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

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4 injured after man fires hunting rifle in central Japan

NAGANO, Japan - Two police officers and two others sustained injuries in Nagano Prefecture, central Japan, on Thursday as a man fired a hunting rifle, police said.

The man has holed up in a nearby building, according to the police.

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Japan's Seven & i pres. reappointed in proxy fight vs. activist fund

TOKYO - Shareholders of Japanese retail giant Seven & i Holdings Co. on Thursday approved the reappointment of Ryuichi Isaka as president, rejecting a demand by a U.S. activist fund for the removal of the top executive in a high-profile proxy fight.

ValueAct Capital Management LP claims the management needs to do more restructuring for a greater focus on the retailer's mainstay 7-Eleven convenience store business and sought at an annual shareholders' meeting to replace four board members, including Isaka, with candidates it selected.

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Japan, Sri Lanka confirm importance of transparent debt restructuring

TOKYO - Japanese and Sri Lankan leaders on Thursday confirmed the importance of "transparent and fair" debt restructuring, apparently warning against China's alleged debt-trap diplomacy, which uses loans as leverage to gain concessions from borrower nations.

The agreement came during a meeting in Tokyo between Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who expressed appreciation for the Asian country's role in restructuring his nation's debt.

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Seoul set to allow Japan MDSF ship to fly rising sun flag in port

SEOUL - South Korea and Japan are making arrangements for a Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer taking part in a naval drill hosted by South Korea next week to fly the controversial rising sun flag when it enters the port of Busan, a source familiar with bilateral relations said Thursday.

The potential agreement on the flag, which is widely viewed in South Korea as a symbol of Japan's wartime aggression, is another sign of improved bilateral ties following disputes stemming from Japan's 1910-1945 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula, according to the source.

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Japan gov't ups May economic view for 1st time in 10 months

TOKYO - The government on Thursday lifted its view on the Japanese economy for the first time in 10 months, sounding more upbeat about exports and production in May while private consumption remains resilient due to the impact of COVID-19 waning.

In its monthly report for May, the Cabinet Office described the economy as "recovering at a moderate pace," as it upgraded the view on exports for the first time since December 2020.

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Former Spain great Iniesta announces departure from Vissel Kobe

KOBE - Former Spain and Barcelona great Andres Iniesta announced Thursday he will leave J-League side Vissel Kobe during the current season.

The 39-year-old midfielder will play his final home game for Kobe on July 1 against Consadole Sapporo at Noevir Stadium.

Speaking at a press conference in Kobe, a tearful Iniesta ruled out retirement but said he was unsure of his next move.

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Japan ruling parties divided on cooperation in next general election

TOKYO - The Komeito party, the junior coalition partner of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, has conveyed its decision not to recommend LDP candidates in single-seat districts in Tokyo in the next lower house election, lawmakers said Thursday.

The move by Komeito, which has been part of the coalition government for decades, reflects its frustration with the LDP's unfavorable response to the junior ruling party's eagerness to field its own candidate in the newly established 28th district of Tokyo.

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Several crew of U.S. Navy ship in Japan suspected of drug trafficking

YOKOSUKA, Japan - The U.S. Navy said Thursday it is investigating several crew members of the aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan home-ported in Yokosuka, near Tokyo, over suspected involvement in drug use and drug trafficking.

"We take all reports of misconduct seriously, and are working with the appropriate Japanese law enforcement agencies," a Navy official said. The investigation is in the initial stage and it was not immediately clear what type of drug was used and the number of people involved.

==Kyodo

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