Japan's hopes of reaching the quarterfinals of the Rugby World Cup were dashed by Argentina on Sunday as a hat-trick of tries by wing Mateo Carreras helped the Pumas to a 39-27 win in a highly entertaining game in front of 33,624 fans at Stade de la Beaujoire. The reward for Argentina is a game against Pool C winners Wales in Marseilles next Saturday for a place in the semifinals, while Japan fly home with their heads held high following a valiant display against a side that has the benefit of playing regularly in a top-tier tournament.

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The 19th Asian Games ended Sunday with a closing ceremony in Hangzhou, China, after more than two weeks of competition involving 12,000 athletes from 45 countries and regions. Chinese Premier Li Qiang attended the wrap-up event in this eastern China city, whereas at the Sept. 23 opening ceremony, President Xi Jinping was present to declare the start of the Games. The games were held almost completely without face masks, for not only athletes but also spectators and organizing staff, after a one-year postponement caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2023/10/cdd81086a46e-asian-games-19th-asian-games-come-to-end-in-hangzhou-china.html

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Over 2,000 people died in western Afghanistan on Saturday following a series of earthquakes, some reaching a magnitude of 6.3, The Associated Press reported on Sunday, citing a Taliban government spokesman. The spokesman, Abdul Wahid Rayan, also reportedly said about six villages in hardest-hit Herat province were destroyed and hundreds of people remained buried under rubble. A series of powerful earthquakes hit around noon Saturday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Taliban authorities expressed condolences to the families of the dead and injured and vowed prompt aid.

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Japan's Shigeyuki Nakarai won the men's gold medal battle for breaking, also known as breakdancing, while China's Liu Qingyi claimed women's gold at the Asian Games on Saturday. Their titles qualified the two dancers for next summer's Olympics in Paris, where the sport is set to make its Olympic debut. Japan's Shigeyuki Nakarai competes in the men's breakdancing gold medal battle against South Korea's Kim Hong Yul at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, on Oct. 7, 2023. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo Nakarai, whose dance name is Shigekix, edged South Korea's Kim Hong Yul 2-1, with collected votes being 14-13 at Gongshu Canal Sports Park Gymnasium on the penultimate day in Hangzhou, China.

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2023/10/1712ce9af553-asian-games-shigekix-nakarai-dances-to-breaking-gold-olympic-spot.html

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Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Saturday he aims to get a fiscal 2023 supplementary budget for funding a new economic package passed during an extraordinary parliamentary session, to be convened on Oct. 20. As the extra budget is expected to be passed by parliament in late November at the earliest, and given his government's diplomatic and domestic policy schedules for December, Kishida has little room left to call a snap election by the year-end. There had been speculation that Kishida would dissolve the House of Representatives for a snap election early in the upcoming session before the budget passed, as he had said he intended to submit it to the session while not providing a timescale for its passage.

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2023/10/5fb0ba3fe02c-japan-pm-says-aiming-to-pass-extra-budget-in-upcoming-diet-session.html

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KYODO NEWS - 27 minutes ago - 08:51 | Others BREAKING NEWS: Big Japanese nonmanufacturers' sentiment up to 27 from 23: Tankan ==Kyodo 27 minutes ago | KYODO NEWS

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Shohei Ohtani made his first public appearance Saturday since undergoing elbow surgery earlier in the month, attending a ceremony to accept the Los Angeles' Angels Most Valuable Player award for the third year in a row. The two-way star received the award, voted by teammates, from Angels General Manager Perry Minasian at Angel Stadium. Right-hander Carlos Estevez was honored as the team's pitcher of the year. Shohei Ohtani (2nd from R) holds the Los Angeles Angels' team MVP award at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California, on Sept.

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Several Japanese universities shot up in the latest annual ranking published by British magazine Times Higher Education, with the University of Tokyo rising to 29th, the highest position for a Japanese institution since 2015. In its World University Rankings 2024, the University of Tokyo climbed from 39th place in the previous ranking while Kyoto University jumped from 68th to 55th place. The magazine said the notable rise in the rankings of Japanese institutions was due to a newly added metric on patents.

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2023/10/1746a8a15f17-japan-universities-climb-rankings-in-times-global-survey.html

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China's world No. 1 Sun Yingsha defeated Hina Hayata of Japan four games to one in the women's table tennis singles final at the Asian Games on Sunday. Sun won 11-5, 11-9, 10-12, 11-8, 11-7 in front of a packed crowd at Gongshu Canal Sports Park Gymnasium in Hangzhou, China. The left-handed Hayata led 9-6 in the second game but Sun took five straight points to win it. World No. 9 Hayata reached the gold medal match by outlasting world No. 4 Wang Yidi 11-4, 3-11, 11-8, 7-11, 10-12, 15-13, 12-10 in their semifinal.

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Japan skills coach Riki Flutey said Saturday that a much-reduced error rate had helped the Brave Blossoms to beat Samoa at the Rugby World Cup on Thursday and had put the team in a good place ahead of their winner-takes-all clash with Argentina. "A lot of games, when we do play with speed, we do tend to have a high error rate, but against Samoa it was 30 percent, which is our best error rate for this year," he said after the team had held a very gentle training session at Stade Ernest Wallon. "It gives us confidence that we can play with speed, play fast and be really accurate," he responded when asked whether the pace at which Japan can produce good, clean ruck ball can increase even further.

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2023/09/70f451af3c5a-rugby-reduction-in-errors-helping-japans-cause-at-world-cup.html

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Yoshihide Kiryu and Yuki Koike, two of Japan's top sprinters, failed to reach the men's 100-meter final at the Asian Games on Saturday, the second day for athletics. Later in the eight-man 100 final, China's Xie Zhenye stormed to the gold medal in 9.97 seconds, 0.05 ahead of Thai runner-up Puripol Boonson. Malaysia's Muhammad Azeem bin Mohd Fahmi rounded out the podium an additional 0.09 back. "I've waited for this gold since my first Asian Games at Incheon 2014," the 30-year-old Xie said. "Heaven rewards those who wait.

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Erika Hara jumps up to see ahead before hitting the second shot on the fifth hole during the second round of Japan Women's Open Golf Championship on Sept. 29, 2023, at Awara Golf Club in Awara, Fukui Prefecture, central Japan. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News. ---------- TOKYO - The Japanese government plans to seek a court order to disband the Unification Church, a government source said Saturday, a move that comes after a months-long probe into the religious group over allegations of soliciting financially ruinous donations from members and other questionable practices.

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2023/10/aa54ec196924-kyodo-news-digest-oct-1-2023.html

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Japan's Yosuke Watanuki and China's Zhang Zhizhen acknowledge each other after Zhang's win in the men's tennis singles final at the Asian Games on Sept. 30, 2023. (Kyodo) Japan's Yosuke Watanuki missed a chance to qualify for next year's Paris Olympics tennis tournament with a straight-sets loss to Chinese giant killer Zhang Zhizhen in the men's singles final at the Asian Games on Saturday. Zhang, who upset then world No. 5 Casper Ruud of Norway in the second round of this year's U.S. Open, defeated Watanuki 6-4, 7-6(7) to earn his gold medal and Olympic berth.

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2023/09/a003cd4a45ed-asian-games-zhang-defeats-watanuki-for-mens-tennis-gold-paris-spot.html

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HANGZHOU, China - World record holder Qin Haiyang won the men's 200-meter breaststroke in dominant fashion Thursday as...

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2023/09/a878f034b574-asian-games-world-record-holder-qin-helps-grow-china-swim-gold-tally.html

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KYODO NEWS - 26 minutes ago - 08:52 | Others BREAKING NEWS: Japan's Aug. industrial output remains flat on month ==Kyodo 26 minutes ago | KYODO NEWS

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Japanese swimmer Tomoru Honda won the men's 200-meter butterfly for his second gold medal of the Hangzhou Asian Games on Friday, while Rikako Ikee managed to claim bronze in the women's 50-meter butterfly won by Chinese star Zhang Yufei. Reigning world champion Qin Haiyang completed a sweep of the three breaststroke titles with a convincing victory in the 50 meters as China collected four of the seven gold medals contested on the final day of the swimming program. Japanese swimmer Tomoru Honda poses with the gold medal after winning the men's 200-meter butterfly final at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, on Sept.

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A system failure in the air traffic control network occurred Friday, delaying flights mainly to eastern Japan, the transport ministry said. The problem started at around 11:40 a.m. at the ministry's Tokyo area air traffic control center in Saitama Prefecture, prompting departure restrictions at airports. The system was restored at around 12:20 p.m. During the disruption, information other than aircraft's location was not displayed on the control system screen, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism said.

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SEOUL - South Korea proposed holding a trilateral summit with Japan and China in December, the first in four...

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2023/09/c07e4ac2c070-urgent-s-korea-proposes-summit-with-japan-china-in-december-sources.html

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China won four more swimming gold medals at the Asian Games on Monday, as Japan was left without a single gold in the pool after 14 events over the first two days. In seven events contested on Day 2, Japan managed only three bronze medals at Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre's Aquatic Sports Arena -- Ryosuke Irie in the men's 50-meter backstroke, Miki Takahashi in the women's 50 back and the men's 4x200 freestyle relay. Ryosuke Irie is pictured after the men's 50-meter backstroke at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, on Sept.

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2023/09/caed2df9e87d-asian-games-japan-remains-without-swim-gold-as-china-adds-4-titles.html

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A cyclist believed to be a foreign national died after being hit by a car on an expressway in Yokohama near Tokyo on Monday, police said, believing he had entered the expressway by mistake. The accident victim was identified as Patrick Do, from the United States, who took part in the Cycle Messenger World Championship held from Wednesday through Monday in Yokohama, the event's organizer said. The race had already ended when the accident occurred, the organizer said, adding it appears he was returning to his hotel.

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2023/09/4126495c437a-cyclist-dies-in-expressway-accident-near-tokyo.html

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KYODO NEWS - 43 minutes ago - 00:36 | Others BREAKING NEWS: U.S. soldier expelled by N. Korea in "good health": official ==Kyodo 43 minutes ago | KYODO NEWS

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After becoming the first swimmer to win all three breaststroke events at a single world championships in July, China's Qin Haiyang will try to replicate the sweep this week at the Asian Games. Qin got the first one out of the way Monday, winning the 100 meters in an Asian Games-record 57.76 seconds, a whopping 1.33 ahead of compatriot Yan Zibei at Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre's Aquatic Sports Arena. The 24-year-old took the lead early and held on, drawing rousing cheers from the crowd. China's Qin Haiyang celebrates after winning the men's 200-meter breaststroke in world record time at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships at Marine Messe Fukuoka in the southwestern Japan city of Fukuoka on July 28, 2023.

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Japan had to settle for silver Monday as host China finished head and shoulders above the rest in the women's gymnastics team final at the Asian Games in Hangzhou. China topped the scoring on all four apparatuses to total 161.896, comfortably clear of silver medalist Japan with 157.229. North Korea took bronze with 156.829. Japan's Kahane Ushioku, who earned her team's best vault and floor scores, said the result only felt real after receiving the silver medal. "I felt tense because there were four of us competing and none of us could afford to fail, but everyone encouraged each other and had fun in the event," she said.

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The Japan Rugby Football Union have refused to comment on rumors of Australia coach Eddie Jones exploring a return to Japan that overshadowed the build-up to the Wallabies' stunning 40-6 defeat to Wales at the Rugby World Cup on Sunday. "We have a policy that we won't disclose any information about candidates (any name of an individual or selection status) until we finalize the announcement of the new head coach," a JRFU spokesperson told Kyodo News via email just hours before the game in Lyon.

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KYODO NEWS - 37 minutes ago - 00:41 | Others BREAKING NEWS: U.S. soldier left N. Korea via China with help of Sweden: official ==Kyodo 37 minutes ago | KYODO NEWS

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A Japanese court sentenced Monday an 18-year-old man to four years and six months in prison for his involvement in the robbery of a Rolex specialty store in Tokyo's posh Ginza shopping district. According to the ruling, Shoma Torii and four others, some masked, conspired to break into the store at around 6:20 p.m. on May 8, stealing 74 items worth about 308.6 million yen ($2.1 million). Prosecutors had sought seven years' imprisonment for the defendant. In handing down the ruling, Judge Madoka Hiruta of the Tokyo District Court said it was an organized and premeditated crime in which the offenders covered their faces and violently smashed display cases to steal the items.

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2023/09/79bf33176c91-teen-given-prison-term-over-tokyo-rolex-store-robbery.html

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A high court upheld on Thursday a sentence of 15 years in prison given to a woman for manipulating a fellow mother to starve her 5-year-old son to death in the southwestern Japan prefecture of Fukuoka in 2020. In rejecting the appeal by the defendant Emiko Akahori, 50, the Fukuoka High Court supported a lower court ruling that said she psychologically controlled her friend, Rie Ikari, 41, and the two conspired to severely reduce Ikari's son's meals from around August 2019. By late March 2020, the boy, Shojiro, became severely malnourished and due to insufficient feeding, starved to death on April 18 that year.

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2023/03/9196cf9c1d8c-court-upholds-15-yr-sentence-on-woman-for-starving-a-friends-son.html

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KYODO NEWS - 1 hour ago - 08:00 | All , World , Japan , Coronavirus Here are the latest COVID-19 updates from Japan and beyond:   Japan supporters celebrate after Shohei Ohtani hits a two-run double in the fourth inning of Japan's World Baseball Classic Pool B opener against China at Tokyo Dome in Tokyo on March 9, 2023. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo Useful resources for foreign residents and visitors in Japan Health ministry call center  COVID-19: 0120-565-653 (toll free) COVID-19 Vaccines: 0120-761-770 (toll free) -Interpreters available for English, Chinese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish 9 a.

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2023/03/ec7dd1e3a494-coronavirus-pandemic-latest-march-10-2023.html

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KYODO NEWS - 1 hour ago - 08:00 | All , Japan , Coronavirus , World Here are the latest COVID-19 updates from Japan and beyond: Journalists line up to take PCR tests at their hotel in Beijing on March 2, 2023, amid concern about COVID-19 ahead of the National People's Congress opening at the Great Hall of the People on March 5. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo Useful resources for foreign residents and visitors in Japan Health ministry call center  COVID-19: 0120-565-653 (toll free) COVID-19 Vaccines: 0120-761-770 (toll free) -Interpreters available for English, Chinese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish 9 a.

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North Korea conducted an "underwater launching drill" of strategic cruise missiles off its eastern coast, the country's official media reported Monday. The Korean Central News Agency said an 8.24 Yongung submarine launched two cruise missiles in an "underwater-to-surface offensive" operation drill Sunday morning, a day before the South Korean and U.S. militaries are scheduled to start their "Freedom Shield" joint exercise. Photo shows North Korea's "underwater launching drill" of strategic cruise missiles on March 12, 2023.

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