at 20:00 (JST), March 27

 

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20210327200000_english_1.mp3


Key words : infection week-on-week
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210327_15/

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government says it confirmed 430 new cases of coronavirus infection on Saturday.

The figure is up 88 from a week ago. The daily tally has posted a week-on-week increase for eight straight days.

The seven-day average of daily new infections through Saturday is 342.9, up 14.8 percent from the previous week. This marks the 15th straight day of increase.

The total number of infections in the capital now stands at 119,661.

Key words : myanmar leader doubled
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210327_14/

Myanmar's military leader has doubled down on his justification of last month's coup as civilians continue to call for protests.

Senior General Min Aung Hlaing on Saturday spoke at a ceremony in Naypyitaw on Armed Forces Day, which commemorates the start of resistance against the Imperial Japanese military in 1945.

He said soldiers had to seize power because of "unlawful acts" during the general election last year. He stressed his claim the military will ensure social and economic developments in the country.

The military says representatives of about 30 countries usually attend the annual ceremony. But only eight countries, including China and Russia, took part this year. Japan was absent.

Min Aung Hlaing expressed gratitude to the Russian representative for the country's support, describing it as a "true friend."

Meanwhile, the military has been stepping up its crackdown on protesters.

A local human rights organization says as of Friday, 328 people have been killed since the February 1 coup.

Protesters are calling for nationwide demonstrations on Saturday.

Key words : senkaku security treaty
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210327_10/

Japan and the United States are mulling a joint statement affirming that Article Five of the Japan-US Security Treaty applies to the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea. The development will follow a meeting of the leaders of the two countries.

The article obliges the US to defend territories under Japan's administrative control.

Japan controls the islands. China and Taiwan claim them. The Japanese government maintains the islands are an inherent part of Japan's territory, in terms of history and international law. It says there is no issue of sovereignty to be resolved over them.

Chinese government vessels have repeatedly entered Japan's territorial waters near the Senkaku Islands.

Japan's Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide is scheduled to visit the US capital on April 8 and to meet US President Joe Biden the following day. He will be the first foreign leader to hold an in-person meeting with Biden since the President took office in January.

Officials of the two governments are working to include references in the statement to strengthening the Japan-US alliance and close cooperation toward a free and open Indo-Pacific.

The leaders are likely to use the meeting to affirm their commitment to eliminating all North Korean ballistic missiles in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner. North Korea launched ballistic missiles on Thursday.

They are also expected to discuss close cooperation on climate change.

Key words : biden johnson
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210327_12/

US President Joe Biden has suggested to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson that democratic countries should create a program similar to China's Belt and Road initiative to help develop countries in need.

The leaders spoke by telephone on Friday.

Biden said after the talks that the Chinese initiative was among topics of discussion.

He said, "I suggested we should have, essentially, a similar initiative, pulling from the democratic states, helping those communities around the world that, in fact, need help."

Biden did not go into details. But the US apparently aims to work with Britain and other democracies in a move against China to assist developing countries.

The Chinese initiative supports infrastructure projects around the world. The US is increasingly cautious of Beijing's expanding influence.

The office of the British prime minister said Johnson and Biden had confirmed their countries and the European Union had imposed sanctions on Chinese interests over human rights issues in the country's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. They also reportedly expressed concern about Beijing's moves to counter the sanctions.

Key words : US boycott halted
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210327_11/

The United States has condemned a Chinese consumer boycott of foreign companies over their stance on the alleged forced labor of minority Uighurs.

Swedish clothing maker H&M announced that it will stop procuring cotton from China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in response to allegations of forced labor.

A youth organization of the Chinese Communist Party criticized the decision, saying that it is based on false rumors. The criticism sparked online calls for a boycott.

State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Jalina Porter said on Friday, "The United States condemns the PRC's state-led social media campaign and corporate and consumer boycott against companies, including American, European and Japanese businesses, for their decision to avoid inputs using Xinjiang cotton because of forced labor."

She said, "We commend and stand with companies that adhere to the US laws and ensure products we are consuming are not made with forced labor."

In January, the US government halted imports of cotton and other products from the Xinjiang region.

This month, the United States and European Union sanctioned officials in the region.

Key words : biden virtual climate
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210327_09/

US President Joe Biden has invited 40 heads of state including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping to the Leaders Summit on Climate.

The White House released a statement on Friday on the virtual gathering which Biden will host on April 22 and 23.

Countries invited are responsible for a significant proportion of global emissions and GDP. The leaders include Japan's Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide.

Countries that are highly vulnerable to climate change are also invited.

The statement says the summit will focus on galvanizing efforts to reduce emissions in order to limit global warming.

Also to be discussed will be the economic opportunities of climate action, such as job creation, as well as the importance of ensuring the transition to a clean energy economy benefits communities and workers.

The statement says the US will announce its 2030 emissions target by the time of the summit.

Biden returned the US to the Paris Agreement on climate change on his first day in office.

Key words : US taiwan coast guard
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210327_03/

The United States and Taiwan have signed an agreement to strengthen cooperation between their coast guards, apparently with an eye on China.

Senior officials held a ceremony in Taipei on Friday to mark the signing of a memorandum of understanding in Washington the day before.

The two sides are now expected to establish a Coast Guard Working Group to coordinate policy. They will cooperate in search and rescue operations and respond to fishing vessels that violate regulations.

Officials stressed that this is the first official agreement between the two sides since US President Joe Biden took office. The US and Taiwan do not have diplomatic relations.

The officials did not directly mention China, which has enacted a new law allowing its coast guard to use weapons.

However, Taiwan Premier Su Tseng-chang separately suggested the new law was a factor. He said it has shocked the region, adding those with common values need to work together to protect peace and stability.

Key words : taiwan defense ministry
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210327_04/

Taiwan says 20 Chinese military aircraft entered its air defense identification zone on Friday.

It is the largest number for a single day since September, when Taiwan's defense ministry began announcing data in the current format.

Ministry officials say the fleet included 12 fighter jets, four bombers and two patrol planes.

They say Chinese military aircraft normally head home after reaching waters southwest of Taiwan, but some went further this time, passing through the Bashi Channel between Taiwan and the Philippines.

Media in Taiwan say China's move was in response to an agreement signed by the United States and Taiwan to strengthen cooperation between their coast guards.

Key words : ioc reduce
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210327_13/

The International Olympic Committee Executive Board has decided that only people who have essential and operational roles will be granted accreditation for the Tokyo Olympics.

The IOC announced on Friday that the Japanese government said it needs a significant reduction in the number of accredited participants who do not have operational roles.

Top officials responsible for the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics decided this month that overseas spectators will not be allowed to attend the Games due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The decision was made during a five-party organizers' meeting that included the IOC and the Japanese government.

Tokyo 2020 Director General Muto Toshiro said accreditation should be reviewed, but participants with organizing roles could be allowed into Japan for the Games.

The IOC says that following the request from Japan, it has cancelled or reduced the IOC Guest Programme as well as invitations to Olympic athlete legends.

The decision applies to the Paralympic Games as well.