英語で国内ニュース 2026年8月20日(木)

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2026年8月20日(木)の原稿スクリプト

主要ニュース

東武日光線で除草作業員4人が特急と接触し死亡
サラ: In Tochigi Prefecture, four workers were hit by a limited express train at a station on the Tobu Nikko Line on the morning of August 20. They were taken to a hospital, but all four died. The workers were reportedly removing weeds along the tracks. Police are investigating the incident.

西日本で危険な暑さ、熊本では38度予想が続く
クリス: Western Japan faced dangerous heat on August 20. Yatsushiro and Kosa, in Kumamoto Prefecture, recorded 38 degrees Celsius. Kumamoto is expected to reach 38 degrees every day from this weekend into early next week. Parts of Kanto, including Chiba, may exceed 35 degrees from August 24 to 26. Take strong precautions against heatstroke.

広範囲で大雨、岩手にレベル4警報で警戒呼びかけ
サラ: Rain clouds are developing across a wide area, from northern to western Japan. Iwate Prefecture may have experienced extremely heavy rain, and a Level 4 danger warning has been issued in some areas. People should be on high alert for landslides and flooding in low-lying areas.

台湾、過去最大の1兆台湾ドル超の防衛費を計上
クリス: Taiwan's cabinet has presented next year's budget proposal, including a record defense budget of more than one trillion Taiwan dollars, or over five trillion Japanese yen. As China increases military pressure, Taiwan says it will strengthen its ability to defend itself. The planned defense spending would be the highest ever.

大阪の特殊詐欺被害が最多、SNS投資詐欺など深刻化
サラ: Osaka recorded 41,173 criminal offenses in the first half of 2026, up 2.2 percent from a year earlier and the fifth straight increase. Special-fraud losses topped 171.9 billion yen, about 95 million yen a day. Investment scams on social media and fake-police scams made up about 80 percent. One man lost 133 million yen through a fake investment app.

山口組と池田組の抗争指定、9月7日に解除へ
クリス: The Yamaguchi-gumi and Ikeda-gumi are expected to lose their special conflict designation on September 7. The Hyogo Public Safety Commission decided not to extend it, saying the risk of violent clashes has fallen. The Yamaguchi-gumi had said it would end the conflict, while Ikeda-gumi has weakened. Other restrictions still remain.

成田空港でマレーシア航空機が離陸中止、けが人なし
サラ: At Narita Airport, a Malaysia Airlines flight to Kuala Lumpur stopped its takeoff after an impact sound and black smoke were reported from its left engine. The flight had 160 passengers and crew. Runway A was closed temporarily and reopened at 1:05 p.m. No one was injured. Runway B operated normally.

首都圏新築マンション価格、7月に過去最高を更新
クリス: New condominium prices in the Tokyo metropolitan area reached a record average of 164.93 million yen in July, up 63.7 percent from a year earlier. In Tokyo's 23 wards, the average rose 96 percent to 265.20 million yen, also a record. Large central Tokyo projects, higher material costs, and labor shortages pushed prices higher.

JAXA、火星衛星探査機MMXを10月20日に打ち上げへ
サラ: Japan's space agency says its MMX probe will launch on an H3 rocket shortly before 5 a.m. on October 20. The mission will travel to Phobos, a moon of Mars, collect sand from its surface, and bring the samples back to Earth. The launch date was officially announced.

社会のニュース

栃木の駅で線路作業員4人が特急と接触し全員死亡
サラ: On the morning of August 20, four workers came into contact with a special express train at a station on the Tobu Nikko Line in Kanuma, Tochigi Prefecture. They were taken to a hospital, but all four later died. The workers had been removing weeds along the railway tracks. Police are investigating.

前線で広範囲に大雨、岩手などで土砂災害に警戒
クリス: Rain clouds developed in many areas from northern to western Japan because of a weather front and moist air. In Iwate Prefecture, extremely heavy rain was believed to have fallen. A Level Four danger warning was issued in some areas. People were urged to watch closely for landslides and flooding.

山口組・池田組の特定抗争指定を9月7日で解除へ
サラ: The Hyogo Prefectural Public Safety Commission decided not to extend the special gang-conflict designation for the Yamaguchi-gumi and Ikeda-gumi groups after September 7. The designation began in December 2022. Yamaguchi-gumi said in April 2025 that it would end the conflict, while Ikeda-gumi has weakened. Other restrictions remain.

大阪の特殊詐欺、上半期被害17億円超で過去最多
クリス: In the first half of 2026, special fraud losses in Osaka exceeded 17 billion yen, the highest ever for that period. Police recorded more than 2,200 cases. A man in his thirties lost about 133 million yen after liking an investment account on social media, receiving a direct message, and using a fake investment app.

福岡市の川でネパール人女性遺体、殺人容疑で捜査
サラ: A woman was found dead on August 19 in a river in central Fukuoka City. She was a 25-year-old vocational school student from Nepal who lived near the scene. Police are investigating the case as murder, based on the condition of her body and other information.

横浜の2歳男児死亡、母親の交際相手を暴行容疑で逮捕
クリス: A two-year-old boy in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, died after an outside force was applied to his body. His mother's 36-year-old partner was arrested on suspicion of assault. The boy had several bruises on his face. Police suspect the man may have hit him with his fists.

西日本で猛暑、熊本は週末から連日38度予想
サラ: Western Japan is experiencing dangerously hot weather. On August 20, temperatures reached 38 degrees Celsius in Yatsushiro and Kosa, Kumamoto Prefecture. Kumamoto may see 38 degrees every day from this weekend into early next week. Parts of the Kanto region may also reach heatwave levels. People should take strong precautions against heatstroke.

成田空港で離陸前の旅客機から煙、けが人なし
クリス: Smoke came from the engine of a passenger plane at Narita Airport before takeoff. No one was injured. The airport's A runway was closed at about 10:40 a.m. because of the aircraft trouble. It reopened at 1:07 p.m., according to the airport operator.

首都高中央環状線で車両火災、広範囲の通行止め続く
サラ: At about 1 p.m. on August 20, a car caught fire on the inner loop of Tokyo's Central Circular Route in Toshima Ward. The fire was almost extinguished about an hour and a half later. However, at 3 p.m., a wide area of the expressway was still closed to traffic.

政治・経済

首都圏新築マンション平均価格が1億6493万円で最高値
サラ: Average prices for newly built condominiums in the Tokyo metropolitan area reached 164.93 million yen in July, the highest level on record. Prices rose 63.7 percent from a year earlier. In Tokyo’s 23 wards, the average reached 265.20 million yen, up 96 percent. Large central Tokyo projects pushed prices higher.

防衛省、過去最大の約9兆円予算要求を調整
クリス: Japan’s Ministry of Defense is adjusting its plan to request about 9 trillion yen for the next fiscal year. This would be the largest request ever. The ministry is also considering preparations for an artificial intelligence system to support decision-making, as discussions continue on revising three security-related documents by the end of the year.

トランプ氏、今秋にも米朝首脳会談を模索か
サラ: Reports say President Donald Trump is seeking a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, possibly as early as this autumn. The meeting could become another major U.S.-North Korea summit. Reports have focused attention on Trump’s intentions, but no further details about his goals were given.

高市首相とトルコ大統領、ホルムズ海峡の安全航行で一致
クリス: Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi held a phone call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan about the situation involving Iran. They agreed that it is important to secure free and safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, without additional costs. The two leaders shared this view during their discussion.

個人情報保護委、メール流出でKDDIに行政指導
サラ: Japan’s Personal Information Protection Commission gave administrative guidance to KDDI after unauthorized access to an email system provided to companies. Email addresses and passwords were leaked. The commission found problems with KDDI’s security management and asked the company to make improvements.

厚労省、残業指導見直しへも働き方改革逆行に懸念
クリス: Japan’s labor ministry is reviewing its policy on overtime guidance by labor standards inspection offices. The move follows strong requests from business groups, which want companies to increase working hours. However, there are concerns that weaker efforts to cut overtime could go against work-style reform. About half of companies have a 36 Agreement.

7月原油輸入量5.5％増、輸入額は87.8％急増
サラ: Japan’s crude oil imports rose 5.5 percent in July from a year earlier, reaching 12.1 million kiloliters. This was the first year-on-year increase in four months. Imports from the United States rose to 4.39 million kiloliters, 9.1 times the previous year. But the import bill jumped 87.8 percent because of higher prices.

米連邦政府債務が初めて40兆ドルを突破
クリス: U.S. federal government debt passed 40 trillion dollars for the first time on August 18, according to the Treasury Department. The increase was linked to higher social security spending as the population ages and rising interest payments. Debt also worsened after the global financial crisis and during the coronavirus pandemic, while lawmakers repeatedly extended tax cuts.

イオンモール熊本爆発事故の外部調査委が発足
サラ: An outside expert committee was established on August 20 to investigate an explosion at Aeon Mall Kumamoto after the Kumamoto earthquake. The committee will examine the cause of the accident and recommend measures to prevent a repeat. The company announced that the committee began work on the same day.

スポーツ

阪神・伊原投手を登録抹消、暴行疑惑を球団が確認中
サラ: The Hanshin Tigers removed pitcher Ryoto Ihara from their active roster. In his second professional season, he has made eight appearances, with four wins, two losses, and a 3.25 earned-run average. He pitched five innings and allowed two hits and one run in his previous start. A weekly magazine reported assault allegations. The team apologized and said it is checking the facts.

NPB、2軍戦の暑さ基準をWBGT31度に明確化
クリス: Japan’s professional baseball organization has clarified heat rules for minor-league games. The standard is a Wet Bulb Globe Temperature, or WBGT, of 31 degrees. Measurements will use devices provided on the field. From August 21, teams may stop or cancel practice, delay or cancel games, or suspend games after discussions, with the home team making the final decision.

智弁和歌山と健大高崎が夏の甲子園決勝進出
サラ: Chiben Wakayama beat Yokohama, 7 to 1, in the first semifinal of the summer national high school baseball tournament. It reached the final for the first time in five years, since its 2021 championship. In the second semifinal, Takasaki beat Tenri, 1 to 0, reaching its first final. The final is August 22 at 10 a.m., after a rest day.

智弁和歌山、横浜に7対1で勝ち5年ぶり決勝へ
クリス: Chiben Wakayama reached the summer national high school baseball final by defeating Yokohama, 7 to 1, in the semifinal. Both schools have won the tournament before. Chiben Wakayama advanced to the final for the first time since 2021, when it won the championship. The victory also came after Yokohama had taken the lead.

健大高崎、天理を1対0で破り初の決勝進出
サラ: In the second semifinal of the summer national high school baseball tournament, Takasaki Health and Welfare University High School of Gunma beat Tenri High School of Nara, 1 to 0. The result gave Takasaki its first appearance in the championship game. The school held on to win the close game and advance to the final.

59歳の三浦知良、天皇杯でPK2得点を記録
クリス: At age 59, Kazuyoshi Miura, known as Kazu, started for Fukushima United in the first round of the Emperor’s Cup on August 19. Playing in Fukushima City, his team faced Oyama Soccer Club, the representative of Yamagata Prefecture. Miura scored twice, with both goals coming from penalty kicks.

佐々木朗希が5回2失点、大谷無安打もドジャース勝利
サラ: Roki Sasaki started for the Los Angeles Dodgers against the Colorado Rockies. He pitched five innings and allowed two runs, but received no decision. The Dodgers won in extra innings and extended their winning streak to three games. Shohei Ohtani had no hits. The game was played on August 19 in Denver, Colorado.

ブルージェイズ岡本が適時打もチームは惜敗
クリス: Toronto Blue Jays player Kazuma Okamoto hit a timely hit that drove in a run against the Tampa Bay Rays, but his team lost a close game. The Blue Jays played the Rays on August 19 at the Rays’ home in St. Petersburg, Florida. Okamoto’s hit produced a run, but it was not enough to secure the victory.

日本ハム、延長十回に首位ソフトバンクへサヨナラ勝ち
サラ: Japan’s professional baseball league played six games on August 19. In the Pacific League, the Nippon-Ham Fighters defeated the league-leading SoftBank team in a walk-off victory. The game went into the tenth inning, when the Fighters scored the winning run. This was a win over the team currently in first place.

国際

トランプ氏、イラン協力国への大規模制裁を検討
サラ: U.S. President Donald Trump said in a social media post that he is considering large economic sanctions against countries cooperating with Iran. He said the aim is to isolate Iran. Meanwhile, Iran has warned Gulf countries. An Iranian military chief also issued a warning about support for U.S. forces.

ロシアがキーウを大規模攻撃、12人死亡34人負傷
クリス: Russia launched a large missile attack on Kyiv, Ukraine, from late night on August 19 into the early hours of August 20. Homes, medical facilities, and schools were damaged. Officials said 12 people died and 34 were injured. A high-rise apartment was also damaged, and a fire was later put out.

韓国国防相、北朝鮮の核保有数を80～120発と推定
サラ: South Korea’s defense minister told parliament that North Korea is estimated to possess about 80 to 120 nuclear weapons. He said this estimate came from a South Korean research institute. He did not explain how the South Korean military makes its assessment. The estimate differs from President Trump’s figure of 57 weapons.

中国恒大創業者に違法資金調達などで無期懲役判決
クリス: A court in Shenzhen, China, sentenced Hui Ka Yan, the founder of property company China Evergrande, to life in prison on August 20. He received the sentence in a case involving illegal fundraising and other crimes. The ruling came from an intermediate people’s court in Guangdong Province.

ガザでイスラエル軍攻撃、和平実現の見通し立たず
サラ: Peace remains uncertain in the Gaza Strip as the Trump administration works to advance its peace plan. On August 19, the Israeli military carried out attacks in several areas. Local media reported that 10 people were killed. The latest attacks add to concerns about whether a peace agreement can be achieved.

台湾、来年の防衛費を初の1兆台湾ドル超へ
クリス: Taiwan plans to raise next year’s defense budget to more than one trillion Taiwan dollars, the first time it has passed that level. The total would be a record high, at more than five trillion Japanese yen. Taiwan says it will strengthen its self-defense as China increases military pressure.

ノルドストリーム爆発事件でウクライナ人を新たに逮捕
サラ: German prosecutors say a Ukrainian national was newly arrested in Croatia over the explosion of Nord Stream, the undersea natural gas pipeline linking Russia and Germany. The explosion happened four years ago. The man is suspected of involvement in the blast. The arrest is part of the investigation into what happened.

トランプ氏、年内の金正恩氏との会談に意欲
クリス: U.S. President Donald Trump expressed a desire to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un before the end of this year. Trump also said, “As long as there is a smart president, he will be fine.” He expressed confidence about dealing with the issue of North Korea’s nuclear weapons.

エンタメ（文化・芸能）

王位戦で伊藤匠二冠が藤井王位を破り2勝2敗に
サラ: At the Oi title match in shogi, Takumi Ito defeated Oi champion Sota Fujii on August 19. The win brought their score in this title match back to two wins each. The game was held in Nagasaki. Ito and Fujii will continue the competition with the series tied at two games apiece.

文楽の竹本織太夫、2028年に十代目綱太夫を襲名へ
クリス: Takemoto Oritayu, a 51-year-old Bunraku narrator, will take the name Takemoto Tsunatayu the Tenth in a 2028 performance. The announcement was made in Osaka on August 19. The famous name dates back to the Edo period and is returning after 17 years. Oritayu said he will work hard to improve his art.

週刊少年ジャンプ発行部数、初めて100万部を下回る
サラ: The popular manga magazine Weekly Shonen Jump has fallen below one million copies in its latest circulation figures. A survey found an average of just over 980,000 copies. This is the first time the magazine has dropped below one million. At its peak, it published about 6.5 million copies.

西山朋佳女流三冠、清麗戦制し女流四冠に復帰
クリス: Tomoka Nishiyama won the fourth game of the Kirei title match, defeating Kana Fukuma in 131 moves. Nishiyama won the five-game series, three games to one, and captured the Kirei title for the first time. She is now a women’s shogi player holding four titles, matching Fukuma’s total of four.

久石譲氏、日米公演でギネス世界記録3件認定
サラ: Composer and conductor Joe Hisaishi has received three Guinness World Records. Two recognize the most tickets sold for consecutive classical concerts at Tokyo Dome and Hollywood Bowl. The shows drew 133,453 people in Tokyo and 45,538 in Los Angeles. The third record was for seven straight nights at Radio City Music Hall in New York.

森高千里さんら、熊本地震復興へ1億2000万円寄付
クリス: Singer Chisato Moritaka, who is from Kumamoto, and her agency will donate 120 million yen to Kumamoto Prefecture. The money will support recovery from the Reiwa 8 Kumamoto Earthquake. The agency will give 100 million yen, and Moritaka will give 20 million yen. Donation boxes will also be placed at her September and October concerts.

仙台のポケモンGOイベント、受験生の宿泊不足に懸念
サラ: Sendai will host the large Pokémon GO Wild Area event from November 6 to 8. The event will also take place in Mexico City. Some dates overlap with Tohoku University’s entrance exams, raising concerns about hotel rooms. Sendai says rooms are already difficult to find and expensive. The city has asked five hotel groups to share vacancy information.

障害者支援団体、アニメ化に適切な年齢指定を要望
クリス: A national group supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities has issued a statement about the anime adaptation of “Miichan and Yamada.” The group does not reject the adaptation itself, citing freedom of expression. However, it is concerned that “Miichan” is used as an insulting term, and it wants proper age ratings and warnings.

YOSHIKIさん、千葉豪雨被災地へ1000万円寄付
サラ: Musician YOSHIKI announced a donation of 10 million yen to Chiba, his hometown, after torrential rain on August 13 and 14. Through his foundation, he sent the money to Chiba’s disaster relief fund. The money will be shared among affected municipalities and households. YOSHIKI expressed condolences and hopes the support will help recovery.

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