at 20:00 (JST), March 03 AS

The US Department of Defense says the United States and South Korea have agreed not to hold joint large-scale military exercises in the spring.

A senior Chinese official has expressed hope that China and the United States will reach an agreement on trade issues soon.

The labor ministry is considering easing the restrictions on technical trainees from other countries.

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20190303200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : US department of defense
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190303_10/

The US Department of Defense says the United States and South Korea have agreed not to hold joint large-scale military exercises in the spring.

The Pentagon issued a press release on Saturday about a phone call between US acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan and South Korean Minister of National Defense Jeong Kyeong-doo.

It says the two officials decided to suspend the Key Resolve and Foal Eagle series of exercises and adapt smaller-scale training programs instead. Key Resolve is a computer-simulated exercise to confirm coordination of the chain of command between the forces. The main focus of Foal Eagle is a Marine landing drill.

North Korea has reacted strongly to the spring exercises.

The suspension of the drills is seen as a sign of the US intention to continue talks to denuclearize North Korea.

The US and South Korea suspended other regular joint exercises that were scheduled for August and December of last year. Some critics in the US are voicing concerns that the suspension of multiple exercises could reduce the country's military readiness.

Key words : Trump has said that
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190303_09/

US President Donald Trump has said that the United States and North Korea have a good relationship.

He was speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC, on Saturday near Washington. He spoke about the abrupt end of the recent summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Vietnam.

Trump said he cut short the negotiations because sometimes, "you have to walk." He added that North Korea launched missiles and conducted nuclear tests when President Barack Obama was in office. But Trump said that stopped when he became president.

"North Korea has a brilliant economic future if they make a deal," Trump said. "But they don't have any economic future if they have nuclear weapons."

Trump's speech to the CPAC's annual meeting is seen as an attempt to shore up support from conservatives ahead of next year's presidential election.

Key words : senior Chinese official
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190303_01/

A senior Chinese official has expressed hope that China and the United States will reach an agreement on trade issues soon.

Guo Weimin, the spokesperson for the second session of the 13th National Committee of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, spoke to reporters on Saturday, ahead of the annual session of the National People's Congress.

When asked about the China-US trade talks, Guo said the negotiations are going smoothly. He added that substantial progress has been made on issues such as the transfer of technology, the protection of intellectual property rights, the service industry, non-tariff barriers, agriculture, and exchange rates.

He then said that, if the two countries reach a mutually beneficial agreement as soon as possible, both nations will benefit, and it will also be "good news for the world economy."

The United States had initially set Friday as the deadline for negotiations, but later said it would postpone the deadline and try to reach a final agreement at a bilateral summit this month.

President Donald Trump is planning to invite Chinese President Xi Jinping to his private resort in Florida for the talks.

Observers say China is trying to calm fears that the trade friction may slow its economy by emphasizing that progress has been made in bilateral talks.

Key words : tensions between
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190303_03/

Tensions between India and Pakistan continue to intensify, even though an Indian pilot was released on Friday. Earlier in the week, the pilot's jet was shot down by Pakistani forces after it crossed the de facto border in the disputed Kashmir region. The pilot was later captured.

Around the time of the pilot's release, Indian and Pakistani troops started shelling each other again in Kashmir.

The Pakistani government says five people were killed in areas it controls. The Indian government says three people were killed in areas under its control.

The Indian military has boosted troop levels in Kashmir. Pakistani forces have increased the number of troops deployed around the city of Sialkot, near the border.

Last month in the region, 40 Indian security troops were killed in a suicide bombing, which was carried out by Pakistani Islamic militants.

In an effort to head off an all-out war between the nuclear-armed neighbors, the United States and other countries have been urging India and Pakistan to exercise restraint.

But India has rejected a proposal by Pakistan to hold talks. India is also threatening to attack the Pakistani extremists' strongholds again.

Key words : about 200 high school
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190303_13/

About 200 high school students in Egypt have enjoyed a science experiment at a university built with support from Japan.

The event took place at the Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology in a suburb of Alexandria on Saturday. Japan provides research devices to the university and send 80 instructors every year.

The students saw how hydrogen peroxide causes a chemical reaction and creates bubbles when it is mixed with detergent containing substance that acts as a catalyst.

There are limited opportunities for students in Egypt to conduct science experiments due to a shortage of teachers and equipment.

One student said this was her first science experiment. She said she learned about chemical reactions at school, but she found they are very different from what she had thought.

Key words : labor ministry
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190303_15/

The labor ministry is considering easing the restrictions on technical trainees from other countries.

Under the current program, employers have to compile a detailed job description for each foreign trainee. But small and medium-sized firms often require workers to carry out multiple tasks.

Farmers in some parts of Japan are also calling for greater flexibility, as trainees may have little work to do in the winter.

Ministry officials will consult experts for their review of the program. They hope to compile their proposals by the end of April.