Key words : Taiwan vote counting stance on China
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200111_24/
Vote counting is underway in Taiwan after a presidential election that has been largely about the territory's relationship with China.
The main contenders are incumbent Tsai Ing-wen of the Democratic Progressive Party and Han Kuo-yu of the opposition Nationalist Party.
Tsai, known for her hardline stance on China, is seeking a second term.
After casting her vote, she told the media that she hopes all citizens will come out to vote and exercise their right to strengthen the power of democracy in Taiwan.
Han wants to repair strained relations with Beijing. After casting his vote, he said only "Thank you, everyone."
Voters also cast ballots in legislative elections on Saturday. The Democratic Progressive Party is hoping to retain its majority.
The results are expected later this evening.
Key words : Iran admitted deep regret
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200111_22/
Iran's military has admitted to shooting down the Ukrainian airliner that crashed near Tehran this week. But it says it did so unintentionally and blamed the mistake on human error.
President Hassan Rouhani confirmed Iran was responsible for the crash. In a tweet, he expressed deep regret and sincere condolences. He said an investigation into the disaster is continuing.
Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 came down on Wednesday shortly after taking off from Tehran. All of the nearly 180 people on board were killed.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the Iranian military said the Ukrainian plane had flown close to a sensitive military site belonging to the Revolutionary Guards.
It said the jet was shot down unintentionally due to human error. That marks a turnaround from the country's earlier claims that mechanical failure caused the crash.
The Iranian military said its troops had been on high-alert after they launched the strikes in Iraq and US President Donald Trump and senior US military officials threatened to retaliate.
Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif tweeted that preliminary findings of the internal investigation found that "human error at time of crisis caused by US adventurism led to the disaster."
The incident happened just hours after an Iranian missile attack on bases in Iraq hosting US-led coalition forces. The attack was in response to a US drone strike that killed top Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani days earlier.
Among the victims, 82 were Iranians and 57 Canadians. The fatalities also included people from Ukraine, Sweden, Afghanistan, Germany and Britain.
On Thursday, the prime ministers of Canada and Britain suggested the plane may have been unintentionally shot down by an Iranian surface-to-air missile, which was echoed by President Trump.
Key words : Canadian prime statement expect
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Key words : sanction any dealing
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200111_08/
The United States has announced new sanctions on more than 20 Iranian individuals and companies following Iran's attacks on US forces in Iraq earlier in the week.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin jointly made the announcement in a news conference at the White House on Friday.
The measures target eight senior Iranian officials including key policymaker Ali Shamkhani, the Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council.
Also designated are 17 Iranian metals and mining companies, such as steel and aluminum producers, as well as foreign firms that trade Iranian metal products.
The designated officials' property in the US will be blocked and they will be banned from any dealings with US citizens.
Mnuchin said the sanctions will cut off billions of dollars to the Iranian regime.
He noted that President Donald Trump is issuing an executive order authorizing the imposition of additional sanctions against a range of Iranian businesses, including construction, manufacturing and textiles.
He stressed that the US will continue to apply economic sanctions until Iran stops its terrorist activities and vows that it will never have nuclear weapons.
Key words : influential
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200111_23/
The Sultan of Oman, Qaboos bin Said, who ruled the Gulf state for nearly 50 years, has died at the age of 79.
The country's state-run media says the sultan died on Friday evening. It did not disclose the cause of death, but Qaboos had reportedly been suffering from cancer for several years. He had no children.
The state media said his cousin Haitham bin Tariq al-Said was named as his successor. Haitham has served as the minister of national heritage and culture.
Qaboos became sultan in 1970. Over the years, he also held other offices including prime minister, foreign minister, finance minister and defense minister.
The Omani sultan was seen as one of the most influential leaders in the region. Under his rule, Oman took a friendly approach to Iran that was different from other Gulf states.
Qaboos reportedly mediated negotiations between then US President Barack Obama and Iranian leaders that led to the 2015 nuclear deal.
In 2018, the sultan met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on a secret visit to Oman. It's rare that an Israeli leader visits one of Arab nations which are at odds with Israel over Palestinian issues.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is scheduled to visit Oman on Tuesday as part of a three-nation tour of the Middle East.
Key words : prime three-nation Oman
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200111_04/
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will leave Japan on a three-nation Middle East tour amid growing tensions in the region.
Abe plans to visit Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Oman from Saturday through next Wednesday.
His visit comes soon after a US military drone strike killed an Iranian commander in Iraq, and Iran launched a retaliatory missile attack on a US military base in Baghdad.
Abe is expected to call on the leaders of the three nations to make all-out diplomatic efforts to stabilize the region and urge them to engage in dialogue with Iran.
He will also seek the understanding of Middle East leaders by explaining his government's plan to send a Self-Defense Force vessel and aircraft to the Middle East.
Japan relies on the Middle East for about 90 percent of its crude oil imports. Abe wants to ensure the safety of navigation in an important area that has a direct impact on the lives and economic activities of Japanese citizens.
The focus of attention is whether the visit will further strengthen cooperative relations with the three nations' leaders who can play important roles in easing regional tensions.
Key words : Naha
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200111_02/
Two patrol planes of Japan's Self-Defense Forces will leave Japan for the Middle East on Saturday to help ensure the safe navigation of commercial vessels.
Defense Minister Taro Kono ordered the dispatch of the aircraft and one destroyer at a meeting with senior ministry and Self-Defense Forces officials.
The patrol planes will depart from Naha Air Base in Okinawa Prefecture in southern Japan.
The SDF aircraft will be based in the East African nation of Djibouti and will begin gathering intelligence on January 20.
In early February, the destroyer Takanami will leave Yokosuka Naval Base south of Tokyo to join the mission.
The SDF's operations will be limited to the Gulf of Oman in the northern Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden, including the exclusive economic zones in waters near the Gulf states.
They will not patrol the territorial waters of surrounding countries, the Strait of Hormuz, or the Persian Gulf, which are off the coast of Iran.
Information gathered by the mission is to be shared with the US and other parties.
Kono says SDF intelligence-gathering activities are highly significant. He says the mission is to secure the safety of commercial ships with links to Japan as they navigate in those Middle Eastern waters.
Key words : Kim birthday message absent
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200111_28/
North Korea has described the United States as "absentminded" for expecting the country to return to the negotiating table.
The comment appeared in a statement issued under the name of Kim Kye Gwan, former First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs. It said negotiations can only be possible if Washington accepts all of Pyongyang's demands which include lifting sanctions.
The statement acknowledged a letter US President Donald Trump sent to leader Kim Jong Un on his birthday, but it also said Kim would not discuss state affairs based on "the good personal feelings about President Trump."
At the ruling party meeting at the end of last year, Kim warned that Pyongyang would reveal a new strategic weapon depending on Washington's stance.
South Korea's top national security official earlier said that Trump had asked the South Korean president to deliver his birthday message to the North's leader.
But Saturday's statement suggested that Kim received the message directly from Trump through a special liaison channel, and warned Seoul not to interfere in Pyongyang-Washington relations.
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