Japan's ruling coalition is set to maintain control of the Upper House following Sunday's election.
Police in Kyoto say the man suspected of a deadly arson attack on an animation studio could have been targeting other facilities belonging to the company.
Japanese Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya has met US National Security Advisor John Bolton in Tokyo.
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20190722200000_english_1.mp3
Key words : ruling coalition set to maintain secured
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190722_19/
Japan's ruling coalition is set to maintain control of the Upper House following Sunday's election. But it fell short of maintaining a key threshold. The coalition and lawmakers in favor of amending the Constitution will not hold a two-thirds majority of the chamber.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Liberal Democratic Party and its junior partner, Komeito, secured a total of 141 seats in the Upper Chamber.
They will not return to the Diet with their pre-election strength.
Meanwhile, the opposition camp secured a total of 104 seats.
That includes their uncontested seats. Only half of the chamber's seats were up for grabs on Sunday.
The ruling coalition, Nippon Ishin, plus other lawmakers in favor of changing the Constitution, secured a total of 160 seats.
That's short of 164 or two-thirds of the chamber. That level of support is needed in both houses to put a Constitutional amendment proposal to a national referendum.
Still, Abe says securing a majority of the seats that were up for grabs shows the public wants political stability. And he says it gives him a mandate to push forward with his political and diplomatic agenda.
Abe said, "Many said it would be extremely difficult to gain a majority when advocating tax hikes. But we have the public's understanding. This upper house election was not about winning two-thirds of the seats, it was about maintaining stability. We achieved that goal. We will now try and gain the support of two-thirds of lawmakers on the constitutional amendment through discussions at the Commission on the Constitution. We asked voters if they want discussions or not... and they gave us a majority. So we would like to have a thorough debate."
Meanwhile, the leader of the largest opposition, the Constitutional Democratic Party, is hoping to enhance cooperation among the opposition bloc, which gained strength.
Yukio Edano said, "We would like to strengthen cooperation among opposition parties even more, so in the next election we can try to become a governing force. A considerable amount of voters said no to tax hikes. So we'd like to have discussions in the Diet about the current economic situation. We want to talk about how to use tax revenue for social security, as well as the overall structure of the tax system."
During the election campaign, candidates discussed a number of issues, including the consumption tax hike scheduled for October, amending the Constitution and the state's pension system.
Now here's a look at how many seats each party will hold following the Upper House election.
The Liberal Democratic Party 113 seats...
Its coalition partner Komeito 28...
In the opposition camp...
The Constitutional Democratic Party 32...
The Democratic Party for the people 21...
The Japanese Communist Party 13...
Nippon Ishin 16...
The Social Democratic Party 2...
Reiwa Shinsengumi 2...
And others 18 seats.
Key words : Abe says political stability stressed
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190722_43/
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says the results of Sunday's Upper House election show that the people of Japan want political stability. He stressed his commitment to pursuing his political and diplomatic agenda, including possibly amending the Constitution.
Abe noted that the ruling coalition won 71 seats, or a majority. He said it was able to receive a strong public mandate to push forward with efforts to build a better country in the Reiwa era, which started this year, on a stable political foundation.
However, the coalition and lawmakers in favor of amending the Constitution fell short of maintaining a two-thirds majority in the chamber. That level of support is needed in both houses to put a constitutional amendment proposal to a national referendum.
Abe's Liberal Democratic Party is proposing amendments in four areas, including adding a reference to Japan's Self-Defense Forces in the Constitution. Article 9 renounces war and prohibits Japan from maintaining a military.
Abe said that during the campaign, he repeatedly reminded the public that it was choosing between political parties willing to proceed with discussion on the Constitution, and those that refuse even to talk about the issue.
He said the election results show that the matter should at least be debated, and that he would like the opposition parties to accept this.
He said he was convinced that lawmakers on the Diet's Commission on the Constitution will hold serious discussions regardless of whether they belong to the ruling or the opposition camp.
Abe touched on relations with South Korea, which have grown increasingly tense over wartime labor and other historical issues.
He said the biggest issue facing Japan-South Korea relations is whether promises between the countries will be kept. He pointed out that South Korea unilaterally took action in violation of a bilateral agreement signed in 1965, which settled the right to claim compensation. He says Seoul is failing to comply with an international pact that served as the basis for the two countries to normalize relations.
Abe also mentioned that South Korea is unilaterally breaking bilateral international promises, such as the 2015 agreement on wartime comfort women. He said Japan would like Korea to keep its promises.
Abe is on track to become the country's longest-serving prime minister this November.
Key words : ruling coalition working
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190722_38/
Japan's ruling coalition parties are working to convene an extraordinary Diet session on August 1 following Sunday's Upper House election.
Senior members from the main governing Liberal Democratic Party and its junior partner Komeito met after the election results were finalized on Monday morning. They maintained control of the house. But the coalition and lawmakers in favor of amending the constitution fell short of a two-thirds majority needed for proposing constitutional amendments.
They confirmed that the two parties will continue to work closely on Diet affairs, and agreed to arrange the first Diet session next week since the July 21 election. Lawmakers are expected to select the Upper House president and work on other issues.
The LDP's Diet affairs chief, Hiroshi Moriyama, later spoke to reporters and said voters showed support for the coalition.
Moriyama said successful cooperation between the two parties was what led to the election results. He added the coalition will continue to listen to the public.
As for the failure to keep the two-thirds majority, Moriyama suggested that the ruling coalition will call on opposition parties to hold talks on a constitutional amendment. He said it's unlikely any parties will oppose having discussions on the issue.
Key words : police in Kyoto
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190722_42/
Police in Kyoto say the man suspected of a deadly arson attack on an animation studio could have been targeting other facilities belonging to the company, based on security footage from the day before.
The incident took place at Kyoto Animation's number one studio on Thursday, killing 34 people and injuring 34 others.
Police now say 41-year-old Shinji Aoba was seen on Wednesday near the company's headquarters and number two studio, both about one kilometer away from the scene of the attack.
Police say the footage shows Aoba, wearing a red shirt, using a cart to push gasoline containers.
They believe he might have come to scope out the two buildings.
An initial investigation revealed Aoba bought the containers, pushcart and a lighter at a store about five kilometers from the number one studio.
The suspect is being treated at a hospital for serious burns. Police plan to arrest him on suspicion of arson and murder once his condition improves.
Key words : Iwaya
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190722_51/
Japanese Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya has met US National Security Advisor John Bolton in Tokyo. They discussed Washington's recent proposal to establish a coalition for ensuring safety in the Strait of Hormuz.
Their talks took place at the Defense Ministry on Monday. Iwaya thanked Bolton for his efforts to bolster the Japan-US security alliance.
Bolton said they have many important issues to discuss, and that the alliance is at a crucial phase due to many international issues.
Earlier in the day, Bolton met Foreign Minister Taro Kono.
They discussed Japan-South Korea ties, which have soured due to a wartime labor issue and Tokyo's export curbs on sensitive materials. Kono explained Japan's stance.
Bolton said he and Kono had a very productive discussion about a wide range of issues.
Their talks come amid rising tensions in the Middle East. When asked if they discussed Iran, Bolton said all issues related to national security were covered.
Key words : south sending a specialist Yamagami
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190722_45/
South Korea is sending a specialist in trade negotiations to the World Trade Organization. It's seeking WTO support for ending Japan's export curbs on key high tech materials.
South Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said its deputy minister Kim Seung-ho will lead a delegation to the WTO General Council meeting, which starts on Tuesday.
Ministry officials said Kim played a key role in winning a WTO ruling in April supporting Seoul's import ban on fish products from eight Japanese prefectures, including Fukushima.
Representatives of all 164 WTO members will attend the meeting on Japan's tightening of exports.
The restricted items are used in making semiconductors and display panels. Seoul says Kim will argue that Japan's measures violate WTO rules.
Japan is sending the head of its Foreign Ministry Economic Affairs Bureau, Shingo Yamagami. He is expected to tell the General Council that Japan's move is based on its system for ensuring the security of exports and is not a violation of international rules.
Key words : south questioning
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190722_44/
South Korean police are questioning six people alleged to have illegally entered the Japanese consulate building in the southern city of Busan on Monday.
The group, which included a number of university students, reportedly carried placards criticizing the Japanese government.
Police believe they entered the facility to protest Tokyo's recent tightening of export controls to South Korea.
Key words : Amano died
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190722_49/
The International Atomic Energy Agency announced on Monday that its director general, Yukiya Amano, has died. He was 72.
The UN nuclear watchdog said in an announcement that it regrets to inform with deepest sadness of the passing away of Amano.
The announcement shared a letter Amano wrote to the Board of Governors revealing his decision to step down.
In the letter, Amano said that during the past decade, the agency delivered concrete results to achieve its objective of atoms for peace and development.
Amano became IAEA chief in December 2009 after stressing that he is from the only country in the world to have suffered atomic bombings.
He was serving a third term which was scheduled to end in 2021.
Amano spearheaded efforts to strengthen the safety of nuclear power plants following the 2011 accident at Fukushima Daiichi in northeastern Japan.
He also worked to restrict Iran's nuclear program after Tehran signed a deal in 2015 with five world powers through inspections of Iran's nuclear facilities.
Amano also set up a team of experts to prepare for the resumption of IAEA inspections in North Korea.
In an interview with NHK in April, Amano said steadfast inspections ensure that an agreement will last for a long time and will benefit North Korea, the countries concerned, and the international community.
He also said that the IAEA is preparing itself to visit North Korea when an agreement is reached between these nations.
Amano had been in poor health since last year and had been absent from board meetings to undergo treatment.
Key words : disarmament draw up
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190722_30/
A group of nuclear disarmament experts is meeting in Tokyo to draw up proposals for next year's conference reviewing the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, or NPT.
The 2-day meeting of the Group of Eminent Persons for Substantive Advancement of Nuclear Disarmament opened on Monday. It is its fifth and last meeting.
The forum of experts from 10 countries, including Japan, the US and Russia, was established by the Japanese government in 2017.
Members have met in the atomic-bombed cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and elsewhere to discuss measures to pursue nuclear disarmament by overcoming differences between nuclear and non-nuclear states.
In an opening speech, Japanese Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Kiyoto Tsuji expressed hope for meaningful discussions to realize a world without nuclear weapons.
Tsuji stressed that it is indispensable for countries with different positions to continue tenacious dialogue and pursue concrete, feasible efforts.
The experts are expected to reaffirm the importance of upholding the principles of the NPT, which obliges nuclear-armed states to promote nuclear disarmament negotiations.
They are also expected to discuss the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, which is due to expire next month if the US and Russia fail to reach an agreement to save it.
The NPT review conference is to be held at the UN headquarters in New York in April to May next year.
Key words : south passenger jet
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190722_36/
A South Korean passenger jet entered a runway without permission at Naha Airport in Okinawa Prefecture, forcing another airliner to abort its landing approach.
Officials of the Japan Transport Safety Board are investigating the case, treating it as a serious incident.
Transport ministry officials say the Asiana Airlines aircraft moved onto the runway slightly after 1 p.m. on Sunday. They say air traffic controllers had not given it approval to do so.
The officials say a Japan Transocean Air jet was making a landing approach at that time after obtaining permission. The jet aborted its approach while 3.7 kilometers away from the airport, and it regained altitude.
They say the plane landed safely about 20 minutes later.
Asiana Airlines says the pilot of its airliner has admitted entering the runway without following instructions from the control tower.
Airline officials say the incident should not have happened, and pledged efforts to prevent a recurrence.
Key words : Toyota
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190722_32/
Researchers at Toyota Motor have given us a peek at the robots they are developing to support the Tokyo Olympic Games next year.
Among them is a fetching robot with self-navigating ability for use in track and field. Moving at about 20 kilometers per hour and using sensors and cameras, it will retrieve hammers and javelins from human crew in the field, saving them time and trouble.
Another is a type of avatar that will help people with physical disabilities experience the sensation of being at the Games from a remote location. The user's image appears on the robot's display, allowing them to interact with other spectators at the venue.
"We made this robot for people who can't be at the venues, for whatever reason," said Minoru Yamauchi, one of the developers. "We want them to be able to feel the atmosphere and exhilaration of the Games."
Yamauchi said Toyota is contributing this technology to help build excitement for the first Olympics in Tokyo in more than half a century.
Key words : Tokyo staggered
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190722_33/
Tokyo on Monday began a trial of staggered commuting as it prepares for an influx of visitors for the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics. More than 10 million people are expected to visit Tokyo for the Games.
During the trial, about 10,000 Tokyo Metropolitan Government employees are required to avoid using public transport in the morning rush hour.
Government offices were sparsely staffed when the working day started at 8:30 a.m. Most workers arrived about two hours later than normal.
One of them said commuters are usually squeezed together on his morning train, but this time the ride was comfortable.
The Tokyo government is also asking private firms to test teleworking among their employees, and urging logistics firms to adjust delivery times and routes.
The results of the trial will help determine the most effective anti-congestion measures to use during the Games.
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