Tokyo prosecutors have indicted former Nissan Motor chairman Carlos Ghosn for understating his past compensation by tens of millions of dollars.
Japan's government has decided to revise its procedures for purchasing telecommunications equipment, a move that would effectively exclude Chinese telecom giants.
A UN-backed conference on migration opens in Morocco on Monday to adopt a global pact designed to better handle the issue of migration.
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20181210200000_english_1.mp3
Key words : Tokyo prosecutor indicted former
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20181210_28/
Tokyo prosecutors have indicted former Nissan Motor chairman Carlos Ghosn for understating his past compensation by tens of millions of dollars. They have also served an additional arrest warrant on him over similar allegations relating to his pay in the last 3 years.
Ghosn has been in custody since November 19th. Prosecutors believe that Ghosn understated his executive compensation in Nissan's securities reports by about 5 billion yen, or 44 million dollars, over a 5-year period up to fiscal 2014.
Former Nissan representative director Greg Kelly was also indicted for conspiring with Ghosn and has been served an additional arrest warrant as well, over the latest findings.
The prosecutors also indicted Nissan Motor itself on the same day as a corporate involved in the case.
They believe Ghosn had already made arrangements so that after he retired, he could receive the difference between the amounts that were documented and those that had actually been paid out.
Sources close to the matter say some of them were signed by Ghosn.
They suspect he tried to avoid possible criticism of the large sum of compensation paid to him.
Meanwhile, Japan's Securities and Exchange Surveillance Commission filed a criminal complaint against Ghosn, Kelly and Nissan Motor as a corporate for understating Ghosn's compensation.
Sources say the pair denies any wrongdoing. They say post-retirement payouts had not been formally decided.
Key words : Nissan issued
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20181210_33/
Nissan Motor has issued an apology following the company's indictment by Tokyo prosecutors on Monday.
Tokyo prosecutors indicted Nissan's former chairman Carlos Ghosn, former Nissan representative director Greg Kelly for understating Ghosn's executive compensation in Nissan's securities reports.
Prosecutors also indicted Nissan Motor itself as a corporate entity involved in the case.
The statement reads Nissan takes this situation extremely seriously. It says making false disclosures on annual securities reports greatly harms the integrity of Nissan's public disclosures in the securities markets, and the company expresses its deepest regret.
The statement adds Nissan would work to improve its corporate governance and compliance, including making accurate disclosures of corporate information.
Key words : media critical arrest
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20181210_02/
Some media reports outside Japan have criticized the arrest of former Nissan Motor chairman Carlos Ghosn for underreporting the amount of his executive compensation.
A Wall Street Journal editorial last month characterized his arrest and investigation as a "bizarre inquisition" that raises concerns about due process.
The editorial says he has been detained without being charged since being arrested at a Tokyo airport. It says such treatment is inappropriate for an executive of an international corporation with no criminal record.
Law Professor Wang Yunhai of Hitotsubashi University in Tokyo says behind the criticism from foreign media is a basic difference in the way of thinking concerning financial irregularities between Japan and Western countries.
He says US prosecutors consider the recovery of order in the market as the ultimate goal of their investigation into financial cases.
He says as long as punishments such as fining and charging penalty payments prove to be effective, US prosecutors seldom go all the way to arrest those who committed irregularities.
Professor Wang says foreign media are raising concern over the way Tokyo prosecutors arrested Ghosn as soon as he disembarked his plane, without asking him first to voluntarily sit for questioning.
The professor says foreign media took such a method of investigation practiced in Japan as an unfair surprise attack. He argues that Japanese prosecutors on the other hand focus more on fulfilling their responsibility as judicial authority to fight against injustice and preserve justice, rather than recovering order in the financial market.
He says Tokyo prosecutors decided to arrest Ghosn because they found it unjustifiable that he secretly pocketed tens of millions of dollars in executive compensation while laying off many Nissan workers.
Wang says many foreign media reports are critical of Ghosn's arrest partly because Tokyo prosecutors have still not yet revealed any details of the charges made against him.
The professor adds Japanese prosecutors should be more aware of the difference in the method of law enforcement activities between Japan and Western countries and fulfill their accountability accordingly.
Key words : government decided telecommunication
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20181210_24/
Japan's government has decided to revise its procedures for purchasing telecommunications equipment, a move that would effectively exclude Chinese telecom giants.
Officials in charge of cybersecurity in each ministry and agency made the decision at a meeting on Monday to prevent data leaks in cyberattacks.
The government has until now bought telecom equipment based solely on price. But from the fiscal year starting next April, officials are to take into account national security risks, such as whether products are programmed with malicious functions in the development and production process.
Officials plan to see whether equipment already purchased until this fiscal year has such functions.
The government says the revision does not ban specific companies. But sources say it will effectively exclude Chinese makers such as Huawei and ZTE.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters that it is crucial to block equipment that could help hackers steal and destroy data or cripple information systems.
Suga said the measure is not intended to exclude specific firms or equipment.
He added that China contacted Japan through diplomatic channels after the change was reported. He said the government explained the importance of cybersecurity to the Chinese side and told them that measures will be taken in line with international rules.
Key words : US government congress
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20181210_07/
The US government and Congress are taking a hard line with China after the arrest of a top executive of China's telecom giant Huawei.
Canadian authorities arrested Huawei's Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou at an airport in Vancouver on December 1st at the request of the United States. She is the daughter of Huawei's founder.
Canadian prosecutors say Meng is suspected of fraud in connection with violating US sanctions against Iran.
White House economic advisor Larry Kudlow affirmed in a Fox News program on Sunday that there is evidence that shows Huawei violated the sanctions.
In the Congress, both Republicans and Democrats are demanding the government take a tough stance against China.
Republican senator Marco Rubio warned on CBS Television that Huawei is threatening US national security. He insisted that the US should ban the Chinese firm from making deals with US firms and doing business in the US.
Also on CBS, US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer noted that the US and China will negotiate issues including infringement of intellectual property by China.
He stressed that Washington wants to get a trade deal in the next 90 days that is verifiable.
Key words : UN conference opens in
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20181210_16/
A UN-backed conference on migration opens in Marrakesh, Morocco on Monday to adopt a global pact designed to better handle the issue of migration.
A draft of the pact, called the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, was finalized in July.
It stipulates a framework for cooperation and covers 23 objectives to better manage migration at local, national, regional and global levels. It also calls for respecting, protecting and fulfilling the human rights of migrants and providing them with care and assistance.
The objectives include the strengthening of cooperation and global partnership for safe, orderly and regular migration.
Other objectives are to provide migrants with access to basic services and prevent, combat and eradicate trafficking in persons in the context of international migration.
However, the global compact is not legally binding and calls on sovereign nations to decide their own migration policies. This is in response to some countries' concerns that such a pact could limit national sovereignty.
Japan plans to approve the draft. The United States withdrew from it. Hungary and Poland and other countries with tough migration policies are reluctant to support the pact.
Key words : government draft
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20181210_21/
Japan's government has drawn up a draft plan to quickly strengthen the country's infrastructure against natural disasters.
The 3-year plan covers 160 projects, which are expected to cost about 53 billion dollars.
It comes after a series of natural disasters hit the country. They include severe rainstorms in western Japan in July and a powerful earthquake in the northern prefecture of Hokkaido in September.
The plan calls for work to prevent banks along about 120 rivers from collapsing. It also calls for measures to protect power sources and terminal buildings at 16 key airports from flooding and quakes.
The government also plans to make it easier for utilities to supply power to each other to prevent massive blackouts just like the one triggered by the quake in Hokkaido.
Power generators and other off-grid power sources, which can produce a total of about 550,000 kilowatts, will be installed at plants and offices.
The plan also calls for emergency power sources at medical institutions. Renovating or removing dangerous concrete-block walls is one of other measures being planned.
The government plans to approve the plan at a Cabinet meeting by the end of this week. But some members of the governing parties are saying the measures outlined in the plan are still not enough.
Key words : group of Japanese
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20181210_29/
A group of Japanese citizens has filed a lawsuit to ask the government to stop spending public funds on ceremonies related to the Imperial succession next year.
About 240 plaintiffs filed the suit at the Tokyo District Court on Monday in connection with ceremonies to be held when Emperor Akihito abdicates and Crown Prince Naruhito succeeds him.
The plaintiffs argue that the ceremonies are Shinto rituals and spending public money on them violates the Constitution, which calls for the separation of religion and state.
In one of the ceremonies called Daijosai, the new Emperor offers newly harvested rice to all Shinto deities and eats some himself to pray for peace and a good harvest. The ritual is scheduled for November next year.
The government will finance the ritual with funds earmarked for the Imperial family's official activities.
But the Emperor's younger son, Prince Akishino, said last month that the cost should be covered by the budget for the family's private expenses in light of the ritual's religious nature.
The plaintiffs say they are against holding the ceremonies, regardless of how they will be financed.
One of the plaintiffs, Michio Sano, says spending public funds for succession ceremonies became a big issue when the Emperor ascended to the throne 30 years ago.
Sano criticizes the government for just following a precedent without holding any discussions on the matter.
Key words : new survey
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20181210_17/
A new survey says Japan's consumption tax hike next year may impact dining habits. It predicts more people are likely to change from eating out, to take out.
The government plans to raise the rate from 8 percent to 10 percent in October. But the tax on food and non-alcoholic beverages bought to-go will remain unchanged.
A survey by Recruit Lifestyle found that 67 percent of respondents will take the tax difference into consideration. The survey covered more than 9,500 people.
Nearly 80 percent of women in their 20s and 30s said they cared about the gap. That's more than 10 points higher than men. But this could change after the tax is implemented.
Senior researcher at Recruit Lifestyle, Masahiro Inagaki, said, "We expect consumers to become more careful about choosing to eat-in once the tax hike takes effect."
The expert says they see a trend toward more take-out and delivery orders.
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