Key words : Devastating rain hospital patient
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200711_08/
Devastating rain continues to lash Japan's southwestern Kyushu region, prompting officials to issue more flood and landslide warnings. Over the past week, extreme weather has claimed the lives of over 60 people. More than a dozen others are missing.
The downpours pummeling swathes of the country are due to a slow-moving seasonal front.
Kyushu has suffered the worst of the damage. Overflowing rivers across the island have inundated thousands of homes, as well as hospitals and clinics.
In one hospital, floodwaters surged to a height of 2.5 meters, extensively damaging radiological equipment and patient records.
Across the country as a whole, more than 11,000 homes have been flooded.
The violent weather is making it too dangerous to use helicopters in some places, severely impeding emergency operations by forcing crews to access areas by land.
The coronavirus pandemic is also complicating rescue efforts. There are fears that crowding at evacuation shelters could heighten the risk of infection.
Kondo Hisayoshi, a member with Japan's Disaster Medical Assistance Team, said, "We have to think about a range of things that we normally don't need to worry about. I think it takes a bit longer than usual to do anything in a disaster like this."
Key words : more than 12,000
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200711_14/
The recent spell of heavy rain in Japan has caused damage to more than 12,000 homes in the southwestern region of Kyushu and elsewhere.
The Fire and Disaster Management Agency says a total of 12,610 houses in 19 prefectures had sustained damage, as of 1:00 p.m. on Saturday.
It says 41 houses had been completely destroyed, including 23 in Kumamoto Prefecture.
A total of 6,360 houses were inundated above floor level, including 4,580 in Kumamoto Prefecture.
Officials say they have yet to get a full picture of the disaster and that the number of damaged homes could rise further.
Key words : agricultural ministry
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200711_03/
Japan's agricultural ministry has warned of devastating damage to the farming, forestry and fisheries industries due to ongoing torrential downpours.
The ministry says as of 11 p.m. on Friday, damage has been confirmed in 30 prefectures. They include Kumamoto and Kagoshima in the southwestern Kyushu region, which has been hit particularly hard by the extreme weather.
It says the total losses to the industries due to flooding and landslides is estimated to exceed 11.7 billion yen, or nearly 110 million dollars.
Prefectures including Fukuoka and Miyazaki have reported damage to fishing boats and port facilities.
Ministry officials say more losses are expected because the survey could not be conducted thoroughly in some hard-hit prefectures.
Key words : world health guidance
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200711_06/
The World Health Organization says the possibility of aerosol transmission of the coronavirus cannot be ruled out. The global body also calls for the continued use of preventative measures such as face masks, when physical distancing cannot be maintained.
The WHO's technical chief for coronavirus responses, Maria Van Kerkhove, suggested on Friday that the virus could be spread through coughs and sneezes by particles much smaller than droplets.
The announcement follows an open letter from scientists who specialize in the spread of disease through air, urging the world body to update its guidance.
Van Kerkhove said there is the possibility that droplets could be aerosolized and stay suspended in the air in specific settings, such as crowded and poorly ventilated spaces where people are spending prolonged periods of time.
She stressed the need for continued implementation of preventative measures recommended by the health body, including hand hygiene, physical distancing, and the use of face masks when such distancing is not possible.
The WHO announced last week that experts would be sent to China to lay the ground for a study into how the coronavirus began spreading.
The United States has suggested the virus may have originated in a laboratory in China. Beijing denies the allegation.
Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said two WHO experts are now en route to China.
China has agreed to launch a study, but has not decided when and how it would proceed.
Focus is on whether the visit by experts will help achieve a consensus on the conduct of the investigation.
Key words : learned plans to allow
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200711_05/
NHK has learned that the Japanese government plans to allow foreign nationals with certain residency statuses, including students and technical trainees, to re-enter the country despite a ban imposed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Those who temporarily left Japan before the restrictions were imposed will be eligible, on the condition they comply with requirements such as taking a PCR virus test.
Foreigners from 129 countries and territories cannot currently enter Japan. Even those who reside in the country are banned from reentering, unless they have special circumstances.
The government will also grant entry to high-ranking foreign government officials who meet a number of conditions, such as testing negative for the virus, and limiting movements while in Japan.
US Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun became the first such foreign dignitary this week.
The government is planning to let businesspeople from about 10 countries and territories travel to and from Japan. It aims to reach an agreement by the end of this month.
Japan has already agreed to ease travel restrictions with Vietnam.
Key words : daily death toll US
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200711_10/
Some states in the southern and western United States are reporting higher numbers of deaths from the new coronavirus amid a surge in infections.
Data compiled by Johns Hopkins University show about 63,000 new cases were confirmed in the US on Thursday -- a record high.
The average daily death toll over a week was 42 in Texas, double the figure on June 1. Florida also saw the figure increase 1.6 times to about 48, and the figure in Arizona jumped 2.6 times to around 42.
The number of deaths in the US has been on the decline. President Donald Trump says the situation is improving.
But the rise in infections has pushed some medical institutions beyond capacity.
Some experts say the number of new cases could exceed the record high level seen in April if they continue to increase at the current pace.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, a key member of the US government's coronavirus task force, has warned people not to take comfort in the lower number of deaths. He called on state authorities to step up preventive measures.
Key words : tariff
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200711_13/
The US government has announced plans to impose additional tariffs of 25 percent on French cosmetics, handbags and other items in retaliation for France's digital services tax.
But Washington says it will hold off on implementing the tariffs by six months until early January so as to allow more time to resolve the issue.
The Office of the US Trade Representative said on Friday the additional tariffs will be imposed on 1.3 billion dollars' worth of imports from France and will cover 21 categories.
The US says the move is in reaction to France's digital services tax that it says unfairly targets US tech giants such as Google and Amazon.
Washington has been calling for international rules to be set up by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, or OECD.
Given a lack of progress, however, the US last month suggested that it would withdraw from the OECD negotiations and take countermeasures.
Observers say the US is stepping up pressure on OECD member countries to come up with rules that are in line with the US demand by demonstrating a hardline stance.
Key words : turkey
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200711_07/
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced that a historic building in Istanbul used as a museum has been turned into a mosque.
Erdogan ordered the conversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque on Friday hours after a court annulled a decree that made it a museum.
Built in 537 as an Orthodox Christian cathedral, the building was turned into a mosque after the conquest by the Ottoman Empire.
It became a museum after the Republic of Turkey, a predominantly Muslim but secular state, was founded.
The landmark has been regarded as a symbol of solidarity between different faiths and cultures. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Observers believe Erdogan heeded calls by Turkish Muslims to convert the building back into a mosque in a bid to boost his ratings, which have been declining due to the economic downturn.
The move is likely to draw criticism. Neighboring Greece, home to many Orthodox Christians, has expressed opposition, and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo released a statement urging Ankara to maintain the site as a museum.
The Director-General of UNESCO has expressed deep regrets over the decision by Turkey.
Audrey Azoulay said in a statement on Friday that Hagia Sophia is an architectural masterpiece and a unique testimony to interactions between Europe and Asia over the centuries.
She also said its status as a museum reflects the universal nature of its heritage.
Azoulay called on Turkey to ensure that the change of status will not affect the property's universal value, and to initiate dialogue with the body without delay.
She also said the state of conservation of the site will be examined by the World Heritage Committee at its next session.
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