at 20:00 (JST), May 03

Friday marks 72 years since the Japanese Constitution came into effect.

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Japan's Finance Minister Taro Aso has called on China to help make rules to enhance the transparency of loans it extends to other nations.

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20190503200000_english_1.mp3



Key words : Friday marks
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190503_07/

Friday marks 72 years since the Japanese Constitution came into effect. The main ruling Liberal Democratic Party is willing to initiate Diet debates on Constitutional amendments. But opposition parties may try to block the move.

The Lower House's Commission on the Constitution plans to hear views from the Japan Commercial Broadcasters Association on Thursday next week. The topic will be restrictions on TV ads by political parties in the run-up to national referendums on Constitutional amendments.

Later, the governing coalition wants to hold Diet deliberations on draft revisions to the law governing the referendums.

It says the changes would ensure a greater opportunity to vote in the referendums. The coalition hopes to put the revisions to a vote.

But the largest opposition Constitutional Democratic Party and other forces say more time should be allocated for debate on TV commercial restrictions. They also call for opinions from experts on the issue.

The LDP hopes to present its plans on Constitutional revisions covering four areas, including one that clearly outlines the existence of the Self-Defense Forces in Article 9, which stipulates the renouncing of war.

But the LDP's coalition partner, Komeito, is cautious.

The opposition side could intensify its confrontational stance ahead of the Upper House election this summer.

It remains unclear whether the current Diet session will see any progress on debates over Constitutional amendments.

Key words : Naruhito appear since
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Key words : Aso called on
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190503_09/

Japan's Finance Minister Taro Aso has called on China to help make rules to enhance the transparency of loans it extends to other nations.

Aso made the request in his meeting with Chinese Finance Minister Liu Kun in Fiji on Thursday.

China has provided huge loans to promote infrastructure projects in emerging economies as part of its Belt and Road initiative to create a massive economic zone. But some nations halted such programs as they realized they will not be able to repay the loans.

Aso also urged China to set out a concrete roadmap to stop receiving loans from the Asian Development Bank. Loans from the institution are to support developing economies in Asia.

After the meeting, Aso told a news conference that China is already a lender, instead of a borrower. He said he hopes China will not pose as a developing nation to promote its interests.

Key words : chinese companies
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190503_11/

The cases in which Chinese companies took part in mergers and acquisitions of Japanese businesses hit a five-year high in Japan's last fiscal year through March.

M&A consultancy Recof says Chinese firms, including Hong Kong entities, engaged in 59 cases of M&A activity in fiscal 2018. That's a rise of 22 percent over the previous year.

The cases include a Chinese energy-related firm's buyout of Nissan Motor's lithium-ion battery production unit. A Hong Kong fund acquired struggling electronics maker Pioneer.

Chinese firms also invested in Japanese mid-sized companies and venture businesses launched by Japanese universities.

A similar trend has been continuing in Japan's current fiscal year starting last month. A Chinese fund joined a group of foreign investors to boost the capital base of struggling panel maker Japan Display.

Key words : US defense
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190503_17/

The US Defense Department says China is gaining the ability to "contest US military superiority," and will likely have two domestically-built aircraft carriers in service by 2022.

The Pentagon made the assessment in an annual report released on Thursday.

The report says China's first domestic aircraft carrier is likely to be commissioned this year, and the second one is likely to be operational within the next three years. The first one is now undergoing sea trials. Construction of the second began last year.

The report also expresses concern over Chinese military drills staged near Taiwan. The drills have been aimed at increasing pressure on the island, which Beijing considers a renegade province.

The report says China is trying to prevent third-party nations from supporting Taiwan. It adds that China is continuing to "develop and deploy advanced military capabilities needed for a potential military campaign."

The report also says China is trying to build more bases abroad. The move is apparently linked to its Belt and Road economic initiative. China currently has one overseas base in Djibouti in eastern Africa.

The Defense Department's assessments are apparently in line with the Trump administration's stance. The administration sees China's military buildup as a threat to the world.

Key words : Malaysian
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190503_14/

Malaysian authorities have released a Vietnamese woman charged in the 2017 murder of Kim Jong Nam, the half-brother of North Korea's leader Kim Jong un.

Doan Thi Huong was freed from a prison near Kuala Lumpur on Friday. Her lawyer says she will return to Vietnam later in the day.

Huong and an Indonesian woman were initially charged with killing Kim Jong Nam by smearing his face with the highly toxic VX nerve agent at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on February 13, 2017.

Both women pleaded not guilty and said they believed the act was part of a prank for a reality TV show. The Indonesian woman was released in March and went home after a Malaysian court dropped its case against her.

Malaysian prosecutors dropped a murder charge against Huong last month and sentenced her to 40 months on a lesser charge of causing injury. She was released early for good behavior.

Four North Korean men suspected to have instructed the women in the murder also left Malaysia soon after the incident.

Police have made no headway on investigation, and Huong's release will likely close the case.

Key words : powerful
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190503_18/

A powerful cyclone has made landfall in eastern India, forcing one million residents to evacuate from the coastal areas.

The India Meteorological Department says Cyclone Fani bore down in the eastern state of Odisha on Friday morning, and headed northeast along the Bay of Bengal.

The storm was packing winds of up to 170 kilometers per hour near its center when it made landfall. Maximum instantaneous gusts reached 190 kilometers per hour.

Residents evacuated from low-lying areas in Odisha and the neighboring state of West Bengal. Local footage shows trees toppling over in driving rain and gusting winds.

Indian weather officials say Fani is the strongest storm to make landfall in 20 years. In 1999, a cyclone left more than 10,000 people dead in Odisha.

Fani is likely to weaken as it travels over land. But officials are urging people in coastal regions to remain on alert.

Key words : school in Israel
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190503_12/

A school in Israel has held a ceremony to honor the late Japanese diplomat, Chiune Sugihara, who helped Jews escape persecution by the Nazis during World War Two. Hundreds of students took part.

The ceremony took place at a public school in central Israel on Thursday to mark Israel's Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Sugihara issued transit visas for Jews on his own initiative while working at the Japanese consulate in Lithuania during the war. His humanitarian efforts are said to have saved the lives of about 6,000 people. The visas he issued are known as "visas for life."

During the ceremony, a 91-year-old man told 1,300 students the story of how he survived thanks to Sugihara's efforts.
In February, about 400 trees planted at a site near the school to honor Sugihara's contribution were found to have been cut down to make way for a residential development.

School officials say the Thursday event was proposed by a teacher who was shocked by the incident. They say the teacher insisted on the need to deepen public understanding of the Japanese diplomat.

Another ceremony also took place on the day to plant trees again and unveil a monument dedicated to Sugihara.

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