at 20:00 (JST), June 30 AS

A UNESCO committee has decided to give World Heritage status to places linked to the history of Japan's persecuted Christians.

North Korea's state-run media say the country's leader Kim Jong Un inspected a farm in the North Phyongan Province bordering China.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is planning to visit North Korea next week to discuss details of the North's denuclearization.

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20180630200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : unesco
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180630_17/

A UNESCO committee has decided to give World Heritage status to places linked to the history of Japan's persecuted Christians.

The World Heritage Committee made the decision at a meeting in Bahrain on Saturday.

The 12 components of "Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagaski Region" are located in Japan's southwestern prefectures of Nagasaki and Kumamoto.

They include "Remains of Hara Castle," "Oura Cathedral" and villages where Christians maintained religious communities.

The sites show the history of people who secretly practiced the Christian faith despite a ban on Christianity from the 17th to 19th centuries.

They handed down their Christian faith from generation to generation while coexisting with conventional Japanese society and its existing religions.

Japan now has 22 World Heritage sites, including 18 cultural properties and 4 natural properties.

Key words : north state-run inspected
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180630_15/

North Korea's state-run media say the country's leader Kim Jong Un inspected a farm in the North Phyongan Province bordering China.

Rodong Sinmun on Saturday published an article on the front page with a photo of Kim inspecting reeds being grown at the farm.

Kim is quoted as saying the supply of fibrous raw material to factories must be secured by stepping up production of reed fibers.

Hwanggumpyong, which is designated as a special economic zone jointly developed by China and North Korea, is in the same region.

The development was launched in 2011 but didn't go as planned.

Kim Song Nam, Vice Director of the International Department of North Korea's ruling Workers' Party, accompanied Kim.

He has been acting as China's point of contact.

On Thursday, China's UN mission and its Russian counterpart submitted to the United Nations Security Council a draft press statement calling for the easing of sanctions on the North.

Kim's visit to the northwestern province may have been carried out with China's economic cooperation in mind.

Key words : house prices
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180630_04/

House prices in one Chinese city near the border with North Korea have been rising, apparently in anticipation of an easing of sanctions on the North.

China's National Bureau of Statistics says new home prices in Dandong, Liaoning Province, jumped 5.3 percent in May from the previous month.

The prices in the city marked the highest rate of increase among 70 major cities in the country for the second straight month.

Dandong is a hub for trade with North Korea. Analysts say people are expecting sanctions against the country will be eased, now that North Korea has held summit meetings with the US and China.

The number of Chinese tourists visiting Dandong has risen sharply since April, as ties between China and North Korea improve. Many people have been seen taking pictures near a border bridge.

A restaurant where North Korean women work is gaining popularity among tourists. The women sing songs praising China's Communist Party to show there are friendly ties between the 2 countries.

Key words : mike planning to visit
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180630_01/

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is planning to visit North Korea next week to discuss details of the North's denuclearization.

A US government source has told NHK that Pompeo is making arrangements to visit Pyongyang on July 6th and Tokyo on July 7th.

Pompeo is expected to discuss with North Korean officials specific procedures and deadlines for the country's complete denuclearization.

US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed a statement following their first meeting on June 12th, but the document is short on specifics.

In the statement, Trump promises to provide security guarantees to North Korea while Kim reaffirms his commitment to complete denuclearization.

Trump has said Pompeo would hold talks soon with North Korean officials.

Key words : families of calling on
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180630_03/

Families of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea are calling on the government to press the North's leader to return all the abductees as soon as possible.

Members of the families met in Tokyo on Friday. They said the issue has reached a significant turning point, now that it has been raised at the first summit between the US and North Korea.

The participants adopted a resolution to demand that the Japanese government prioritize the return of the abductees and push North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to commit himself to doing so.

The group's leader, Shigeo Iizuka, referred to the abduction of his sister Yaeko Taguchi 40 years ago.
He said he can't believe it's been that long, and that he just prays the abductees will come home soon. He said he can only apologize to them.

He said he wants the government to take action and negotiate, focusing on how to press Kim to commit himself.

Taguchi's eldest son Koichiro Iizuka, who was only a year old when his mother was taken, said his family has suffered for 40 years. He said the families of abductees are not asking North Korea for an investigation report, but are simply seeking the return of all the victims as soon as possible, because they just want to see them.

Sakie Yokota, whose daughter Megumi was abducted at the age of 13, said she prays that this will be an opportunity for many of the abductees to come home. She said she is waiting for the day that all of Japan will rejoice.

Key words : Canada
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180630_05/

Canada is set to impose tariffs on a wide range of US goods on Sunday in retaliation for US levies on steel and aluminum.

Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland announced the move during a news conference on Friday at a factory of a steel manufacturer in the province of Ontario.

Freeland said the retaliatory measure will target about 130 US products, including 25-percent tariffs on steel and aluminum and 10-percent duties on ketchup and toilet paper.

Freeland said the Canadian government is acting very much in sorrow, not in anger. She added that in order to protect Canada's industries and workers, it has no other choice.

The administration of US President Donald Trump implemented the metal tariffs in March, citing threats to national security. It added Canada and Mexico to the list of target countries in June.

In early June, Mexico imposed retaliatory duties on American products.

Mexico and Canada previously had not levied these US products because of the North American Free Trade Agreement.

The two countries say their tariffs will stay in place until the US rescinds its metal duties on their products.

Key words : small rocket enter space
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180630_08/

A small rocket developed by a Japanese startup company has failed to enter space. It was launched on Saturday but fell to the ground, bursting into flames.

Interstellar Technologies, based in the northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido, developed and produced the 10-meter-long rocket.

It was launched around 5:30 AM from a site in the town of Taiki in the prefecture, but fell soon after liftoff.

The company and firefighters say the area within a 600-meter radius of the launch site was cordoned off, and that no one was injured.

Interstellar Technologies has been developing and producing space rockets on its own, and is aiming to become the first private Japanese company to send them more than 100 kilometers above the Earth.

The company's first rocket was launched in July of last year, but it broke at an altitude of 10 kilometers. The company said larger-than-expected force was applied to the rocket.

The company was to launch another rocket in April this year, but canceled it after finding a problem with its body shortly before the scheduled liftoff.

Rocket development in the country has been led by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, a public entity.

Key words : comedian
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180630_11/

Japanese comedian and fashion designer Naomi Watanabe has been chosen by US weekly Time magazine as one of its 25 most influential people on the internet in 2018.

The annual list released Thursday has been compiled since 2015. It rates people by their impact on social media and their ability to drive news.

Watanabe has 8 million Instagram followers. Her bold humor encourages fans to be themselves. She has endorsement deals with major fashion labels and runs her own clothing line, catering to plus-size women.

Time says she is Japan's most popular social media star, and is using her platform to challenge long-held stereotypes about Japanese women.

Watanabe says she wants people to treasure what they have. She says that's how she gained confidence.

Others on Time's list are US President Donald Trump, South Korean pop boy band BTS, and Logan Paul, a YouTuber who upset fans by posting a video of himself discovering an alleged dead body in a forest in Japan.

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at 14:00 (JST), June 29 AS

The defense chiefs of Japan and the United States have confirmed the importance of their joint military exercises, as well as Japan-US-South Korea drills, for regional security.

police in the eastern US state of Maryland say 5 people are dead and several others wounded in a shooting in a newspaper office.

China's government has released a white paper saying the rise of unilateralism and trade protectionism is posing a challenge to the World Trade Organization.

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20180629140000_english_1.mp3


Key words : defense chief confirmed
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180629_27/

The defense chiefs of Japan and the United States have confirmed the importance of their joint military exercises, as well as Japan-US-South Korea drills, for regional security.

Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera and US Secretary of Defense James Mattis met in Tokyo on Friday morning for the first time since the US-North Korea summit.

Onodera said in a joint news briefing that the 2 countries will seek North Korea's abandonment of ballistic missiles and weapons of mass destruction, including biological and chemical weapons, in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner.

He added that they will work with the international community to achieve this goal.

Onodera referred to the decision by the US and South Korea to suspend their joint military drills as a step in support of their diplomatic efforts.

He also said Japan and the US reconfirmed that they would cooperate with other countries to monitor transfers of goods on the high seas to North Korean vessels from foreign ships. The suspected smuggling violates UN Security Council sanctions on the North.

Key words : kremlin moving
#N/A


Key words : US police 5 people are
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180629_10/

US police say 5 people are dead and several others were wounded in a shooting in Annapolis in the eastern state of Maryland on Thursday.

The incident occurred at a building that houses offices of the local Capital Gazette newspaper.

Video footage shows many people fleeing from the building.

Police say they have detained a suspect in connection with the deaths.

Police are searching the building and areas close to it. They are also calling on residents not to go near the building.

Key words : white house kremlin
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180629_02/

The White House and the Kremlin say US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet in Finland's capital, Helsinki, on July 16th.

This will be their first official meeting since July of last year. The 2 leaders are expected to discuss a broad array of issues, including Syria and Ukraine.

The US and Russian governments timed the summit to coincide with Trump's tour of Europe. Trump will attend a NATO summit in Belgium on July 11th and 12th before visiting Britain.

US Democrats and media outlets allege that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia. They accuse Russia of interfering in the 2016 presidential election campaign to tip the vote in Trump's favor. Russia denies any meddling.

But both Trump and Putin stress the need to improve bilateral ties, with the Russian leader thinking it will help to build up his country's economy.

Attention is focused on whether the meeting will improve US-Russia relations, which are described as being at their lowest point since the end of the Cold War.

Key words : chinese released white paper
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180629_01/

China's government has released a white paper saying the rise of unilateralism and trade protectionism is posing a challenge to the World Trade Organization.

The Commerce Ministry on Thursday released a white paper describing the country's engagement with the WTO and showing trade and investment data for the past 17 years.

It is the first of its kind since China joined the organization in 2001.

Beijing has been criticized by Washington for unilaterally profiting from trade with the US, which has huge trade deficits with China.

The white paper defends China's policy. It notes that the country is the world's second largest importer and greatly contributes to global economic growth.

The paper says the rise of unilateralism and protectionism is a challenge to the multilateral trading system, which it calls the core principle of the WTO.

Vice Minister of Commerce Wang Shouwen told reporters that Beijing would be willing to hold negotiations if China's way of trading is deemed in violation of WTO rules.

The remarks were apparently directed at the Trump administration, which announced high tariffs on Chinese imports on the grounds of China's violation of intellectual property rights.

Key words : european divided
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180629_13/

European Union leaders are divided over reforms to the regional bloc's migration system.

In a 2-day summit that opened in Brussels on Thursday, the leaders are discussing plans to build facilities to distinguish refugees needing protection from economic migrants.

All EU member countries agree on the need to stem the flow of migrants and refugees into the bloc, but they are at odds over how to reform the migration system.

The Italian government of Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte is taking a tough line on the issue. He says Italy has been forced to shoulder a disproportionate burden and is demanding that other EU members share the costs and responsibilities.

Migrants and refugees frequently enter Italy from North Africa via the Mediterranean and then move to other EU countries.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been under pressure from within her coalition government to find a way at the summit to stem the influx of migrants entering Germany by way of Italy and other countries.

Central European countries such as Hungary and Poland continue to refuse to accept migrants and refugees.

Key words : Fukushima nuclear spent
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180629_14/

The operator of the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant says work to remove spent nuclear fuel from a cooling pool at one of its reactors may be delayed.

A total of 566 fuel units remain in the cooling pool at the No.3 reactor, which suffered a meltdown in 2011. Tokyo Electric Power Company, or TEPCO, planned to start removing the fuel as early as this autumn, as part of the decommissioning of the nuclear complex.

But on Thursday, TEPCO revealed the control board of a crane used in the removal malfunctioned during a test run last month. It blamed a voltage error and said the board will be replaced.

The company said the test run may be delayed by one or 2 months, pushing back the start date for fuel removal.

TEPCO's chief decommissioning officer, Akira Ono, says he takes the glitch seriously as it shows key equipment was not handled properly.

He says that although safety must come first, his team still aims to stick to the original timetable and start the removal of nuclear fuel by around the middle of the current fiscal year, which ends in March next year.

Key words : internal affair unemployment
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180629_18/

The Internal Affairs Ministry says Japan's unemployment rate stood at 2.2 percent in May, down 0.3 percentage point from the previous month.

Meanwhile, the ratio of job offers to applicants rose to 1.6, up 0.01 point from the previous month.

That means there were 160 job openings for every 100 people looking for work, the highest ratio since January 1974.

Key words : report says politicians
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180629_16/

A report says 132 politicians and political activists have been killed in Mexico since campaigning for next month's elections began last September.

Mexicans will go to the polls on July 1st to choose their president, congress members and other officeholders. 3,400 political posts are up for grabs.

A Mexican consulting firm released a report on the period up to Tuesday. It says 48 of the victims were political candidates and 90 belonged to opposition parties.

The report says politicians were threatened or physically harmed in 548 incidents -- 7 percent of them at the federal level, 22 percent at state levels and 71 percent at regional levels.

Mexico is seeing a surge in violence involving drug cartels. A record more than 25,000 homicides were reported last year.

An expert in charge of the report describes the elections as the most violent in Mexico's history.

The expert says regional governments handle lucrative public works projects and drug cartels are trying to take control of them.

Key words : south and agreed joint team
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180628_33/

South and North Korea have agreed to field joint teams in 3 sports at the upcoming Asian Games in Indonesia.

The agreement was reached on Thursday in Jakarta at a meeting attended by officials from the 2 Koreas, the Olympic Council of Asia, and the organizing committee of the Asian Games.

Seoul and Pyongyang had earlier agreed to have their athletes march under a unified flag at the opening and closing ceremonies of the games, which will kick off in Indonesia in August. They had also agreed to form unified teams for some sports.

This was in response to a joint declaration signed by their leaders in April.

The declaration says the 2 sides will demonstrate solidarity by jointly participating in international sports events.

Participants at Thursday's meeting decided that the unified teams will compete in 6 events across 3 sports -- women's basketball, canoeing, and rowing.

The Asian Council released a statement saying it will be the first time the 2 Koreas have formed joint teams for the Asian Games, and that the forthcoming games will be "historic."

Key words : roman
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180629_19/

The newly appointed Japanese cardinal for the Roman Catholic Church says he is hopeful that Pope Francis will visit Japan.

Manyo Maeda took up the post along with 13 other cardinals in a ceremony at Saint Peter's Basilica in the Vatican on Thursday.

The ceremony was followed by a reception where clerics and family members congratulated the new appointees.

Maeda told NHK that he asked Pope Francis during the ceremony to visit Japan, and the Pope responded positively. Maeda added that he is optimistic about a Papal visit as Japanese organizations are issuing their own invitations.

Pope Francis has a strong interest in the abolition of nuclear weapons.

The Japanese government has been asking him to visit Japan to help the international efforts to achieve a world without nuclear arms.

Pope John Paul the Second visited Japan in 1981.

Maeda, who is 69, is from the western Japanese prefecture of Nagasaki, which experienced an atomic-bombing in 1945 along with Hiroshima. He has been the archbishop of Osaka since 2014.

Cardinals are the 2nd highest-ranking clerics in the Roman Catholic Church after the Pope and act as his top advisors. Maeda is the 6th Japanese cardinal and the first in 9 years.

Key words : weather official rainy
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180629_28/

Weather officials say it appears that rainy season in Tokyo and the Kanto-Koshin region has ended.

The end of the season came 7 days earlier than last year and 22 days earlier than average -- the earliest on record.

Meteorological agency officials say a high pressure system brought clear skies over the region. Sunny weather is forecast for the coming days.

Key words : soccer world cup
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180629_05/

In the soccer World Cup finals in Russia, Japan advanced to the knockout phase despite a 1-0 loss to Poland in their final group-stage match on Thursday.

In the Group H results table, Japan tied with Senegal at 4 points from one win, one loss, and one draw. But the Samurai Blue placed second on fair play points.

This is the first time since the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa and the 3rd time overall that Japan has made it to the round of 16.

In the other Group H match, Colombia beat Senegal 1-0, finishing 1st with 6 points from 2 wins and one loss and securing a spot in the last 16.

at 20:00 (JST), June 28 AS

US Defense Secretary says his country will keep the current US troop level in South Korea unchanged.

A United Nations report says more than 10,000 children were killed or maimed in armed conflicts around the world in 2017.

Three more people have sued the government for compensation over forced sterilizations under country's now-defunct Eugenic Protection Law.

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20180628200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : US defense troop level
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180628_31/

US Defense Secretary James Mattis has assured South Korea that US troop levels in the country will remain unchanged.

Mattis made the remark during a meeting with his South Korean counterpart Song Young-moo in Seoul on Thursday.

He stressed that the complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearization of North Korea is still his country's goal.

Mattis explained that the recent decision to suspend a joint South Korea-US military exercise, which was scheduled for August, was aimed at promoting diplomatic efforts. He said the decision has given diplomats an opportunity to negotiate, and has increased the prospects for peace on the Korean Peninsula.

South Korea's defense minister agreed. Song said Seoul will take additional measures to help build mutual trust and establish permanent peace on the peninsula, if Pyongyang takes actions toward denuclearization.

Mattis said the US commitment to South Korea remains "ironclad," and that the US will continue to use a full range of diplomatic and military measures to uphold that commitment.

His remarks come amid concerns in Seoul that the cancelation of the joint drills could lead to a reduction, or withdrawal, of US forces in South Korea.

The South Korean defense ministry later said that, during the meeting, the two sides reaffirmed their determination to continue to implement the UN Security Council's sanctions against North Korea, until Pyongyang takes steps to completely denuclearize.

Key words : Mike understand
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180628_15/

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says North Korea understands the actions that the US wants for complete denuclearization.

Pompeo was speaking at a Senate hearing on Wednesday.

He explained that the US and North Korea are continuing their negotiations after the historic meeting between President Donald Trump and the North's leader, Kim Jong Un.

Pompeo said the North Koreans understand the scope of the request the US is making with respect to denuclearization.

Pompeo said the United States is following through on its commitments, citing the US decision to cancel joint military drills with South Korea that had been scheduled for August.

Referring to denuclearization, he said the US expects the North Koreans will begin to do that relatively quickly.

But he also indicated that should the negotiations fail, there will be no other means of peacefully resolving the North's nuclear issue.

Regarding China, Pompeo explained that after the US-North Korea summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed his intention to cooperate with the United States to achieve the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. But Pompeo pointed out that China is not enforcing control over its cross-border areas as vigorously as it was 6 or 12 months ago.

Key words : United Nations report more than
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180628_17/

A United Nations report says more than 10,000 children were killed or maimed in armed conflicts around the world in 2017.

Virginia Gamba, the UN special representative for children and armed conflict, released the annual report in a news conference at the UN headquarters on Wednesday.

The report says Afghanistan had the highest number of casualties at 3,179, with 861 killed and 2,318 injured. The country suffers from worsening violence due to attacks by the Taliban militant group.

The UN says that 1,316 children were killed and maimed in Yemen and 1,271 in Syria.

The report said about 8,000 children were recruited and used as combatants, especially in countries such as Somalia, South Sudan and Syria.

The report says that in the Palestinian territories, an average of 312 Palestinian children were being detained by Israeli authorities each month.

In a statement, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says he is outraged at the number, which is a significant increase compared to previous years. He urges all parties to promote peaceful solutions to conflicts and to protect children's human rights.

Key words : Insight railway exhibition Africa
#N/A


Key words : three more people
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180628_25/

Three more people have sued the government for compensation over forced sterilizations under Japan's now-defunct Eugenic Protection Law.

That has brought to 7 the number of plaintiffs seeking compensation.

A 75-year-old woman and her husband filed a lawsuit on Thursday in Hokkaido. A 73-year-old man in Kumamoto Prefecture filed a separate suit on the same day.

The Hokkaido woman and the Kumamoto plaintiff say they were forced to undergo sterilization on the grounds of their perceived disabilities.

The plaintiffs in the Hokkaido case also say they lost a child because of a forced abortion.

The 3 plaintiffs say they were deprived of their constitutional right to decide whether to have and raise children. They also say the government failed to provide relief.

They are seeking about 100,000 to 300,000 dollars each in compensation.

The man in the Hokkaido case did not have such an operation, but joined his wife in suing the government. He is the first person who did not undergo forced sterilization to file a suit over the 1948 law.

A woman in her 60s in Miyagi Prefecture filed the first lawsuit in January. In May, 3 more plaintiffs brought separate suits. More people are expected to seek compensation.

A total of 16,500 people are said to have undergone sterilization without their consent before the law was abolished in 1996.

Key words : employer
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180628_29/

Japanese employers can often be heard complaining about the nationwide labor shortage. Some will be taking heart after seeing a successful trial of self-driving trucks near Tokyo.

Researchers put 2 trucks through tests in a convoy led by a manned vehicle. The autonomous trucks used sensors and wireless technology to follow the leader.

There were people on board just in case things didn't go exactly to plan.

But they weren't needed. The trucks maintained a gap of 10 meters at all times even while changing lanes and turning corners.

When the lead vehicle hit the brakes the other two reacted sharply.

Experts predict unmanned technology will be vital for Japanese industries as the population ages and the workforce shrinks. The government wants to conduct tests of self-driving trucks on public roads next January and have the technology ready for commercial use as early as 2022.

Key words : Honda motor
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180628_23/

Honda Motor has ended the development of its humanoid robot, ASIMO. The Japanese automaker is shifting focus to more practical robots such as models that help in nursing care.

Back in 2000, the automaker unveiled the first model of ASIMO that could walk on 2 feet.

Since then, it has developed 6 generations of the robot, with the latest coming in 2011.

Sources familiar with the matter say the company has ended the project, and has already disbanded the team.

Competition in the humanoid robot field is intensifying. US robot maker Boston Dynamics, a subsidiary of Japan's SoftBank Group, recently unveiled a highly advanced model.

But ASIMO will live on in other Honda products.
The company plans to use balancing and motion control tech developed for the robot in motorbikes and wearable robots for the elderly.

Key words : mobile carrier
#N/A


Key words : Sumo cancel
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180628_05/

The Japan Sumo Association may have a problem. It has been forced to cancel its recruitment checkups for fresh apprentices. Nobody applied.

This is only the second time in sumo history that no one applied to become a professional wrestler. 11 years ago the same thing happened.

Tests occur 6 times a year. And the 4th of this year was scheduled to take place next Monday ahead of the start of the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament on July 8th. The deadline for applying was Wednesday.

In the past few decades, the rise of two brothers to the top rank in sumo sparked interest in entering the sport. More than 200 people applied to take apprentice tests in the year 1992.

But the number has been under 100 in the past dozen or so years.

64 people have so far applied for the tests this year.

The association says recruitment ahead of the Nagoya tourney has always been slow, and it doesn't predict a significant drop in the number of applicants throughout the year.

at 20:00 (JST), June 27 AS

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency says its probe Hayabusa2 reached asteroid Ryugu on Wednesday after a 3-and-a-half year journey.

The United States is urging Japan and others to completely stop importing crude oil from Iran within months.

South Korea's Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon says the South has concluded that North Korea closed its nuclear test site in the northeast as it claims.

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20180627200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : aerospace
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180627_03/

A Japanese asteroid probe is to reach its destination on Wednesday, Japan time. Hayabusa2 is expected to collect samples that may provide clues about the origins of life.

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, says the probe is expected to begin orbiting Ryugu after a 3-and-a-half year journey.

The asteroid is 300 million kilometers from the Earth, located between the planet and Mars.

Ryugu is about 900 meters in diameter. Scientists think it may contain water and organic matter from the time the Solar System was born 4.6 billion years ago.

The agency says the probe will observe the asteroid from a distance of 20,000 meters until around August. Hayabusa2 will then make 3 landings to collect rock samples.

In the final landing, the probe will fire a metal bullet to make an artificial crater and take samples from below the surface. This maneuver has never been attempted before.

Hayabusa2 will leave the asteroid's orbit around December 2019 and make a one-year journey back to Earth.

Key words : United States completely stop
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180627_05/

The United States is urging Japan and others to completely stop importing crude oil from Iran within months.

A senior State Department official told reporters on Tuesday that the US wants the imports to end by November 4th.

Asked how Japan and others responded to the request, the official said it is a challenge for them.

The official also said the US is asking them to make a "policy change," and they are willing to do that because of their relationship with Washington.

Those asked to stop oil imports from Iran include the European Union, China, India and Turkey.

The US announced in May that it was withdrawing from the nuclear deal between Iran and 6 world powers and would resume economic sanctions against Tehran in August.

Washington is also asking other countries to step up pressure on Iran.

Iran accounts for about 5 percent of Japan's crude oil imports. Japanese officials are expected to ask for an exemption from the US sanctions, but the request is likely to be rejected.

Key words : Suga continuing
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180627_22/

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga says Japan is continuing discussions with the United States over its demand that Japan stop importing crude oil from Iran.

Suga made the remark at a news conference on Wednesday. He said the government is carefully studying how the US demand would affect Japan. He said it will continue to discuss the matter with the United States and other nations concerned to avoid an adverse impact on Japanese businesses.

The administration of US President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that it wants Japan and other countries to completely halt crude oil imports from Iran by November 4th.

The US had earlier announced that it was withdrawing from the nuclear deal between Iran and 6 major world powers and would resume economic sanctions against Tehran.

Suga said he would like to refrain from elaborating on the discussions between Japan and the US about resuming US sanctions on Iran. He also said he cannot say when Japan will decide on how to deal with the US demand.

Suga added that Japan is also in contact with the Iranian government.

The United States imposed sanctions on Iran's oil exports in 2012 over its suspected nuclear development. At that time, Japan was exempted from the sanctions and was allowed to reduce Iranian imports in phases.

Key words : south concluded
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180627_28/

South Korea's Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon says the South has concluded that North Korea closed its nuclear test site in the northeast as it claims.

The minister made the remarks at a symposium on the Korean Peninsula situation hosted by the ministry in Seoul on Wednesday.

He referred to the North's invitation of foreign journalists to witness its work at the Punggye-ri nuclear test site last month. The North claimed that it destroyed a tunnel and other facilities for the closure.

Cho said that based on analyses of the circumstances and images, the South has concluded that the North's claim is basically true.

On Tuesday, Seoul agreed with Pyongyang at vice-ministerial talks to conduct joint inspections of railway networks between the Koreas from next month.

The South and North are also scheduled to discuss road links on Thursday.

In reference to these developments, the minister said that this is the preliminary process for a possible lifting of sanctions.

However, he indicated that the South will keep the sanctions in place in coordination with the international community, while carrying out these research projects.

Key words : north told Japan
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180627_06/

A North Korean diplomat has told Japan not to meddle in the process of his country's denuclearization.

The diplomat was speaking at the Conference on Disarmament at the United Nations European headquarters in Geneva on Tuesday.

Delegates commented on the recent summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and their joint statement.

A Japanese delegate said Tokyo is working with the United States and South Korea to urge Pyongyang to commit to complete denuclearization, as pledged in the statement.

In response, the North's diplomat said Japan is not a signatory to either the joint statement or the Panmunjom Declaration signed at the inter-Korean summit in April.

He told Japan to refrain from "poking into others' business."

Other countries also urged North Korea to make efforts for denuclearization.

But the North's diplomat rejected their call, saying that remarks that put unnecessary pressure on his country cannot be tolerated.

Key words : Kono urged
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180627_27/

Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono has urged Asian countries to support the resumption of Middle East peace talks.

Kono spoke at the third ministerial meeting of the Cooperation among East Asian Countries for Palestinian Development in Thailand on Wednesday. Ten parties including Indonesia and Malaysia took part in the forum, which was launched at Japan's initiative.

Kono called attention to the risks to Middle East peace, such as the relocation of the US Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.

He said Southeast Asia is home to the biggest Islamic community in the world, and added that it's high time Asians stand up for peace in the Middle East.

Kono asked governments to contribute more to UN agencies assisting Palestinian refugees, and sought support for Japanese aid projects in the region.

The meeting ended with a joint statement pledging assistance to Palestinians in various fields such as farming, financial services, education and health care.

Key words : Insight AIIB current situation and direction
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Key words : metropolitan ban indoor smoking
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180627_26/

The Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly has passed an ordinance that, in principle, bans indoor smoking in restaurants that hire employees, regardless of the size of the establishment.

The regulation strengthens measures against passive smoking and is stricter than a state bill now being deliberated in the Diet.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government had submitted the draft ordinance to tackle the health hazards of secondhand smoking ahead of the city hosting the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The Metropolitan Assembly approved the proposal by majority vote at a plenary session on Wednesday.

Tomin First, Komeito, the Japanese Communist Party and others voted in favor of the ordinance, while those from the Liberal Democratic Party voted against. LDP members called the regulation plan ineffective, saying that it would be difficult to judge whether a restaurant actually hires an employee or not. They also said it has not gained public understanding.

The Tokyo government plans to bring the regulation into force in stages by April 2020, ahead of the Games.

The ordinance is tougher than a state bill being deliberated in the Diet.

Under the national bill, existing restaurants with a customer floor area of 100 square meters or smaller would be able to allow indoor smoking as an interim measure as long as they put up a sign outside.

The state bill would also ban smoking in the premises of kindergartens, elementary, junior high and high schools, but would allow the designation of outdoor smoking areas. The Tokyo ordinance will not allow for such areas.

at 20:00 (JST), June 25 AS

North Korea has dropped its usual criticism of the United States as it marks the 68th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War on Monday.

Officials from 16 Asia-Pacific countries are in Tokyo for what are expected to be tough talks to forge a new free-trade agreement.

Japan's top government spokesperson says the country will take the initiative in the global efforts to address ocean pollution caused by plastic and other waste.

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20180625200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : north usual
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180625_16/

North Korea has dropped its usual criticism of the United States as it marks the 68th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War on Monday.

The North had designated June 25th as the Day of the Struggle against the US. Every year, anti-US rallies were held across the country on that date.

But on this year's anniversary, Pyongyang is not taking a hostile stance against US President Donald Trump's administration. The leaders of the 2 nations held their first summit on June 12th.

A commentary in Monday's edition of the ruling party newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, stresses North Korea's policy of rebuilding its economy.

It cites as an example the reconstruction of urban areas destroyed by the war in the 1950s.

Based on the agreement reached at the summit in Singapore, the US is preparing for the return of the remains of soldiers who were held captive or went missing during the war.

The 2 Koreas are holding working-level military talks on Monday to discuss restoring bilateral communication channels that are not in use at the moment.

Last week, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made his 3rd visit to China in less than 3 months for talks with President Xi Jinping.

The North is expected to try to stay in close contact with South Korea and China, 2 of the countries that were involved in the Korean War, before the start of full-fledged talks with the Trump administration.

Key words : Singapore spent
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180625_26/

Singapore's government says it spent about 12 million US dollars to host the June 12th summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

The government did not offer a detailed breakdown, but said the largest part of the money went to security.

The government had earlier estimated the cost at about 15 million dollars.

The historic summit drew thousands of journalists from around the world. They also reported on Kim's tour of the city-state.

Reuters news agency says the publicity generated from hosting the summit could be worth more than what Singapore paid.

Key words : officials from Tokyo tough talk
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180625_25/

Officials from 16 Asia-Pacific countries are in Tokyo for what are expected to be tough talks to forge a new free-trade agreement.

The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, or RCEP, includes Japan, China, India and ASEAN states.

Minister-level meetings are scheduled for Sunday.
Topics up for discussion include cuts in tariffs and setting rules on intellectual property and e-commerce. The officials are reportedly still divided on 16 of 18 trade categories.

Analysts say the RCEP gathering is attracting extra attention because of the recent upsurge in trade disputes.

In particular, the US and China have dominated headlines the past week.

The world's two biggest economies have ramped up threats of retaliatory trade tariffs.

That's raising concern other nations could be dragged into the dispute, causing damage to the broader global economy.

Key words : top government
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180625_20/

Japan's top government spokesperson says the country will take the initiative in the global efforts to address ocean pollution caused by plastic and other waste.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga spoke to reporters on Monday about the outcome of a meeting of the environment ministers of Japan, China and South Korea.

The ministers met in the Chinese city of Suzhou on Sunday and agreed to cooperate in addressing the issue of marine debris, including microplastics.

Suga referred to a remark made by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the G7 summit in Canada earlier this month.

Abe said that large amounts of plastic waste had been washed ashore on the Japanese coast.

The prime minister also said that the problem of marine pollution cannot be solved by one country acting alone or all the industrialized nations working together. He said the issue should be addressed as a global challenge facing all countries, including developing nations.

Suga said the Japanese government aims to achieve a reduction in the amount of plastic debris through reuse and recycling.

He said the government will draw up a recycling strategy for plastic waste before Japan hosts next year's summit of the Group of 20 nations.

Key words : foreign minister pledge support
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Key words : Insight children's cancer treatment in Cambodia
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Key words : new multi
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180625_21/

A new multipurpose terminal has opened in a key Cambodian port that is being developed with assistance from Japan.

The opening ceremony was held at Sihanoukville in southern Cambodia on Monday. Prime Minister Hun Sen was among the participants.

The Sihanoukville port has the country's sole terminal for large container vessels. Japan has been providing aid for the port's development since the late 1990s.

The new terminal will be used for handling coal and other cargo and for docking large container ships.

Hun Sen said the port will help Cambodia to achieve further economic growth.

China replaced Japan in 2010 as the largest provider of assistance for Cambodia, helping to develop hydroelectric dams and other infrastructure.

More than 100 Chinese companies are doing business in Sihanoukville.

The Japanese government also plans to loan up to 214 million dollars for a new container terminal at Sihanoukville.

Yuichi Sugano is the head of the Cambodian office of the Japan International Cooperation Agency, which is in charge of the project.

He said Sihanoukville is a key port that supports the country's economy and the agency will continue to help Cambodia boost its international competitiveness.

Key words : turkish
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180625_10/

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has led the country over the past 15 years, has been reelected.
The victory gives him more power than ever under new constitutional provisions.

Vote counting in Sunday's presidential election is almost complete, with Erdogan garnering more than 52 percent.

Erdogan said on Sunday night at a news conference that the Turkish people have shown the way the nation should take, and that he would move forward with them.

The constitution was amended in April last year to abolish the post of prime minister and concentrate power in the presidency. The new constitution will take effect now that the election is over.

Erdogan has been criticized in and out of the country for his increasingly heavy-handed style of governing.

He's known to be a vocal critic of Western countries.

On Syrian issues, he leaned toward Russia and Iran which hold different views from Western countries.

With his enhanced power, Erdogan is expected to have a significant influence on the region.

Key words : soccer fan surprise
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180625_24/

While soccer fans are glued to the World Cup finals in Russia, a kangaroo made a surprise appearance at a match in Australia, to the delight of spectators.

The incident happened during a Women's National Premier League match on Sunday in Canberra.

The kangaroo jumped a fence and reclined in the penalty area, like a goalkeeper.

The marsupial left but returned soon after, dashing to the goalpost past the stunned players.

It was eventually guided out of the field after forcing the game to be stopped briefly.

The sportscaster called the kangaroo the "hero of the day".

at 20:00 (JST), June 24 AS

Voters in Turkey are casting their ballots in presidential and parliamentary elections.

OPEC members and non-member oil producing countries have agreed to jointly increase production in a bid to prevent crude oil prices from rising further.

New Zealand Prime Minister has expressed gratitude for the support and blessings she received from around the world after the birth of her first child.

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20180624200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : voter turkey casting
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180624_16/

Voters in Turkey are casting their ballots in presidential and parliamentary elections.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is looking to extend his 15 years in power. Polls opened at 8 AM on Sunday.

Erdogan is facing 5 challengers, including Muharrem Ince of the main opposition Republican People's Party and former interior minister Meral Aksener.

Turkey amended its constitution in April last year to abolish the post of prime minister and concentrate power under the president.

Erdogan's re-election campaign has focused on his achievements as leader over the last 15 years.

His opponents have criticized him for cracking down on press freedom and rounding up his critics after a failed coup in 2016.

People in Turkey are also becoming increasingly unhappy about the deteriorating economy.

If no candidate receives a majority of the votes, the top 2 contenders will go head-to-head in a runoff in 2 weeks' time.

Vote counting will begin shortly after polls close at 5 PM.

In the parliamentary election, the focus is on whether Erdogan's Justice and Development Party can hang on to its majority.

Key words : OPEC member non-member
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180624_07/

OPEC members and non-member oil producing countries have agreed to jointly increase production in a bid to prevent crude oil prices from rising further.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries reached the agreement in Vienna on Saturday with Russia and other oil producing nations outside the cartel.

One day earlier, OPEC decided to boost output on concern that a further price hike could accelerate a shift away from crude oil in consumer countries.

Saudi Arabia's Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih told reporters that an extra one million barrels per day is expected in coming months. He suggested crude oil prices can stabilize if countries with sufficient production capacity such as Saudi Arabia and Russia increase supply.

However, the agreement doesn't give clear output targets and market players remain unsure about how much extra oil will be actually pumped.

Key words : new zealand
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180624_14/

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has expressed gratitude for the support and blessings she received from around the world after the birth of her first child.

Ardern spoke to reporters for the first time since giving birth on Thursday.

Holding her new-born daughter in her arms, Ardern said on Sunday that she is "sleep deprived" but her family is "doing really well."

Ardern said her baby's name is Neve Te Aroha. She said Neve means "bright" and "radiant" in Ireland, the home of her ancestors.

Ardern is the world's first sitting prime minister to take maternity leave.

She said she hopes for a future where children can make choices about how to raise a family and what kind of career to have based on what they want and what makes them happy.

After her 6-week leave, Ardern aims to balance her jobs as prime minister and mother with the help of her partner, who will be a stay-at-home father.

Key words : Abe planning
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180624_06/

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is planning to visit Belgium, France and Middle Eastern countries next month, depending on the schedule of the ongoing Diet session.

In Belgium, Abe plans to attend a signing ceremony of the Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union.

The EPA would account for nearly 30 percent of global GDP.

Abe hopes that the agreement will help promote free trade, along with the Trans-Pacific Partnership, at a time when US President Donald Trump is taking an increasingly protectionist stance.

In France, Abe plans to hold talks with President Emmanuel Macron and attend the opening ceremony of an event on Japanese culture.

His Middle East destinations could include Saudi Arabia and Egypt. The tour is tentatively scheduled to start on July 11th.

Key words : NGO warning
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180624_03/

An international NGO is warning that the number of smuggling cases involving live otters in Southeast Asia is on the rise due to a high demand for otters as pets in Japan and elsewhere.

The wildlife trade monitoring group TRAFFIC has released a report on illegal trade in wild otters in Southeast Asia.

The report says 10 trafficking cases were discovered last year, up from 2 in 2016.

45 live otters were seized, marking a 9-fold year-on-year increase.

32 of the animals were to be shipped to Japan from Thailand.

The report also says 560 online advertisements for at least 734 live otters were confirmed between January and April.

It calls on relevant governments to do more to crack down on smugglers.

Trade in otters is restricted by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, also known as CITES.

Key words : soccer world cup gunning
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180624_13/

In the soccer World Cup finals in Russia, Japan will be gunning for a second victory when they take on Senegal on Sunday.

Japan's coach Akira Nishino says Senegal has an advantage in speed and physique, so a systematic defense will be the key to holding them at bay.

Nishino says everyone in his squad is in good form and he'll pick his starting 11 based on the performances in the game last Tuesday, in which Japan beat Colombia.

Japan will secure a spot in the knockout stages for the first time since 2010 if they defeat Senegal and Colombia at least draws with Poland later in the day.

Key words : supporter Japanese
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180624_12/

Supporters of the Japanese soccer team are cheering on its players in the central Russian city of Ekaterinburg... at a maid cafe. Japan will play Senegal in the World Cup.

Japanese supporters are arriving in Ekaterinburg.
Some of them have joined local supporters at a cafe where Russian women dressed in maid costumes serve visitors. The establishment is based on maid cafes popular in Japan.

A 52-year-old man from Japan's southern prefecture of Okinawa said he was surprised to learn many local people like Japan. He also said he thinks the Japanese team will get a good result, with the support of locals.

A college student who studies the Japanese language and works at the cafe said she is happy to have the opportunity to meet Japanese people, and wants Japan to win.

at 20:00 (JST), June 23 AS

Okinawa Prefecture in southwestern Japan has marked the 73rd anniversary of the end of a battle that claimed hundreds of thousands of lives in the closing days of World War Two.

US Secretary of Defense James Mattis says his country will indefinitely suspended another 2 military exercises with South Korea.

OPEC member countries have agreed to increase oil output starting in July, in an apparent attempt to stem a further rise in crude prices. But they failed to announce a clear target.

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20180623200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : Okinawa marked
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180623_19/

Okinawa Prefecture in southwestern Japan has marked the 73rd anniversary of the end of a battle that claimed hundreds of thousands of lives in the closing days of World War Two.

The prefecture held a ceremony on Saturday at the Peace Memorial Park in the city of Itoman. About 5,100 took part. At noon, they offered a one-minute silent prayer.

June 23rd, 1945 is regarded as the final day of the Japanese military's organized combat against US forces in Okinawa. The battle killed more than 200,000 people, including a quarter of the entire population of Okinawa.

Okinawa Governor Takeshi Onaga read out a declaration of peace. He said the tragedy of the Battle of Okinawa taught people lessons about the stupidity of war and the preciousness of life.

He said he opposed a plan by the Japanese and US governments to relocate a US airbase to a new site, also in Okinawa, calling it "totally impermissible."

Onaga said tensions in East Asia have been easing, referring to the US-North Korea summit earlier this month.

The governor called on the people to think hard about the situation of US bases in Okinawa and the Japan-US security relationship. The prefecture now hosts about 70 percent of facilities exclusively used by the US military in Japan.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Japan's peace and prosperity are built on Okinawa's suffering and sorrow.

He said he will do everything he can to ease the burden on Okinawa.

Key words : Mattis definitely
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180623_18/

US Secretary of Defense James Mattis has indefinitely suspended another 2 military exercises with South Korea.

Mattis met with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and White House national security advisor John Bolton at the Defense Department on Friday. They discussed ways to implement the results of the June 12th US-North Korea summit.

In the days following the summit, the US and South Korea suspended the annual computer-simulated Ulchi Freedom Guardian drills.

A Pentagon spokesperson said Mattis had now decided to halt 2 more training exercises, which are part of a marine exchange program with South Korea. The exercises were scheduled to take place in the next 3 months.

The official said the decision was made in view of diplomatic negotiations with North Korea. He said additional decisions will depend on whether the North continues to negotiate in good faith.

Mattis has expressed support for the State Department's diplomatic engagement with North Korea. But some members of Congress say the US has made too many concessions.

Key words : Trump economic sanction north
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180623_11/

US President Donald Trump has decided to extend economic sanctions against North Korea for one year.
He notified Congress of his decision on Friday.

The measures include freezing the US assets of North Korea's government and individuals, and ban Americans from owning North Korea vessels.

The US government has extended the sanctions every year since they were first imposed in 2008.

Trump said the existence and risk of proliferation of weapons-grade fissile material on the Korean Peninsula, and the actions and policies of the North Korean government, continue to pose a threat to US security, foreign policy, and its economy.

Ahead of the June 12th summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Trump said that current sanctions will be maintained, but that he would no longer use the words, "maximum pressure," in referring to North Korea.

Key words : international olympic
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180623_16/

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach has pledged support for the peace process on the Korean Peninsula as well as North Korea's participation in the Olympics.

Bach spoke at an event in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Friday to commemorate Olympic Day.

He said the joint march by the 2 Koreas at the opening ceremony of this year's PyeongChang Olympics was one example of how the Winter Games helped the countries come closer together.

Bach said the IOC will continue to back the peace process and do what it can to support North Korea's involvement in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing.

In a rare move, the IOC invited officials of the Olympic committees of South and North Korea, Japan and China to attend this year's event at its headquarters.

At the event, star Japanese table tennis players Ai Fukuhara and Tomokazu Harimoto took part in mixed team games along with athletes from the 2 Koreas and China.

Fukuhara said she was honored to be invited. She said she's keen to help make the Tokyo Olympics a big success.

Key words : former died
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180623_20/

Former South Korean Prime Minister Kim Jong-pil has died. He was 92. He played a key role in the process up to the normalization of diplomatic ties with Japan in 1965.

Kim is believed to have died of old age. South Korean media quote officials at a hospital in Seoul saying Kim was declared dead on arrival at the hospital from his home on Saturday morning.

Kim was a former military officer. He was involved in the 1961 coup led by former President Park Chung-hee. He entered politics after serving as South Korea's intelligence agency chief.

Kim met then Japanese Foreign Minister Masayoshi Ohira in 1962 to discuss diplomatic normalization between their countries.

A memorandum subsequently written on the scale of economic cooperation from Japan to South Korea led to the normalization in 1965.

Kim continued to keep close ties with Japan, serving as the first head of the Korea-Japan Parliamentarians' Union.

He was known as one of the "Three Kims," along with 2 former presidents, Kim Young-sam and Kim Dae-jung.

Kim retired from politics after he lost a general election in 2004.

Key words : OPEC member countries oil output starting
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180623_12/

OPEC member countries have agreed to increase oil output starting in July, in an apparent attempt to stem a further rise in crude prices.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries made the announcement in Vienna on Friday. But the agreement failed to announce a clear target for the output increase.

The OPEC members, together with non-OPEC countries such as Russia, began cutting output in January of last year in an attempt to boost low crude prices. Last month, the price of crude briefly hit a 3-and-a-half-year high.

On Friday, OPEC officials said that current output represented a larger cut than originally planned, partly due to political uncertainties in Venezuela.
OPEC said it would increase output to the original target level. The scale of the increase will be about 600,000 barrels a day. But the agreement didn't give concrete figures, and avoided setting targets for individual countries.

Observers say that the scale of the output increase was less than market expectations.

OPEC and non-OPEC producers will meet again on Saturday and are expected sign-off on the output increase.

Key words : University Tokyo
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180623_10/

University of Tokyo Professor Yuji Iwasawa has been chosen to serve as a judge at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, the Netherlands. He becomes the fourth Japanese judge at the ICJ.

The ICJ is a major entity of the United Nations composed of 15 judges chosen in elections held at the UN General Assembly and Security Council. It is set up to resolve disputes between nations under international laws.

Iwasawa was chosen at a by-election on Friday to replace former vice foreign minister Hisashi Owada who retired on June 7th before completing his term in office.

Iwasawa will serve out the remainder of Owada's term through February, 2021.

Owada served as a judge at ICJ from 2003. His daughter, Crown Princess Masako, will become Empress next year.

Iwasawa, a specialist on international law, was the only candidate in the running.

He won the votes of 184 countries of the 193 member nations in the UN General Assembly, and the support of all 15 member countries on the UN Security Council.

After his election, Iwasawa said he believes promotion of the rule of law in the international community will benefit Japan and the world. He promised to do his utmost, making use of his experience in the field of international law as a judge from Japan.

at 20:00 (JST), June 22 AS

US President Trump says the repatriation of the remains of US soldiers who fought in the Korean War is already underway.

Japan's Prime Minister Abe has expressed willingness to have direct talk with North Korea, but stressed that such dialogue would need to leave towards resolving the issue of Japanese nationals abducted by North.

The education board of Takatsuki City in Osaka Prefecture has apologized for a sloppy safety check of a concrete block wall that collapsed in Monday's earthquake, killing a 9-year-old girl.

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20180622200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : Trump soldier
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180622_16/

US President Donald Trump says the repatriation of the remains of US soldiers who fought in the Korean War is already underway.

In a joint statement at the US-North Korea summit last week in Singapore, Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un pledged to recover the remains of US troops who were held captive or went missing during the war. The statement calls for the immediate return of those who have already been identified.

At a Cabinet meeting on Thursday, Trump said the remains have been already returned or are in the process of being returned.

He did not give any other details.

President Trump sounded upbeat about the prospects for North Korea's denuclearization. He said the North has stopped firing missiles and is destroying some of its key test sites.

He stressed the importance of realizing total denuclearization, adding that the process has already started taking place.

But some observers doubt that the North will completely eliminate its nuclear arsenal, as the joint statement lacks specifics.

Key words : senior US
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180622_10/

A senior US official says Secretary of State Mike Pompeo plans to meet with North Korean officials "at the earliest possible date" to try to implement the outcomes of the US-North Korea summit.

State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert told reporters on Thursday that both sides have been in communication since the June 12th summit.

Nauert said the timing and venue for Pompeo's next meeting with the North's officials had yet to be decided.

The summit's joint statement says Pompeo is to conduct follow-up negotiations. Pompeo himself said in a speech on Monday that he might again visit North Korea.

Key words : abe expressed
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180622_29/

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has expressed willingness to talk directly with North Korea, but stressed that doing so must help resolve the issue of Japanese abducted by the country.

Abe was speaking to a nonpartisan group of lawmakers that submitted recommendations on the abduction issue after the June 12th summit between the United States and North Korea.

The group told Abe that sanctions on the North should not be eased until the abduction, nuclear and missile issues are resolved comprehensively.

They also called for a cautious approach at a possible summit with North Korea, and said the talks must be substantive and lead to a return of the abductees.
Abe responded that Japan will maintain its current sanctions until the North takes concrete steps toward denuclearization. He added that the 2 countries must end their mutual distrust and talk face-to-face.

The group's head, former abduction issue minister Keiji Furuya, later told reporters that the matter requires bilateral talks but that hasty negotiations would achieve nothing.

He called on the government to stick to its principles in talks with the North.

Key words : top government
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180622_17/

Japan's top government spokesperson says the government will suspend evacuation drills for ballistic missile launches, as tensions have eased since the US-North Korea summit earlier this month.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga was speaking at a news conference after a Cabinet meeting on Friday.

The government has been holding joint drills with prefectural and municipal governments to prepare for a possible North Korean ballistic missile attack.

29 of these exercises have been held across Japan since March 2017.

Suga said that drills in 9 prefectures will be suspended during the current fiscal year. He cited a significant reduction in the tensions affecting Japan's security environment since the US and North Korean leaders met on June 12.

Suga said the government and municipalities will continue to conduct exercises to provide the public with essential information, including the use of the J-ALERT nationwide warning system.

Key words : Syria escalated
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180622_21/

Syria's government, led by President Bashar al-Assad, has escalated attacks in opposition-controlled areas of the country's southwest.

A state-run news agency reported on Thursday that Syria's military carried out artillery strikes on positions of anti-government forces in Deraa Province.

The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 20 people were killed in the 3 days up to Thursday, and that 12,500 civilians fled the province.

Last year, the United States and Russia agreed on a ceasefire deal between the government and opposition forces for southwestern Syria.

US State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert said Syria's military violated the deal by carrying out the attacks.

The US had warned that it would take firm, appropriate measures against such violations.

In May, Syria's government took control of areas around the capital Damascus with backing by the Russian military.

Key words : Insight turkey key point of election
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Key words : education board sloppy
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180622_27/

The education board of Takatsuki City in Osaka Prefecture has apologized for a sloppy safety check of a concrete block wall that collapsed in Monday's earthquake, killing a 9-year-old girl.

The wall adjoined a swimming pool of an elementary school.

The school principal told reporters on Thursday night that an independent expert had warned 3 years ago that the wall was not safe. The principal said the school then asked the education board to take a look. The board sent someone to carry out an inspection.

The board said on Friday that officials who oversee building maintenance carried out the inspection in February, 2016.

The officials, who have no architectural qualifications, conducted a visual assessment. They also tapped the wall with a special sounding rod before determining that there were no safety problems.

Board Chair Hiromi Tarui said officials did not understand the full extent of the risk and regarded the inspection merely as a daily check. He said it was extremely regrettable that they could not prevent the collapse.

Key words : nhk learned remove
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180622_22/

NHK has learned that a city in Osaka Prefecture, western Japan, has decided to remove the concrete block walls at public elementary and junior high schools.

There has been growing concern over the safety of such structures since a wall collapsed and killed a schoolgirl in Monday's powerful earthquake.

The 9-year-old was killed just outside her school in Takatsuki City.

In Minoo City, the quake registered the same seismic intensity as in Takatsuki. The city has conducted emergency checks at 20 public elementary and junior high schools.

Experts examined 9 walls in 8 schools. None of them were found to be in violation of building regulations, but one of them was 2.8 meters high.

Officials have decided to remove all 9 of the concrete walls as they are making the children feel uneasy.

They say they hope to start taking down the walls by the end of the month, and will consider replacing them with steel fences.

On Tuesday, following the girl's death, the land ministry advised local governments to cooperate with education boards to check the safety of concrete block walls. The ministry is advising property owners to take similar action.

Key words : labor ministry
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