Sept 24th, 2016

今朝はあれこれいろいろ話す前に発音のレッスンをした。なかなか難しいし気恥ずかしい。^^

1)   The Tokyo Prefecture government says that a slight amount of lead was found in water that has accumulated below the site of a proposed new food market. It would replace the aging Tsukuji market.

The results of the analysis of water that was collected on September 14th was made public on Friday.

They show that the amount of lead in the water is about one tenth the level permitted by environmental standards.

2)   Japan’s defense minister has asked the United States to prevent a recurrence after a fighter jet crashed off Okinawa Prefecture.

Tomomi Inada told reporters on Friday that the ministry has received no reports that the crash damaged ships or other property.

The Marine Harrier jet crashed on Thursday in waters about 150 kilometers off Point Hedo. The pilot was rescued.
3)   The mayor of Tsuruga City said on Wednesday the government’s decision to comprehensively review the Monju program is deeply regrettable. The reactor is located in the city.

Takanobu Fuchikami said when he met government officials on Tuesday to ask them to keep the program alive, they told him that they’d decided nothing and that they will consider a broad range of options. He added they hold him in contempt.

Fuchikami also said the officials indicated that they will respect the opinions of host communities.
4)   Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has pledged more than 1.1 billion dollars in aid to Syria, Iraq and neighboring countries.

Abe announced the plan at a high-level UN Security Council meeting on Syria in New York on Wednesday.

He said the money will go toward food, water and vaccines, and promoting education and vocational training. He said Japan will work with international aid organizations to put the programs in place.

5)   The US Federal Bureau of Investigation has begun investigating the theft of data from US IT giant Yahoo.

The company announced on Thursday that hackers had stolen information for at least 500 million user accounts in late 2014. Experts say it’s the biggest security breach of the Internet age.

The FBI said in a statement that it takes this type of security breach very seriously and will determine how it occurred and who is responsible.
6)   SMAP, one of Japan’s most popular and longest-lived pop groups, will release a greatest hits album on Dec 21—10 days before its breakup.

The three-CD boxed album, called “SMAP 25 YEARS,” will consist of around 50 songs chosen by fans through online voting, out of about 400 the group has released since its CD debut in 1991, Victor Entertainment Corp said Wednesday.

7)   The FBI is gathering information about an incident involving actor Brad Pitt and his family aboard a private flight last week, the agency confirmed Thursday.

Spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said the FBI is still evaluating whether to open an investigation into allegations Pitt was abusive during the flight toward one of his six children with actress Angelina Jolie Pitt, as several media outlets have reported.