at 20:00 (JST), August 08 AS

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and visiting UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres have agreed to keep UN sanctions on North Korea in place.

A strong typhoon is forecast to sweep very close to Japan's eastern Pacific coast from late Wednesday through Thursday.

A surge in the number of visitors from overseas helped keep Japan's current account in the black in the first half of this year.

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20180808200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : Abe Antonio
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180808_16/

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and visiting UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres have agreed to keep UN sanctions on North Korea in place to have the North take concrete steps toward its full denuclearization.

Guterres met Abe in Tokyo on Wednesday morning. He is scheduled to attend a ceremony on Thursday in Nagasaki, southwestern Japan, to mark the 73rd anniversary of the US atomic bombing of the city.

Abe told Guterres that he welcomes his attendance as the first UN Secretary-General to do so.

Guterres said the resilience the Japanese people showed after the 2 atomic bombings and their strong message for peace are very significant.

Abe and Guterres also discussed issues on North Korea.

They shared the view that UN sanctions based on Security Council resolutions need to be maintained to get North Korea to take concrete steps toward complete denuclearization.

They also agreed that the abductions of Japanese nationals by the North should be resolved as soon as possible.

Abe expressed support for the UN Secretary-General's initiative for UN structural reform. He said Japan will cooperate with the United Nations over the reform, including that of the Security Council.

Speaking to reporters after the talks, Abe said it is crucial for world leaders to visit Japan's atomic-bombed cities and deepen their knowledge about the catastrophe, in order to achieve a world without nuclear weapons.

Key words : Student Nagasaki
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180808_25/

Students in Nagasaki have prepared water to be offered to atomic bomb victims in a service to mark the 73rd anniversary of the bombing of the city.

The water offering is to be put on the altar in the Peace Park near ground zero to console the souls of people who wandered around looking for water after being exposed to radiation.

Three students from local elementary, junior and senior high schools on Wednesday kneeled down and scooped up water from the Peace Fountain in the park. The fountain was built with funds donated from across the country.

After ladling the water, the students bowed to the fountain.

Yu Kanto, a senior high student, said that her great-grandfather told her about his war experiences and asked her not to forget them. She added that the water offering was her first step in working toward peace.

Thursday's ceremony will be attended by representatives from a record 79 countries.

Key words : regions of central
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180808_21/

Regions of central and western Japan continue to swelter in a persistent heat wave, with officials warning of the dangers of heatstroke in the areas.

The thermometer hit 41 degrees Celsius in Mino city, Gifu Prefecture, on Wednesday afternoon. Gero city in the same prefecture registered 40.5 degrees.

Japan's Meteorological Agency says a lingering high pressure system is causing the temperature surge.

Nagoya registered 38.3 degrees, Hiroshima 37.2 and Okayama 35.1.

People in the areas are advised to refrain from daytime exercise, use air conditioners and to stay hydrated and take salts to avoid heatstroke.

Key words : group of international
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180808_09/

A group of international scientists is calling for immediate collective action to fight climate change. They warn that the carbon emission target set by the Paris Agreement may not be enough to stop global warming.

The US National Academy of Sciences published the results of the study on Monday.

The average global temperature is already 1 degree Celsius higher than the pre-industrial levels. But the scientists argue that an increase of 2 degrees or more could melt ice in the Arctic and Antarctica. They predict that sea levels could rise by up to 60 meters.

They warn that crossing this threshold could cause continued warming on a "Hothouse Earth" pathway.

They are calling for immediate action such as burying carbon dioxide underground and expanding forests.

Key words : Insight abnormal weather climate induce disaster
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Key words : strong typhoon forecast to sweep
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180808_24/

A strong typhoon is forecast to sweep very close to Japan's eastern Pacific coast from late Wednesday through Thursday. Please click on the image to watch our meteorologist explain more.

Weather officials are warning of heavy rain and wind gusts from Typhoon Shanshan, which is packing winds of up to 126 kilometers an hour near its center.

They say parts of the Kanto and Tohoku regions may experience the prolonged effects of the storm as it is moving slowly.

The Meteorological Agency says that as of 4 PM on Wednesday, the storm was at sea about 160 kilometers south-southeast of Katsuura City, Chiba Prefecture. It was tracking north-northwest at a speed of 15 kilometers per hour.

Key words : surge in the number
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180808_18/

A surge in the number of visitors from overseas helped keep Japan's current account in the black in the first half of this year.

Finance Ministry officials say the surplus was 97.3 billion dollars in the 6 months through June. That's up 1.9 billion dollars from the same period last year.

The number of foreign tourists was up 15.6 percent, year on year. That boosted the travel-account surplus to a first-half record of 10.7 billion dollars.

Healthy business conditions at overseas subsidiaries of Japanese companies also helped. The primary income surplus, which gauges earnings from international investments, was 94.5 billion dollars.
The trade surplus was 16.2 billion dollars, down 2 billion dollars, on rising crude oil prices.

For June, the current account remained in the black for the 48th month in a row. The surplus came in at 10-and-a-half billion dollars.

Key words : survey female doctor
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180808_10/

A survey suggests that 65 percent of female doctors in Japan understand why a medical university undercut entrance exam scores of women applicants.

Tokyo Medical University has admitted to engaging in the practice for more than a decade to keep down the admission of women.

A company that publishes a web magazine for female doctors conducted the online survey, to which 103 people responded.

18.4 percent said they understand the practice, and 46.6 percent said they understand to some extent.

Some said they are not convinced of the university's case but can understand. Others said the practice is unjust, but their workplace cannot keep up without male doctors.

One respondent said she had a miscarriage after working during a holiday and late at night. She says without the understanding and support of co-workers, she can no longer continue to work.

Ruriko Tsushima, a doctor and a board member of the Japan Joint Association of Medical Professional Women, says many female doctors have given up hope about their workplaces. She says being a doctor is considered an around-the-clock job, and this forced many to abandon their careers.

Tsushima says it should be possible for both male and female doctors to finish work early by arranging work styles. She urges workplace reforms for medical professionals.

Key words : Japanese authorities
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180808_20/

Japanese authorities have laid down requirements for the production and sale of liquid baby formula, opening the door to the Japanese market.

This type of formula is easy to use because it doesn't require dissolving powder in hot water. It can also be stored at room temperature. It is widely available overseas but not in Japan, which lacks relevant safety regulations.

A health ministry ordinance including new safety regulations for infant formulas was put into effect on Wednesday.

The regulations require that the formulas be sold in metal, plastic or carton containers. They are also required to be pasteurized at 120 degrees Celsius for 4 minutes.

Also on Wednesday, the Consumer Affairs Agency began accepting applications for labeling products as suited for babies.

However, the Japan Dairy Industry Association says it will take one to 2 years before the formulas can be brought to market in Japan, citing the time needed to develop products.