[ad_1]
The vehicle carrying the coffin of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe passes in front of the parliament building in Tokyo on July 12, 2022, following his funeral. Abe was fatally shot during upper house election campaigning in Nara on July 8. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo
The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
———-
Japan ranks 116th in 2022 gender gap report, worst among G-7
GENEVA – Japan ranked 116th among 146 countries in the gender gap rankings this year, remaining in last place among Group of Seven industrialized countries, a Swiss-based think tank said Wednesday.
The report by the World Economic Forum showed women’s participation in the political and economic arenas remains particularly low in Japan. The country, however, attained high scores in access to education and health.
———-
Japan logs most COVID cases since March, delays domestic travel plan
TOKYO – Japan recorded more than 76,000 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, more than double from a week earlier and topping the 70,000 mark for the first time since March 3 amid signs the nation is undergoing a seventh wave of infections.
Record one-day infections were logged in 12 prefectures including the southwestern prefecture of Okinawa, which saw 3,436 infections and four more deaths.
———-
Nikon halts development of single-lens reflex camera
TOKYO – Nikon Corp. has in recent years halted development of single-lens reflex cameras as the Japanese camera maker is shifting its focus to mirrorless cameras which are lighter than SLR types, company sources said Tuesday.
Nikon, which began selling SLR cameras in 1959, once captured a large share of the camera market worldwide. The decision to suspend the development of new SLR cameras came as small mirrorless cameras rose to dominate the digital camera market.
———-
Sri Lankan president flees country amid economic crisis
COLOMBO – Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country Wednesday, a government official said, just days after protesters stormed the president’s official residence as the island country grapples with its worst economic crisis since independence.
The president, who was due to resign on the same day, boarded a military jet with his wife and others bound for the Maldives, the official said.
———-
U.N. aid to northwest Syria extended for six months
NEW YORK – The U.N. Security Council adopted a resolution Tuesday extending for six months a key humanitarian aid corridor to northwestern Syria, with the possibility of another six-month renewal in January.
The cross-border mechanism, first authorized in 2014, involves a crossing at Bab al-Hawa in northwestern Syria that millions in the country rely on for food, clean water and other humanitarian assistance. Three permanent council members — Britain, France and the United States — abstained from voting after having sought a one-year extension of the crossing, while the 12 others including permanent members China and Russia voted in favor.
———-
Approval rating of Japan PM Kishida’s Cabinet rises to highest 63.2% after vote
TOKYO – The approval rating of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s Cabinet has risen to 63.2 percent, its highest level since he took office in October 2021, a Kyodo News survey showed Tuesday, following his Liberal Democratic Party’s sweeping victory in the House of Councillors election.
The rating in the two-day nationwide telephone survey starting Monday was up 6.3 percentage points from the previous poll in June.
———-
Mourners farewell slain ex-PM Abe as funeral held at Tokyo temple
TOKYO – The funeral of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was shot dead while delivering a stump speech last week, was held Tuesday at a Buddhist temple in the heart of Tokyo, with a crowd of people gathered outside the venue while the private ceremony was conducted.
His widow Akie acted as chief mourner during the service at Zojoji Temple, located at the foot of the capital’s iconic Tokyo Tower, which was attended by around 200 people including Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
———-
Large number of shotgun-style shells found at Abe shooter’s home
NARA, Japan – A large number of plastic shells that can be used in a shotgun-style weapon have been found at the home of the man accused of shooting and killing former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, investigative sources said Tuesday.
Tetsuya Yamagami has told investigators he initially planned to produce bombs but decided to make guns instead as he wanted to zero in on his target and did not want to cause indiscriminate injuries, according to the sources.
[ad_2]
Source link
