US Defense Secretary has suggested that North Korea could go ahead with unspecified tests, but the United States will be ready for them.
Iran's President left Tehran on Tuesday for Malaysia and Japan. It will be the first visit by an Iranian president to Japan in 19 years.
Details of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games' torch relay were announced by the organizing committee on Tuesday.
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20191217200000_english_1.mp3
Key words : US defense
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191217_28/
US Defense Secretary Mark Esper has suggested that North Korea could go ahead with unspecified tests, but the United States will be ready for them.
North Korea has unilaterally set a year-end deadline for the US to lift sanctions or make other concessions in bilateral denuclearization talks.
The country has been increasingly provocative, suggesting the possibility of resuming launches of long-range ballistic missiles.
Esper spoke to reporters on Monday aboard a government aircraft heading back to Washington from Luxembourg.
He said the North's rhetoric is a concern, and that they've seen talk of tests, which will be likely if the North Koreans don't feel satisfied.
But he added that the US military maintains "a high state of readiness."
Esper also said the US has a team on the Korean Peninsula right now that is asking to meet with the North Koreans. He expressed hope that the US special envoy for North Korea Stephen Biegun, who is visiting South Korea, will make contact with the North Korean side.
Meanwhile, a US State Department spokesperson has told NHK that it's too early to consider easing sanctions on the North.
The spokesperson said on Monday, "Now is not the time for the UN Security Council to consider offering premature sanctions relief."
The spokesperson added that North Korea is "threatening to conduct an escalated provocation, refusing to meet to discuss denuclearization and continuing to maintain and advance its prohibited weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs."
The spokesperson also told NHK that the US administration of President Donald Trump remains committed to making progress toward complete denuclearization, but "the United States cannot do this alone."
The spokesperson added that "members of the UN Security Council have spoken in unison that North Korea must avoid provocations, abide by its obligations under Security Council resolutions and engage in sustained and substantive negotiations."
Key words : US expert says
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191217_23/
A US expert says recent satellite images suggest that North Korea has tested rocket engines at a launch site.
NHK has obtained latest satellite images of North Korea's Sohae satellite launch facility in Tongchang-ri in the country's northwest. North Korea announced that it conducted tests of "great significance" at the site on December 7 and 13.
Images taken on December 8, the day after the first test, show that the ground near the test site was misshapen as if it had been blown away.
Pictures taken last Thursday show a white shelter over a passageway leading to the test site for missile engines. But images on Sunday show the shelter had been removed.
Jeffrey Lewis at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey analyzed the satellite images.
He told NHK that the shelter's retraction indicates the test went ahead, and that North Korea may have fired a rocket engine.
Referring to Pyongyang's announcement that the test lasted for seven minutes, he said that's much longer than a typical rocket motor. He pointed out that there is a possibility the North tested a reentry vehicle or an upper stage for a new ICBM.
Key words : iran malaysia
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191217_32/
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has left Tehran on his way to Malaysia and Japan.
Rouhani will arrive in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday to attend a conference for leaders of Islamic countries. His visit to Japan begins on Friday.
Before leaving Tehran, Rouhani told reporters that Japan has been involved in major economic activities and investments in Iran.
He said that the current state of reduced ties with Japan is due to US sanctions he called cruel and illegal. He criticized the US for stopping other countries from buying Iranian crude oil.
Rouhani said he wants to promote bilateral ties with Japan through his visit. He also said he hopes to discuss important issues, apparently including the situation in the Middle East.
It will be the first visit to Japan by an Iranian president since Mohammad Khatami's arrival in October 2000.
The US sanctions have caused rising prices in Iran, as well as withdrawals of foreign companies from the country.
The International Monetary Fund estimates that Iran's economy will shrink 9.5 percent this year.
Key words : Moon has announced
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191217_29/
South Korean President Moon Jae-in has announced the resignation of Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon. Moon told reporters on Tuesday that he has appointed ruling camp heavyweight Chung Sye-kyun as Lee's successor.
Chung has served six terms as a legislator and is 69 years old. He is said to be well-versed in economic affairs. In 2016, when parliament voted on a bill to impeach then-President Park Geun-hye, Chung steered the proceedings as speaker of the National Assembly. Chung's appointment will become official after parliament's approval.
Lee, meanwhile, is known for his expertise on Japanese issues. He was appointed in May 2017 when Moon's administration was inaugurated and was the longest-serving prime minister.
In October, Lee attended the enthronement ceremony of Japan's Emperor Naruhito. He met with Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and delivered a personal letter from President Moon to Abe.
Various opinion polls show that the public holds Lee's abundant experience in high regard and sees him as most likely to become the country's next president.
He is widely expected to run as the ruling camp's key candidate in the general elections next April.
Moon said Lee showed excellent capability and public communication skills. He said letting him go was regrettable, but because Lee has so much public trust, he thought letting him pursue his own politics was the right decision.
Key words : United States and south
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191217_22/
The United States and South Korea are holding their fifth round of talks to narrow the gap over how much Seoul should pay next year to host US military forces.
The two-day meeting began on Tuesday in Seoul. The bilateral talks were launched in September.
The United States is asking South Korea to contribute about 5 billion dollars in 2020, or more than five times the amount this year.
South Korea insists that the cost-sharing must be fair and reasonable.
Observers say the two sides remain far apart and it may be difficult to reach a deal this year.
South Korean media report that the country may seek concessions by referring to a plan to contribute to the US-led initiative in the Strait of Hormuz.
Concerns are growing that the rift on the cost-sharing talks may harm the alliance.
Japan is closely watching as the meeting unfolds, since it's due to start discussions with the US next year on the cost of stationing American troops in the country.
Key words : detail torch
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191217_26/
Details of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games' torch relay were announced by the organizing committee on Tuesday, as the 100-day countdown begins.
During the 121-day relay, the Olympic flame will travel through 858 local municipalities covering roughly half the country.
The torch will be lit on March 12 in Olympia, Greece and arrive in Japan on March 20 at the Air Self-Defense Force base in Higashi Matsushima City, Miyagi Prefecture.
The Olympic flame will travel first to the three prefectures devastated by the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster, and be on display for about a week.
The relay will start on March 26 at the J-Village in Fukushima Prefecture. The complex was used as an operational base for decommissioning work at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
The torch will be transferred in unique ways using train, boat, ropeway and horses.
In Iwate Prefecture, the flame will travel on the Sanriku Railway Rias Line, which was damaged in the 2011 disaster and later rebuilt.
In Usuki City, Oita Prefecture and at the Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima City, torch bearers will use a traditional samurai military swimming technique.
The Olympic committee and prefectural governments will later disclose timetables of the relay and content of the ceremonies at each location.
Key words : members of world cup
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191217_24/
Members of the Japanese women's soccer team that won the 2011 World Cup will kick off the domestic leg of the torch relay for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
The organizing committee made the announcement on Tuesday. The Olympic torch relay is due to begin on March 26 next year from the J-Village soccer training facility in Fukushima Prefecture, northeastern Japan.
The organizers say they have asked 21 players from the "Nadeshiko Japan" soccer team plus then-head coach Norio Sasaki to serve as the first torch runners.
Forward Kozue Ando, defender Azusa Iwashimizu, goalkeeper Ayumi Kaihori as well as Sasaki were present as the announcement was made in Tokyo.
The squad won Japan's first women's World Cup title in July 2011, just four months after the country's northeast was devastated by a massive earthquake and tsunami.
The team was given the People's Honor Award for their achievement and commitment, which touched the hearts of many in post-disaster Japan.
Other runners for the nationwide torch relay are being solicited from the public by Japan's 47 prefectures and sponsor firms. Those selected will be notified from December 25.
Key words : stock market
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191217_21/
Tokyo's key stock index surged on Tuesday morning, hitting a record intraday high for the year.
During the morning session, the Nikkei 225 surpassed 24,050, marked at the end of last week.
Market analysts say buy orders were placed immediately after the start of trading following the surges overnight in the US and European stock markets.
Key words : boeing says low-cost
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191217_12/
Boeing says it will suspend production of its 737 MAX passenger jet from next month. It cites delays in getting clearance to put the aircraft back into service.
This comes after the US Federal Aviation Administration said on December 11 it had yet to set a date for giving the green light. Boeing said last month it was expecting approval to restart flights in January.
The 737 MAX has won accolades for its cost-effectiveness in short- and medium-haul flights as the number of low-cost carriers has risen dramatically.
A Malaysian carrier was the first to put the aircraft into service in 2017. The 737 MAX was Boeing's best-selling plane in 2018, based on number of orders received.
But then crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia killed more than 340 people. That prompted the FAA to ground the plane worldwide in March.
The company has been modifying the plane's stall-prevention system and conducting test flights.
Japan's transport ministry says no domestic carriers are currently using the 737 MAX.
But All Nippon Airways has announced plans to introduce up to 30 planes on domestic routes from the fiscal year starting in 2021. Skymark Airlines has said it's considering buying the MAX to replace its current 737 planes. These carriers will now likely need to review their plans.
Key words : Toyota
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191217_34/
Toyota Motor is targeting record global sales in 2020 of about 10.8 million units. The target includes sales by group companies Daihatsu and Hino.
Targets have exceeded 10 million units for seven consecutive years.
The group expects sales in overseas markets to increase by 140 thousand units.
Some of that growth is expected in Europe, where demand for hybrid cars is growing.
In Japan, the automaker expects sales to fall by 90 thousand units because of the diminishing novelty impact of new models.
Under the Toyota brand alone, the company expects to produce about 3.2 million units at its domestic plants in 2020, down 180 thousand units from the previous year.
Key words : Nippon steel
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191217_35/
Japan's Nippon Steel and world-leading steelmaker ArcelorMittal have bought themselves a big foothold in a fast-growing market.
They've completed a 7-billion dollar takeover of India's Essar Steel.
The companies formed a joint venture to handle the acquisition. Nippon Steel will have a 40 percent stake. ArcelorMittal will have 60.
Essar was India's fourth largest steelmaker. It's Nippon Steel's biggest acquisition of an overseas company to date.
Nippon Steel will handle everything from manufacturing to sales in western India, a region with a strong demand for steel.
Key words : major Japanese
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20191217_04/
A major Japanese securities company will offer employees the possibility of taking up to four days off a week if they need time to care for children or seniors.
SMBC Nikko Securities will launch a new personnel system next April. The plan comes amid a rise in workers struggling to keep their jobs while trying to meet caregiving needs.
Under the new scheme, regular employees in their 40s and 50s would be allowed four days off per week for nursing care activities.
Full-time workers in their 30s would be able to take three days off per week for child rearing or nursing care.
Those who take four days off per week will see their base salary cut by 40 percent, while those who take three days off a week will take a 20 percent cut.
Company officials say those employees will be able to return to a full-time schedule, if they wish to do so.
An increasing number of companies in Japan are introducing a four-day work week amid a drive to reform employees' working hours.
But the Japan Research Institute says a three-day work week is still not so common among major companies.
SMBC Nikko Securities also plans to allow employees to take on side jobs. The company hopes introducing flexible working arrangements will help it retain talented employees and improve operational efficiency.
0 件のコメント:
コメントを投稿