US media say President Donald Trump approved military strikes against Iran in retaliation for the shooting down of a US surveillance drone, but later pulled back from the operation.
A law to promote Japanese-language education for foreigners has been enacted.
Japanese scientist Akira Yoshino has received the European Inventor Award for his contributions to the development and evolution of the lithium-ion battery.
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20190621200000_english_1.mp3
Key words : US media say
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190621_31/
US media say President Donald Trump approved military strikes against Iran in retaliation for the shooting down of a US surveillance drone, but later pulled back from the operation.
The New York Times and others on Thursday cited administration officials as saying Trump initially approved attacks on Iranian targets, such as radar and missile batteries.
The media said the operation was to take place just before dawn on Friday to minimize the risk to Iranian civilians.
The media also said US military planes and ships were in offensive position, but military officials were told to stand down. The reason for the abrupt reversal is unclear.
Opinion is said to be divided in the administration and among Congressional leaders, with some supporting retaliatory strikes and others cautious about escalating regional tensions.
The United States is accusing Iran's Revolutionary Guard of shooting down the drone over international waters on Thursday. Iran says the aircraft intruded into its airspace.
The incident adds to heightened tensions between the two countries.
The Trump administration recently authorized an additional deployment about 1,000 troops to the Middle East. This came in the wake of attacks on tankers last week near the Strait of Hormuz that the US blames on Iran. Tehran denies the accusation.
Key words : Iran revolutionary rejecting
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190621_22/
The United States and Iran are blaming each other over the downing of a US surveillance drone.
Iran's Revolutionary Guard said on Thursday that it shot down the drone in the country's airspace.
The US military said the aircraft was shot down in international airspace over the Strait of Hormuz, rejecting Iran's report by showing pictures and a map of the drone's flight route.
Iran countered by airing on state media what it says shows the moment the drone was shot down.
The country's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted that the US is waging economic terrorism against Iran. He said the US has conducted covert actions against the country and is encroaching on its territory.
Meanwhile, US congressional leaders attending a briefing at the White House urged the government to exercise caution to avoid unintended escalation.
Others said the White House should seek authorization from Congress before launching military action against Iran.
Key words : US federal aviation
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190621_34/
The US Federal Aviation Administration has banned US commercial flights over Iranian-administered airspace in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.
The FAA issued the emergency order on Thursday, saying the ban will continue until further notice.
It cited the downing of an American surveillance drone by an Iranian surface-to-air missile on Thursday.
The FAA said heightened military activity in the region presents an inadvertent risk to US civil aviation operations and the potential for miscalculation.
Reuters news agency cited the FAA as saying that when the drone was intercepted, numerous civil aviation aircraft were operating in the area, with the nearest plane within about 80 kilometers.
Reuters also said United Airlines has suspended flights between New Jersey's Newark Airport and the Indian financial hub of Mumbai, through Iranian airspace.
Key words : oil prices rose Tokyo
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190621_29/
Oil prices jumped following reports that Iran had shot down a US drone. Investors fear that crude oil supply from the Middle East could be affected as tension mounts in the region.
In New York, the benchmark WTI futures surged more than 5 percent on Thursday. Crude futures in Tokyo rose about 3 percent at one point.
Tensions hit the currency market as well as traders turned to safe-haven assets like the yen. The dollar weakened to a five-month low against the Japanese currency.
Market sources say they are concerned the confrontation between the US and Iran could further escalate, which could hurt the Japanese economy.
Key words : Xi wrapped up
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190621_42/
China's President Xi Jinping has wrapped up talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in in Pyongyang. During a two-day visit, his first to the country, he offered the North support on denuclearization.
China's foreign ministry says Kim told Xi that he will remain patient, in a veiled reference to stalled talks with the US. Kim reportedly told Xi he is trying to ease tensions, but that the "relevant party" hasn't shown a positive response.
The US wants North Korea to completely denuclearize, in exchange for lifting of UN sanctions. But Pyongyang wants a more phased approach, which Beijing supports.
Xi's visit was seen as a chance for the North to bolster its economy at a time when it's struggling under the sanctions. State-run media of China and the North say the two sides agreed to strengthen ties. But no specific announcements were made.
The trip was also an opportunity to raise Kim's profile.
He showed Xi a special art performance called "invincible socialism."
The visit is seen as a chance to change the narrative for Kim after his second summit with US President Donald Trump ended in a stalemate.
Xi will likely continue conversations on denuclearization when he meets Trump next week on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Japan.
Key words : thousands of young
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190621_32/
Thousands of young people have surrounded the police headquarters in central Hong Kong to protest the suppression of rallies against an extradition bill.
The demonstrators shouted "no more police violence" and "stop the violence". They blocked part of a main road with barricades. They are also staging a protest outside the legislature. A nearby government building has been closed.
Friday's rally was called to protest the use of tear gas and rubber bullets to suppress the clashes with the police on June 12. Many people were injured. The protesters oppose a bill that would allow criminal suspects to be sent to mainland China for trial.
Hong Kong's Chief Executive Carrie Lam apologized on Tuesday for inviting the turmoil and suggested that the bill would effectively be scrapped.
But protesters are calling for the clear withdrawal of the extradition bill.
Key words : fishermen
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190621_36/
Fishermen are protesting in Manila after a Chinese fishing vessel collided with a Philippine boat in the disputed South China Sea earlier this month.
About 100 people, including fishermen and civic group members, staged a demonstration in front of the Philippine Foreign Ministry building on Friday.
Protesters burned Chinese flags, called for China to get out of the South China Sea and urged the Philippine government to take a tougher stand against Beijing.
Defense officials say the fishing boat sank after the collision in the contentious, resource-rich waters. The defense ministry says the Chinese vessel abandoned all 22 Filipino crewmen. They were later rescued by a Vietnamese fishing boat.
China has warned of "irresponsibly politicizing" the incident.
President Rodrigo Duterte, who relies on economic assistance from China, has also downplayed the collision as a "little maritime accident". But his conciliatory approach has triggered public outrage.
A Philippine Foreign Ministry official told NHK that the president may bring up the incident at the ASEAN summit in Thailand on Sunday.
Key words : language education for
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190621_30/
A law to promote Japanese-language education for foreigners has been enacted.
An Upper House plenary session passed the draft legislation unanimously on Friday.
The law stipulates that the central and local governments are mandated to take appropriate measures to improve Japanese-language education for foreign residents.
The law also states that the central government must compile basic guidelines to achieve the goal. It urges the government to take the necessary measures to train and assign teachers for foreign children, and to help support language training for foreign workers nationwide.
Along with the increase in foreign workers in Japan, the number of foreign students at elementary and junior high schools had grown to more than 84,000 as of May of last year. The figure rose by nearly 30 percent over five years.
Education minister Masahiko Shibayama says Japanese-language education is becoming increasingly important in the country. He adds that his ministry will fully promote comprehensive measures by coordinating its policies with other government agencies.
Key words : Yoshino battery
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190621_19/
Japanese scientist Akira Yoshino has received the European Inventor Award for his contributions to the development and evolution of the lithium-ion battery.
Yoshino was awarded the prize in the category of non-European countries by the European Patent Office at a ceremony in Vienna on Thursday.
The 71-year-old scientist is an honorary fellow at the major Japanese chemical company Asahi Kasei.
Yoshino is known as the father of the lithium-ion battery, which is widely used in smartphones and electric vehicles. In 1983, he successfully developed the original model of the battery. The EPO noted that Yoshino has for over 30 years dedicated himself to continually improving his revolutionary technology.
Asked about what motivated him to continue his study for so many years, he answered, "curiosity."
The EPO set up the annual award in 2006 to honor inventors around the world who contribute to technological progress and economic growth to improve people's daily lives.
Japanese scientists have won the award two times previously. In 2015, a team of three scientists received the prize for the invention of carbon nanotubes.
Key words : foreign tourist
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190621_25/
An influx of foreign tourists has been giving a big boost to the Japanese economy.
A government white paper says the money spent by the visitors surpasses the value of exports of semi-conductors and other electronic parts.
Japan saw more than 31 million people arrive from overseas last year. That was the first time for the number to top 30 million.
The report on tourism shows that their spending totaled more than 42 billion dollars.
The tourism surge is spurring investment in a wide range of industries. Hotels and inns spent the equivalent of over 9.3 billion dollars on building facilities, the first time the figure has exceeded 1 trillion yen. That was also a 9-fold increase from six years ago.
Cosmetic makers and confectioneries also built new factories to meet the rising demand.
And the government wants even more visitors from abroad. It's aiming to raise the annual number to 40 million and for their spending to nearly double in 2020 from the current level.
The report urges that businesses accept cashless payments and more visitors take in Japan's rural areas. It says it will be necessary to capitalize on the Rugby World Cup, which starts in September and takes place at venues throughout the country.
Key words : metropolitan government test sporting event
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190621_39/
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government says it will use test sporting events starting next month to assess the effectiveness of its planned anti-heat measures for the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics.
Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike announced the plan at a news conference on Friday.
One of the events will be held for five days from July 24 at Shiokaze Park in Shinagawa Ward. The park will be the venue for beach volleyball matches.
Officials will set up tents with electric fans at the site so people can rest there, install large devices to spray mist, and give cold gel packs to visitors.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is also planning to set up a first-aid station in cooperation with the Tokyo Medical Association.
Another test event will take place in August at the rowing venue.
Tokyo officials will set up large tents and prepare tubes to spray water onto roads. They will hand out paper sun hats to visitors.
The anti-heat measures will also be tested at other events.
Koike said each test event will be an important opportunity to practice measures for Tokyo 2020. She said this is the last summer before the Tokyo Games, so verifying anti-heat measures will be done systematically.
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