Firefighters say a blaze that tore through the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris is finally out.
Japan's Meteorological Agency says the Mount Aso in the county's south has erupted.
Japan and the United States launched a new round of trade talks on Monday.
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20190416200000_english_1.mp3
Key words : firefighter cathedral finally out
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190416_37/
Firefighters say a blaze that tore through the Notre-Dame Cathedral is finally out. Now they're investigating what started the fire in the world-famous landmark.
The cathedral, designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site, was badly gutted by the fire on Monday evening. Its 90 meter-high spire and about two-thirds of the roof collapsed.
The city's authorities said one firefighter was seriously injured but it's likely no one else was hurt, as the cathedral was closed to visitors at the time. They added that the fire may have started in or around the cathedral's attic.
Local media say the cathedral has been undergoing restoration for a year, and its roof was surrounded by scaffolding.
Prosecutors are now investigating whether the fire began accidentally.
President Emmanuel Macron visited the scene, and said that the fire was a tragedy for the French people.
Key words : Abe expressed sorrow
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190416_31/
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has expressed sorrow over the damage caused by the fire at the Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris, and said the Japanese stand in solidarity with the French people.
In a letter to French President Emmanuel Macron, Abe said the cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is a symbol of Paris and is beloved by people throughout the world.
He said he was shocked to see the cathedral in flames and was deeply saddened.
Abe said that on behalf of his government and the people of Japan, he offers sympathy to the people of France. He noted that at this time of great loss, the hearts of the Japanese people are with the people of France.
Key words : chief priest Horyuji
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190416_25/
Officials at Japan's Horyuji temple, which includes one of the world's oldest wooden structures, say they will thoroughly review fire prevention measures, following Monday's blaze that devastated the Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris.
Horyuji in the ancient capital of Nara in western Japan was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1993.
The chief priest of the temple spoke to NHK on Tuesday after hearing that the historic building in Paris had been ravaged by a fire.
Shokaku Furuya said he was very shocked to hear about the damage to the valuable world heritage site. He added his temple will maintain their prevention measures.
A fire destroyed part of Horyuji's treasured murals on January 26, 1949. The date was set as the country's Fire Prevention Day for Cultural Assets.
Horyuji conducts large-scale drills every year with local firefighters on the day. The buildings are equipped with fire alarms, pumps and hoses.
Key words : Aso erupted
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190416_36/
Mount Aso in Kumamoto Prefecture, southwestern Japan, has erupted.
The Meteorological Agency says the volcano erupted at 6:28 p.m. on Tuesday. Smoke mixed with volcanic ash rose about 200 meters from the mountain's crater.
The agency raised the alert level for Mount Aso to two on a scale of one to five on Sunday, after detecting active volcanic tremors and an increase in volcanic gas emissions.
People within roughly one kilometer of the crater are being urged to stay alert for huge airborne volcanic rocks and pyroclastic flows.
Mount Aso last erupted in October 2016.
Key words : Japan and the United
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190416_20/
Japan and the United States launched a new round of trade talks on Monday. Both sides have confirmed the negotiations will focus on goods, including scrapping or lowering tariffs, in line with the joint statement from a summit in September.
Officials wrapped up their first day of the two-day talks in Washington.
Japan's minister in charge of the negotiations, Toshimitsu Motegi, met with his counterpart, US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer.
Motegi said afterward their discussions were substantial, as planned.
He said they talked about how to proceed with the negotiations and that both sides agreed to basically follow the September statement.
Motegi said they are also getting a clearer picture of the areas they will focus on.
Motegi was reluctant about putting on the table a provision to prevent competitive currency devaluation. Washington has been insisting on the issue.
Motegi said that should be discussed separately by financial authorities of the two countries.
The US wants a wide-range agreement that includes services and other areas beyond goods.
But the Japanese government wants the agreement to be limited and not seen as a comprehensive free-trade pact.
Key words : Kono Wang school trip
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190415_37/
Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi have reaffirmed the need to develop bilateral relations and also work closely together for the Group of 20 summit in Osaka in June. Chinese President Xi Jinping is to attend the summit.
At talks in Beijing on Monday, Wang said the two countries need to further advance the prospects for developing ties. He expressed hope about taking relations to the next level.
Kono said the two countries have a responsibility toward peace and stability in the region and the rest of the world.
Wang and Kono agreed to promote young people's exchanges through school trips and other means.
The two countries agreed in 2008 on joint development of natural gas fields that straddle the median line between the two countries in the East China Sea. Joint development has never started, but Japan determined last month that China had deployed a drilling vessel on its side of the line.
Kono conveyed Japan's concern and urged China to implement the agreement.
On North Korea, Kono asked China to take steps to prevent offshore ship-to-ship transfers of goods that violate UN Security Council sanctions.
He argued that implementing the UN resolutions is needed to achieve North Korea's denuclearization.
Kono called for China's cooperation in resolving the issue of the abduction of Japanese nationals by North Korea. Wang replied that he understands Japan's position.
Kono also made a new request that China lift import restrictions on some Japanese food products imposed after the 2011 nuclear accident.
Key words : high court has ordered
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190416_30/
A Japanese high court has ordered the central government to pay compensation to people living near a US base in Okinawa who suffer from military aircraft noise.
Some 3,400 people who live near the US Marine Corps Futenma Air Station sought damages from the government, which provides the base to the United States. They also demanded that the military aircraft be grounded.
The Okinawa branch of the Naha District Court in 2016 ordered the government to pay about 22 million dollars in compensation, but dismissed the call for a suspension of flights. Both the government and residents appealed the ruling.
At the Naha branch of the Fukuoka High Court on Tuesday, Presiding Judge Masamichi Okubo pointed out that many residents are being subjected to noise above acceptable levels. He described this as a violation of their rights.
The judge ordered the amount of compensation reduced to about 19 million dollars.
The residents' demand for a suspension of flights was again dismissed. The judge said the central government has no authority to tell the US how to operate and manage the base.
Zenji Shimada, who leads the plaintiffs, called the ruling unacceptable, as it totally ignores the suffering of the people living near the base. He made it clear that the plaintiffs will take the case to the Supreme Court.
Key words : Iwaya
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190416_17/
Japan's Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya says he intends to ask the US military to ensure discipline and order are in place among US forces stationed in Okinawa.
Iwaya spoke to reporters on Tuesday about an apparent murder-suicide in Chatan Town earlier this month. A 32-year-old Marine is believed to have killed his 44-year-old Japanese girlfriend and then taken his own life.
Iwaya said the case is still under investigation, but it is extremely regrettable that such an incident has taken place. He said he offers his sincere condolences to the victim's family.
The defense minister said he will ask US troops to take thorough measures to prevent a recurrence and not cause anxiety among local residents.
Key words : Suzuki
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190416_23/
Suzuki Motor faces government anger over a series of management lapses that led to a massive vehicle recall.
Japan's transport minister said the repeated misconduct undermines confidence in the company.
Suzuki last week revealed improper inspections on brakes and engines as far back as 1981. This followed an earlier fuel-data scandal.
Transport Minister Keiichi Ishii said: "Suzuki Motor manipulated fuel-economy data three years ago. The automaker keeps repeating mistakes, raising question over the firm's sense of compliance. It's extremely regrettable."
Ishii also indicated the company may face government penalties.
President Toshihiro Suzuki said the company will recall about 2 million vehicles following an independent investigation. The recall includes models supplied to other companies.
The company will book a special loss of over 700 million dollars in fiscal 2018 to cover the recall. It was revealed last year that Suzuki altered pre-shipment inspection data on fuel economy and exhaust emissions.
Key words : police thailand
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190416_15/
Japanese police investigators are traveling to Thailand to exchange information with local police about 15 Japanese men who are believed to have been involved in a fraud scheme that netted more than two million dollars.
Thai police arrested the men at a house in the resort city of Pattaya last month on suspicion of working illegally in the country.
The men allegedly defrauded more than 100 people in Japan including senior citizens by running a call-center scam.
The victims are believed to have been told that they had huge unpaid bills and persuaded to purchase electronic money.
Three officials from Japan's National Police Agency are scheduled to stay in Thailand for about three days and try to shed more light on the group. They suspect an accomplice in Japan was issuing instructions to the group.
Key words : vietnamese arrested
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Key words : researcher
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190416_12/
Researchers from Japan and Germany have been studying why jellyfish can swim, unlike corals and sea anemones which belong to the same scientific family. They say they've found the answer contained in fewer than 100 genes.
Jellyfish are anchored to the seafloor as polyps when they are in an early stage of their life cycle. Corals and sea anemones remain in this stationary state, while jellyfish develop into another stage called medusa and eventually swim off.
The researchers spent four years analyzing the genomes of the moon jellyfish and the giant box jellyfish, and found that each has more than 20,000 genes.
They then identified 97 genes that are not found in corals or sea anemones but are shared by the two types of jellyfish, and switch on in the swimming medusa stage.
The researchers believe the 97 genes are responsible for making the jellyfish the swimming creature as we know it, by forming the necessary muscles and eyes.
The group says it also found that the genetic compositions of the two types of jellyfish are as different as those of humans and sea urchins, and that the moon jellyfish is closer to corals and sea anemones.
Dr. Konstantin Khalturin of the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University says the group hopes to study the genes of other jellyfish to uncover the mysteries of their evolution.
Key words : many tourist flocking
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190416_22/
Many tourists are now flocking to a scenic mountain route through the snowy Northern Alps in central Japan.
The Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route links the prefectures of Toyama and Nagano. After a winter break, it fully reopened on Monday but bad weather forced the closure of a popular viewing area.
On Tuesday, many tourists were able to visit the area nearly 2,500 meters above sea level, and take pictures of towering snow walls under a bright sky.
Snowfall since November last year created walls up to 16 meters high.
An elderly couple from Saitama Prefecture, near Tokyo, said they had long wanted to visit and finally made it to mark their 45th wedding anniversary.
A young man from Taiwan said he was impressed with the marvelous scenery.
The company that manages the route expects about one million visitors this year, exceeding last year.
A featured section for walking through the snow wall will remain open through June 22.
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