Key words : metropolitan 101
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210103_13/
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government reported 816 new cases of the coronavirus in the Japanese capital on Sunday.
That's the highest number for a Sunday in Tokyo.
Officials also say the number of seriously ill patients has reached 101, up seven from Saturday.
It's the first time the number of seriously ill patients has surpassed 100 since the state of emergency was lifted in May.
The total number of people who have tested positive for the coronavirus in the capital now stands at 62,590.
Key words : three prefecture
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210103_03/
The Governors of Tokyo and its three adjoining prefectures are calling for a more urgent response to the surge in coronavirus cases. The leaders have petitioned the central government to declare another state of emergency for their region.
Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko met with the minister in charge of the coronavirus response, Nishimura Yasutoshi. Also at the meeting were the governors of Saitama, Chiba and Kanagawa.
Koike said, "We made a request to the central government regarding the declaration of a state of emergency. In light of the number of people who have tested positive and the current state of the medical-care system, we made the request as it is necessary to immediately curb the movement of people."
Nishimura said, "We discussed the severity of the situation in the metropolitan area with the governors of Tokyo and the three prefectures. The government should take the situation seriously and consider whether it is necessary to issue a state of emergency at this time."
He asked the governors to request that restaurants close at 8 p.m. and stop serving alcoholic beverages before 7 p.m. He also asked that people refrain from going out after 8 p.m. unless absolutely necessary.
People on the street had mixed reactions.
A man said, "It would be better to issue another state of emergency. People will find it easier to do the right thing if they are clearly told not to go out."
A woman said, "I think the government might as well make the declaration. It will be difficult to bring the situation under control if things are left as they are."
Another man said, "To be honest, I don't think it's necessary. It could be dangerous to let the economy deteriorate further."
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has confirmed over 800 new cases in the capital on Saturday. Thursday marked a record high of 1,337, exceeding 1,000 for the first time.
The number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 in Tokyo hit a fresh high on Friday. There are growing fears about the ability of the medical system to cope with the influx of patients.
A state of emergency announced for some prefectures in April before being expanded nationwide later that month helped to curb the initial spread of infections in Japan.
Key words : death toll
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210103_01/
Japanese health officials confirmed 3,059 new cases of the coronavirus on Saturday.
That brings the total number of infections to 242,768, including 712 on a cruise ship.
The officials reported 31 deaths, including six in Osaka Prefecture and five each in Hiroshima and Aichi. The overall death toll has risen to 3,585, including 13 on the vessel.
The health ministry says 711 patients are in serious condition.
Key words : pandemic Coming of Age
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210103_10/
A town in western Japan has held a Coming of Age celebration for new adults in a rare move amid the coronavirus pandemic. All participants were required to be tested for the virus beforehand.
The event took place in the town of Wakasa in Tottori Prefecture on Sunday, and 19 new adults took part.
Some of them had returned to the town from areas where the virus is spreading. The town requested that all the participants undergo PCR tests, with the town covering the cost.
Mayor Yabe Yasuki told the new adults that the impact of the coronavirus is significant, but he wants them to stay ambitious and take steady steps toward a successful future.
Representing the new adults, a male participant said now that he marked the coming-of-age milestone, he wants to pursue his vision for the future, though they face all the restrictions that stem from the coronavirus.
New adults in kimonos or suits enjoyed the reunion, taking photos together and reminiscing about their shared memories.
A female participant said she wants to compare notes with her old friends. She also said she wants to become a nurse whom patients can trust.
Key words : organizer olympic risk
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210103_08/
Organizers of the postponed Tokyo Paralympics are facing challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic as some athletes, especially those with respiratory problems, have a higher risk of developing severe symptoms once infected.
The Tokyo Paralympics will open on August 24, 16 days after the closing of the Olympics. During the 13-day Paralympic Games, about 4,400 athletes are scheduled to take part in 539 events across 22 sports.
It is expected that many of the spectators will be people with disabilities and their caregivers, who could be in close contact with each other while watching events.
International organizations of various sports and the International Paralympic Committee are working to draw up measures to mitigate infection risks.
They are studying specific ways to protect Paralympians, including how to keep distances between athletes, shield them from droplets, and disinfect their equipment.
But as the pandemic continues, international para-sports events are being canceled, affecting the selection process for the Paralympics, as well as training.
That poses further obstacles for organizers, in addition to safeguarding athletes and spectators from the virus.
Key words : analyst pre-pandemic
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210103_05/
Many analysts say Japan's economy, which has taken a battering from the coronavirus pandemic, will get back on the road to recovery this year. However, they add the government's forecast that the economy will return to pre-pandemic levels by the first half of next year appears unlikely.
According to estimates by 35 private-sector economists that were compiled by the Japan Center for Economic Research, the economy will shrink by 5.37 percent in real terms this fiscal year, which ends in March. But it will grow 3.42 percent in fiscal 2021.
They say personal spending will pick up as economic restrictions gradually ease, and that there will also be an increase in exports, including electronic parts to China and automobiles to the US.
The forecast growth rate for the next fiscal year is the highest since comparable data became available in 1995. Yet it still falls short of the government's projected rate of around 4 percent.
The government will continue to face the difficult task of steering the economy back to recovery by striking a balance between anti-infection steps and economic activity.
Key words : india emergency use
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210103_12/
India has authorized the emergency use of two coronavirus vaccines, the first time the country has approved vaccines for COVID-19.
The country's drug regulator said on Sunday that final approval has been granted for a vaccine developed by the British firm AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford, as well as another developed by the Indian company Bharat Biotech.
The total number of coronavirus cases in the country has surpassed 10 million, second only to the United States.
The government plans to start administering vaccines to a first group that includes healthcare workers soon. It aims to inoculate 300 million people by summer.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the approvals. On Twitter he called the development "A decisive turning point to strengthen a spirited fight!"
The AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine was given go-ahead by the British government on December 30. In India it is being made by the Serum Institute of India.
The firm has already prepared about 50 million doses. It plans to increase production to 100 million a month by the end of 2021.
Key words : united kingdom fifth
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210103_09/
The daily count of coronavirus cases in the United Kingdom has hit a new high, surpassing 50,000 for the fifth straight day.
The country confirmed 57,725 new cases on Saturday, while authorities are taking tough measures against a mutated variant of the virus.
The new strain is spreading in London and elsewhere in the country's southeast. The authorities have placed restrictions on people's outings and ordered almost all non-essential retail shops to close.
Local media report that some hospitals in London are facing bed shortages and are transferring patients to other hospitals outside the capital. They report that a temporary hospital set up in April is once again ready to accept COVID-19 patients.
London officials have announced that all primary schools in the city will remain closed for the time being, although the new term was scheduled to start on Monday.
Last month, Britain began rolling out a vaccine developed by US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and Germany's BioNTech.
Hopes are also high for another vaccine developed by British pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford, with the first doses due to be given on Monday.
However, it is expected to take several months to give shots to elderly people and others who are at the top of the priority list for the country's vaccination program.
Key words : france party
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210103_06/
French police have shut down an illegal rave with 2,500 party-goers at an unused warehouse in the western city of Lieuron.
Local media reported that the party started on New Year's Eve and continued through Saturday morning.
Large gatherings of this sort are strictly prohibited and an 8:00 p.m. curfew is in place in France to prevent further spread of the coronavirus.
As the police tried to stop the event, some of the participants threw rocks at them and damaged police vehicles. Several officers were reportedly injured.
Police questioned about 1,600 participants for non-compliance with the curfew and not wearing a mask. Organizers are in police custody.
Local health officials cited very high infection risks in a statement and urged anyone who was at the party to self-isolate for seven days.
Key words : japanese national hoping
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210103_07/
Relatives of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea are hoping that the new year brings positive developments towards the return of their loved ones.
The relatives are calling for concrete and strategic efforts on the part of the government to realize their return.
Parents of abductees are aging. The father of one abductee and the mother of another passed away last year, leaving only two surviving parents.
The abductee issue remains a top priority with the government of Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide, who took office last September. Government officials say they will make use of every opportunity to solve the issue, but no solution has been found.
North Korea's ruling Workers' Party is scheduled to hold its congress in early January for the first time in five years. A new economic program is expected to be announced during the session.
North Korea's economy is said to be severely affected by the coronavirus pandemic and damage from floods.
Some abductee families say Japan should analyze the situation in the North and prompt its leader Kim Jong Un to make a decision by offering him some attractive proposals.
Iizuka Shigeo is the brother of abductee Taguchi Yaeko. He is 82 years old and heads a group of abductees' relatives.
Iizuka told NHK that the frustration of the relatives over the stalled situation has turned into anger.
Iizuka said he wants Prime Minister Suga to show some leadership in moving things forward so that a clear road map to solving the issue can be drawn up.
He said he's long been dreaming of a scene in which returning abductees and their families embrace each other at the foot of the boarding ramp of an aircraft. He added that he wants the Japanese authorities to help make that dream come true.
The Japanese government says North Korean agents abducted at least 17 Japanese citizens in the 1970s and '80s. Five were repatriated after a bilateral summit in 2002, but the rest remain unaccounted for.
Key words : iran remember
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210103_04/
People in Iran have remembered the country's top military commander, General Qassem Soleimani, who was killed a year ago by a US airstrike in Iraq.
A ceremony to commemorate the first anniversary of his death was held on Saturday at a cemetery in the province of Kerman in southeastern Iran, where Soleimani was from.
Mohsen Rezaee, a former commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, told reporters after the ceremony that the country will never forgive America for its actions. He added that its revenge will be to drive US troops from the Middle East.
However, while there is deep-rooted distrust of the US among the Iranian people, some are calling for improved relations and the lifting of US sanctions in the face of a grim economic situation.
The focus is on how the bilateral relationship will change after US President-elect Joe Biden takes office later this month. Biden has expressed his intention to return to the Iran nuclear deal.
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