Hong Kong's pro-democracy camp won a landslide victory in Sunday's local district council elections.
Japan's Emperor Naruhito met Pope Francis for the first time on Monday, expressing deep respect for the pontiff's dedication to people's happiness and world peace.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi have agreed to continue working together to ensure the success of Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Japan next spring.
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20191125200000_english_1.mp3
Key words : Hong Kong landslide victory
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191125_23/Hong Kong's pro-democracy camp won a landslide victory in Sunday's local district council elections, which come amid ongoing political unrest.
Local media outlets say pro-democracy candidates have secured over 80 percent of the 452 total seats. The unprecedented win effectively reverses the positions of the two sides.
The election was framed as a referendum on ongoing and increasingly violent protests.
On Sunday, voters peacefully waited in long, snaking lines. The territory saw an all-time high for voter turnout with nearly 3 million people, or more than 70 percent of registered voters, casting a ballot.
Some of the winners in this election had previously made news as demonstrators. That includes Jimmy Sham, a newly-elected councilor and high-profile protest organizer who was reportedly beaten with hammers more than a month ago.
"Pro-democracy protests have changed the voting into a de facto referendum," Sham said, while leaning on his crutches. "It's a victory for people in Hong Kong. I hope Chief Executive Carrie Lam will accept the people's will and meet the protesters' key demands."
Outgoing pro-Beijing councilor Horace Cheung did not blame his defeat on a lack of supporters. He received more votes than he did when he won the last election, but they were not enough to compete with an influx of new voters.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told reporters, on Monday, Beijing will wait for the final election results to issue a response.
But Wang said it's already clear that, whatever happens in Hong Kong, the territory is part of China.
District councils play a limited role in running the territory, but some of the representatives help choose Hong Kong's chief executive.
Observers say the pro-democracy camp's victory will give future protests even more momentum and push leader Carrie Lam to act.
Key words : Naruhito met Pope expressing
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191125_29/Emperor Naruhito met Pope Francis for the first time on Monday, expressing deep respect for the pontiff's dedication to people's happiness and world peace.
The head of the Roman Catholic Church visited the Imperial Palace in central Tokyo.
At the entrance of the Palace, the Emperor and the pope reportedly exchanged greetings in the pontiff's native language of Spanish.
During talks that lasted about 20 minutes, the Emperor said he is glad to meet the pope, who is making the first papal visit to Japan in 38 years. The pope replied that he has been looking forward to seeing the Emperor since his accession to the throne.
The Emperor mentioned the pope's visit to Nagasaki and Hiroshima, as well as a meeting with survivors of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. He said he is grateful for the pontiff's empathy for the people of Japan.
The pope said he remembers his parents shedding tears when they heard about the atomic bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima when he was nine years old. He said he expressed his beliefs in the speeches he gave at the two atomic-bombed cities.
When the Emperor talked about environmental and water issues in which he has a strong interest, the pope said people need to have a high awareness of such issues, and young people are increasingly interested in them. The pontiff also said young people and those in power need to work together.
Key words : pope 2011 earthquake spoken about
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191125_14/Pope Francis has met the survivors of the 2011 earthquake in northeastern Japan and spoken about the Fukushima nuclear accident that followed. He urged people to be aware of their responsibility to future generations.
The pope took part in a gathering in Tokyo on Monday of about 300 people affected by the earthquake. Three survivors addressed the crowd.
A high school student, Matsuki Kamoshita, from Fukushima was one of the speakers. He met the pope in Vatican in March.
Kamoshita said he evacuated to Tokyo following the nuclear accident. He had a tough time adjusting and was bullied. He pointed out that it takes a long time to restore land contaminated by radioactive substances.
He said adults have the responsibility not to conceal information, but to share knowledge about contamination, radiation exposure and damage that could occur in the future.
Kamoshita asked the pope to pray so people everywhere will take action to eliminate the threat of radiation exposure from the world of the future.
Pope Francis then delivered a speech in Spanish and offered prayers for the victims of the disaster and their families.
The pope said support and prayers for the affected areas should not be lost with the passage of time. He said the path to a full recovery may still be long, but that it can always be undertaken if it counts on the spirit of people capable of mobilizing in order to help one another.
The pope also said Japan faces the immense challenge of restoring the fabric of society, while there are scientific and medical concerns regarding the nuclear accident.
He added the Fukushima accident will not be fully resolved until social bonds in local communities are re-established and people can once more enjoy safe and stable lives.
The pontiff said people need to realize that we cannot make purely selfish decisions and have a great responsibility to future generations.
Kamoshita said after the event that he was impressed that the pope remembered him. He said he will ponder the meaning of his words.
Key words : pope held a mass
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191125_33/Pope Francis has held a mass at Tokyo Dome on Monday in front of a packed audience.
The pontiff arrived at the site on Monday afternoon after taking part in a meeting with young people in Tokyo.
Some 50,000 worshippers, including elementary school students from Catholic schools attended the mass.
They cheered and waved Vatican and Japanese flags for the pope as he arrived in an open-top limousine.
Pope Francis took about 20 minutes making rounds at the venue, kissing small children. He also smiled and waved to the audience.
One attendee was a former death row inmate awaiting a retrial. Iwao Hakamada has long proclaimed his innocence in a high-profile 1966 murder case.
Pope Francis revised the Catholic Church's teachings in 2018 and declared the death penalty inadmissible.
He has been spearheading efforts to abolish capital punishment around the world.
The pope stood at an altar in the middle of the dome and prayed, while worshippers sang a hymn.
Key words : Abe and China
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191125_24/Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi have agreed to continue working together to ensure the success of Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Japan next spring.
At the start of their meeting in Tokyo on Monday, Abe told Wang he is glad that Japan-China cooperation is developing steadily, with high-level exchanges since last year, including at the leaders' level.
Abe indicated he will take part in a trilateral summit with China and South Korea in China next month.
Abe said he wants to use the summit as a springboard to work with China to make President Xi's state visit a significant event in a new era for bilateral ties.
Wang said relations are now on a normal track of development thanks to the efforts that are being made by the countries' leaders. He said the current phase has been reached after many twists and turns and the two countries should cherish this.
Wang said the upcoming three-way summit will be an important opportunity. He said he believes Prime Minister Abe will make continued contributions to boosting bilateral ties.
Abe urged China to take positive actions over security in the East China Sea, including the Senkaku Islands and the surrounding waters, China's restrictions of certain Japanese food imports and the detention of several Japanese nationals.
Japan controls the Senkaku Islands. The Japanese government maintains that the islands are an inherent part of Japan's territory. China and Taiwan claim them.
Abe also told Wang it is important that a free and open Hong Kong continues to grow under the "one country, two systems" principle.
Key words : trade ministry hit back
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191125_10/Japan's trade ministry has hit back at South Korea's assertion that Tokyo's announcement about the resumption of bilateral policy dialogue on trade control is inconsistent with facts.
South Korea's presidential office expressed regret on Sunday about the Japanese announcement which said dialogue would resume because Seoul had shown willingness to improve its trade monitoring system.
The announcement came after South Korea made a last minute decision to conditionally maintain a bilateral intelligence-sharing pact known as GSOMIA.
Japan's trade ministry commented on its official Twitter account on Sunday that the content of the announcement was coordinated with the South Korean side in advance.
A senior trade ministry official told NHK that the ministry had explained the content of its announcement in detail to the South Korean side after a news conference last week in response to an inquiry from Seoul.
The official says South Korea's assertion is regrettable and could lead to the undermining of trust.
Key words : Suga shrugged off
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191125_30/Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga has shrugged off the latest verbal disagreement with South Korea over talks on maintaining a bilateral intelligence-sharing pact.
A senior South Korean official on Sunday expressed regret over an announcement Japan made after Seoul decided on Friday to suspend its notification alerting Tokyo that it would terminate the pact known as GSOMIA.
The announcement by the Japanese trade ministry said that the two countries will hold a policy dialogue because Seoul has shown a willingness to improve its monitoring of trade.
The South Korean official said the announcement contradicts the facts. He said Seoul protested and that Tokyo apologized.
On Monday, Suga told reporters that while it is not productive to comment on every remark made by South Korea, it is not true that the Japanese government apologized.
He reiterated Tokyo's stance that the trade ministry's decision to hold talks is unrelated to South Korea's temporary extension of GSOMIA.
Japan's trade minister Hiroshi Kajiyama on Monday also expressed his intention to abstain from commenting on South Korean claims.
He added that the discord will have no impact on his ministry's plan to resume policy talks with Seoul.
Key words : British
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191125_07/British Prime Minister Boris Johnson promised that his country will leave the European Union by the January 31 deadline.
He launched the Conservative Party's manifesto for the election on December 12 in the central English town of Telford on Sunday.
Johnson promised to present his Brexit deal to Parliament before Christmas and leave the EU by January 31, 2020.
He also said that he will not extend the implementation period beyond December 2020.
Supporters cheered when Johnson said " Get Brexit done, unleash Britain's potential."
The Conservative Party is leading in most recent polls with more than 10 points over its largest opponent, the Labour Party.
The Sunday Times reported in its latest edition that based on their research the Conservatives are expected to win a majority on December 12.
In 2017 the Conservatives had a comfortable lead early in the election campaign, but they ended up losing their majority in the Parliament.
Key words : French
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191125_31/French luxury group LVMH will buy US jeweler Tiffany & Company.
The companies announced on Monday that LVMH will acquire Tiffany for more than 16 billion dollars. It will be LVMH's biggest acquisition deal.
Western media outlets are reporting that LVMH raised the purchase amount before reaching the agreement.
Observers say the acquisition will help the French conglomerate, known for brands such as Louis Vuitton and Fendi, establish a foothold in the US market.
They also say the deal will help LVMH monopolize a larger slice of the world fashion industry.
Key words : Toshiba
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191125_17/Toshiba has announced that it has developed a blood test that can detect several cancers with 99 percent accuracy in just hours.
The Japanese firm teamed up with Tokyo Medical University and the National Cancer Center to develop the technology.
Toshiba scientists say the test measures the concentration of microRNA molecules released by cancer cells. They say it can detect 13 types of cancer in early stages, including pancreatic, stomach, and breast cancers.
The researchers say the tests are run through a small device that can identify the disease within two hours. They believe it could reduce the cost of cancer screening.
Toshiba plans to conduct further testing with the aim of commercializing the technology within a few years.
Key words : skylark
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191125_22/Japan's leading family restaurant chain Skylark Holdings plans to partly reduce its service hours on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day due to the government's work-style reforms.
The group's restaurants, such as Gusto and Bamiyan, have usually been open from morning to midnight, even during the New Year's holiday season.
But sources say the company will suspend operations at about 80 percent, or 2,700 of its restaurants, from 6:00 p.m. on New Year's Eve until noon on New Year's Day.
They say the company's aim is to improve its employees' working conditions by letting them take longer holidays.
About 500 other restaurants, including those near tourist spots, as well as ones in large shopping malls, will be exempt from the new hours and operate as usual.
Observers say that moves to cut business hours during the New Year's season will spread among Japan's restaurant industry.
Royal Holdings, the operator of Royal Host, has closed most of its restaurants on New Year's Day since last year.
Key words : Kyoto demolish an
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191125_19/Preparations have begun in Kyoto, western Japan, to demolish an animation studio hit by a deadly arson attack in July.
Workers started extending a fence covering Kyoto Animation's building in Fushimi Ward on Monday after unloading steel pipes and other materials from a truck.
This comes four months after a man allegedlly set the studio on fire. The fire gutted the building, killing 36 people and injuring 33 others.
Sources say that until the end of this year, workers will set up scaffolding and remove items left inside the studio. Demolition work will be then carried out from early January to late April.
They also say Kyoto Animation has not decided what to do with the studio's site.
The owner of a nearby cafe says the demolition cannot be helped from the viewpoints of victims and residents. She says she hopes fans of the studio's works and other people will be able to gather on the site even after the building is gone.
Key words : Hakuho passion
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191125_25/Yokozuna Grand Champion Hakuho, after clinching his 43rd victory in the latest tourney, says his aim is to garner 50 career sumo tournament titles.
Hakuho spoke of his goal during a news conference in the city of Fukuoka on Monday after the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament. He finished the tourney the previous day with 14 wins and one loss.
The champion mentioned that he injured his right arm during the spring tournament in March and that his doctor told him the injury would not completely heal. He feared he might never again be able to win a title.
But he said he decided to pull himself up again when other leading wrestlers dropped out of the Kyushu tournament.
He spoke to reporters about his continued passion for the sport of sumo. He said he owes what he is today to strong senior wrestlers, and showed his determination to serve as "a high and thick wall" for younger wrestlers as a way to give back what he has been given by the sumo world.
Hakuho says he is now training harder than other wrestlers.
The Mongolian-born wrestler obtained Japanese citizenship in September. The latest tournament title was his first since then.
He said he donated the prize money he received for the first bout to the city of Osaki, Miyagi Prefecture, which was severely damaged by Typhoon Hagibis.
