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

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Ex-Japan PM Aso meets Trump in New York

NEW YORK - Former Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso met with Donald Trump on Tuesday in New York, at a time when leaders and senior officials of some countries have been building rapport with the former U.S. president ahead of the November election.

Aso, vice president of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, was a longtime ally of the late former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who built a strong personal relationship with Trump when the two led their respective countries.

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LDP proposes forfeiting unreported political funds in reform plan

TOKYO - Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Tuesday compiled draft proposals on political funds reform in the wake of a recent slush money scandal, centering on forfeiting deliberately unreported income for submission to the national coffers.

The LDP, led by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, also proposed obliging lawmakers to issue certificates when submitting their political funds reports and that neglecting to sufficiently check the documents could result in punishments, according to the reform plan.

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Japan Post Bank system glitch delays 1.2 million transfers

TOKYO - Japan Post Bank Co. said Tuesday that a nationwide system failure has caused delays in receiving nearly 1.2 million money transfers from other banks.

The bank said the system failure began at 8:40 a.m. and was resolved by 10:07 p.m. It said there is no evidence indicating a cyberattack.

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10 dead after 2 Malaysian navy helicopters collide mid air

KUALA LUMPUR - Two Malaysian navy helicopters collided with each other during a rehearsal for an annual naval show, killing all 10 crew on board, the Royal Malaysian Navy said in a statement Tuesday.

Videos of the mid-air collision, which have gone viral on the internet, showed the helicopters, an AgustaWestland AW139 and a Fennec helicopter, flying over the Lumut naval base in northern Perak state before one of them clipped the rotor blades of the other.

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Japan eyes cashless tax refunds to stem illicit resale by tourists

TOKYO - Japan is considering introducing cashless tax refunds for inbound travelers, as part of efforts to prevent them from illicitly earning money by reselling tax-free items before departure, sources close to the matter said Tuesday.

Under the envisaged system, the government would have foreign travelers pay for products that include the consumption tax, which would be later refunded through a credit card or other cashless format, the sources said.

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Preliminary results show close race in Solomon Islands election

SYDNEY - Preliminary results on Tuesday in the Solomon Islands' general election showed Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare's party neck and neck with a coalition of two major opposition parties, with the vote count suggesting independents are likely to play a significant role in forming a new government.

The election held on April 17 is being closely watched by China and the West as the first poll since the government of Sogavare cut ties with Taiwan in favor of China in 2019 and signed a controversial security pact with the Asian power in 2022, raising concerns over its potential regional implications.

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Japan supermarket sales grow 3.7% in FY 2023, biggest rise in 32 yrs

TOKYO - Japan's supermarket sales in fiscal 2023 rose 3.7 percent from the previous year on a same-store basis, marking the largest rise since 1991, as price hikes for food and other goods propped up sales, an industry body said Tuesday.

Sales at 10,920 supermarkets operated by 54 companies totaled 13.73 trillion yen ($88.7 billion), with shoppers also buying more items as they became less frugal in March, according to the Japan Chain Stores Association.

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DisneySea reveals new hotel in Fantasy Springs area to open in June

CHIBA, Japan - A new hotel within Tokyo DisneySea's latest Fantasy Springs theme area was revealed to the media on Tuesday, with the facility slated to open in June on the same day as the area.

Tokyo DisneySea Fantasy Springs Hotel is split into two wings, with the "Grand Chateau," which overlooks the park, starting at 341,000 yen ($2,200) per night. The "Fantasy Chateau" starts at 66,000 yen, according to operator Milial Resort Hotels Co.

==Kyodo

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