at 20:00 (JST), July 28

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20190728200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : Kim Korean war state-run
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190728_11/

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un paid tribute to those who died in the Korean War on the 66th anniversary of the armistice that ended fighting. But he avoided criticizing the United States by name.

The North's state-run media say Kim visited a cemetery for the fallen on Saturday, July 27, which is a national holiday to celebrate what the country calls its victory over the US.

A report says Kim praised the war dead, saying their feats to save the country will shine long in history.

Kim also attended a concert with close aides, including Choe Son Hui, a senior official in charge of negotiations with the US.

Choe was seated one chair away from Kim, indicating the trust he places in her.

The events are seen as attempts to create solidarity by celebrating victory over the United States.

But reports on the anniversary did not criticize Washington by name. Observers say Pyongyang is trying to avoid any provocation that might prevent the two sides from resuming denuclearization talks.

Key words : north soldier
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190728_09/

A former North Korean soldier who defected to South Korea two years ago has told the story behind his escape in Japan.

Oh Chong Song, now 25, made a speech on Saturday in Osaka at the invitation of local and South Korean civic groups.

Oh defected over the military demarcation line to the South in November 2017. He was shot by North Korean officers as he bolted across the truce village of Panmunjom. Video footage of his dramatic escape surprised the world.

Oh received medical treatment and then started delivering speeches to tell of his experiences at the time and call for unification of the Korean Peninsula.

Oh said his family was relatively affluent in North Korea because his father was a military officer. But he said he could not learn about international affairs due to poor Internet access.

He said he started wanting to experience foreign cultures as he saw many tourists from overseas in Panmunjom, where he was dispatched. He says that was one of the reasons for his escape.

Oh said his mother in North Korea is sick now. He said it is painful that he cannot meet her, although she lives just a short 15-minute drive from his current residence.

He expressed his resolve to work hard to bring about unification of the Korean Peninsula.

Key words : Syria girl
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190728_07/

A photo of a Syrian girl who grabs her baby sister as she dangles from a bombed-out building has gone viral on social media networks.

The picture was captured on Wednesday by a local journalist in Syria's northwestern province of Idlib. In the photo, 5-year-old Riham al-Abdullah is trapped in rubble up to her neck. She is gripping the clothes of her 7-month-old sister Touka to keep her from tumbling off the debris. Another girl is buried nearby and behind them is the father screaming for help.

The building collapsed shortly after the photo was taken. The elder sister died and the baby girl survived.

The government of President Bashar al-Assad has been intensifying an offensive since April against the rebel stronghold in Idlib and surrounding areas.

The Britain-based NGO Save the Children says at least 33 children died in airstrikes and other operations in the country during the past four weeks. The figure is already higher than the 31 who died last year.

Key words : Hiroshima
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190728_04/

More than 500 people have gathered at a symposium in Hiroshima to discuss ways to eliminate nuclear weapons and efforts to achieve peace.

The event was held on Saturday at the International Conference Center in Hiroshima's Peace Memorial Park.

Among the speakers was film director Nobuhiko Obayashi, whose latest work has the theme of war and the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in 1945.

The 81-year-old Obayashi survived World War Two near Hiroshima. He said he wants to pass on his experiences of war to future generations. He added he wants to achieve peace by conveying his story through his films.

Another speaker was actress Chizuru Azuma, who has had a chance to take a boat trip with Japanese NGO Peace Boat. The group has been organizing a global voyage with atomic bomb survivors to raise public awareness of the catastrophic consequences of the use of nuclear weapons.

Azuma said it is important to know what happened in the past, think what you can, and act accordingly.

Specialists in a number of fields also took part in a panel discussion. Among them was Haruka Katarao from the Japan International Cooperation Agency. JICA was involved in the adoption of the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons two years ago.

Katarao stressed the need to increase the number of supporters of the treaty to ensure its universal operation.

Key words : police smartphone
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190728_16/

Investigative sources say police in Japan have seized a smartphone after searching the home of the suspect in the deadly arson attack at an animation studio in Kyoto.

Police entered the apartment unit where Shinji Aoba lives in Saitama, near Tokyo, on Friday. The sources say the smartphone believed to belong to Aoba was among the confiscated items, and police intend to analyze the device in hopes of determining a motive. The sources say Kyoto Animation products were also seized in the raid.

35 people were killed and 33 others were hurt in the arson attack at the company's studio on July 18. Ten of the injured are still being treated in hospital.

Police have obtained an arrest warrant for Aoba on suspicion of arson and murder.

Sources close to the investigation say surveillance camera footage shows the 41-year-old travelling to Kyoto three days before the attack.

Police believe the suspect repeatedly scouted the company headquarters and the studio, looking for an opportunity to carry out the attack.

Ten days since the fatal attack, many people are still visiting the site to pay tribute to the victims and lay flowers on an altar set up nearby.

Some people were in tears as they offered prayers, facing the building that was set ablaze.

One man in his 20s from Mie Prefecture said he is a fan of Kyoto Animation's work. He said he was full of anger over the attack and had prayed for the company to rebuild quickly.

A junior high school student from central Japan said she wondered why Kyoto Animation had to go through such a tragedy. She said she had been supported by the company's work and no words could describe how she felt.

Key words : upper house
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190728_14/

Workers began renovating Japan's Upper House to accommodate two new lawmakers who rely on large motorized wheelchairs.

Yasuhiko Funago and Eiko Kimura won seats in the July 21 Upper House election. Both represent a new party called Reiwa Shinsengumi. Funago has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, while Kimura can hardly move her limbs.

The workers will remove chairs to create space for the two near an entrance to the main hall of the Upper House. They will also eliminate a step about 15 centimeters high to improve accessibility.

Chamber officials say the renovation will cost about 6,400 dollars, and will be completed by Monday.

Further work is planned to improve barrier-free accessibility, including setting up a slope at the Diet building's main entrance.

Funago and Kimura are scheduled to attend an extraordinary Diet session on August 1.

Key words : India
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190728_13/

Rescue workers in India have evacuated about 1,000 passengers from a train that was trapped by monsoon flooding.

The train came to a standstill in the early hours of Saturday near the western city of Mumbai when heavy rains caused a river to overflow and flood the tracks.

Aerial footage shows the express train of about 20 cars half submerged in muddy water.

Media reports say local authorities told the roughly 1,000 passengers to remain onboard as the flooding had reached above knee height.

Disaster authorities and navy personnel began rescue operations after dawn. They moved the passengers to safety in rubber boats. No injuries were reported.

In India, more than 250 people have been killed in the past two weeks due to flooding caused by severe rainfall.

Weather officials are warning that the rainfall is expected to continue.