2019年5月10日金曜日

at 20:00 (JST), May 10

The United States has raised tariffs on Chinese imports into the country, just hours after the bilateral trade negotiations failed to produce a break through on Thursday.


The US Defense Department says launches by North Korea on Thursday consisted of multiple ballistic missiles.


Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary has reaffirmed with US Secretary of State their countries' closer cooperation after North Korea's launches.


https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20190510200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : United States raised negotiator
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190510_44/

The United States increased tariffs on imports from China on Thursday, hours after the first day of bilateral trade talks failed to produce a deal.

The US raised tariffs on 200 billion dollars' worth of Chinese goods from 10 percent to 25 percent.

The negotiators from the two countries will continue their talks for a second day in Washington on Friday. But it is uncertain whether they can work out a compromise.

China's Commerce Ministry issued a statement calling the US move deeply regrettable, and said it will have to take necessary countermeasures, suggesting retaliation.

But China has yet to announce specific measures.

Observers say China appears not to want its relations with the US to be badly affected by immediately implementing retaliatory measures.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang told reporters on Friday that stable US-China relations will be beneficial for both sides and are always hoped for by the international community.

Geng stressed the importance of continued talks, saying that both sides should try to narrow their differences.

But the two countries have shown no signs of making concessions, deepening concerns about a negative effect on the global economy.


Key words : US defense department launches
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190510_12/

The US Defense Department says launches by North Korea on Thursday consisted of multiple ballistic missiles.

The Department said on Thursday that the missiles were fired from the northwestern part of the country in an easterly direction and flew over 300 kilometers before landing in the ocean.

South Korea's military said on Thursday that North Korea apparently fired two short-range missiles that flew a maximum of 420 kilometers and fell into the Sea of Japan. The launches follow Saturday's firing of more than 20 projectiles from the east coast city of Wonsan.

Thursday's launches by the North could violate UN Security Council resolutions that ban any launches that use ballistic missile technologies.


Key words : special representative not contribute
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190510_36/

US Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun has held talks with South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha in Seoul to discuss Pyongyang's latest launches of projectiles.

South Korea's foreign ministry announced that Kang expressed anxiety over the launches, pointing out the North's moves do not contribute to improving relations between South and North. She emphasized the importance of dialogue between the two Koreas and the US.

Biegun reportedly agreed on the importance of the US and South Korea maintaining close cooperation at this time, and said the door is open to the North for dialogue.

Biegun later held working-level talks with Lee Do-hoon, South Korea's special representative for peace and security on the Korean Peninsula. The two confirmed they would work together to solve the issue.


Key words : Nogami
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190510_40/

Japan has lodged a protest with North Korea following the country's launch of projectiles on Thursday.

Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Kotaro Nogami told reporters on Friday that after studying intelligence on the projectiles, the government concluded that the North had fired a short-range ballistic missile.

He said the launch of the missile violated UN Security Council resolutions and was very regrettable.

He said Japan will closely cooperate with the United States and other concerned parties and push for thorough implementation of the UN resolutions.

Nogami noted Japan has lodged a strong protest with North Korea through diplomatic channels in Beijing.

He said the government will continue to look for the most effective way toward comprehensive resolution of pending issues with North Korea, including its abductions of Japanese nationals and nuclear and missile programs.

Concerning Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's intention to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Nogami said Japan needs to take the initiative in tackling the abduction issue.

Nogami said the government will maintain its stance of taking bold action without missing any possible opportunities for progress, as the abductees' relatives in Japan are getting old.


Key words : Suga has reaffirmed
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190510_11/

Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga has reaffirmed with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo their countries' closer cooperation after North Korea launched projectiles for the second time in a week.

Suga and Pompeo held talks for about 30 minutes in Washington on Thursday. The talks came after North Korea fired projectiles earlier in the day, following a similar launch last Saturday.

The two officials confirmed that they will analyze the latest North Korean developments and work closely together at all levels. They agreed to fully implement UN Security Council resolutions on the North.

Suga also conveyed Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's intention to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un without preconditions to resolve the issue of abductions of Japanese nationals by the North. Suga has sought US support for an early resolution to the matter.

Earlier in the day, Suga met with US acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan at the Pentagon.

He told Shanahan that reducing the burden of hosting US military facilities in the southern prefecture of Okinawa is one of the Japanese government's top priorities.

Suga and Shanahan confirmed that their countries will steadily implement measures to lessen the burden and realign US forces in Japan, including the ongoing plan to relocate the Futenma Air Station to the Henoko district in Okinawa.

After the meetings, Suga told reporters that the talks were very meaningful. He said Japan hopes to deal with North Korea in cooperation with the US and South Korea, as well as in coordination with China and Russia.

He added that the government will make all-out efforts to reduce the burden on Okinawa, based on the results of his latest meetings in the US.


Key words : families of Japanese
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190510_21/

The families of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea are to visit the UN headquarters in New York to appeal for cooperation to bring their loved ones home.

Takuya Yokota, the younger brother of abductee Megumi Yokota, and Koichiro Iizuka, the son of abductee Yaeko Taguchi, left Tokyo's Haneda airport on Friday. They were accompanied by people whose missing family members may have been taken to the North.

The group will take part in a symposium on North Korea's human rights issues at the UN headquarters on Friday. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga will join them. He also serves as the minister in charge of the abduction issue.

Yokota told reporters before his departure that he cannot forgive North Korea for separating the families for more than 40 years. He said the relatives have been working hard to bring their loved ones home, and he wants to ask all countries to support their efforts.

He added that he hopes North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will make a bold decision to allow all the abductees to return home.

Iizuka said he wants to appeal for cooperation to bring the abductees home as soon as possible. He added that he wants to work with Suga and senior US officials to achieve this goal.

In February, the abductees' families wrote a message to the North Korean leader, asking him to return their loved ones.


Key words : representative human
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190510_20/

Representatives at the United Nations Human Rights Council have expressed concern about North Korea's human rights situation, citing the alleged torture of political prisoners and forced child labor.

The council began meeting on Thursday in Geneva to examine the human rights record of North Korea over the past five years.

A US representative said that 80,000 to 120,000 people are in political detention camps in the North, where torture and other violations of human rights are taking place.

Other member countries such as Britain and France accused the North of forced child labor and sexual violence against women.

Japan demanded the return of its nationals who have been abducted by North Korea, insisting that this is a pressing issue.

The Japanese representative said the two countries must cooperate to end mistrust and called for an early resolution of the issue through dialogue.

North Korea denied the allegations, saying that people's freedom is fully ensured. The North Korean delegate said all of the surviving abductees have already returned to Japan with their families and the issue has been completely resolved.

The council will compile a report next Tuesday and will urge North Korea to make improvements.


Key words : sources say Tokyo
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190510_25/

Sources say Tokyo prosecutors decided not to indict two senior Nissan Motor officials in relation to alleged financial misconduct involving the Japanese carmaker's former chairman Carlos Ghosn. The two had agreed on a plea-bargain deal with prosecutors.

One of them, a former aide to Ghosn, is a foreign national, and the other is a former official in the secretarial office.

The sources told NHK that the prosecutors had dropped the case against the two officials.

The plea-bargain deal was signed between October and November of last year over the suspected underreporting of Ghosn's compensation in Nissan's securities reports.

Under the deal, the two were to submit e-mails and other in-house documents to prosecutors in exchange for not being indicted.

Ghosn has also been indicted for aggravated breach of trust for the suspected misappropriation of the company's funds. He was released on bail on April 25.

Sources also say the Tokyo District Court approved a request from Ghosn's defense team to transfer their client's accommodation from a condominium in Shibuya Ward to a house in Minato Ward, both in Tokyo.

Under bail conditions, Ghosn needs a court permit to contact his wife, Carole. The defense team has filed an appeal over this, but the court rejected it on Thursday.


Key words : atomic energy
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190510_26/

The Japan Atomic Energy Agency says it has developed a new system of using a drone to measure levels of radioactive substances around the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

In no-entry zones near the plant, the agency currently uses aircraft, or has inspectors walk around the area to measure radioactive substances, at considerable time and expense.

The agency says it worked with a private company to come up with the new system. It uses a drone equipped with a special camera that can monitor how radioactive substances are spreading.

The agency conducted an experiment over an area of 7,000 square meters. It discovered that the new system requires less than 30 minutes to take measurements that normally take over half a day when done by humans.

The new system uses a 3D color-coded map to display the data it collects.

The agency aims to put the system into use by the end of next March. It hopes the system can also be used in work to decommission the plant.


Key words : issued commemorative
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190510_32/

Japan's government is to issue commemorative coins to mark the enthronement of Emperor Naruhito.

The government plans to mint two types of coins -- one made of pure gold with a face value of 10,000 yen, and another made of copper alloy with a face value of 500 yen.

A total of 50,000 gold coins and 5 million copper coins are to be issued.

The gold coin features a phoenix spreading its wings on one side and an imperial chrysanthemum crest on the other.

The copper coin shows the emperor's special throne called Takamikura on one side. The throne is used at a ritual to declare enthronement. The other side has an imperial chrysanthemum crest.

The Japan Mint is to sell 20,000 of the gold coins and 30,000 sets of one gold and one copper alloy coin, only through mail orders.

Each will be sold for around 140,000 yen, or about 1,300 dollars.

The office plans to take applications for around three weeks starting July 11.

Officials say the 500-yen coins can be exchanged for face value at financial institutions.


Key words : household spending
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190510_42/

Household spending in Japan rose in March as people opened their purse strings for a 10-day holiday from late April. Spending on plane and train reservations spiked.

Officials at the internal affairs ministry said on Friday that households with two or more people spent nearly 310,000 yen, or roughly 2,800 dollars during the month.

That's up 2.1 percent in yen terms from a year earlier and the fourth consecutive monthly increase. The figure is in real terms and also adjusted for price fluctuations.

The data show people also spent more on miscellaneous goods like jewelry. The ministry maintained its current assessment of consumer spending, saying it is showing signs of picking up.


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