NHK World News - June 16, 2011

Kan resolved to enact natural energy law

Prime Minister Naoto Kan says he is determined to enact an energy-related bill in the current session of parliament despite calls for him to step down. (NHK World Daily News, 16 Jun 7:45 JST).

China to invite quake hit-firms to trade fair

China says it will invite firms from Japan's disaster-stricken regions to its biggest trade fair. (NHK World Daily News, 16 Jun 7:45 JST).

TEPCO to begin work for cooling fuel pool

At the damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant, work is likely to begin Saturday to install a circulatory cooling system for the fuel pool of the Number 3 reactor. (NHK World Daily News, 16 Jun 7:45 JST).

Nuclear operators submit safety reports

The Japanese operators of 2 nuclear reprocessing facilities have submitted reports on their strategies for dealing with loss of power sources, in the wake of the Fukushima crisis. (NHK World Daily News, 16 Jun 7:45 JST).

Japan protests S.Korea minister visit to isles

Japan has again protested a visit by a South Korean Cabinet Minister to disputed islets in the Sea of Japan. (NHK World Daily News, 16 Jun 7:45 JST).

APEC meeting in Sendai on disaster management

APEC officials will discuss corporate disaster management when they meet in the Japanese city of Sendai in August. (NHK World Daily News, 16 Jun 7:45 JST).

Militants attack Yemeni provincial capital Houta

Armed gunmen have attacked a provincial capital in Yemen, engaging in a fierce battle with government forces. (NHK World Daily News, 16 Jun 7:45 JST).

9 injured in protests in Greece

Tens of thousands of people demonstrated in the Greek capital Athens on Wednesday against the government's austerity policies. (NHK World Daily News, 16 Jun 7:45 JST).

TEPCO tests water treatment facility

The operator of the damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant has begun testing a complex system to decontaminate highly radioactive wastewater. (NHK World Daily News, 16 Jun 7:45 JST).

Sado Island receives FAO recognition

A senior official of the Food and Agriculture Organization has visited the Japanese island of Sado to see first hand the steps being taken to protect endangered Crested Ibises. (NHK World Daily News, 16 Jun 7:45 JST).

Government urged to quicken work on USSR detainees

Former Japanese detainees in Soviet labor camps are calling on Japan's government to quickly draw up a basic policy to conduct surveys on their detention after World War Two. (NHK World Daily News, 16 Jun 8:53 JST).

Greek PM to form reshuffle Cabinet

Greek Prime Minster George Papandreou says he will reshuffle his Cabinet on Thursday and seek a vote of confidence in parliament. (NHK World Daily News, 16 Jun 7:45 JST).

Iran puts satellite into orbit

Iran says it has successfully launched a second domestically built satellite into orbit. (NHK World Daily News, 16 Jun 8:53 JST).

NY stocks tumble over Greece, US uncertain outlook

New York stocks tumbled on Wednesday, losing more than 210 points at one point over concerns about the US economic outlook and the deepening Greek debt crisis. (NHK World Daily News, 16 Jun 8:52 JST).

Air conditioning to be reduced at subway stations

Tokyo Metro says it will turn off daytime air conditioners at subway stations starting from July, following a request from Tokyo Electric Power Company to save electricity. (NHK World Daily News, 16 Jun 8:57 JST).

US nuclear regulatory body debates plant safety

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission or the NRC has debated if the drawing up of guidelines for severe catastrophes at nuclear power plants should be left to efforts by the nuclear industry. (NHK World Daily News, 16 Jun 11:04 JST).

Radioactive material detected in Iwate pastures

The Iwate Prefectural Government has again detected a radioactive substance above the state limit in pasture grass in several areas in the prefecture. The prefecture asked farmers in the areas to refrain from feeding the grass to their livestock. (NHK World Daily News, 16 Jun 12:07 JST).

TEPCO testing water decontamination system

The operator of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant is carrying out a final test run on a system to decontaminate highly radioactive water that is building up at the plant. (NHK World Daily News, 16 Jun 13:28 JST).

A new internet-based PC by Google

Google, the world's largest Internet search engine, on Wednesday started selling its new Net cloud-based computer. (NHK World Daily News, 16 Jun 14:07 JST).

Obama defends US policy on Libya

US President Barack Obama has dismissed allegations that he violated the law by taking military action in Libya without obtaining approval from Congress. (NHK World Daily News, 16 Jun 15:17 JST).

Mitsubishi to sell 5 MRJs to Hong Kong firm

Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation has signed a deal to sell five Mitsubishi Regional Jets, or MRJ to a Hong Kong-based aircraft lease company. The aircraft is Japan's first domestically developed passenger plane in 50 years. (NHK World Daily News, 16 Jun 15:17 JST).

Japan launches new search for quake missing

A new large-scale search for missing people in the disaster-hit areas started on Thursday, almost 100 days since the March 11th earthquake and tsunami. (NHK World Daily News, 16 Jun 15:17 JST).

TEPCO: Opening door of No.2 reactor is safe

Tokyo Electric Power Company plans to open the doors to the reactor Number 2 building at the Fukushima Daiichi plant for ventilation, to lower humidity and start restoration work. (NHK World Daily News, 16 Jun 18:13 JST).

Yokohama checks school lunches for radiation

Yokohama City, located hundreds of kilometers from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, has begun radiation testing of vegetables for school lunches. (NHK World Daily News, 16 Jun 18:09 JST).

Govt sets policy to handle radiation sludge

The government has announced guidelines on how to dispose of sludge that contains radioactive material. (NHK World Daily News, 16 Jun 18:09 JST).

Fukushima cuts off welfare to 160 families

Three local governments in Fukushima Prefecture have cut off welfare to about 160 households who received compensation for the nuclear plant accident and donations for survivors of the March 11th disaster. (NHK World Daily News, 16 Jun 19:45 JST).

Tokyo Sky Tree shows energy-saving measure

The operator of Tokyo Sky Tree, the world's tallest broadcasting tower, on Thursday showed to media a system designed to cut the building's daytime electricity use by half. (NHK World Daily News, 16 Jun 19:23 JST).

Honda hybrid debuts after 3-month delay

Honda Motor has released a new hybrid vehicle in Japan after a three-month delay due to the March 11th disaster. (NHK World Daily News, 16 Jun 19:31 JST).

Honda to hire additional temporary workers

Japan's Honda Motor says it will hire about 1,000 temporary workers to boost its production this year. (NHK World Daily News, 16 Jun 20:24 JST).

Govt to designate new evacuation spots near plant

Japan's government plans to help some residents in Fukushima evacuate on an individual basis. Their houses are not in evacuation areas but are located where radiation levels exceed the threshold of 20 millisieverts a year. (NHK World Daily News, 16 Jun 19:28 JST).

Radioactive water still threatens to overflow

The operator of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant is under pressure to ensure the flawless operation of a system to decontaminate radioactive water, which threatens to overflow. (NHK World Daily News, 16 Jun 20:24 JST).

Al-Qaeda names al-Zawahri successor to bin Laden

International terror group Al Qaeda says it has named its second-in-command Ayman al-Zawahri to succeed former leader Osama bin Laden, who was slain by the US military last month in Pakistan. (NHK World Daily News, 16 Jun 19:32 JST).

Spiritual leader of terrorists found guilty

An Indonesian court has sentenced a man believed to be the spiritual leader of a Southeast Asian terrorist group to 15 years in prison. (NHK World Daily News, 16 Jun 21:04 JST).

Hackers attacked Malaysian government sites

Malaysia says hacker attacks have denied access to at least 41 government-related sites. (NHK World Daily News, 16 Jun 20:24 JST).

Okinawa urges govt to guard fishermen near Senkaku

The Governor of Okinawa has asked for diplomatic action against Chinese and Taiwanese fishing boats, which he says threaten local fishing waters near the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea. (NHK World Daily News, 16 Jun 21:53 JST).

N.Korea urges South to return 9 defectors

North Korea has urged the South to return 9 people who crossed a maritime border in the Yellow Sea on two small boats last week. (NHK World Daily News, 16 Jun 22:42 JST).

Foreign visitors to Japan fall 50% in May

The government says that the number of foreign visitors to Japan halved in May from a year ago due to the March 11th disaster. The figure has now fallen for 3 straight months. (NHK World Daily News, 16 Jun 19:53 JST).

Italy says UNSC reform will be difficult

Italy's UN ambassador has appeared to dash hopes that a Japan-supported resolution to expand the Security Council will be passed this year. (NHK World Daily News, 16 Jun 22:42 JST).