Xinhua Asia-Pacific News Summary at 1600 GMT, Jan. 22

TOKYO -- Kyoto University, one of the top universities in Japan, said Monday that a researcher at its iPS institute falsified key data in a paper published on a scientific journal last year.

Kohei Yamamizu, assistant professor at the university, falsified all major figures in a paper on iPS published on scientific journal Stem Cell Reports last year, according to Kyoto University. (Japan-Falsification)

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SEOUL -- An advance team of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Monday toured the performance facilities in the South Korean capital to prepare for concerts during the upcoming South Korea-hosted Winter Olympics.

The 7-member advance team came by land route to South Korea Sunday, visiting the performance facilities in the east city of Gangneung near the PyeongChang county where the 2018 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games are slated to run from February to March. (S.Korea-DPRK Team)

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TOKYO -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe urged political parties to advance debate on amending Japan's Constitution while calling for friendly ties with China, on the first day of a 150-day regular session convened Monday.

In his policy address on the first day of the session, the Japanese leader referred to the Constitution as narrating the future shape of the country. (Japan-Constitution Debate)

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MANILA -- The Philippine authorities raised the alert level for the Mayon volcano from level three to level four on Monday, meaning that a "hazardous eruption is imminent."

"Mayon volcano in Albay province has been exhibiting increased seismic unrest, lava fountaining and summit explosions," the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said in its latest advisory. (Philippines-Volcano Alert) Enditem