at 20:00 (JST), November 12 AS

エラー 2042

エラー 2042

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says his government will take steps to ensure the upcoming consumption tax hike won't crimp the economic recovery.

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20181112200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : delegates from kicked off
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Key words : China eager
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20181112_03/

China's government is eager to spearhead the RCEP debate in support of free trade. Behind their actions is the Trump administration's relentless imposition of tariffs on Chinese goods.

But Beijing is facing difficult negotiations on the issue of violating intellectual property rights.

Countries such as Japan and Australia want China to implement rules that will prohibit illegally copied products from being shipped abroad.

A major focus of the RCEP negotiations is whether China will compromise on this issue.

Meanwhile, India is reluctant to abolish or lower tariffs.
India is dealing with a 40 percent trade deficit with China.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is apparently worried that the RCEP deal could lead to the further ballooning of that imbalance.

Modi is also concerned about the agricultural sector and the negative impact of opening that market, where about 60 percent of the country's population is employed.

Key words : Pence arrived
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Key words : Abe take steps
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20181112_25/

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says his government will take steps to ensure the coming consumption tax increase won't crimp the economic recovery.

At a meeting of the Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy attended by Abe on Monday, members discussed how to prop up the economy after the consumption tax rises from 8 percent currently to 10 percent in October next year.

Members from the private sector said that when the tax rose to 8 percent from 5 percent in 2014, it took a long time for personal spending to recover.

The members called for long-term measures to stimulate demand, as well as more immediate steps around the time of the tax hike.

They urged the government to allocate sufficient funds for such measures, and to keep raising the minimum wage, arguing that the higher tax means the actual incomes of working people will fall.

Abe said Japan's economic fundamentals are solid thanks to a steady recovery in the job market and incomes, but the government needs to watch the global economic trend and other factors.

Key words : Abe stressed
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20181112_27/

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has stressed that he wants to see a bill to allow more foreign workers into the country passed during the current Diet session.

Abe told a meeting of government and ruling coalition officials that he will carefully explain the need to revise the Immigration Control Law at the Diet.

Deliberations on the bill will start in the Lower House on Tuesday. Abe plans to take part in the plenary session.

He said the bill will immediately address Japan's chronic labor shortage, and that he aims to pass it while making its details understandable to the public.

Natsuo Yamaguchi, the leader of the junior coalition partner Komeito, called on the government and ruling parties to unite so the bill can become law within the current extraordinary session.

Yamaguchi asked the government to hold sincere debate so various concerns can be dispelled.

Japan currently accepts highly skilled professionals from abroad, such as university professors. The proposed revision would allow more foreigners to do blue-collar jobs.

Key words : Japanese firm
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20181112_24/

A Japanese firm ordered to pay compensation to 4 South Korean men for wartime labor is refusing to meet with the plaintiffs' lawyers.

On Monday, the lawyers visited Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal's head office in Tokyo. The lawyers said they planned to urge the firm to abide by the ruling, adding security told them the firm cannot meet them.

Lim Jae-Seong, plaintiffs' lawyer said, "The 4 plaintiffs suffered due to the labor and made huge sacrifices. The company should meet us to receive our request. Is that so difficult?"

Last month, South Korea's Supreme Court ordered the company to pay 88,000 dollars each to the 4 men. The plaintiffs said they were forced to work at steel mills in Japan during World War Two.

The lawyers said the refusal convinced them that the firm has no intention to talk, and that they have no choice but to start procedures to seize the company's assets in South Korea.

The lawyers also said they will send a written request for compensation and an apology to the victims.

The steelmaker has so far indicated that its response will be dictated by bilateral talks between Japan and South Korea.

Since the ruling the Japanese government has been in contact with the steelmaker and other Japanese firms that face similar lawsuits.

Yoshihide Suga, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary, said, "We demand the South Korean government immediately corrects the situation, which violates international law. We will watch for how South Korea responds."

The Japanese government maintains the issue of the right to compensation claims was settled when bilateral relations were normalized in 1965.

It says instead Seoul accepted economic assistance worth 500 million dollars.

Key words : Okinawa delivered
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20181112_20/

The governor of Japan's Okinawa Prefecture delivered a speech in New York on Sunday, calling for support to block the relocation of a US military base within the prefecture.

About 140 people, including those who hail from Okinawa, attended Denny Tamaki's speech at New York University.

The governor is visiting the United States to meet government officials and to express his opposition to the relocation plan.

The Japanese government plans to shift the US Marine Corps' airbase from Ginowan City to the less-populated coastal district of Henoko in Nago City.

Tamaki said Okinawa accounts for only 0.6 percent of Japan's territory, but some 70 percent of US forces in the country are concentrated there. He said people in Okinawa oppose bases.

Tamaki said Okinawa faces pressure from the Japanese government over the issue. But he stressed the importance of dialogue and asked the audience to urge the US government to hold talks with the prefecture.

One woman whose mother is from Okinawa said she was excited by the governor's speech. She said she is proud that the prefecture keeps voicing opposition to the base relocation plan.

Key words : Pompeo telephone
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20181112_29/

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has held telephone talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman about the killing of a Saudi journalist.

The US State Department said on Sunday that Pompeo stressed in the phone call that the United States will hold all of those involved in the killing of Jamal Khashoggi accountable, and that Saudi Arabia must do the same.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan revealed on Saturday that audio recordings related to the killing had been shared with Saudi Arabia, the US and some others.

US President Donald Trump reportedly discussed the handling of the incident with Erdogan during a Saturday dinner in Paris, where world leaders gathered to mark the centenary of the end of World War One.

The Trump administration seems to be hoping to demonstrate its stance on seeking the truth, in response to criticism from Congress. There has been speculation about the Saudi Crown Prince's possible involvement in the case.

Key words : former US
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20181112_18/

Former US first lady Michelle Obama says she will never forgive President Donald Trump for questioning the birthplace of her husband, former president Barack Obama.

US media say the former first lady made the criticism in her memoir that will hit stores this week.

Trump once falsely claimed that Barack Obama was born in Kenya. Trump withdrew the claim right before the 2016 presidential election.

The reports quote the former first lady as saying in her book that the claim was "crazy and mean-spirited."

They say she writes, "What if someone with an unstable mind loaded a gun and drove to Washington? What if that person went looking for our girls?"

She reportedly writes, "Donald Trump, with his loud and reckless innuendos, was putting my family's safety at risk. And for this I'd never forgive him."

She also describes how her body "buzzed with fury"
over remarks by Trump that appeared to insult women.

Trump told reporters on Friday, "She got paid a lot of money to write a book."

He didn't directly respond to the former first lady, but instead criticized her husband Barack Obama, saying, "I'll never forgive him for what he did to our United States military by not funding it properly."

Key words : myanmar has started
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20181112_28/

Myanmar has started work to upgrade a key railway line with technical support and funding from Japan. The railroad connects the largest city of Yangon in the south with the central city of Mandalay.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held near Yangon on Sunday. The five-year project will repair and replace track to improve safety and increase train speed.

Japan is backing the project to help improve the country's infrastructure and promote economic growth.

The Japan International Cooperation Agency, or JICA, is providing specialists for the rail upgrade.

Chief Representative for JICA Myanmar Office, Masayuki Karasawa said, "We want to improve three things crucial for train operations. That is safety, punctuality and faster trains."

Japan's government has provided Myanmar with loans of about 900 million dollars to help modernize the railway line.