Welcome to NHK “Newsline.” I’m Gene Otani in Tokyo.
Members of Japan’s largest opposition party have chosen their new leader. The Constitutional Democratic Party held a special convention on Monday in Tokyo to select its leadership. Four candidates ran in the contest. Noda came out ahead. Party members as well as supporters cast votes.
Translator: I am determined to take over the government. The battle starts today no matter who the Liberal Democratic Party chooses as its leader on September 7th. A general election will definitely be held before long. So let’s start preparing for that battle today. From now on we have no sides. Let’s unite our party so we can take power.
The 67-year-old Noda has been elected nine times in the lower house since 1993. He’s from Chiba Prefecture next to Tokyo. Noda served as prime minister under the now defunct Democratic Party of Japan after the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Noda has called for a change in government and maximizing the number of seats held by the opposition party. He says he wants to establish a Pacific Charter to enjoy regional prosperity and peace.
Seven people are dead, two are missing and five are unaccounted for as torrential rains beat down over the weekend in Ishikawa. The prefecture on the Sea of Japan coast is still recovering from the massive New Year’s Day earthquake. Rainfall from Friday to Sunday in some areas was more than double the average for September. The Meteorological Agency has warned people to be on the alert for more mudslides and floods across much of the country. A heavy rain emergency warning for Ishikawa issued on Saturday has been downgraded. But there have been reports of damage across the region.
Translator: I was wondering when the rescuers would come. I thought I would have to be here for another night. I didn’t have a way to contact anyone. I’m relieved that the Self Defense Forces came.
Ten people were found near a tunnel in Wajima following a landslide on Saturday. Two were confirmed dead. Reconstruction work was being carried out near the tunnel to repair damage caused by the New Year’s Day quake. Many rivers have overflowed their banks, causing flooding in the ground floor of some houses. Local officials in Wajima say four homes located along a river have been swept away. They say four residents can’t be contacted. Rescue teams of about 400, including Japan’s Self-Defense Forces are searching for them. A local father is hoping his child will soon be found. His daughter was home alone when the disaster struck.
Translator: My only wish is for her to be found. Even if she’s not alive. I want to hug her.
Wajima suffered major damage in the January 1st earthquake. Some temporary housing for quake survivors has now been flooded.
Translator: A temporary house I’m planning to live in almost flooded on the ground floor. There are houses that have flooded. I wonder what’s next.
People are being advised to pay attention to the latest weather and evacuation information issued by local governments.
World leaders gathering at the United Nations have adopted new guidelines amid growing global challenges. Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio said there should be concrete actions to secure the council as next year marks the U.N.’s 80th anniversary. The two-day Summit of the Future conference kicked off on Sunday in New York ahead of an annual debate. It aims to help the international community to address future issues. While Russia, North Korea, Iran, and three other countries try to alter the pact saying it could interfere in another country’s affairs. The Pact for the Future also highlights the urgent need to reform the United Nations’ Security Council, which is said to be dysfunctional due to rivalry among permanent members. Kishida made the plea in his address to the U.N. Summit on the Future.
Translator: The great majority of states support the expansion of both permanent and nonpermanent membership categories in the U.N. Security Council. The majority are also acutely aware of its vital role in international peace and security and the need to restore trust.
Kishida concluded by saying world leaders must unite under the banner of multilateralism to build a better future, and that Japan remains unwavering in its commitment to the U.N.
This four-day trip to the U.S. is Kishida’s final overseas visit before stepping down as Japan’s main ruling Liberal Democratic Party will elect a new leader later this week. NHK World’s Shimizu Daishi explains how Kishida has been working to solidify ties with Washington and other strategic partners.
Reporter: After three years we have come to Japan on what is commonly known as Kishida diplomacy. Amid the increasingly tense situation around the world, the Japanese Prime Minister has worked hard to boost cooperation among the G7 members. He has sought in particular to strengthen the Japan-U.S. alliance and he has succeeded in improving relations between Tokyo and Seoul. A senior administration official said that Japan’s presence on the world stage has definitely increased, but important issues remain unsolved, such as how China should be dealt with, especially as Beijing has been becoming increasingly aggressive. Another pressing matter is the issue of the abductions of Japanese citizens by North Korea. Meanwhile, the candidates competing in the regional Democratic Party’s leadership election have entered the final stretch of their campaign. Prime Minister Kishida intends to think carefully and decide whom he will support. He wants to back someone who can broaden his diplomacy achievements and resolve issues. Some members of Kishida’s former faction say that they should stick together in order to maintain their influence. Kishida’s decision could well be the key to predicting who will win the party’s leadership election. This is Shimizu Daishi from New York.
Turning to Iran. An explosion at a coal mine has killed more than 30 workers. Iran state-run media reported that the blast occurred around 9:00 p.m. on Saturday. Around 70 people were reportedly working at the time. The president expressed condolences to the victims’ families. He said an investigation has begun and the government will take steps to ensure no other such disasters happen. The Associated Press is calling this one of Iran’s worst-ever mining accidents.
Those were the main stories for this hour.
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