at 20:00 (JST), January 31 AS

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will meet somewhere in Asia by the end of February.

The Japanese government's practice of releasing faulty labor data may have begun as a result of amending another failing.

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https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20190131200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : mike
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190131_27/

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will meet somewhere in Asia by the end of February.

Pompeo said in a Fox News interview on Wednesday that he has already sent a team to an undisclosed location for preparations.

Vietnam has been seen as one of the possible venues for their second summit, but Pompeo did not name a specific country.

He said the team will lay the foundations of what he hopes will be a substantial, additional step towards the path for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, and a brighter future for the North Koreans.

The two leaders first met for their historic summit in Singapore last June.

US media are also reporting that the US special representative for North Korea, Stephen Biegun, will visit Panmunjom, the truce village in the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea, next week.

Biegun is expected to discuss arrangements for the Trump-Kim meeting with North Korean officials.

Key words : US lawmaker
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190131_10/

A bipartisan group of US lawmakers has submitted a bill aimed at blocking the withdrawal of US troops from South Korea.

Since taking office, US President Donald Trump has hinted at pulling US forces out of South Korea, citing the high cost.

Eight members of the House of Representatives submitted a bill on Wednesday to restrict the use of Department of Defense funds for such a move.

The bill describes the US alliances with South Korea and Japan as the foundation of stability in the Indo-Pacific region, and warns that the withdrawal of US troops from South Korea could tip the military balance in the region.

The lawmakers want to prevent Trump from using the pullout or downsizing of US troops in South Korea as bargaining chips in denuclearization talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in February.

Democratic Representative Tom Malinowski called it reckless to abandon the US soldiers in South Korea who have prevented war for more than 60 years.

He stressed the importance of confirming before the planned US-North Korea summit that the US will maintain a military presence in South Korea.

Key words : China and talks in washington
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190131_04/

Ministers from China and the United States began talks in Washington on Wednesday in a bid to end the trade spat between the two countries.

One focus of the talks is how willing China is to make concessions on intellectual property rights and other issues that concern the US.

At the beginning of the two days of talks, US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer welcomed the Chinese delegates to Washington. He leads the US delegation.

Chinese Vice Premier Liu He responded that he is hopeful great discussions will take place.

The US and China have been engaging in trade talks since their leaders agreed at a summit last month that the US would suspend higher tariffs on Chinese products through March 1st.

The US has been insisting on measures to stop China's violations of intellectual property rights and cyber-attacks. It also accuses China of forcing foreign firms operating in the country to transfer their technology.

The Chinese side is expected to call for understanding of the government's preparation of new legislation to ban forced technology transfers.

But the US is demanding more than a verbal promise by calling for the creation of a framework that will ensure implementation of the ban.

The Chinese economy is losing steam as a result of the ongoing trade dispute. It is also having a major effect on the performance of US corporations, and becoming a major risk factor for the global economy.

Key words : Japanese government mending
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190131_07/

The Japanese government's practice of releasing faulty labor data may have begun as a result of amending another failing.

The labor ministry has come under fire for its improper method for surveying wages and working hours. Officials have been found to have surveyed only one-third of the required companies with 500 or more employees.

The faulty sampling has led to underpayment of unemployment benefits and workers' accident compensation.

The ministry on Wednesday briefed the Internal Affairs Ministry's Statistics Commission on how the faulty practice came to be.

Until 2003, ministry officials had been collecting an insufficient amount of data as part of the survey on mid-sized companies. More information on those firms began being gathered from 2004.

And in the same year, officials may have opted to reduce the number of large companies surveyed to reduce their burden, resulting in the skewed data collection.

The ministry says there is no need to revise the results of the survey on mid-sized companies as that data has been statistically analyzed.

Key words : governing
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190131_22/

Japan's governing party lawmakers have criticized labor ministry officials for their poor grasp of the facts surrounding a fresh discovery of faulty statistics.

The labor ministry admitted earlier this week that improper methods were used for its wage structure survey. Questionnaires were sent to businesses by post, although officials were supposed to hand-deliver them.

The labor ministry is already under fire over mistakes in a separate set of statistics that came to light last month. The faulty data led to the underpayment of unemployment and insurance benefits.

Labor ministry officials told a meeting of Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers on Thursday that an in-house probe is underway, but they still can't explain why improper methods were used.

Lawmakers criticized the ministry for a lack of governance, saying officials don't even know when they started sending the questionnaires by mail.

Some lawmakers said the in-house probe is inadequate and outside experts should look at the problem instead.

The head of the ruling party's panel on labor issues, Shinjiro Koizumi, said it's incomprehensible that the in-house team has failed to clarify the basic facts. He said he's very worried by the dysfunctional state of the labor ministry.

Key words : executives Nissan Masuko
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Key words : new report
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190131_31/

A new report shows US and Japanese firms are leading the way with applications to patent innovations in artificial intelligence. But rivals from China have the edge in the more advanced AI field of "deep learning", where machines teach themselves and "think" on their own.

The report by the World Intellectual Property Organization covers 340 thousand AI-related patent applications. It spans a period from the 1950s to 2016.

The report says America's IBM filed the largest number of patents, followed by Microsoft. Japan's Toshiba came in third. 12 companies among the top 20 are from Japan.

But for "deep learning" technology, the Chinese Academy of Sciences topped the list. In second place was IT firm Baidu also from China.

Key words : Tokyo metropolitan
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190131_32/

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government says it will replace faulty anti-quake devices found at a facility housing a swimming pool to be used in the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics.

The 16 faulty shock absorbing dampers have been found at the Olympic Aquatics Center under construction. Officials say the work to replace the faulty devices will not affect its scheduled completion in February 2020.

The devices were manufactured by the hydraulic equipment manufacturer KYB. The firm admitted last October that it might have falsified test data on seismic dampers that had been installed at dozens of public buildings. The Olympic Aquatics Center was one of them.
Inspections conducted by the Tokyo Government since then have confirmed that 16 of the dampers installed at the swimming facility are faulty and need to be replaced.

The Olympic Aquatics Center has 16 other dampers installed, also made by KYB, but of a type that works by dissipating, not absorbing, seismic energy.

Tokyo government officials suspect that these 16 might also be faulty, but say they cannot be sure until they take them out for a detailed inspection. If found substandard, those 16 dampers will undergo adjustment.

The officials say that they have found no problems with four other KYB-made shock absorbing dampers installed at another Olympic facility--- Ariake Arena.

Key words : falling smartphone
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190131_16/

China's falling smartphone sales are hitting Japanese firms that make parts for the devices, including Sharp and TDK. Both firms downgraded their earnings estimates on Wednesday.

Executives at Sharp slashed their sales forecast for the year through March. They say demand for electronic components has slowed because fewer Chinese consumers are choosing iPhones.

Sharp previously downgraded its sales estimate for the fiscal year in October. This time, executives cut the forecast by a further 1.7 billion dollars, lowering it to 23 billion dollars.

They also downgraded their estimate for operating profit by more than 45 million dollars to about 980 million dollars.

They say one of the main factors behind the revised figures is the trade dispute between the US and China.

Executives at TDK say orders for smartphone sensors were down from autumn.

They lowered their sales estimate for the year through March from 13 billion to 12.5 billion dollars.

They also revised downward the forecast for operating profit from 1.1 billion dollars to one billion dollars.

Key words : influenza reached
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190131_33/

Health officials in Tokyo say the number of people infected with influenza has reached a new record high.

The officials say the average number of flu patients at 415 medical institutions in the Japanese capital in the week through Sunday stood at 64.18, up more than 10 from a week earlier.

It is the highest average figure since record taking began in 1999 and above the previous record of 54.1 set in January last year.

The officials say that about 70 percent of the cases were found to be infected with the H1N1 strain, which caused a global outbreak of a new influenza a decade ago.

The metropolitan government issued a warning of influenza outbreak on January 17th.

Officials are urging people to take preventive measures such as washing hands.

Prefectures around Tokyo have also reported record numbers of flu patients.

In Saitama prefecture, north of Tokyo, the average number of patients per hospital reached 84.09 and in Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo, 73.

One hospital in Tochigi Prefecture had 67 patients on average and another in Kanagawa Prefecture 67.94.

All the figures have set new records since 20 years ago.

Key words : lawyer new york
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190131_24/

Lawyers in New York have reenacted the legal battle of a second-generation Japanese-American who challenged the constitutionality of the US internment policy during World War Two.

After Japan's attack on the US naval base at Pearl Harbor, President Franklin Roosevelt signed an executive order in 1942 that sent about 120,000 Japanese-Americans to internment camps.

The Asian-American Bar Association of New York held the event honoring Fred Korematsu on Wednesday, which would have been his 100th birthday.

Korematsu was arrested for refusing to go to an internment camp.

He argued that the order amounted to racial discrimination in violation of the Constitution, but the Supreme Court upheld his conviction in 1944. It was overturned some 40 years later.

The reenactment depicts Korematsu telling prosecutors that it's wrong to force innocent citizens into a camp just because they are Japanese-Americans.

There are growing calls for Americans to study the history of the internment at a time when President Donald Trump is promoting a tough immigration policy.

A fourth-generation Japanese-American man in the audience said he wants more people to learn about Korematsu and his fight for justice now, more than at any other time.

The bar association's executive director, Yang Chen, says similar mistakes are still being repeated in the United States. He said he hopes people will learn from Korematsu's trial to create a better situation.

at 20:00 (JST), January 30 AS

The president of Nissan Motor is set to have his first meeting with Renault's new Chairman.

Japan's opposition parties have urged that a new investigation into faulty labor ministry surveys be carried out by an independent panel with fresh members.

Leaders of the European Union and British Prime Minister Theresa May remain divided on whether they will renegotiate part of the Brexit withdrawal agreement.

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20190130200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : president of Nissan
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190130_24/

The president of Nissan Motor is set to have his first meeting with Renault's new Chairman, who took on the role after the resignation of Carlos Ghosn.

Representatives from the firms are meeting with officials from Mitsubishi Motors in the Netherlands on Thursday as part of a regular gathering of the three alliance members.

Nissan's President Hiroto Saikawa told reporters on Wednesday that he hopes to have a comprehensive discussion with Renault's chairman Jean-Dominique Senard.

In a conference call last week, the executives confirmed that they'll work together to strengthen the partnership.

Saikawa said he intends to endorse Renault's Jean-Dominique Senard as a director of Nissan at an extraordinary shareholders' meeting planned for April.

Since Ghosn's arrest, Nissan and Renault have made a public showing of agreeing on their intention to maintain the alliance.

But the sides have conflicting ideas on leadership strategy. Nissan wants more autonomy from the French automaker, while Renault wants to retain the greater share of control.

Key words : opposition fresh member
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190130_23/

Japan's opposition parties have urged that a new investigation into faulty labor ministry surveys be carried out by an independent panel with fresh members.

The Diet affairs chiefs of the six opposition parties met to discuss the matter on Wednesday.

A third-party panel comprised of outside lawyers and experts has already conducted an investigation into the scandal.

But it emerged that some interviews of ministry officials were conducted only by other officials in the ministry. As well, interviews of former senior staff were attended by the head of the labor ministry's secretariat and others in the ministry.

The opposition parties questioned the impartiality of the panel, expressing frustration that the government has yet to fully disclose all the relevant information.

Constitutional Democratic Party Diet affairs chief Kiyomi Tsujimoto harshly criticized labor minister Takumi Nemoto. She said the entire system grows rotten from the roots.

Key words : leaders of brexit
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190130_17/

Leaders of the European Union and British Prime Minister Theresa May remain divided on whether they will renegotiate part of the Brexit withdrawal agreement.

May told British lawmakers on Tuesday that she would consider renegotiating the deal with the EU, which was overwhelmingly defeated by Parliament earlier this month.

She suggested that she will present a new plan to Parliament if she cannot reach a deal with the EU by February 13th.

Parliament then backed a motion by the ruling Conservative Party urging the government to make "alternative arrangements" to the so-called Northern Irish backstop in the Brexit deal.
But European Council President Donald Tusk says the backstop is "not open for renegotiation" and French President Emmanuel Macron says the agreement negotiated between the EU and the UK is the best deal possible.

Some observers are expressing doubts as to whether Britain and the EU can conclude a deal by the March 29th Brexit deadline.

The British Chambers of Commerce commented, "Another day lost while the clock is ticking."

Key words : Japanese operation Britain
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190130_22/

Japanese companies operating in Britain are gearing up for a worst case Brexit scenario.

Japan's largest brokerage Nomura Holdings has opened a new entity in Frankfurt, Germany, in addition to its current base in London. Nomura obtained a license for the new unit from financial authorities in June 2018.

Daiwa Securities Group, Mizuho Securities, and the SMBC Group have also established new business hubs in Frankfurt, and Mitsubishi UFJ Securities Holdings in the Dutch city of Amsterdam. They have all obtained licenses to operate in the EU.

Automaker Honda, which runs a plant in Britain, says it will suspend operations for six days in April if imports of auto parts and other materials from EU countries are delayed after Britain's exit.

Toyota is also considering a temporary suspension of its factories in the UK should parts imports be delayed, and Nissan is studying measures to deal with the matter.

But economists say many other Japanese companies may not be fully prepared to handle a possible no-deal Brexit.

The Japanese government is stepping up the provision of information to businesses operating in Britain and is working with industry groups to minimize the possible negative impact.

Key words : defense China is trying
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190130_28/

Japan's National Institute for Defense Studies says China is trying to build regional support for the country along the South China Sea by dividing Southeast Asian nations.

This year's report by the institute on China's military development focuses on the impact of China's One Belt One Road economic initiative on regional security. The initiative is aimed at creating a massive economic bloc with China at its center.

The report says China has greatly contributed to infrastructure development of ASEAN member countries and that ASEAN has become part of Belt and Road, and closer to China.

It notes that China now influences policy decisions in Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar.

The report also says China has succeeded in causing a rift among ASEAN members in relation to China's construction of military bases in the South China Sea. It adds that by making its economic impact political, China is creating a regional order in its favor.

The report also refers to concerns voiced by ASEAN members about their excessive dependence on China, as well as the country's aggressive changes of the status quo backed by its military power.

It says these senses of danger are now shared across the world, and that China's strategy for regional order is not proceeding smoothly. It urges close monitoring of how China will deal with developments in the region.

Key words : experts UN security council
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190130_34/

A panel of experts with the UN Security Council says North Korea has repeatedly violated the council's sanction resolutions.

The panel compiles a report each year on how UNSC sanctions are being implemented.

This year's report says North Korea was involved in at least 148 maritime ship-to-ship transfers of oil products between January and August last year. It says the country's oil imports exceeded the resolutions-imposed annual limit of 500,000 barrels.

North Korea is banned from exporting coal and iron. But the report says the country shipped 5.58 million dollars' worth of coal and iron, disguised as Russian-produced, via ports in the Russian Far East.

The report also says Pyongyang sold fishing rights to at least 15 Chinese fishing boats to acquire foreign currencies.

The report cites apparent evidence that North Korea is continuing with its nuclear development.

It says experts have confirmed water drainage at the Nyongbyon nuclear site in the country's northwest that suggests the facilities were in operation from January to November last year.

It also says there had been digging activity at a uranium mine in Pyongsan County in the south.

Key words : president of UN general
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190130_30/

The president of the UN General Assembly has called for progress on Security Council reform in the coming months.

Intergovernmental talks on council reform began at the assembly in 2009. This year's negotiations started on Tuesday at the UN headquarters in New York.

Japan, Germany, India and Brazil, known collectively as the G4 countries, are aiming for a permanent seat on the council. Meanwhile, the African Union is seeking a permanent membership quota for African nations. Another group is seeking to restrain veto power.

General Assembly President Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces told negotiators that more than 20 years since the assembly cited the need for reform, the Security Council still mirrors how the world was in 1945.

She called for meaningful progress by the start of the assembly's session in September.

The focus of the negotiations is whether the member states can create a document sorting out their differences.

Japan's deputy permanent representative to the UN, Yasuhisa Kawamura, stressed that Japan will tackle the issue with a spirit of compromise to produce concrete results.

Key words : top executive appeared
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190130_21/

A top executive of Chinese telecom giant Huawei Technologies appeared in a Canadian court on Tuesday over conditions for her bail.

It was the first public appearance of Huawei Technologies Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou since US authorities formally requested her extradition on Monday following her indictment on fraud charges.

Canada arrested Meng on December 1st at the request of the United States. She was later released on bail of about 7.5 million dollars, and has since stayed at a family residence in Vancouver.

Meng surrendered her passports to Canadian authorities, based on bail conditions aimed at preventing her from leaving the country. She has been under surveillance around the clock.

Meng was accompanied to the court by a security guard. The court approved her request to change the person financially responsible for her bail.

Canadian media say the country's Justice Department must decide on whether to proceed with measures to hand Meng over to the US by March 1st.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters on Tuesday that his country is focused on fulfilling treaty obligations and making sure that the rule of law is applied.

Key words : Germany title
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190130_37/

Germany's Volkswagen maintains its title as world- number-one automaker by sales for the third straight year. Volkswagen enjoys a big market share in China, the world's largest car market.

Figures from Volkswagen show the group sold more than 10.8 million units in 2018. That's up nearly one percent from the year before.

Data from the alliance of Renault, Nissan Motor and Mitsubishi Motors show they sold over 10.7 million units. That's an increase of 1.4 percent. Nissan suffered a slump due to poor performance in North America, but its alliance partners have seen robust sales.

Toyota Motor whose group includes Daihatsu and Hino came in third place, selling nearly 10.6 million units. That's up 2 percent.

However, car markets around the world are losing steam. Nissan and Toyota are shifting their focus to China from the US, where markets are sluggish.

Even in China, 2018 sales marked a year-on-year fall for the first time in 28 years.

Key words : Miyako retire
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190130_27/

Japanese ballerina Miyako Yoshida will retire after a final performance in August.

Yoshida announced her decision on Facebook on Wednesday.

She says she is deeply grateful to everyone who has supported her over the years.

Yoshida was born in 1965 in Tokyo. She began ballet at the age of nine, and at 17 won the international competition Prix de Lausanne, which is considered a gateway for young dancers to start their careers.

In 1995, she joined Britain's prestigious Royal Ballet and was the company's first Japanese female principal, its highest rank.

She transferred her base of activities back to Japan, and promoted ballet and dance training for younger generations. She was named a Person of Cultural Merit in Japan in 2017.

Yoshida's agency says after her retirement, she will devote herself to training young dancers in order to increase the level of Japanese ballet.

at 20:00 (JST), January 29 AS

Japanese government's report suggests the economy has just marked its longest expansion of the post-war period growing for 6 years and 2 months.

Japan's labor ministry said on Monday that flaws have been found in statistics used to determine the minimum wage.

The Japanese government has lodged a fresh protest over South Korea's move toward dissolving a fund to support those referred to as wartime comfort women.

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20190129200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : Japanese government monthly increasing
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190129_19/

Japanese government's monthly economic report suggests the economy has just experienced its longest recovery of the post-war period of 6 years and 2 months.

The officials are waiting for further statistics to confirm the trend.

Cabinet ministers approved the report on Tuesday. It says Japan's economy has continued on its recovery path despite various headwinds.

Private consumption is picking up, and business investment is increasing.

On the other hand, exports are weakening, mainly of electronics parts and chip-making devices bound for China. It notes a moderate slowdown in the world's second-biggest economy.

It remains unclear how long Japan's recovery will continue. The US-China trade row is causing increased uncertainty on the global front.

Key words : labor minimum
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190129_13/

Japan's labor ministry said on Monday that flaws have been found in statistics used to determine the minimum wage. It is the second time problems relating to the ministry's statistics have come to light in the past month.

The labor ministry admitted that its basic survey on wage structure was conducted with improper methods. The survey aims to obtain a clear picture of how wages are paid, according to employment type or occupation.

Ministry inspectors are supposed to hand-deliver questionnaires to businesses and collect them, but most of the survey sheets were sent in the post.

Bars and cabarets were also excluded from the survey without reason, while the deadlines given to respondents were shortened.

Results of the survey are used to calculate minimum wages and are referenced by private firms to set their salaries. They are also used to estimate the lost income of people who have died in accidents.

The labor ministry is already embroiled in a growing scandal relating to flawed government statistics.

Last month, the ministry came under fire over mistakes in a separate set of statistics on wages and working hours. This led to the underpayment of unemployment benefits.

The discovery resulted in a government-wide investigation into its statistics, with the findings - released last Thursday - highlighting problems with 22 batches of critical surveys from various departments.

Referring to the labor ministry's latest errors revealed on Monday, officials said they did not notice any mistakes or problems with the wage structure survey at the time.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said the latest flaws were "extremely regrettable" after the results of the government-wide probe were released last week.

Suga told reporters that the internal affairs ministry will launch a special panel to look into the problems, in order to prevent their recurrence and to improve the reliability of government statistics.

Key words : Japanese government fresh
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190129_32/

The Japanese government has lodged a fresh protest over South Korea's move toward dissolving a fund to support those referred to as wartime comfort women.

The Japanese government offered about nine million dollars to the fund based on a 2015 bilateral agreement over the issue. The two countries agreed at the time that the deal was final and irreversible.

But the South Korean government said on Monday that it took measures a week ago to officially suspend the fund's activities. The fund has practically suspended activities since the government announced its disbandment last November.

The Japanese Foreign Ministry's Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau Chief Kenji Kanasugi on Monday lodged a protest with a senior official of the South Korean Embassy in Tokyo, noting that based on the 2015 agreement, Japan will never accept South Korea's dissolution of the fund.

The Japanese Embassy in Seoul also filed a similar protest with South Korea's foreign ministry.

A liquidator will be appointed to deal with procedures toward the fund's disbandment. At issue is how to deal with the outstanding portion of Japan's contribution.

The Japanese Foreign Ministry plans to continue urging the South Korean government to steadily implement the accord, despite the development.

Key words : US authorities criminal
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190129_26/

US authorities have filed a number of criminal charges against Chinese telecom giant Huawei Technologies, its chief financial officer and several affiliates.

The US Justice Department announced on Monday that a total of 23 indictments were unsealed --- a 13-count indictment in New York and a 10-count case in Seattle.

New York prosecutors indicted Huawei, its CFO Meng Wanzhou and some affiliates, on charges including bank fraud.

Prosecutors in Seattle indicted two Huawei affiliates on charges that include theft of trade secrets. The indictment says the firms' engineers secretly took photos of a T-Mobile phone-testing robot and also stole a piece of the robot.

It says the conspiracy to steal secrets was a company-wide effort and that the employees were offered bonuses based on the value of information they stole from other businesses.

FBI Director Christopher Wray told reporters on Monday that Huawei intentionally and systematically sought to steal valuable intellectual property from an American company.

China's Industry and Information Technology Ministry has criticized the United States, saying that the charges have been brought without evidence.

Spokesperson Wen Ku said the power of the state has been exercised to crush a specific company and such an attack is unfair and immoral. He said his government instructs Chinese businesses to abide by market principles, international rules and local laws.

Key words : China condemn
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190129_40/

China has condemned the United States for filing criminal charges against Chinese telecom giant Huawei Technologies and its chief financial officer.

The US Justice Department on Monday announced that 23 indictments were unsealed against Huawei and its CFO Meng Wanzhou.

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang reacted sharply in remarks released on Tuesday.

Geng said the US has been using its power to tarnish and crack down on specific Chinese companies in an attempt to strangle their lawful and legitimate operations.

He added that China strongly urges the US to stop its unreasonable bashing of Chinese companies including Huawei.

Geng urged the US to immediately withdraw its arrest warrant for Meng and refrain from making a formal extradition request.

The US is likely to soon ask that Canada extradite Meng, who was arrested last month by Canadian authorities at the request of the US.

The Chinese spokesperson also urged Canada to immediately release Meng and take China's solemn position seriously.

He added that Canada should stop risking its own interests for the benefit of the US.

Key words : White House will meet
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190129_17/

The White House says President Donald Trump will meet with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He in Washington this week for trade talks. The focus of attention is on how far China will go to make concessions and end the dispute.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said Liu will lead a Chinese delegation for high-level trade talks on Wednesday and Thursday.

She said Liu will meet with Trump, as the President is eager to press the case for expanded US exports to China.

The Trump administration is seeking structural reforms to economic ties between the two countries. This includes a reduced trade imbalance and an end to alleged Chinese violations of intellectual property rights.
Liu will be trying to hammer out a deal with US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross.

White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow and hard-line trade adviser Peter Navarro will join the talks.

The deadline for an agreement is March 1st, after which new US tariffs will go into effect.

Key words : Trump speech
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190129_22/

US President Donald Trump will deliver his State of the Union speech on February 5th, a week later than originally scheduled.

Trump and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi agreed on the new date on Monday.

Congress has been divided over Trump's demands for funds to build a wall along the border with Mexico, resulting in a partial government shutdown.

The president reached a tentative agreement with the Democrats on Friday to reopen the government until February 15th. But their differences remain wide.

Trump has indicated that unless Republicans and Democrats reach an agreement during that time to finance the wall, he will close the government again or declare a state of emergency.

It is customary for the US president to deliver a State of the Union speech on planned policies for the year ahead from the House chamber.

Amid such circumstances, there is widespread speculation about what Trump will say in the speech.

Key words : Venezuela called for
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190129_33/

Venezuela's National Assembly chief has called for people to join a march against the current government.

Juan Guaido, the leader of Venezuela's opposition-controlled National Assembly, declared himself interim president last week.

Countries such as the US and Brazil have expressed support for Guaido, while his supporters have clashed with security forces.

Guaido used Twitter to call for a large-scale protest in the capital, Caracas, on Wednesday. He called on Venezuelan people to join the rally to demand the resignation of President Nicolas Maduro.

Most Venezuelan judicial officials and military personnel have been endorsing Maduro, as they are opposed to the continuing economic sanctions imposed by the US.

But confusion is growing as three million people have fled to neighboring countries due to hyperinflation and a lack of supplies.

The focus now is on how the politically influential military will deal with the situation.

Key words : Japan able to goes into
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190129_41/

Japan will be able to export dairy products and eggs to the European Union after the Economic Partnership Agreement, or EPA, goes into effect in February.

The EU currently does not allow exports of some livestock products from Japan. Officials have said it's to prevent animal diseases from entering the region.

Japan's Agriculture Minister Takamori Yoshikawa told reporters that the exports may now begin by the end of February.

He said they will mainly consist of processed foods, such as snacks and seasonings.

Products containing certain amounts of eggs or dairy will require stricter screening. This includes inspection of production facilities to make sure they meet EU standards.

Japanese chicken and pork will still remain off the menu for Europeans. The ministry says it will continue negotiating with EU officials to further ease export restrictions.

Key words : Saudi unveil
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190129_29/

Saudi Arabia has unveiled plans to transform its economic reliance on oil exports. Officials want to make the country an industrial manufacturing hub by actively courting international firms, including Japanese companies.

Saudi officials announced that they are seeking 420 billion dollars in investments over the next decade. They hope to attract plants in heavy industry sectors, such as steel and auto parts.

Saudi Minister of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources, Khalid al-Falih, said, "We are looking for more Japanese investments, especially in the auto sector. We're in discussions with Toyota and Nissan as well as other advanced material companies from Japan."

The minister also said he's eyeing Japanese carbon fiber technologies in order to nurture the country's aerospace industry.

But some business sources are skeptical of the strategy. They say the country has been slow to reform its legal system and make the country more attractive to foreign firms.

Last year's killing of a Saudi journalist critical of the government has drawn international outcry, and put a damper on new investments from the US and Europe.

Key words : India bangladesh philippines
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190129_28/

India, Bangladesh and the Philippines want to ban the commercial trade in otters.

They've submitted a joint proposal to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. The convention's signatories are expected to discuss the proposal at a meeting in May.

Officials in India say the world's otter population has dropped by more than 30 percent in the past three decades. They blame environmental destruction and a sharp rise in poaching and trafficking.

The wildlife trade monitoring group TRAFFIC says Japan is fueling a spike in the smuggling. It says people are buying them as exotic pets after seeing them on TV or social media, and one otter can fetch as much as 9,000 dollars.

Key words : new landmark
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190129_24/

Tokyo will have a new landmark for manga fans next year. A replica of an apartment building where legendary artists lived in their youth is set to open on March 22nd, 2020.

Tokyo's Toshima Ward says construction of the replica of the Tokiwa-so apartment will start this month at a park near the site of the original.

Tokiwa-so was home to the young Osamu Tezuka, Fujio Akatsuka and other artists who were still honing their skills in the two decades after World War Two.

Although the two-story apartment was known as a sacred site for manga fans, the building was demolished in 1982 due to wear and tear.

The first floor of the replica will feature a display of 1,200 manga comics drawn by the legends. Their rooms and a common kitchen will be recreated on the second floor.

Toshima Ward says the project will cost 950 million yen, or about 8.6 million dollars.

Ward officials say Tokiwa-so represents the origin of Japanese manga, and they hope the replica will help spread the culture worldwide for generations to come.

at 20:00 (JST), January 28 AS

The Japanese Diet has opened its new session. Ruling and opposition parties are expected to hold heated debates on several issues including botched labor surveys that underpaid insurance benefits to millions of people.

A senior official in charge of the labor ministry's personnel affairs was reportedly present when a third-party panel questioned senior staff about faulty surveys.

The South Korean Defense Ministry has announced that a senior Navy official has cancelled a visit to Japan planned for next month.

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20190128200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : diet opened
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190128_27/

The Japanese Diet has opened its new session. Ruling and opposition parties are expected to hold heated debates on several issues including botched labor surveys that underpaid insurance benefits to millions of people.

The opening ceremony was held with Emperor Akihito in attendance.

The Emperor said, "I am glad the Diet has been working for many years to improve people's lives and maintain stability, as well as for peace and prosperity around the world. I sincerely hope the Diet will fulfill its mission and public mandate as the highest organ of state power when it deals with various problems at home and abroad."

This is the 82nd time that the Emperor has delivered an address at the Diet's opening ceremony since his ascension to the throne. Monday marks the last time he will attend such a ceremony before his scheduled abdication in April.

During a policy speech Prime Minister Shinzo Abe apologized for the recent revelations that the labor ministry's monthly survey of wages and working hours have been flawed for years.

Abe said, "I'm aware that the faulty surveys conducted over many years have violated people's trust in social security. I apologize to the Japanese people for this. We will reimburse underpaid unemployment benefits and workers compensation as swiftly as possible using simple procedures."

Opposition parties are calling for intensive deliberation on the issue. They say the scandal has undermined public trust in government offices, and are calling for the Labor Minister to be dismissed.

During this session, the government and the ruling bloc are seeking early enactments of a supplementary budget for this fiscal year, and a budget for fiscal 2019.

Key words : senior official in charge
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190128_20/

A senior official in charge of the labor ministry's personnel affairs was reportedly present when a third-party panel questioned senior staff about faulty surveys.

A government source says the head of the Minister's Secretariat, Yumiko Jozuka, attended the hearings and asked questions.

The labor ministry was recently found to have used a flawed method to conduct its monthly survey of wages and working hours in Tokyo. The panel looked into the issue and released the results of its investigation last week.

The ministry has said that the panel members questioned bureau chiefs and other senior staff, and its own officials handled the interviews of junior employees.

A high-ranking ministry official says it was thought to be quite natural for the head of the secretariat to be present at interviews that could result in the punishment of staff.

Labor minister Takumi Nemoto told reporters that he believes Jozuka was providing clerical support.

Opposition parties have criticized the investigation as inadequate, calling it a mere in-house probe.

Nemoto said last week that the panel would conduct a fresh investigation covering not only labor ministry officials but also local municipalities, including the Tokyo metropolitan government.

Key words : south navy official
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190128_24/

The South Korean Defense Ministry has announced that a senior Navy official has cancelled a visit to Japan planned for next month.

Spokesperson Choi Hyun-soo told reporters on Monday that the commander of the Korean Navy's First Fleet, Rear Admiral Kim Myung-soo, cited a scheduling conflict as the reason.

She denied that the decision was related to a row between the two countries that has been going on for the past month.

Tokyo is accusing a South Korean naval vessel of directing its fire-control radar at a Japanese patrol plane. Seoul denies this.

Choi was asked to comment on media reports that the Japanese Defense Ministry is considering cancelling a port call by a destroyer to the South Korean city of Busan during an international exercise in April.

She merely said the participating nations are expected to be decided at a meeting to be held at the end of February.

The South Korean media continue to report on a daily basis on rows that have chilled relations between Seoul and Tokyo.

Some reports have called on Seoul to respond in a resolute manner, while others are suggesting that South Korean President Moon Jae-in should take action to prevent bilateral ties from deteriorating further.

Key words : US and south
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190128_30/

The US and South Korean militaries have agreed to reduce the scale of this year's regular joint exercises scheduled for spring, as the countries work toward North Korean denuclearization.

Officials at South Korea's defense ministry say the militaries agreed to carry out the Key Resolve and Foal Eagle drills for about two months as usual, and to begin them in early March.

They noted that the forces will not conduct part of training that involves maneuvering units. The officials said the reduction in scale is intended to avoid harming diplomacy surrounding North Korea's denuclearization. A second US-North Korea summit is planned for late February.

The US and South Korean militaries conduct the exercises in spring each year based on the scenario of an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula. The Key Resolve map exercise is designed to confirm coordination of the chain of command between the forces. The main focus of Foal Eagle is Marine landing practice.

Last year, the militaries shortened the period of the exercises amid a thaw between the two Koreas.

They also canceled part of military drills and training from summer to winter last year.

Some observers are showing concerns that the US and South Korean forces' quick reaction capability could be compromised.

Key words : Fukushima
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190128_32/

The operator of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant has unveiled a device that could become the first to directly handle fuel debris inside one of the facility's crippled reactors.

Tokyo Electric Power Company showed the device to the media on Monday ahead of a survey scheduled for next month at the plant's Number 2 reactor. It's one of the reactors that experienced meltdowns in 2011.

TEPCO has found what appears to be a mixture of molten nuclear fuel and structural parts at the bottom of the reactor's containment vessel.

The device, which is equipped with a camera and a dosimeter, is attached to a pole that extends up to 15 meters long. Its tip works like tongs, allowing it to pick up the possible debris.
TEPCO plans to send the device into the containment vessel to see how hard the possible debris is, and whether it can be moved.

Removing debris is a key step toward decommissioning the plant.

Toshihiro Yasuda of Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions, which developed the device, says the survey is an important step toward coming up with ways to remove the debris.

In the second half of fiscal 2019, which starts in April, TEPCO plans to conduct a more detailed survey that would involve extracting a small sample of the debris.

The company aims to decide by March 2020 at which reactor to start removing debris. It hopes to start the work in 2021.

Key words : Arashi
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190127_19/

A Japanese pop group, Arashi, will suspend its activities at the end of 2020. The news has shocked fans in Japan and elsewhere in Asia.

The group posted a video message on its official fan club website on Sunday. Arashi's leader, Satoshi Ohno, says they had discussed his proposal to go their separate ways at the end of next year. He says he told the other members that he would like to have the freedom to continue his own career.

The group held a news conference on Sunday evening to explain the decision.

The members have also been individually active in a wide range of media, including variety shows, news programs, movies, and TV dramas.

Chinese fans of Arashi took to the microblogging platform Weibo. One person expressed confusion, saying that a two-year countdown has abruptly started. Another post urged the group to reunite someday.

In Taiwan, where Arashi has held concerts, local media outlets reported the announcement as breaking news. The online edition of United Daily News ran the story with the headline, "Fans are crying." It says people were taken by surprise and cannot believe the announcement.

Key words : today's news keywords segment Arashi announcement
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Key words : Naomi Nemuro
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190128_19/

Naomi Osaka's victory in the Australian Open has been drawing crowds to a display related to her in the northern Japanese city of Nemuro, where her grandfather lives.

The people of Nemuro in Hokkaido prefecture are excited about Osaka's recent spectacular performances. Local resident Tetsuo Osaka is her grandfather.

The municipal government dedicated space in the city hall for the display, which comprises about 30 items related to the tennis star.

Among these are the autographed racket she used to win the US Open last year, and various items of apparel, such as shoes and bags.

Local residents and tourists flocked to the display on Monday. Her win in Australia two days ago has elevated her to number one in the global rankings.

Visitors were taking photos of the items and talking excitedly, sharing their joy at her achievements.

A 74-year-old resident said he feels proud that a person with ties to Nemuro has become the number one player in the world, and called the display precious and wonderful.

A 74-year-old tourist from Nagano Prefecture said he came after learning about the display in the news. He also said he hopes Osaka's achievements will give a boost to the region.

Key words : snowball
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190128_25/

A snowball fight tournament titled the "Asia Cup" has been held in the ski and hot springs resort town of Minakami, north of Tokyo.

The town's tourism association and the major Japanese travel agency JTB organized the first event of its kind to attract tourists from Asia.

About 80 people participated from seven Asian countries and territories, including the Philippines, Thailand and China.

Eight squads competed, trying to hit all members of the opposing team with snowballs, or to capture the team flags. The victors advanced to the next round.

Most of the participants rarely have the chance to touch snow in their hometowns. They were throwing snowballs and charging enemy positions while struggling with the unfamiliar snow.

A Chinese man from Shanghai said this was his first ever snowball fight and that it was great fun.

JTB director Yasuhiro Tsuboi says he wants people from all over the world to come to Japan to enjoy the snow.

at 20:00 (JST), January 27 AS

Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka says she is happy, but also surprised about winning the women's singles title at the Australian Open.

Two bomb attacks on a southern Philippine island have killed at least 21 people and injured more than 70.

エラー 2042

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20190127200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : Naomi she is happy
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190127_12/

Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka says she is happy, but also surprised about winning the women's singles title at the Australian Open.

Osaka spoke to reporters in Melbourne on Sunday, a day after she defeated Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic in the tournament final and won her second straight Grand Slam.

The victory sent her to the top of the women's singles world rankings.

Osaka said being the world's No. 1 female tennis player means a lot to her. She said that was one of her goals when she was growing up.

Asked what food she wanted to eat most, Osaka smiled and said "katsudon," a bowl of rice topped with a fried pork cutlet. She said she had the dish in Tokyo in November after winning the US Open and it was very good.

Osaka will return to the United States, where she is based, and take part in a tour in Qatar next month.

Key words : people in victory
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190127_16/

People in Haiti are celebrating Naomi Osaka's victory at the Australian Open on Saturday. The tennis star's father was born in Haiti.

A Haitian online media report said it was a precious win for Osaka, the first woman of Haitian and Japanese descent to win two straight Grand Slam titles. Osaka won the US Open last September.

Another online media report said Osaka is the first player of Haitian and Japanese descent to reach the top spot in tennis.

Osaka visited Haiti with her parents last November and received a commemorative plaque from Haitian President Jovenel Moise.

Key words : two bomb
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190127_13/

Two bomb attacks on a southern Philippine island have killed at least 19 people and injured more than 70.

The attacks come about a week after Muslims in the predominantly Catholic country voted to establish an autonomous region in the south.

The first bombing occurred around 9 AM on Sunday at a cathedral on Jolo Island, where many churchgoers had gathered for a Sunday service. Another bomb went off when police and troops arrived at the scene.

Jolo Island is part of Sulu Province, which voted against the autonomous government in Monday's referendum.

But Sulu will still be part of the autonomous government. The law stipulates that if a majority of the region's 5 provinces vote to join, all 5 must participate in the government.

The explosions come amid attack warnings from Muslim militants. They are demanding more rights and authority for the proposed autonomous government.

The military and police are investigating whether Muslim militants were involved in the bombings.

Key words : philippine government
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190127_15/

The Philippine government has launched a clean-up campaign for Manila Bay to tackle the problems of water contamination and the illegal dumping of waste.

About 10,000 government officials and volunteers marched two kilometers from central Manila to the bay on Sunday. They collected a large amount of garbage on the way, while urging people to protect the environment.

The country's environment ministry says 1,500 tons of garbage is being illegally dumped in Manila Bay every day.

The authorities are warning people not to swim in the bay. The levels of e-coli bacteria in the water are triple the legal limit.

The government hopes the bay will eventually become a place where people can bathe and swim.

Officials will check if lodging facilities are releasing sewage water directly into the sea, and will force non-compliant facilities to close.

The Philippine government plans to start clearing slums near the bay next year.

President Rodrigo Duterte has shown a tough stance on environmental issues since he took office in 2016. He ordered the closure of the Boracay Island resort for six months last year because the water quality had deteriorated.

Some Filipinos have criticized his heavy-handed approach.

Key words : Canadian prime
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190127_09/

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has fired his country's ambassador to China, John McCallum.

It follows controversial comments McCallum made over the possible extradition of Chinese tech giant Huawei's executive, Meng Wangzhou.

Trudeau said in a statement on Saturday that he asked for and accepted McCallum's resignation, but did not give any reasons.

McCallum has been under fire for his comments mainly to Chinese media on Tuesday in Toronto. He was referring to a remark US President Donald Trump made last month about Meng who was arrested in Canada at the request of the United States.

Trump indicated he is prepared to intervene in Meng's case if it serves the interests of US trade and security.

McCallum called Trump's comments an attempt to politicize the case, and that Meng has good arguments against being extradited.

McCallum later apologized, saying he "misspoke," after being heavily criticized for threatening his country's judicial independence.

The US Justice Department is expected to file a formal request for Meng's extradition by Wednesday. Once it is filed, Canadian authorities will start legal procedures to determine whether to hand her over to US authorities.

Although Trudeau did not give the exact reason for McCallum's dismissal, Canadian media is reporting government concerns over the possible worsening of the relationship with the United States.

Key words : Arashi
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190127_19/

A Japanese pop group, Arashi, will suspend its activities at the end of 2020. The news has shocked fans in Japan and elsewhere in Asia.

The group posted a video message on its official fan club website on Sunday. Arashi's leader, Satoshi Ohno, says they had discussed his proposal to go their separate ways at the end of next year. He says he told the other members that he would like to have the freedom to continue his own career.

The group held a news conference on Sunday evening to explain the decision.

The members have also been individually active in a wide range of media, including variety shows, news programs, movies, and TV dramas.

Chinese fans of Arashi took to the microblogging platform Weibo. One person expressed confusion, saying that a two-year countdown has abruptly started. Another post urged the group to reunite someday.

In Taiwan, where Arashi has held concerts, local media outlets reported the announcement as breaking news. The online edition of United Daily News ran the story with the headline, "Fans are crying." It says people were taken by surprise and cannot believe the announcement.

Key words : in sumo
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190127_17/

In sumo, Tamawashi, a third-ranked Sekiwake wrestler from Mongolia, has clinched his first title.

Tamawashi beat rank-and-file wrestler Endo on the final day of the New Year tournament in Tokyo on Sunday.

He had entered the final day as the sole leader with 12 wins and two losses.

Tamawashi beat all three second-ranked Ozeki wrestlers, using a variety of techniques to push out his opponents. He defeated top-ranked Yokozuna Hakuho in his 14th attempt.

Tamawashi has won his first title at the age of 34. He is the second-oldest wrestler to achieve the feat.

Yokozuna Kisenosato retired from sumo after losing three bouts in a row. He was the first Japanese-born wrestler in 19 years to reach the top rank.

Key words : Fukui
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190127_08/

Police in Fukui Prefecture, central Japan, have decided not to refer to prosecutors a case against a Buddhist priest who refused to pay a fine for driving in a religious robe.

Police cited insufficient evidence as the reason not to send papers to prosecutors. They have already informed the priest of their decision.

The priest in his 40s refused to pay the 55-dollar fine for a ticket he received in September when driving in the city of Fukui to attend to a memorial service. Police told him the traditional robe he was wearing could impair safe driving and violate regulations under the road traffic law.

Police explained there was a problem with the way he wore his clothes. They said the robe had wide sleeves that could get caught on the lever, and the kimono underneath was too tight for him to press the brake pedal properly.

The ticketing sparked a controversy, including sharp reactions from the Nishi-Hongwanji temple in Kyoto. It is the head temple of the Hongwanji school of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism, which the priest belongs to.

at 20:00 (JST), January 26 AS

エラー 2042

US President Donald Trump has signed a three-week spending bill to reopen the government until February 15th. The move ends the longest shutdown in US history.

The United Nations will begin an independent investigation into the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was critical of the Saudi government.

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20190126200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : cabinet secretary all
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Key words : strong earthquake no danger
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190126_15/

A strong earthquake has jolted southwestern Japan. There is no danger of tsunami.

The magnitude 4.3 quake struck Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyushu. It registered an intensity of five-minus on the Japanese scale of zero to seven in the town of Nagomi. It reached an intensity of four in Yamaga City and the town of Gyokuto.

Intensities between three to one were felt across the Kyushu region.

The Japan Meteorological Agency says the quake occurred at around 14:16 on Saturday, Japan Time.

The agency estimates the focus at a depth of about 10 kilometers in Kumamoto Prefecture.

Key words : official urging people
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190126_18/

Officials at Japan's Meteorological Agency are urging people quake-prone Kumamoto Prefecture to remain vigilant against further risks.

Toshiyuki Matsumori, an official responsible for monitoring earthquakes and tsunami at the agency, spoke to reporters after the magnitude 4.3 quake struck the southwestern prefecture on Saturday afternoon.

Matsumori said that the earthquake occurred near the focus of a tremor registering an intensity of six-minus on the Japanese scale of zero to seven that hit on January 3rd.

He said the quakes may have increased the risk of building collapsing and landslides in hard-hit areas, and urged people to avoid hazardous locations.

Matsumori also said that seismic activities have continued around the focus of Saturday's earthquake since January 3rd.

He said people should stay vigilant for jolts that could follow.

Key words : Trump signed bill
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190126_12/

US President Donald Trump has signed a three-week spending bill to reopen the government until February 15th. The move ends the longest shutdown in history.

The US government had been partially closed for more than a month as Trump demanded funds to build a wall along the southern border with Mexico.

Trump on Friday reached an agreement with Democrats on the stopgap bill. The deal does not include funding for construction of the wall. He signed the measure into law, after both the Senate and the House approved it.

Trump told reporters at the White House on Friday that during the 3 weeks the government reopens, he expects Republicans and Democrats to discuss border security.

He said, "If we don't get a fair deal from Congress, the government will either shut down on February 15th, or I will use the powers afforded to me under the laws and Constitution of the United States to address this emergency."

Trump indicated he may go ahead and build the wall without approval.

Observers say Trump appears to have compromised amid rising public anger over the shutdown. Hundreds of thousands of public employees have been struggling to live without paychecks.

But the issue has only been put off until a later date, as the US faces continuing uncertainty.

Key words : long-time
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190126_03/

A long-time associate of US President Donald Trump has been placed under arrest. Roger Stone has been charged with lying to Congress and obstructing the so-called Russia investigation.

The indictment was made public by the office of Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating Russia's alleged meddling in the 2016 presidential election.

The indictment alleges that Stone sent and received numerous emails during the 2016 campaign which discussed a certain organization's possession of emails stolen from the campaign of Trump's rival Hillary Clinton.

The organization matches the description of whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks.

Stone allegedly testified falsely that he did not have such emails.

The political consultant faces charges of obstruction of official proceedings, making false statements and witness tampering.

US media say the indictment of Stone shows that Mueller's investigation is closing in on Trump's most inner circle.

Key words : United Nation investigation
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190126_04/

The United Nations will begin an independent international investigation into the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

The global body announced on Friday that human rights expert Agnes Callamard, a lawyer and a forensic pathologist, will visit Turkey for one week from Monday.

Khashoggi, who was critical of the Saudi government, was killed at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, last October.

Saudi prosecutors have indicted 11 suspects and are seeking the death penalty for five of them. But the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights points out that their trials lack impartiality.

Callamard will look into the circumstances under which Khashoggi was killed and assess how the Saudi and Turkish governments have responded so far. She will also determine the accountability of states and individuals.

Callamard is expected to report the results to the UN Human Rights Council in June.

Global suspicions are high that Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has control over state affairs, was involved in Khashoggi's murder.

The Saudi government has denied the accusations, while Turkey has been calling for a global inquiry to determine the truth.

Key words : Chinese authorities ordered
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190126_19/

Chinese authorities have ordered the arrest of 19 people, including military veterans, in connection with demonstrations that took place in two cities last year.

State-run China Central Television reported on Saturday that prosecutors granted approval for the 19 to be arrested on suspicion of organizing large-scale protests and disturbing social order.

CCTV said that ten of them are suspected of having disseminated false information to win supporters before they staged protests against the local government in the city of Pingdu, Shandong Province, in October.

Prosecutors say they allegedly lied about being beaten by officials when they tried to submit a petition and that they are also suspected of committing acts of violence against police.

The remaining nine people are suspected of organizing a protest involving more than 1,000 people in front of a government office in the city of Zhenjiang, Jiangsu province, last June.

They are also suspected of having taken part in a violent confrontation with police.

There are tens of millions of former soldiers in China. Protests by military veterans have broken out around the country as they have increasingly become frustrated with the way they are being treated. Many veterans remain unemployed after retiring from service.

In April last year, the government in Beijing established an agency to provide support for retired soldiers. It plans to implement measures to help them find jobs.

Key words : beat of
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190126_11/

The beat of traditional taiko drums launched a Japanese cultural festival on Friday at a former Olympic venue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

"Rio Matsuri" features more than 70 stalls where visitors can experience Japanese culture first-hand.

At a comic-animation booth, a popular Brazilian cartoonist helped draw Japanese anime characters.

Elsewhere, judo demonstrations were conducted to music.

A 10-year-old girl said she loves Japanese things such as kimono and cherry blossoms.

Takao Sato, a second generation Japanese-Brazilian and one of the organizers, said he hopes visitors can immerse themselves in Japanese culture.

Brazil is home to about two million Brazilians of Japanese descent.

The festival runs at the Riocentro events center until Sunday. It's expected to draw up to 50,000 visitors.

at 20:00 (JST), January 25 AS

Japan's labor minister says an inquiry panel will conduct a fresh investigation into the issue of faulty labor surveys.

Nissan's President said he talked with Renault's new chairman on the phone. He said they confirmed they'll cooperate to help synergize the alliance.

Japan's health ministry says an influenza outbreak has now spread across the country, with the estimated number of patients exceeding 2.1 million.

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20190125200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : labor minister panel will conduct
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190125_27/

Japan's labor minister Takumi Nemoto says an inquiry panel will conduct a fresh investigation of the problem of faulty labor surveys.

The health and labor committees of the Upper and Lower Houses debated the issue on Thursday.

Lawmakers criticized a report submitted by a panel that included lawyers and outside experts. The legislators said the panel allowed the labor ministry to interview junior officials. They argue that the investigation was merely an in-house probe and the results are inadequate.

Nemoto told reporters on Friday that he believes the report is satisfactory, as the panel adopted a third-party viewpoint in unveiling the facts and identifying those who were responsible.

But he added that the panel will conduct a fresh investigation to allay any skepticism about its report.

The Diet affairs chief of the opposition Constitutional Democratic Party, Kiyomi Tsujimoto, called for a new probe.

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party's Diet affairs chief, Hiroshi Moriyama, indicated that the LDP is supporting the calls for a reinvestigation. Moriyama added that he hopes the probe will be completed soon, given the pressing schedule for the upcoming Diet session.

Key words : cabinet office
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190125_29/

Japan's Cabinet Office has revised upward amounts of compensation for employees that had been estimated based on a faulty survey by the labor ministry.

The Cabinet Office says the revisions for fiscal 2016 and 2017 resulted in increases of about 6.3 billion dollars each.

It says the revisions will not affect GDP as the figures are not used for its calculation.

The labor ministry had been found to have used flawed methods in a monthly survey on wages and work hours.

It released recalculations of data from 2012 and later that are still available.

Economic and Fiscal Policy Minister Toshimitsu Motegi told reporters that the revisions would not change economic assessments.

Key words : Nissan president talk
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190125_23/

Nissan President Hiroto Saikawa said he talked with Renault's new chairman Jean-Dominique Senard on the phone. He said they confirmed they'll cooperate to help synergize the alliance.

Saikawa told reporters on Friday, "I told Mr Senard we'll work hard together. It's a new start, and I'd like to keep close communication."

Saikawa said he intends to endorse Senard as a Nissan director in an extraordinary shareholders meeting planned for mid-April.

But there are differences between the two automakers on who will take the lead at Nissan after the arrest of chairman Carlos Ghosn.

Key words : referendum may be delayed
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190125_30/

A referendum on relocating a US military base within Japan's southwestern prefecture of Okinawa may be delayed in five cities, due to a lack of preparations.

The February 24th referendum is being held because of widespread local objections to a plan to relocate the US Marine Corps Futenma Air Station in Ginowan City to the less populated Henoko area of Nago City.

But Ginowan and four other cities originally decided not to take part, on the grounds that the two options of "yes" and "no" would not allow voters to fully express their views on such a complicated issue.

On Thursday, members of the prefectural assembly agreed to add "neither" as a third choice.

Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki welcomed the development.

Vice Governor Kiichiro Jahana indicated on Friday that the prefecture would allow the five cities to delay the date of the vote after they complained they did not have sufficient time for preparations.

He added that all the vote-counting will take place on the same day.

Key words : health ministry now spread
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190125_36/

Japan's health ministry says an influenza outbreak has now spread across the country, with the estimated number of patients exceeding 2.1 million.

The ministry says the average number of patients at around 5,000 medical facilities nationwide was 53.91 in the week through last Sunday.

That's up 15 from a week before and the second-highest figure since the ministry began taking data in 1999.

The three most severely affected prefectures are Aichi, Saitama and Shizuoka.

The ministry says the H1N1 strain accounts for about 60 percent of the cases. The strain caused a global outbreak of a new influenza a decade ago.

The ministry warns that more people could contract the flu, and is urging people to take preventive measures such as washing hands and wearing surgical masks.

Key words : chancellor
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190125_35/

German Chancellor Angela Merkel will visit Japan early next month to meet with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

On Friday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga announced Merkel will arrive for a two-day visit on February fourth. She will hold talks and have dinner with Abe.

Suga said he hopes the meeting will signal that the two countries are committed to maintaining the international order and ensuring global prosperity.

He also said he expects cooperation and goodwill between the countries to deepen.

The visit will be Merkel's fifth to Japan since she took office in 2005.

The leaders are expected to discuss free trade and other global issues ahead of the G20 summit scheduled to be held in Osaka in June.

Key words : Japan and other launched
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190125_22/

Japan and other countries launched a group at the United Nations on Thursday to pursue the UN goal of promoting quality education.

Delegates launched an advocacy initiative, the Group of Friends for Education and Lifelong Learning, on January 24th, the first International Day of Education.

In 2015, the UN General Assembly adopted the Sustainable Development Goals, or SDGs, to eradicate poverty and promote quality education by 2030.

The group will strive to provide equal educational opportunities for all boys and girls in Asian and African countries and will also address the shortage of teachers.

A high-level UN meeting will be held in July to hear reports about the action being taken to achieve the global education goal. The new group plans to organize meetings and information sessions to invite more UN members to join the effort.

Japan's UN ambassador, Koro Bessho, says Japan has supported education in Africa and the training of engineers in Southeast Asia for nearly 20 years. He says Japan wants to share its experiences with many countries.

Key words : government figure
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190125_39/

Government figures show the number of foreign workers in Japan hit a record high last year.

The labor ministry compiles the statistics based on data from employers.

The ministry says that as of October 31st, the number of foreigners working in Japan topped 1,460,000. That's up about 180,000, or 14 percent, from a year earlier. The figure has set a new record for six years straight.

By nationality, Chinese workers topped the list at about 389,000. Vietnamese came second, with 317,000, followed by Philippine nationals, on 164,000.

The number of people from Vietnam was up by about 30 percent, the largest increase of any nationality.

About 439,000 foreign workers, or 30 percent of the total, are concentrated in Tokyo. The next highest concentrations are in Aichi Prefecture, which has 152,000, and Osaka, 90,000.

The labor ministry says the trend is largely a result of Japan's chronic labor shortage.

Key words : learned that justice
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190125_31/

NHK has learned that a report by Japan's Justice Ministry on deaths of foreign technical trainees failed to account for multiple cases.

The Ministry reported last month that 174 trainees died in the 8 years up to 2017.

The report came after the Diet approved a bill to allow more foreign workers into the country to address serious labor shortages. The number of deaths was a focus of debate during deliberations on the bill.

According to government sources, an investigation by the labor ministry has found that the Justice Ministry overlooked multiple fatalities.

All of the cases reportedly involved foreign trainees who died from work-related illnesses or accidents, and were recognized as being eligible for workers' compensation.

Justice Ministry officials say they plan to clarify the precise number of deaths. They say it appears that the mistake was due to omissions in reports by organizations that bring in foreign trainees.

A lawyer who is an expert in the issue of foreign labor, Shoichi Ibusuki, says it is a serious problem that the government cannot get basic figures right at a time when the country is preparing to take more foreign workers. He says the ministry should examine every case, and devise measures that will ensure the safety of all trainees.

Key words : Authorities suspended
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190125_33/

Japanese authorities have suspended four firms including Mitsubishi Motors and Panasonic from a foreign technical trainee program after they had trainees engage in work they were not supposed to do.

The justice and labor ministries on Friday revoked for five years the companies' authorization as hosts of trainees under the government-backed program.

The Justice Ministry says it inspected a Mitsubishi plant in Okazaki, Aichi Prefecture, last May and found that the automaker had 28 Filipino trainees do work not listed in a paper filed in advance with the ministry.

In the paper, the automaker said the trainees would learn welding.

The ministry says Panasonic had trainees do illegal overtime work at a plant in Tonami, Toyama Prefecture.

The firm was ordered to pay fines over the issue. The ministry says this is why it nullified the company's authorization.

Panasonic says the punishment affects 158 trainees, and promised to work to enable them to continue their training. It added that the trainees are expected to be able to shift to and stay at other companies.

The authorities are planning similar administrative measures to revoke the firms' permission to accept foreign workers under a new labor program going into effect in April.

Key words : Hitachi withdraw
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190125_34/

Japanese electronics maker Hitachi says it plans to withdraw from wind turbine production in the face of intensifying competition from foreign manufacturers.

The announcement is a turnaround for the firm, which in recent years has been increasing its presence in the domestic market to match growing interest in renewable energy.

In 2012, the firm acquired the wind power generation system business of what was then Fuji Heavy Industries.

But Hitachi now says fierce competition from foreign rivals will make it difficult to increase profits.

The firm says it has not made a decision about the future of its wind power generator factory in Hitachi City, Ibaraki Prefecture.

It says it will continue to provide equipment maintenance and malfunction forecast devices in collaboration with a German partner.