2018年7月31日火曜日

at 20:00 (JST), July 31 AS

sample

Officials at the Bank of Japan have decided to continue their massive monetary easing policy in a bid to achieve a 2-percent inflation target.


Japan and the US have set the date for a new round of trade talks for the aim of establishing a framework for free, fair, and reciprocal trade.


The Washington Post newspaper says US spy agencies are seeing signs that North Korea is producing new intercontinental ballistic missiles.


https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20180731200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : official bank of Japan negative
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180731_25/

Officials at the Bank of Japan have decided to continue their massive easing policy in a bid to achieve a 2-percent inflation target. But they have partially modified their policy by allowing some gains in the yield of the benchmark 10-year government bond.

The move is aimed at limiting some negative effects of their strategy such as lower profits at financial institutions.

The BOJ's target yield for the benchmark has been set at around zero percent.

The policymakers said in their statement that "the yield may move upward and downward to some extent mainly depending on developments in economic activity and prices."

The BOJ will maintain its negative-rate policy for short-term rates. And it will continue to buy government bonds so that the outstanding balance will increase at an annual pace of about 80 trillion yen, or 700 billion dollars.

The officials have also revised their inflation outlooks downward. They lowered their forecast for this fiscal year to 1.1 percent from1.3 percent and for next year to 1.5 percent from 1.8 percent.


Key words : Japan and the US
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180731_29/

Japan and the US have set the date for a new round of trade talks. Officials from the 2 countries will work to establish a framework for what they call "free, fair, and reciprocal" trade.

The first meeting is to be held on August 9th in Washington.

The talks will be co-chaired by Japanese Economic Revitalization Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer.

In a Senate hearing last week, Lighthizer expressed a strong desire to start talks with Japan aimed at reaching a bilateral Free Trade Agreement.

Japanese officials are concerned that Washington will step up its demands for Japan to buy more American cars and farm products.

The officials plan to keep stressing Japan's commitment to multilateral trade, but they are likely to face tough negotiations.

Japan and 10 other countries are working to put the Trans-Pacific Partnership into effect.

The US withdrew from the free-trade pact soon after President Trump took office.


Key words : nation export cars
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180731_14/

Nations that export cars and car parts to the US are gathering to discuss looming American auto tariffs.
The group includes Japan and the European Union, as well as Canada and Mexico.

The vice-ministerial talks will take place on Tuesday in Geneva, Switzerland. Officials are expected to look at how to keep the US from raising levies. The Trump administration says it's considering the move due to national security threats.

Officials at the meeting are also likely to mull retaliatory measures against the US based on World Trade Organization rules.

Japanese officials also plan to consult with their European Union counterparts about the details of last week's summit between the EU and the US.

Japan is preparing for an upcoming meeting with the United States as early as August. The two sides plan to discuss so-called "free, fair, and reciprocal" trade.


Key words : government nuclear energy
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180731_28/

Japan's government commission on nuclear energy has decided to reduce the country's stockpile of plutonium.

Japan has been promoting a program to recycle plutonium extracted from spent nuclear fuel.

In principle it does not possess plutonium whose purpose is unclear, because the material can be used for nuclear weapons.

But the unused stockpile keeps growing. Japan now has 47 tons of plutonium at home and abroad. If the fuel reprocessing plant at Rokkasho Village in the northern prefecture of Aomori is completed as scheduled in 2021, it will produce up to 7 tons of plutonium annually. This has heightened international concern.

The Atomic Energy Commission on Tuesday revised its guidelines on plutonium use for the first time in 15 years, stipulating that the stockpile will be reduced.

Japan currently uses plutonium for mixed oxide fuel for nuclear power plants. Under the revised guidelines, reprocessing plants are obliged to produce only the amount necessary, and what's produced must be used up. Power companies will be asked to cooperate in using and reducing plutonium.

Plutonium used for research and development, as in the Monju fast-breeder reactor, could be disposed of if there's no plan for what to do with it.

Commission chief Yoshiaki Oka said Japan must avoid being seen as stockpiling plutonium, amid global efforts toward nuclear nonproliferation. He stressed the need to specify how plutonium is used.


Key words : Washington Post
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180731_18/

The Washington Post says US spy agencies are seeing signs that North Korea is producing new intercontinental ballistic missiles at a plant on the outskirts of Pyongyang.

The leading US daily published the report in its online edition on Monday, citing officials familiar with intelligence information.

It says satellite photos taken in recent weeks and other evidence suggest ongoing work on "at least one and possibly 2" liquid-fueled ICBMs at the plant in Sanumdong.

It says North Korea used the same factory in the past to produce the Hwasong-15, an ICBM that is said to be capable of reaching as far as the US East Coast.

The report says the findings are the latest to show that activity continues inside the North's nuclear and missile facilities, even after the June summit between the United States and North Korea.

US President Donald Trump maintains that talks with North Korea are progressing smoothly, following his meeting with the North's leader Kim Jong Un.

But US media are raising doubts over Pyongyang's commitment to denuclearization. Recent reports said the North runs a covert site in the suburbs of Pyongyang to produce weapons-grade enriched uranium.


Key words : Insight significant of new law philippine
#N/A


Key words : south presidential
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180731_24/

South Korea's presidential office says a top Chinese Communist Party official in charge of foreign relations secretly visited South Korea in mid-July.

The office revealed on Tuesday that Yang Jiechi, a Political Bureau member of China's Communist Party, met the head of South Korea's National Security Office, Chung Eui-yong.

The presidential office explained that they discussed in a friendly atmosphere issues of shared concern including improving bilateral relations that chilled over South Korea's deployment of the US THAAD missile defense system.

After the meeting, Chung traveled to the United States.

Last week, China's Assistant Foreign Minister in charge of Korean Peninsula affairs Kong Xuanyou visited North Korea and met with Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho.

These developments have fed speculation that Yang and Chung discussed the possibility of China's involvement in declaring a formal end to the Korean War.

The leaders of South and North Korea agreed at their summit in April to declare the war's end by the end of this year.


Key words : myanmar floods
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180731_32/

In Myanmar, monsoons have caused flooding across the country, leaving 25 people dead. The rising waters have also forced about 120 thousand to evacuate.

Heavy rains have been ravaging large areas of Myanmar with floods since June, cutting off highways and destroying bridges.

The damage in the Bago region outside of Yangon and in the southern state of Mon is particularly severe.

Government officials say it's the worst disaster the country has seen in 5 decades. They're continuing to warn residents to evacuate as the strong rain is likely to continue.


Key words : heat continue
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180731_20/

Sweltering heat continues across Japan, sending temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius in many areas before noon on Tuesday.

The Meteorological Agency says a high pressure system and clear skies are the cause of the heat. It says in the Sea of Japan coastal areas, a phenomenon known as foehn - hot, dry winds that blow down over mountains - is intensifying the heat.

By 11:30 AM on Tuesday, the thermometer had risen to 36.3 degrees Celsius in Oda City, Shimane Prefecture, and 35.3 degrees in Fukuchiyama City, Kyoto Prefecture, Toyooka City in Hyogo Prefecture, and Tottori City in Tottori Prefecture. All are near the Sea of Japan in western Japan.

Tuesday's highs are forecast to reach 38 degrees Celsius in Tottori City and 37 degrees in Aizu-wakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture in northeastern Japan.

The agency warns people to keep well hydrated, use air-conditioners appropriately and brace for heat stroke.

The Fire Disaster Management Agency said about 13,000 people were hospitalized in the week until Sunday, of whom 39 died.

More than 57,500 people have already been taken to hospital this year with heatstroke, topping the figure for the whole of last year.


Key words : Nomura do his best
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180731_19/

Kyogen actor Nomura Mansai, the newly appointed chief director of ceremonies for the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, says he wants the Games to be simple but full of Japanese spirit.

Recovery is an underlying theme of the 2020 Games, which were planned as the Tohoku region was recovering from the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster.

Nomura said he would do his best not to disgrace what have been dubbed the "Reconstruction Olympics". He and 2 others who will be directing and arranging the opening and closing ceremonies spoke to reporters in Tokyo on Tuesday.

Nomura said he will be motivated partly from the viewpoint of "noh" and "kyogen" plays, so the repose of souls and revival will be significant aspects in the ceremonies.

Film director Takashi Yamazaki will be in charge of the Olympic ceremonies. He said he plans to emphasize ways of expression that are possible only in Japan and on messages that Japan can communicate now.

He said it would be great if visitors can enjoy various performances and feel good that they were able to come.

Creative director Hiroshi Sasaki will be responsible for the Paralympic ceremonies. He said after all the excitement at the Olympics he will aim for another climax at the Paralympics. He said he wants the event to be enjoyable and useful.

The team is expected to decide on a mutual concept for the 4 ceremonies. They will also think about original stories and performances for each ceremony, the design of the Olympic flame cauldron and how it will be lit.


2018年7月30日月曜日

at 20:00 (JST), July 30 AS

sample

In Cambodia's general election the ruling party has claimed it has secured all 125 seats. But international critics say the government's crackdown on opponents led to the landslide victory.


A research team from Kyoto University will soon start clinical trials using induced pluripotent stem, or iPS, cells to treat Parkinson's disease.


Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary said that a proposal to introduce daylight saving time during the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games requires careful consideration.


https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20180730200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : Cambodia election secured all
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180730_29/

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen's party says it has secured all 125 seats in the general election. But international critics say the government's crackdown on opponents has led to the landslide victory.

A spokesperson for the ruling Cambodian People's Party says that, based on the results shared by the election committee so far, none of the other 19 parties will win a single seat.

On his Facebook page, Hun Sen thanked people for choosing the path of democracy. The leader has been prime minister for more than three decades.

Critics have said the vote is a sham and Hun Sen's government is marching down the path to authoritarianism.
There have been crackdowns on media and the most popular opposition party was kept off the ballot. The Cambodia National Rescue Party was dissolved by the Supreme Court in November and banned from running. Its leader Kem Sokha was arrested and charged with treason. He denies the allegations.

Former Cambodia National Rescue Party leader Sam Rainsy had called for peaceful protests. He said the vote was a foregone conclusion, and the people of Cambodia should ask the international community to put sanctions on Hun Sen's government.

The White House issued a statement saying the vote was "neither free nor fair and failed to represent the will of the Cambodian people." It added that the Trump administration may significantly expand the visa restrictions already in place on some members of the Cambodian government.


Key words : Insight Cambodia general election
#N/A


Key words : research team
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180730_10/

A research team from Kyoto University will soon start clinical trials using induced pluripotent stem, or iPS, cells to treat Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's is an intractable disease that leads to progressive deterioration of motor function due to the loss of dopamine-producing brain cells.

There are estimated to be about 150,000 sufferers of the neurodegenerative disease in Japan. No complete cure has yet been established.

Kyoto University serves as the center of iPS research in Japan.

The team, led by Professor Ryosuke Takahashi of Kyoto University Hospital and Professor Jun Takahashi of the Center for iPS Cell Research and Application at Kyoto University, has received government approval for the clinical trials.

In the trial, cells generated from iPS cells will be transplanted to patients' brains. The cells are expected to then become dopamine-producing neural cells.

The team hopes the treatment will eventually be widely used and included in the Japanese health insurance system.

Clinical trials using iPS cells to treat a retinal disease have been carried out in Japan. The government has also approved trials to treat heart disease using the cells.


Key words : central bank
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180730_17/

At a 2-day meeting beginning Monday, policymakers at Japan's central bank are expected to analyze the country's persistently low inflation and possible measures to mitigate side effects of its monetary easing policy.

The Bank of Japan started taking large-scale easing measures in 2013 to pull the country out of deflation. The BOJ also set an inflation target of 2 percent.

But consumer prices marked a year-on-year increase of only 0.8 percent in June, despite more than 5 years of monetary easing.

The BOJ's inflation outlook for the current fiscal year is 1.3 percent. Policymakers expect to see it hit 1.8 percent in fiscal 2019.

But many analysts believe the policymakers will once again lower their expectations in a report to be released after the meeting.

The analysts also see the easing measures continuing for a long period, unless the 2 percent inflation target is attained.

Policymakers are worried about possible side effects of the prolonged monetary easing measures, including a possible drop in banks' earnings due to low interest rates. It could also become harder to trade Japanese government bonds if the BOJ keeps buying them in huge amounts.

The BOJ's target yield for benchmark 10-year Japanese government bonds is currently set at around zero percent. But policymakers are now considering allowing the yield to rise somewhat.

However, a perceived shift in the central bank's monetary easing policy could have a major impact on stock and foreign exchange markets.


Key words : chief cabinet
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180730_20/

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said on Monday that a proposal to introduce daylight saving time during the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games requires careful consideration.

The head of the Tokyo Olympics organizing committee, Yoshiro Mori, made the proposal in a meeting with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe last week.

Mori said it should be considered as part of measures against potentially soaring summer temperatures during the Games.

Suga said studying ways to deal with intense heat is an important issue, but added that advancing the clocks would have a major impact on people's daily lives.

Suga said the government has already started working on some measures to deal with summer heat, including moving forward the starting times of some events and applying a special coating to roads in Tokyo to reduce surface temperatures.


Key words : tropical moving southward bringing
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180730_32/

Tropical storm Jongdari was moving southward in waters southwest of Kyushu as of Monday afternoon.

The Meteorological Agency says the storm was 60 kilometers west of Yakushima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture as of 3 PM, and traveling south at a speed of 15 kilometers per hour.

Jongdari has a central atmospheric pressure of 994 hectopascals and is packing winds of 65 kilometers per hour.

Developed rainclouds are hovering in some areas above southern Kyushu, Shikoku and elsewhere. Saito City in Miyazaki Prefecture observed heavy rain of 33.5 millimeters in the hour ending at 4 PM.

Weather officials say parts of Shikoku and southern Kyushu could see more than 50 millimeters of rain an hour. They are predicting 120 to 250 millimeters for those areas in the 24-hour period through noon on Tuesday.

Jongdari is expected to slow down and linger off Kyushu for some time, bringing sporadic rain and gusty conditions.

Officials are urging people to be prepared for landslides, overflowing rivers, floods in low-lying areas, high waves and storm surges.


Key words : communities
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180730_07/

Communities along the Sea of Japan coast are forecast to have another scorching day on Monday after tropical storm Jongdari moved across the country from east to west.

The Meteorological Agency says that on Sunday southerly winds around the storm blew over the mountains, bringing warm winds to areas on the Sea of Japan.

Agency officials call it a "Foehn phenomenon" that pushed up temperatures to 39.5 degrees Celsius in some areas of Niigata Prefecture.

They say the heat wave will continue along the Sea of Japan coast, as well as in inland areas on Monday with daytime highs exceeding 35 degrees, or even reaching 37.

Daytime highs of nearly 35 degrees are also forecast for areas in western Japan devastated by torrential rains earlier this month.

The agency is advising precautions to prevent heatstroke, and is urging residents to drink water frequently.


Key words : disaster Indonesia 16 people
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180730_37/

Tourists stranded on Mount Rinjani on Indonesia's quake-hit island of Lombok began their descent on Monday after police and military personnel removed rocks and sand from trekking routes.

A magnitude 6.4 earthquake hit the resort island of Lombok, located east of Bali Island, on Sunday morning.

Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency says the quake left at least 16 people dead and 355 injured.

The agency earlier announced that nearly 700 tourists, including 2 Japanese, had been unable to descend Mount Rinjani due to landslides.


Key words : nearly killed in India
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180730_35/

Nearly 570 people have been killed in India following massive floods and landslides caused by torrential rains.

The nation's interior ministry says the rains have continued to batter a vast area spanning from the northeast to southwest of the country since monsoon season began this month.

Numerous homes in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh have been washed away over the past 4 days. In the western state of Maharashtra and the southern state of Kerala, villages have been submerged in water and buildings have collapsed in mudslides.

Monsoon-related disasters resulted in the deaths of 569 people across 7 states as of Monday.

Weather authorities say the downpours are set to continue, especially over the next several days.

The central government has evacuated people living near rivers in danger of bursting their banks. It has also suspended railways operating near rivers.


2018年7月29日日曜日

at 20:00 (JST), July 29 AS

sample

Tropical storm Jongdari is hitting the northern part of the Kyushu region in southwestern Japan.


Vote-counting has started in Cambodia's general election, which is expected to keep long-serving Prime Minister Hun Sen in power.


A magnitude-6.4 earthquake has struck the Indonesian resort island of Lombok, killing at least 10 people.


https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20180729200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : tropical northern Kyushu
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180729_33/

Tropical storm Jongdari is hitting the northern part of the Kyushu region in southwestern Japan.

Meteorological Agency officials say the storm made landfall in Fukuoka Prefecture around 5:30 PM on Sunday after travelling across western Japan.

The storm is now moving west-southwest at 30 kilometers per hour.

Heavy rain and strong winds are likely to continue in the Shikoku and Kyushu regions as the storm is expected to slow down and linger off western Kyushu for some time.

Agency officials say parts of Shikoku and Kyushu may have more than 50 millimeters of rainfall an hour. They are predicting 150 to 200 millimeters of rainfall for these areas in the 24-hour period through Monday evening.

The agency is urging people to be prepared for landslides, overflowing rivers, floods in low-lying areas, high waves and storm surges.


Key words : Jongdari bringing extreme
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180729_30/

Tropical storm Jongdari is bringing extreme heat to areas along the Sea of Japan.

The daytime high on Sunday reached 39.5 degrees Celsius in Sanjo and Joetsu in Niigata Prefecture. These are the highest temperatures for the 2 cities since record-taking began in 1978.

The temperature in Sakai City, Fukui Prefecture, was 39 degrees.

Daytime highs exceeded 35 degrees in some parts of the northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido. The temperature in the town of Higashikawa rose to 35.8 degrees.

Meteorological Agency officials attribute the intense heat to a Foehn phenomenon in areas along the Sea of Japan in the northern and eastern parts of the country.

They say warm winds around Jongdari flowed over mountains and down into these regions, pushing up temperatures.

The officials forecast that the scorching weather will continue across much of Japan next week and temperatures will reach 35 degrees or higher.

They are urging people to keep hydrated and to use air conditioners to avoid heatstroke.


Key words : Cambodia general election keep long
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180729_32/

Vote-counting has started in Cambodia's general election, which is expected to keep long-serving Prime Minister Hun Sen in power.

The ruling Cambodian People's Party is likely to gain an easy victory because the largest opposition party, the Cambodia National Rescue Party, is not taking part.

The opposition party came a close second in the previous general election 5 years ago. But last year, its leader was arrested on suspicion of treason and the country's Supreme Court ordered the party to disband.

The Cambodia National Rescue Party called on its supporters to boycott the election, while the government urged people to vote in the hope that a high turnout will give the election legitimacy.

The election commission says the turnout was 58.80 percent halfway through the voting time.

The final turnout for the previous election was nearly 70 percent.

Preliminary results are expected by early Monday.


Key words : earthquake struck
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180729_29/

A magnitude-6.4 earthquake has struck the Indonesian resort island of Lombok, killing at least 10 people.

The US Geological Survey says the quake occurred at 6:47 AM, local time, on Sunday.

Indonesian disaster management officials say they have confirmed the deaths of 10 people. They say 40 others have been injured.

Footage from Lombok shows collapsed houses and a medical facility with its roof destroyed in a town on the east of the island.


Key words : bus has plunged off
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180729_28/

A bus has plunged off a mountain road into a deep gorge in India, leaving 32 people on board dead and another seriously injured.

Local police say the vehicle was carrying 33 people when it fell into a 150-meter deep gorge in the western state of Maharashtra on Saturday.

The passengers were employees of a local university who were on their way to a picnic.

Police say the road does not have guardrails. They say that at the time of the accident, the rain had made the road surface wet and visibility poor.

Frequent traffic accidents are a serious social problem facing India. Saturday's accident follows one that killed 48 in the north of the country on July 1st.
People are blaming a delay in implementing safety measures, such as putting up guardrails.


Key words : US high school
#N/A


Key words : Russia defense
#N/A


Key words : 7 people suffered
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180729_26/

7 people suffered slight burns at a summer festival in northern Japan on Saturday night when a firework exploded as it fell to the ground.

Officials of Ninohe City in Iwate Prefecture reported the incident to the local fire department at around 8:20 PM on Saturday. 7 people were slightly burned, and one was taken to hospital.

The fireworks display was part of a festival held at a parking lot in the hot spring resort of Kintaichi. Police say about 1,000 spectators came. About 5 minutes after the display began, one firework reportedly fell to the ground before it could reach high in the sky and exploded near the ground.

The organizer called off the fireworks display part of the festival.


2018年7月28日土曜日

at 20:00 (JST), July 28 AS

sample

Japanese weather officials say a strong typhoon is expected to make landfall in the Tokai region of central Japan sometime between late Saturday night and early Sunday morning while maintaining its intensity.


CNN is reporting claims that US President Donald Trump knew in advance about a 2016 meeting between his son and a group of Russians who offered damaging information on Trump's election rival, Hillary Clinton.


Greece's Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has blamed arson for the country's worst ever wildfires, and pledged to ensure that such a tragedy never happens again.


https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20180728200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : Japanese weather typhoon traveling west
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180728_22/

Japanese weather officials say a strong typhoon is expected to make landfall in the Tokai region of central Japan sometime between late Saturday night and early Sunday morning while maintaining its intensity.

The Meteorological Agency says as of 6 PM Saturday, Typhoon Jongdari was traveling west at 40 kilometers per hour near Miyake Island in the Izu Island chain.

Jongdari has a central atmospheric pressure of 965 hectopascals and is packing winds of 126 kilometers per hour near its center.

The Izu Island chain and Chiba have been engulfed in its storm zone, followed by parts of Shizuoka.

The storm is following an irregular westerly course, and officials say areas where rain and wind grow most intense may differ from past typhoons.

Weather officials say parts of eastern and western Japan could get 50 millimeters or more of rain per hour through Sunday.

They are warning of landslides and flooding, especially in the parts of western Japan that were hit by deadly torrential rainfall earlier this month.

Some municipalities have told residents to be ready to evacuate.


Key words : maximum wind speed
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180728_25/

An approaching typhoon saw the maximum wind speed temporarily top 70 kilometers per hour at Narita Airport, east of Tokyo at 2:58 PM on Saturday.

Pilots on a number of arriving airplanes had to make a second attempt at landing after failing the first time.

About 70 domestic flights departing from and arriving at the airport were cancelled.

International flights, including those leaving for Asian or North America destinations, have also been canceled or delayed.

The airport authorities say a flight that was scheduled to arrive from Chicago was rerouted to New Chitose Airport in Hokkaido.


Key words : flight canceled Japan Air
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180728_21/

Three-hundred-seventy-seven flights had been canceled as of 2:30 PM on Saturday due to a typhoon approaching Japan's east coast.

Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways canceled 107 and 130 flights respectively.

The flights were scheduled to depart from or arrive at Tokyo's Haneda Airport or Narita Airport, east of Tokyo.


Key words : Asia-Pacific
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180728_05/

16 Asia-Pacific countries have made progress in negotiations on a free trade deal known as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, or RCEP.

The group includes Japan, China, South Korea and the ASEAN countries. Their 11-day meeting ended on Friday in Bangkok.

Japan's Foreign Ministry says the member nations effectively completed negotiations in 2 areas. One of them is government procurement and the other covers customs procedures and trade facilitation.

Ministry officials say there was also progress in other areas.

The delegates also exchanged views on difficult issues, such as tariffs.

The countries will continue to aim to reach a broad agreement by the end of this year.

US President Donald Trump's protectionist policies are raising trade tensions with China and other countries. Analysts say an agreement on RCEP could provide momentum to free trade.


Key words : China representative wrapped up
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180728_01/

China's special representative on Korean Peninsula affairs Kong Xuanyou wrapped up a 3-day visit to North Korea on Friday and returned to Beijing.

Kong, who is also a vice foreign minister, is believed to have exchanged views with North Korean officials on denuclearization and a declaration to end the Korean War.

North Korean media reported that Kong met with Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho and Vice Foreign Minister Ri Kil Song.

Details of the talks are unknown. But as Friday marked the 65th anniversary of the signing of the Korean War armistice agreement, they are believed to have discussed a declaration to end the war.
The United States and North Korea are divided over the issue. Pyongyang is urging the US to come to the negotiating table because it believes a declaration would lead to security guarantees. But the US wants the North to first take concrete action toward denuclearization.

China, which was also involved in the war, is apparently aiming to be actively engaged in negotiations for a declaration.


Key words : CNN
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180728_12/

CNN is reporting claims that US President Donald Trump knew in advance about a 2016 meeting between his son and a group of Russians who offered damaging information on Trump's election rival, Hillary Clinton.

The network quoted unidentified sources on Thursday as saying that Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen claims the then-candidate had prior notice of the meeting and approved to holding it.

The report says Cohen was present when Donald Trump Jr. informed his father that the Russians had made an approach.

CNN reported that Cohen is willing to assert the claim to special counsel Robert Mueller, who is probing allegations of Russian meddling in the presidential election.

On Friday, the President denied the allegation. Trump wrote in a tweet that it sounds like "someone is trying to make up stories."


Key words : Greece
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180728_11/

Greece's Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has blamed arson for the country's worst ever wildfires, and pledged to ensure that such a tragedy never happens again.

Tsipras told an emergency Cabinet meeting on Friday that evidence suggests the fires were deliberately lit. He took full political responsibility for the disaster.

Large-scale fires erupted around the capital, Athens, on Monday, and spread quickly to the resort town of Mati. Reports say at least 87 people have died.

Greek government officials say the fires broke out at 2 locations almost simultaneously and it's unlikely they ignited spontaneously. They also say authorities discovered suspicious items at both locations.

Firefighters have almost extinguished the flames. But the search continues for the missing on land and at sea. Some people are believed to have jumped into the water to escape the flames.


Key words : wildfire California
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180728_15/

Wildfires in the US state of California have claimed the lives of 3 firefighters and forced thousands to evacuate their homes.

One blaze broke out on Monday near the city of Redding, in the north of the state.

Video footage shows the burning front approaching residential areas. Reports have described the fire as a wall of flaming tornados.

Fire department officials say the blaze has burned through about 19,500 hectares of land. They say 2 firefighters have died, about 500 buildings have been destroyed, and some 37,000 residents are under evacuation orders.
Firefighters are separately battling a wildfire that started on July 13th near California's Yosemite National Park. One firefighter has died in that blaze. Part of the park has been closed since Wednesday.

The wildfires are being stoked by a wave of extreme heat. During the week, Death Valley in California recorded a temperature in excess of 52 degrees Celsius.


2018年7月27日金曜日

at 20:00 (JST), July 27 AS

sample

The remains of some American troops who died during the Korean War have been returned the United States from North Korea.


The leaders of the 5 major emerging economies known as BRICS have expressed concern about protectionist trade policies.


エラー 2042
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20180727200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : remain troop died during
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180727_22/

The United States says the remains of some of its troops who died during the Korean War have been returned from North Korea.

The White House said in a statement that a US military plane containing the remains of fallen service members left an airport in Wonsan, North Korea, on Friday morning. The aircraft landed at Osan Air Base in South Korea.

US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un agreed on the return of the remains at their summit in Singapore last month.

The White House also said the North Korean leader is fulfilling part of the commitment he made at the historic meeting, and the US is encouraged by the North's actions and the momentum for positive change.


Key words : Trump underscore
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180727_28/

US President Donald Trump has underscored his role in improving relations between his country and North Korea.

Trump released a statement on Thursday, the day before the 65th anniversary of the signing of the Korean War armistice.

The statement said relations between the countries have long been hostile but that last month's historic summit between Trump and Kim Jong Un helped create momentum for positive change. It pointed to the pledge to achieve the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

The statement also referred to the repatriation of the remains of US troops killed during the Korean War, saying the Trump administration is seeking to have all of them returned.

The remains of 5,300 US troops are estimated to have not yet been repatriated.


Key words : United States blocked
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180727_36/

The United States has blocked an attempt by the International Olympic Committee to provide North Korea with sports equipment.

The IOC had asked the UN Security Council's North Korea sanctions committee to allow UN member states to transfer items to the North ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Sources related to the sanctions committee say the United States filed an objection on Thursday, on the grounds that the measure will not contribute to North Korea's denuclearization.

Exemptions to UN sanctions require unanimous approval by the Security Council.

Sports equipment is thought to fall under the category of luxury items, whose transfer to Pyongyang is banned.

Security Council sources say the North has yet to take concrete steps toward denuclearization, as it promised at summit talks with South Korea and the United States.

They say Washington could be trying to underscore its position of stepping up pressure until North Korea acts, while also warning South Korea against leaning too heavily on economic cooperation with the North.

Tension between the two Koreas eased earlier this year when the North took part in the Winter Games in the South. IOC president Thomas Bach met North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un during a visit to Pyongyang in March.


Key words : leaders of
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180727_05/

The leaders of the 5 major emerging economies known as BRICS have expressed concern about protectionist trade policies. This comes as US President Donald Trump's administration stirs trade disputes with other countries.

The leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa adopted a declaration on Thursday, the second day of their 3-day summit in Johannesburg.

The declaration says the leaders recognize that the multilateral trading system is facing unprecedented challenges.

The declaration makes it clear that the 5 countries will work together to promote free trade.

It says the leaders reaffirm the centrality of the rules-based, transparent, non-discriminatory, open and inclusive multilateral trading system, as embodied in the World Trade Organization.

During the summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping called on his fellow BRICS leaders to "reject protectionism outright."

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa warned that escalation of trade friction will hurt developing nations, such as those in Africa.


Key words : US trade representative NAFTA
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180727_34/

The US Trade Representative has pledged to accelerate NAFTA trade pact talks with Canada and Mexico in a bid to reach a basic agreement by the end of August.

Robert Lighthizer spoke about the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, at a US Senate public hearing on Thursday.

The countries set out to revamp the pact in talks that began last August. They initially aimed to reach an agreement in May this year, but failed to meet the deadline. Conditions for exemptions on auto tariffs were a major sticking point.

The talks have since stalled, partly because of the presidential election in Mexico early this month.

Lighthizer said that if the US can reach a conclusion with Mexico soon, then hopefully Canada will begin to compromise.

The US raised tariffs on steel and other imports from Canada and Mexico last month. Both nations hit back with retaliatory measures.


Key words : Insight Cambodia general election
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Key words : powerful typhoon
#N/A


Key words : official Hiroshima populace
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180727_17/

Officials in Hiroshima Prefecture have found that only 0.3 percent of the populace took refuge despite official calls to evacuate during the record rainfalls earlier this month.

The prefectural government said on Thursday that around 200,000 people in Kure City and roughly 470,000 people in Fukuyama City had been ordered to evacuate at around 9 PM on July 6th, following the issuance of an emergency alert against heavy rains a few hours earlier.

The number of people ordered or advised to evacuate had reached 2.17 million by around 10:30 PM that day. But prefectural officials found that only about 6,000 of them, or 0.3 percent, actually moved to shelters.

At least 107 people have been confirmed dead in the prefecture due to floods and landslides triggered by the downpours.


Key words : Disney
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180727_33/

Disney has become the latest major US firm to stop the use of plastic straws amid environmental concerns.

The Walt Disney Company said on Thursday that by 2019, it will eliminate plastic straws and stirrers at all locations around the world.

The company says this will amount to a reduction of more than 180 million straws and stirrers annually.

Disney also says it will switch to refillable in-room amenities at its hotels and cruise ships and reduce the use of plastic shopping bags over the next few years.

The move comes amid rising public awareness about ocean pollution caused by plastic litter.

Leading US coffee chain Starbucks and several US airlines are among the companies to have adopted similar measures.

Disney's policy will be implemented at its theme parks in the US, France, and China. Tokyo Disneyland is run by a different entity that says it will also study reducing the use of plastic products.


Key words : Thousands of Fuji
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180727_35/

Thousands of people have run up Mount Fuji as part of an annual race to climb Japan's tallest mountain.

Nearly 4,000 competitors from around the world competed in the Fuji Mountain Race on Friday morning.

Participants set out from Fujiyoshida City hall in the direction of the iconic mountain, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

They competed in 2 categories -- a run of 21 kilometers to an elevation of 3,000 meters on the 3,776-meter peak, and the other a race of 15 kilometers to an elevation of 1,480 meters.

Runners enjoyed perfectly clear conditions early on in the race, but looked down on a sea of clouds as they reached the finish lines.

Nearly half of the people in the run to the top completed the race, and almost everyone finished the second category event.

A first-time competitor in her 30s said it was fun to hear the cheers of supporters as she scaled the mountain.


2018年7月26日木曜日

at 20:00 (JST), July 26 AS

sample

Japan's Justice Minister has confirmed the execution of 6 jailed members of Aum Shinrikyo the doomsday cult.


North Korean Authorities are asking Japanese medical aid for atomic bomb survivors living in the country.


US President and European Commission President have agreed to work together to avert a trade dispute.


https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20180726200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : justice minister confirmed execution
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180726_24/

The main culprits behind a series of attacks that terrorized Japan in the 1990s are dead. Japanese Justice Minister Yoko Kamikawa has confirmed the execution of 6 jailed members of the doomsday cult Aum Shinrikyo.

They were the last remaining members on death row. This comes after the cult's former leader and 6 other members were put to death in early July.

Aum members were involved in a series of crimes that left 29 people dead.

That includes the release of sarin gas on the Tokyo subway system in March of 1995. The attack killed 13 people and injured more than 6,000.

Kazuaki Okazaki was one of the group's earliest members and helped expand its membership.

He was involved in the murders of a lawyer and his family, as well as a fellow cult member.

Masato Yokoyama was involved in the illegal manufacturing of automatic rifles.
He was one of the members who released sarin gas on the subway trains.

Satoru Hashimoto was held responsible for 10 killings... including the murder of a lawyer and his family, as well as a sarin gas attack in central Japan.

Yasuo Hayashi had a hand in both of the cult's deadly sarin gas attacks in Tokyo and central Japan.

Toru Toyoda was involved in researching and producing weapons and chemicals. He was one of the members who released sarin on Tokyo subway cars.
Kenichi Hirose was involved in building up an arsenal of weapons, including a plan to mass produce automatic rifles. He was one of the followers who released the nerve agent on subway cars.

Court cases for the men and other accomplices ran on for years -- the last of which was finalized this past January, paving the way for their executions.


Key words : journalist Shoko
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180726_27/

Journalist Shoko Egawa says the curtains should not be drawn on the problem of the Aum Shinrikyo cult even after the executions of all 13 former cultists on death row.

Egawa has been covering the cult since its activities were first called into question.

She said on Thursday that she feels the day has finally arrived. She said the convicts were eyewitnesses to the heinous crimes committed by the cult. She said experts should have interviewed them and got to the bottom of what happened so that lessons could be learned.

Egawa said many of those involved in the crimes had originally been sincere, hard-working young people who were seriously interested in discovering the meaning of life and their place in society.

She said they eventually found themselves trapped in a situation they could not escape from and ended up dying early.

She said their plight reveals the horror of this cult, and they can be counted among its victims.

She said it is true that the latest executions are a major milestone, but she doesn't think this is the end because a great number of people are still suffering and there is still a lot to learn.


Key words : human rights condemned
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180726_28/

An international human rights organization has condemned Japan for executing 6 more convicted inmates of the Aum Shinrikyo cult.

Amnesty International released a statement after the remaining 6 cult members on death row were hanged on Thursday morning. The cult's former leader and 6 other members were put to death on July 6th.

The statement says, "This unprecedented execution spree, which has seen 13 people killed in a matter of weeks, does not leave Japanese society any safer." It says," The hangings fail to address why people were drawn to a charismatic guru with dangerous ideas."

The statement also says, "It is high time for the Japanese authorities to establish an immediate moratorium on all executions and promote an informed debate on the death penalty as first steps towards its abolition."


Key words : north asking
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180726_38/

North Korea is asking Japan to pay medical aid to atomic bomb survivors, or hibakusha, living in the country.

The North delivered a report on a survey of hibakusha to a Japanese anti-nuclear group earlier this month.

The survey estimates that some 2,000 survivors of the 1945 atomic bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki later moved to North Korea. The survey found just 60 still alive in the country.

The North's authorities are concerned that aging survivors will die without receiving support from the Japanese government.

In some cases, families of hibakusha are also believed to have been affected by radiation.

Japan's health ministry says that only 2 survivors in the North have Japanese certificates showing they are eligible for government support.

At a news conference in Hiroshima on Thursday, members of the Hiroshima Congress against A-and-H bombs said North Korean authorities wanted to discuss as soon as possible with the Japanese government on medical aid for the survivors.

One of the survivors reportedly told the authorities that her daughter died of liver cancer after trying every possible treatment.

A senior member of the Hiroshima group, Tetsuo Kaneko, said the issue must be resolved before all hibakusha in the North die. He said resolving the issue will help progress in other bilateral issues as well.

Kaneko said the North Korean report will be submitted to the Japanese health ministry as early as next month.


Key words : US European agreed
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180726_08/

US President Donald Trump and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker have agreed on a deal to avert an escalation of trade friction.

Trump and Juncker held talks in Washington on Wednesday.

The 2 sides agreed to accelerate talks to increase EU imports of soybeans from the United States and lower tariffs on US industrial products.

Trump told reporters that they had agreed in their talks to "work together toward zero tariffs, zero non-tariff barriers, and zero subsidies on non-auto industrial goods."


Key words : detained hand-made
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180726_39/

Police in Beijing say they have detained a man for allegedly setting off a hand-made explosive device near the US Embassy in the Chinese capital.

The blast was heard on Thursday afternoon in a district of central Beijing where many foreign embassies are located.

Police say the 26-year-old man ignited the explosive device made from firecrackers at an intersection just outside the US Embassy.

They say the man injured his hand in the explosion, but the injury is not life-threatening. They are looking into his motives.

Roads near the site were temporarily closed, but were reopened about an hour later.


Key words : Insight Amazon river
#N/A


Key words : Japanese prosecutor
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180726_37/

Japanese prosecutors arrested another senior education ministry official on Thursday on suspicion of bribery.

The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors' Office suspects that Kazuaki Kawabata, the Director-General for International Affairs, was treated to meals worth 12,600 dollars from August 2015 to March 2017 in return for providing a favor to a medical consulting firm in Tokyo. Kawabata was on loan to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, during the period.

An executive of the consulting firm, Koji Taniguchi, was served a fresh arrest warrant on suspicion of bribery.

Taniguchi was indicted on Tuesday on a bribery charge in a separate case that also involved a senior ministry official. He allegedly acted as an intermediary between an education ministry bureau chief, Futoshi Sano, and officials of Tokyo Medical University.

Sano allegedly gave the university favorable treatment for a subsidy program in return for his son's enrollment.

Sano was arrested by prosecutors earlier this month and indicted on Tuesday.

Prosecutors visited the education ministry on Thursday to look for evidence.


Key words : sharing economy
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180726_29/

The Japanese government says the country's so-called "sharing economy" is worth about 4.5 billion dollars.

The rapidly growing "sharing" activities involve people and businesses exchanging goods and services directly through online platforms.

The Cabinet Office says the market size of private lodging and other space-sharing services was between 1.3 billion and 1.6 billion dollars in 2016.

The exchange of merchandize is estimated to be around 2.7 billion dollars.

Some of these activities are not included in gross domestic product. The Cabinet Office plans to study ways of including them in the official statistics.


Key words : football association
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180726_33/

The Japan Football Association has appointed Hajime Moriyasu as the new coach of the men's national team, with an eye to the World Cup in 2022.

The association's executive committee endorsed his appointment on Thursday.

Current coach Akira Nishino will step down at the end of July, after leading Japan into the last 16 in the recent World Cup finals in Russia. Moriyasu assisted Nishino at the finals.

Moriyasu will stay on as the coach of the under-21 national team preparing for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

The 49-year-old played professional soccer as a midfielder in the J1 League, mainly for Sanfrecce Hiroshima.

After his playing days, he managed Sanfrecce and led them to the J-League title 3 times.


2018年7月25日水曜日

at 20:00 (JST), July 25 AS

sample エラー 2042

In Laos at least 19 people have been confirmed dead and 3,000 people are waiting to be rescued after a collapsed dam caused flush floods in the southern part of the country.


Speculation is growing within Japan's main governing Party that the September presidential election will be a battle between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and former party secretary general Shigeru Ishiba.


https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20180725200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : Japan deadly heat wave take measure
#N/A


Key words : world meteorological
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180725_01/

The World Meteorological Organization is blaming climate change for the extreme heat and droughts that are affecting many parts of the world.

The WMO held a news conference in Geneva on Tuesday about the extreme weather conditions over the past week.

An official mentioned that a new maximum daily temperature record for Japan of 41.1 degrees Celsius was set on Monday in the city of Kumagaya, near Tokyo.

The official said temperatures rose above 30 degrees in Norway and other parts of northern Europe, causing droughts and forest fires.

The official said that although it's not possible to attribute the individual events to climate change, this is consistent with scientific scenarios.

The WMO predicts that the extreme heat will continue for some time and that temperatures may rise to 53 degrees Celsius in Death Valley National Park in the US state of California.

The official warned that climate change is creating an environment in which extreme weather events occur more often and that intense heat will last longer.


Key words : Laos at least
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180725_37/

At least 19 people have been confirmed dead after a dam collapsed in Laos. Local media say 3,000 people are waiting to be rescued and hundreds are missing.

The hydro-electric dam in the southern province of Attapeu was still under construction when it burst Monday. Flash floods covered 7 villages with a total of 6,000 residents.
Officials have begun sending relief supplies to the affected area.

The dam is a joint project by Thai and South Korean companies. It was scheduled to go into operation next year. One of the South Korean companies says days of heavy rain swept away part of the structure. South Korea's president has instructed an emergency team to go assist rescue work.
Laos is one of the poorest countries in Asia and exports hydro-electric power to support its economy.


Key words : bomb targeting polling
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180725_36/

A bomb targeting a polling station has killed dozens of people in Pakistan. Most were casting their ballots in Wednesday's tightly fought general election.

Multiple media are reporting that the blast happened when a suicide bomber drove his motorcycle into a police vehicle near a voting center in Quetta.

A hospital official told the AP that at least 31 people are dead, with 35 wounded... some in critical condition.

Islamic State militants are claiming responsibility through their news outlet.

Millions of Pakistanis are voting in a tense Lower House election.
Opinion polls have the opposition party led by cricket hero Imran Khan just ahead of the ruling party of jailed ex-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. But the final outcome is still too close to call.


Key words : speculation election
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180725_12/

Speculation is growing within Japan's main governing Liberal Democratic Party that the September party presidential election will be a battle between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and former party secretary general Shigeru Ishiba.

Former foreign minister Fumio Kishida, who currently heads the LDP Policy Research Council, announced on Tuesday that he will not run in the election and instead support Abe. Kishida cited as reasons the severe damage from the recent rain disaster in western Japan, the North Korea issue and other diplomatic challenges.

LDP members are increasingly of the view that the election will be a duel between Abe, who is eager to serve a third term, and Ishiba, who is also preparing to run.

A group led by former chief cabinet secretary Hiroyuki Hosoda, which is the largest faction in the LDP, the party's second largest faction headed by Finance Minister Taro Aso and a group led by LDP Secretary General Toshihiro Nikai are expected to endorse Abe.

With the expected support of the faction led by Kishida, Abe will have an edge in the number of Diet members' votes.

The upcoming LDP presidential election will be decided by the ballots of each Diet member, which count as one vote, and the votes cast by rank-and-file party members. The party-member votes are given the same weight as Diet-member votes. Observers say the choice of party members could influence the outcome.

Abe and Ishiba are expected to travel to local regions to meet with local assembly members, conduct inspections and deliver speeches to seek the support of the party members.


Key words : Insight effectiveness latest emergency measures
#N/A


Key words : Japanese government cyber
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180725_20/

The Japanese government has settled on a 3-year strategy to counter possible cyberattacks against key parts of the nation's infrastructure ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games.

It notes that the nation has become increasingly vulnerable to such attacks as more and more devices are connected to the Internet. In some cases, foreign countries are suspected of attempting to disrupt this so-called Internet of Things, or IoT.

Critical parts of the nation's infrastructure, such as power grids, water supplies and airports, will be assessed as potential targets of cyberattacks on a 5-level scale running from zero to 4. This assessment will be made public to help potential targets prepare for such attacks.

The government is warning that the upcoming Olympics and Paralympics face a greater cyberattack threat than any previous Games. It says it is responding to this threat by creating a center to gather information and coordinate countermeasures.

It is urging the public and private sectors to share information at home and abroad to pre-empt attacks.

It is also calling for enhanced measures against attacks on new technology, such as cryptocurrencies and self-driving vehicles.


Key words : Tokyo and signed
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180725_28/

Tokyo and Los Angeles have signed an agreement to cooperate on preparations to host the Olympics and Paralympics.

Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike met Eric Garcetti, the mayor of the US West Coast city, in the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building on Wednesday.

Tokyo will host the Games in 2020, while the 2028 Olympics and Paralympics will be held in Los Angeles.

The agreement also states that officials from the 2 cities will meet regularly and join hands in their efforts aimed at social and economic development, as well as disaster management.

At a joint news conference, Koike said the 2 cities will collaborate to make their Olympics and Paralympics successful. She added that they will cooperate to leave valuable legacies.

Garcetti stressed that Tokyo's Olympic organizing efforts are setting an example for his city.


Key words : ninja
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180725_22/

The hometown of feudal era ninja in central Japan says it is not recruiting new ninja performers, as was implied by a foreign program posted on the Internet.

The city office of Iga, in Mie Prefecture, says it and the tourist association have received 115 inquiries from people in 14 countries, including the United States and Spain, about job openings for ninja performers.

City officials say the emails started coming in after a US radio station broadcast a report last week saying Iga is facing a shortage of ninja performers. The report said such employees can earn up to 85,000 dollars a year.

The officials say Mayor Sakae Okamoto explained the city's ninja-focused tourism promotion projects during an interview with US media on July 5th.

In a notice posted on its website in 5 languages, including English, Spanish and Chinese, the city says it never gave out any information about a "lack of ninja" or their "yearly income," as reported on Internet news sites.

The city is warning people to "be careful of fake news."

Mayor Okamoto said he was surprised that the mere mention of ninja could have such a strong impact on people.


2018年7月24日火曜日

at 20:00 (JST), July 24 AS

sample

Tokyo is marking exactly 2 years before the opening of the 2020 Olympics.


Japanese officials are warning people to take precautions against heatstroke, as the country continues to experience a heat wave.


A US research group says North Korea appears to have begun dismantling its missile testing facilities.


https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20180724200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : Tokyo marking
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180724_11/

Tokyo is marking exactly 2 years before the opening of the 2020 Olympics. Organizers face a host of tasks, including measures to deal with heat and humidity.

The 2020 Tokyo Games are set to officially open on July 24th and end on August 9th. A record 339 events in 33 sports are planned during the 17 days.

A rough schedule of the events was decided this month. The organizing committee will now begin concrete preparations with the governments of Japan and Tokyo.

Officials will study ways to tackle traffic congestion so that athletes and spectators can be transported smoothly. They'll also discuss security, including measures against terrorism.

Beating the heat will be essential for a successful Olympics, along with recruiting and training volunteers.
Organizers hope to enlist more than 110,000 people.

In September, the first test event at an Olympic venue is due to take place in Enoshima. An international sailing competition will be staged at the small island near Tokyo.

As host nation, Japan is also aiming for a record medal haul.

The Japanese Olympic Committee has set a target of finishing 3rd in the gold medal rankings, by winning 30 events. Japan won 12 gold medals in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Japanese athletes have done well in judo, women's wrestling, gymnastics and swimming. Hopes for medals are also high in table-tennis and badminton.


Key words : project mosques
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180724_16/

A project to develop "Mobile Mosques" is underway in Japan, as the country prepares to welcome visitors to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.

The games' organizers say Muslim prayer rooms will be available at the athletes' village but not at stadiums or other competition venues.

The Mobile Mosques are expected to help address the concerns of Muslim visitors, who must pray 5 times a day, facing Mecca.

A group of firms working on the project unveiled a model on Monday in the city of Toyota, Aichi Prefecture.

The group renovated a truck by expanding the container on both sides.

The air-conditioned prayer room can fit 50 worshippers. Developers also plan to install a compass that points to Mecca.

The truck costs about 100-million yen, or about 900,000 dollars, but the group is aiming to lower the price.

Project chief Yasuharu Inoue says he hopes to provide a place where both athletes and spectators can pray.

The vehicular mosque was developed jointly with an automaker in Yanai, in the western prefecture of Yamaguchi.

The firm sought the advice of foreign Muslim students at Yamaguchi University who tested the truck.

The company's president Tetsuro Akimoto says he hopes the vehicle will be stationed at Olympic and Paralympic venues as a show of "omotenashi," a Japanese word for hospitality.


Key words : Insight climatic conditions previously hosted olympics
#N/A


Key words : Japanese warning people
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180724_24/

Japanese weather officials are warning people to take strict precautions against heatstroke, as the country remains in the grip of a deadly heat wave.

The Meteorological Agency says that by 3:30 PM on Tuesday, temperatures had topped 39 degrees Celsius in the central Japanese cities of Mino, Tajimi and Toyota. Highs in Tokyo were over 35 degrees.

Many people have been taken to hospitals for heatstroke. Some of the cases were fatal.

Weather officials are advising people to avoid playing sports outdoors, use air conditioning, and stay hydrated.

They are urging residents of areas affected by recent record rainfall to be extra careful. They say people in such areas are at a higher risk of heatstroke due to fatigue and disruption in their living conditions.


Key words : Japan only country sweltering
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180723_34/

Japan isn't the only country enduring sweltering temperatures. South Korea has had record highs, while heat waves are hitting Nordic countries and the United States, causing a drought and other consequences.

In South Korea, Monday's daytime highs climbed to 39.9 degrees Celsius in the southern province of North Gyeongsang, and 35.7 degrees in Seoul. The overnight low in the capital was 29.2 degrees, the highest for the period since record-keeping began.

South Korean media say some train tracks were heated to more than 60 degrees and that speeds were restricted to below 70 kilometers an hour for safety.

Sweden has had temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius for the past week.

The level is about 10 degrees higher than the average high temperature for July. The hot weather has caused a serious drought.

It also caused forest fires. The Swedish government has asked firefighters from France, Germany, and other countries to help put out the fires.

Damagingly hot days have continued in the western and southern parts of the United States. The mercury hit 52 degrees Celsius in Death Valley, California, on July 8th.

Some municipalities in the US have made shelters available for people who don't have air-conditioners, as there have been cases of people dying of heatstroke.


Key words : US research group
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180724_08/

A US research group says North Korea appears to have begun dismantling its missile testing facilities, in an apparent move to fulfill a promise made at last month's US-North Korea summit.

On Monday, 38 North released its analysis of the latest satellite images of the Sohae Satellite Launching Station in Tongchang-ri, in North Korea's northwest.

The report says that the imagery from July 20th shows a number of vehicles, including a construction crane, around a large square structure used to assemble what are believed to be ballistic missiles.

An image from 2 days later shows a section of the structure dismantled and its parts lying on the ground.

At another facility used for ballistic missile engine tests, the images show a large portion of a vertical test stand dismantled with only the base left behind.

US President Donald Trump said North Korean leader Kim Jong Un promised that he would dismantle major missile testing facilities, when the 2 met in Singapore on June 12th.

The images are the first observed apparent action by the North to dismantle such installations.

A 38 North researcher says the efforts represent a significant confidence building measure on North Korea's part, since the facilities are believed to have played an important role in the North's ICBM program.

The Sohae station has been used for engine testing and launching what appeared to be long-range ballistic missiles.

Engines for an ICBM and a long-range ballistic missile were tested at the site in April and September, 2016.

In March, 2017, Kim Jong Un visited the site to observe the testing of a powerful new engine.

North Korea began test-firing a series of long-range ballistic missiles from the site in 2012, though the country claimed they were satellite launch vehicles.


Key words : philippine
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180724_01/

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has said he will sign a law to grant greater autonomy to Muslim-populated areas in the country's south.

Duterte made the remarks during his state of the nation address at the Philippine House of Representatives in Manila on Monday.

He said he would sign and ratify it within 48 hours.

The law is aimed at establishing an autonomous region for Muslims on Mindanao Island.

Muslim militant groups in Mindanao have clashed with government forces since the 1970s in pursuit of independence.

A peace accord struck in 2014 between the country's largest Muslim rebel group and the government called for the establishment of an autonomous political entity.

If ratified, the law will likely bring Mindanao a step closer to peace.


Key words : Abe putting
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180724_22/

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is putting in motion a plan to allow more foreign workers into Japan from next April.

Relevant ministers held their first meeting on Tuesday, following the inclusion of an action plan in the government's basic economic and fiscal policy to create a new residency status for foreign workers.

At the meeting, Abe instructed the Justice Ministry to take the lead in drawing up comprehensive measures.

These include revising immigration law to establish a new residency status and other steps to make it easier for foreigners to live in Japan.

Abe said he wants to lay the groundwork for accepting more foreign workers from next April. He asked the ministers to act quickly on preparations, such as by submitting bills and selecting foreigner-friendly industries.

Earlier in the day, Cabinet members decided to give the Justice Ministry authority to coordinate with other government offices and agencies to create a climate for accepting foreign workers.

Abe instructed the ministers to consider establishing a new administrative system for foreigners in Japan.

The measures are expected to include enhancing Japanese-language education and offering counseling services in foreign languages.

Citing labor shortages, the government is planning to add the restaurant and manufacturing industries to the list of fields to open to foreign workers.

5 industries -- construction, shipbuilding, lodging, agriculture and nursing care -- are currently under consideration.


2018年7月23日月曜日

at 20:00 (JST), July 23 AS

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A city north of Tokyo has experienced the highest temperature ever recorded in Japan as extreme heat continus to plague wide areas of the country.


People in western Japan are trying to rebuild their lives after the record rainfall earlier this month.


North Korea has called on Seoul to urge the United States to come to the negotiating table to officially end the Korean War.


https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20180723200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : north of tokyo experienced extreme heat
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180723_31/

The highest-ever temperature in Japan has been recorded in Kumagaya City, Saitama Prefecture, amid an extreme heat wave that continues to plague wide areas of the country.

The mercury rose to 41.1 degrees Celsius on Monday afternoon in the city, located north of Tokyo.

Elsewhere, the temperature rose to 40.8 degrees in Tokyo's Ome City and 40.7 degrees in Tajimi City, Gifu Prefecture.

This is the first time the temperature has hit the 40-degree mark at an observation point in Tokyo since recordkeeping began.

Meteorological Agency official Motoaki Takekawa told reporters on Monday that the heat wave is likely to linger until early August due to two high pressure systems.
He said daytime highs may stay above 35 degrees in some areas.

Takekawa warned that few people have experienced temperatures of around 40 degrees, and that the heat is potentially life-threatening. He said the agency sees the heat wave as a natural disaster.

Takekawa called on people to stay hydrated and consume salt to prevent heatstroke.

He said the people affected by the recent record rainfall in some parts of western Japan are particularly vulnerable because of their physical conditions.


Key words : western Japan trying to rebuild
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180723_17/

People in western Japan are trying to rebuild their lives after the record rainfall earlier this month.

Flooding and landslides cut off transportation networks, keeping many students from attending schools.

A senior high school in Kure City, Hiroshima Prefecture, is dispatching teachers to neighboring municipalities to give special classes to students during the summer vacation.

On Monday, 19 students preparing for next year's college entrance exams attended a class at a school in Higashi-Hiroshima City.

They had to take their desks and chairs into a corridor to continue their studies when the air conditioner stopped working.

One student said she enjoyed studying with her friends. A friend's family had given her a lift to the school in their car.

In Ehime Prefecture, 6 municipalities began accepting applications for free housing on Monday.

People who have lost their homes visited a branch office in Uwajima City to get documents and find out more about the program.

A 68-year-old man says he is shocked to have lost 4 relatives and his home in the disaster. He says he wants to use the program to quickly find a place to live.

The extent of the damage remains unclear. In Kure, fields of Japanese leeks were washed away and greenhouses were damaged.

Officials say the agricultural damage in Hiroshima Prefecture has topped 100 million dollars, and the figure is expected to increase.

Restoring rail transportation is expected to take months.
Services are suspended on the Yodo Line connecting Kochi and Ehime prefectures. Officials say reopening the line will take at least 2 more months.

Buses started running along the route last Friday to carry commuters and tourists. A high school student says he hopes train services will resume before the end of the summer holidays.


Key words : crowds of volunteers
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180721_15/

Crowds of volunteers are braving sweltering temperatures to help with clean-up work in areas hit by record rain in western Japan.

Many people arrived in Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture, on Saturday to assist with the recovery effort over the weekend.

Staff at the city's social welfare unit advised people to work in 20-minute shifts with 10-minute breaks in between, and to bring more than 2 liters of water to prevent heatstroke.

Many registered volunteers headed to the Mabi area of the city to remove piles of dirt and broken doors. About 30 percent of the area was inundated by floodwater.

One volunteer said he'd take extra care not to get sick from the heat because that would only cause trouble for other people.

The torrential rain that pounded western Japan earlier in July caused catastrophic landslides and flooding, and left 218 people dead. More than 4,500 evacuees are still taking shelter.

Much of Japan has since been in the grip of a heatwave. Dozens of people have died from heatstroke and thousands have been hospitalized.


Key words : Insight how forign residents cope with the ordeal
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Key words : north called on Korean war
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180723_22/

North Korea has called on Seoul to urge the United States to come to the negotiating table to officially end the Korean War.

The rift between the US and North Korea remains wide. The United States is demanding that the North first take concrete steps toward the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, while Pyongyang claims the need for measures to mutually build confidence must first be in place.

In its Monday edition, North Korea's state website carried a commentary criticizing Washington for its unwillingness to talk about a declaration to end the Korean War. It added that it is regrettable that the US has suddenly changed its stance.

The commentary calls on South Korea to do its part in working towards such a declaration, saying an agreement to this end was reached in the inter-Korean summit in April.

Observers say the North apparently wants to gain the South's support in the negotiations with the US, as the 65th anniversary of the armistice agreement on Friday approaches.


Key words : Mike attacked
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180723_21/

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has verbally attacked Iran's leadership by saying the country is "run by something that resembles the mafia more than a government."

Pompeo was speaking to Iranian exiles on Sunday in California. He accused Iran's leaders of human rights abuses and corruption, and said its high-ranking religious leaders seem more concerned with money.

He touched on the widespread anti-government protests that took place in Iran between December last year and January this year, and said the US will support the long-silenced voice of the Iranian people.

He also announced that the US will launch Persian-language broadcasts and social media services to reach out to Iranian citizens.

After Pompeo's speech, US President Donald Trump posted a message on Twitter addressed to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.

Trump wrote "Never, ever threaten the United States again or you will suffer consequences the likes of which few throughout history have ever suffered before. We are no longer a country that will stand for your demented words of violence & death. Be cautious!"

The Trump administration plans to reintroduce sanctions against Iran next month.


Key words : bank of Japan move
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180723_23/

The Bank of Japan has made a move to curb the recent rise in long-term interest rates.

BOJ officials said on Monday that they are offering to buy an unlimited amount of Japanese government bonds at a fixed rate.

On Monday morning, the yield on the benchmark 10-year government bond briefly hit 0.090 percent on speculation the central bank may review its bond-buying program at next week's meeting. The BOJ's target for the yield is around zero percent.

After the officials made the suggestion, the yield fell to 0.065 percent.

The unlimited buying operation is the first since February. Analysts say it shows the central bank is determined to continue with its massive easing policy.


Key words : Fukushima invited
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Key words : Thai authorities
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