Daily English News: February
February 28, 2010 (6:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Madoka Kanai
1. Japan’s Meteorological Agency has issued a major tsunami warning for the country’s northern Pacific coast and a tsunami warning for a wide area from Hokkaido to Okinawa.
2. A massive earthquake that hit Chile on Saturday has killed more than 300 people.
3. A major tsunami caused by the quake reportedly killed at least five people and 11 others are missing on and off an island off Chile.
February 28, 2010 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Madoka Kanai
1. Japan’s Meteorological Agency has issued a major tsunami warning for the country’s northern Pacific coast and a tsunami warning for a wide area from Hokkaido to Okinawa.
2. A massive earthquake that hit Chile on Saturday has killed more than 300 people.
3. A major tsunami caused by the quake reportedly killed at least five people and 11 others are missing on and off an island off Chile.
February 27, 2010 (6:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Madoka Kanai
1. The U.S. Geological Survey says a major earthquake with a magnitude of 8.5 hit Chile in South America early Saturday.
2. A U.S. transport authority says it will examine a Toyota car driven by a woman who testified before the U.S. Congress about her experience with unintended acceleration of the car.
3. Thailand’s top court has ruled that ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra be stripped of $ 1.4 billion, saying he had used his power to illegally enrich himself.
February 27, 2010 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Madoka Kanai
1. Thailand’s top court has ruled that ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra be stripped of $ 1.4 billion, saying he had used his power to illegally enrich himself. Thaksin’s supporters have sharply criticized the ruling, sparking bears of fresh political turmoil.
2. China’s top legislature has enacted a national defense mobilization law that puts the people and industry under state control in the event of a national emergency.
3. Japan’s Foreign Minister, Katsuya Okada, and the U.S. special envoy to North Korea, Stephen Bosworth, have confirmed that the two nations will work closely together to resume the six-party calls on North Korea’s nuclear program.
February 26, 2010 (6:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Yuka Matsumoto
1. Toyota Motor President Akio Toyoda met with U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood a day after giving testimony before U.S. lawmakers on the automaker’s massive recalls.
2. Myanmar’s highest court has dismissed an appeal by opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi to end her house arrest.
3. In the women’s figure skating at the Vancouver Olympics, South Korea’s Kim Yu Na has won the gold medal. Japan’s Mao Asada won the silver.
February 26, 2010 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Kaori Nimura and Mr. Robert Jefferson
1. The president of Toyota meets with the U.S. transportation secretary a day after testifying before U.S. lawmakers on the automaker’s on-going massive recalls.
2. Dire warning is from Japanese business leaders who say the country may be left behind in global competition if the government and industries do not drastically review their strategies.
3. A Japanese government delegation briefs on a U.N. human rights committee reviewing the nation’s human rights situation on its efforts to fight racism.
4. Ukraine’s new president is pledging to seek a balanced foreign policy with Russia, Europe and the United States.
February 25, 2010 (6:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Hiroko Kitadai
1. Toyota Motor President Akio Toyoda has apologized for a series of recalls and admitted that his company’s rapid expansion in recent years has caused safety issues.
2. The top U.S. envoy on North Korean affairs is in Beijing for discussions on ways to resume the six-party talks on the North’s nuclear program.
3. The World Health Organization has decided against announcing that the H1N1 influenza pandemic that was declared last year has reached its peak.
February 25, 2010 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Kaori Nimura and Mr. Robert Jefferson
1. Toyota Motor’s global president apologizes to the U.S. Congress for quality issues that have resulted in massive recalls of some of its vehicles.
2. The top U.S. envoy on North Korean affairs is in Beijing for discussions on ways to resume the six-party talks on the North’s nuclear program.
3. Japan’s Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada urges Iran’s leadership to resove the issues surrounding its nation’s nuclear program.
4. The World Health Organization has decided against announcing the peach of the H1N1 influenza pandemic that was declared last June.
February 24, 2010 (6:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Keiko Kitagawa
1. At the U.S. House Energy and Commerse hearing on Tuesday, the president of Toyota Motor Sales in the U.S. apologizes the automaker’s slow response to customer complaints.
2. The U.S. special envoy on North Korean Affairs will visit Japan, China and South Korea to discuss how to get the North to return to the six-party talks on its nuclear program.
3. Latin American and Caribbean nations will set up a new regional block that excludes the United States and Canada.
February 24, 2010 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Kaori Nimura and Mr. Robert Jefferson
1. At the U.S. House Energy and Commerce hearing on Tuesday, the president of Toyota Motor Sales in the U.S. apologizes for the automaker’s slow response to customer complaints.
2. The U.S. special envoy on North Korean affairs will visit Japan, China and South Korea to discuss how to get the North to return to the six-party talks on its nuclear program.
3. The number of America’s war dead in Afghanistan has topped the 1,000 level since the start of the 2001 offensive against the Taliban.
4. A massive landslide at a tea plantation on the Indonesia’s island of Java has left four people dead and 40 others missing.
February 23, 2010 (6:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Hiroko Kitadai
1. The president of Toyota Motor has pledged to personally lead a company-wide effort to institute more stringent quality control.
2. Japan and the United States will cooperate in developing technology to tighten international management of plutonium, enriched uranium and other nuclear material so that the two countries can better prevent possible terrorist attacks.
3. The International Whaling Commission has proposed to put all whaling activities under its control and sharply cut the number of whale catches.
February 23, 2010 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Kaori Nimura and Mr. Robert Jefferson
1. Toyota Motor Corporation receives its subpoena from a federal grand jury in the Southern District of New York to produce documents related to the recall of some of its vehicles.
2. A British firm has begun drilling for oil near the disputed Falkland Islands in the south Atlantic, despite strong opposition from Argentina’s government.
3. Israel’s foreign minister turns down Britain’s request for cooperation in the investigation of the murder in Dubai over a senior official of the Palestinian resistance group Hamas.
4. Japanese officials are urging the European Union not to support Monaco’s proposal to ban the trade of bluefin tuna.
February 22, 2010 (6:00 p.m.) Read by Mr. Hirokazu Sakamaki
1. Japan’s Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama has admitted that political fund scandals may have been an important factor in the ruling coalition parties’ defeat in the gubernatorial election in Nagasaki Prefecture.
2. Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirofumi Hirano says Japan’s research whaling should not be deliberated in the International Court of Justice.
3. Iran’s Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani has criticized a report issued by the new head of the International Atomic Energy Agency which claims his country’s nuclear development could be related to weapons development.
February 22, 2010 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Kaori Nimura and Mr. Robert Jefferson
1. Prime Minister Hatoyama admits that political funding scandals could have been an important factor in the ruling coalition parties’ defeat in Nagasaki Prefecture’s gubernatorial election.
2. The president of Toyota Motor arrives in the U.S. capital to testify at a Congressional hearing on the automaker’s recent recalls.
3. Iran’s parliament speaker criticizes a new IAEA report that claims his country’s nuclear program might be related to weapons development.
4. Japan’s central bank will soon end five of the six measures it implemented to mitigate the impact of the global financial crisis.
February 21, 2010 (6:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Madoka Kanai
1. Japan’s defense minister has indicated the need to begin negotiations with the United States next month on the relocation of a U.S. Marine air station in Okinawa to settle the issue by the end of May.
2. A U.S. lawmaker says a U.S. insurance firm alerted regulators six years ago about the increasing number of cases of sudden acceleration problems with Toyota Motor vehicles.
3. Firms listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange are expected to see an increase in the pre-tax profits for the year ending in March, largely thanks to growing exports to emerging economies.
February 21, 2010 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Madoka Kanai
1. Japan’s defense minister has urged a government task force to select possible relocation sites for the U.S. Marine Corps Futenma Air Station in Okinawa by the end of this month.
2. Firms listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange are expected to see an increase in their pre-tax profits for the year ending in March.
3. Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga says that fighting against piracy off Somalia will not be won with warships.
February 20, 2010 (6:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Madoka Kanai
1. The United Nations has appealed for more donations from the world community to help Haiti recover from the devastating earthquake.
2. The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations says the U.S. and other Security Council members are working on additional sanctions against Iran due to its nuclear development.
3. A U.N. human rights envoy has expressed regret over the human rights situation in Myanmar.
February 20, 2010 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Madoka Kanai
1. The United Nations has appealed for more donations from the world community to help Haiti recover from the devastating earthquake.
2. Japan’s Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama has pledged more than 29,5 billion yen, or around 321 million dollars in yen-denominated loans to help Kenya build a geothermal power plant.
3. In Morocco, a 4-century-old mosque minaret has collapsed, killing at least 36 people and injuring 71.
February 19, 2010 (6:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Yuka Matsumoto
1. Toyota Motor President Akio Toyota says he will personally testify before a U.S. Congressional panel next week to explain the automaker’s recalls.
2. The Dalai Lama now visiting Washington says U.S. President has expressed sympathy and strong support for greater autonomy to Tibet.
3. Finance Minister Naoto Kan says the U.S. Federal Reserve’s decision to raise its discount rate will not negatively affect the Japanese economy.
February 19, 2010 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Hiroko Kitadai and Mr. Robert Jefferson
1. The president of Toyota agrees to testify before the U.S. Congress next week to answer questions about the recent recalls of some of its models made in the soil of the U.S.
2. U.S. President Barack Obama meets with the Dalai Lama at the White House despite warnings from leaders of China that could hurt bilateral ties.
3. Japan’s defense minister indicates that moving the functions of a U.S. Marine air station to another air base in Okinawa may be a viable option.
4. Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says the if Japan does not end its whaling activities by November, his government will appeal to the International Court of Justice.
February 18, 2010 (6:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Yuka Matsumoto
1. The U.S. government says it will launch an investigation into consumer complaints about problems with the power steering of late models of Toyota Corolla passenger cars.
2. Japan’s Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama has met for the first time with Susumu Inamine, the newly elected mayor of Nago City in Okinawa Prefecture.
3. The Bank of Japan has decided to keep its ultra-easy monetary policy for the time being to support the nation’s economic recovery.
February 18, 2010 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Hiroko Kitadai and Mr. Robert Jefferson
1. The U.S. government says it will launch an investigation into customer complaints, while two U.S. Congressional committees will hold hearings next week to look into safety issues regarding Toyota Automobile.
2. Japan’s prime minister meets for the first time with the newly elected mayor of Okinawa’s Nago City, a candidate site for a U.S. base relocation under an existing plan.
3. Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, is in Washington for talks with U.S. President Barack Obama, despite strong protest from China.
4. The body of a Georgian luge competitor who died in a crash during a practice run for the Vancouver Winter Olympics has been returned home.
February 17, 2010 (6:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Keiko Kitagawa
1. The United Nations says a treaty banning the production and use of cluster bombs will take effect in August now that enough countries are to ratify the pact.
2. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki says the Iraqi people will vote for the unity in next month’s election and downplaying concerns of further sectarian conflict.
3. The U.S. Department of Transportation says it will investigate whether Toyota’s multiple questions show it acts swiftly enough in recalling defective vehicles.
February 17, 2010 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Hiroko Kitadai and Mr. Robert Jefferson
1. The U.N. special envoy to North Korea says U.N. agencies are likely to discuss humanitarian aid with North Korean officials over the next few months.
2. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is warning western nations against imposing new sanctions, saying the response will make them regret having done so.
3. Japan’s defense minister and senior members of the ruling coalition parties have agreed to draw up a relocation plan for a U.S. air station in Okinawa as soon as possible.
4. Japanese astronaut Naoko Yamazaki will make her first trip to space early in April
aboard the U.S. space shuttle Discovery.
February 16, 2010 (6:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Kaori Nimura
1. A French presidential advisor says France is preparing a U.N. Security Council draft resolution that imposes new sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program.
2. North Korean leader Kim Jong Il turns 68 on Tuesday. On the even of his birthday, a gala ceremony was held in the capital Pyongyang, though Kim did not attend.
3. At the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, South Korea’s Mo Tae Bum has won the men’s speed skating 500-meter race.
February 16, 2010 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Hiroko Kitadai and Mr. Robert Jefferson
1. A French presidential advisor says his nation is preparing a U.N. Security Council draft resolution that imposes new sanctions on Iran because of its nuclear program.
2. The E.U. warns the Greek government that it must take further cost-cutting steps to bring the government’s debt crisis under control.
3. Major Japanese oil wholesalers are cutting back on oil refining capacities in an effort to survive in the shrinking market.
4. A Japanese nurse just back from quake-stricken Haiti says the country needs more medical facilities to accommodate patients and treat them properly.
February 15, 2010 (6:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Hirokazu Sakamaki
1. Japan’s economy grew at an annual pace of 4.6 percent in the October to December period last year.
2. Twelve civilians have been killed in a U.S.-led assault on a Taliban stronghold in southern Afghanistan’s Helmand Province.
3. A member of an anti-whaling group in the Antarctic Ocean has boarded the Japanese whaling ship that the group has been harassing.
February 15, 2010 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Hiroko Kitadai and Mr. Robert Jefferson
1. Japan’s economy grew at an annual rate of 4.6 percent in the fourth quarter last year, on strong sales of auto parts and semiconductors to the U.S. and Asian markets.
2. Twelve civilians were killed in a U.S.-led weekend assault on a Taliban stronghold in southern Afghanistan’s Helmand Province.
3. In Iraq, electoral officials reject appeals by Sunni candidates that they be allowed to participate in next month’s parliamentary election.
4. In Japan’s Diet, the governing coalition wants to start discussing tax reform this week, but the opposition parties want to question a leading political figure over a funds scandal.
February 14, 2010 (6:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Madoka Kanai
1. Japan’s Finance Minister Naoto Kan plans to start full-scale discussions on the overall tax system, including a consumption tax hike, next month.
2. The second unit of Japan’s Ground Self-Defense Force has left for quake-ravaged Haiti to join U.N. peacekeeping operations there.
3. In Vancouver Olympics, Hannah Kearney of the United States has won the gold medal in women’s moguls free style skiing. Japan’s Aiko Uemura finished fourth in the finals.
February 14, 2010 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Madoka Kanai
1. In India, at least eight people were killed and 32 wounded by a bomb blast in the central state of Maharashtra.
2. In Afghanistan, a U.S.-led international force has launched a major offensive on a Taliban stronghold in the southern province of Helmand.
3. Toyota Motor’s president has apologized to a customer who brought his new hybrid Prius into a dealer in Tokyo after it was recalled.
February 13, 2010 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Madoka Kanai
1. The 21st Winter Olympics have opened in Vancouver, with a ceremony at BC Place in the Canadian city.
2. In Haiti, memorials have been held across the country for more than 200,000 people who perished in last month’s devastating earthquake.
3. A secret document has revealed that France deliberately sent troops into radiation as part of nuclear weapons tests that it began 50 years ago.
February 13, 2010 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Madoka Kanai
1. The 21st Winter Olympics have opened in Vancouver, with a ceremony at BC Place in the Canadian city.
2. In Haiti, memorials have been held across the country for more than 200,000 people who perished in last month’s devastating earthquake.
February 12, 2010 (6:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Yuka Matsumoto
1. It has been one month since a devastating earthquake struck Haiti.
2. For the first time during its current research expedition, three crew members of a Japanese research whaling vessel have been injured in a clash with the anti-whaling group Sea Shepherd.
3. U.S. President Barack Obama has urged automakers to respond quickly and decisively to public safety concerns.
February 12, 2010 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Kaori Nimura and Mr. Robert Jefferson
1. A month since a devastating earthquake struck Haiti, still only about a quarter of the roughly one million people whose homes were destroyed have been given at least tents to live in.
2. Japan’s defense minister does not think the Northern Mariana Islands can be chosen as a relocation site for a U.S. air base in Okinawa by the May deadline.
3. U.S. President Barack Obama has urged automakers to come forward quickly and decisively when problems with their vehicles are identified.
4. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad addresses massive celebrations in Tehran to mark the 31st anniversary of the revolution that overthrew the regime of the Shah.
February 11, 2010 (6:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Miwa Gardner
1. Toyota Motor’s president plans to visit the U.S. early next month to personally explain how the automaker intends to prevent a recurrence of recently reported safety problems.
2. Tens of thousands of civil servants in Greece staged a 24-hour strike to protest the government’s fiscal restructuring measures.
3. The top diplomats of Japan and South Korea pledged stronger ties during this year’s 100th anniversary of Japan’s annexation of the Korean Peninsula.
February 11, 2010 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Kaori Nimura and Mr. Robert Jefferson
1. Toyota Motor’s president plans to visit the U.S. early next month to personally explain how the automaker intends to prevent a recurrence of recently reported safety problems.
2. The top diplomats of Japan and South Korea pledged stronger ties during this year’s 100th anniversary of Japan’s annexation of the peninsula in 1910.
3. The mayor of one of the Northern Mariana Islands offers to host the functions of a U.S. Marine airbase in southwestern Japan’s Okinawa Prefecture.
4. Tens of thousands of civil servants in Greece staged a 24-hour strike to protest the government’s fiscal restructuring measures.
February 10, 2010 (6:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Hiroko Kitadai
1. Toyota Motor dealers in Japan have started reprogramming computer software in the latest Prius hybrids. The cars were recalled over problems with their braking systems.
2. U.S. President Barack Obama says his country is moving ahead with the international community to strengthen sanctions against Iran for expanding its uranium enrichment program.
3. In Haiti, at least 230,000 people were killed in the devastating earthquake last month, exceeding the casualties of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.
February 10, 2010 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Kaori Nimura and Mr. Robert Jefferson
1. Toyota dealership in Japan begin repairing the brakes of about 200,000 units of its hybrid Prius, while Honda Motors recall seven models sold in the U.S. to fix faulty airbags.
2. Iranian authorities say the country has begun enriching uranium to the 20 percent level at a nuclear facility in Natanz, south of Tehran.
3. Haitian officials say at least 230,000 died in last month’s devastating earthquake, exceeding the death toll of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.
4. A Japanese government panel begins visiting Guan, a proposed relocation site, for the U.S. Marine Corps’ Futenma Air Station in southern Japan’s Okinawa Prefecture.
February 9, 2010 (6:00 p.m.) Read by Mr. Hirokazu Sakamaki
1. Toyota Motor President Akio Toyoda has apologized for his company’s hybrid and three other models with similar brake systems.
2. The United Nations says it is racing against time to bring in hazard-resistant shelters for quake survivors in Haiti before the start of hurricane season.
3. Somalia’s interim government foreign minister says his country is becoming a base for Al Qaeda and has called for international support to maintain security.
February 9, 2010 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Kaori Nimura and Mr. Robert Jefferson
1. Japan’s prime minister tells the Palestinian president that his government supports an early resumption of the Middle East peace process.
2. Japan’s government accepts Toyota’s recall of the hybrid Prius and other models over concerns about whether it meets national safety standards.
3. Iranian leaders have defied Western demands, and formally notified the International Atomic Energy Agency that the nation will start enriching uranium to a higher grade.
4. Japan’s government will offer the leaders of Somalia over 35 million officers and to provide food for refugees.
February 8, 2010 (6:00 p.m.) Read by Mr. Hirokazu Sakamaki
1. The first unit of Japan’s Self-Defense Forces has arrived in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, to join United Nations operations in the quake-ravaged Caribbean nation.
2. Toyota Motor has decided to conduct a major recall of its latest Prius hybrid car to make changes to the braking control system.
3. Japan’s largest beer maker, Kirin Holdings, and the 3rd largest, Suntory Holding, have broken off merger negotiations.
February 8, 2010 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Kaori Nimura and Mr. Robert Jefferson
1. The first unit of Japan’s Self-Defense Forces has arrived in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, to join United Nations operations in the quake-ravaged Caribbean nation.
2. Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama says his Cabinet needs to view their fall in its approval rates humbly and seriously.
3. Toyota Motor decides to conduct a major recall of its latest Prius hybrid car in Japan to make changes to the braking control system, and will take similar steps in foreign countries such as the U.S.
4. Iran’s government will inform the International Atomic Energy Agency that the nation will begin enriching low-grade uranium to a higher level.
February 7, 2010 (6:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Madoka Kanai
1. The Group of Seven industrialized countries have ended their meeting in the Canadian Arctic town of Iqaluit, with a pledge to cooperate in reinforcing economic recovery.
2. Toyota is to resume production of the eight car models it had previously recalled in the United States, starting next Monday.
February 7, 2010 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Madoka Kanai
1. The Group of Seven industrialized countries have ended their meeting in the Canadian Arctic town of Iqaluit, with a pledge to cooperate in reinforcing economic recovery.
2. Toyota is to resume production of the eight car models it had previously recalled in the United States, starting next Monday.
February 6, 2010 (6:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Madoka Kanai
1. Finance Ministers and central bank governors from the Group of Seven industrialized nations have exchanged views on Greece’s fiscal problems and the outlook for the Chinese economy.
2. Japan’s Self-Defense Force relief team is leaving for quake-devastated Haiti to take part in a U.N. peacekeeping mission there.
3. In Iraq, at least 27 Shia pilgrims have been killed in a string of attacks against Shia Muslims, while in Pakistan a series of bombing attacks has killed 25 people.
February 6, 2010 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Madoka Kanai
1. Finance ministers and central bank governors of the Group of Seven industrialized nations have begun talks on the global economy in the Canadian Arctic city of Iqaluit.
2. The president of Toyota Motor Corporation has said his company is considering responding as quickly as possible to complaints about problems with the brakes in the new model of the Prius released in May last year.
3. In Iraq, at least 27 Shia pilgrims have been killed in a string of attacks against Shia Muslims.
February 5, 2010 (6:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Yuka Matsumoto
1. Toyota Motor says it is considering a recall of its popular Prius hybrid car, and will notify the Japanese transport ministry.
2. Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama says he wants to meet Democratic Party Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa and to confirm Ozawa’s intention to continue serving in the post.
3. A U.N. special envoy is heading to North Korea for four days of talks on the North’s nuclear program, human rights, aid and other issues.
February 5, 2010 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Hiroko Kitadai and Mr. Robert Jefferson
1. DPJ’s Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa apologizes for the indictment of his three former and current aides for the alleged false reporting of funds, but he says he won’t resign from his post over the affair.
2. Toyota Motor says it is considering a recall of its popular Prius hybrid car, and will notify the Japanese transport ministry when it reaches its decision.
3. The prospective labor strike in Greece and possible repercussions elsewhere in Europe contributed to sharp declines on U.S. and European stock markets.
4. The office of the Dalai Lama announces that the Tibetan spiritual leader will visit Washington from February 17 for a planned meeting with President Barack Obama.
February 4, 2010 (6:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Miwa Gardner
1. Tokyo prosecutors have indicted three former and current aides to Democratic Party Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa in a political funds scandal.
2. Haitian Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive says more than 200-thousand people have died in the earthquake on January 12.
3. U.S. President Barack Obama will not reinstate North Korea to his nation’s list of terrorism-sponsoring states.
February 4, 2010 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Hiroko Kitadai and Mr. Robert Jefferson
1. Tokyo prosecutors are set to indict three former and current aides to DPJ Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa in a political funds scandal, but lack any evidence to indict Ozawa.
2. March or April has been seen in Russia as a realistic deadline for the signing of a new arms reduction treaty with the U.S. since only small technical differences remain to be settled.
3. Apparently hoping for a quid pro quo, U.S. President Barack Obama decides not to reinstate North Korea to his nation’s list of terrorism-sponsoring states.
4. Toyota begins addressing what some drivers say its “brake problem” with its Prius hybrid car which went on sale last May.
February 3, 2010 (6:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Keiko Kitagawa
1. The Japanese government will examine three possible scenarios for achieving its targeted 25-percent reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2020.
2. Japan’s Transport Ministry has ordered Toyota Motor to check the brake system of the latest model of the Prius hybrid car.
3. The White House says U.S. President Barack Obama plans to meet the Dalai Lama, despite China’s warning that such a meeting will hurt bilateral ties.
February 3, 2010 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Hiroko Kitadai and Mr. Robert Jefferson
1. A flurry of contradicting statements continues to be made here in Japan over efforts to move a U.S. military air base in southern Japan.
2. Iran’s president softens his nation’s stance by saying he is ready to send uranium abroad for enrichment, as proposed by the United States and some European nations.
3. The financial collapse of Japan Airlines will cause six major trading firms to post total losses of more than a billion dollars.
4. A White House official says U.S. President Barack Obama plans to meet the Dalai Lama, despite China’s warning that such a meeting will hurt bilateral ties.
February 2, 2010 (6:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Kaori Nimura
1. The United States says it is open to discussing alternative options for relocating a Marine air station in Japan’s southernmost prefecture Okinawa.
2. A U.S. presidential spokesman has suggested that China should respond calmly to the U.S. decision to sell advanced weapons to Taiwan.
3. The U.N. climate change secretariat says 56 nations have outlined their goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2020.
February 2, 2010 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Hiroko Kitadai and Mr. Robert Jefferson
1. The U.N. climate change secretariat says 56 nations have outlined their goals for reducing greenhouse emissions by 2020 by the January 31 deadline.
2. Japanese and U.S. officials begin talks in their deepening bilateral alliance as the two nations mark this year’s 50th anniversary of the revised Japan-U.S. security treaty.
3. The U.S. budget deficit is expected to surge to a record high of 1.5 trillion dollars in fiscal 2010 that started last October.
4. China’s state media says that when the government officials met special envoys of the Dalai Lama, they ruled out high-level autonomy in Tibet.
February 1, 2010 (6:00 p.m.) Read by Mr. Hirokazu Sakamaki
1. Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirofumi Hirano says it is important for Japan and China to deepen relations with an eye to the future.
2. The office of the U.S. Congresswoman from Guam says President Barack Obama plans to visit the island in March.
3. Mexican President Felipe Calderon says the governments of Japan and Mexico should work together to persuade major industrial nations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
February 1, 2010 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Hiroko Kitadai and Mr. Robert Jefferson
1. A question and answer session in Japan’s Diet began on Monday, with opposition party leaders grilling Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama about the policy speech he delivered last Friday.
2. Mexico’s president says the governments of Japan and Mexico should work together to persuade major industrial nations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
3. A special envoy of U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon is scheduled to visit North Korea in early February to discuss humanitarian assistance and the North’s nuclear development program.
4. The World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland closed on Sunday after five days of discussions on economic and environmental issues.