2019年12月30日月曜日

at 20:00 (JST), December 30

The benchmark index for the Tokyo Stock Exchange has marked its highest final-day close in 29 years.


Monday marks one year since the Trans-Pacific Partnership came into effect.


Japan's Defense Minister has visited Oman to explain a plan to use a port there to supply a Self-Defense Force ship that will be dispatched to the region.


https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20191230200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : benchmark index 29 years topix
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191230_18/

The benchmark index for the Tokyo Stock Exchange has marked its highest final-day close in 29 years.

The Nikkei Average ended Monday at 23,656 points, down 181 points from Friday.

But the closing level was 3,641 points higher than a year before, marking a rise of about 18 percent.

The broader TOPIX index ended at 1,721, down 11 points from Friday.

Tokyo shares plummeted on multiple occasions this year, as market players became wary of the trade friction between the United States and China, with no end in sight.

But shares began to rise in the fall, as trade talks between the two economic powers reportedly showed progress.

The Nikkei index closed above the 24,000 mark for the first time in 14 months in December, after the two countries announced they have reached a "phase one" trade deal.

Market sources say the index set a new high for the year three times this month, prompting players to place sell orders to mark gains.

They say players remain concerned of what the future may bring, including the outcome of the US-China trade deal, and how Japanese firms will perform, although stock prices are on an upward trend.


Key words : ceremony trading
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191230_19/

A ceremony marking the last trading day of the year was held at the Tokyo Stock Exchange on Monday after the benchmark Nikkei Average marked its highest final-day close in 29 years.

Leading Kyogen actor Nomura Mansai, who will direct the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, was among those invited.

Akira Kiyota, the head of the Japan Exchange Group, which operates the market, looked back on the year.

He said 2019 has been volatile due to factors, such as the US-China trade friction, that have prevailed since the year before.

But, he said, in retrospect the market started the year poorly and ended it well, so it was a good year overall.

Nomura addressed the participants, saying the "One Team" philosophy of the Japan rugby squad at this year's World Cup left an impression on him.

He said the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics will be staged next year. He expressed his hope that the year will be a fruitful one, with Japan, the world and the entire planet showing that unified "One Team" spirit.

The bell at the exchange was then rung five times to call for rising stock prices for the next year.

The event wrapped up with a ceremonial hand-clap by more than 630 people.


Key words : Monday marks one year
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191230_01/

Monday marks one year since the Trans-Pacific Partnership came into effect. Japan has seen a change in the volume of both imports and exports.

The Finance Ministry's trade statistics show the amount of beef imports from Canada from January to November this year nearly doubled compared to the same period a year ago.

Beef imports from New Zealand rose 32 percent, and those from Mexico increased by 18 percent. But imports from the United States, which pulled out of the TPP, were down 4 percent.

Pork imports from Canada and Mexico were also higher, while those from the US fell.

The competitiveness of TPP member nations' agricultural products increased as the trade pact lowered tariffs, which led to a lowering of prices.

Exports of Japanese mackerel to Vietnam increased by 42 percent after tariffs imposed on Japanese fishery products were eliminated under the pact.

Japan's exports of agricultural, forestry and fishery products for 2019 are expected to fall short of the projected target of one trillion yen, or about 9 billion dollars.

Japan's government wants to increase exports by taking advantage of the Trans Pacific treaty, as well as a new trade pact with the US that takes effect on January 1, 2020.


Key words : defense minister visited Oman
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191229_18/

Japan's Defense Minister has visited Oman to explain a plan to use an Omani port to provide supplies for a Japanese Self-Defense Force ship.

Taro Kono met with Omani Defense Minister Sayyid Badr bin Saud al-Busaidi on Sunday, two days after Japan's Cabinet approved a plan to send an SDF destroyer to the Middle East and to use SDF aircraft that are based in the East African nation of Djibouti.

Japan plans to begin the mission in February to ensure commercial ships with ties to Japan can safely navigate in the Middle East.

Kono told Badr that the ship and the aircraft are likely to be deployed in areas including the Gulf of Oman and the northern part of the Arabian Sea, and asked for his understanding.

Kono told reporters that he thinks the response from his Omani counterpart was positive as the Japanese mission will be beneficial for regional stability.

Kono expressed hope to deepen ties with Oman based on past activities. The Maritime Self-Defense Force has made port calls in the country.


Key words : Putin thanked
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191230_10/

Russian President Vladimir Putin has thanked US President Donald Trump for information that helped Russia foil terrorist attacks.

Russia's presidential office said that the two leaders talked by a phone on Sunday and they also agreed to continue cooperation to tackle terrorism.

The Russian Federal Security Service revealed that a tip-off from the US helped them detain two Russians who were planning an attack during new year celebrations in St. Petersburg.

Two years ago Putin also thanked Trump for information provided by the CIA that helped Russia uncover a terrorist plot.

The relations between the two countries have deteriorated to the level which some call the worst since the Cold War era.

Analysts say that Sunday's phone call maybe an indication that Putin is hoping to find a way to improve relations.


Key words : Taiwanese president
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191230_02/

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen has said in her election pledge that she will not let Taiwan become the next Hong Kong.

Tsai made the remark during a televised debate on Sunday ahead of the coming presidential election slated for January 11.

Tsai, who heads the Democratic Progressive Party, faces a challenge from Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu, who represents the main opposition Nationalist Party.

Tsai mentioned increasing pressure from Beijing and said Taiwan's sovereignty is already facing a serious challenge. She said her top priority is to protect Taiwan's sovereignty and prevent it from being swallowed up.

Han criticized Tsai's party for its independence-leaning stance. He said its policies are isolating Taiwan and called for a change of government.

The latest polls show Tsai is in the lead as people are taking a cautious view of China.

The ruling party plans to pass an anti-infiltration bill on Tuesday, which aims to prevent foreign interference in Taiwan's politics. The party wants to use the legislation to counter China's influence and boost voter support.

Meanwhile, the Nationalist Party says the Tsai administration's policy is not sufficient, citing people's dissatisfaction with their lives.


Key words : Trump many option
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191230_05/

US President Donald Trump's national security adviser said the United States has many options to respond if North Korea resumes long-range ballistic missile tests or nuclear tests.

Robert O'Brien was speaking in an interview with ABC News on Sunday as Pyongyang suggested it may take action unless the US makes concessions for progress on denuclearization talks by the end of this year.

The North has warned that it is entirely up to the US what kind of "Christmas gift" it gets.

O'Brien said the North's leader, Kim Jong Un, may have reconsidered his threat, but added that Washington will have to wait and see.

O'Brien said that if North Korea launches a long-range ballistic missile or conducts a nuclear test again, the US will be "extraordinary disappointed" and it will demonstrate that disappointment.

He said Washington has "a lot of tools in its tool kit" and that it could impose additional pressure on North Korea.


Key words : US department of defense
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191230_08/

The US Department of Defense says military strikes were carried out against five facilities of a militia group that is backed by Iran in Iraq and Syria.

Pentagon spokesperson Jonathan Hoffman said in a statement on Sunday that the locations included weapon-storage facilities and command and control locations.

He said the strikes were in response to attacks with more than 30 rockets by Kataib Hezbollah on Friday on a northern Iraqi base where US soldiers are stationed.

He said the rocket attacks near Kirkuk killed one US civilian and wounded four US service members.

Hoffman noted that Kataib Hezbollah has a strong link to Iranian forces and has repeatedly received support from Tehran that it has used to attack the coalition forces.

He added that "Iran and their proxy forces must cease their attacks on US and coalition forces" to prevent additional defensive actions by US forces.

Analysts say the strikes may aggravate the already strained relationship between the US and Iran.


Key words : Russian separatist
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191230_06/

The Ukrainian government and pro-Russian separatists backed by Moscow have conducted a prisoner exchange based on an agreement reached earlier this month.

Ukraine's presidential office and local media reports say they completed the swap at a checkpoint near a separatists-held city in eastern Ukraine on Sunday.

Pro-Russian separatist forces reportedly released 76 prisoners, while the Ukrainian government handed over about the same number.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a summit in Paris on December 9, which was brokered by Germany and France.

They agreed to swap prisoners from the conflict between the Ukrainian government forces and pro-Russian separatists by the end of this year.

Russia's presidential office said Putin spoke by phone with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday and welcomed the exchange of prisoners as a positive move.

It remains to be seen how much progress will be made toward a ceasefire based on the agreement.

Ukraine and Russia remain divided over the governance of eastern Ukraine after a truce. Putin wants a high degree of autonomy for the region, but Ukrainian President Zelenskyy says a federation of states is unacceptable.


Key words : United Nations Children
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191230_11/

The United Nations Children's Fund has called on countries in conflict to take immediate action to protect children from grave human rights violations and threats to life.

UNICEF says in a report just released that more than 170,000 cases of armed attacks on schools and hospitals, abductions and sexual violence involving children have been verified since 2010.

The report says attacks on children have not let up throughout 2019. It says in January at least 32 children died in the northern and eastern parts of war-torn Syria from violence, displacement and harsh winter conditions.

The report says an attack by an armed group on a village in the western African country of Mali killed 85 children in March.

It also says in Afghanistan, an average of nine children were killed or maimed every day in the first nine months of this year.

UNICEF says 2019 concludes a "deadly decade" for children in conflict.

It calls on all warring parties to abide by their obligations under international law and to immediately end violations against children and the targeting of schools and hospitals.


Key words : Chinese scientist
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191230_20/

A Chinese scientist who claims to have created genetically edited babies has been sentenced to three years in prison for illegally practicing medicine.

China's state-run Xinhua News Agency reported on Monday that a court in Shenzhen fined He Jiankui about 430,000 dollars in addition to the prison term.

The former associate professor of the Southern University of Science and Technology, also in Shenzen, announced in November last year that his embryo gene-editing had led to the birth of twins. He said the technology was used to make the children resistant to the HIV virus.

The researcher has been under investigation since authorities confirmed the births.

He Jiankui and two other researchers reportedly recruited married couples with an HIV-positive male and HIV-negative female, and that two women became pregnant using gene-edited embryos, resulting in the birth of three babies.

The three researchers also reportedly forged documents needed for the ethical clearance of their work.

The verdict found the three deliberately violated the regulations "in pursuit of personal fame and gain." It noted that they "crossed an ethical line in both scientific research and medicine, and disrupted medical order."

The three have reportedly admitted to the charges.


Key words : trains airplanes
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191229_17/

Trains, airplanes and highways in Japan were packed on Sunday evening, and will likely remain crowded on Monday as year-end travelers head for their hometowns and holiday destinations.

Japan Railway group companies say Shinkansen bullet trains heading out of major cities were almost fully booked on Sunday and Monday.

The non-reserved cars of many Shinkansen trains were at full capacity or above -- up to 180 percent on the Tokaido and Sanyo line, and up to 130 percent on the Tohoku and Yamagata lines on Sunday.

The operators say the rush will peak on Monday for the Tohoku, Yamagata, Joetsu, and Hokuriku Shinkansen lines.

Airline officials say domestic flights leaving Tokyo and Osaka on Sunday were almost fully booked, and will remain crowded on Monday.

Expressways were clogged by traffic jams in some places. The Japan Road Traffic Information Center says the Tomei Expressway heading out of the Tokyo area in Kanagawa Prefecture was backed up for 13 kilometers at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday.

Traffic officials predict the traffic jam will extend to more than 30 kilometers on Monday morning.


Key words : giant-size
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191230_16/

Giant-sized rice cakes have been offered to a shrine in central Japan to ensure good health and an abundant harvest in the coming year.

Farmers and other residents of Aichi Prefecture make an offering of round-shaped rice cakes every year to the Atsuta Jingu shrine in Nagoya City.

Four rice cakes were offered on Monday--the largest measuring 1.5 meters in diameter and weighing around 450 kilograms.

People dressed in traditional white coats endured cold rain as they carried the giant rice cakes to the shrine's main hall. They later clapped their hands to offer a prayer.

The rice cakes will adorn the main hall till January 7. They will then be broken into pieces and distributed to worshippers in a tradition known as kagami biraki, or the rice cake breaking ceremony.


2019年12月29日日曜日

at 20:00 (JST), December 29

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20191229200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : United Nations attack
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191229_06/

The United Nations says intensified attacks by Syrian government forces have displaced more than 230,000 people in northwestern Syria, which includes the last rebel stronghold of Idlib.

The UN said on Friday that over 235,000 individuals, including 140,000 children, were displaced in the region between December 12 and 25.

About 400 people, including Syrian refugees, took to the streets of Istanbul on Saturday to protest the Russian-backed Syrian government offensive.

The protesters demanded a halt to what they called a massacre in Idlib.

A demonstrator carried a placard reading, "Children of the world celebrate Christmas under the Christmas trees. On the other side of the world, children in Idlib die under the olive trees."


Key words : north kim end of the year
#N/A


Key words : defense minister inspected
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191229_03/

Japan's defense minister has inspected a Self-Defense Force unit in the East African nation of Djibouti following Cabinet approval of an SDF mission in the Middle East.

Taro Kono visited the unit on Saturday. Its members have been engaged in anti-piracy missions in the Gulf of Aden.

The minister checked the operations of P-3C patrol planes and living conditions in the barracks.

The government will use the aircraft to gather information to ensure commercial ships with ties to Japan can safely navigate in the Middle East. An SDF destroyer will also join the mission.

Ahead of the inspection, Kono met Djibouti's Defense Minister Hassan Omar Mohamed Bourhan to explain the SDF mission in the Middle East and seek his understanding of it.

Kono told reporters that the SDF members will do all they can to ensure the safety of Japan-related ships in the Middle East.

He said Japan will work with the international community to protect freedom of navigation in the Gulf of Aden, which is a very important sea lane for the country's maritime shipments.


Key words : year-end rush
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191229_17/

Trains, airplanes and highways in Japan were packed on Sunday evening, and will likely remain crowded on Monday as year-end travelers head for their hometowns and holiday destinations.

Japan Railway group companies say Shinkansen bullet trains heading out of major cities were almost fully booked on Sunday and Monday.

The non-reserved cars of many Shinkansen trains were at full capacity or above -- up to 180 percent on the Tokaido and Sanyo line, and up to 130 percent on the Tohoku and Yamagata lines on Sunday.

The operators say the rush will peak on Monday for the Tohoku, Yamagata, Joetsu, and Hokuriku Shinkansen lines.

Airline officials say domestic flights leaving Tokyo and Osaka on Sunday were almost fully booked, and will remain crowded on Monday.

Expressways were clogged by traffic jams in some places. The Japan Road Traffic Information Center says the Tomei Expressway heading out of the Tokyo area in Kanagawa Prefecture was backed up for 13 kilometers at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday.

Traffic officials predict the traffic jam will extend to more than 30 kilometers on Monday morning.


Key words : tsukiji
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191229_12/

Tokyo's iconic Tsukiji outer market is crowded with shoppers during the last few days of the year.

Merchants are busy selling a selection of New Year's delicacies such as kamaboko boiled fish paste and salted herring roe.

The outer market has remained in use after Tsukiji's main inner market relocated to the Toyosu waterfront area in October last year.

It's a popular tourist destination, with many restaurants and stores.

A wholesale facility called "Tsukiji Uogashi" opened in the area three years ago.

It's packed with visitors buying seafood such as tuna and crab.

A woman who was shopping with her 10-year-old son said she buys food to serve at New Year's at Tsukiji every year and that she looks forward to spending the holiday season with her family.

The outer market will be open to shoppers until around noon on New Year's Eve.


Key words : Shibuya
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191229_01/

An overnight ban on outdoor alcohol drinking will take effect near Tokyo's Shibuya Station on New Year's Eve to prevent merrymakers from causing trouble during celebrations.

Shibuya Ward will implement the measure between 6 p.m. on New Year's Eve and 5 a.m. on New Year's Day. Huge throngs of people are expected to gather near the station during the period to celebrate.

The ward will enforce the prohibition by applying the same ordinance prepared for Halloween revelers in October. The regulation will bar people from consuming alcohol in public areas near the station, such as the scramble crossing and parks.

The ward will also ask convenience store operators and other retailers in those areas to refrain from selling alcohol during the period. Ward staff will patrol the areas and instruct any violators not to drink.

Ward officials say they hope participants of year-end countdown events in Shibuya will observe the rules and mind their manners when welcoming the New Year.


Key words : Kako
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191229_02/

Japan's Princess Kako, the second daughter of Crown Prince and Crown Princess Akishino, turned 25 on Sunday.

Princess Kako graduated from International Christian University in Tokyo last spring. She took part in various activities over the past year, including ceremonies related to Emperor Naruhito's accession to the throne.

The princess also attended an awards ceremony for children's books in June on behalf of her mother for the first time. The Crown Princess had taken part in the event annually. Princess Kako read all of this year's award winners to prepare her speech at the ceremony.

The princess made her first official trip abroad in September, visiting Austria and Hungary. This year marks the 150th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries and Japan.

The princess studied the history and culture of the two nations ahead of her trip by reading about them and talking to experts.

As for her future activities, the Imperial Household Agency says it will scrutinize requests for her attendance before deciding which events she will take part in.

The princess is scheduled to visit the residences of the Emperor and Empress and the Emperor Emeritus and Empress Emerita on Sunday morning.


Key words : Guinness
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191229_05/

People in Egypt have set the Guinness World Record for the largest mosaic made out of cups of coffee by putting together a portrait of Pharaoh Tutankhamun's mask.

Officials began to arrange paper cups at the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza outside Cairo at 1 a.m. on Saturday. People joined them more than 12 hours later.

They changed the shades and colors of the coffee by adding different amounts of milk.

The completed work consisted of 7,260 cups, measuring 10 meters by 6 meters.

Deputy Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Ghada Shalaby said the mosaic will help attract many more overseas visitors.

The museum is expected to open in the latter half of next year. Its exhibits will include items unearthed in King Tut's cemetery.


2019年12月28日土曜日

at 20:00 (JST), December 28

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20191228200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : year-end traveler more than Narita
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191228_14/

Year-end travelers headed for hometowns or vacations are crowding Japan's roads, airports and train stations.

Japan Railways companies said on Saturday morning that non-reserved cars on Shinkansen bullet trains from Tokyo were filled to more than 100 percent standard capacity. The most crowded trains reached 180 percent.

Airlines say most flights departing Tokyo or Osaka are fully booked through Saturday.

Motorways are congested and some areas will see vehicles backed up into Saturday night.

At JR Tokyo station, families laden with luggage could be seen queuing for Shinkansen seats.

A man in his 30s said he was bound for his wife's parental home in Nara Prefecture, so their 3-year-old son can meet his grandparents.

A women in her 40s said she will visit her parents in Saga Prefecture in Kyushu. She said she only gets this chance once a year and they will celebrate their golden wedding anniversary.

Narita Airport near Tokyo is filled with vacationers headed overseas for the New Year holiday.

More than 62,000 people are expected to fly out of Narita on Saturday, the record for the period when year-end departures peak.

Airline officials estimate the crowds are seven percent larger than last year.

Long haul flights to the United States and Europe are popular as many people this year can enjoy an extended nine-day break, from Saturday through Sunday next week.

But flights to Hong Kong will see about 10 percent fewer passengers amid the pro-democracy protests and police actions.

Officials also expect a 20 percent fall in the number of tourists heading from Japan to South Korea, reflecting the chilly relationship between the two countries.

A 29-year-old woman bound for Seoul with her friend said being Japanese she is a little concerned for her safety, but still intends to enjoy shopping for south Korean cosmetics.

Officials at Kansai International Airport off Osaka said they expected about 42,300 people to fly out on Saturday.

They said the most popular destination is China, followed by Southeast Asia.


Key words : rescue worker
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191228_16/

Rescue workers have found the remains of six people who were on board a sightseeing helicopter that crashed in Hawaii.

Police say the helicopter, which was carrying the pilot and six passengers, lost contact on Thursday while on a tour flight of Kauai Island. It was running behind schedule at the time.

Police and Coast Guard officials located the wreckage of the chopper on Friday in a mountainous area of the island.

Police say the passengers were all members of two families, and two of them were children. Rescuers are continuing the search for the final missing person.


Key words : Iran naval exercise gulf
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191228_06/

Iran has begun joint naval exercises with China and Russia in the Gulf of Oman and the northern Indian Ocean.

Iran's state media say the four-day drills that started on Friday will practice countering piracy and terrorism, and maritime rescue operations.

The Gulf of Oman connects to the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping lane for crude oil.

A senior Iranian naval officer stressed Tehran's friendly ties with Beijing and Moscow, saying the drills show Iran is not isolated.

The United States has formed a coalition with countries such as Britain, Australia and Saudi Arabia to safeguard navigation in the key waterways in the Middle East.

Iran is seen as wanting to keep the US in check by cooperating with China and Russia.


Key words : China Toyota
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191228_07/

China's market regulator has fined the local unit of Toyota Motor about 12.5 million dollars for violating antitrust laws.

The Division of Market Supervision in the province of Jiangsu says the unit pressured dealers to curb discounts on its luxury Lexus cars during meetings and via social networks.

The division says it launched an investigation in December 2017.

It pointed out that the price fixing had a relatively strong effect by limiting market competition and undermining the interests of consumers.

The Chinese unit of Toyota says it has already rectified the situation. It vowed to improve corporate compliance and prevent a recurrence.


Key words : China satellite navigation
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191228_01/

China says the basic products of its domestically developed satellite navigation system have now been exported to more than 120 countries and regions.

BeiDou entered into service in 2012, and became globally available in December 2018. It competes with the US-owned global positioning system, or GPS.

Spokesperson Ran Chengqi told reporters on Friday that BeiDou will be completed with the launch of two more satellites in the first half of next year.

Ran described the system as a major piece of infrastructure that China provides to the world.

The Chinese government plans to expand the use of BeiDou via the next-generation 5G communication network.


Key words : advertise
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191228_12/

The Japanese government is inviting the public to comment on how personal information is collected for targeted online advertisements, and whether individual consent is gained.

A privately conducted survey has found more than half of respondents dislike targeted promotions such as pop up ads.

The ads push products or services to customers based on their shopping history and other online activity.

The government also plans to investigate possible anti-competitive behavior by the small number of IT giants that control a majority of online advertising.

Officials say they plan to work out an interim report on online advertising next year after experts give advice and the government will consider appropriate measures.


Key words : metropolitan reduce
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191228_04/

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has released a basic strategy to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by 100 percent by 2050.

According to the" Zero Emission Tokyo Strategy", Japan's capital will produce renewable energy from solar power and other sources to replace fossil fuels.

The plan calls for converting all vehicles in Tokyo to use electricity and fuel cells, and for all buildings in the capital to be self-sufficient using renewable energy.

Tokyo will step up efforts to reduce and recycle plastic, in order to drastically change the way people use resources that consume large amounts of energy.

Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said that she will call on all Tokyo residents to cooperate and fight the climate crisis together.


Key words : United Nations
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191228_09/

With the year 2019 nearly over, the United Nations has looked back at the major news stories of the past ten years, choosing one for each year.

It chose for 2010 the Haiti earthquake, in which more than 200,000 people perished.

And for the year 2011, it picked the start of the conflict in Syria; a conflict that is still ongoing.

The organization talked of new hope for climate action in 2015 when the Paris Agreement was adopted with almost all countries of the world pledging to help reverse the global climate crisis.

It also said this year, 2019, has seen a fresh impetus in dealing with the climate emergency, with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres calling for action.

The UN says 2016 was the year when a blueprint for a better future was drawn up when the Sustainable Development Goals were called for by member states.

For the year 2017, it chose the serious humanitarian crisis of the Rohingya Muslim minority in Myanmar. Over 744,000 Rohingya Muslims fled from persecution and became refugees.

The UN plans to continue its call for international cooperation on various issues as the global community enters into the next decade.


2019年12月27日金曜日

at 20:00 (JST), December 27

Japan's Cabinet endorsed a plan on Friday to send a Self-Defense Force ship and aircraft to the Middle East.


South Korea's constitutional court has ruled that an agreement with Japan on people referred to as wartime comfort women is not subject to its review.


The Japanese government has decided to delay the process to remove nuclear fuel from the spent fuel pools of two reactors at the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.


https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20191227200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : cabinet endorse send a self-defense
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191227_11/

Japan's Cabinet endorsed a plan on Friday to send a Self-Defense Force ship and aircraft to the Middle East.

The government is hoping to gather information to ensure commercial ships with ties to Japan can safely navigate the waters of the region. Japan will also continue diplomatic efforts to ease tensions and stabilize the situation there.

The mission will be considered a study and research activity, which the defense minister is allowed to authorize.

The government is considering sending a destroyer to the region. It is also considering dispatching two P3C aircraft that have been engaged in anti-piracy missions off Somalia.

The ship and the planes are likely to be deployed in the Gulf of Oman, the northern part of the Arabian Sea, as well as in waters of countries in the Gulf of Aden.
There are no plans to send the SDF to the Strait of Hormuz or the Persian Gulf.

The period of deployment will be one year. The government will report to the Diet should it want to extend the mission.

In the event of unexpected developments in the region, the government will consider measures such as mobilizing Self-Defense Force personnel for maritime policing.

Defense Minister Taro Kono directed his senior officials to prepare for possible new duties for their units.

The SDF will then start necessary preparations, such as loading equipment and training the crew.

About 260 personnel will be involved in the mission.

The patrol aircraft is expected to start operating in the Middle East in January. The destroyer will leave Japan in early February before starting its mission in mid-February.


Key words : constitutional court has ruled
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191227_18/

South Korea's constitutional court has ruled that an agreement with Japan on people referred to as wartime comfort women is not subject to its review.

Under the 2015 agreement, the Japanese and South Korean governments confirmed that the issue involving the women had been resolved "finally and irreversibly."

Some former comfort women and bereaved families filed a complaint in 2016. They said the agreement breached their constitutional rights by preventing them from seeking compensation from the Japanese government.

On Friday, the constitutional court dismissed the complaint. It described the bilateral agreement as an official promise jointly announced by the two countries' foreign ministers.

The court said the plaintiffs' rights have not been affected, so the case is not subject to its review.

Under the agreement, Japan has contributed about nine million dollars to a foundation set up in South Korea to support the women.

In November of last year, the administration of President Moon Jae-in decided to dissolve the foundation.

But it also suggested that it will not ask Japan to scrap the agreement or renegotiate its terms.

The Japanese government has repeatedly asked Seoul to steadily implement the accord.

Observers say Friday's ruling may trigger a backlash from former comfort women and citizens' groups supporting them in South Korea.


Key words : government has decided
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191227_15/

The Japanese government has decided to delay by up to five years the process to remove nuclear fuel from the spent fuel pools of two reactors at the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

The government approved the delays on Friday, after reviewing the decommissioning timetable for the first time in two years.

Under the new timetable, the removal of nuclear fuel from the spent fuel pool of the No.1 reactor will be delayed by four to five years. The new plan is to start in fiscal 2027 or 2028.

The process at the No.2 reactor will be delayed by one to three years. It is now slated to begin in fiscal 2024 to 2026.
The delays are due to changes in work to prevent radioactive dust from spreading.

The government plans to complete the removal of nuclear fuel from the spent fuel pools of all six reactors by the end of 2031.

About 170 tons of radioactive wastewater is produced daily at the Fukushima plant. It is a mix of water pumped in to cool the molten nuclear fuel and underground water entering the reactor buildings.

The new timetable aims to reduce the wastewater to 100 tons or less per day by the end of 2025.

The government hasn't changed the overall deadline for the entire decommissioning process, including the removal of fuel debris. That remains at between 2041 and 2051.


Key words : town of Futaba
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191227_03/

An evacuation order that has been in force for the town of Futaba, which co-hosts the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, will partially be lifted on March 4.

Futaba is the only town where such an order still covers the entire municipality following the 2011 nuclear disaster.

The decision came following a meeting on Thursday between Industry State Minister Yohei Matsumoto, who is in charge of the disaster recovery, Fukushima Vice Governor Masaaki Suzuki, and Futaba Mayor Shiro Izawa.

For now, the order will only be lifted in some northeastern parts of the town, as well as the neighborhood of Futaba station on the JR Joban Line.

Town officials say no former residents have expressed the intention to return to the northeastern area in March. The area was badly hit by the tsunami, and officials say restoring water services and other infrastructure has been slow.

The evacuation order was already partially lifted in the plant's other host town, Okuma, earlier the year. It will have its accessible area widened to include the area around a railway station on March 5.

This will enable the JR Joban Line to operate along its entire route. The line mainly runs along the Pacific coast of eastern Japan, north of Tokyo.

The evacuation zones in Futaba and Okuma will be reviewed in three years.

Futaba Mayor Izawa said he is glad he can finally show the town's former residents a step toward reconstruction, nearly nine years after they had to disperse across the country. But he stressed it is only a beginning.


Key words : education ministry says
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191227_01/

Japan's education ministry says more than 100 public libraries were damaged by Typhoon Hagibis, which ripped through the country in October.

The ministry says the powerful storm caused flooding, leaky ceilings, and structural damage at 108 libraries in the greater Tokyo area, the northeastern Tohoku area, and elsewhere. Some libraries remain closed or have their services suspended.

University library associations say nine libraries at national and private universities were damaged.

A Tokyo City University library remains closed after about 83,000 books were drenched -- about 30 percent of the entire collection. The university aims to have the library repaired in time for the start of the academic year in April.

The ministry says the damaged libraries may not have made sufficient preparations for the typhoon. It plans to carry out a detailed survey and implement appropriate steps for future disasters.


Key words : segment wrapping up the top stories of the week
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2019年12月26日木曜日

at 20:00 (JST), December 26

NHK has acquired details of a case involving a Japanese registrator arrested on charges of taking bribes from a Chinese company.


Former internal affairs minister Hiroya Masuda is expected to replace Masatsugu Nagato, as President of in battled Japan Post Holdings.


エラー 2042

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20191226200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : NHK taking bribes Chinese company
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191226_12/

NHK has learned that a Japanese lawmaker arrested for allegedly taking bribes from a Chinese company is suspected of having received cash worth about 27,000 dollars on the day the Diet was dissolved for a snap election in 2017.

Tokyo prosecutors arrested Tsukasa Akimoto on Wednesday on charges that include taking bribes from the Chinese company, 500.com. The company was seeking to enter Japan's integrated resort business, which includes casinos.

At the time of the alleged bribery, Akimoto was state minister at the Cabinet Office and the tourism ministry.

Sources say Akimoto is suspected of having received money in a paper bag on September 28, 2017, at his office in the Lower House office building. They say it was handed to him by Masahiko Konno, an adviser to the Chinese firm.

The prosecutors suspect that the bribe was a donation to his campaign.

A lawyer who met Akimoto said he denies the allegations.


Key words : Masuda
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191226_06/

Japan Post group firms are discussing candidates for their new top executives as the current presidents are set to resign in connection with the dubious sale of insurance policies.

The group said last Wednesday that an internal investigation identified more than 12,000 policy sales that are suspected of having broken the law or company rules. Six-hundred 70 of them have already been confirmed of actually being in violation.

The Financial Services Agency and the internal affairs ministry are planning to take administrative disciplinary action on Friday and strongly call on the group to clarify management responsibility for the scandal.

Japan Post Holdings President Masatsugu Nagato, Japan Post President Kunio Yokoyama, and Japan Post Insurance President Mitsuhiko Uehira will step down to take responsibility.

Sources say former internal affairs minister Hiroya Masuda has been considered as a replacement for Nagato, among other candidates. The other two posts will likely be filled by internal candidates.

There is speculation that Japan Post Holdings senior executive vice president Yasuo Suzuki might also resign.

Japan Post Holdings is expected to convene a nomination committee meeting and a board meeting on Friday to announce the new management.


Key words : emperor and Murai
#N/A


Key words : cross-border Korea
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191226_02/

Thursday marks one year since the groundbreaking ceremony for the connection of cross-border railways and roads between the two Koreas. But full-scale work has not yet begun, due to a lack of progress on the North's denuclearization.

The two countries held a ceremony to mark the start of the work on December 26 of last year at a station near the Kaesong industrial complex in the North.

In February, the US-North Korea summit failed to produce results. Full-fledged construction has not started out of concern that the project could violate the international community's sanctions on North Korea.

A spokesperson for South Korea's Unification Ministry said Seoul plans to press ahead with the procedure for devising basic plans in stages after holding talks with the North. The official also said it is important to make progress in dialogue between not only the Koreas but also the US and the North, and Seoul is working on that goal.

North Korea is increasingly frustrated that sanctions have not been lifted and economic cooperation between the Koreas has made little progress.

In October, Pyongyang demanded that South Korea remove facilities it built in the North's Mount Kumgang resort as part of a joint tourism project.

In December, China and Russia revealed they proposed a draft resolution to the UN Security Council for easing sanctions on the North, but the US says it is too early to do so.


Key words : Thursday Indian
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191226_15/

A memorial was held on Thursday in the Indonesian province of Aceh for the victims of the Indian Ocean tsunami 15 years ago.

A major earthquake occurred off the island of Sumatra on the morning of December 26, 2004, sending tsunami waves over a wide area ranging from Southeast Asia to eastern Africa. More than 220,000 people were killed or went missing.

Aceh was among the hardest hit by the tsunami, with the death toll at 160,000 people.

About 7,000 people attended the memorial. The participants, including bereaved relatives, offered prayers.

The acting governor of Aceh, Nova Iriansyah, said disasters are unpredictable and people need to rack their brains about how to face such threats.

A 33-year-old man said he feels sad at this time of year about his brother, sister, and aunt, who died in the tsunami. He said he is always prepared to evacuate in the event of a tsunami.

Since the 2004 tsunami, large scale quakes and tsunami have repeatedly hit various areas of Indonesia.

But efforts to put disaster prevention measures in place, including making buildings quake proof, have been slow in coming.

The country still has a heavy task of finding ways to better deal with disasters.


Key words : Japanese authorities
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191226_09/

Japanese authorities have executed a Chinese death-row inmate convicted of killing a family of four in the city of Fukuoka, southwestern Japan.

Authorities executed Wei Wei, a former student in Japan, on Thursday.

He was charged with killing and robbing the Japanese family in 2003. His death sentence was finalized in 2011.

Justice Minister Masako Mori told reporters that it was an extremely cold-blooded and brutal incident that killed all family members, including children aged 8 and 11, who had lived happily, for truly selfish reasons.

Mori said the death sentence was finalized after a sufficient trial process. She said she ordered the death penalty to be carried out after giving it very careful consideration as justice minister.

This was the first execution since August and also the first under Mori, who became justice minister in October.

Wei is the 39th inmate executed since Shinzo Abe made his comeback as prime minister in 2012. The executions were carried out in 17 rounds.


Key words : defense ministry take about
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191225_22/

Japan's Defense Ministry says it will take about 12 years and much more money than initially expected to complete the planned relocation of the US Marine Corps Futenma Air Station.

The Ministry says building a replacement facility in the Henoko District of Nago City may cost about 8.5 billion dollars. That's more than 2.5 times the initial estimate.

In the relocation plan compiled in 2013, Japan and the United States said the Futenma site could be returned to Okinawa as early as fiscal 2022. They also said it would take five years to complete reclamation work.

But Japan's Defense Ministry later found extensive soil improvement work was needed.

The Ministry presented the outline of the revised construction period and cost at a meeting of civil engineering and geology experts on Wednesday.

The new plan says it will take about 12 years to complete the construction of an airfield, including about nine years and three months for soil improvement work and land reclamation.

The relocation is likely to be delayed until at least the 2030s.

The Ministry says it will seek permission from Okinawa Prefecture to alter the construction plan, a request the prefecture is expected to reject. This will likely lead to further delays in the construction work.


Key words : researcher 3D digital
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191226_13/

A group of researchers has reconstructed in 3D digital form the main hall of fire-hit Shuri Castle in Okinawa Prefecture using some 30,000 images provided by the public.

The group for the Shuri Castle Digital Reconstruction project says about 3,000 people sent in photos and video clips they had taken during their visits to the castle. It says the images were sent not only from Japan but China, South Korea and elsewhere.

A lecturer at the University of Tokyo, Rei Kawakami, led the call for donations for the project after a massive fire destroyed the historic castle on October 31.

The ruins of the original castle, built about 500 years ago, are designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The researchers combined the images to recreate the main hall in vivid colors, detailing its arched roof and dragon pillars at the entrance.

They say the view can be experienced in virtual reality images through a smartphone app.

The group is hoping to collect more images to rebuild other structures of the castle as well.

Kawakami says she appreciates the cooperation of so many people. She says she wants people in Okinawa to know how much the castle is loved.

The project's website is: https://www.our-shurijo.org/


Key words : large number of
#N/A


Key words : a lack of snow
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191225_19/

A lack of snow is preventing some ski resorts in the northern Japanese prefecture of Hokkaido from opening.

A city-run ski resort in Minami Ward, Sapporo City was scheduled to open last Saturday. But the date has been pushed back.

Officials say 30 centimeters of snow is the minimum required for safe skiing conditions. There are currently 10 centimeters on the ground. Most of the slope appears to be covered but the ground can be seen in some places.

The officials say skiers from Hokkaido and elsewhere have contacted them to ask when they will open.

Two years ago, the resort did not open until December 28. There is even less snow this time around and it remains to be seen if the facility can open before the end of the year.

A senior official says he hopes a substantial amount of snow falls so the resort can open as soon as possible for the many people who are waiting anxiously.


2019年12月25日水曜日

at 20:00 (JST), December 25

Tokyo prosecutors have arrested a lawmaker formally ruling democratic party on suspicion of recieving bribes.


Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang have held talks on Wednesday in China.


Nissan Motor's said third highest-ranking executive will leave the company.


https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20191225200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : Tokyo prosecutor arrested in charge of
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191225_13/

Tokyo prosecutors have arrested a ruling party lawmaker on suspicion of taking bribes from a Chinese company hoping to invest in an integrated resort project.

Tsukasa Akimoto of the Liberal Democratic Party was in charge of such projects as state minister when the alleged bribery took place.

Sources say he may have received cash from the company, 500.com.

Prosecutors arrested Akimoto on Wednesday after asking him to turn himself in for questioning earlier in the day.

They also arrested three others, including an adviser to the Chinese firm who is alleged to have brought cash into Japan illegally.

Prosecutors suspect that Akimoto received 3 million yen, or about 27,400 dollars, in cash in September 2017. He was state minister at the Cabinet Office and the tourism ministry at the time.

Akimoto told NHK on Tuesday that he never accepted any requests from the company or gave it special treatment. In a tweet on Wednesday, he denied any involvement in wrongdoing.

Akimoto met the top executive of the Chinese company at its head office in Shenzhen in December 2017.

In February 2018, he visited Rusutsu Village in the northern Japanese prefecture of Hokkaido, meeting the mayor and senior prefectural officials. The company intended to invest in an integrated resort planned in the village.


Key words : Abe and Chinese exchange view
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191225_16/

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang have agreed to keep communicating ahead of a state visit to Japan by Chinese President Xi Jinping next year.

The two leaders also exchanged views on North Korea.

Abe and Li met for about 50 minutes in the suburbs of Chengdu, Sichuan Province, on Wednesday. It was their seventh meeting, with the previous one taking place in November.

The leaders confirmed they will keep communicating in the run-up to Xi's visit next spring to open a new era of bilateral ties, as relations between their countries have returned to a normal track.

Abe also touched on the East China Sea, which includes the waters around the Senkaku Islands.

Japan controls the islands. The Japanese government maintains they are an inherent part of Japan's territory. China and Taiwan claim them.

Abe stressed that stability in the region is key to a genuine thaw in ties.

He urged the Chinese side to lift controls on Japanese food imports, and to expand imports of rice and resume imports of beef.

Abe also noted the importance of building an environment to promote innovation, including strengthening protection of intellectual property rights.

The two leaders confirmed they will promote negotiations for an early signing of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, or RCEP, and an early conclusion of free trade agreements between Japan, China and South Korea.

At a lunch meeting, they discussed the situation in North Korea. Abe said it is important that the North refrain from further provocations.

The leaders confirmed that Japan and China will work together toward the shared goal of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula. They also agreed on the importance of fully implementing UN Security Council resolutions against Pyongyang.


Key words : Abe Moon social media
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191225_04/

South Korean President Moon Jae-in says Tuesday's meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe represents beneficial progress in bilateral ties.

The two leaders held an official one-on-one meeting for the first time in 15 months on the sidelines of the summit of Japan, South Korea and China in the Chinese city of Chengdu.

Later in the day, President Moon posted a message on a social media saying he hopes the meeting will give hope to the people of both countries.

The presidential office says Moon urged Abe to rescind the tightening of export controls on high-tech materials to the country.

It says the two leaders confirmed their differences over the wartime labor issue, but agreed on the need to resolve it through dialogue.

But sources close to the office say there is no change to the government's position to respect Supreme Court rulings that ordered Japanese companies to compensate South Koreans who say they were forced to work for those firms during World War Two.

Analysts say it is uncertain whether Seoul will propose solutions for the issue as it is likely to avoid moves that could be seen as concessions ahead of the National Assembly election next April.


Key words : south newspaper
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191225_12/

South Korean newspapers on Wednesday gave extensive coverage to the resumption of direct talks between President Moon Jae-in and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Many expressed positive views of the meeting.

Abe and Moon held an official one-on-one meeting for the first time in 15 months on Tuesday. It took place alongside a three-way summit between Japan, South Korea and China in the Chinese city of Chengdu.

The reformist-minded Hankyoreh newspaper ran a headline saying Moon and Abe had opened a path to "dialogue-based resolution."

The paper saw the talks as an important turning point toward better ties, given how confrontational the relationship was a month or two ago.

The conservative JoongAng Daily said in an editorial that the fact a meeting was held signified progress.

While it noted that the meeting didn't produce any concrete achievements, it said the two leaders should meet at every opportunity to discuss matters of concern with open minds.

The JoongAng Daily said anti-Japanese sentiment and anti-South Korean sentiment shouldn't be used in domestic politics in ways that would harm bilateral relations and national interests.

Another conservative paper, Dong-A Ilbo, said the summit "set the tone for diminishing tensions," but the countries "still have a long way to go." It predicts that bilateral ties may further deteriorate if Tokyo does not comply with Seoul's request to relax its export controls to the original levels.


Key words : Trump successfully
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191225_03/

US President Donald Trump says the United States will successfully deal with any surprise from North Korea.

Trump referred to the recent threats by Pyongyang when he spoke to reporters at his Florida resort on Tuesday. Trump said, "Let's see what happens. I handle them as they come along." He also said North Korean leader Kim Jong Un may send him "a beautiful vase, as opposed to a missile test."

North Korea has unilaterally set a year-end deadline for the US to lift sanctions or make other concessions in the denuclearization talks. Pyongyang warned it is entirely up to the US what kind of "Christmas gift" it gets.

Trump has previously hinted that the US could use military force against North Korea.


Key words : post group resign
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191225_17/

The heads of three Japan Post group firms are set to resign amid a scandal involving dubious sales of insurance policies.

Sources say Japan Post Holdings President Masatsugu Nagato, Japan Post President Kunio Yokoyama, and Japan Post Insurance President Mitsuhiko Uehira will step down to take responsibility. The whole group employs about 420,000 workers.

The group said last Wednesday that an internal investigation identified more than 12,000 cases of policy sales that are suspected of having broken the law or company rules, with 670 of them already confirmed of actually being in violation.

The Financial Services Agency is expected on Friday to order Japan Post Insurance and Japan Post, which sells the policies, to partially suspend their business operations.

The internal affairs ministry is also planning to take administrative disciplinary action against the two firms.

Japan Post Holdings president Nagato told a news conference last Wednesday that he would announce management's responsibility at an appropriate time.

Observers say the executives apparently decided that their resignations would be unavoidable as authorities are poised to demand that management's responsibility be clarified.

The announcement is expected to be made on Friday.


Key words : Nissan motor
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191225_02/

Nissan Motor's third highest-ranking executive will leave the company just weeks after it launched a new management team.

Sources say Vice Chief Operating Officer Jun Seki will resign to take up a senior post at electronic parts manufacturer Nidec.

Seki joined Nissan in 1986. As senior vice president, he was in charge of drawing up structural reform plans to turn around the business.

The management team of Seki, CEO Makoto Uchida and COO Ashwani Gupta was officially launched on December 1.

The reason for Seki's departure has not been disclosed.

Analysts say the move will be a serious blow to the automaker as it tries to revamp its business following a series of financial scandals, including the arrest of former chief Carlos Ghosn.


Key words : Japanese researcher
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191225_18/

A group of Japanese researchers has developed a device capable of detecting trace amounts of gas emitted from human skin and projecting it on a screen.

The group is led by Professor Koji Mitsubayashi at the Tokyo Medical and Dental University.

The researchers started their work by looking into the small amount of gas emitted by skin that is produced when blood components vaporize.

They then developed a sensor using a type of enzyme capable of connecting with the gas.

When the sensor detects the gas, it shines a blue light. The imaging device catches this light and produces a real-time image on screen.

The group says the device had successfully produced an image of gas being emitted from the palm of a person who had consumed alcohol.

The researchers say the device can be used to detect substances emanating from the skin of diabetes and cancer patients, and could help with early detection.

Mitsubayashi says a simple test, such as holding a hand up to the device, would be enough to detect an illness.

He says his group hopes to enhance the effectiveness of the sensor so it can accurately detect even the smallest amounts of gas.


Key words : UN spokesperson
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191225_06/

A UN spokesperson says Secretary-General Antonio Guterres thinks 2019 was a "year of hope" despite crises across the globe.

Stephane Dujarric held his final regular news conference for the year at the UN headquarters in New York on Tuesday.

Dujarric said the secretary-general saw a lot of crises over the past year, including the "horrendous fighting" and loss of life in Syria. He said Guterres was "clearly disappointed" at the outcome of the UN conference on climate change.

But Dujarric said the secretary-general thinks 2019 was a "year of hope" because of the mobilization among young people around climate change and other issues.

The spokesperson said the drive of young people to make the world better and keep political leaders accountable is something that gives great hope.

The coming year will mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the UN.

The world body will start implementing plans in January to solicit opinions from people around the world through social media and other methods.


Key words : worship
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191225_07/

Worshippers in Bethlehem have celebrated Christmas with a mass at a church in the center of the West Bank town.

Christians and others prayed for peace during the Christmas mass that began at midnight on Tuesday.

Many Christian pilgrims and tourists from around the world gathered in Manger Square in front of the Church of the Nativity.

The Palestinian autonomous authority says about three- and-a-half million tourists have visited their territories this year, about 15 percent more than last year. Hotels in Bethlehem are said to be fully booked during the Christmas season.

Most of the approximately one thousand Christians living in the Palestinian Gaza Strip cannot visit Bethlehem or Jerusalem this year. This is because Israeli authorities issued permits to exit the territory to only about 300 residents, fewer than in a normal year.


2019年12月24日火曜日

at 20:00 (JST), December 24

エラー 2042

Leaders from China, Japan and South Korea met on Tuesday to discuss areas of common interests.


The leaders of Japan and China have discussed the planned state visit to Japan by the Chinese president next spring, as well as North Korean issues.


https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20191224200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : prime have agreed to open
#N/A


Key words : leaders from China Japan and South common interest
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191224_19/

Leaders from China, Japan and South Korea sat down Tuesday to discuss some common interests.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang chaired the summit. He says they reaffirmed the importance of free trade amid the trade dispute between Beijing and Washington.

Li said, "We all advocated upholding the principles of free trade and agreed to promote economic integration. Free trade is needed to support multilateralism and to maintain world peace."

Premier Li, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Moon Jae-in gathered for the first time since May last year.

In their joint announcement, the leaders referred to the issue of North Korea, which is threatening to escalate its provocations.

South Korean President Moon said, "We agreed to continue closely communicating and cooperating to bring denuclearization and permanent peace to the Korean Peninsula. We agreed that this is a mutual interest for our countries."

Japanese Prime Minister Abe said, "I pointed out that the North's repeated ballistic missile launches violate UN Security Council resolutions and threaten regional security. I said it's important to continue supporting a process, initiated by the US and North Korea, aimed at the complete denuclearization of North Korea."

Leaders from the three countries plan to meet again next year in South Korea.


Key words : Abe and Chinese
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191224_01/

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese President Xi Jinping have discussed Xi's planned state visit to Japan next spring, as well as North Korean issues.

The two met in Beijing for 45 minutes on Monday.

Abe and Xi agreed to have their administrations continue working to make Xi's visit smooth and meaningful.

Abe expressed his determination to continue cooperation in order to maintain the current thaw in relations with China.

Abe told Xi that Japan and China have a great responsibility for the peace and stability of the region and the world.

He added that Japan wants to show the world that the country is ready to fulfill that responsibility, alongside China.

Abe and Xi also discussed North Korea, which has become increasingly provocative ahead of the year-end deadline it set for US concessions on denuclearization talks.

The two leaders confirmed that Japan and China will work together toward the shared goal of fully denuclearizing North Korea. They also reaffirmed the importance of implementing UN Security Council resolutions against the country.

Abe also sought China's help in resolving the issue of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea.

Xi asked Abe to back a draft UN Security Council resolution presented by China and Russia asking that sanctions on North Korea be eased.

Abe also touched on the East China Sea, which includes waters around the Senkaku Islands.

Japan controls the islands. China and Taiwan claim them. The Japanese government maintains the islands are an inherent part of Japan's territory, in terms of history and international law. It says there is no issue of sovereignty to be resolved over them.

Abe stressed that a genuine thaw in ties won't come without stability in the region. The two leaders agreed to facilitate cooperation between their defense officials in order to make the waters a "sea of peace, cooperation and friendship."

Abe also conveyed to Xi his concerns about the ongoing unrest in Hong Kong. Abe stressed the importance of ensuring the territory's freedom and prosperity under the "one country two systems" principle.

The summit came as China faces international scrutiny for its handling of Uighur ethnic minorities in the western region of Xinjiang. Abe called on Beijing to explain its policies in a transparent manner.

Abe also asked that China ensure that Japanese nationals detained there will be repatriated as promptly as possible, and also lift import controls on Japanese food products.

During their subsequent dinner meeting, Abe stressed the importance of stopping North Korea from making more provocative actions.

Abe also welcomed a "phase one" trade deal stuck by China and the United States. Abe expressed hope that China and the US will address their trade issues through constructive dialogue.


Key words : Abe called for stronger
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191224_14/

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called for stronger economic cooperation with China and South Korea to help build a "new era" of development.

Abe spoke to business leaders at a gathering held alongside the trilateral summit of the countries' leaders in Chengdu in China's Sichuan Province on Tuesday.

Abe made reference to the city of Chengdu, once the capital of Shu in the historical era of the "Three Kingdoms" that were rivals. He said the leaders of the three countries are not fighting each other as three kingdoms did.

He called on the countries to forge a new era of cooperation.

Abe noted that Japan, China and South Korea make up more than one fifth of the world's GDP. He said they have a great responsibility to help develop the world's economic order and lead global growth.

He said the countries should actively promote interaction even at times when political disagreements arise.

Abe went on to say that they must strongly promote free and fair trade, calling for stronger cooperation for an early conclusion of free trade agreements between the three, as well as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.


Key words : US-made arrived
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191224_08/

A US-made surveillance drone Global Hawk arrived at a South Korean military base on Monday.

A spokesperson for South Korea's Defense Ministry announced the delivery at a news conference on Monday. But the spokesperson didn't mention any details.

South Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported that the large drone is the first of four aircrafts that Seoul plans to introduce in the first half of 2020.

The agency said the aircraft landed at an air force base in Sacheon on southern tip of the Korean Peninsula and is preparing for deployment.

The Global Hawk is equipped with infrared sensors and radar that can seek and monitor targets on the ground, even at night or in bad weather.

South Korea plans to strengthen its monitoring of North Korea, which has repeatedly launched ballistic missiles. Pyongyang is expected to oppose Seoul's introduction of the surveillance drone.


Key words : five Japanese released
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191224_13/

Five Japanese fishing boats and their crew have been released one week after the boats were seized by Russian authorities on suspicion of illegal fishing.

Russian border guards inspected the boats when they were fishing near the Habomai Islands, which are controlled by Russia and claimed by Japan.

The boats were taken to a port on Kunashiri Island, which is also claimed by Japan.

Twenty-four Japanese crew members were on board. They were fishing for octopus under an agreement between Japan and Russia.

The Russian border guards said they had discovered more than six tons of undeclared octopus in the boats.

On Tuesday, a Russian court fined the crew 6.4 million rubles, or about 103,000 dollars.

The Russian border guards told NHK that the crewmembers were released on Tuesday morning after the payment was confirmed.


Key words : Russian foreign
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191224_09/

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has expressed concerns over a US plan to deploy intermediate-range missiles in Japan.

The US Department of Defense announced earlier this year that it will start development of new intermediate-range missiles, following the expiration of a key nuclear treaty with Russia which bans development of such weapons.

The Pentagon has also indicated that the new intermediate-range missiles will be deployed in the countries of US allies in Europe and Asia.

Lavrov said on state-run television on Sunday that he discussed the matter with his Japanese counterpart Toshimitsu Motegi when the two met last week.

Lavrov is believed to have conveyed Russia's concerns about the new US intermediate-range missiles that can be loaded on the US missile defense system known as Aegis Ashore which Japan plans to introduce.

Motegi reportedly told Lavrov that Japan alone will control the missile defense system if it's installed in the country.

Lavrov said on the TV program that the anti-missile system could be used to launch rockets which, if installed in Japan or other Asian countries, can reach targets in Russia's Ural region.

He also expressed concerns that the rockets can reach China, which is Russia's strategic partner.

In recent years, Russia and China have stepped up their military cooperation apparently to counter moves taken by the United States.


Key words : A court Saudi
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191224_04/

A court in Saudi Arabia has sentenced five people to death for the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Turkey last year.

The kingdom's prosecutors on Monday said the court in Riyadh ruled that the five defendants were directly involved in the journalist's death.

The names of those sentenced to death have not been made public. They were among 11 people put on trial in connection with the killing of Khashoggi in October last year.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been accused of being involved, but he has denied ordering the killing.

The prosecutors also announced that there was no evidence against two close aides to the crown prince, who were rumored to have been involved in the killing.

The United Nations has questioned the transparency of the trial, but the Saudi government appeared eager to bring the case to an early end.


Key words : welfare
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191224_18/

Japan's welfare ministry estimates that the number of births in the country for the whole of this year will fall below 900,000 for the first time. The decline would be faster than the government's earlier prediction.

The ministry annually estimates the number of births each year based on the figures from January through October.

It says there will likely be 864,000 births this year, the lowest since record keeping began in 1899.

It comes two years earlier than a forecast by the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research for births to fall below 870,000.

The estimate is 54,000 fewer than the actual number of births last year. It would be the second-largest year-on-year decline, following 1988-89, when births fell by more than 67,000.

The number of deaths for the whole of this year is forecast to reach 1,376,000, up 14,000 from last year and the highest since the end of World War Two.

The estimated births and deaths would mean a population decline of 512,000, and a 13th consecutive contraction since 2007.

The figure is up 68,000 from last year, and the first to surpass 500,000.


2019年12月23日月曜日

at 20:00 (JST), December 23

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has arrived in China to attend a three-way summit with his Chinese and South Korean counterparts.


US Secretary of State is making arrangements to hold talks with his Japanese counterpart amid rising tensions between the US and North Korea.


Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako are to visit the prefectures of Miyagi and Fukushima in northeastern Japan, both of which suffered major damage from Typhoon Hagibis in October.


https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20191223200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : Abe arrived
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191223_19/

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has arrived in China to attend a three-way summit with his Chinese and South Korean counterparts.

Abe is scheduled to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday. The two leaders are expected to discuss future Japan-China relations and Xi's state visit to Japan next spring.

On Tuesday, Abe will attend a trilateral meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and South Korean President Moon Jae-in in Chengdu, Sichuan Province.

Abe plans to exchange views on North Korea, as Pyongyang has been acting provocatively ahead of the year-end deadline it set for US concessions.

He's hoping to reaffirm cooperation among the three nations in resolving North Korean issues, including the abduction of Japanese nationals.

Abe is also expected to hold separate talks with Moon on the sidelines of the trilateral meeting.

The two met briefly in Thailand last month. But their summit will be the first since September of last year.


Key words : US secretary
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191223_07/

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is making arrangements to hold talks with his Japanese counterpart Toshimitsu Motegi, amid rising tensions between the United States and North Korea.

Diplomatic sources in Washington say plans are being made for the meeting, possibly by mid-January in a US city on the West Coast.

Pompeo and Motegi are expected to discuss the North Korean situation and how to cooperate in promoting the denuclearization of the country.

Pyongyang is urging the US government to make concessions by the end of the year in the deadlocked denuclearization talks. The North has unilaterally set the time limit.

Pyongyang has hinted at new provocations that are believed to involve long-range ballistic missiles.

The sources say South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha is adjusting her schedule to visit the US in mid-January.

If Motegi and Kang visit the US at the same time, a foreign ministerial meeting of the US, Japan, and South Korea may be held for the first time in five months.


Key words : emperor miyagi
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191223_16/

Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako are to visit the prefectures of Miyagi and Fukushima in northeastern Japan, both of which suffered major damage from Typhoon Hagibis in October. This is their first visit to disaster-hit areas since the Emperor's accession.

The Imperial Household Agency says the couple will fly to an airport in Miyagi on Thursday morning and receive a briefing on the situation in the affected areas.

They will then board a Self-Defense Force helicopter for Marumori Town, where 10 people died in flooding.

The couple will meet residents and officials who took part in the disaster response.

The Emperor and Empress will then travel to Motomiya City in Fukushima by helicopter to inspect the central part of the city that was flooded by torrential rain.

They will meet people who have been affected there, before returning to Tokyo in the evening.

The agency says the couple had hoped to visit disaster-hit areas as soon as possible after completing a series of ceremonies related to the Emperor's accession to the throne.


Key words : Akihito
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191223_06/

Emperor Emeritus Akihito turns 86 years old on Monday.

It's his first birthday since he became Emperor Emeritus following his abdication at the end of April.

The Imperial Household Agency reported that the Emperor Emeritus and his wife Empress Emerita Michiko followed a series of rituals and ceremonies related to the accession of their son Emperor Naruhito.

Agency officials say they appeared to be relieved and pleased when everything was completed without any problems.

The couple reportedly closely watched reports on strong typhoons that devastated parts of Japan in the fall, and are still concerned about those who have been affected by the disasters.

The agency reported that the Emperor Emeritus has no health problems right now and is preparing to move into temporary housing by the end of March.

A couple of days each week, he visits a biological laboratory at the Imperial Palace to prepare a paper on gobies.

The Emperor Emeritus and Empress Emerita spend a lot of time together. They enjoy walking together in the early morning, reading after breakfast and watching TV programs that feature beautiful scenery and the lives of people in Japan.

The Emperor Emeritus will meet the Emperor and Empress, other members of the imperial family and other guests who will celebrate with him on his birthday.
He will have dinner with the Emperor and Empress, Crown Prince and Princess Akishino and others. .


Key words : south prosecutor requested
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191223_13/

South Korean prosecutors have requested an arrest warrant for former Justice Minister Cho Kuk. He is alleged to have abused his power over an investigation into a bribery scandal involving a former vice mayor of Busan.

South Korean media say the presidential office is suspected of having terminated the investigation illegally. They say prosecutors have questioned Cho, who was involved in the probe while with the office.

A court is expected to examine the prosecutors' request for a warrant later this week.

In October, Cho stepped down as justice minister amid scandals involving himself and his family. This has led to calls for President Moon Jae-in to take responsibility for appointing Cho.


Key words : about 1,000
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191223_02/

About 1,000 people in Hong Kong have gathered to protest China's alleged mistreatment of Uighur Muslims.

The demonstration on Sunday took place in the Central district. Protests against the Hong Kong government and police have continued for over six months.

Participants chanted that today's Xinjiang is tomorrow's Hong Kong. They called for support and better human rights treatment for Uighurs.

A woman in her 20s said she is worried that Hong Kong may become like the mainland. She said she wants to stand with the Uighur people and fight for freedom.

Police had granted approval for the rally. But clashes broke out between protesters and police after a Chinese flag raised in a square was removed.

China is under international criticism, including from the United States, for allegedly detaining Uighurs to carry out ideological education.

However, the Chinese government has dismissed such criticism as attempts to intervene in its internal affairs.

Beijing says it is providing education and vocational training to help those affected by extremist ideas return to normal life.


Key words : Indian prime
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191223_03/

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has defended a new citizenship law and blamed the opposition for widespread protests.

The citizenship amendment bill passed by parliament earlier this month grants Indian citizenship to immigrants who have fled persecution in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, but leaves out Muslims.

Critics say the law discriminates against Muslims and protests have spread across the country.

Local media say more than 20 people have died in clashes with security forces and several thousand have been detained.

In a speech on Sunday in the capital New Delhi, Modi accused opposition parties of instigating the protests by spreading false rumors that the new law will strip Muslims in India of their citizenship. Muslims make up nearly 20 percent of India's population.

Modi says the law will have no effect on Muslims living in the country. Critics say the amendment is part of Modi's efforts to pursue his Hindu nationalist policies.


Key words : Turkish president cannot handle
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191223_10/

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says his country cannot handle a fresh wave of Syrian evacuees.

Erdogan delivered an address on Sunday, as Syria's military intensified attacks on the opposition forces' last stronghold of Idlib province. Russia is backing the administration of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

The United Nations says tens of thousands of residents started leaving the province in northwestern Syria after air strikes against the region escalated last week.

Footage from the area shows aid workers distributing supplies to fleeing residents with their vehicles loaded with belongings.

Erdogan said more than 80,000 people are moving from Idlib to Turkey. He said that number will rise if the violence does not stop.

Turkey is the main destination for Syrian refugees. About 3.7 million of them are already in the country.

Turkey plans to send a senior official to Russia on Monday. The envoy will call on Moscow to stop the Assad administration's offensive in Idlib.


Key words : Japanese government medical doctor
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191223_14/

The Japanese government plans to honor the late medical doctor and aid worker Tetsu Nakamura, who was killed in Afghanistan in early December.

The government decided at a cabinet meeting on Monday to award Nakamura the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette, for his achievements in Afghanistan.

Nakamura died on December 4 after being ambushed by gunmen in the city of Jalalabad. He had worked in the country for decades, providing humanitarian aid and helping with reconstruction efforts.

The government also decided to present a letter of appreciation from the prime minister to Nakamura's family for his contributions to Afghanistan's development.

A ceremony is planned at the prime minister's office on Friday to hand the letter to the family.


Key words : defense ministry
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191223_04/

Japan's Defense Ministry is making arrangements to extend the planned completion date for the relocation of a US military base within Okinawa Prefecture.

The central government wants to relocate the US Marine Corps Futenma Air Station in Ginowan City to the less populated Henoko district in Nago City.

Under the plan agreed to between Japan and the United States in 2013, the relocation work should take five years. But the ministry is now considering extending it to roughly 10 years.

The start of the landfill work was delayed due to opposition from Okinawa Prefecture and began in December last year.

Soft ground makes up about 40 percent of the seabed of the planned relocation site.

The Defense Ministry is considering reviewing the construction schedule in order to carry out reinforcement work.

The plan agreed to in 2013 targeted fiscal 2022 for the return of the Futenma base site to Japan. But if the timetable is revised that would be pushed back to the 2030s.

Construction work may take even longer. The prefectural government is demanding that land reclamation be stopped immediately and is expected to reject the central government's revised plan.


Key words : nationwide survey
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191223_17/

A nationwide survey by the Japan Sports Agency has found that children's physical strength and athletic abilities have declined. The Agency says smartphones are partly to blame.

The annual survey looks at physical activities, such as running and throwing balls, as well as lifestyles. This fiscal year's survey covered more than 2.1 million children in the fifth-grade of elementary school and the second-year of junior high school.

The national average of physical prowess fell from last fiscal year for both boys and girls. The average for fifth-grade boys fell to the lowest since the survey began in fiscal 2008.

The survey found that children, especially boys, spend more time watching TV or using smartphones.

The time that junior high school students spend on athletic activities dropped by more than 90 minutes per week.

The Agency says physical strength and athletic activities had been improving for boys and girls in recent years, so it takes this year's results seriously. The Agency also says there is a limit to what schools can do, adding that there's a need to involve communities.

Nagoya Gakuin University Professor Takahiro Nakano, who was involved in the analysis, says the intense summer heat over the past few years may have made it difficult to find time for children to exercise outdoors.


Key words : authorities in western
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191223_15/

Authorities in western Japan are taking legal steps to crack down on the country's largest crime syndicate and a splinter group in a bid to stop their escalating feud.

Yamaguchi-gumi and rival Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi are both headquartered in Hyogo Prefecture.

Their conflict led to the fatal shooting of a senior member of Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi last month.

Under the planned change, designated groups will be banned from holding gatherings of five or more members, entering their own offices, or stalking members of rival groups in areas specified by the authorities. Police can arrest those who breach the rules.

On Monday, the public safety commission of Hyogo was due to hold a hearing with representatives of Yamaguchi-gumi, but they failed to show up.

The commission in Osaka Prefecture met senior members affiliated with the splinter group. The gang leaders reportedly said they should be allowed to enter their offices, as they are in the same building as their homes.

Authorities in Hyogo and Osaka plan to announce the designation after the New Year holidays. Four other prefectures in western and central Japan are considering the same anti-crime measures.


Key words : elementary school Fukaya
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191223_09/

Elementary school students in Fukaya City, near Tokyo, have been given an opportunity to hone their calligraphy skills ahead of the New Year.

About 120 students in grades three to six took part in an annual calligraphy training session hosted by the Saitama Institute of Technology on Sunday.

The children sat on the floor at the university's gymnasium to practice writing various characters. Some of the phrases were "friends around the world" and "cherry blossoms."

Members of the institute's calligraphy club tutored the children on how to properly use a brush. The pupils then tried their hand, paying close attention to the size and balance of each character.

One sixth-grader said she was able to improve her calligraphy skills thanks to the help of the instructors. She says she will practice at home what she learned.