September 1, Thursday, 2016 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Mr. Raja Pradan and Ms. Hiroko Kitadai
1. NHK has learned that Japan’s prime minister has decided to have his trade minister also occupy a new ministerial post responsible for promoting economic cooperation with Russia.
2. Disaster preparedness drills are being held across Japan. Nearly one million people are expected on Thursday to practice for a major earthquake.
3. A Japanese government-backed overseas volunteer program for the young has been presented with this year’s Ramon Magsaysay Award.
September 2, Friday, 2016 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Mariko Kojima and Mr. Raja Pradan
1. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is heading to Russia’s Far East in hope of achieving a long-held political goal.
2. Powerful Typhoon Lionrock has left an extensive damage in its way across northern Japan.
3. Official campaigning has begun to select the new leader of Japan’s largest opposition Democratic Party.
September 3, Saturday, 2016 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Risa Shimizu and Ms. Fumiko Konoe
1. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to cooperate on resolving a bilateral territorial issue in an effort to conclude a peace treaty.
2. In the southern Philippines, Muslim extremists linked to the Islamic State militant group have claimed responsibility for a blast that killed more than a dozen people and injured many others.
September 4, Sunday, 2016 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Mr. Hirokazu Sakamaki and Ms. Keiko Kitagawa
1. Leaders of 20 industrialized and emerging economies will meet in China on Sunday to discuss challenges facing the global economy.
2. U.S. President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping remain divided over security issues such as China’s maritime build-up in the South China Sea and the U.S.’s deployment of its advanced missile defense system in South Korea.
3. Voters in Hong Kong are heading to the polls to choose members of the territory’s Legislative Council.
September 5, Monday, 2016 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Mr. Raja Pradan and Ms. Yuka Matsumoto
1. Leaders of the Group of 20 industrialized and emerging countries are discussing corruption and fairness of taxation.
2. North Korea reportedly launched ballistic missiles toward the Sea of Japan on Monday.
3. Hong Kong voters turned out in record numbers for the territory’s most important election since the 1997 handover from Britain to China.
September 6, Tuesday, 2016 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Risa Shimizu and Ms. Fumiko Konoe
1. The G-20 nations have agreed to implement monetary fiscal and structural policies to achieve sustainable and balanced global growth.
2. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese President Xi Jinping have agreed that their countries will try to work together to improve ties.
3. Hong Kong candidates critical of Beijing have gained enough seats to veto important bills in the territory’s Legislative Council.
September 7, Wednesday, 2016 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Fumiko Konoe and Ms. Yuka Matsumoto
1. The U.N. Security Council has strongly condemned North Korean missile launches in a press statement.
2. ASEAN leaders have reportedly agreed that disputes in the South China Sea should be resolved based on international law.
3. The New York Times reports U.S. President Barack Obama is likely to abandon a key proposal in his drive to achieve “a world without nuclear weapons.”
September 8, Thursday, 2016 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Yuka Matsumoto and Ms. Hiroko Kitadai
1. Leaders at the East Asia Summit are expected to discuss North Korea, which has repeatedly launched ballistic missiles recently.
2. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has met with the leaders of Australia, India and Vietnam on the sidelines of the ASEAN meeting.
3. China is showing willingness to have dialogue to resolve the issue of overlapping claims in the South China Sea.
September 9, Friday, 2016 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Sarah McDonald and Ms. Mariko Kojima
1. North Korea’s state-run media say the country has succeeded in its first nuclear warhead explosion test.
2. A series of summit meetings held by leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and other countries ended on Thursday in the Laotian capital of Vientiane.
3. Four U.S. swimmers, including Olympic gold medalist Ryan Lochte, have been suspended from competition for false claims in Rio de Janeiro.
September 10, Saturday, 2016 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Risa Shimizu and Ms. Fumiko Konoe
1. The United States and Russia say the Syrian government and opposition forces have agreed to a ceasefire starting on Monday at sundown. The deal was mediated by the two countries.
2. The United Nations Security Council has issued a press statement condemning North Korea’s nuclear test. The statement also indicates member nations will discuss further sanctions against the North.
September 11, Sunday, 2016 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Mr. Hirokazu Sakamaki and Ms. Keiko Kitagawa
1. The Chinese Foreign Ministry has lodged a diplomatic protest with North Korea over the North’s 5th nuclear test.
2. Health ministers from the Group of 7 countries are now in the city of Kobe in western Japan to tackle global health challenges.
3. Airstrikes in a rebel-held city in northwestern Syria have killed at least 58 people.
September 12, Monday, 2016 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Mr. Mick Corliss and Mr. Yoshi Ogasawara
1. South Korea is warning that North Korea may conduct another nuclear test following Friday’s blast.
2. A memorial service has been held for the victims of the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks in New York, marking 15 years since that tragedy.
3. The operator of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant has postponed work to remove a temporary cover from a damaged reactor building due to strong winds.
September 13, Tuesday, 2016 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Risa Shimizu and Ms. Fumiko Konoe
1. Two powerful earthquakes struck South Korea on Monday night, injuring at least 8 people.
2. American and South Korean diplomats have agreed to take tough action against North Korea following its nuclear test and ballistic missile launches.
3. U.S. Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has told CNN she is feeling much better and hopes to return to the campaign trail in a couple of days.
September 14, Wednesday, 2016 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Emma Howard and Ms. Yuka Matsumoto
1. The United Nations General Assembly has begun in New York. Syria’s civil war, the refugee crisis and North Korea’s nuclear program are expected to be high on the agenda.
2. Chinese President Xi Jinping has said his country and Vietnam should resolve their claims in the South China Sea through consultations.
3. Officials from Japan and China began talks on bilateral maritime issues.
September 15, Thursday, 2016 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Mr. Raja Pradan and Ms. Hiroko Kitadai
1. China’s government has issued warnings for heavy rains and mudslides as a powerful storm rages in the country’s south.
2. Members and supporters of Japan’s largest opposition party are gathering to settle its new leader on Thursday.
3. Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike has left for Brazil to attend Sunday’s closing ceremony of the Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro.
September 16, Friday, 2016 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Mr. Raja Pradan and Ms. Mariko Kojima
1. Japan and the United States have agreed to work together to step up the deterrent against North Korea as a move forward for its nuclear and missile program.
2. China has launched an unmanned experimental space laboratory as part of an effort to create its own space station around 2020.
3. The ceasefire in Syria is holding by and large, but humanitarian convoys have not been able to deliver aid supplies.
September 17, Saturday, 2016 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Risa Shimizu and Ms. Fumiko Konoe
1. U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has stressed the need to make progress in ending the civil war in Syria, ahead of the September 21st International Day of Peace.
2. More than 75,000 Syrian refugees are stranded in desert areas along the border between Jordan and Syria. They are reportedly facing a serious shortage of food.
3. The Japanese government is studying how to proceed with discussions in response to the Emperor’s apparent wish to abdicate.
September 18, Sunday, 2016 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Mr. Hirokazu Sakamaki and Ms. Keiko Kitagawa
1. Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is set to leave for New York on Sunday to attend the United Nations General Assembly and other top-level meetings. He will later travel to Cuba.
2. At least 29 people were injured in an explosion in Manhattan in New York City on Saturday.
3. The Syrian military says its soldiers have been killed in a U.S.-led coalition air strike. The move comes as a shaky ceasefire is taking hold in the country.
September 19, Monday, 2016 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Mr. Raja Pradan and Ms. Yuka Matsumoto
1. Investigators in New York say they believe Saturday’s explosion in the city center was caused by a homemade explosive.
2. The foreign ministers of Japan, the United States and South Korea have agreed to seek a new U.N. resolution that includes sanctions against North Korea for its repeated nuclear tests and ballistic missile launches.
3. China’s state-run media has reported on a joint landing drill by the Chines and Russian navies in the disputed South China Sea.
September 20, Tuesday, 2016 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Risa Shimizu and Ms. Fumiko Konoe
1. U.S. investigators say they have arrested a man they suspect of being responsible for bombings in New York and neighboring New Jersey.
2. World leaders have unanimously adopted a declaration calling on the international community to share the burden and responsibility of supporting refugees.
3. The leaders of the United States and China have agreed to step up cooperation to address the nuclear threat posed by North Korea, including the pursuit of a new U.N. Security Council sanctions resolution.
September 21, Wednesday, 2016 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Mr. Mick Corliss and Ms. Helen Lewis
1. U.S. President Barack Obama has made a plea for global cooperation and integration in his final speech to the U.N. General Assembly before he leaves office in January.
2. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has pledged to contribute 100 million dollars to the World Bank to help support refugees.
3. The Japanese government plans to hold a Cabinet ministers meeting to discuss the future of an experimental reactor in Fukui Prefecture on Wednesday.
September 22, Thursday, 2016 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Yuka Matsumoto and Ms. Hiroko Kitadai
1. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has pledged that his country will lead discussions at the U.N. Security Council on resolute action against North Korea over its military provocations.
2. Prime Minister Abe has pledged more than 1.1 billion dollars in aid to Syria, Iraq and neighboring countries.
3. The foreign ministers of four countries seeking permanent membership on the U.N. Security Council have issued a joint statement stressing the need to reform the body.
September 23, Friday, 2016 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Keiko Kitagawa and Ms. Mariko Kojima
1. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Cuban President Raul Castro have held talks in Havana.
2. The Japanese government has announced the launch of a panel of experts in response to the Emperor’s wish to abdicate.
3. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is planning to visit Japan in late October to hold talks with the Japanese prime minister.
September 24, Saturday, 2016 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Risa Shimizu and Ms. Fumiko Konoe
1. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has expressed his determination to seek a strong international response to North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs. He also said Japan will work to implement its unilateral sanctions on Pyongyang.
2. The United Nations Security Council has adopted a U.S.-led resolution calling for all member states to refrain from nuclear explosive tests.
3. Airstrikes continue in Syria’s northern city of Aleppo after the government of President Bashar al-Assad declared a new offensive in areas controlled by opposition forces. The truce now appears on the verge of collapse.
September 25, Sunday, 2016 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Mr. Hirokazu Sakamaki and Ms. Keiko Kitagawa
1. Leaders of European countries affected by waves of refugees and migrants from North Africa and the Middle East have agreed that it is essential to work closely with Turkey to deal with the crisis.
2. The Syrian foreign minister has indicated that his government and military may continue their renewed offensive against anti-government forces.
3. An international conference on wildlife protection has opened in Johannesburg, South Africa.
September 26, Monday, 2016 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Mr. Yoshi Ogasawara and Mr. Mick Corliss
1. Japan’s extraordinary session of the Diet convened on Monday. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told his party members that there is no time to stand still in order to respond to the global situation.
2. Rifts between permanent members of the U.N. Security Council have failed to present any effective measures to stop re-escalation of the war in Syria.
3. Japan’s top government spokesperson says the country will continue to focus monitoring China’s military activities to defend its territorial land, waters and air space.
September 27, Tuesday, 2016 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Risa Shimizu and Ms. Fumiko Konoe
1. Japan will submit a draft resolution to a U.N. disarmament committee calling for the total abolition of nuclear weapons for the 23rd year in a row.
2. A North Korean official has suggested his country will not follow a recent U.N. Security Council resolution that calls for member states to refrain from nuclear explosive tests.
3. Japan’s Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and former top Chinese diplomat Tang Jiaxuan have agreed on the need for the countries to improve ties.
September 28, Wednesday, 2016 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Emma Howard and Ms. Yuka Matsumoto
1. The World Health Organization has asked the Syrian government to set up safe corridors to evacuate the sick and wounded from east Aleppo.
2. A senior U.S. official says Washington plans to deploy a new anti-missile system in South Korea as soon as possible to counter the threat from North Korea.
3. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says improving working conditions is a priority of his administration.
September 29, Thursday, 2016 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Mr. Raja Pradan and Ms. Hiroko Kitadai
1. The leaders of Japan and Singapore say they will take a firm stance against North Korea, which has been conducting nuclear and ballistic missile tests.
2. The United States will send hundreds of new troops to Iraq to assist local forces in the fight against the Islamic State militant group.
3. An international team of investigators says a Malaysian Airlines passenger jet shot down in eastern Ukraine two years ago was hit by a Russian-made missile fired from a village held by pro-Russian rebels.
September 30, Friday, 216 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Mr. Raja Pradan and Ms. Fumiko Konoe
1. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has come up with an investigative report on decontamination work at the capital’s planned new wholesale food market in Toyosu.
2. Japan’s Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida says the importance of the Japan-U.S. alliance will not change regardless of which candidate is elected president of the United States.
3. Japan’s Consumer Price Index for August was down for the 6th straight month.