at 20:00 (JST), June 30

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20190630200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : Trump across met
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190630_18/

Donald Trump has become the first president of the United States to walk across the demarcation line into North Korea.

Trump met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Sunday at the truce village of Panmunjom in the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea.

Trump stepped across the line into the North followed moments later by Kim, when the two leaders crossed to the South.

Trump said that stepping across that line was a great honor, and a lot of progress has been made.

Kim said that Trump is the first US president to enter his country by crossing the demarcation line. He said Trump had made a brave decision to put the bad past behind them and to open up a bright future.

Trump and Kim sat down at Freedom House on the South Korean side. They spoke about the significance of the meeting for the relationship between their two countries.

It appears that this third face-to-face meeting between the two leaders was a spur-of-the-moment offer by Trump in a tweet on Saturday.

It comes months after they failed to reach an agreement on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula at their second summit in Hanoi in February.

Key words : some people have been saying
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Key words : overcome difficulties
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190630_19/

US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held their third summit at the truce village of Panmunjom in the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea on Sunday.

Trump also became the first president of the United States to walk across the demarcation line into North Korea.

Trump shook hands with Kim before crossing over to the North Korean side and saying, "Feels great."

The two leaders then walked to Freedom House on the South Korean side for their first summit in four months.

Trump said the Korean Peninsula was in a very dangerous situation when he took office, and it was an honor to cross into North Korea.

Kim said he is convinced their great relationship will provide the mystical force that will overcome the difficulties and obstacles.

This was the first meeting in Panmunjom of a sitting US president and a North Korean leader since the truce came into effect 66 years ago.

Trump told reporters that it was a very good meeting, and they had agreed to set up negotiation teams to resume the stalled denuclearization talks. He said, "Speed is not the object, but we want to see if we can do a really comprehensive, good deal." The president said the teams will be set up within two or three weeks.

The summit happened as a result of an offer Trump made in a tweet on Saturday.

Bilateral talks on the North's denuclearization have stagnated since the two leaders failed to agree on denuclearization measures and a lifting of sanctions at their second summit in February.

Observers say Trump was apparently trying to use the summit to show his relationship with Kim, which he calls his own achievement, while Kim is trying to break the deadlock and find a way to get the sanctions lifted by negotiating directly with the US president.

Key words : analysis Ohtani histric
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Key words : weather officials in Japan evacuation
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190630_11/

Weather officials in Japan are calling for caution as continuing heavy rain could prompt landslides, flooding in low-lying areas as well as gusty winds across the country.

The Meteorological Agency says the lingering seasonal front is bringing active rain clouds to eastern and western parts of Japan. Warm, damp air is blowing into the rain front, creating unstable atmospheric conditions.

Kumamoto Prefecture, in southwestern Japan, had about 200 millimeters of rain over a 12-hour period.

The rain is expected to intensify from Sunday night through Monday in western Japan as a cold air mass moves south. The northern part of the Kyushu region could have up to 70 millimeters of rain in an hour.
Weather officials say intermittent rain could fall till midweek.

Across the country, more than 230,000 people have been issued evacuation advisories.

Key words : Japan withdraw whale
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190630_01/

Japan withdrew from the International Whaling Commission, or IWC, on Sunday. The country will resume commercial whaling the next day.

Japan joined the IWC in 1951, supporting its pursuit of sustainable whaling by protecting the number of whales.

After Japan suspended commercial whaling in 1988 in line with an IWC moratorium, it has been unable to find common ground with anti-whaling countries.

Japan announced its intention to withdraw last December, saying it was no longer possible to resume commercial whaling under IWC rules.

Several whaling ships are ready to leave the western port city of Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture, on Monday to start whaling in the Pacific.

And in the northern city of Kushiro, Hokkaido Prefecture, five vessels plan to leave for whaling in nearby waters.

Japan says it will conduct commercial whaling only in its territorial waters and exclusive economic zones, hunting minke and other species that have large enough numbers, within quotas set by the IWC-adopted method.

Environmental activists are criticizing the resumption in light of resource conservation and animal protection.

The Japanese government plans to gain support from the international community by stressing that hunting will be done within the limit to preserve the whale population.

"at 20:00 (JST), June 29

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20190629200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : G20 summit wrapped up 2-day
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190629_29/

Leaders at the G20 summit have wrapped up their 2-day meeting with a joint declaration. As the summit chair, Japan's prime minister hailed the efforts of national heads to work together toward global growth and confront risks to prosperity.

The meeting took place amid growing protectionist sentiment in the US and some other countries.

Abe said, "We were able to clearly reaffirm basic rules for free trade, such as liberalism, fairness, indiscrimination, an open market and fair conditions for competition."

The joint declaration stops short of referring to the need to fight protectionism.

That was also the case in the previous G20 summit in Buenos Aires -- where members disagreed over trade practices.

Another topic of discussion at the G20 was the digital economy. Abe is promoting a pet project called "Osaka Track," which is a loose set of guidelines to govern the global flow of data and e-commerce.

Abe said, "We will move quickly to set international rules to ensure the free transnational flow of data while securing safety and privacy. Such an effort will surely bring a fresh breeze into the process of WTO reform."

On the environmental front, Abe says the leaders endorsed a framework to cut back on plastic waste dumped in the ocean.

He said, "We were able to take a big step forward to solve the problem by sharing the 'Osaka Blue Ocean Vision,' which aims to reduce new pollution to zero by 2050. We were also able to agree on a framework to implement concrete steps toward the goal."

The G20 next year will be held in Saudi Arabia. Abe offered Japan's continuing support, and said he hopes the new host can take the lead to put together a set of strong recommendations.

Key words : US and china relationship proof
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190629_35/

The US and China's relationship is back on track, the leaders of the world's two largest economies reassured the international community on Saturday. As proof of the trade truce, Donald Trump said the two sides will keep talking and that the US will shelve plans to hit China with another set of additional tariffs.

Trump also said he intends to continue to ease business restrictions on Huawei Technologies.

Trump said, "The one thing I will allow, however a lot of people are surprised, is we send and we sell to Huawei a tremendous amount of product that goes into the various things they make and I said that's OK. We will keep sending and selling that product."

The US first put the Chinese tech-giant on a blacklist that prevents the firm from doing business with American companies, citing national security reasons.

China's state-run media says Xi urged Trump in the meeting to treat Chinese firms fairly -- apparently referring to Huawei.

Saturday's face-to-face on the sidelines of the G20 summit marked the first time Trump and Xi met in nearly seven months.

Talks unexpectedly broke down last month with Washington accusing Beijing of backtracking on critical promises.

The two countries are now expected to push forward talks for resolving US complaints about Chinese trade practices including forced technology transfers and excessive subsidies to state-run firms.

For now, the pressure appears to have eased.
But some experts say it may take a long time for the two countries to strike a deal -- and in the meantime, the trade war could continue to have global economic repercussions.

Key words : meeting between trump and Xi outcome
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at 20:00 (JST), June 28

Leaders from the world have wrapped up their first day of meetings at the G20 summit in the western Japanese city of Osaka.

A flurry of talks are taking place on the sidelines of the G20 summit held in Osaka. Japan's prime minister sat down with the US president. Shinzo Abe and Donald Trump agreed to cooperate to make the G20 a success.

A Japanese district court has ordered the central government to pay damages worth about 3.5 million dollars to families of people with Hansen's disease, saying the families' constitutional rights were violated.

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20190628200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : leaders from the world
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190628_41/

Leaders from the world have wrapped up their first day of meetings at the G20 summit in the western Japanese city of Osaka.

Despite expressing concern over trade tensions, leaders appeared jovial during an initial meet-and-greet. But Japanese officials say many are worried about the risk to the global economy posed by ongoing disputes.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe opened the summit's first session by stressing the importance of free and open trade.

Abe said, "Anxiety and discontent brought about by globalization can sometimes create the possibility of protectionism. This can lead to sharp divisions among countries. But trade restriction does not profit any nation."

The tit-for-tat tariff dispute between the United States and China has already been a contentious issue.

And many leaders worry about the spillover effect it may have on other economies.

Key words : sideline Osaka sat down
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190628_42/

A flurry of talks are taking place on the sidelines of the G20 summit held in Osaka. Japan's prime minister sat down with the US president. Shinzo Abe and Donald Trump agreed to cooperate to make the G20 a success.

Abe said, "At this G20 summit, I want to send out a strong message to the world about our commitment to helping solve the challenges the international community is facing, such as sustainably developing the global economy. I believe cooperation between Japan and the United States is essential for such an effort."

Trump said, "I just want to thank you and I know we're going to have a very successful day. We're going to be talking about many things. And we're going also to be talking about a lot of trade."
He added, "So we'll be discussing trade, we'll be discussing military and we'll be discussing the purchase of a lot of military equipment by Japan, and we appreciate that. "

The two leaders also confirmed their intent to enhance the Japan-US alliance, saying it has never been stronger.

Just before heading to the G20, Trump complained a longstanding security treaty between the two countries is one-sided. But Japanese officials say Abe and Trump did not discuss the president's recent remarks.

The two did talk about a range of topics, including Iran, North Korea and the ongoing bilateral trade negotiations.

After the meeting, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined them for trilateral talks. The three reaffirmed they will work together to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific.

Key words : abe proposed framework
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190628_30/

At the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has proposed creating a new international framework for discussing rules for the digital economy. The Japanese government calls it "the Osaka track."

World leaders met to discuss the plan on Friday to stake out their positions on the issue. Abe pitched the idea for the first time at the World Economic Forum in Davos earlier this year.

Abe urged the other G20 leaders to ease the restrictions on data flows. He said, "To maximize the vast potentiality of this rapidly proceeding digitalization, international rules that do not lag behind this trend are indispensable."

Abe added, "In particular, we need to create rules on data flow and e-commerce, which are the driving engines of the digital age."

Data is being called the new oil in the increasingly interconnected digital era. An enormous amount of information is being generated every minute. Data is also key to the cross-border transactions that have become a cornerstone of international business.

However, data regulation and protectionism have become buzzwords around the world.

China requires businesses to store their information on servers inside the country, and restricts the transmission of data abroad.

The EU and emerging economies are also concerned about global data flows. They have started to regulate them. Some analysts warn that these protectionist moves could wind up hurting global economic growth.

The leaders are divided on how new resources should be controlled, secured, and profited from.

Observers say Beijing's participation would contribute to the success of any global framework, because of China's giant e-commerce industries, and the sheer size of the Chinese market.

They also point out that key challenges for "the Osaka track" include how to reach a compromise with Beijing, and how to get the more data-restrictive EU and emerging markets on board.

Key words : Trump Putin sat down
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190628_40/

The US President Donald Trump also sat down with Russian President Vladimir Putin in one of the more highly anticipated sideline meetings of the summit.

At the onset, the two leaders expressed willingness to improve relations that are said to be at the worst level since the Cold War.

Trump said, "We have many things to discuss, including trade and including some disarmament, some little protectionism perhaps, in a very positive way.

Putin said, "Our teams have been working together and this gives us a great opportunity to follow up on our meeting in Helsinki."

This was their first one-on-one in almost a year, and relations had considerably soured since then.

Domestically, the alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 US presidential election has continued to dog Trump.

And the two parties seem far apart on another major issue...nuclear disarmament. The future of two key agreements are in doubt.

Key words : nhk reporter
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Key words : G20 goal wide range
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190628_18/

The G20 summit is officially kicking off in Osaka. The goal is to reach a consensus on a wide range of pressing issues -- despite conflicting views and competing interests.

Most of the world leaders are already in Osaka. Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel touched down Friday morning.

There are four sessions planned.
Topics include the global economy, digital innovation, women's empowerment and the environment.

But trade is expected to dominate discussions -- largely due to the United States shifting its approach under President Donald Trump.

Trump's preference for bilateral deals and his complaints that other countries are taking advantage of the US has disrupted international trading norms.

And as the US and China continue to butt heads on a trade deal, there are growing concerns the economy could sag if G20 leaders do not present a unified front.

Key words : Trump Xi breakthrough
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Key words : district court ordered pay damages
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190628_31/

A Japanese district court has ordered the central government to pay damages worth about 3.5 million dollars to families of people with Hansen's disease, saying the families' constitutional rights were violated.

The court is the first to rule that the state is responsible for damage inflicted on the families.

The Kumamoto District Court handed down the ruling on Friday in a lawsuit filed by 561 plaintiffs across Japan. The plaintiffs are the families of patients who contracted the disease and were sent to isolation facilities under a now-defunct state policy.

The plaintiffs said that due to the policy, they suffered discrimination and their family ties were destroyed.

The families demanded that the state pay each of them about 51,000 dollars in damages.

Presiding judge Kotaro Endo said that by 1960, the isolation policy was seen as unnecessary. He pointed out the failure of health ministers and the Diet in getting rid of the policy for decades. A law implementing the policy was finally annulled in 1996.

The health ministry said on Friday that it learned that part of the government's claim was not approved in the ruling. It said it will closely examine the ruling and decide how to respond by consulting related government agencies.

A court ruling finalized in 2001 called the policy unconstitutional and ordered the government to compensate former Hansen's patients.

Key words : UFG bank first
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190628_15/

MUFG Bank has become the first Japanese financial institution to be designated a yuan-clearing bank.

China's central bank granted the designation after a summit between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sideline of the G20 meeting in Osaka, Japan .

Japanese businesses can now settle their yuan-denominated transactions through MUFG instead of using financial institutions in China.

Beijing is easing regulations to promote international use of the yuan, in a bid to show the world it is opening up its financial markets.

Attention is now focused on whether the designation will spur more investment in China by Japanese companies.

Key words : 20-year-old fujita
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190628_19/

A 20-year-old man from Tokyo has come in second place in the piano category of the International Tchaikovsky Competition.

Mao Fujita was one of seven finalists. The prizewinners were announced on Thursday at a music academy in Moscow. Fujita shared second place and silver medals with Dmitriy Shishkin of Russia.

Fujita, a third-year student at the Tokyo College of Music, started taking piano lessons when he was three.

He earned international acclaim when he won the Clara Haskil Competition in Switzerland in 2017. He has already been performing in concerts.

Fujita said he was a runner-up this time and that he wants to come back to the next competition, four years from now. He said that in the meantime he will continue to create beautiful sounds.

In the violin category, Japanese-American Mayumi Kanagawa was a co-winner of the fourth prize.

The Tchaikovsky contest, held every four years, is one of the world's three main classical music competitions along with the International Chopin Piano Competition in Poland and the Queen Elisabeth Competition in Belgium.

at 20:00 (JST), June 27

Japan's Prime Minister has expressed his determination to seek common ground among the countries taking part in the G20 summit in Osaka.

NHK has learned that preparations are underway ahead of the upcoming summit to have participating nations jointly aim to reduce new plastic marine waste to zero by 2050.

US President has expressed displeasure over his country's defense agreement with Japan, one of America's key allies.

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20190627200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : prime determination
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190627_19/

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has expressed his determination to seek common ground among the countries taking part in the G20 summit.

Abe spoke to reporters in Tokyo on Thursday before leaving for Osaka, where the summit will be held on Friday and Saturday.

Abe said people tend to focus on differences in the international community, but Japan as the host country will focus on what countries have in common and what they can agree on.

He added that he hopes the G20 can issue a strong message on promoting free trade, leading global economic growth through innovation, rules for the digital economy, contributions to environmental issues, and women's empowerment.

Abe said he will meet US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping to confirm their cooperation for a successful summit.

He also said he will hold candid talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin after the summit to move forward negotiations for a peace treaty as much as possible.

Key words : learned preparation
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190627_08/

NHK has learned final preparations are ongoing ahead of the upcoming G20 summit to have participating nations jointly aim to reduce new plastic marine waste to zero by 2050.

The summit opens in Osaka, western Japan, on Friday.

Along with discussions on the global economy and trade, tackling plastic marine waste is high on the agenda. Attention will be focused on whether leaders can show unity over the issue.

Against this backdrop, efforts are being made to see that the leaders endorse the so-called Osaka Blue Ocean Vision, which aims to reduce ocean plastic waste to zero by improving waste management and exploiting technological breakthroughs.

Environment and energy ministers of the Group of 20 met in Nagano Prefecture, central Japan, earlier this month to discuss the problem of plastic waste that finds its way to the oceans.

Ministers endorsed a joint statement that calls for the creation of an international framework for countries to regularly report their efforts to reduce plastic waste.

Key words : prime Japan and India
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190627_36/

The prime ministers of Japan and India have agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the security sector.

Shinzo Abe and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi held their 13th summit on Thursday afternoon in Osaka on the eve of the opening of the G20 meeting there.

Abe told Modi that he wants to raise the level of Japan-India relations, which he said have the world's largest potential.

Modi said he hopes the G20 summit will end in a success because of Japan's leadership as its chair.

The two agreed to work together to realize a free and open Indo-Pacific region by holding a meeting of their countries' foreign and defense ministers soon.
They also agreed to speed up discussions on introducing Japan-made US-2 rescue flying boats in India.

The prime ministers confirmed that more effort will be made so that Abe can visit India this year.

In a meeting with Senegal's President Macky Sall earlier in the day, Abe and the West African leader agreed to work together for success at the Tokyo International Conference on African Development, or TICAD, in Yokohama in August.

Key words : traffic authorities
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Key words : Trump expressed pleasure
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190627_03/

US President Donald Trump has expressed displeasure over his country's defense agreement with Japan, one of America's key allies.

Trump held a telephone interview with a US media outlet on Wednesday before heading for the western Japan city of Osaka to attend the G20 summit.

When questioned about what he wants to accomplish through sealing bilateral agreements with Japan, India and Southeast Asian nations, Trump replied, "Almost all countries in this world take tremendous advantage of the United States. It's unbelievable."

Trump went on to comment on the US-Japan security alliance.

He said, "If Japan is attacked, we will fight World War Three. We will go in and protect them with our lives. But if we are attacked, Japan doesn't have to help us at all. They can watch on a Sony television the attack."

The remarks come after Bloomberg News reported earlier this week Trump mused about withdrawing from the defense agreement in a private conversation, calling it unfair.

A White House official told NHK that the writer of the report has been told it is inaccurate.

Key words : top spokes obligation
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190627_30/

The Japanese government's top spokesperson says the obligations of Japan and the United States are balanced under the bilateral security treaty and the agreement is not one-sided.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga made the comment to reporters on Thursday when asked about US President Donald Trump's remarks expressing displeasure over the pact.

Trump was speaking in an interview with US media on Wednesday, before he headed for the western Japanese city of Osaka to attend the G20 summit.

He complained that the agreement was unfair, saying Japan doesn't have to help the United States at all if the US is attacked.

Suga said a Japan-US joint statement issued in February 2017 confirms that the bilateral alliance is the cornerstone of peace, prosperity and freedom in the Asia-Pacific region. Suga said the Japan-US security treaty forms the core of their alliance.

Suga said there has been no talk whatsoever about revising the treaty with the US government and he has confirmed this with the White House.

He said that article five of the treaty stipulates that Japan and the US would act to meet the common danger when either party is attacked in Japanese territory.

Suga said that under article six of the treaty, the US forces are granted use of Japan's facilities and areas for the purpose of contributing to the security of Japan.

He said that overall, the obligations of both countries are balanced and the treaty is not one-sided.

Key words : video game
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190627_27/

The leading makers of video-game consoles are asking the US administration to remove their products from a list of Chinese imports subject to possible tariffs.

Microsoft, Nintendo of America and Sony Interactive Entertainment have jointly sent a letter to the Office of the US Trade Representative.

The administration of US President Donald Trump is in the process of levying additional tariffs of as much as 25 percent on 300 billion dollars' worth of Chinese goods.

The companies say, "Video games are a core part of the fabric of American entertainment culture." They say additional tariffs "will likely put a new video game console out of reach for many American families."

They also say the extra duties would have an enormous impact on their industry, which employs many Americans and contributes to technological innovation in the US.

The statement adds that the duties "will likely put a new video-game console out of reach for many American families."

The letter notes more than 96 percent of the consoles imported into the US last year were Chinese-made.

US President Donald Trump is scheduled to hold talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Japan.

Key words : tropical storm
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190627_39/

A tropical storm is approaching the southern shores of Japan's archipelago. Weather officials are warning of heavy rain across many areas of the country.

Tanabe City in Wakayama Prefecture had over 39 millimeters of rain between 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. on Thursday.

The Meteorological Agency said unstable atmospheric conditions are expected over a wide area of the country due to a weather front and a low pressure system.

There is a chance of downpours and thundershowers into the predawn hours on Friday in western Japan, and through the morning in eastern Japan.

The agency is urging residents to stay on alert for mudslides, flooding in low-lying areas and river overflows. Caution is also advised for strong winds, high waves, lightning strikes and tornados.

Key words : freedom of
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190627_05/

A UN expert on freedom of expression has submitted a report expressing concerns about media independence in Japan.

UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression David Kaye submitted the report on Wednesday at an annual meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva. Kaye is a professor at the University of California, Irvine.

In the report, Kaye noted instances of Japanese government officials directly or indirectly pressuring members of the media.

He said the state secrecy law and other restrictions have had a chilling effect on reporting that is critical of the government, and on investigative reporting.

Kaye submitted a similar report to the UN Human Rights Council two years ago. He urged the government to review the Broadcast Act to strengthen media independence by removing the legal basis for government interference. He says there have been no apparent moves to this end.

Ken Okaniwa, ambassador of Japan's permanent mission to the international organizations in Geneva, objected to Kaye's findings. He said Japan's constitution fully guarantees free expression.

Okaniwa said the Japanese government is taking steps to protect basic values, including freedom and democracy.

Key words : joint venture
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190627_35/

Five Japanese automakers are thinking about investing in a joint venture that plans to provide next-generation mobility services, including ride-hailing using self-driving cars.

Sources say executives at Mazda, Suzuki, Subaru, Daihatsu and Isuzu are considering taking stakes in Monet Technologies. Toyota and Softbank founded the company last year,.

Monet is already receiving investment from Honda and Hino.

The global race in mobility services is intensifying, with Google and other IT firms involved.

Analysts say Japanese carmakers hope the venture will give them a competitive edge. They believe the project will help them share driving and other data so they can lay the groundwork for launching mobility services such as ride-sharing and delivery.

Key words : Indonesia learn volcano
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Key words : learned organizer
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190627_11/

NHK has learned that the organizers of next year's Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics are planning to allow spectators to take drinks in plastic bottles into venues as part of anti-heat measures.

The games will be held at a time when the city's temperatures are extremely high. The organizers are working on ways to prevent people from suffering heat stroke.

In recent Olympics and Paralympics, spectators were banned from taking liquids in plastic bottles into venues as part of anti-terrorism measures.

But sources close to the Tokyo Games' organizing committee told NHK that the organizers are planning to allow people to enter venues with liquids in plastic bottles under certain conditions.

The sources say the committee is considering limiting the amount of liquids allowed into venues and requiring people to sample their drinks.

They quoted committee officials as saying that measures to prevent heat stroke are crucial as the condition can put spectators' life at risk.

Visitors can buy beverages of the games' official sponsor companies at the venues, but they might have to wait in line to buy them.

The organizers' move is apparently intended to make sure that people can stay hydrated.

at 20:00 (JST), June 26

The upcoming Group of 20 summit in Osaka City, western Japan, is affecting the lives of people living near the venue.

Japan will hold an Upper House election on July 21.

North Korea has lashed out at the US for insisting it would maintain sanctions on the country until it is fully denuclearized.

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20190626200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : upcoming Osaka affecting
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190626_25/

The upcoming Group of 20 summit in Osaka City, western Japan, is affecting the lives of people living near the venue.

The summit will be held on Friday and Saturday on a manmade island called Sakishima.

Major traffic controls will be put in place in Osaka City and its surrounding areas starting on Thursday. But police vehicles have already been deployed on the roads of Sakishima, and are causing traffic jams.

Many of the area's residents are stockpiling food and other daily necessities as the congestion is expected to become even worse during the summit period.

Those living near the summit venue are required to carry some form of identification when they go out, such as a driver's license or a health insurance card, so police can check on them.

One resident said the police check his identification every time he goes out.

A woman says her husband will be off from work, and that her daughter's kindergarten will be closed during the summit. She says they decided to take a family trip, as they won't be able to walk freely around their home.

Key words : president of Brazil
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190626_19/

The president of Brazil is set to propose a joint development deal of the Amazon region with Japan when he meets with the Japanese prime minister.

Jair Bolsonaro posted his thoughts on social media on Tuesday before he left for the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan. It begins on Friday.

In the post, Bolsonaro said he will meet with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. He said he wants to discuss the exploration of biodiversity in the Amazon.

Bolsonaro has been pressing ahead with the development of the region.

The rainforest in South America is the world's largest, covering 5.5 million square kilometers. It plays a significant role in mitigating global warming, which is expected to be a topic at the G20 meeting.

Critics both in and outside Brazil say Bolsonaro's policies will lead to environmental destruction.

The criticism hasn't deterred the leader. He's also proposing a similar development deal with US President Donald Trump.

Key words : Hong Kong citizen opposed
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190626_30/

Hong Kong citizens opposed to a controversial extradition bill have visited foreign missions in the territory and asked them to raise the issue at the upcoming Group of 20 summit in Osaka, Japan.

The proposed bill would allow criminal suspects in Hong Kong to be taken to mainland China for trial.

It sparked massive protests in the territory this month, including a rally on June 16 in which organizers say a record 2 million people took part.

On Wednesday, about 1,500 protesters gathered in response to online calls. They visited US, Japanese and other consulates general in Hong Kong to hand in petitions asking that their case be taken to the G20 summit.

Calls for a complete withdrawal of the bill continue to intensify among Hong Kong people even after Chief Executive Carrie Lam last week suggested that the bill would effectively be scrapped.

Another rally is planned for Wednesday night.

China's government stresses that the issue is an internal matter and that there is no need to raise it at an international conference like a summit.

Key words : Japan will hold
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190626_17/

Japan will hold an Upper House election next month.

The Cabinet of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe decided on Wednesday to hold the ballot and vote-counting on July 21. Official campaigning will kick off on Thursday of next week.

The schedule was decided on the last day of the 150-day ordinary Diet session, in line with a law stipulating that votes must take place within 24 to 30 days of the end of the session.

124 seats will be up for grabs with 74 allocated to constituencies and 50 to proportional representation.
Half of the seats in the upper chamber are contested every three years.

Last year, the Diet enacted legislation to reform the electoral system, which included the addition of six seats to the 242-seat house to reduce the disparity in the value of votes. Three seats will be added in next month's election and three more in 2022.

The new legislation also introduced a special quota for the proportional representation system that will allow some candidates to be elected according to their rank listed by each political party.

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party and junior coalition partner Komeito are aiming to win a majority of at least 63 of the contested seats. Opposition parties hope to end the LDP's dominance.

Key words : north lashed out
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190626_28/

North Korea has lashed out at the United States for insisting it would maintain sanctions on the country until it is fully denuclearized.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Sunday that more than 80 percent of the North Korean economy is sanctioned and that is important for everyone to remember. He stressed that sanctions are needed to achieve the objectives the US has laid out.

North Korea's Foreign Ministry spokesperson said in a statement on Wednesday that "the wild dream of the US to bring the North Koreans to their knees by means of sanctions and pressure has not changed at all, but grows even more undisguised."

The spokesperson said it is difficult to look forward to an improvement in bilateral relations and the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, as long as US policies are made by those who have an antagonism toward North Korea.

The spokesperson added that Pyongyang will "not hesitate to pull a muscle-flexing trigger in self-defense, if anyone dares to trample over its sovereignty."

On the other hand, North Korea has been showcasing the good personal relations between its leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump.

The country's state-run media reported earlier this week that Kim was satisfied with a letter he received from Trump.

Key words : CNN says
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190626_29/

US media CNN says the US military has conducted a major cyberattack on a Shia militant group sponsored by Iran.

It said on Tuesday that the attack came after Iran shot down a US drone last week.

Kata'ib Hezbollah is a militia group active in Syria, Iraq and Iran. The United States designated the group as a foreign terrorist organization in 2009.

CNN quoted an informed source as saying that the purpose of the attack was to damage the group's telecom networks. It is not yet known whether the attack was successful.

Key words : facebook has agreed
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190626_24/

Facebook has agreed with the French government to hand over information to the country's judges on suspects who posted hate speech online.

France's Minister of State for the Digital Sector, Cedric O tweeted on Tuesday that the US firm would provide the French judicial authorities with the suspects' IP addresses.

Local media say it's the first time Facebook has cooperated with the government to deal with hate speech. In the past, the company has provided authorities with identification data related to terrorism and child pornography.

The agreement comes amid growing concerns over the spread of false information and provocative messages to divide the public.

The French government has called on other countries and social network companies to take greater measures to regulate disinformation online.

Some tech experts are waiting to see whether Facebook's decision will promote international cooperation to prevent the spread of hate speech.

Key words : Takashimaya
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190626_21/

Major Japanese department store chain Takashimaya is withdrawing from the Chinese market. The company says it will close its outlet in Shanghai this August after years of struggling sales.

Takashimaya officials made the announcement on Tuesday, drawing a close to plans to break into the lucrative but competitive Chinese market.

Tsuneaki Okabe, managing director of Takashimaya said, "The department store business in China is difficult, and the country's trade friction with the US is getting worse. We assessed that we would not be able to expect growth going forward."

The company opened the store in December 2012 in central Shanghai, hoping to take advantage of the city's upscale market.

The store carried Japanese-made clothing, as well as high-end brands from the US and Europe.

But sales were sluggish from the start amid poor relations between Japan and China at the time.
More recently, Chinese consumers have cut back on spending as the trade conflict with the US drags on.

The Takashimaya subsidiary running the Shanghai store posted a more than eight million dollar operating loss for the year through February. That's the seventh-straight year of red ink since the outlet opened.

Takashimaya plans to turn its focus to regions with stronger growth potential, such as Southeast Asia.

Key words : survey shows visa
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190626_15/

Japanese officials say a survey shows that a visa system the country uses to benefit highly-skilled foreign workers is not being widely used. They say many of those eligible don't take advantage of it.

The government introduced the system seven years ago to attract skilled workers from abroad. Since then, more than 15,000 professionals have been certified for the preferential visa treatment.

The program makes it easier for foreigners with certain qualifications to obtain permanent residence status.

But in a survey of over 300 foreign nationals working in Japan, the Internal Affairs Ministry found the system to be underutilized. While 18 percent of respondents are taking advantage of it, 37 percent are not, despite being eligible.

Asked the reason, nearly half said they didn't know the process well. More than 21 percent said it had no merit.
And almost 19 percent responded that they weren't aware they met its requirements.

The internal affairs ministry has told the Justice Ministry to step up efforts to publicize the system.

Key words : private sector
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190626_31/

Japan's government and members of the private sector have begun discussing challenges in allowing people to go on suborbital spaceflights.

Suborbital flights involve riding a spacecraft to an altitude of more than 100 kilometers. After experiencing weightlessness for a few minutes, the passengers return to the ground.

Traveling on a spacecraft that's a combination of a passenger jet and a rocket could become possible for about 180,000 dollars.

On Wednesday, representatives of two Japanese companies developing suborbital flight spacecraft met officials from the Cabinet Office and the transport ministry for the first time in Tokyo.

The companies said space travel is already offered in the US. They plan to start testing unmanned flights next year, and manned flights in 2023.

They also pointed out legal challenges. Suborbital spaceflights fall between the Aviation Law and laws regulating rockets.

The government and the companies plan to launch a working group to discuss deregulation needed for test flights and to study how suborbital spaceflights are managed abroad.

at 20:00 (JST), June 25

US President is expected to meet his Chinese counterpart on Saturday amid continuing trade friction between the two countries.

A new round of US sanctions are taking aim at senior Iranian officials -- including the country's supreme leader.

The UN says leaders from more than 140 countries are expected to attend a high-level climate meeting in September.

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20190625200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : US president counterpart
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190625_17/

US President Donald Trump is expected to meet his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Saturday amid continuing trade friction between the two countries.

Trump will visit Japan from Thursday to attend the G20 summit which is being held in Osaka on Friday and Saturday.

A senior US government official announced the plan for President Trump on Monday. It includes meetings with leaders from eight countries, among them Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Trump's expected meeting with Xi has prompted speculation as to whether the two leaders can achieve a breakthrough in resolving trade issues.

Trump and Xi are also expected to discuss deadlocked denuclearization talks between Washington and Pyongyang, after the Chinese president met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un last week.

The US president is also expected to exchange views with each leader over rising military tensions with Iran.

Trump is considering a visit to the demilitarized zone between the two Koreas during his trip to South Korea this weekend.

The US official added that a meeting with Kim is not currently planned.

Key words : US special visit Seoul
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190625_15/

The US special envoy for North Korea will visit Seoul this week, ahead of President Donald Trump's arrival.

The US State Department announced that Stephen Biegun will visit the city from Thursday to Sunday in order to meet with South Korean officials.

Trump is scheduled to fly into Seoul on Saturday before meeting with President Moon Jae-in the following day. His visit will take place after he attends the summit of the Group of 20 nations in the Japanese city of Osaka.

Biegun and South Korean officials are expected to discuss how to respond to North Korea before the two presidents meet.

North Korea's state-run media earlier reported that the country's leader Kim Jong Un had received a personal letter from Trump. The report said Kim "would seriously contemplate the interesting content."

The report raised hopes for the resumption of stalled US-North Korea talks, with the goal of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula.

Biegun said in a lecture in Washington last week that the US and North Korea understand a flexible approach is needed to push forward talks.

Some US diplomatic sources say Biegun is also exploring the possibility of meeting senior North Korean officials.

Key words : US sanctions Iranian official
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190625_22/

A new round of US sanctions are taking aim at senior Iranian officials -- including the country's leader. US President Donald Trump says Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is ultimately responsible for what he called Iran's "hostile conduct."

Trump said, "Sanctions imposed through the executive order that I'm about to sign, will deny the Supreme Leader and the Supreme Leader's office, and those closely affiliated with him and the office, access to key financial resources and support."

The US Treasury Secretary says the new order will lock up billions of additional dollars in Iranian assets and further squeeze the country. It's already facing a number of US sanctions.

This move further escalates tensions between the countries.

Iran's foreign minister responded via Twitter. In a reference to Trump's top aides, he wrote they "despise diplomacy, and thirst for war."

Key words : Iran has harshly
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190625_26/

Iran has harshly condemned additional US sanctions, saying the action has ruled out a diplomatic solution between the two countries.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Seyyed Abbas Mousavi tweeted on Tuesday that imposing useless sanctions on Iran's Supreme Leader and its foreign minister means the path of diplomacy has closed permanently.

He also wrote that Trump's desperate administration is destroying the established international mechanisms for maintaining world peace and security.

Key words : UN security agreed
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190625_19/

Members of the UN Security Council have agreed to call on the United States and Iran to hold talks to ease tensions peacefully.

The council held an emergency closed-door session in New York on Monday, at the request of the United States. Iran, which is not a member of the Security Council, did not take part.

Participants discussed the recent tanker attacks near the Strait of Hormuz and Iran's downing of a US surveillance drone last week.

Kuwait's UN ambassador, Mansour Al-Otaibi, who chaired the meeting, later read out an informal statement that called for dialogue.

He said the Security Council agreed to urge the concerned parties to exercise maximum restraint and take steps and action to de-escalate and end tensions.

Acting US Ambassador Jonathan Cohen reiterated the country's claim that Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps shot down the drone in international airspace.

Cohen told reporters that Iran must understand that these attacks are unacceptable. He added that "it's time for the world to join us in saying so."

Iran's UN ambassador, Majid Takht Ravanchi, countered US claims at a separate news conference. Ravanchi said there is "no doubt" the American drone was flying over Iranian territorial waters when it was shot down.

Key words : peace plan
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190625_30/

The administration of US President Donald Trump is launching the first stage of its Middle East peace plan at an economic conference in Bahrain that starts on Tuesday.

Representatives from several Arab states and financial institutions are expected to attend the two-day meeting.

The Trump administration will present its economic aid plan and call for cooperation to attract 50 billion dollars in investment for the Palestinians and neighboring countries over a period of 10 years.

Trump has referred to Israel-Palestine peace as the "ultimate deal." His son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner, has been tasked with leading the peace plan.

But relations with the Palestinians worsened after the United States recognized Jerusalem as the Israeli capital.

The US has since pressured the Palestinians by suspending all economic aid.

By presenting a major economic aid plan, the Trump administration apparently aims to make the Palestinians respond to its peace deal.

The Palestinians are boycotting the meeting, criticizing the United States for trying to solve the issue with money. Due to the Palestinian boycott, the Israeli government has not been invited to the meeting.

In other words, both parties in the conflict will be absent.

Palestinians have been staging demonstrations against the conference.

On Monday, about 500 people gathered in the West Bank city of Ramallah. A senior member of the moderate Fatah group demanded that the United States first resolve the political issue of Israeli occupation before talking about economic aid.

Key words : expected high-level
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190625_11/

The United Nations says leaders from more than 140 countries are expected to attend a high-level climate meeting in September.

The UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for the 2019 Climate Action Summit, Luis Alfonso de Alba, made the announcement at a news conference on Monday.

The special envoy said that he expects over 140 heads of state and government to take part in the high-level meeting at the General Assembly in New York in September.

He said that US President Donald Trump, who is widely viewed as backpedalling on climate change, is not currently expected to attend the meeting.

De Alba also said that unlike previous meetings, this year's high-level climate meeting will be held for three consecutive days.

He warned that the average global temperature will rise about 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial revolution levels as soon as 2030.

He said that what countries are committed to in the 2015 Paris Agreement is not enough. He stressed the need to implement measures that can bring about drastic changes.

Key words : shareholder approved meeting
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190625_45/

The shareholders of Nissan Motor have approved a plan to shake up the carmaker's management structure following the ousting of Carlos Ghosn as chairman.

The new governance system aims at increasing transparency. Nissan is more than doubling the number of outside board members from three to seven.

The shareholders also agreed to reappoint Hiroto Saikawa as president and CEO. He offered an apology for the scandal that stemmed from the arrest of Ghosn on charges of financial misconduct last November.

Saikawa said, "On behalf of the company, I deeply apologize to you for all of the wrongdoing committed by our people including our former chairman."

The shareholders also endorsed the overhaul plan that creates three oversight committees, including ones for board nominations and auditing. Outside directors will play a bigger role.

Alliance partner Renault had indicated it might abstain from voting on the proposal, unless it was given more inclusion.

Nissan originally planned to make only Renault's chairman, Jean-Dominique Senard, a committee member. But the French partner demanded a seat on each panel.

Nissan responded by also offering CEO Thierry Bollore an oversight role, and Renault changed its mind.

At the meeting, Saikawa was asked about Nissan's future relationship with Renault. The French automaker has proposed the two integrate their business.

Saikawa said that would not be good for Nissan, though he did say he wants to create a venue to discuss the future of their alliance.

The reform plans aims to significantly transform Nissan from the way it was run under Ghosn, who amassed a great deal of power.

But Nissan and Renault still face an uphill battle to put their relationship back on a positive footing following a tense six months.

Key words : Japanese government 5G
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190625_24/

The Japanese government will provide subsidies to the nation's four telecom companies to build next-generation 5G mobile networks across the country.

NTT Docomo, KDDI, Softbank, and Rakuten were allocated frequencies by the communications ministry for the ultra-high speed services in April.

They have submitted plans to the government to build a total of 70,000 base stations across Japan by March 2025.

The ministry wants the mobile operators to set up 84,000 stations, which is 20 percent more than their original plan.

To speed up the process of building base stations, the ministry plans to create a new subsidiary system in the fiscal 2020 budget.

The 5G networks are expected to be used in a broad range of services including remote medical treatment and self-driving car systems.

Communications Minister Masatoshi Ishida told reporters that he wants to speed up the process of developing the ICT infrastructure both in urban and rural areas so advanced technology will be available everywhere in Japan.

Key words : China called on
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190625_33/

China has called on African nations to strengthen their ties with the country under its Belt and Road initiative, and oppose any form of unilateralism or protectionism.

Last year at the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, President Xi Jinping pledged 60 billion dollars to help build infrastructure and develop industries on the continent.

The Chinese government held a meeting of ministers and officials of African nations in Beijing on Tuesday to follow up on last year's agreements.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said China and Africa should strengthen market growth to share opportunities, and use their rich natural resources for national development.

Wang said China and African nations should clearly oppose any form of unilateralism and promote an open trade policy.

An NHK correspondent in Beijing says China is apparently aiming to apply pressure on the United States ahead of this weekend's G20 summit in Osaka.

Key words : coca
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190625_29/

The IOC is going for the gold with a reported record 3-billion dollar sponsorship deal with soft-drink giant Coca-Cola and China's Mengniu Dairy Company.
The deal will start in 2021 and cover six summer and winter games.

The mega partnership comes at a strained time for US-China relations, but no signs of tension were on display as CEOs inked the agreement alongside IOC President Thomas Bach.

The two companies will have their own marketing plans, but will collaborate on projects.

Thomas Bach, IOC President said "This partnership is unique also in another respect because it brings together an iconic American brand with a young, dynamic Chinese brand on the world's greatest stage, the Olympic Games."

While the deal is good news for the IOC's stated goal of expanding sponsorships outside of the US and Europe, it also represents a chance for Mengniu to grow its overseas market.
The company currently dominates the Asian field as the second-largest dairy group.

Both Coca-Cola and Mengniu will be part of the IOC's top tier of Olympic partners.
It's an elite club that involves just 13 companies worldwide, which are given exclusive rights to market the Games on their products including using the Olympic symbol mark.

Partnerships are generally limited to one company per designated category.

But this time, the IOC has combined the non-alcoholic beverage and dairy categories into a new joint category, allowing Mengniu to join the sponsors.
It is the first Chinese fast-moving consumer goods company to join the highest tier of Olympic sponsors.

Key words : central bank warning
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190625_10/

An umbrella group of the world's central banks is warning of risks from large technology firms providing financial services. The Bank for International Settlements, or BIS, says the IT companies could become dominant through the advantages provided by their platforms.

An annual report from BIS warns that some customers could find themselves denied financial services if their big-tech service providers conduct excessive analyses of their personal data.

The BIS also says regulators need to ensure a level playing field between the tech firms and financial institutions.

It says coordination and rules among authorities are crucial at both the national and the international levels.

Facebook announced a plan last week to launch "Libra," a global crypto-currency.

Customers of Google and Amazon and China's Alibaba are already using the firms' payment services.

The report also acknowledges that the companies' low-cost business models are capable of delivering better financial services.

The advantages include the ability to provide services in areas lacking access to banks and simplified international money transfers.

Key words : major Japanese
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190625_14/

A major Japanese talent agency has suspended 11 of its comedians for attending a party hosted by a crime group and accepting payments.

Yoshimoto Kogyo announced the disciplinary measure on Monday. The 11 include Hiroyuki Miyasako and Ryo Tamura, both of whom appear on various TV shows.

The Osaka-based agency says the comedians attended a year-end party in 2014 that was hosted by a group linked to money transfer fraud. The agency was not informed of the attendance.

The 11 had been invited through a fellow comedian, Shinya Irie. Yoshimoto Kogyo terminated its contract with him earlier this month.

The comedians will be barred from appearing on stage or TV indefinitely.

They are reportedly saying they were not aware that the party was hosted by a crime group.

Yoshimoto Kogyo said it was deeply sorry and keenly aware of its responsibilities. It said it will step up efforts to ensure legal compliance by all members of the company.

Script Maker verion 2.0.1

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1. Open Script maker v2.0.1.xlsm

2. Click [mp3ダウン]button at sheet1.
   Current podcast file will be saved at C:\Users\Public\Music directory.

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4. Fill a word or a part of the sentence at cells from keyword1 to keyword3.
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at 20:00 (JST), June 24

Police in Japan are implementing the highest-level security measures for the G20 Osaka Summit, which starts on Friday.

South Korean government sources say US President Donald Trump is considering a visit to the demilitarized zone between the two Koreas during a trip to the South this weekend.

Former Nissan Motor chairman Carlos Ghosn and his close aide Greg Kelly have attended pre-trial talks at the Tokyo District Court.

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20190624200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : police in Japan
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190624_25/

Police in Japan are implementing the highest-level security measures for the G20 Osaka Summit, which starts on Friday.

World leaders, diplomats and members of the media will be gathering in the city of Osaka, western Japan.

Up to 32,000 police officers will be mobilized to patrol the summit venue, hotels, airports and other locations in Osaka Prefecture.

That's far more than the 23,000 officers at the Ise-Shima G7 summit in central Japan three years ago.

Police officers from across the country have been sent to Osaka to support security measures against possible terrorist attacks.

Officers have already begun checking vehicles in the area of the venue.

Special units outfitted with cutting-edge equipment will be deployed to deal with any suspicious drones.

Meanwhile, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department has stepped up security at crucial facilities, including the US Embassy, as well as railway stations and other locations in the capital.

Railway operators are not allowing their coin lockers to be used at stations in and around Tokyo to prevent explosives and other dangerous objects from being put in them.

Key words : railway operator ahead of
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190624_15/

Railway operators in western Japan have stepped up security at train stations ahead of the upcoming Group of 20 summit in Osaka.

Coin-operated lockers and trash cans were shut down at major stations in Osaka Prefecture on Monday -- four days before the start of the meeting.

The measures will remain in place until Saturday.

West Japan Railway has suspended access to lockers and anything left inside them until then.

At Osaka Station, some people were apparently at a loss about what to do with their luggage.

A man from Toyama Prefecture on the Sea of Japan coast says he knew the G20 summit will take place in Osaka, but not about the lockers being closed.

He says carrying his suitcase around is annoying, but that he has no choice.

The railway operators are asking passengers to cooperate by taking their garbage home while station trash cans are unavailable.

Key words : south government sources say
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190624_21/

South Korean government sources say US President Donald Trump is considering a visit to the demilitarized zone between the two Koreas during a trip to the South this weekend.

South Korea's presidential office announced on Monday that Trump will make a two-day visit from Saturday, after attending the Group of 20 summit in Osaka, western Japan.

Trump is scheduled to meet South Korean President Moon Jae-in. A senior official in Seoul says there are no plans for a three-way summit including North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Talks on denuclearizing the North have remained stalled after the second summit between Trump and Kim broke down.

The two leaders sent letters to each other this month. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has expressed hope that the talks will resume. Stephen Biegun, the US special representative for North Korea, will also visit South Korea this week.

There is speculation in South Korea that Trump may send a message to Kim at the demilitarized zone.

Two years ago, Trump and Moon cancelled a plan to visit an area close to the border due to bad weather.

Key words : mike remarks
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190624_07/

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's remarks about a letter from US President Donald Trump suggest that the resumption of denuclearization talks may be a real possibility.

Pompeo was referring to a report published by North Korea's state-run Korean Central News Agency on Sunday which said Kim was satisfied and would "seriously contemplate the interesting content" of a personal letter from Trump.

Pompeo told reporters on Sunday that he hoped the letter would "provide a good foundation" for the US to begin to continue "important discussions with the North Koreans to denuclearize the Korean peninsula."

He added that the United States is "literally prepared to begin at a moment's notice if the North Koreans indicate that they're prepared for those discussions."

White House spokesperson Sarah Sanders has confirmed that Trump sent a letter to Kim, but its content hasn't been disclosed.

Trump and Kim have exchanged personal correspondence before meeting in the past.

Key words : carlos
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190624_18/

Former Nissan Motor chairman Carlos Ghosn and his close aide Greg Kelly have attended pre-trial talks at the Tokyo District Court.

The carmaker and the two former executives have been indicted on suspicion of underreporting Ghosn's pay in the firm's securities reports.

The talks were held behind closed doors on Monday.

The participants included the prosecution and lawyers for the three accused parties.

They are likely to have discussed when the prosecution will disclose evidence to support its allegations.

Ghosn's defense team is believed to have asked the prosecution why Nissan President Hiroto Saikawa has not been indicted.

Ghosn's lawyer says the pre-trial talks are expected to continue until around next spring.

Ghosn has flatly denied the charges against him.

Key words : chairman statement military activities
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190623_21/

A chairman's statement issued at a meeting of ASEAN leaders in Bangkok says they "took note of some concerns" about the South China Sea. Beijing has been stepping up military activities in the waters.

The statement was issued after the ASEAN summit ended in the Thai capital on Sunday.

The document says the leaders "discussed matters relating to the South China Sea."

It says they "took note of some concerns on the land reclamations and activities in the area, which have eroded trust and confidence, increased tensions and may undermine peace, security and stability in the region."

ASEAN nations are not aligned over the South China Sea, with some hoping for economic cooperation from Beijing. The chairman's statement issued after the ASEAN summit two years ago did not include the word "concern," apparently out of consideration for China.

This year's statement also says the leaders "recognized that the global economy is at an important crossroad with an increasing number of uncertainties and challenges."

It adds that the leaders reiterated their "strong commitment to concluding the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership negotiations within 2019."

RCEP is a proposed free trade agreement among the 10 ASEAN countries, Japan, China, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and India.

The statement also indirectly referred to the issue of Rohingya Muslims who fled Myanmar's western state of Rakhine to escape persecution. More than 740,000 Rohingya are now taking refuge in neighboring Bangladesh.

The statement says the leaders expressed their support for Myanmar's efforts to ensure safety and security in Rakhine, facilitate the voluntary return of the displaced persons, and realize sustainable development in the state.

Key words : association FIFA
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190624_11/

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations says it's aiming to jointly host the 2034 FIFA World Cup.

Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha gave a news conference after chairing a summit of leaders from the 10-member ASEAN nations in Bangkok on Sunday.

Prayut said "the leaders supported the shared wish of ASEAN to develop a joint bid to host the FIFA World Cup in 2034."

He added that he wished "to invite all ASEAN people to collectively support the national football associations of ASEAN member states and realize this dream together."

Soccer is popular in ASEAN countries, with fans of all ages. The Vietnamese men's squad, in 96th place, is the highest ranked among member states in FIFA's standings.

ASEAN members say details still need to be worked out on how to jointly host the event. If it goes ahead, it will be the first FIFA World Cup in Southeast Asia.

Key words : turkey
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190624_05/

Turkey's ruling party led by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has lost again in a repeat mayoral election in Istanbul.

Turkish media say Ekrem Imamoglu, the candidate of the main opposition party, won 54 percent of the vote with about 99 percent of ballots counted. He won the Istanbul mayoral race for the second time.

His opponent, former Prime Minister Binali Yildirim of the governing Justice and Development Party, or AKP, conceded defeat in a speech.

In Turkey's local elections in March, the AKP suffered major setbacks in mayoral races in the capital, Ankara and the country's largest city of Istanbul.

Turkish election authorities ordered a re-run of the mayoral election of Istanbul won by Imamoglu after the AKP complained of irregularities.

The move triggered fears of political turmoil and caused the country's currency to plunge. The lira fell to its lowest level since last October.

The AKP's second defeat in Istanbul apparently reflected voters' dissatisfaction with Erdogan's 16-year rule against a backdrop of a slow economy and oppression against opposition politicians.

Erdogan congratulated Imamoglu on Twitter, saying that Turkish people have again expressed their will. He stressed that he will work hard to maintain stability of the country.

Key words : hundreds of took to
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190624_16/

Hundreds of thousands of protesters took to the streets of the Czech Republic's capital, Prague, on Sunday, urging Prime Minister Andrej Babis to resign over fraud allegations involving EU subsidies.

Protest organizers say an estimated 250,000 people joined the march against Babis, a billionaire sometimes called "The Trump of the Czech Republic."

The demonstration is seen as the biggest since the 1989 pro-democracy movement that brought down the communist regime in the former Czechoslovakia.

Earlier this year, police concluded that Babis should be indicted for illegally receiving about 2.2 million dollars in subsidies from the European Union while he was in business before taking office.

But the justice minister stepped down immediately after that, and a politician said to be a close ally of Babis was appointed to the post.

Local media last month featured a draft EU report pointing out the ongoing relationship between Babis and a corporate group that had received the funds.

The developments have brought growing criticism of Babis, but he has categorically denied the allegations and any possibility of resigning.

The new right-wing party led by Babis enjoys a certain level of support thanks to the robust economy, making it unclear if the demonstrations could lead to the end of his administration.

Key words : people in northern Thailand
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190624_27/

People in northern Thailand have marked the anniversary of a miraculous rescue. Twelve boys and their soccer coach were trapped in a cave for more than two weeks last year, after monsoon rains flooded the area.

Their ordeal captured the media spotlight and drew rescuers from around the world. Specialized divers mounted a dangerous operation and, against all odds, managed to bring the boys out safely.

The boys, now celebrities in the country, returned to the cave entrance with their families on Monday morning to offer prayers.

Chanin Wibulroongrueng said, "I'm happy to be with my family, and to have more opportunities to play in new soccer leagues."

The coach, Ekkapol Chanthanwong, said, "We are still grateful to everyone, Thais and foreigners alike, who came together last year and worked so hard to save us."

They also paid tribute to Samarn Kunan, a former Thai navy SEAL who died in the rescue operation.

Over the weekend, the SEALs' commander took part in a charity marathon, along with thousands of others.

Rear Adm. Apakorn Youkongkaew said, "My heart is full, to see people running in harmony, remembering the rescue operation and commemorating the anniversary."

The cave itself remains restricted for safety reasons, but the area around it has grown into a tourist attraction.

There is even a museum devoted to the saga, featuring paintings by local artists.

Since the rescue, the number of visitors has skyrocketed from 40,000 a year to 1.3 million, many of them Thais.

This has opened up new opportunities. Residents in one community have launched a shuttle service by turning their cars into taxis.

Tribal villagers in the mountains now work as tour guides. They take their customers to the places the boys visited before they went missing.

The media spotlight isn't going anywhere. An independent film called "The Cave" is set for release later this year. And the boys have just signed a documentary deal with Netflix.

Meanwhile, authorities are taking steps to avoid further misadventures. The cave is expected to remain closed for at least another year while a lighting system is installed. And there may be restrictions on how far people can venture inside the cave when it does re-open.

Some people are also worried about the impact that tourism is having on the local environment. So there is a lot to juggle, a year after the dramatic rescue.

Key words : people in Indonesia
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190624_20/

People in Indonesia and East Timor were jolted by a magnitude-7.5 earthquake Monday morning.
It struck near the Indonesian coast in the Banda Sea.
There are no immediate reports of damage or injuries. And there is no tsunami threat.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center says the focus was estimated to be about 220 kilometers under the seabed.

Key words : google is
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190624_24/

Google is partnering with a Japanese bank to keep smaller firms up to date on the latest advances in IT. It's an area where the companies can lag behind, and one that's essential amid the country's shrinking labor market.

Google is teaming up with the Bank of Fukuoka in western Japan to hold seminars for small businesses.

They'll be available for free for companies wanting to step firmly into the digital age.

Smaller local firms lag behind major corporations when it comes to taking advantage of technology.

This includes functions like cloud services to store and share information.

Google will also teach firms how to keep their IT abilities current. The company plans to offer similar seminars in other parts of Japan.

Key words : Shiga prefecture
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190624_10/

Shiga Prefecture has begun surveys of Lake Biwa amid increasing global awareness of plastic pollution.

On Sunday, about 150 volunteers from Moriyama City waded through the shallows of the lake, scooping up bags and other plastic waste.

Plastic bags have already been a problem for the lake. Research by Kyoto University has found microplastics in the lake's fish.

The latest survey aims to analyze the source of the waste and understand how it was carried there.

An official working for the conservation and regeneration of the lake says the survey will help researchers find effective ways of waste reduction.

Plastic waste can threaten marine ecosystems.

G20 leaders have set the plastic issue as one of major topics in their meeting that starts in Osaka this weekend.

"

at 20:00 (JST), June 23

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20190623200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : foreign deadlock
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190623_16/

China's Foreign Ministry has announced that President Xi Jinping will visit Japan from Thursday to Saturday this week to attend the G20 summit in Osaka at the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

It will be Xi's first visit since he took office in 2013, and the first visit by a Chinese President since Hu Jintao visited Japan in November 2010 for an APEC summit.

During his 3-day visit, the Chinese president is expected to sit down with Abe to discuss improving bilateral relations and a possible state visit to Japan.

Xi is also expected to hold talks with US President Donald Trump amid continuing trade friction between their countries.

The focus is on whether the two leaders can find a way to resolve the issue.

They are also expected to exchange opinions on the deadlocked talks between the United States and North Korea over the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

Xi made an official visit to the North last week, and met the country's leader, Kim Jong Un.

Key words : Trump twitter
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190623_12/

US President Donald Trump is once again stepping up pressure on Iran, saying he never halted plans for a military strike.

Trump wrote on Twitter on Saturday that he "never called the strike against Iran 'BACK'." He wrote that he "just stopped it from going forward at this time."

Trump revealed on Friday that he didn't give final approval for a strike against Iran planned in response to the downing of an unmanned surveillance drone by Tehran.

On Saturday the president told reporters that military action is "always on the table until we get this solved."

He also tweeted that the US would impose major additional sanctions on Iran on Monday.

Some observers say Trump apparently hopes to seek dialogue with Tehran to ease tensions, while also increasing pressure. But it is feared the situation could further escalate, as Iran is expected to react sharply to the sanctions.

Meanwhile, some US media outlets reported on Saturday that the US military launched cyber strikes that targeted Iranian missile control systems.

The Washington Post said the Pentagon proposed them after Iran's alleged attacks on two tankers in the Gulf of Oman earlier this month.

The paper said personnel with US Cyber Command conducted the strikes, which disabled Iranian computer systems used to control rocket and missile launches.

The US government on Saturday warned of possible Iranian cyber attacks. The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement that there has been "a recent rise in malicious cyber activity directed at the United States industries and government agencies by Iranian regime actors and proxies."

Key words : Okinawa commemorate
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190623_15/

Japan's southern prefecture of Okinawa has held a ceremony to commemorate the 74th anniversary of the end of a fierce ground battle during the final stages of World War Two.

About 5,100 people took part in the event at the Peace Memorial Park in the city of Itoman on Sunday. They held a minute-long silent prayer at noon.

More than 200,000 people, including a quarter of the prefecture's population, lost their lives when the Imperial Japanese military fought US forces in the Battle of Okinawa in 1945.

The Japanese military's organized combat ended on June 23. Each year, the prefecture holds a service on that date to remember the dead.

Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki called for efforts to forge a world of everlasting peace. He pledged to work together with the people of Okinawa.

Tamaki noted the central government is pushing ahead with land reclamation work to relocate a US base within the prefecture even after a local referendum in February showed more than 70 percent of voters are against the work.

Tamaki accused the central government of ignoring the will of the people, as shown through democratic procedures, and destroying local autonomy.

He urged the central government to abandon the perception that the current plan is the only solution, and to listen to the people of Okinawa to seek a resolution through dialogue with the prefecture.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledged that the government will do its best to reduce the burden on Okinawa of hosting US military installations, based on a policy of doing everything it can toward concrete progress.

Key words : world war India tens of
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190623_09/

Hundreds of people gathered in Imphal, northeastern India, to remember those who died in one of the fiercest battles of World War Two.

About 250 people took part in the ceremony on Saturday marking the 75th anniversary of the failed operation by the Imperial Japanese Army.

In 1944, the Imperial Army launched the offensive in northeast India with the aim of attacking British forces stationed there.

Tens of thousands of Japanese, British and Indian soldiers died in what came to be known as the Battle of Imphal. An estimated 30,000 Japanese troops perished as they fought with limited supplies.

During the ceremony, relatives of the fallen Japanese, as well as Indian and British representatives, observed a moment of silence at the foot of the hill where deadly fighting took place.

To mark the occasion, the media was given a preview of the Imphal Peace Museum before its public opening on June 29. The facility displays items left by Japanese soldiers and plaques commemorating local civilians who died in the battle.

A local college student said no soldier willingly took part in the battle and that India and Japan should look toward the future to build a positive relationship.

Key words : US administration 50 billion
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190623_13/

US President Donald Trump's administration is pushing for a 50 billion dollar plan to boost the Palestinian and neighboring economies over a period of 10 years.

The economic plan released on Saturday proposes to build a modern transportation network to link the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The White House claims the scheme will more than double the Palestinian gross domestic product.

The plan is expected to be formally presented at a US-led conference on Middle East peace that begins in Bahrain on Tuesday.

The proposal is widely seen as an attempt to win Palestinian concessions in the stalled Middle East peace process.
Relations between the US administration and Palestinians broke down after Trump adopted a number of policies favoring Israel.

Palestinian leaders are criticizing the proposal, accusing the US of putting the economy first and ignoring the Israeli occupation.

They are calling for mass demonstrations against the conference on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

Key words : Kim received letter
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190623_08/

North Korea's state-run media has reported that the country's leader Kim Jong Un received a personal letter from US President Donald Trump.

The Korean Central News Agency on Sunday morning published a report with a photo showing Kim reading the letter. The report did not disclose the letter's content, but said Kim was satisfied and would "seriously contemplate the interesting content."

The report added that Kim described the letter as having "excellent content" and appreciated Trump's political judgment and "extraordinary courage."

Trump's letter is believed to be a reply to a recent one from Kim. On June 11, just before the one-year anniversary of their first summit, Trump said he had received a letter from Kim.

Denuclearization talks between the two countries have stalled. Washington has been sticking to its position that it will not lift sanctions until Pyongyang completely denuclearizes. But the North calls that stance unilateral and unacceptable.

Key words : Thai prime
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190623_18/

Leaders from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations have reaffirmed the bloc will play an active role in efforts to avoid conflicts. This comes as the United States and China are trying to increase their influence in the Indo-Pacific region.

Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha chaired the ASEAN summit in Bangkok on Sunday.

He gave a speech in the opening ceremony, underscoring ASEAN's significance for the security and economy of the region.

He said he hopes the ASEAN member countries will deepen their cooperation and play a solid role in dealing with problems amid intensifying global competition in the economic and political fields.

The leaders discussed how ASEAN should contribute to stabilizing the Indo-Pacific region, which includes Southeast Asia.

The US has been trying to realize a free and open Indo-Pacific region while China has been promoting its Belt and Road initiative to create a huge economic zone spanning Asia through Europe. Beijing has also been boosting its military presence in the South China Sea.

The leaders adopted a vision reaffirming that ASEAN will play an active role in efforts to prevent conflicts and ensure sustainable economic growth.

The leaders pledged to encourage dialogue and cooperation, not competition. They also promised ASEAN will unite to pursue peaceful and comprehensive solutions based on international law.

The leaders also reaffirmed that ASEAN will play a leading role in the East Asia Summit and other frameworks to address challenges facing the region.

Key words : plastic plastic
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190623_02/

The ASEAN summit opens on Sunday in the Thai capital, Bangkok. Amid increasing US and Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific region, ASEAN leaders are to discuss how to assert their role in the security and economy of the region.

Ahead of the opening, leaders and ministers of the 10 member nations gathered Saturday to discuss regional economy and security.

In the Indo-Pacific region, China has been pressing ahead with its Belt and Road initiative to create a gigantic economic zone. Not to be outdone, the US government has been increasing its presence under the banner of a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

Against this backdrop, ASEAN leaders will present their own initiative to play the central role in the security and economy.

Observers are closely watching how the summit deals with China's militarization of the South China Sea as some members want economic cooperation from Beijing.

The draft Chairman's Statement that NHK has obtained says the leaders took note of some concerns on land reclamation and related activities in the area.

The leaders are also expected to discuss the impact of plastic waste in the oceans, and ways to address persecuted Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar.

Key words : agreement marine
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190623_03/

ASEAN leaders have agreed to strengthen cooperation in the fight against plastic and other waste that pollutes oceans.

Leaders and ministers from the 10 ASEAN members met in Bangkok on Saturday ahead of the ASEAN summit in the Thai capital.

They adopted the Bangkok Declaration on Combating Marine Debris and action guidelines for cooperation in reducing ocean debris.

Under the agreement, member countries are encouraged to strengthen national laws and regulations in an effort to prevent and reduce marine debris.

They will also promote a circular economy to enhance the 3Rs -- reduce, reuse, and recycle plastics.

Plastic waste in the seas has become a serious global issue. ASEAN members, including Indonesia and the Philippines, have become major producers of such waste as their economies grow.

The leaders have pledged to swiftly take measures to combat plastic waste based on the guidelines.

Key words : thai prime
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190623_18/

Leaders from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations have reaffirmed the bloc will play an active role in efforts to avoid conflicts. This comes as the United States and China are trying to increase their influence in the Indo-Pacific region.

Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha chaired the ASEAN summit in Bangkok on Sunday.

He gave a speech in the opening ceremony, underscoring ASEAN's significance for the security and economy of the region.

He said he hopes the ASEAN member countries will deepen their cooperation and play a solid role in dealing with problems amid intensifying global competition in the economic and political fields.

The leaders discussed how ASEAN should contribute to stabilizing the Indo-Pacific region, which includes Southeast Asia.

The US has been trying to realize a free and open Indo-Pacific region while China has been promoting its Belt and Road initiative to create a huge economic zone spanning Asia through Europe. Beijing has also been boosting its military presence in the South China Sea.

The leaders adopted a vision reaffirming that ASEAN will play an active role in efforts to prevent conflicts and ensure sustainable economic growth.

The leaders pledged to encourage dialogue and cooperation, not competition. They also promised ASEAN will unite to pursue peaceful and comprehensive solutions based on international law.

The leaders also reaffirmed that ASEAN will play a leading role in the East Asia Summit and other frameworks to address challenges facing the region.