at 20:00 (JST), October 16

Authorities are grappling with the ongoing fallout from Typhoon Hagibis that left at least 75 dead and 345 others injured.

The US House of Representatives has passed a bill to support human rights and democracy in Hong Kong.

North Korea's state media have criticized the United States for continuing to impose economic sanctions.

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20191016200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : ongoing fallout
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191016_29/

Authorities are grappling with the ongoing fallout from Typhoon Hagibis that killed at least 74 people. Rescue crews are still trying to locate missing people, while emergency crews are trying to deliver food and supplies to those struggling to cope.

In Miyagi prefecture, People stranded by the disaster wrote messages in the debris, urging officials to send help.

Some rescuers used helicopters to enter areas cut off by the floodwaters.

The typhoon brought powerful winds and heavy rain, bursting 79 levees on rivers across the nation.

NHK has learned over 13,000 houses were submerged and more than 1100 were partly destroyed.

About 12,000 homes still have no electricity. More than 110,000 households are without water. It's unclear how long it will take to restore services.

Bullet train services on the Hokuriku Line are still partially disrupted. The railway operator says it will take at least one or two weeks to resume full operations.

Some domestic airlines are increasing flights and using larger airplanes in response.

A low pressure system is expected to bring heavy rain to northern and eastern Japan on Friday and Saturday. That's prompting concern in disaster-hit areas where the ground has been loosened. Officials say even a small amount of rain could trigger another disaster.

Key words : heavy rain forecast
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Key words : Hagibis business
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191016_49/

Typhoon Hagibis has taken a heavy toll on businesses and factories across Japan. Automaker Subaru says the storm has disrupted a supply chain, forcing it to halt operations at two sites north of Tokyo.

The firm says it had to stop work on Wednesday at the plants in Ota city in Gunma Prefecture. The sites are responsible for all of the roughly 2,500 cars that Subaru manufactures daily in Japan.

Subaru says an important parts supplier was flooded in the typhoon.

It says it has also scaled down operations at an engine factory in the nearby town Oizumi. And it has dispatched workers to the parts-maker to help with the clean-up effort.

Subaru aims to resume full operations at the plants on October 25.

Key words : learned foreign
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191016_42/

NHK has learned that municipal authorities in Fukushima Prefecture have received no reports of foreign residents or tourists being injured or evacuating to shelters due to Typhoon Hagibis.

NHK contacted 22 municipalities in Fukushima, one of the prefectures hit hardest by Hagibis. Many of the municipalities set up evacuation shelters before or after a levee of the Abukuma River collapsed due to torrential rain, sending floodwater over vast areas.

Fukushima prefectural authorities say 14,053 foreigners live in the prefecture, and that they include 3,647 Chinese and 2,735 Filipinos.

Fukushima International Association has established a support desk for foreign residents. The service is available in six languages -- English, Chinese, Korean, Tagalog, Vietnamese and Portuguese. Its phone number is 024-524-1316.

Authorities in the city of Koriyama are offering information on a website called "Koriyama City Foreign Language Portal." It is usually available in five languages -- Spanish, Portuguese, English, Korean and Chinese --but has added services in three more -- Vietnamese, Tagalog, and Thai.

The international association operated by the city of Iwaki is also giving advice. The service is available in four languages -- English, Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese. Its phone number is 0246-22-7409.

Key words : US house of passed a bill
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191016_15/

The US House of Representatives has passed a bill to support human rights and democracy in Hong Kong.

The House unanimously adopted the "Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act" on Tuesday.

The law would require the secretary of state every year to check the autonomy in Hong Kong under the Chinese government's "one country, two systems" policy.

It would also allow the US to impose sanctions on Chinese officials who are responsible for undermining basic freedoms in Hong Kong.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi addressed lawmakers before the vote.

She praised young people in Hong Kong for their four-month-long protests, saying that "they have sent a stirring message to the world that their dreams of freedom, justice and democracy can never be extinguished."

She added: "Hopefully they will hear from this Congress our support for their human rights, and that we will not sell our souls for money at the expense of our values."

The US Senate is also expected to soon pass the bill, which is supported by both Republicans and Democrats despite China's strong opposition.

It is still unclear if President Donald Trump will sign the bill, as he appears to have given priority to trade negotiations with China.

Key words : Hong Kong regret
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191016_30/

Hong Kong's government has expressed regret after the US House of Representatives passed the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act on Tuesday.

In the statement released on Wednesday, it says that since the return to the Motherland, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region has been exercising "Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong," and a high degree of autonomy in strict accordance with the Basic Law, which acts as Hong Kong's constitution.

It also says the "one country, two systems" principle has been fully and successfully implemented.

The government emphasized that it will continue to implement the principle resolutely.

The Hong Kong government also says that the police have been exercising restraint and have been working in strict accordance with the law.

It warns that foreign legislatures should not interfere in any form in its internal affairs.

Key words : chief executive schedule take place
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191016_43/

Hong Kong's Chief Executive Carrie Lam was scheduled to address the Legislative Council on Wednesday, but abandoned the plan after pro-democracy lawmakers jeered her.

Lam was forced to stop her speech twice before she was ushered out of the room.

A prerecorded video of her speech was played instead.

In it, Lam says: "Fellows citizens, so long as Hong Kong remains impeded by unresolved disputes, ongoing violence, confrontation and discord, our city cannot embark on the road to reconciliation and people will lose faith in the future."

Wednesday's session was the first since protestors stormed the building and brought the previous one to an abrupt end three months ago.

One of the tasks on the agenda was the official withdrawal of a controversial extradition bill that would have allowed suspects to be sent to mainland China to face trial.

The chairperson now says the withdrawal procedure will take place next Wednesday.

Lawmakers will have a chance to question Lam on Thursday about the policies laid out in her speech. But the council may see a repeat of this week's disruptions.

The bill sparked outrage and triggered massive protests when it was first proposed earlier this year.

The protests have since transformed into broader calls for democratic freedom and plunged the semi-autonomous city into its worst crisis in years.

The government has tried to quell the protests, including banning people from wearing masks. But protestors continue to take to the streets, saying they will not stop until their demands are met.

Key words : north criticized the United
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191016_27/

North Korea's state media have criticized the United States for continuing to impose economic sanctions. It quoted the country's leader Kim Jong Un as saying that the pain caused by the US and other hostile forces has now turned to anger.

The Wednesday edition of the ruling Korean Workers' Party newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, reported that Kim inspected the construction site of a new town.

Kim reportedly said North Koreans have become stronger and have learned how to win, although they still have to face an uphill battle because of persistent sanctions imposed by hostile forces. He urged people to rebuild the country's economy on their own.

Kim's reference to the US came for the first time since working-level talks between Washington and Pyongyang on North Korea's denuclearization earlier this month. After the talks, North Korea criticized the US for sticking to its conventional stance.

The state media also released a picture of Kim climbing the snow-covered Mount Paektu on the back of a white horse. The mountain is regarded as sacred by North Koreans.

They said those accompanying him were convinced that a grand operation to advance a revolution will be carried out, hinting that North Korea may take some kind of measure to put pressure on the US.

Key words : court in western
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191016_34/

A court in western Japan has ruled that the country's Upper House election in July was held in a state of unconstitutionality due to disparity in values of individual votes.

The Takamatsu High Court handed down the ruling on Wednesday.

Groups of lawyers and voters had filed lawsuits across Japan, demanding that the election results be nullified due to the large disparity.

The value of votes cast in the least populated electoral districts was about three times that of those in the most densely populated. The plaintiffs say the disparity violates Japan's Constitution, which guarantees that votes have equal value.

Wednesday's ruling covers three districts in the Shikoku region.

The court said the election was held in a state that runs counter to vote equality.

But it stopped short of calling the election unconstitutional, and dismissed the plaintiffs' demand for nullification, saying lawmakers are working to reduce the vote disparity.

Key words : Tokyo stock highest level
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191016_36/

At the Tokyo Stock Exchange, the benchmark Nikkei Average closed at its highest level for the year on Wednesday.

The Nikkei Index gained 265 points from Tuesday's close, ending at 22,472. That number broke April's record and was the highest close this year.

Market observers say that investor sentiment is improving after the US and China reached a partial trade deal last weekend, mitigating uncertainty about economic conditions.

They also point out that the full extent of damage caused by Typhoon Hagibis remains unclear, and that it will take more time to assess the impact of the typhoon on corporate performance.