at 20:00 (JST), April 30

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20200430200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : US national
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200430_11/

Data from several studies of the experimental antiviral drug remdesivir paints a mixed picture of its effectiveness against coronavirus infection. That's as the US National Institutes of Health says patients given the drug were found to recover faster.

The NIH on Wednesday released a preliminary analysis of a clinical trial launched in the United States. It said that average time to recovery for hospitalized patients with advanced COVID-19 treated with remdesivir was 11 days compared with 15 days for those who received a placebo.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the US government's top infectious disease expert, said the study has proven that the drug can block the virus. Fauci, who often accompanies President Donald Trump at news conferences, also said the drug will be the standard of care.

The drug's developer, Gilead Sciences, conducted a separate clinical trial. It also reported positive results.

Meanwhile, a British medical journal, Lancet, published results of a clinical trial conducted on 230 patients in China. It reported that "remdesivir was not associated with statistically significant clinical benefits."

The trial was stopped early because there was not sufficient enrolment of participants to complete the study.

Full results of trials conducted around the world are expected to come in mid-May or later.

Key words : Japanese government considering extend
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200430_02/

The Japanese government is considering extending a nationwide state of emergency for the coronavirus pandemic by about a month. The declaration is currently scheduled to be in place until next Wednesday.

Prime Minister Abe Shinzo said at an Upper House Budget Committee meeting on Wednesday that the question remains whether it will be possible to say on May 6 that the state of emergency is over. He said that prospect still appears unlikely, noting that cases of infection continue to rise.

Prefectural leaders held an online meeting on Wednesday and decided to ask the central government to extend the nationwide state of emergency.

Many governors made calls for the declaration to remain in place, citing fears that infections could spread further if the declaration is partially lifted and people start moving around again.

Sources say members of a Japanese government expert panel agreed at an unofficial meeting that the emergency declaration should be extended nationwide.

The panel is expected to meet as early as Friday. Members will study the number of cases and the medical systems in different regions and exchange views on decision-making criteria and other matters.

Key words : Tokyo based
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200429_18/

A Japanese venture company has developed a smartphone app that can identify risks of exposure to the coronavirus inside medical institutions.

The app was created by an IT firm based in Tokyo that works with the medical industry.

The app tracks people's movements inside medical facilities by having their phones communicate with sensors installed throughout the buildings.

The app can display maps of someone's movement to quickly identify possible points of exposure if someone tests positive for the virus.

It can also sound an alarm if someone approaches an area that could be contaminated.

Japan has seen a spate of in-house infections among workers and patients at medical institutions.

NHK has learned that as of April 21, nearly 10 percent of people infected in Japan were confirmed as or suspected of having contracted the virus within such institutions.

Kojima Koji, who runs the firm that developed the app, says medical staff are working in harsh conditions to fight the coronavirus. He says he hopes the app will help improve their safety.

Key words : restaurant Italy
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200429_21/

Restaurants and cafes in Italy have staged a demonstration calling for government support. This comes as the country is expected to extend a ban on such businesses from opening amid the coronavirus pandemic.

European countries are moving to gradually resume economic activity. But restaurants and cafes have largely been ordered to remain shut.

Some businesses in Germany started to reopen on April 20. France and Spain plan to relax restrictions on almost all stores next month. But dining establishments are excluded from these measures.

On Tuesday, restaurants and cafes in Italy turned their lights on at 9 p.m. and set tables, despite having no customers. They demanded government support to help them survive the prolonged closures.

A restaurant owner in Rome says the uncertainty of the future of her business is preventing her from sleeping.

Key words : johns hopkins 3.1 million
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200430_05/

Data compiled by a US university shows the number of confirmed coronavirus infections has surpassed 3.1 million worldwide.

The Johns Hopkins University says the total number of cases globally hit 3,170,335 as of 18:30 UTC on Wednesday.

The United States topped the list with 1,027,295 cases; followed by Spain with 236,899; Italy with 203,591; France with 169,053; and Britain with 166,440.

The global number of death toll totaled 224,708.

The US had the most fatalities at 59,392; followed by Italy at 27,682; Britain at 26,097; Spain at 24,275; and France at 23,660.

Key words : GDP decline
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200430_01/

The US government says the country's gross domestic product decreased at an annual rate of 4.8 percent between January and March this year.

The Commerce Department released the GDP numbers for the first quarter of 2020 on Wednesday. The decline marked the biggest contraction in about 11 years and was largely due to restrictions on economic activities amid the coronavirus pandemic.

This is the lowest GDP growth rate since the 8.4 percent decline recorded for the period between October and December of 2008, amid the global financial crisis.

Personal consumption, which accounts for about 70 percent of GDP, contracted 7.6 percent.

Business investment was down 8.6 percent, while exports fell 8.7 percent.

Stock prices, consumption, and employment remained steady until late February. But the economic situation started to change in mid-March as a surge in coronavirus cases led to a nationwide shutdown of businesses and widespread unemployment.

Some fear the impact of the pandemic may only get more serious. The Congressional Budget Office predicts a nearly 40 percent decline in the country's GDP in the second quarter from April to June. This would be the biggest contraction since 1947, when quarterly statistics were first recorded.

Key words : china congress set
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200429_15/

China's state-run Xinhua News Agency says the new opening date for the National People's Congress, which had been postponed due to the spread of the coronavirus, has been set on May 22.

The Congress brings together nearly 3,000 representatives from across the country to decide on policies for the coming year.

It is held in Beijing every year, usually starting on March 5.

Key words : south 38 people
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200429_24/

Authorities in South Korea say at least 38 people have been killed and 10 others injured in a fire at a construction site near the capital of Seoul.

The fire broke out in the city of Icheon on Wednesday at around 1:30 p.m. at a site where a four-story warehouse is under construction. The blaze was put out later in the evening.

Fire authorities say they believe about 80 people were at the site when the fire started.

The cause has yet to be determined.

The Yonhap news agency quotes sources as saying the fire appears to have started while workers were installing an elevator in the basement.

Key words : How exactly the new coronavirus is transmitted
#N/A

at 20:00 (JST), April 29

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20200429200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : one million cases
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200429_09/

There are now more than one million cases of the new coronavirus in the United States. The world's largest economy is considering when and how to ease lockdowns and resume economic activity.

Johns Hopkins University said on Tuesday that the total number of confirmed coronavirus infections has reached 3,090,000 globally, with the US topping the list at 1,004,908 cases.

The number of infections in the US has doubled since it topped 500,000 on April 11. More than 20,000 new cases are still being confirmed daily, but the rate of increase is slowing.

The governor of the state of Florida indicated that he would make an announcement on Wednesday on whether to ease the state's lockdown and start reopening the economy.

New York City, the epicenter of the US outbreak, is expected to extend its lockdown beyond May 15. A remaining issue is ensuring sufficient learning opportunities for 1.1 million students from elementary to high school level.

Mayor Bill de Blasio told reporters on Tuesday that 247,000 iPads will be made available by the end of the month to allow students to take part in online classes.

He also said students who cannot complete the necessary courses for graduation or to advance to the next grade by June will be given options to study online over the summer.

Key words : France and Spain announced
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200429_10/

The governments of France and Spain have announced that they plan to reopen businesses and schools in phases as the rate of new coronavirus infections has apparently been flattening.

French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe was speaking in a parliamentary session on Tuesday. He said schools will gradually reopen from May 11, with classrooms limited to 15 students.

Businesses will be allowed to restart but large stores with floor space of more than 40,000 square meters, cafes and restaurants will remain closed.

Philippe said that people must learn to live with the virus and to protect themselves from it.

He called on citizens to maintain social distance when going out. Anyone travelling on public transport will be required to wear a mask.

In Spain, which has seen the largest number of infections in Europe, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez spoke at a news conference on Tuesday.

He said that shops and restaurants will be allowed to resume operations in phases from May 4 to the end of June. But travel between the country's 50 provinces will continue to be restricted.

Key words : Putin extended
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200429_06/

Russian President Vladimir Putin has extended a nationwide shutdown of businesses till May 11. The current measure is due to expire at the end of April.

Russia has confirmed more than 6,000 new coronavirus cases a day, and the total number of infections topped 90,000 as of Tuesday.

Putin told his Cabinet ministers and governors from across the country in a video conference that the epidemic has not yet peaked. He said Russia is nearing the most rigorous stage in the fight against the pandemic.

Most stores, except for pharmacies and grocery stores, have been closed. In Moscow and other major cities, residents are required to get permission from city officials before they can go out.

Key words : Thai
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200429_01/

The Thai government says it will extend the nationwide state of emergency for one more month to contain the spread of the new coronavirus.

The country declared a state of emergency last month, which is due to expire on April 30.

The government imposed a night-time curfew, and banned most foreigners from entering the country.

Sports facilities have been closed across the country. In Bangkok, most stores except for those selling food and other daily necessities have been shut down.

The pace of the spread is apparently slowing. Seven new cases were confirmed on Tuesday. The number of confirmed cases had once been over 100 per day.

Prime Minister Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha warned the public of a possible recurrence. He added that it would waste the efforts the country has made.

He said, however, he is considering a phased easing of restrictions so stores can reopen, depending on how the situation develops.

Key words : national congress
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200429_15/

China's state-run Xinhua News Agency says the new opening date for the National People's Congress, which had been postponed due to the spread of the coronavirus, has been set on May 22.

The Congress brings together nearly 3,000 representatives from across the country to decide on policies for the coming year.

It is held in Beijing every year, usually starting on March 5.

Key words : Afghanistan
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200428_17/

The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan is urging all parties in the country to stop fighting so that medical workers and facilities can respond to the coronavirus outbreak.

A report by the UN mission released on Monday says fighting continues between government forces and the Taliban, mainly in the northeast of the country, despite the signing of a peace agreement in February between the United States and the Taliban.

The report says doctors, healthcare workers and medical facilities have been caught up in the conflict.

It says that on March 22, Taliban fighters abducted five healthcare workers and their driver in the eastern province of Kunar.

On March 24, a hospital in the northern province of Takhar suffered damage in a gun battle between government forces and the Taliban.

The number of coronavirus infections in Afghanistan exceeded 1,700 as of Monday. UN officials are concerned about the country's weak medical system and the lack of coronavirus testing resources.

Key words : Kim two weeks
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200427_18/

A senior South Korean official says North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is "alive and well" despite US media reports that he is in grave danger after surgery.

Moon Chung-in, foreign policy and security adviser to South Korean President Moon Jae-in, made the remark to Fox News on Sunday. He said Kim has been staying in the eastern city of Wonsan since April 13.

Remarks by the adviser and other officials show South Korea is maintaining a cautious approach toward the media reports about Kim's condition.

Kim's health came into focus after CNN reported last week that he was in grave danger. North Korean media have not reported on his activities for about two weeks.
In a news conference on Monday, an official of South Korea's Unification Ministry said its view hasn't changed that nothing unusual is happening in the North.

A senior researcher at the Sejong Institute, a private think tank in South Korea, also cast doubt on the CNN report.

Cheong Seong-chang, an expert on North Korea, says if Kim was gravely ill, he would immediately have been transferred from Wonsan to the capital, Pyongyang.

Cheong says Kim is expected to make a public appearance shortly.

Key words : unexplained disappearance
#N/A


Key words : US research satellite train
#N/A


Key words : reuters
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200429_03/

Reuters news agency says a North Korean delegation is due to visit Beijing to discuss food supplies and trade issues this week.

Pyongyang apparently expects much of China, at a time when sanctions imposed by the United States and others are still in place, and the impact of the coronavirus is increasingly serious.

North Korea has restricted most air and rail transportation with China since early this year to prevent the inflow of the coronavirus. This has dealt a heavy blow to the North's economy.

China's customs authorities say trade between the two countries in March plummeted by more than 90 percent from a year ago.

Pyongyang says no one in the country has been infected with the virus, but China has provided virus testing kits.

Reuters reports that the visit by the North Korean delegation to Beijing is unrelated to Kim Jong Un's health status. There are rumors that the North Korean leader is not well.

Key words : Japanese government awarded
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200429_04/

The Japanese government has announced a list of 4,181 people to be awarded honors this spring for their services to the nation or public.

They include former justices of the Supreme Court, a former head of Japan Business Federation, or Keidanren, as well as people who led major businesses.

Of the honorees, 412, or 9.9 percent, are women.

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is among the 117 non-Japanese from 57 countries and territories to be decorated.

Gates will be awarded the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun.

In a statement, Gates expressed his gratitude to Japan for the honor.

The Microsoft co-founder said in a statement, "I first started traveling to Japan 40 years ago ... back then I admired the innovative work of Japan's computer programmers and engineers."

He says he's now "come to respect Japan's scientists and medical researchers for the same thing."

He added they've worked with Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to develop new technologies to fight deadly diseases, and "that spirit of innovation is why I am confident that humanity will beat this pandemic."

Gates went on to say that he looks forward to the day when he and all who admire the country will be able to return to Japan.

Key words : How exactly the new coronavirus is transmitted
#N/A

at 20:00 (JST), April 28

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20200428200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : lower Monday not optimistic
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200428_04/

Japan's government says it's still cautious about the country's coronavirus outbreak, despite a recent drop in new infections in the capital.

Tuesday marks three weeks since the government declared a state of emergency.

Tokyo saw the number of daily confirmed cases drop below 100 for two days in a row, with 72 cases on Sunday and 39 on Monday.

But government officials say the numbers of cases reported on weekends and Mondays tend to be lower.

Prime Minister Abe Shinzo told a meeting of senior officials from his governing Liberal Democratic Party on Monday that the pace of infection seems to be slowing. But he said he is still not optimistic.

Abe said he will continue to ask people to refrain from non-essential travel, even if it means they will be deprived of what otherwise would be an enjoyable spring holiday period, which lasts until May 6.

The government is calling on people to help achieve its target of slashing person-to-person contact by 80 percent in a bid to contain the outbreak.

It believes that infections spread from cities to rural areas when people traveled during a 3-day holiday in March.

Key words : Shionogi
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200427_23/

Japanese pharmaceutical company Shionogi has announced plans to develop a vaccine against the new coronavirus.

The company said Monday it hopes to offer a vaccine to 10 million people. Clinical trials are to begin by the end of the year, in coordination with Japan's health ministry and other parties.

Shionogi is joining hands with the National Institute of Infectious Diseases to develop what is called a recombinant protein vaccine.

Such vaccines rely on genetic engineering to create recombinant proteins that will serve as an antibodies against the virus.

The technology is said to be less time-consuming than other methods, and faster to mass produce.

The World Health Organization says clinical trials for COVID-19 vaccines are already underway in China and the United States.

Efforts are also picking up steam in Japan, with pharmaceutical heavyweight Daiichi Sankyo joining hands with the University of Tokyo, among other projects.

Key words : labor market
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200428_18/

Japan's labor ministry says the ratio of job offers to applicants fell in March, extending the decline to a third month, as the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic became more severe.

The ministry says the ratio for the month was 1.39, down from the February figure of 1.45. That means there were 139 job openings for every 100 people looking for work.

It's the first time in more than three years that the figure has fallen below 1.4.

New job offers were down in most sectors, including the manufacturing, hotel, and restaurant industries, marking a year-on-year decline of 12.1 percent. The number of people seeking jobs also fell by 3 percent.

By prefecture, Okayama reported the highest ratio of job offers to seekers, with 1.9, followed by Tokyo, with 1.87. Okinawa posted the lowest ratio, 1.06.

The labor ministry says the ratio remains relatively high, but it should be closely monitored as the spread of the coronavirus continues to affect the economy.

Labor minister Kato Katsunobu noted that an increasing number of people have had to give up their jobs at the request of their employers.

He said that the ministry will take steps to address the impact of the coronavirus on the labor market.

Key words : 3 million
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200428_07/

Data compiled by a US university shows the number of confirmed coronavirus infections has surpassed 3 million worldwide.

The Johns Hopkins University says the total number of cases globally hit 3,002,303 as of 18:00 UTC on Monday.

The United States topped the list with 972,969 cases; followed by Spain with 229,422; Italy with 199,414; France with 162,220; and Germany with 158,142.

The global number of deaths toll totaled 208,131.

The US had the most fatalities at 55,118; followed by Italy at 26,977; Spain at 23,521; France at 22,856; and the United Kingdom at 20,732.

Key words : new zealand some business
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200428_02/

New Zealand has eased its coronavirus lockdown measures amid signs that the country's outbreak is slowing.

The government declared a state of national emergency on March 25, putting the country on the highest level of its four-tier COVID-19 alert system.

Under that alert, people were barred from going out, except to go shopping for daily necessities, visit hospitals, or do light exercise.

The easing of the restrictions to a level-3 alert came as the number of daily confirmed cases in New Zealand has been decreasing since mid-April. On Monday, the country reported only one case.

Under the level-3 alert, some businesses, including construction and manufacturing, are allowed to reopen on Tuesday.

People are still required to keep 2 meters apart outside home where possible. Businesses can trade with customers without physical contact, such as through delivery services.

Schools will reopen on Wednesday, except for some grades.

Wary of a resurgence of the outbreak, the government is asking people to continue to work from home and children to study from home, if possible.

Key words : US quarter global death
#N/A


Key words : ruling party
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200428_13/

North Korea's ruling party newspaper has published a letter from Kim Jong Un amid rumors over the leader's disappearance from public life in recent days.

The newspaper reported on Tuesday that Kim sent a letter to the president of South Africa to mark the country's national holiday.

In the letter, Kim said that he believes relations between the two countries "would steadily grow stronger."

The country's media have reported similar stories three days in a row, including a letter thanking workers building a tourist resort in Wonsan.

Kim's health condition came under the spotlight last week when CNN reported he was in "grave danger"
after undergoing surgery.
But the South Korean government says nothing unusual is happening in the North, and that Kim is "alive and well."

In Washington, US President Donald Trump also dismissed speculation over Kim's condition saying, "I hope he is fine. You'll probably be hearing in the not too distant future."

The two leaders last met in June 2019 in an historic summit at the inter-Korean Demilitarized Zone.

Key words : movie industry new idea survival
#N/A


Key words : weather yoko komagata
#N/A

at 20:00 (JST), April 27

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20200427200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : beyond May 6 decreasing
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200427_01/

Tokyo officials reported 72 new coronavirus cases on Sunday. It is the first time in about two weeks that the number of infections fell below 100 in the Japanese capital.

Also on Sunday, Prime Minister Abe Shinzo, health and welfare minister Kato Katsunobu and others were briefed at a coronavirus taskforce meeting that the number of new cases of infection has been decreasing.

But government officials say that although newly confirmed cases appear to be stable in the past few days, it's impossible to determine whether they are on the decline.

Some experts also pointed out that the number of reported cases per day has not decreased as anticipated.

The government plans to carefully decide whether to extend the country's state of emergency beyond May 6, while closely monitoring the number of cases across the nation. It says it remains unpredictable when the situation will be brought under control.

The government also plans to increase employment subsidies to protect jobs. Rates of subsidies will be further raised for employees' pay at small- and medium-sized businesses that comply with administrative requests to restrict their facilities' operations.

Since the government expanded the scale of the subsidies in mid-February, there had been more than 2,500 applications for the program as of Friday. But just over 10 percent of the applications have been approved.

Key words : number of confirmed Japan
#N/A


Key words : Asakusa Takeda
#N/A


Key words : dentist
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200427_02/

Japan's health ministry is planning to allow dentists to carry out tests for the coronavirus in an effort to increase testing capacity.

The ministry presented the plan at an expert panel meeting on Sunday.

It said that it would be more difficult to secure enough doctors and other staff who conduct PCR tests, which identify viral infection, as the government is working to increase testing.

Currently, collecting samples from patients' nostrils and throats doesn't fall under the procedures dentists are allowed to do. The ministry said it wants to allow them as a special measure.

The ministry said it plans to allow dentists, who have taken relevant training, to conduct PCR tests with patients' consent if it becomes difficult to secure the sufficient number of doctors and other testers during the state of emergency.

Some experts offered comments on the content of training, but there were no objections to the proposal.

The ministry says it wants to start the measure within days after ironing out the details.

In Japan, the number of PCR tests conducted per day reached about 8,800 in mid-April, about four times the figure for the same period a month earlier. But the government is working to further increase the tests.

Key words : governor positive infected
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200427_09/

A sports gym in Tochigi Prefecture, central Japan, remained open despite the local government's request to shut down amid the coronavirus outbreak. A member of the gym tested positive for the virus after the closure request.

The prefectural government on April 18 asked sports gyms and other facilities to suspend operations.

Local officials say a woman in her 80s living in the city of Ohtawara used a members-only gym on April 16 and again on April 21.

The officials say she began to feel fatigued on April 16 and developed a fever before testing positive on Saturday. She is currently hospitalized.

The gym operator is checking the condition of about 360 members who may have been exposed.

The officials have not disclosed the name of the gym, saying the facility's membership system allowed them to identify the members.

Governor Fukuda Tomikazu told reporters on Sunday that it was regrettable the gym remained open despite the request to shut down and that someone became infected.

He said the local government will implement emergency measures such as issuing stronger closure requests and disclosing the names of facilities that fail to comply.

Key words : worldwide 3 million
#N/A


Key words : Europe
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200427_07/

European nations are moving to ease their lockdown measures against the coronavirus as the number of new infections appears to be flattening.

Italy has reported more than 26,000 deaths from the coronavirus outbreak. The number is the highest in Europe.

The Italian government introduced a nationwide lockdown on March 10, largely restricting economic activities.

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte told reporters on Sunday that the lockdown measures will be lifted in phases from May 4 with construction and manufacturing being the first to be allowed to reopen.

He said that people will be allowed to visit their relatives and go out for exercise or go to a park under certain conditions.

He also said that more retails shops will reopen on May 18 along with museums, and that on June 1, restaurants, cafes and beauty parlors will reopen.

Spain, which has the largest number of coronavirus cases in Europe, partially lifted its lockdown on Sunday for the first time after the country put the measure in place in mid-March.

Children are allowed to go out within one kilometer from their homes for a total of one hour. For the first time in six weeks, many children were seen taking a walk with their parents and playing in open spaces.

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said that Spaniards will be allowed to go out for exercise starting on May 2 if the situation in the country continues to improve.

Both Spain and Italy have been seeing new coronavirus cases on gradual decline.

Key words : epicenter zero
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200426_18/

Health authorities in Wuhan, China, say the number of patients hospitalized with coronavirus in the city has dropped to zero. The city in Hubei Province was the epicenter of outbreak in China.

The authorities said on Sunday that the last 12 patients in two hospitals as of Saturday have been discharged.

They will still be quarantined and monitored.

The authorities also say the last person to leave hospital was a 77-year-old patient who tested negative twice.

Social media commentators cast doubts on the announcement, as the authorities had said just on Friday that the number of patients in serious condition was down to zero.

Doubters said it was hard to believe that all patients were discharged in just two days.

Questions have also been raised about the true number of cases and deaths announced by the authorities. Some have suggested the actual figures may be higher.

Key words : new york reopen
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200427_06/

The governor of the US state of New York has outlined a plan to reopen economic activity in phases and by regions amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Governor Andrew Cuomo told reporters on Sunday that reopening will be decided by regions based on certain criteria, including a 14-day decline in the state and regional hospitalization rate.

The state is banning people in non-essential businesses from going to work until May 15. Police officers and grocery store workers are among the exceptions.

Cuomo suggested the difficulty in deciding whether to reopen the densely-populated area in and around New York City.

But he noted that for other regions it is possible to start procedures for easing restrictions on social and business activities after May 15.

The governor added the measures will be implemented in phases, starting with the reopening of construction and manufacturing sectors.

He said the next phase will rely on a matrix of which businesses are more essential and at a lower risk of infecting people.

Also on Sunday, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio laid out his plan to consider the city's recovery by setting up advisory councils for different sectors.

Key words : south sexual violence
#N/A


Key words : weather Tsietsi Monare
#N/A

at 20:00 (JST), April 26

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20200426200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : United States debate
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200426_11/

In the United States, some states are moving to ease restrictions that were imposed to flatten the curve of coronavirus infections.

The easing was triggered by the guidelines for restarting the US economy announced by US President Donald Trump on April 16. Both Republican and Democratic governor are involved in the move.

Some businesses are opening in the southern states of South Carolina, Georgia, and Oklahoma. Restaurants have reopened in Alaska, on condition that tables are arranged to maintain social distancing guidelines.

Stay-at-home orders will expire in 12 states this week. Vice President Mike Pence says he is drawing up reopening plans for 16 states.

But the state of New York, the epicenter of the US coronavirus outbreak, and some other regions are still reporting new confirmed cases every day.

Data released by Johns Hopkins University on Saturday put US infections at 924,576 and the death toll at 52,782. Both figures are the highest in the world.

Cautious views persist among some governors, mostly opposition Democrats. They say reopening businesses prematurely would lead to more infections.

The White House guidelines that call on people to refrain from going out unless necessary and joining gatherings are due to expire at the end of this month.

Debate over easing the restrictions is expected to intensify as that date approaches.

Key words : world health Africa
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200426_09/

The World Health Organization has called for help from the international community as coronavirus infections in Africa approach 30,000.

Officials say the virus is straining already weak medical systems.

Africa's first confirmed case of coronavirus was in February in Egypt. The spread of infections has accelerated since around late March.

WHO puts the number of cases across the continent as of Saturday at 28,159.

South Africa has the most infections in Africa at 3,953, followed by Egypt at 3,891 and Morocco at 3,568.

Efforts to contain the outbreak are being obstructed by shortages of medical equipment and staff, as well as armed clashes in many countries between government forces and insurgents. Many people live in poverty in unhygienic and crowded conditions.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters on Wednesday that some African nations have seen infections surge 2.5 times or nearly 3 times in a week.

He warned that most of Africa is still in the early stages of the epidemic and there is a long way to go.

Key words : world health no evidence
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200426_03/

The World Health Organization says there is currently no evidence that people who have recovered from COVID-19 and have antibodies are protected from a second infection. It is warning against using the detection of antibodies as the basis for an "immunity passport."

Some governments have suggested that detection of antibodies to the coronavirus could serve as the basis for a "risk-free certificate" that would enable individuals to travel or return to work.

But the WHO says no study has evaluated whether the presence of antibodies to the coronavirus confers immunity to subsequent infection by the virus in humans.

It adds laboratory tests that detect antibodies to the virus in people, including rapid immunodiagnostic tests, need further validation to determine their accuracy and reliability.

The WHO says, at this point in the pandemic, there is not enough evidence about the effectiveness of antibody-mediated immunity to guarantee the accuracy of an "immunity passport." It says the use of such certificates may increase the risk of continued transmission.

Key words : officials Japan pleading
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200425_22/

In a bid to slow the spread of coronavirus, authorities around Japan are pleading for residents to refrain from going out ahead of one of the country's biggest holiday periods. In Tokyo, the metropolitan government has dubbed the 12-day period through May 6, "stay-at-home week."

Shinkansen bullet trains are usually crowded ahead of the spring holiday. But some trains that left Tokyo on Saturday had no passengers in the non-reserved cars. Officials from Japan Railway say the occupancy rate for non-reserved seats on the Tokaido Shinkansen line was below 10 percent as of Saturday afternoon.

The Togoshi Ginza shopping district in Tokyo was crowded with shoppers last weekend. But on Saturday, the streets were mostly deserted. The shopping district association has asked stores to shut down voluntarily on weekends and holidays in a bid to contain the spread of the virus. Shop owners will receive payouts from the Tokyo government for lost business.

Yamamura Toshio, the head of Togoshi Ginza Shopping District Cooperative Association says, "It is hard for us to ask customers not to visit, but we would like to cooperate with the measure to call on people to stay at home."

Key words : Japan major cities
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200426_10/

Mobile phone data in Japan suggests people in major cities are largely complying with the government's request that they stay home.

Telecoms company NTT Docomo has released anonymous tracking data. It shows that under the nationwide state of emergency, average outings in major cities on Saturday declined compared with the period between mid-January and mid-February.

The data as of 3 p.m. Saturday shows a varying rate of decrease depending on area.

Among the seven prefectures to first come under the government's state of emergency, the number of people who ventured out around Osaka's popular Umeda district fell by 84.9 percent.

In Tokyo, the decline in visitor numbers to the shopping and entertainment hub of Shinjuku was 78.9 percent. Crowds fell by 75.2 percent for the area around Yokohama station in Kanagawa Prefecture, and 73.2 percent in Tenjin in Fukuoka Prefecture.

Among the six prefectures later added to the government's list of prefectures on the highest alert, the area around Nagoya Station in Aichi Prefecture recorded a 74.2 percent fall in visitors.

The drop was 73.1 percent around Kyoto Station and 68.1 percent around Sapporo Station in Hokkaido in northern Japan. Elsewhere, the vicinity of Sendai Station in Miyagi Prefecture saw a 63.5 percent drop while the number fell by 41 percent around Hiroshima Station.

The decrease in people going out on weekends appears to be larger in general than on weekdays.

Key words : shopping street suburban
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200425_03/

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is calling on people to stay at home from Saturday through May 6 to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

The authorities designated the 12-day period, which includes Japan's "Golden Week" spring holidays, as "stay-home week."

On Friday, Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko said the period will be crucial in terms of reducing person-to-person contact by 80 percent -- a target set by the central government. She said people's actions will be reflected in the number of coronavirus cases two weeks after that.

Tokyo officials say crowds have decreased in central commercial districts, but have not decreased on shopping streets in more suburban areas.

The metropolitan government is offering cash grants of up to about 37,000 dollars to shopping streets whose stores close voluntarily on weekends and national holidays during the period.

Officials say many shops have already offered to close.

To prevent overcrowding, officials are also calling on people to do their daily shopping no more than about once every three days.

Key words : medical expert slowing expected
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200426_04/

Japanese government officials increasingly share the opinion that it will be difficult to fully lift the state of emergency in early May. Medical experts say infections are not slowing as they expected.

The government declared the state of emergency for Tokyo, Osaka, and five other prefectures on April 7. It expanded the declaration nationwide on April 16.

Officials have been closely monitoring the situation across the country. They will decide whether to extend the state of emergency beyond May 6, after hearing experts' opinions about whether human interactions have been reduced by 80 percent, and what the situation is like at medical facilities.

Economic Revitalization Minister Nishimura Yasutoshi said in an NHK program that the government needs to make a decision well in advance so schools and companies can prepare. He spearheads the government's response to the coronavirus.

Experts say the number of daily infections confirmed in Tokyo and Osaka remain higher than they expected, although the figures have started decreasing.

Key words : in Japan exceed 13300
#N/A


Key words : online nuclear
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200426_08/

A global online conference has been held to call for the abolition of nuclear weapons, 75 years after the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Non-governmental organizations from Japan, the US and elsewhere originally planned to hold the event in New York, on the sidelines of the review conference for the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. But the conference was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

During the online conference on Saturday Wada Masako, representing Nihon Hidankyo, or the Japan Confederation of A-and H-bomb Sufferers Organizations, shared her experience.

Wada, who survived the bombing of Nagasaki when she was 22 months old, told a story about the plight of survivors that her late mother had told her many times.

She said bodies were piled up and burned in a field, filling the area with a stench, and survivors felt numb, losing the sense that they were human beings.
She noted that the average age of survivors is now 83 and their profound suffering continues.

It was reported at the conference that more than 10.5 million people have signed a petition calling on all countries to abolish nuclear weapons.

UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Nakamitsu Izumi expressed gratitude, saying that the large number of signatures on the petition give power to disarmament efforts.

Key words : US research
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200426_07/

A US research group has released a report analyzing satellite imagery, saying that a train probably belonging to North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un has been parked near his compound in the eastern part of the country. Speculation about Kim's health has been making international headlines.

The report released by 38 North says photos taken on April 21 and 23 show the approximately 250-meter-long train parked at a railway station near Kim's compound in Wonsan. It says the train was not there on April 15.

One of the researchers, Jenny Town, told NHK that the train is highly likely to be Kim's because the station is reserved for him and the general public cannot use it.

Town says the satellite imagery appears to support claims that Kim was in Wonsan.

North Korean media have not reported on Kim's activities for almost two weeks.

CNN reported last week that there was information suggesting Kim was very ill. But US President Donald Trump said he believes the report was incorrect.

There was speculation in South Korea that Kim was staying in Wonsan.

Key words : Hong Kong
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200426_01/

A Hong Kong bookseller who had been detained by Chinese authorities after selling books critical of the country's Communist Party has reopened his shop in Taiwan.

Lam Wing-kee, former manager of Causeway Bay Books, reopened his shop in Taipei on Saturday.

Lam spent months in Chinese custody from late 2015 and had to close his shop in Hong Kong.

He moved to Taiwan last year as Beijing's influence was growing in Hong Kong, and raised funds online to reopen his bookstore.

The head of Taiwan's legislative body visited the store to celebrate its opening day.

Flowers sent by Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen were displayed at the entrance of the shop.

On Tuesday, someone threw red paint at Lam near his new shop. Lam said he believes Chinese authorities were behind the attack.

Lam says the reopening of his shop is proof that Taiwan is a place of freedom and democracy.

at 20:00 (JST), April 25

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20200425200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : authorities stay at home
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200425_03/

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is calling on people to stay at home from Saturday through May 6 to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

The authorities designated the 12-day period, which includes Japan's "Golden Week" spring holidays, as "stay-home week."

On Friday, Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko said the period will be crucial in terms of reducing person-to-person contact by 80 percent -- a target set by the central government. She said people's actions will be reflected in the number of coronavirus cases two weeks after that.

Tokyo officials say crowds have decreased in central commercial districts, but have not decreased on shopping streets in more suburban areas.

The metropolitan government is offering cash grants of up to about 37,000 dollars to shopping streets whose stores close voluntarily on weekends and national holidays during the period.

Officials say many shops have already offered to close.

To prevent overcrowding, officials are also calling on people to do their daily shopping no more than about once every three days.

Key words : firm ventilator health ministry
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200425_01/

Japanese medical equipment manufacturer Nihon Kohden says it will start domestic production of ventilators to treat severe cases of coronavirus. The firm already makes a version that can treat mild cases.

Nihon Kohden said on Friday it has received approval from the health ministry for domestic production and sales of ventilators for severe patients. It currently makes them in the United States.

The company plans to start production soon at its factory in the city of Tomioka, Gunma Prefecture. Auto and electronics companies will provide support through parts procurement.

Nihon Kohden plans to produce several hundred units a year and begin sales in July.

The coronavirus pandemic is raising concerns about a shortage of ventilators in Japan, where more than 90 percent of the machines are imported from other countries.

To increase domestic production, the health ministry has decided to speed up the screening process for companies. Nihon Kohden received approval in four days, as opposed to the typical four months.

Key words : Japan recorded 13000
#N/A


Key words : group of doctor
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200425_08/

A group of doctors in Japan is set to begin a clinical trial of a blood plasma treatment for the coronavirus.

The group from the National Center for Global Health and Medicine was given an official go-ahead by the center's ethics committee on Thursday.

The treatment involves giving people an infusion of blood plasma taken from those who have recovered from the virus.

The plasma contains antibodies which could give a person immunity to the virus.

There have been reports of the treatment working for severe cases in China.

The doctors in Japan plan to take 400 milliliters of blood from each of about 50 recovered patients and transfer the blood plasma to 50 patients.

The doctors hope to receive blood donations from next week and start the infusions in May.

Doctor Kutsuna Satoshi, who is in charge of the clinical trial, says the antibody treatment has proven effective for Ebola.

Key words : stay-at-home
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200425_10/

New figures suggest coronavirus-related lockdowns and stay-at-home orders around the world may be exacerbating the problem of domestic abuse.

Authorities in the US state of New York say there has been an uptick in phone calls to a domestic violence hotline. They say the number of calls jumped by 18 percent from February to March. And the figure for April is already 30 percent higher than in the same month last year.

New York officials say there may be many other abuse victims who cannot contact the hotline because stay-at-home orders make it easier for the abusers to monitor their calls.

The officials are addressing the problem by setting up new services. They say people seeking help can now text or chat online with professionals around the clock.

Meanwhile, London police say they have made 4,093 arrests for domestic abuse offenses in the six weeks through last Sunday. That averages almost 100 a day.

The police say they have registered 17,275 domestic abuse incidents in the same period, including cases not recorded as crimes. That's up 9 percent from the same period last year.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued a statement on April 5, urging "all governments to make the prevention and redress of violence against women a key part of their national response plans" for the virus.

Key words : world health vaccin
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200425_04/

The World Health Organization has announced an initiative to accelerate the development of drugs and vaccines for the new coronavirus, and ensure access worldwide. Global leaders expressed their full support.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus spoke during a video conference in Geneva on Friday. He was joined by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron and the chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, among others.

Treatments and vaccines for the virus are being developed around the world, with some already in clinical trials.

Referring to the H1N1 flu pandemic, Tedros said, "Experience has told us that even when tools are available they have not been equally available to all." He added, "We cannot allow that to happen."

He also said, "Our shared commitment is to ensure all people have access to all the tools to prevent, detect, treat and defeat COVID-19."

The United States did not attend the conference. President Donald Trump recently announced his administration is temporarily halting funding to the WHO.

Key words : number of confirmed corona virus infection 2 million
#N/A


Key words : hispanic
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200425_07/

US President Donald Trump has approved an additional 480-billion-dollar economic stimulus package designed to help small businesses hit by the coronavirus pandemic.

After signing the bill into law on Friday, he said the measure will provide relief for African Americans and Hispanics.

But Democrats have criticized it for also funding big businesses, such as a large hamburger chain.

An economic relief program totaling 2.2 trillion dollars, the largest in US history, was rolled out in late March.

Key words : georgia oklahoma
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200425_06/

A number of US states have allowed a partial return to economic activities suspended due to the coronavirus. It comes after US President Donald Trump released guidelines for easing restrictions.

Hair salons and other businesses reopened on Friday in Georgia and Oklahoma, whose governors are Republican.

Authorities in Georgia plan to allow movie theaters and restaurants to resume operations next week. However, the mayor of Atlanta disapproved of the plan.

On Friday, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, both Democrats, also expressed caution.

Johns Hopkins University said more than 880,000 people have been infected in the US as of Friday, with the death toll exceeding 50,000.

at 20:00 (JST), April 24

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20200424200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : global community
#N/A


Key words : Scott
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200423_27/

Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison has called for an independent international review into the origin and spread of the coronavirus.

Speaking at a news conference in Canberra on Thursday, Morrison urged all member nations of the World Health Organization to support such a review.

He said, "If you're going to be a member of a club like the World Health Organization, there should be responsibilities and obligations attached to that."

Morrison had talked by phone with the leaders of the United States, France and Germany, apparently to try to win their support for his proposal.

Morrison is the latest world leader to call for more efforts to establish the facts about the origin of the pandemic.

Some US media have raised the possibility that the virus originated in a virology research lab in the Chinese city of Wuhan.

US President Donald Trump said last week, "We are doing a very thorough examination" into the matter.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday called on China to allow access to its labs in Wuhan to see whether viruses there are being handled properly to eliminate the risk of their accidental release.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab are calling for greater transparency by China on the origin of the virus.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said on Thursday that US politicians are trying to duck responsibility for their own failure to slow the spread of the virus by blaming others.

Geng said shifting the blame will not help improve the situation in the US or international cooperation.

Key words : Johns Hopkins 2.7 million
#N/A


Key words : new york Public health
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200424_22/

Public health officials in New York have released the results of statewide testing. They suggest the virus may have spread far more widely than previously thought.
NHK World's Catherine Kobayashi reports.

New Yorkers slip out of their homes onto streets that have gone quiet. Many in the city have carried with them a potential risk. One in five have tested positive for antibodies, a marker of infection.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said, "They had the virus. They developed the antibodies. And they are now, quote unquote, recovered."

Health officials collected 3,000 blood samples at locations across New York State. The results show whether someone has antibodies and has responded to the virus.
They suggest the infection rate statewide is 13.9 percent, and 2.7 million people may have been infected.

Some disease experts questioned the results even before they came out. They say the tests may produce false negatives or false positives.

Others believe people who have had the virus may now be immune. Doctors are taking plasma from their blood and are using it in a treatment they're testing.

Cuomo says knowing the infection rate is key to any strategy for reopening the economy. He also said, "I want to see snapshots of what is happening with that rate -- is it going up, is it going flat, is it going down?"

Cuomo says they'll keep testing until this situation is over. But he says too many people are sick to ease the restrictions anytime soon.

Key words : ramadan celebrate Friday
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200424_05/

As Muslims celebrate the holy month of Ramadan starting on Friday, many nations are restricting outings and gatherings due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Muslims fast during the daytime hours for the roughly one-month period to give thoughts for the disadvantaged. They also congregate in mosques to offer prayers.

But the authorities in many nations have been enforcing restrictions on people's movements to prevent infections from spreading.

In the sacred Saudi Arabian city of Mecca, prayers at mosques have been banned.

Egyptian Muslims have been urged to pray at home, as mosques across the country are closed.

More than 3,600 infections have been confirmed in Egypt, and many large gatherings have been prohibited.

This has made it impossible to practice the Ramadan tradition of sharing free evening meals with the needy. Instead, a non-governmental organization distributed food, such as pasta and sugar, to poor residents on Thursday.

A market in central Cairo was busy with shoppers buying food, accessories, and other goods ahead of Ramadan.

But one store owner said the market was only about half as crowded as normally seen just prior to Ramadan.

A shopper said she had bought less than usual this year. She added that she would pray to God for the crisis to end so people could return to normal life.

Key words : south African lockdown
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200424_12/

South Africa is set to ease a nationwide lockdown that was imposed to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

President Cyril Ramaphosa said in a national address on Thursday that the government will begin reopening the economy in a phased manner from May 1.

Ramaphosa said that a nationwide lockdown is probably the most effective means to contain the spread of the coronavirus, but it cannot be sustained indefinitely because people need to earn a living.

The lockdown that was implemented on March 27 has left many people in vulnerable communities without income or sufficient food, and looting and rioting have occurred.

The government is expected to allow a partial reopening of the mining and manufacturing industries, which are essential for obtaining foreign currency and creating jobs.

South Africans will still be required to practice social distancing and wear facemasks.

Key words : Japan health officials
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200424_06/

Health officials in Japan say more than 430 new coronavirus cases and 29 deaths were reported on Thursday. The total number of confirmed cases is now over 12,000.

This does not include 712 cases linked to the Diamond Princess cruise ship, which was quarantined near Tokyo in February.

More than 300 people have died across the country.

Among them is a man in his 50s living in Saitama Prefecture near Tokyo. He initially exhibited mild symptoms but his condition worsened while waiting to be hospitalized.

Saitama governor Ono Motohiro said, "Health officials talked to the victim and prepared for his admission to hospital. But the following day his condition worsened and he passed away. It is very regrettable. We will look into the case and seek ways to improve the admission process."

The case prompted a change in government policy. Health Minister Kato Katsunobu said he'd instruct local authorities to send people with mild symptoms to hotels or other facilities where they can be monitored closely.

Key words : Koike called on
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200424_02/

The Tokyo governor has urged residents to go shopping less frequently to reduce the chances of coronavirus infections at supermarkets and shopping arcades.

Governor Koike Yuriko made the appeal at an emergency news conference on Thursday.

She called on people to cut the frequency of their visits to shopping establishments to about once every three days.

Supermarkets and shopping malls have reportedly been full of customers, despite the metropolitan government's request that people avoid outings as much as possible.

Koike announced a plan to offer cash grants if all stores in shopping arcades temporarily close.

She also unveiled a plan to subsidize efforts by shopping malls to call on visitors to avoid "closed, crowded, and close-contact" settings. Such campaigns include putting up banners and handing out flyers.

Koike designated the 12-day period from April 25 through May 6 as a "stay-home period" to "save lives." This includes the spring holiday period known as "Golden Week."

She said her government will boost its call for businesses to suspend operations and for residents to stay home during the period.

She called the 12-day period "tremendously crucial."

Key words : Okae
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200424_03/

Another Japanese celebrity fell victim to the coronavirus on Thursday. Actress Okae Kumiko died of pneumonia caused by COVID-19 at a hospital in Tokyo. She was 63.

Okae was born in Tokyo and made her debut in a TV drama in 1975. She appeared in many dramas and variety shows, gaining popularity from a wide range of age groups.

Her agency said she developed a fever on April 3. She was hospitalized three days later as her condition deteriorated suddenly. A subsequent test confirmed she was infected with the coronavirus.

Okae underwent an operation for early stage breast cancer at the end of last year. She received radiation therapy from the end of January to the middle of February.

Her agency says her weakened immune system may have contributed to her developing such serious symptoms.

Key words : cloth mask recall
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200424_08/

Two suppliers of cloth masks being sent by the Japanese government to all households say they will recall undistributed items.

Pharmaceutical maker Kowa and trading house Itochu made the announcement following complaints about masks that have already been sent. Many recipients say the masks were stained or contaminated with human hair and dust.

The government commissioned the two companies, along with others, to supply the masks as part of a program to give two masks to every household.

The masks sent out by Kowa and Itochu were made overseas.

The two firms say they will improve quality control through extra inspections on imported masks, in addition to screenings at plants abroad.

Kowa says it takes the situation seriously, and will recall all undistributed masks for re-inspection.

Itochu says it will fully cooperate with efforts to halt the spread of infections.

Key words : north america
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200424_11/

Toyota Motor says it will resume production in North America next month, which has been suspended since March due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Toyota said on Thursday that it plans to gradually resume manufacturing operations at all plants in the United States, Canada and Mexico starting on May 4.

The Japanese carmaker halted production in the region on March 23 to secure the safety of workers and to deal with falling demand and difficulties in parts procurement.

The company said 5,000 workers currently furloughed will gradually return to work.

Honda Motor also aims to resume its US production starting on May 11.

About 17 million new vehicles are annually sold in the US. But the pandemic has resulted in a sharp drop in sales since last month.

Automakers are expected to continue to face tough business conditions even after restarting plants.

Key words : weather yoko komagata
#N/A

at 20:00 (JST), April 23

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20200423200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : world health message
#N/A


Key words : stable declining
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200423_06/

The head of the World Health Organization says the world needs to brace for the new coronavirus pandemic continuing for a long time.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus spoke at a news conference in Geneva on Wednesday.

He expressed concern that though most of the epidemics in Western Europe appear to be stable or declining, upward trends are seen in Africa and Central and South America, though the numbers are low.

He noted that most countries are still in the early stages of their epidemics. He warned that "we have a long way to go. This virus will be with us for a long time."

Meanwhile, the executive director of the WHO Health Emergencies Program, Michael Ryan, expressed concern over the spread of the virus in countries with poor medical systems.

He said the WHO has seen an increase of 250-300 percent in just one week alone in some African nations.
He said, "We are at the beginning in Africa."

The news conference comes after more than 990,000 people across the globe have signed an online petition calling for Tedros to resign over his handling of the pandemic. They say the crisis was partly caused by his underestimation of the situation.

Tedros merely said he will continue to work "day and night" and focus on saving lives.

The WHO chief also expressed hope that the United States, the largest contributor to the world health watchdog, will reconsider its suspension of funding and once again support the WHO's work and "continue to save lives."

He said he hopes the US will believe that "this an important investment, not just to help others but for the US to stay safe also."

Key words : Johns Hopkins 2.6 million
#N/A


Key words : new york program
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200423_07/

New York state has announced a new contact tracing program to prevent the further spread of coronavirus infections.

Governor Andrew Cuomo outlined the program at a news conference on Wednesday.

It will seek to identify people who have had contact with someone who tested positive, and ask them to stay home for 14 days.

The state has already secured 715 personnel for the operation, and plans to seek cooperation from 35,000 university students who can serve as tracers.

Cuomo said the ultimate goal is to identify everyone who could have been exposed to the virus, noting that it may be unrealistic, but is very important.

He said the state will partner with neighboring New Jersey and Connecticut to expand the scope and size of virus testing and contact tracing.

Cuomo added that his state expects to receive 1.3 billion dollars in federal funding to partially cover the costs of the program. Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who dropped out of the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, has also committed 10 million dollars.

New York state has seen more than 250,000 coronavirus cases, accounting for about a third of the total in the United States. On Tuesday, more than 5,500 new cases were confirmed in the state, with 474 deaths.

Key words : oil prices wall Street
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200423_12/

Oil prices and Wall Street stocks clawed back some ground on Wednesday after recent turmoil in financial markets. But volatility is expected to continue as the coronavirus pandemic decimates demand for crude.

Benchmark US oil prices rose as far as 16 dollars a barrel at one point, after plumbing historic lows in previous days. The climb came amid speculation that major producers could cut more output.

Meanwhile, stocks closed higher on Wall Street after two days of losses, buoyed by the recovery in oil.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed nearly 2 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 2.8 percent.

The S&P 500 rose about 2.3 percent to 2,799 points.

Key words : in Japan crude oil Thursday
#N/A


Key words : new york struggle
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200423_17/

New York City transit authorities have struggled over the years just to keep their trains running. They've been leaving lines in operation during the crisis to get healthcare professionals to work. But more and more of their own staff members are being infected every day.
NHK World's Catherine Kobayashi reports.

REP: At any other time, getting a seat on the subway might make one's day. This is not any other time.

A subway rider said, "Most of us are used to walking to work or taking the subway. So, just being around fewer people is kind of jarring."

On an average weekday, more than 5 million people ride the New York subway.

These are not average weekdays. Transit authorities have cut service on many lines...but they are keeping the trains running to take essential workers where they need to go. They're asking everyone else to stay away.
Most New Yorkers are staying home. The homeless, meantime, have taken over below ground. Transit workers have to clean each train at least once every three days...2400 of them have been infected with the virus...83 have died.

And still, New York's governor faces calls every day to flick a switch, to return to the way things were.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said, "I know people want to get back to work. I know people need a paycheck; I know this isn't sustainable. I also know more people will die if we are not smart."

Transit authorities introduced a new slogan a few years back: "New Yorkers Keep New York Safe."
Now, that advice suggests it's best not to ride the trains.

Key words : Mike to allow access
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200423_05/

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has pressed China to allow access to its laboratories to check whether viruses are being handled in a safe and secure manner.

Pompeo made the remark to reporters on Wednesday.

He also said the United States strongly believes "that the Chinese Communist Party did not report the outbreak of the new coronavirus in a timely fashion to the World Health Organization."

He added that even after Beijing notified the WHO of the outbreak "it did not share all the information it had. Instead it covered up how dangerous the disease is."

Pompeo noted the presence of labs in China "that contain complex pathogens that were being studied. It's not just the Wuhan Institute of Virology."

He said, "It's important that those materials are being handled in a safe and secure way such that there isn't accidental release."

Pompeo's accusations come as some US media have reported on the possibility the virus may have spread from the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

US President Donald Trump has expressed readiness to investigate the matter. Beijing flatly denies any link between the virus and the lab.

Key words : southwestern confirmed
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200422_33/

Officials in southwestern Japan have confirmed a cluster infection on an Italian cruise ship currently docked at a shipyard in Nagasaki Prefecture.

A Nagasaki prefectural official says that out of 57 who have been tested, 33 have tested positive.

The Costa Atlantica has been undergoing repairs at a port in Nagasaki. There are 623 crew members on board, but no passengers.

Health officials tested the crew after one of them tested positive on Monday.

The officials say none of the 33 people infected are known to be in serious condition.
They also say they are working with the central government to disinfect the vessel.

April is the start of the new academic year in Japan, and some elementary schools in the central part of the country resumed classes earlier this month.

But they closed last week after 4 children and a teacher in one class were found to be infected.

Tokyo tops the list of prefectures in the number of infections with over 3,400, after 132 new cases were reported.

The total number of confirmed cases in Japan now exceeds 11,800. More than 700 cases have also been linked to the Diamond Princess cruise ship which was quarantined near Tokyo in February.

A total of 307 people have died in Japan, including 13 from the Diamond Princess.

Key words : stay at home social isolation
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Key words : weather Tsietsi Monare
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at 20:00 (JST), April 22

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20200422200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : stock tumbled
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200422_19/

Stocks tumbled Tuesday as oil prices continued to slide due to the pandemic. New York stocks closed at a low once again after Monday's historical negative territory plunge.

The benchmark Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at 23,018, down 2.7 percent from Monday's close.

Investors rushed to sell-off for the second consecutive day on fears of an economic downturn sparked by shrinking demand for oil.

The WTI contract crashed below zero as oil traders ran out of storage for May deliveries.
It fell to minus 37 dollars at one point on Monday.

And in Japan on Wednesday, crude oil futures at the Tokyo Commodity Exchange opened 15 percent lower from Tuesday's close.

The collapse is spilling into WTI's June futures contracts, which fell briefly to 6 dollars a barrel.

Market sources say future prices for June could also enter negative territory due to the oversupply and an increasing lack of storage.

Key words : lockdown new york pause
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200422_16/

Lockdown. Shutdown. The New York Pause.
Whatever you call it, many New Yorkers have spent one month inside to protect themselves from the coronavirus. And when they look out, many do not recognize their city.
NHK World's Catherine Kobayashi reports.

REP: The city that never sleeps has gone into a slumber.
A month ago, New Yorkers saw businesses shut down, schools closed, people disappear from the streets.

Their predicament has forced some to reframe how they see their days.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said, "Our calculus of 'good,' our definition of 'good' has changed here. 'Good' is now 'not terrible.'"

Many healthcare workers have seen their hospitals overwhelmed -- not enough masks, not enough ventilators, not enough equipment to protect many of their patients, or themselves.

During one stretch, more than 700 people were dying every day. In all, more than 14,000 have died.

The governor has extended the lockdown until May 15 and resisted calls to reopen the economy.

More than one million people have filed for unemployment benefits. On top of their jobs, many have lost hope. Some have turned to school cafeterias, now converted into soup kitchens, just to get a meal.

Governor Cuomo pointed to some trying days in New York's past -- 9/11, Superstorm Sandy. He says pressure brings out the worst in people and the best.
"At a time of crisis, you get a little snapshot of their character and of their foundation. It's also true of the collective, it's also true of society."

New Yorkers lean out of their windows every evening in a show of that collective. They raise their voices and blow their horns -- a symphony for essential workers, and themselves.

Key words : 2.5 million
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200422_10/

Data compiled by a US university shows the number of confirmed coronavirus infections has topped 2.5 million worldwide.

The Johns Hopkins University says the global total of cases hit 2,531,804 as of 18:00 UTC on Tuesday.

The United States topped the list with 804,194 cases, followed by Spain with 204,178, Italy with 181,228 France with 156,495, and Germany with 147,593.

The global death toll totaled 174,336.

The US had the most fatalities at 42,458, followed by Italy at 24,648, Spain at 21,282, France at 20,265, and the United Kingdom at 16,509.

Key words : UN food lockdown
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200422_08/

The World Food Programme says the number of people suffering acute hunger could nearly double to 265 million as the world grapples with the economic implications of the coronavirus outbreak.

The UN agency and the European Union said in a report released on Tuesday that 135 million people are facing acute food insecurity due to the effects of climate change and economic crises.

The report says the number could double by the end of this year because of the increased number of unemployed people and those whose working hours are decreasing as a result of lockdowns put in place to contain the virus across the world.

WFP says African countries where many people are facing food shortages will be the most severely affected.

WFP chief economist Arif Husain said that the economic impact of the pandemic is a hammer blow for millions who can only eat if they earn a wage and called for large-scale support from international community.

Key words : Abe declared two weeks ago
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Key words : 296
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200422_04/

The number of confirmed coronavirus infections in Japan stood at 11,543 on Tuesday after 390 new cases were detected nationwide.

The tally includes people tested at airport quarantine stations, health ministry officials, and individuals who returned to Japan on chartered planes.

The addition of the 712 cases from the Diamond Princess cruise ship brings the total to 12,255.

Twenty fatalities linked to the virus were reported across the country on Tuesday. This brings the total death toll in Japan to 296, including 13 from the ship.

Tokyo tops the list of prefectures with the most infections at 3,307. Osaka is second with 1,349, followed by Kanagawa with 812, Chiba with 725, Saitama with 686, Hyogo with 543 and Fukuoka with 542.

Health ministry officials say 236 people remain in serious condition as of Tuesday, including four from the cruise ship.

The officials say 2,001 have recovered and left hospital. Of these, 1,356 were diagnosed in Japan, while 645 were infected on the ship.

Key words : japanese police
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200421_35/

Japanese police say 11 people who died over the past month have posthumously tested positive for the coronavirus.

The development is raising concerns the true number of cases could be higher than what is being reported.

Officials say the initial causes of the deaths were not immediately known and occurred across five prefectures including Tokyo.

Among them was a man in his sixties who was found lying on a street in the capital.

An expert says similar situations are playing out in places where testing is not widely available.

Professor Tsukamoto Yoko of Health Sciences University of Hokkaido says, "I think this situation explains that the number of infection cases alone is not enough to determine the spread of the virus."

Tsukamoto added this demonstrates the need for people to have easier access to testing.

Key words : face mask trying to make
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Key words : weather Tsietsi Monare
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Key words : kabuki
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200422_11/

A Japanese theater is providing traditional kabuki plays for free on the internet. The plays, which were scheduled to be performed in March, were cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Kabukiza Theatre, located in Tokyo, made the rare decision to post the plays online. The dramas were performed without an audience.

The five plays include "Shin usuyuki monogatari," featuring Nakamura Kichiemon and Kataoka Nizaemon, and "Numazu," featuring Matsumoto Hakuo and his son Koshiro. The performances are available online through Sunday.

Matsumoto Hakuo told NHK that he did his best when he performed despite not having an audience for the drama. He said he hopes that the pandemic will end soon and that he is looking forward to seeing his fans again at the theater.

By making the performances available for free on the internet, the theater hopes to boost interest in kabuki.