Key words : Abe plans to extend
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200430_19/
Japan's Prime Minister Abe Shinzo has told ruling Liberal Democratic Party officials that he plans to extend the declaration of a state of emergency that is due to end on May 6.
He met the party's Secretary General, Nikai Toshihiro, and Deputy Secretary General, Hayashi Motoo, on Thursday.
Hayashi said Abe told them he will make a final decision after listening to experts' opinions on the duration and geographical scope of the declaration.
After the meeting, Nikai told reporters that he thought the extension of the state of emergency declaration was a very appropriate decision.
Key words : panel of expert scale decision
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200501_18/
A government panel of experts in Japan says social restrictions should vary by region depending on the scale of local coronavirus infections.
A nationwide state of emergency is set to expire on May 6. The government is planning to extend it for about one month, and is seeking experts' views.
At a meeting on Friday, they said the declaration of an emergency and people's efforts are showing their effects.
They say the number of new infections in the country has declined from nearly 700 in early April to about 200 in recent days.
But they caution that the pace of decline is slow, and the results of efforts to cut person-to-person contact by 80 percent differ by region and age.
The experts also say the country's medical system remains strained due to the large number of patients on ventilators, and that a resurgence of the virus could overwhelm resources.
They suggested that social restrictions should be tailored to match conditions in each region.
The experts say areas where infections are spreading should maintain strict restrictions on public activities until the tally falls to a certain level.
But they add that a partial easing may be considered for social activities deemed important, provided that infection risks can be sufficiently reduced.
As for regions with limited numbers of new infections, the experts say guidelines could be eased somewhat.
They say the availability of quick diagnostic tests, the limited geographic spread of infections, and sufficient medical resources are key to such decisions.
The experts go on to say that people, regardless of region, need to adapt to a new normal in the long fight against the virus.
They say this means avoiding closed, crowded and close-contact settings as well as rigorous hand-washing and social distancing.
Large-scale events should be cancelled or postponed if the necessary infection-control measures are not in place. Risk-reductions would also be required for schools to reopen.
Key words : budget deal with economic
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200430_15/
Japan's Diet has approved a supplementary budget for fiscal 2020 to fund an emergency economic package to deal with the impact of the coronavirus outbreak. It includes a cash handout of 100,000 yen, or 940 dollars, for all residents.
The Upper House passed the budget bill at its plenary session on Thursday following unanimous approval by the chamber's Budget Committee earlier in the day. The bill cleared the Lower House on Wednesday.
In the Upper House plenary session, Ito Takae of the opposition Democratic Party for the People said her party would vote for the bill because a swift response is needed, but said the content of the bill is inadequate in terms of both quantity and quality.
She said bold fiscal spending to the tune of 100 trillion yen, around 940 billion dollars, is needed to fund the development of treatments and vaccines, and to support struggling small businesses.
Ito Takae of junior ruling coalition party Komeito said it's important to provide relief to the people swiftly. She said people are enduring difficulties and are anxious about the economy and their livelihoods, with no end in sight for the outbreak.
The upper chamber endorsed the bill by a majority vote.
The extra budget totals 25.7 trillion yen, around 240 billion dollars, in additional fiscal spending. It will partially fund the package worth 117 trillion yen, or 1.1 trillion dollars.
Key words : paperwork
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200501_03/
The Japanese government plans to provide help to municipalities struggling with paperwork related to the government's coronavirus cash handouts.
The handouts are part of the government's emergency economic rescue package aimed at offsetting the effects of the pandemic. The measure is funded by a fiscal 2020 supplementary budget enacted by the Diet on Thursday.
Each person listed on the country's Basic Resident Register as of April 27, regardless of nationality, can receive 100,000 yen, or roughly 935 dollars.
Some municipalities, including Nishimeya Village in Aomori Prefecture, have already started providing the money after completing the necessary paperwork.
But officials at major cities and other municipalities are still processing documents and are unsure when they can send out application forms to households.
One such city is Yokohama, which is home to more than 1.8 million households eligible for the handout.
Internal affairs minister Takaichi Sanae told an Upper House committee on Thursday that her ministry will offer as much help as possible to local governments facing heavy paperwork.
The ministry plans to use state coffers to finance the hiring of temporary staff for municipalities.
Key words : US reopen social-distancing
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200501_01/
Several states in the US are taking steps to reopen their economies, as federal social-distancing guidelines are set to expire on Thursday.
The recommendations include avoiding discretionary travel and social gatherings of more than 10 people. They were introduced by the White House in mid-March before being extended for another 30 days.
President Donald Trump on Wednesday appeared intent on having businesses reopen, saying the guidelines will be "fading out."
Ten states, including Georgia and Montana, are allowing some businesses, such as gyms and clothing stores, to reopen. People will still have to observe physical distancing.
Seven other states, including Texas, plan to take similar steps this week.
But other states, such as New York and Pennsylvania, remain cautious.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Monday he will extend lockdown orders in many parts of the state. The current directives are scheduled to expire on May 15.
Key words : johns hopkins
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200501_05/
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases across the world has topped 3.2 million, according to a university in the United States.
Johns Hopkins University says the total number of global infections hit 3,247,648 as of 18:00 UTC on Thursday.
The United States topped the list with 1,053,036, followed by Spain with 239,639, Italy with 205,463, Britain with 172,478, and France with 166,628.
The death toll stood at 230,824.
The US had the most deaths with 61,717, followed by Italy with 27,967, Britain with 26,771 and Spain with 24,543.
Key words : Russia cutting
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200501_07/
OPEC member countries and other oil producers such as Russia will start cutting output by about 10 percent of the global supply on Friday. But many market analysts say it will take time for the oversupply to ease.
The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and non-OPEC nations agreed last month to slash supply by 9.7 million barrels a day, starting in May.
But oil prices have yet to turn upward. Crude oil futures in New York went into negative territory for the first time ever in April.
The weak trend has been driven by a sharp fall in demand caused by the coronavirus pandemic and a resulting buildup of the US oil inventory.
Producers are beginning to feel the financial and economic impact of the weaker prices, raising concerns about social stability.
On Thursday, oil giant Royal Dutch Shell cut its dividend to deal with the fallout from the pandemic. Western media outlets say it is the first time since World War Two that the company has taken such a step.
The firm also reported a plunge of 46 percent in its profits for the January-March period year-on-year.
Chief Executive Officer Ben van Beurden noted that a significant drop in global oil demand has affected the firm's entire operation.
Key words : south caution
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200430_07/
South Korean authorities remain vigilant against the coronavirus at the start of a long holiday that could lead to a surge in new infections.
In recent days, South Korea has confirmed only around 10 new cases a day, and people have returned to the streets.
On Wednesday, many residents were seen taking a walk at a park in Seoul.
About 180,000 South Koreans are expected to travel to the southern island of Jeju over the four-day holiday through Sunday. Tuesday is also a holiday.
Some hotels and other lodgings in the eastern province of Kangwon are almost fully booked during the period.
The South Korean government is cautioning the nation not to let its guard down during the holiday, which it views as a watershed in the fight against the virus.
An official told reporters on Wednesday that the government is concerned that infection cases could rise again after the holiday.
The official asked people to wear face masks, remain vigilant and continue to show solidarity in battling the virus.
Key words : chinese government five-day
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200501_02/
The Chinese government is urging caution to avoid a resurgence in coronavirus cases. This comes ahead of a five-day public holiday during which more than 100 million people are expected to travel.
Chinese authorities say they have essentially contained the virus. The country has recorded no related deaths for over two weeks.
Beijing lowered its public health emergency response level from highest to second-highest on Thursday. This means that people from the country's low-risk regions are no longer required to self-quarantine upon arrival.
As a result of the improving situation, the government expects 117 million people to travel by road, rail, and air during the May Day holiday starting on Friday.
This figure is substantially lower than what it was during the same period last year. But authorities are wary the traffic may lead to a resurgence in cases.
At a news conference on Thursday, a senior official of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism urged sightseeing destinations to put in place measures to prevent crowding.
Almost 70 percent of tourist hotspots across the country have reopened. These include Beijing's Palace Museum, also known as the Forbidden City.
The UNESCO World Heritage site opens for tourists for the first time in about three months on Friday. Its indoor galleries will remain closed and the total number of visitors is limited to 5,000 a day. Reservations are required and slots over the holiday period are reportedly fully booked.
Key words : US not manmade
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200501_06/
US intelligence authorities say the coronavirus was not manmade or genetically modified but that they will continue to examine how the outbreak began.
A statement from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence on Thursday follows US media reports that the virus may have originated in a laboratory in the Chinese city of Wuhan.
The office said the intelligence community "concurs with the wide scientific consensus that the COVID-19 virus was not manmade or genetically modified."
It added that authorities will continue to "examine emerging information and intelligence to determine whether the outbreak began through contact with infected animals or if it was the result of an accident at a laboratory in Wuhan."
US President Donald Trump has said his government is looking into the matter.
Germany, Britain, and other countries are also calling for more information from China.
Beijing has strongly denied the allegation.
Key words : How exactly the new coronavirus is transmitted
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