2019年10月24日木曜日

at 20:00 (JST), October 24

Japan's Prime Minister has called on his South Korean counterpart to work to restore strained bilateral relations.


Japanese weather officials say an unstable atmosphere conditions are likely to bring localized torrential rainfall to wide areas of the country.


The UN special rapporteur for North Korea's human rights situation says the matter should be discussed in talks between the United States and North Korea.


https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20191024200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : Abe called on south
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191024_28/

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has called on South Korean Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon to not leave bilateral relations strained.

The two leaders met for about 20 minutes in Tokyo on Thursday. Lee is in Tokyo after attending the enthronement ceremony of Emperor Naruhito on Tuesday.

In the meeting, Abe stressed that the cooperation with South Korea as well as trilateral relations with the United States are important over matters including North Korea.

Ties became strained after a series of South Korean court rulings starting last October.

They ordered Japanese companies to pay compensation to Koreans who say they were forced to work for them during World War Two. The Japanese government maintains the issue was settled by a 1965 agreement.

Abe again called on South Korea to correct the current situation, which Japan sees as a violation of international law.

He also said he wants South Korea to uphold promises between the countries to open the way for restoring healthy bilateral relations.

And he expressed the hope that the diplomatic communications will be continued to resolve the issues.

Lee responded that South Korea shares understanding on the importance of dialogue.

The two leaders agreed on the importance of exchanges at various levels, such as between lawmakers and the general public.

Lee also handed Abe a letter from South Korean President Moon Jae-in. The South Korean government says that in his letter, Moon congratulates Japan on the start of the new Reiwa era and expresses hope for development in bilateral ties. It also says the letter contains no concrete proposal for a summit between President Moon and Prime Minister Abe.


Key words : weather officials say
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191024_39/

Japanese weather officials say a low pressure system will likely bring localized torrential rainfall to wide areas across Japan.

They are warning that the risk of flooding could increase in areas hit by Typhoon Hagibis.

The Meteorological Agency said on Thursday that heavy rain has fallen intermittently in many parts of western Japan due to a low pressure system staying near the Kyushu region.

The system is expected to move toward western and eastern Japan on the Pacific coast, causing atmospheric conditions to become unstable across wide areas.

The agency says extremely heavy rain accompanied by thunder may fall in western Japan through Friday morning.

Downpours are expected in some parts of eastern Japan early on Friday morning through the night and in Pacific coastal areas in the Tohoku region between Friday afternoon and Saturday morning.

Rainfall in the 24 hours through Friday evening could reach 300 millimeters in the Tokai region, 250 millimeters in the Kinki and Shikoku regions, 200 millimeters in the Kanto region which includes Tokyo, and up to 100 millimeters in the Tohoku region.

The agency is warning that very strong Typhoon Bualoi will likely reach the sea off the east coast of Japan on Friday, and the sea near the Kanto and Tohoku regions could become very rough.


Key words : learned death toll at 84
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191024_18/

NHK has learned that the death toll from Typhoon Hagibis stands at 84. Nine people remain missing. The storm lashed Japan earlier this month and flooded vast areas.

The worst-hit prefecture is Fukushima, where 30 people died, followed by Miyagi Prefecture with 19 deaths and Kanagawa Prefecture with 14.

The Fire and Disaster Management Agency says the typhoon left over 72,000 houses flooded. About 6,500 were destroyed or damaged.

The Cabinet Office says that as of Wednesday morning, nearly 4,000 people in 11 prefectures remained at evacuation shelters.


Key words : agriculture damage caused
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191024_30/

Japan's agriculture ministry says the damage caused by Typhoon Hagibis to the farming, forestry and fisheries industries has exceeded 97 billion yen, or about 900 million dollars.

The ministry released an updated report on the financial losses in 38 prefectures on Thursday morning.

At least 7,000 agricultural facilities, such as reservoirs and drains, have been damaged. The estimated cost of repairs is about 350 million dollars.

The figure for rice, apples, and other agricultural products is around 78 million dollars.

Forest roads, wood-processing plants and other forestry-related facilities sustained about 245 million dollars' worth of damage.

Fishing ports and fishery facilities have losses of about 87 million dollars.

Ministry officials estimate the total cost will rise as data is still being collected, especially in areas where rivers have burst their banks.

They say they are drawing up support measures for those who have been affected.


Key words : UN special
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191024_14/

The UN special rapporteur for North Korea's human rights situation says the issue should be discussed in the talks between the United States and North Korea.

Tomas Ojea Quintana was speaking at a news conference in New York on Wednesday.

Quintana said that North Koreans are deprived of freedom of expression and serious violations of human rights continue in the country.

Quintana said that human rights should be integrated in the negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang, as he believes this is fundamental for North Korea's sustainable stability and any denuclearization agreement.

He added that US officials have told him there has been an improvement in the system for exempting humanitarian assistance from UN Security Council sanctions.

He said in a recent report that there has been no progress on the issue of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea.


Key words : learned coast
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191024_27/

NHK has learned that the Japan Coast Guard is to launch a new surveillance unit next month. The move is in response to the rising number of cases in which wooden boats believed to be from North Korea were found on or near the Japanese coast.

The mobile surveillance unit is reportedly to be stationed on the Sea of Japan coast of Aomori Prefecture, northern Japan.

Coast Guard officials say that last year, the prefecture saw 49 cases of wooden boats thought to be from North Korea drifting to or near the coast. They say most of them were on the Sea of Japan side in the wintertime.

There are no Coast Guard facilities on the Sea of Japan side of the prefecture. In winter, it could take about three hours for Coast Guard officials from Aomori City to drive to the coast due to snowfall and icy roads.

The new unit will reportedly be made up of about 10 Coast Guard officials who will conduct surveillance from the ground during the winter. When wooden boats are found to be washing ashore or drifting near the coast, the officials will deal with the crew on board in cooperation with police.


Key words : US lawmakers
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191024_21/

US lawmakers grilled Facebook's CEO over his plans to launch a digital-currency. In testimony before Congress, Mark Zuckerberg indicated the rollout of the Libra payment system could be delayed amid concerns from regulators.

Zuckerberg spoke to the House Committee on Financial Services on Wednesday. He said Facebook will not be part of launching the Libra payments system anywhere in the world, even outside the US, until US regulators approve.

He also defended the project, saying there are risks for not innovating. He said China is moving quickly to launch similar ideas in the coming months and that if America doesn't innovate, US financial leadership will not be guaranteed.
The social networking giant planned to launch Libra in the first half of next year.

But regulators around the world are worried about its effects on the global currency system and potential use in money laundering.

Lawmakers are also skeptical about Facebook's ability to protect personal data given the company's previous massive data breaches.

US states and territories are also investigating whether the firm is taking advantage of its dominant position to block competition.


Key words : lawyer
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191024_31/

The lawyers for former Nissan Motor Chairman Carlos Ghosn say they will request that the financial misconduct trial against him be dismissed. They argue that a plea-bargain deal senior Nissan officials made with prosecutors is illegal because it was aimed at ousting Ghosn from his post.

The lawyers on Thursday disclosed what they will argue in the trial, which is expected to open next spring at the earliest.

Ghosn has been charged with understating his executive compensation in Nissan securities reports and aggravated breach of trust over suspected misappropriation of Nissan funds.

Pretrial procedures to sort out points of contention are underway.

The lawyers say Ghosn will plead not guilty to all the charges.

They say they will tell the court that behind the case was a sense of crisis by Japanese executives of Nissan over plans for business integration with its French alliance partner Renault.

They say the executives wanted to prevent further integration by removing Ghosn, who also served as Renault chairman and CEO.

The lawyers say the plea-bargain deal was made in effect between prosecutors and Nissan with the aim of removing Ghosn, and that it is against the purpose of the law.

They also criticized Nissan for how it gathered evidence against Ghosn, saying employees and lawyers of the firm illegally seized personal computers and other items from his home and related offices abroad.

The former chairman's lawyers say the post-retirement compensation allegedly promised to Ghosn that prosecutors say was not properly reported never existed.

They also argue that an allegedly questionable money transfer to a car dealer in Oman was actually strictly in line with Nissan's in-house procedures.

One of the lawyers, Junichiro Hironaka, says the case was devised by prosecutors and Nissan. He says it was a politically motivated plot to prevent Nissan from being handed over to France.

Former Nissan executive Greg Kelly, who was also Ghosn's aide, is set to plead not guilty to the charge of underreporting remuneration, while Nissan as a corporation is expected to admit to the charges against it.


Key words : Egypt museum
#N/A


Key words : animation
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191024_04/

An NHK animation series focusing on Paralympic sports has been shown to Iraqi children fighting cancer to encourage them.

The event was held on Wednesday in the northern Iraqi city of Arbil. Japan's Consular Office there and a Japanese NGO that supports children with cancer put on the screening.

About 20 children watched seven animated shorts at a facility run by the NGO. They included stories about wheelchair tennis, blind soccer and others.

The short about blind soccer is produced by Yoichi Takahashi, who is the author of "Captain Tsubasa" -- a comic book series about soccer which is popular in Iraq.

A 13-year-old boy related he now understands the importance of having hope in life.

A 7-year-old girl said she wants to play soccer after winning her battle with the disease.

The head of the Consular Office, Katsumi Moriyasu, noted he's glad the children showed interest in the shorts, and that they will work further to support the children.


Key words : skyscraper
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191024_41/

The crowded skyline of one of Tokyo's most famous neighborhoods has a new addition. The Shibuya Scramble Square building is the area's tallest skyscraper and is set to offer visitors hundreds of new shopping and dining options.

The 230-meter structure, which spans 47 stories, will open Friday next week. Sixteen floors will be devoted to commercial space, housing about 200 stores.

The rest of the building will mostly be office space, largely rented out to tech companies.

Visitors can head up to an open-air observation deck to enjoy a view of the iconic Shibuya scramble crossing.

The building also includes a number of warehouses stocked with food and water for earthquakes. There are enough supplies to last 2,000 people three days.


Key words : convenience store testing
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191024_32/

Japan's largest convenience store chain is testing a store where customers can shop without paying at registers.

Seven-Eleven Japan and NTT DATA have been operating the store since early this month. Customers need to download an app onto their smartphones to shop there and scan a QR code when they enter.

In the store, about 50 cameras installed on the ceiling and weight sensors on shelves recognize what customers pick up.

Payment is done online through the app, rather than at a checkout counter.

The test comes as the business model of operating convenience stores round the clock has become difficult due to a severe labor shortage.

Seven-Eleven Japan manager Naoki Ishizu said the firm plans to continue the labor-saving test to enable single-worker store operation.

Other major convenience store chains have been operating similar labor-saving trials.

Lawson has been testing not assigning sales floor staff late at night by using self-checkout machines or smartphone payment. Familymart has opened a store where customers can pay through facial scanning.


0 件のコメント:

コメントを投稿