Weather officials in Japan are urging people in Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo and other rain hit areas to stay alert for mudslides and flooding rivers.
Japan's industry minister Isshu Sugawara has resigned over reports of a possible electoral law violation.
The European Parliament has awarded its annual human rights prize to jailed economist Ilham Tohti for his work to defend China's ethnic Uighur minority.
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20191025200000_english_1.mp3
Key words : weather officials in urging stay alert
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191025_27/
Weather officials in Japan say torrential rain is hitting Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo. Heavy rain and thunderstorms are expected in parts of eastern to northeastern Japan through early Saturday.
The officials are urging people in possibly affected areas to stay alert for mudslides and flooding, particularly in areas hit hard by past typhoons.
The Meteorological Agency said a low-pressure system is making atmospheric conditions unstable over wide areas from the Kanto region through the Tohoku region.
The agency said 85.5 millimeters of rain fell in Kamogawa City, Chiba Prefecture, in an hour until 10:15 a.m. on Friday.
Rainfall in the prefecture's Otaki Town over 12 hours until noon on Friday reached 215 millimeters -- nearly the average for all of October in the region.
The agency forecasts up to 180 millimeters of rain over 24 hours until Saturday morning in the Kanto and Tohoku regions, and 150 millimeters in the Tokai and Koshin regions in central Japan and the Izu Islands in the Pacific.
Some areas whose levees broke when hit by Typhoon Hagibis this month are receiving makeshift repair work, but some are not yet restored.
Officials are calling on those engaged in repair work or cleaning houses to exercise caution.
Key words : learned at 88
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191025_39/
NHK has learned that the death toll from Typhoon Hagibis stands at 88. Seven people remain missing. The storm lashed Japan earlier this month and flooded vast areas.
The worst-hit prefecture is Fukushima, where 30 people died, followed by Miyagi Prefecture with 19 deaths and Kanagawa Prefecture with 14.
The Fire and Disaster Management Agency says the typhoon left over 74,000 houses flooded. More than 7,400 were destroyed or damaged.
The Cabinet Office says that as of Thursday morning, nearly 4,000 people in 11 prefectures remained at evacuation shelters.
Key words : agriculture ministry continues to rise
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191025_23/
Japan's agriculture ministry says the damage caused by Typhoon Hagibis to the farming, forestry and fishery industries continues to rise. So far, it has amounted to more than 100 billion yen, or 920 million dollars.
The ministry released an updated report on the financial losses in 38 prefectures on Friday morning.
At least 7,300 agricultural facilities, such as reservoirs and drains, have been damaged. The estimated cost of repairs is about 350 million dollars.
The figure for rice, apples and other agricultural products is over 78 million dollars. The damage is spread over more than 10,000 hectares, with forest roads, wood-processing plants and other forestry-related facilities sustaining about 289 million dollars' worth of damage.
Fishing ports and fishery facilities have seen losses of about 87 million dollars.
Ministry officials estimate the total cost will rise, particularly in areas where rivers have burst their banks. They are continuing work to grasp a full picture of the damage.
Key words : Sugawara has resigned
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191025_21/
Japan's industry minister Isshu Sugawara has resigned over reports of a possible electoral law violation.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is set to appoint former regional revitalization minister Hiroshi Kajiyama to the post.
Sugawara's resignation on Friday follows a report in a weekly magazine that he offered melons, crabs and other gifts to voters in his electoral district around 2007.
On Thursday, the Shukan Bunshun also reported that Sugawara's secretary offered condolence money earlier this month to the bereaved family of a supporter.
Sugawara had told a Diet committee meeting that he would look into what really happened.
Sugawara told reporters on Friday that the industry ministry has many issues to address, and he doesn't want the reports about his political activities to disrupt Diet deliberations. He apologized for stepping down before his term expires.
Prime Minister Abe also offered an apology, saying he is responsible for Sugawara's appointment.
Abe added there should be no delays in policymaking in important fields such as industry and trade, and he intends to choose Kajiyama to replace Sugawara.
Hiroshi Kajiyama is 64 years old. He was first elected to the Lower House of the Diet in 2002 as a member of the Liberal Democratic Party. He has been the chairman of a Lower House land and transport committee and a special committee on disasters. His late father, Seiroku Kajiyama, was Chief Cabinet Secretary and LDP Secretary-General.
Key words : annual human
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191025_03/
The European Parliament has awarded its annual human rights prize to jailed economist Ilham Tohti for his work to defend China's ethnic Uighur minority.
Parliament President David Sassoli announced Thursday that the Uighur activist had won the 2019 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.
Tohti campaigned for years to protect Uighurs' rights and appeal for reconciliation and mutual understanding between the mostly Muslim community and the Han Chinese majority. He also harshly criticized the Chinese government for cracking down on Uighurs in what it calls a counterterrorism measure.
Tohti was detained by Chinese authorities in 2014 and sentenced to life imprisonment on separatism-related charges later that year.
Sassoli said Tohti has dedicated his life to advocating for the rights of the Uighur minority in China. He urged Beijing to release him and respect minority rights.
The United States and international human rights campaigners are also calling on China to free Tohti. US lawmakers had recommended him as a candidate for this year's Nobel Peace Prize.
The European Parliament has given the prize annually since 1988 to individuals and organizations defending human rights and fundamental freedoms. The prize is named in honor of Soviet physicist and political dissident Andrei Sakharov, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1975.
The Chinese government has not issued an official statement on the announcement.
But earlier this month, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang called for Tohti's nomination to be scrapped, describing him as a separatist in support of extreme terrorism.
Geng added that awarding the prize to such a separatist under the false flag of human rights and freedom was tantamount to condoning and encouraging criminal activities, and "an insult on and a travesty to human rights."
Key words : south give up
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191025_35/
South Korea says it will give up the preferential treatment it enjoys as a developing nation at the World Trade Organization. The decision follows a complaint by the United States.
Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki said it no longer seems appropriate for South Korea to receive special treatment in view of its economic standing.
He cited similar actions taken by Singapore and Brazil. South Korea has the world's 12th largest GDP according to the World Bank.
The move came after US President Donald Trump criticized South Korea alongside China in July for unfairly receiving preferential treatment.
Yonhap news agency quoted a government official as saying that Washington would blame South Korea if the country retains its status at the WTO and China uses that as an excuse to do the same.
Countries with developing nation status get special treatment during negotiations at the WTO, including lower tariffs on agricultural products.
But farmers in South Korea are demanding the government drop the plan, saying it is sacrificing the country's farm sector for the sake of relations with the US.
Key words : germany proposed
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191025_19/
Germany's defense minister has proposed setting up an internationally controlled security zone on the Syria-Turkey border, as Russia deploys forces to the region.
Germany put forward its proposal to allies at a NATO meeting in Brussels on Thursday.
The Turkish military launched an offensive against Kurdish fighters in northern Syria on October 9.
Turkey has reached an agreement with Russia this week to jointly remove the Kurdish fighters and its weapons from Syrian's northern border, superseding a deal with the US.
Germany stressed that the task of patrolling the border area should not fall on Russia and Turkey alone, and called for broader international involvement.
The US has welcomed Germany's proposal ahead of the meeting, but indicated that US forces would not take part in that patrol.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said there were different opinions in the meeting, and that the proposal needs to be discussed in more detail.
He said the proposal could require debate at the United Nations.
Key words : name order
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191025_24/
The Japanese government has decided to use the surname-first-order for Japanese names in official documents translated into English and other Western languages from next year.
The given name normally comes first when Japanese names are written in such languages. In Japanese, the family name always comes first.
In 2000, the education ministry's advisory commission on the national language recommended that the traditional Japanese order should be used for names written in these languages. It said doing this would reflect the diversity of language and culture.
The government now says it will adopt the surname-first style in Western-language versions of official documents from January.
The government cites the need to prepare for next year's Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics as a factor behind the decision.
It says surnames can be written in capital letters to prevent any misunderstanding.
Education minister Koichi Hagiuda told reporters on Friday that the government is not considering forcing companies or the general public to follow suit. He suggested that if businesses find the change inconvenient they can continue to use the current style.
Key words : Tokyo police mobilize
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191025_28/
Tokyo police are set to mobilize hundreds of officers in the Shibuya district to deal with possible disorder during Halloween celebrations.
The deployments are expected from Saturday to prevent disturbances or accidents among the mostly young crowds of costumed revelers.
A public relations unit, the "DJ Police," may be dispatched near the scramble crossing near Shibuya Station, depending on the size of the crowds.
Officers with the unit will give lighthearted instructions in Japanese and English to maintain order.
Police cordon lines will be in place to regulate the flow of people at the crossing, and traffic may be restricted.
A shopping district near Shibuya Station saw vandalism and disorder during last year's Halloween celebrations. A number of young people were arrested for overturning a light truck.
Shibuya Ward has banned drinking on the streets and in parks near the station for the Halloween period, and is asking stores to refrain from selling alcoholic drinks.
The ward is preparing to mobilize more than 100 security guards on Saturday and on October 31. The police and ward officials are reminding people to behave sensibly while they are having fun.
Key words : tourist Kyoto
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191025_37/
Tourists in Kyoto will no longer be able to take pictures in privately-owned alleys near one of the most photographed spots in the city. Locals say the ban has come after disrespect shown by some visitors.
An association of residents and shop owners in the Gion district imposed the ban on photography in private alleys near Hanamikoji street, effective on Friday.
The area's traditional stone pavements, restaurants and tea houses are a major tourist attraction.
But some visitors have reportedly entered private property without permission. There have been other reports of people pulling at the kimonos of geisha entertainers and maiko apprentices.
Association members put up signs informing visitors of the ban.
They also handed out leaflets urging tourists to ask for permission before taking photos of geisha and maiko.
People will be fined 10,000 yen, or roughly 100 dollars, for taking photos in the private alleys without permission.
Association chief, Mimiko Takayasu, says the ban has been imposed to preserve Gion's traditional atmosphere.
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