at 20:00 (JST), January 09 (now testing voice-text converter)

 

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20220108200000_english_1.mp3 

Hello, a very warm. Welcome to NHK news line on Yemen with a Mickey in Tokyo. 

We start this hour in Japan, where Care Homes are pressing ahead with third, vaccine shots for seniors and staff, as the Omicron variant continues. Its rapid spread five care. Homes in Chiba city, east of Tokyo started giving third shots on December 23rd, that was nearly two months ahead of initially planned. More than 600 users and staff at these facilities are expected to have your boosters. Have had their boosters by the end of the coming week. 

 _ _ Booster shots will reassure caregivers seniors and their family members. 

But a group representing Elder. Care Facilities says only a small number have started administering. The shots. So far. Some homes. Say they have not received vaccinations to get from municipalities other. Say they've been told by officials That vaccine supplies have not yet arrived. 

_ _ _ To be places where you get severe cases and infection clusters, giving booster shots as soon as possible over the coming month is key. To preventing that. 

The association says Care Homes can reach out to their municipal offices to urge them to speed up the process. 

Prime minister of ki-shi-da who uses the Japanese and US governments have agreed to restrict outings by American military personnel. In Japan. Local residents are becoming increasingly concerned about the surgeon coronavirus infections at us bases. 

We reach them on agreement that the US will not allow non-essential outings by its military personnel in Japan. 

The Japanese government had been urging the United States to adopt tougher antivirus measures Japanese government sources. Say, the American Military will start the restrictions for Monday. The US also plans to make these masks mandatory for base Personnel. Also on Sunday, the US Marine Corps, Iwakuni are stationed, in Yamaguchi, prefecture Western Japan, confirmed five, new cases of the coronavirus American officials have not disclosed your nationality. or gender or whether they were barred from leaving the base. You'll fulfill say they will undergo quarantine until they recover. 

_ _ Emergency coronavirus measures have taken effect in the Japanese. Prefectures of Okinawa, Hiroshima and Yamaguchi. The streets of Chatham town in Okinawa or usually bustling with residents and US military personnel, but the downtown district was nearly empty Sunday. After the coroner has measures went into Force. 

I try not to go out. I went shopping early in the morning. I want to avoid the crowds. 

Two months ago to come and spend time with my grandparents. I didn't expect this would happen. I'm anxious about returning to work when I get home. 

Fewer people were visiting me as Yuma Island, which is a popular tourist destination in Hiroshima prefecture. The local shopping center was quiet despite it being the middle of a three-day weekend. 

_ _ Trips for January a canceled. This is a serious brought to our business.  

Prime minister kishida said, he will do. What is necessary to avoid putting strain on the medical system. 

We have started booster vaccinations and the Practical use of an oral medicine. __ If there is a medical crisis, I will consider further restrictions. 

On Sunday, told you officials reported over 1,200 new cases, topping 1000, for two days in a row. 

China has also been seeing a Resurgence in coronavirus cases. The northern city of Tianjin is now conducting PCR test, on all residents. After two, cases of the old negro variant were detected state-run. China, central television says the affected or a 29 year old woman and a You are not from the same family and neither had left the city in the 14. Days before testing positive authorities, believe they are cases of community transmission and have identified 18 people who are in close contact with into and have tested positive. 

City officials started conducting the PCR test on Sunday. They plan to test all of T and jeans more than 13 million residents, the city neighbors Beijing, which will host the Winter Olympics. Next month. 

Public Health officials in the u.s. Say the coronavirus related hospitalization rate for children 4 and under in the country is surging. The age group is currently not eligible to get the vaccine. The data from the US Centers for Disease, Control and prevention. Show. The rate was 4.3 per 100,000 in the week, through January 1st. That is up from the 2.6 recorded. The previous week, CDC director. Rochelle wilensky said in a telephone briefing on Monday. Friday. The figure is the highest it has been at any point in the pandemic she added. It is crucial for adults to get vaccinated to protect their children. 

for those children who are eligible. I strongly encourage their parents to get them back. Meaning, for our youngest children. Who are not yet. Eligible for vaccination? It's critically important that we surround them with. People who are vaccinated to provide them protection. 

Only 16. 25 percent of the u.s. Population is fully vaccinated. One of the lowest rates among developed countries. Just 36% has received booster shots. The US government is trying to get more people inoculated by shortening. The interval between second and third doses to five months before the visor and moderna vaccines. It has also made booster shots available to children, aged 5 to 11 who suffer from immune disorders. 

Voters in South Korea, head to the ballot boxes in a couple of months to choose a new president. The latest polls show ruling Party candidate each. Annual ahead of his main opposition rival by 10 percentage points. 

__ Represents the Democratic party and is a former governor of gyeonggi-do Province. He's been out on the campaign, Trail to build up his base. The latest Gallup. Korea, polls show me with a support rating of thirty six percent. His major opposition rival is used soldier of the people power party who is a former top prosecutor. You can support, raid, has slipped to 26%. The drop is partly due to a dispute with him, his own camp. These have been feuding with party leader. Each.  jun-seok, who is a popular figure with young people. He left the election committee as a result. You was forced to overhaul his team, but the to then struck the surprise reconciliation. It is a move, apparently aimed at attracting younger voters in third place in the polls is untrue resume of the Centrist people's party with 50% support. It is possible that the opposition parties could form a coalition. _ _ _Top of the leading candidate. 

The US says it is open to discuss about Ukraine with Russia on Missile deployment and the scale of military exercises, when they meet for talks. On Monday tensions have been running High since Russia deployed troops near its border with Ukraine, last late, last year, a senior official of the US Administration says, it will not ask that NATO, and it's open door policy for new members. Moscow does not want me to go to expand Eastward. _ _ _ Cause reciprocal restrictions on Missile deployment to Ukraine and on the size and scope of military exercises in the region. The senior Administration official warns that Russian media began to report missing information to justify, Moscow, s position, even while the talks in Geneva are underway. 

And those were the headlines for this hour. 

And that is all for this edition of NHK news line. I'm Yamamoto Miki in Tokyo. Thank you for staying with us on 8. HD world-japan.