SNA (Tokyo) — The following stories were reported today by the Shingetsu News Agency.

Politics

—Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike retreats further from her role as Party of Hope co-leader, allowing new co-leader Yuichiro Tamaki to make all decisions about staffing the party’s executive ranks.

—Former top bureaucrat in the Education Ministry, Kihei Maekawa, says that his former ministry should not have approved Kake Gakuen’s application to open new veterinary school in Imabari, Ehime.

—Komeito leader Natsuo Yamaguchi says that any revision of the Constitution should have more than 2/3 of the public in support. If a narrow majority decides the issue, it will be socially divisive.

—Hidehiko Yuzaki elected to third term as Governor of Hiroshima Prefecture.

—Yukio Edano gives speeches in Nagoya, marking first time he has done so in support of Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan local candidates.

International

—Russian President Vladimir Putin suggests that US-Japan Alliance negatively affects ability of Russia to conclude a peace treaty with Japan involving Southern Kuriles-Northern Territories.

—Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese President Xi Jinping say they have created a “new start” for Sino-Japanese relations after their meeting yesterday in Hanoi. Not yet clear if that means much in reality.

—Before leaving Hanoi, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met with James Soong, head of Taiwan’s People First Party. As usual, Beijing likely to be unhappy about it.

—Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has departed from Hanoi and is now heading to the second stop on his tour, the Philippines.

—Donald Trump to President of Vietnam regarding South China Sea: “If I can help mediate or arbitrate, please let me know… I am a very good mediator.”

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