Speaking to leaders of other G7 countries, Japan's Prime Minister has called for a united front in the battle against the COVID-19 coronavirus.
Share prices rose on the Tokyo Stock market on Tuesday, afrer a four days decline.
NHK has learned that the coronavirus pandemic is affecting qualification processes for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20200317200000_english_1.mp3
Key words : prime called for
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200317_06/
Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called for a united front against the coronavirus pandemic during a video conference with his Group of Seven peers.
Abe spoke to reporters following the 50-minute conference on Monday.
He said he told the other leaders that the first priority should be to develop coronavirus medicines, as that will ease people's concerns.
The prime minister said he stressed the need to gather wisdom from people around the world and accelerate drug development efforts.
Abe said his G7 peers supported his call for the implementation of economic and fiscal measures that match the magnitude of the economic fallout from the pandemic.
The Japanese leader said he also insisted on the need to send out a strong message that the G7 countries will take all possible measures to combat the virus.
Abe revealed that a joint statement by the G7 leaders will be released later.
He also said the leaders backed Japan's bid to move ahead with plans to stage the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.
Abe said the leaders confirmed that the fight against the virus can be won, if the G7 nations and other countries work together.
Key words : tokyo stock economy
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200317_28/
Tokyo's benchmark stock index fluctuated on Tuesday morning, reflecting mixed views on the economic impact of the coronavirus outbreak.
The Nikkei 225 opened sharply lower, after the Dow Jones Industrial Average posted a record drop of nearly 3,000 points overnight in New York.
The Nikkei index briefly shed more than 600 points to set a new intra-day low for the year. It then gained more than 500 points as investors bought on dips.
The Nikkei 225 average ended the morning session at 16,923 -- down 78 points from Monday's close. The TOPIX index of all first-section shares was up 4 points, at 1,240.
Market players say there are hopes that share prices will be supported by the Bank of Japan's decision on Monday to double its buying of exchange-traded funds, as part of additional monetary easing measures.
But they say the market is moving unstably, due to persistent concerns that the coronavirus will affect the economy as long as infections continue to spread.
Key words : learned qualification
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200317_45/
NHK has learned that the coronavirus pandemic is seriously affecting Japanese qualification processes for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
NHK asked associations of 33 Olympic sports and 22 Paralympic sports about the impact of the outbreak.
Of them, 37 associations, or 67 percent, said their qualification processes have been affected.
In badminton, cancellations of many international events have forced the sport's world federation to revise its qualification system. Olympic delegates were to be named based on the world rankings as of April 30. Japan has several medal hopefuls in the sport.
In wrestling, Japan has yet to secure berths in 10 out of 18 classes in men's and women's events. An Asian qualification event scheduled for this month was cancelled, and the world qualification competition was postponed to June.
In Paralympic rowing, qualifying events in South Korea and Italy were cancelled, making Japan's prospects for securing a slot in the sport uncertain.
Japan plans to send about 600 athletes to the Olympics, but only about 100 have qualified, 4 months before the games open.
Key words : Japan preparation
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200317_26/
Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga says the country will continue preparations to host the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games as scheduled this summer.
Suga was speaking to reporters on Tuesday morning after the Group of Seven leaders held an extraordinary video conference to coordinate their response to the new coronavirus outbreak.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told the other leaders that Japan will hold the Olympic and Paralympic Games in their complete form.
Suga explained that none of the global leaders said the Games should be postponed.
He said the government will steadily prepare to host the event as planned while closely working with the IOC, Tokyo's organizing committee and the metropolitan government.
Suga also said Tokyo's organizing committee has informed the government that the torch relay in Japan will begin in Fukushima Prefecture as scheduled on March 26.
Key words : education minister
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200317_32/
Japan's education minister says the government plans to announce standards on reopening schools by the end of March.
Koichi Hagiuda spoke to reporters on Tuesday about standards that municipalities across the country can refer to when deciding the timing to resume classes.
Hagiuda said the conditions for reopening schools in a municipality are likely to depend on factors such as whether there are any infections within the municipality or in neighboring ones.
He said that the government will carefully determine whether to completely withdraw its request to close schools.
Hagiuda also said the government will take into account the results of analyses to be released by a panel of experts on Thursday.
He added that ministry officials will be looking at schools that have already reopened to learn what steps should be taken to prevent infections. He indicated that such measures will also be announced.
Key words : learned government entry
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200317_12/
NHK has learned that the Japanese government is planning to expand entry restrictions to foreigners from parts of Europe where the new coronavirus infection is rapidly spreading.
The new restrictions will apply to three areas in Spain, including the Madrid region; four areas in Italy, including the northern region of Liguria; the Ticino region of southern Switzerland; and all of Iceland.
The government plans to bar foreign nationals who have visited these areas within 14 days of seeking to enter Japan. The measure is expected to be authorized shortly during a government task force meeting.
The move comes after Japan raised its travel alert for the same European regions to Level 3 on Monday -- the second highest level, which recommends canceling trips.
Japan currently restricts entry by foreigners who have stayed in some parts of China, South Korea, Italy and Iran.
The government is also considering asking travelers who arrive from European nations including France and Germany to put themselves under self-imposed quarantine for 14 days. The request will also apply to Japanese nationals.
Key words : learned panel
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200317_33/
NHK has learned that a Japanese government panel has proposed fresh quarantine measures for foreign visitors and nationals who have returned from overseas to control the coronavirus outbreak.
The panel submitted a request to the health ministry on Monday in which it expressed concern over a potential surge in cases from overseas.
The proposal asks that the health conditions of all travelers are checked at quarantine stations.
It calls for those who show symptoms or have had close contact with a confirmed case to undergo testing for the virus.
Everyone, including people who show no symptoms and those who are confirmed virus-free, will be asked to submit their contact information. They will be advised to refrain from going out unless absolutely necessary for two weeks. They will also be asked to check their health status during that period.
In addition, the panel recommends setting up new facilities that can introduce potential patients to medical facilities by phone to minimize the burden on healthcare centers.
According to an NHK tally, 38 travelers who entered Japan from March 1 through Monday tested positive for the virus.
Key words : pandemic grow contain
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200317_43/
As the coronavirus pandemic continues to grow, the World Health Organization says that to contain the virus, countries need to know how far it has spread. The agency's director-general is urging all countries to test every suspected case.
The comments come as the number of infections outside mainland China has surpassed that of cases confirmed in the country.
The WHO says that as of Monday, at least 167,000 people had contracted the virus worldwide. More than 6,600 have died.
As Italy's outbreak continues to grow, more European countries are boosting efforts to isolate themselves.
French President Emmanuel Macron says his country is at war against an invisible enemy. He's ordered people to stay home for the next 15 days and leave only when necessary, with punishment for violators.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged people to avoid non-essential travel, public gatherings and crowded places including pubs, restaurants and theaters.
The European Union is reportedly considering a 30-day entry ban as member countries move to further tighten border controls.
Germany has barred people from five nations including France and Switzerland from crossing its border. The ban does not affect daily commuters or trade.
Russia says it will ban almost all foreigners from entering the country from Wednesday to the start of May.
The Czech Republic, Switzerland and Spain are also placing restrictions on neighboring countries.
Key words : airline cutting
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200317_07/
Airlines based in Europe are drastically cutting services in response to travel restrictions imposed by European countries fighting the coronavirus pandemic.
Their struggles intensified after the World Health Organization said Europe is now the pandemic's epicenter.
Germany imposed stringent restrictions Monday on people going in and out of the nation. Countries such as the Czech Republic and Denmark are denying entry to foreigners.
The plunge in travel demand was exacerbated by the US's decision to place sweeping restrictions on travel from Europe.
Germany's Lufthansa Group says it will reduce its long-haul service by 90 percent and its short-haul capacity by 80 percent. The group also announced that its subsidiary Austrian Airlines will halt all flights between March 19 and 28.
The Air France-KLM group said it will reduce capacity by up to 90 percent. A group that includes British Airways and Iberia will slash service by 75 percent or more.
The pandemic is also taking a toll on the carriers' workforces. Scandinavian Airlines will lay off up to 10,000 employees. That number represents 90 percent of the company's workforce. Norwegian Air Shuttle will temporarily dismiss over 7,300 staff members.
Experts say some airlines may wind up needing government support to stay afloat.
Key words : environment waste
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200317_44/
Japan's Environment Ministry says waste produced by decontamination work following the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant accident could leak at 12 locations in case of torrential rain.
The ministry checked all the sites where the waste is kept after 91 bags were swept into rivers in Fukushima and Tochigi prefectures last year due to downpours caused by Typhoon Hagibis.
Of the 322 locations that are near rivers or in flood-prone areas, 12 sites in Fukushima Prefecture were found to be at risk of having bags of waste swept away or ruptured by mud flows.
The ministry plans to set up fences or move the waste to intermediate storage facilities to reduce the risk by the end of May this year.
Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi told reporters on Tuesday his ministry hopes to do the work as soon as possible because of the growing risk of sudden downpours in recent years.
Key words : education ministry
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200316_48/
Japan's education ministry plans to draw up guidelines to provide educational opportunities for all foreign children living in Japan.
Last September, the ministry surveyed over 124,000 foreign children aged between 6 and 14 who are currently registered in local residence records.
The results showed that nearly 20,000 may not be attending schools of any sort, though they should be attending elementary or junior high schools, which are compulsory in Japan.
A ministry panel of experts, which has been seeking ways to support such children, compiled a draft report on Monday.
The report asks the government to set guidelines that incorporate measures to help foreign children to receive an education.
It calls on local municipalities to make lists that have names, addresses and other information about school-age children, just as is done for Japanese children. It also calls on municipal officials to visit the homes of foreign children to understand their situations.
The panel will complete an official report by the end of this month.
The education ministry plans to draw up guidelines based on the panel's report by the end of next March.
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