In Japan's nationwide local elections, a candidate supported by the national ruling camp defeated a candidate supported by opposition in a gubernatorial election in Hokkaido.
Nissan shareholders have removed former Chairman Carlos Ghosn from the company's board.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has paid a visit to Crown Prince Naruhito at his residence in Tokyo on Monday.
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20190408200000_english_1.mp3
Key words : nationwide
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190408_08/
In Japan's nationwide local elections, a candidate supported by the national ruling camp defeated a candidate supported by opposition in a gubernatorial election in Hokkaido.
In the first half of the unified local elections, voters in 11 prefectures cast their votes in the gubernatorial elections.
In Japan's northern prefecture of Hokkaido, former Yubari city mayor Naomichi Suzuki, with the support of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner, Komeito, won his first term as governor.
This was the only gubernatorial race in which the governing and opposition camps directly squared off against each other.
National parties campaigned fiercely framing the poll as a bellwether for the Upper House elections this summer.
The ruling parties say they consider the victory in Hokkaido as an impetus for their contest in this summer's Upper House elections. They plan to further strengthen their cooperation and make full preparations for the national elections.
In the gubernatorial elections in Fukuoka and three other prefectures, LDP members supported different candidates.
The key question now for the ruling parties is whether they can unite for the Upper House elections by overcoming any hurt feelings these contests may have caused.
The opposition parties plan to make adjustments to jointly field candidates in the 32 single-seat constituencies in the Upper House race.
They consider the election results in those constituencies will have a huge impact on the opposition bloc.
In Osaka, the regional party, Osaka Ishin no Kai, won both mayoral and gubernatorial elections. The party campaigned on what's known as the "Osaka metropolis plan", which would abolish Osaka City and reorganize it into special wards similar to Tokyo.
Nippon Ishin Japan Innovation Party, the national party related to the regional party, says it wants to use this momentum for a Lower House by-election in the Osaka Number-12 electoral district, whose campaign kicks off on Tuesday.
Key words : Nissan shareholder removed
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190408_21/
Nissan shareholders have removed former Chairman Carlos Ghosn from the company's board.
Ghosn no longer holds any post at the company, ending a nearly two-decade relationship.
At an extraordinary shareholders meeting, Nissan President and CEO Hiroto Saikawa apologized for the scandal, which has seen Ghosn hit with several allegations of financial wrongdoing.
Saikawa said that regardless of how cleverly the wrongdoing was carried out, past and present management, including him, are taking their responsibilities extremely seriously.
Saikawa reiterated that he will strive to restore public trust in the automaker. But that may not be enough. Some shareholders asked top managers to take more responsibility.
Shareholders appointed Renault Chairman Jean-Dominique Senard as a new board member.
That completes the review of Nissan's management as it tries to start a post-Ghosn chapter.
The board also kicked out Greg Kelly, a former top aide to Ghosn who has also been charged with financial wrongdoing. Ghosn and Kelly deny all the charges against them.
Key words : Abe visit
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190408_22/
Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited Crown Prince Naruhito at his residence in Tokyo on Monday.
The prime minister is believed to have explained how the new era name, Reiwa, was chosen on April 1. The government has said Reiwa means "beautiful harmony" in English.
Abe is also thought to have told the Crown Prince about the government's preparations for the upcoming Imperial succession.
Emperor Akihito is set to abdicate on April 30, and the Crown Prince will ascend the throne the next day.
Abe visited the Imperial Palace last Friday to report on affairs of the state to the Emperor.
The prime minister had separate meetings with the Emperor and the Crown Prince in February and again in March.
Key words : NHK poll
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190408_30/
An NHK poll shows that the approval rate for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Cabinet has risen 5 points from last month to 47 percent. The disapproval rate fell 1 point to 35 percent.
NHK conducted the telephone survey of about 2,300 people over the weekend and 1,250 of them responded.
Among those supporting the Cabinet, 51 percent said it seems better than any alternatives, and 15 percent said it's a Cabinet of political parties they support.
Of those who disapprove, 45 percent said they don't trust Abe, and 28 percent said they have no expectations for the Cabinet's policies.
The government announced last week that the name of the era that begins when Crown Prince Naruhito ascends the throne on May 1, will be Reiwa.
A total of 81 percent said they have a favorable feeling for the name, while 14 percent said they don't.
Reiwa is taken from Manyoshu, the oldest existing anthology of Japanese poetry, and the first era name chosen from a Japanese text rather than classical Chinese literature.
About the choice, 63 percent said they approve of the origin and 3 percent said they don't, while 30 percent neither approved nor disapproved.
An era name, or gengo, is used in Japan alongside the Western system of numbering years in the Christian era.
Asked which one they use more often, 38 percent said gengo and 21 percent said the Western calendar, while 36 percent said they use both almost equally.
Key words : Moon
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190408_24/
South Korea's President Moon Jae-in said the country can be the global standard for next-generation 5G wireless networks and expressed hope that the technology will help boost exports and create jobs.
The government on Monday held a ceremony to commemorate the start of 5G services.
US telecom giant Verizon Communications announced last Wednesday that it had launched the world's first 5G service for smartphones.
But the South Korean government argues that the country's three major telecom operators started their services before Verizon, and they are the real world-first.
Moon said being the world's first means that the country can become a global standard.
He said 5G can be applied to self-driving vehicles and drones and the global market will expand to 1,160 trillion won, or roughly one trillion dollars, by 2026.
He estimated that South Korea will hold a 15-percent share of the market and expanding exports will lead to the creation of 600,000 jobs.
The approval rate for Moon has fallen to the lowest level since he took office because of the public's frustration with his economic policies.
Analysts say the government wants to show its commitment to 5G to prop up the economy.
Key words : Libya carried out air strike
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190408_11/
An armed group based in eastern Libya has carried out air strikes on the country's capital. Fighting with the forces of the Tripoli-based interim government is intensifying despite a United Nations call for a truce.
The interim government says the air raids on southern Tripoli on Sunday left 11 people dead and 23 injured. It says it has launched a counteroffensive.
Libya has been divided between the internationally recognized interim government in the west and a parallel administration in the east. The split came after longtime ruler Muammar al-Qadhafi was ousted in 2011.
Last week, the eastern-based Libyan National Army troops led by Khalifa Haftar started advancing westward, and have already captured part of the outskirts of Tripoli.
The UN called for a truce on Sunday to help civilians and those wounded to evacuate southern Tripoli. But neither side observed it.
Ensuring security in the region has become difficult as the United States is pulling its troops out of Libya. The head of US Africa Command says the situation on the ground is growing increasingly complex and unpredictable.
Key words : damage bridge
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190408_23/
A damaged road-rail bridge between Kansai Airport in Osaka Bay and the mainland fully reopened on Monday, allowing vehicles to use all six lanes.
A tanker crashed into the bridge during a powerful typhoon last September.
Three lanes were reopened first. In March, four became available after a new girder was installed.
The road's operator, West Nippon Expressway, had initially planned to complete the repairs by the end of April. Entry restrictions were lifted at 6 a.m. on Monday, enabling the use of all six lanes.
A man in his 20s said he uses Kansai Airport about once a month and it has become much easier to travel to the airport with the lifting of the restrictions.
Key words : Teikoku
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190408_32/
Credit research firm Teikoku Databank says steady growth and easier lending policies have pushed bankruptcies in Japan to a 10-year low.
It released a survey on Monday showing that 8,057 companies went bankrupt in fiscal 2018. That's down 2.8 percent from the previous year.
The survey covered firms that went under with debts of more than 10 million yen, or about 90,000 dollars.
Teikoku says the decline in bankruptcies is due to Japan's steady economic expansion and a more flexible lending policy by the country's banks.
The survey showed fewer bankruptcies in the construction and real estate industries in the run-up to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. But Japan's low birthrate, aging population and labor shortage meant more firms went bust in the retail and service sectors.
Teikoku says 169 bankruptcies were due to a lack of workers. That's up 48 percent from the previous fiscal year ... and the fifth straight annual rise.
Key words : industry ministry
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190408_27/
Japan's industry ministry is getting behind an initiative to generate new businesses using automobiles. They include ride-sharing and unmanned deliveries. More than 30 firms will join the project.
The Industry Ministry will designate several locations as pilot zones by the summer to experiment with the new car services.
Toyota, Softbank and East Japan Railway are among the companies that will join the so-called Mobility as a Service project.
The move comes as consumers increasingly see cars as something to use, not own.
Industry minister Hiroshige Seko told a meeting with corporate leaders on Monday that the project requires cross-industry and cross-regional partnerships. He said such cooperation will help integrate mobility services into society.
The meeting participants also decided to set up a group involving automakers and power companies. This will focus on measures to promote electric vehicles.
Key words : enjoy blooming
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190408_16/
People in northeastern Japan are starting to enjoy blooming cherry blossoms.
In Shiroishi City, Miyagi Prefecture, many people are coming to see and photograph more than 300 cherry trees that are in full bloom in the grounds of a restored castle.
In neighboring Fukushima Prefecture, visitors are flocking to a park in Fukushima City where different varities of cherry tree are starting to bloom.
The park is known for its colorful mosaics of different kinds of flowers in spring. They include the pink petals of the someiyoshino variety of cherry tree and the yellow canola flowers.
Some visitors took photos of the flowers and posted them on social media with their smartphones.
One of the volunteer guides at the park said she wants more people to come and feel soothed by looking at the blooming flowers.
Key words : starbucks
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190408_33/
Starbucks customers in Japan can now pay for their latte with their smartphone.
The Japanese subsidiary of the coffee shop chain has linked its prepaid payment system to an app offered by social media service LINE.
Customers will be able to use the LINE Pay QR code settlement service at all of the more than 1,400 Starbucks outlets across Japan next year.
It's the first time Starbucks Coffee Japan has made such a tie-up with another firm.
Competition is becoming fierce in the field of smartphone settlement services. Banks and convenience stores are also entering the business.
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