at 20:00 (JST), October 25

 

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20201025200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : united nations banning
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20201025_08/

A United Nations treaty banning nuclear weapons has reached the 50 ratifications it needs to come into force.

A UN official told NHK on Saturday that Honduras has ratified the pact.

The UN adopted the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in July 2017 with the approval of 122 countries and territories.

It says the use of nuclear weapons violates international law, which is applied in armed conflicts, and bans the development, possession and use of such armaments.

It will go into effect on January 22, 2021, 90 days after the 50th ratification.

The five major nuclear powers, including the US, Russia and China, and countries such as Japan that fall under the US nuclear umbrella have not joined the treaty.

Non-nuclear nations, including Austria, and international NGOs, such as ICAN, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, hope the treaty will give impetus to the movement for disarmament.

Nuclear weapons will be deemed illegal for the first time under international law when the treaty comes into force. But its effectiveness in achieving disarmament is uncertain, as the major nuclear powers are against the pact.

Key words : kishi
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20201025_18/

Japan's Defense Minister Kishi Nobuo has expressed doubts about the effectiveness of the UN treaty banning nuclear weapons that is expected to come into force in January.

Kishi told reporters on Sunday that the nuclear powers cannot join the treaty, so he doubts its efficacy.

Kishi said Japan is the only country to have suffered atomic bombings and it must show leadership to achieve the elimination of nuclear arms. He said it is important for countries, including the nuclear powers, to show they are willing to take concrete steps for nuclear abolition. He added that it is necessary to create an environment where the international community can agree on this.

Asked by reporters whether Japan will sign the treaty, he only said that the government will make the decision.

Key words : nagasaki
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20201025_17/

The mayor of Nagasaki City has repeated his call for the Japanese government to ratify the UN treaty banning nuclear weapons.

Mayor Taue Tomihisa said he wants the government to attend a signatories' meeting as an observer if it is difficult for Japan to ratify the treaty.

Taue said he hopes the government will play a leading role in achieving nuclear disarmament, adding that Japan knows more about the horrors of nuclear weapons than other nations as it is the only country to have suffered atomic bombings.

Key words : survivor unite
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Key words : momentum
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20201025_14/

A key Japanese member of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, or ICAN, has expressed joy at the UN treaty to ban nuclear weapons reaching the required 50 ratifications to go into effect.

ICAN International Steering Group member Kawasaki Akira looked back on the path he took with many atomic bomb survivors during an online news conference.

He said that they worked on sharing the horrible experiences of the atomic bombings and communicating lasting pain and suffering of the survivors to the world.

He said that he wants to celebrate the occasion with the survivors who told the world in their own words never to use nuclear weapons again and the people who have suffered due to nuclear tests.

He added that with the UN treaty, nuclear weapons will be deemed illegal and that it is the beginning of the end of such weapons.

He stressed that they are determined to continue working toward abolishing nuclear weapons, with the treaty giving momentum to the movement.

Key words : Tsuboi
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20201025_13/

The head of the atomic bomb survivors' group in Hiroshima, Tsuboi Sunao, says the news that the treaty will take effect is a big step forward.

Tsuboi said the treaty will not lead to the immediate abolition of nuclear weapons, but it will still be a major step towards achieving that goal.

He vowed to continue working to urge the nuclear powers and countries under the nuclear umbrella to join the treaty.

Tsuboi added that he especially wants the Japanese government to respect the wishes of atomic bomb survivors and consider joining the treaty.

Key words : samsung
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20201025_15/

Lee Kun-hee, the leader of Samsung Group, South Korea's biggest conglomerate, died on Sunday at the age of 78.

Samsung Electronics said in a statement that Lee died with his family by his side.

The third son of Samsung's founder studied at universities in Japan and the United States, and assumed the post of chairman in 1987. Lee was known as a charismatic business leader, helping the group's core firm, Samsung Electronics, to become a global giant in such fields as semiconductors and smartphones.

Lee had not made public appearances in recent years due to ill health. His eldest son, Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong, served as the de-facto head of the conglomerate.

South Korean media outlets are giving extensive coverage to the news, as Samsung Group has an enormous influence on the country's economy.

Key words : Belarus mike
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20201025_11/

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has reportedly told US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that Russia and Belarus are ready to jointly respond to external threats.

Belarusian state media reported that Pompeo called Lukashenko on Saturday. Lukashenko is also said to have told Pompeo that a national dialogue is taking place.

Protesters in Belarus have been demanding Lukashenko's resignation by the end of Sunday. They say a national strike will begin on Monday if he does not step down .

Demonstrations have continued since Lukashenko claimed victory in the August 9 presidential election. But opposition groups say the vote was rigged.
The head of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, Sergei Naryshkin, visited Belarus on Thursday and reaffirmed the strong ties between the two countries. Naryshkin is a close aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Key words : suicide bombing
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20201025_05/

A suicide bombing apparently targeting an education center has killed 18 people and injured more than 50 in the Afghan capital, Kabul.

The blast occurred on Saturday. The Afghan government says it appears to be a suicide attack carried out by one person.

Local police say the attacker detonated explosives when security guards stopped him before he entered the center.

The Islamic State militant group said it was behind the attack.

The incident took place in an area where many members of the Hazara Shia minority live. Islamic State militants have repeatedly targeted the area.

The Taliban denied its involvement.

The Afghan government and the Taliban began ceasefire talks last month. But the country faces a tough challenge in restoring security as casualties from terrorist attacks continue to rise.

Key words : Brazil
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20201025_12/

Violent crimes are on the rise in Brazil amid the coronavirus pandemic. The number of victims of homicide increased by 7.1 percent between January and June from the same period last year.

The Brazilian government and other sources say there were 25,712 murders and other violent deaths in the country in the first half of 2020. That's the equivalent of one person being killed every 10 minutes. The number of people killed by the Brazilian police increased by 6 percent year-on-year to 3,181. The number of police officers who were killed rose by 19.6 percent to 110.

Some experts say coronavirus restrictions may be a factor behind the rise in violent crime, as these measures have led to increased conflict between criminal gangs over drug trafficking routes.

Key words : singapore
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20201025_06/

Diners in Singapore are enjoying meals on board an Airbus A380 parked at Changi Airport.

Singapore Airlines opened the restaurant in the world's biggest passenger plane for two weekends from Saturday. It hopes to raise revenue to help make up for the losses caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Customers have a choice of cabin class. The meals on offer include spicy Malay dishes with fish and shrimp or a Japanese fish dish. The prices range from about 38 to 480 US dollars.

A range of cabin crew uniforms are on display at the airport. Customers can also have their photos taken with crew members.

A man in his 20s said he enjoyed the meal and imagined that he was up in the sky.

Singapore Airlines has had to cancel most of its flights because of the pandemic. It reported a deficit of more than 760 million US dollars for the April-June quarter.

The carrier has cut 4,300 jobs, or about 15 percent of its workforce.

7’30”  Achoo!