at 20:00 (JST), November 11

Hong Kong police fired tear gas at a lunch-time rally in the city's financial district on Monday.

The arsonist resposible for a deadly blaze at the Kyoto Animation studio in July has reportedly told investigators that he targeted a particular studio to cause the maximum amount of injuries.

The Iranian government has invited foreign and domestic journalists to view a construction project for a second reactor at its sole nuclear power plant in southern Iran.

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20191111200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : Hong Kong police fired
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191111_30/

Hong Kong police fired tear gas at a lunch-time rally in the city's financial district on Monday. The demonstrators were protesting the police's firing of live ammunition earlier in the day, injuring one person.

Several hundred people, including businessmen, crowded the streets in the Central business district on Hong Kong Island. They were yelling at police, calling them murderers.

Police used tear gas to disperse the crowd, covering the area with white smoke and causing the protesters to flee.

Earlier, in a residential area, police fired at a 21-year-old protester, who is now reportedly in critical condition at a hospital.

Scuffles also broke out between police and residents in other areas of the territory on Monday as protesters barricaded roads in response to calls on social media.

The Hong Kong government says 49 people, including the victim of police shooting, were treated for injuries at hospitals.

Anger at the police has been mounting among a wide range of Hong Kong residents following the death of a protester last week, the first since the unrest began in the territory five months ago.

Key words : Hong Kong police released
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191111_34/

Hong Kong police have released a statement defending the actions of an officer who shot a protester early Monday.

The statement reads "police have strict guidelines and orders regarding the use of firearms. All police officers are required to justify their enforcement actions."

It also called on "radical protesters to be calm and rational," and that "Protesters should stop all acts that threaten others' safety and obstruct police's lawful execution of duty."

Key words : deadly reportedly maximum
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191111_09/

The suspect of the deadly arson attack at the Kyoto Animation studio in July has reportedly told investigators that he targeted a particular studio to cause the maximum amount of injuries.

Shinji Aoba set fire to the studio in Fushimi Ward, Kyoto City, leaving 36 employees dead and 33 others injured.
The suspect himself sustained serious burns.

Sources close to the investigation quote Aoba as saying that he targeted the company's number one studio, where the most people were working because he wanted to cause as many injuries as possible.

Police have obtained an arrest warrant for Aoba based on arson and murder. They questioned him for the first time on Friday, while monitoring his condition.

Aoba has also reportedly admitted that he planned the attack from the time he left his home in Saitama Prefecture, near Tokyo.

Investigators say that Aoba arrived in Kyoto three days before the crime. They say that on the day of the fire he was carrying knives to attack anyone who got in his way.

In the past, Aoba had submitted two novels to the studio which were rejected because they were improperly formatted.

He claims he set fire to the studio because they stole his work.

The suspect has reportedly told police that he expects to be sentenced to death.

Police plan to arrest Aoba once he recovers.

Key words : Iranian
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191111_02/

The Iranian government has invited foreign and domestic journalists to view a construction project for a second reactor at its sole nuclear power plant in southern Iran.

A ceremony was held at the Bushehr power plant on Sunday for the start of construction of a new reactor building. The project began in 2017, and the groundwork had already been completed.

The Bushehr plant, which is situated on the Persian Gulf coast, was the first nuclear power plant in the Middle East. It was built with the help of Russia and started full operations in 2012.

Speaking at Sunday's ceremony, Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, said nuclear power is one of the energy sources that will be vital for Iran's future generations, and will revolutionize the country's industries.

The Iranian government says the second reactor will be able to generate 1,000 megawatts for Iran's power grid --the same amount generated by the first reactor. The government says it hopes to complete construction by 2025.

The United States unilaterally withdrew from the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers, and stepped up pressure on Iran with economic sanctions. That led to a series of countermeasures by the Iranian government.

They include measures to increase uranium enrichment activities, which reduced Iran's commitment under the 2015 deal.

Concern has been mounting that Iran's recent action may lead to its development of nuclear weapons.

Analysts say that by publicizing the reactor construction project, the Iranian government wanted to stress that it naturally deserves the right to nuclear development for electric power generation, and to use nuclear power for peaceful purposes.

Key words : Iran president
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191111_05/

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani has announced the discovery of a large oil field that could boost the country's proven reserves by about 30 percent.

Rouhani said on Sunday that the country's workers and engineers discovered a large field with 53 billion barrels of oil.

He said the oil field in the southwestern province of Khuzestan covers an area of 2,400 square kilometers.

British oil giant BP says as of the end of 2018, Iran was ranked fourth in the world for largest oil reserves with an estimated 155.6 billion barrels.

If the size of the new oil reserve is proven to be accurate, it would raise Iran to third place just below Venezuela and Saudi Arabia.

The announcement comes as Iran is struggling to sell its oil abroad in the wake of sanctions imposed by the United States.

The country is apparently making an appeal to the international community to reaffirm its importance as a crude oil supplier in a bid to stir resentment against the US.

Key words : Iraqi
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191111_12/

The Iraqi High Commission for Human Rights says month-long anti-government protests have left over 300 people dead.

People frustrated with high unemployment and corruption began taking to the streets in early October in the capital, Baghdad, and cities in the south-central region.

At least four people died on Saturday when security forces clashed with demonstrators near bridges leading to a district of the capital that houses government buildings and foreign embassies.

The commission says that, as of Sunday, the combined death toll of protesters and security forces personnel had reached 319, while about 15,000 others had been injured.

There is no end in sight to the demonstrations.

The Iraqi government says it will respond to protesters' demands by carrying out political reforms.

But it's unclear what those plans will be, as the political parties remain at odds over the country's ties with neighboring Iran.

Key words : Japan has provided
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191111_25/

Japan has provided the Philippines with a high-speed patrol boat to help step up its anti-terrorism operations.

A ceremony marking the occasion was held on Monday at the Philippine Coast Guard headquarters in Manila.

Masahiro Nakata, the minister at the Japanese Embassy, said the Philippines is an important partner of Japan in efforts to achieve a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

Nakata added that Japan hopes to contribute to regional peace and stability by providing the Southeast Asian country with the equipment it needs.

The newly built, 15-meter boat is one of the fastest vessels owned by the Philippine Coast Guard.

The Coast Guard is aiming to improve its capability to stop terrorists from entering the country. In January, a suspected suicide bombing killed more than 20 people at a church on the southern island of Jolo.

Police say a man and a woman from Indonesia with links to an Islamist group in the Philippines were responsible for the attack. The couple is believed to have entered the country on a small boat and traveled from island to island.

Japan also plans to donate to the Philippines two large patrol boats used by its Coast Guard.

Key words : major online
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191111_03/

Major online retailers in China began bargain sales on what's known as "Singles Day" from midnight on Sunday.

The name of the annual event comes from the four unattached ones in the date November 11. "Singles Day" features deep price discounts and is known as the largest retail sales day of the year in China.

Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba held an event at its head office in Hangzhou, in the eastern province of Zhejiang.

As soon as the event started at midnight, a huge screen set up at the venue showed figures of ongoing transactions. Only 96 seconds into the event, Alibaba's sales topped 10 billion yuan, or about 1.4 billion dollars.
Some Japanese firms have also joined the annual bonanza in recent years in a bid to attract Chinese customers by introducing new products.

During Alibaba's event, Japanese products were introduced as the most popular among the imported goods selected by Chinese customers.

Attention is focused on how well Japanese products will sell amid recent trade friction between China and the United states.

An Alibaba official told NHK that Chinese consumers have begun to recognize the quality of Japanese products and customer services now that an increasing number of Chinese tourists have visited Japan. The official said the company expects Japanese brands to be ranked at the top for the day's sales.

Key words : SBI
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191111_15/

Japan's online financial firm SBI Holdings is teaming up with regional banks that have seen their profits squeezed by the country's low interest rates. SBI says it will acquire a stake of nearly 20 percent in Fukushima Bank in northeastern Japan.

SBI plans to create a joint outlet with the bank to offer mutual funds, insurance products and loans to customers. It will also provide its knowhow in "fintech" to help develop new IT-based services and cut costs.

The company wants to forge a financial network with regional banks to rival the country's banking giants.

SBI Holdings earlier announced a similar capital tie-up with Shimane Bank in western Japan.

Key words : cabinet
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191111_13/

Japan's Cabinet Office says machinery orders fell in September, prompting it to revise downward its overall assessment.

Domestic machinery orders for the month totaled slightly over 850 billion yen, or 7.8 billion dollars, down 2.9 percent from the previous month. It was the third straight month of decline. The figure does not include the shipbuilding and power utility sectors, which tend to see large fluctuations.

Orders from non-manufacturers rose 2.6 percent, but those from manufacturers fell 5.2 percent. The main reason was fewer orders for equipment related to nuclear reactors and computers.

Cabinet Office officials say there was recovery in machinery orders, but that is coming to a standstill.

They still forecast a 3.5 percent increase for October-December compared with the previous quarter, and say the rise will be in both manufacturing and non-manufacturing industries.

Key words : some convenience
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191111_14/

Some convenience stores in Japan have begun phasing out straws and using eco-friendly packaging in an effort to reduce plastic waste.

Leading convenience store chain Seven-Eleven has started using lids that don't require straws for iced coffee and other beverages. Company officials began rolling out the change this month and will gradually introduce the new lids at its outlets.

The store plans to provide straws made of environmentally-friendly materials for customers who want them.

An official from Seven & i Holdings says the company sells more than 1 billion cups of coffee annually. He hopes that removing straws from the product will cut back on plastic waste in a big way.

Another convenience store chain Lawson recently started phasing out straws as well. Some of their stores have also begun using paper containers that are resistant to water and oil for lunch box items.

Key words : Noguchi
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191111_31/

Olympic gold medalist Mizuki Noguchi will become the first Japanese runner of the torch relay for next year's Tokyo Olympic Games.

The Games' organizing committee announced on Monday that it has chosen Noguchi, the winner of the women's marathon at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

The torch will be lit at a ceremony in Olympia on March 12, starting a relay that will be held in Greece until March 19. A Greek person will be the first runner and will hand the torch over to Noguchi.

Noguchi says she is overwhelmed by being selected. She recalled that conditions for the 2004 marathon were difficult with temperatures around 35 degrees Celsius.

Three-time Olympic champions, judoka Tadahiro Nomura and wrestler Saori Yoshida will also take part in the relay. They will bring the flame to Japan on a special flight.

The flame is due to arrive in Miyagi Prefecture on March 20. The relay in Japan is scheduled to begin on March 26 in Fukushima Prefecture. Both prefectures were among the regions hardest hit by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.