2024年2月22日木曜日

at 18:00 (JST), February 22

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20240222180000_english_1.mp3


Key words : kamikawa strongly condemned
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20240222_10/

Japan FM Kamikawa condemns Russia's invasion at G20 meeting

Japan's Foreign Minister Kamikawa Yoko has strongly condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine and called for bringing about lasting peace as soon as possible.

Kamikawa was speaking at the G20 foreign ministerial meeting that opened in Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday. The participants include Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

Kamikawa said Moscow's continued aggression against Ukraine is an outrage that undermines the foundation of G20 cooperation and poses a major challenge to the rule of law.

She added that unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force must never be tolerated.

Kamikawa also condemned terrorist attacks by the Islamic group Hamas and other militants. She expressed deep concern about Israel's military operations targeting Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, and stressed the need for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.

Kamikawa added that Japan is considering extending additional humanitarian assistance worth 32 million dollars for Palestinians.


Key words : this week marks two years
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/videos/20240222160416735/

Fatigue, ammo shortages in Ukraine as invasion drags on

This week marks two years since the start of Russia's invasion in Ukraine. Amid a shortage of ammunition, Ukrainian forces are struggling to reinforce the frontlines against Russia's intensifying offensive. In the country's capital, fatigue over the prolonged conflict appears to be setting in. NHK World Kitai Genki has the latest from Kyiv.


Key words : putin visited ceremony
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20240222_08/

Putin attends opening ceremony of large-scale sports event

Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the city of Kazan on Wednesday to take part in the opening ceremony of a large-scale international sports event.

The Games of the Future kicked off on Wednesday in Kazan in the central Russian republic of Tatarstan.

The February 21 to March 3 event features a combination of sports and esports and is being held in an apparent demonstration of power as Saturday marks two years since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko as well as presidents from former Soviet republics of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan also attended.

Putin said in a speech that Russia "remains one of the leading sports powerhouses on the planet."
He also held separate meetings with invited leaders on the sidelines of the event in an apparent bid to underscore their ties.

On Wednesday, Putin also visited an aviation plant in Kazan, accompanied by defense minister, Sergei Shoigu.

He was briefed by officials about strategic bombers that can carry nuclear weapons and sat at the controls of one of the aircraft.


Key words : five lawmaker
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20240222_17/

Five LDP lawmakers to attend Lower House ethics council meeting

Five lawmakers from Japan's governing party have officially offered to explain themselves before a political ethics council of the Lower House over a fundraising scandal that has rocked the party.

The lawmakers of the Liberal Democratic Party submitted papers to the chair of the Lower House Deliberative Council on Political Ethics on Thursday.

The council is expected to hold an executive meeting as early as Monday for the ruling and opposition parties to arrange dates and other details, such as whether to hold open or closed sessions.

If the council is convened, it would be the first time since 2009.

The move comes after strong demands from opposition parties for lawmakers to attend the council to answer questions about their fundraising parties.

Major Liberal Democratic Party factions are suspected of failing to declare parts of revenue from fundraising events and giving kickbacks to members.

The scandal has led to the indictments of current and former lawmakers, as well as their treasurers. They face charges of failing to fully report revenue from political fundraising parties, in violation of the political funds control law. Most of them were members of what used to be the LDP's largest faction. It was led by the late Prime Minister Abe Shinzo.

The five lawmakers who filed their attendance are former education minister Shionoya Ryu, former Chief Cabinet Secretary Matsuno Hirokazu, former economy and industry minister Nishimura Yasutoshi, former Diet affairs chief Takagi Tsuyoshi, and former internal affairs minister Takeda Ryota.

Shionoya, Matsuno, Nishimura and Takagi all served as secretary generals for the Abe faction. Takeda was the secretary general of the Nikai faction, led by former LDP Secretary General Nikai Toshihiro. Both factions are in the process of disbanding.

The LDP is considering convening the council in the middle of next week. Plans to convene council hearings over two days are also being floated.

The Lower House Deliberative Council on Political Ethics is responsible for examining the political and moral conduct of lawmakers.

It can be convened when nine or more of the council's 25 members file a request or lawmakers facing allegations do so. In principle, council sessions are held behind closed doors.

Following deliberations, the council can admonish lawmakers, such as asking them to refrain from attending Diet sessions for a certain period. But no lawmaker has ever been admonished as a result of council hearings.

Opposition lawmakers are demanding that the council hold open sessions over the fundraising scandal.


Key words : 12 people lawsuit
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20240222_11/

Six couples in Japan to go to court seeking separate surnames

A group of 12 people in Japan plan to file lawsuits next month to challenge the constitutionality of legal provisions requiring married couples to use the same surnames.

Their lawyers say calls for the use of separate surnames are growing louder even though the Supreme Court has found the provisions constitutional in two previous rulings.

The 12 people are five common-law couples and one married couple, who live in Tokyo, Hokkaido, Nagano Prefecture and elsewhere.

They say the Civil Code and family register law provisions that do not allow married couples to have separate surnames violate the Constitution that guarantees freedom of marriage and are thus invalid.

The would-be plaintiffs and their lawyers say losing one's birth name makes it difficult to maintain credibility and evaluations linked to the old name. They say quite a few people feel like they are losing their identity.

They also say those who have chosen common-law marriage to keep their separate surnames often face disadvantages as a result.

They plan to file group suits with the district courts in Tokyo and Sapporo on March 8, seeking compensation from the state.

Similar lawsuits have been filed in the past. In 2015 and 2021, the Supreme Court's 15-member grand bench upheld the provisions as constitutional in majority rulings. But five justices in 2015, and four in 2021, gave a minority opinion that they are unconstitutional.

The lawyers are calling for a change in the top court's judgment, noting that Japan's largest business lobby and many local assemblies support separate surnames.

The Japan Business Federation, or Keidanren, says married couples should be allowed the choice of keeping separate surnames.

Its diversity promotion panel has asked Gender Equality Minister Kato Ayuko to introduce an option for separate surnames.

In 1996, a government panel proposed that couples should be allowed to decide whether to have a single family name or separate surnames.

Keidanren Chairman Tokura Masakazu has urged the government to push for the change as a top priority to support workstyle reform for women. He said he does not know why it has taken such a long time.


Key words : sumo
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20240222_12/

Sumo elder Hakuho faces demotion over alleged violence by wrestler in his stable

The Japan Sumo Association's compliance committee has recommended the demotion of stablemaster and former Yokozuna grand champion Hakuho over reports of repeated violence by one of his wrestlers.

Sources told NHK that the committee drew up their recommendations after conducting a probe into the allegations.

They say the committee proposed that Hokuseiho retire. Hakuho, now known as Miyagino, would be demoted to the lowest rank of the association's sumo elders and his salary would be cut.

Hokuseiho told reporters he was sorry after being interviewed by the committee on Wednesday.

The association is expected to discuss the proposals at an extraordinary board meeting on Friday.

Mongolian-born Hokuseiho, who is 22, made his debut in the top Makuuchi division last year. He pulled out of the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament on the sixth day, citing a knee injury.

Hakuho won a record 45 sumo tournaments. He retired three years ago and became the head of the Miyagino stable in July 2022.


Key words : north soccer tokyo
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20240220_26/

Japan women's soccer team to play against N.Korea in Saudi Arabia

Japan's national women's soccer team is set to play the first of their final Olympic qualifying matches against North Korea in Saudi Arabia.

The first of the two home-and-away games was to be held in Pyongyang on February 24.

But earlier this month, the Asian Football Confederation proposed that North Korea move the match to a neutral venue, citing difficulties in preparation.

Sasaki Norio, the head of the Japan Football Association women's committee, spoke to reporters on Tuesday at the team's training camp in Chiba City, near Tokyo.

Sasaki revealed that the team had been instructed by the AFC to prepare for a match being arranged in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

He said the players and staff will depart for Saudi Arabia on two flights Tuesday night.

Team captain Kumagai Saki said it will not be easy for the players to be in their best shape, but they will do all they can to win a ticket to the Paris Olympics.

Kumagai also called the confusion in deciding the venue not normal. She said although the players will go where they are told to, this situation should never happen again.


Key words : weather Jonathan Oh
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