Kyodo News Digest: Nov. 24, 2024

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

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Iran to hold nuclear talks with Britain, France, Germany: sources

TEHRAN – Iran will hold talks with Britain, France, Germany, and the European Union on Friday to revive a stalled 2015 nuclear deal between the country and six major powers, including the three European nations and the United States, Iranian diplomatic sources told Kyodo News on Sunday.

The talks, which are set to take place in Geneva, according to the sources, would coincide with President-elect Donald Trump’s return to the White House in January. Trump withdrew from the accord during his first administration in 2018.

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Japan eyes hosting Brazil’s Pres. Lula as state guest in March

TOKYO – Japan is considering inviting Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in March at the earliest as its first state guest after the coronavirus outbreak, a source close to the matter said Sunday.

The planned invitation is part of Tokyo’s efforts to bolster ties with the “Global South” developing and emerging nations amid the deepening confrontation between Western states and Russia over its prolonged invasion of Ukraine and intensifying U.S.-China rivalry.

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Atomic bomb survivors meet fundraising target for Nobel prize awarding

TOKYO – Dozens of members of Nihon Hidankyo, Japan’s leading group of atomic bomb survivors that won this year’s Nobel Peace Prize, are set to travel to Oslo next month to attend the award ceremony after achieving its crowdfunding target of 10 million yen ($65,000) to help cover travel expenses.

The group, also known as the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations, met its goal in just one day after launching the appeal Nov. 15 but will continue its online campaign through Dec. 15, saying it intends to allocate surplus funds toward its efforts to abolish nuclear weapons.

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Table tennis: Harimoto beaten by world No. 1 Wang in WTT Finals final

FUKUOKA – Japan’s Tomokazu Harimoto lost the men’s singles final at table tennis’ WTT Finals in Fukuoka on Sunday, going down 11-2, 11-8, 11-7, 11-5 against world No. 1 Wang Chuqin of China.

Seventh-ranked Harimoto lost the opening 10 points and never led by more than a single point in the entire match at Kitakyushu General Gymnasium, where the contest ended within half an hour, and Wang claimed the title for the third straight time.

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Sumo: Kotozakura beats fellow ozeki Hoshoryu to Kyushu championship

FUKUOKA – Kotozakura outwrestled fellow ozeki Hoshoryu in the winner-take-all closing bout Sunday at the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament to claim his maiden top-division championship with a 14-1 record.

The 27-year-old Kotozakura stayed cool under pressure to win by slap down after Hoshoryu gained the upper hand in the tie-breaking battle between the two remaining contenders at Fukuoka Kokusai Center.

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MUFG Bank fires worker for stealing over 1 billion yen from customers

TOKYO – MUFG Bank has fired an employee for allegedly stealing assets worth between 1 billion ($6 million) and 2 billion yen from safe deposit boxes of some 60 customers in Tokyo, the Japanese megabank said.

The worker was dismissed on Nov. 14 after admitting to stealing the assets at two branches from April 2020 to October this year. The bank is investigating the theft and consulting with police, it said Friday.

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Speed skating: Stolz wins 2nd 500 title for sweep at World Cup opener

NAGANO – American Jordan Stolz pipped Japan’s Tatsuya Shinhama to win his second men’s 500 meters title at the World Cup season-opening meet Sunday in Nagano and sweep all four of his races over the three days of competition.

Stolz, who had won the 500, 1,000 and 1,500 titles at the meet opening Friday, clocked 34.41 seconds at M-Wave to see off Shinhama by 0.08. Merijn Scheperkamp of the Netherlands was a further 0.24 behind in third.

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Video: U.S. military renovates airfield on Palau island where U.S., Japan fought fiercely

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