscal 2026 by around 4.5 trillion yen ($35 billion) from the next fiscal year, government sources said Wednesday, factoring in an uptrend in bond yields.

The estimate is based on the assumption that the yield on 10-year Japanese government bonds will be 1.6 percent for fiscal 2026, higher than the 1.1 percent for fiscal 2023 starting in April.

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Vietnam president quits amid Communist Party's anti-corruption drive

HANOI - Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc's resignation stemming from the ruling Communist Party's anti-corruption drive was officially approved by the country's parliament Wednesday, local media reported.

The Communist Party said Tuesday that its No. 2 Phuc, who served as prime minister from 2016 to 2021, had tendered his resignation as president and it was approved at a party meeting Tuesday. Phuc resigned midway through his term until 2026.

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China-N. Korea trade in 2022 recovers to 37% of pre-pandemic levels

BEIJING - China's trade with North Korea in 2022 recovered to roughly 37 percent of the pre-pandemic levels of 2019, government data showed Wednesday, with a freight train operation resumed between border cities despite the North keeping its borders shut to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

In 2022, the total value of China's trade with North Korea jumped 3.2-fold from the previous year to $1,027.72 million.

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Coast guard ship runs aground in Japan, no crew injured

NIIGATA, Japan - A Japanese patrol ship ran aground off Niigata Prefecture on Wednesday morning and became unable to sail, the coast guard said, adding that no crew members were injured but spilled oil was observed in the area.

While the coast guard is investigating the cause of the incident, which occurred around 6:30 a.m. off Kashiwazaki, its local office said there may have been a human error in the maneuvering of the 3,100-ton Echigo.

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Ex-boyfriend arrested after fatal stabbing of woman in Fukuoka

FUKUOKA - An ex-boyfriend was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of fatally stabbing a woman on a street in the southwestern Japanese city of Fukuoka earlier this week, police said.

The attack occurred despite police issuing an order last year for the man, Susumu Terauchi, to stop stalking Miki Kawano after she broke up with him. He has confessed to the crime, the police said.

==Kyodo

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