at 20:00 (JST), September 15

 https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20200915200000_english_1.mp3

Key words : executive post
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200915_03/

The new leader of Japan's main governing Liberal Democratic Party appears to have decided on the lineup of the party's executive posts.

Suga Yoshihide won the party's leadership race on Monday by taking nearly 70 percent of the votes.

He is set to retain Secretary-General Nikai Toshihiro and Diet Affairs Committee Chairperson Moriyama Hiroshi.

He also intends to name Sato Tsutomu as General Council Chairperson, Shimomura Hakubun as Policy Research Council Chairperson, and Yamaguchi Taimei as Election Strategy Committee Chairperson.

The likely appointments will mean that the key posts will be filled by members from the five intraparty factions that backed him in the leadership election.

Suga will be busy preparing for the launch of his new Cabinet, as he is expected to be elected prime minister in the Diet on Wednesday.

Observers say Deputy Prime Minister Aso Taro will likely hold a key post in the new Cabinet. Suga said on Monday that Aso is extremely important for the new administration.

Attention is also focused on who will succeed Suga as Chief Cabinet Secretary. Suga is in the selection process, centering on his deputies under the administration of Prime Minister Abe Shinzo.

Key words : olympic cost
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200915_04/

The organizers of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics are exploring ways to rein in additional costs due to the postponement of the Games. NHK has learned that final arrangements are underway to streamline or rethink plans in dozens of areas.

The Tokyo organizers are working with the International Olympic Committee to reduce additional costs due to the one-year postponement. The costs are projected to reach several billion dollars.

They are looking at more than 200 areas as part of efforts to simplify the Games, with the aim of reaching a consensus at an IOC meeting scheduled for later this month.

Officials say the organizing committee picked about 50 of them as a focus of their streamlining efforts, including the number of officials attending the Games, and the events and receptions for IOC officials.

Also included are -- the number of seats allocated to officials; bus and other transportation services; the participants in the opening and closing ceremonies; how to implement the torch relay; and the personnel planning of the organizing committee.

The list is expected to be presented at a board meeting of the organizing committee on Tuesday.

Key words : report Catherine Kobayashi
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/videos/20200915133913623/

Researchers in labs around the world are rushing to develop a vaccine to protect against the coronavirus. But public health experts fear political pressure could be skewing the science. NHK World's Catherine Kobayashi reports.

Key words : learned clinical resume
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200914_28/

NHK has learned that British pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca plans to resume clinical trials of a coronavirus vaccine in Japan soon, following their resumption in Britain.

Sources close to the firm say the trials will restart this week at the earliest at multiple locations in Japan, with about 250 people aged 18 or older taking part.

AstraZeneca is working with Oxford University to develop the vaccine. Trials in Britain and Brazil are in the final phase.

But the drug maker halted its trials around the world last week after one of the participants in Britain developed an unexplained illness.

AstraZeneca said in a statement on Saturday that it had resumed the trials in Britain after an independent committee concluded it's safe to conduct the trials.

The firm agreed with the Japanese government last month to provide doses for at least 60 million people. It aims to make those for 15 million people available by next March.

Key words : oracle submitted
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200915_13/

US software giant Oracle says it is in talks with the Chinese firm ByteDance to partner on the US operations of the popular video-sharing app TikTok.

Oracle said on Monday that it has submitted a proposal to the Treasury Department.

The two firms appear to have agreed that Oracle would serve as technical partner to protect TikTok users' private information, instead of making an outright acquisition.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told reporters his department will review the proposal this week, and President Donald Trump will be notified soon afterward.

Microsoft previously made an outright buyout attempt, but the two companies failed to reach a deal.

Trump has ordered ByteDance to sell TikTok's operations in the US, citing national security risks. He says the Chinese government could abuse users' data.

Even if Oracle and ByteDance strike a deal, it's unclear whether both Washington and Beijing would approve it.

Key words : European Union agreed
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200915_14/

Leaders of the European Union and China have agreed to accelerate talks on a bilateral investment accord. They are aiming to reach a deal this year. But differences remain over the openness of the Chinese market.

The officials held a video-conference on Monday. China's state-run Xinhua news agency quoted President Xi Jinping as saying the Chinese market is already open to EU companies. He said both sides should pursue openness and cooperation.

But European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said afterward that a lot still remains to be done.

She said European investors face too many barriers in key sectors, especially for future and emerging digital technologies. She said the EU expects the barriers will be removed.

The video conference also covered political issues. The EU side reiterated strong concern over China's national security law for Hong Kong. Xi reportedly brushed off the comment, saying Beijing doesn't tolerate any country meddling in its internal affairs.

The EU side urged China to refrain from unilateral actions in the South China Sea, respect international law and avoid escalations of tension.

Key words : Iran murder
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200915_06/

Iranian authorities say they have executed a wrestler who was convicted of murdering a man. The execution has been drawing international criticism.

Iran's state-run media on Saturday quoted judicial authorities as saying that they executed Navid Afkari.

The 27-year-old wrestler was convicted of stabbing a man to death during anti-government protests in 2018.

He is believed to have taken part in the protests that spread across Iran amid the worsening economy.

Amnesty International has released an audio recording in which Afkari reportedly asserts his innocence. The human rights organization has condemned Iranian authorities, saying that he was forced to make a false confession.

The International Olympic Committee issued a statement, saying that it is deeply upsetting that the pleas of athletes from around the world did not achieve their goal.

The World Players Association based in Switzerland said that the execution was "held up as an example to terrorize the public and silence dissent."

The Iranian authorities have denied that the wrestler was tortured, and said that his execution was carried out legally with due process.

Key words : weather Yoko Komagata
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Key words : castle
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200914_35/

Restoration work on the interior of a key structure of a centuries-old castle in Kumamoto Prefecture, southwestern Japan, is almost over, four years after it was heavily damaged by earthquakes.

The towers of Kumamoto Castle were damaged by the quakes in April 2016.

Media were invited to view the renovated interior of the main tower on Monday.

The uppermost sixth floor of the main tower commands a panoramic view of the city of Kumamoto. The walls have been refaced with traditional plaster to recreate the atmosphere of the castle's main tower when it was completed around 1600.

The pillars and ceiling have been covered with locally-grown cypress.

Panels are to be set up in the first through fourth floors to showcase the history of the castle up until the present day.

An elevator has been newly set up in the main castle tower to better service visitors. Technology designed to reduce the impact of tremors in the event of an earthquake has also been installed.

All renovation work for the main tower and a smaller tower is scheduled to be completed by next March. The site will then open to the general public.

Castle office head Amita Tatsuo says he felt very proud standing on the top floor of the main tower. He says he wishes residents of Kumamoto can see it soon and feel how the restoration has progressed.