G20 FINANCE CHIEFS MEET AHEAD OF TRUMP TARIFF DEADLINE
G20 finance chiefs have gathered in South Africa for two days of talks on ways to keep the global economy stable. Issues like climate change, geopolitical tensions and growing ideological rifts between nations will test whether they can show a united front.On the agenda, the mounting debt stress on developing nations and drawing up rules for imposing taxes on global enterprises. Japan's representatives include the finance minister and the central bank's executive director.
Hanging over the talks are the tariffs the US administration has threatened to impose. The impact on exports, production and supply chains could be wide if they're imposed next month.
President Donald Trump said on Wednesday the US will probably live by the letter he sent to Japan last week. In it, he said he will impose a 25% tariff on imports from the country.
US MARKS 80 YEARS SINCE WORLD'S FIRST NUCLEAR WEAPON TEST
It has been 80 years since the world's first atomic bomb test took place in the US state of New Mexico. About 100 people gathered at the site on Wednesday, calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons.The US conducted the test on July 16th, 1945, less than a month before the two atomic bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. To commemorate the day, the state government placed a marker near the entranceOf the former test site, it includes an explanation of the damage from the blast radioactivity and conveys the experiences of affected residents.
About 100 people attended the dedication ceremony and voiced their opposition to nuclear weapons. They're going to read that sign and they're going to read this sign so they'll know the the full story. They'll know the whole story.
It just wasn't about science and it wasn't just about a test.
was a It was an atomic bomb explosion.
Among them was the executive director of ICAN, or the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons.
What happened here 80 years ago today also marked the beginning of an existential threat to humanity. The story perpetuated by nuclear-armed states that nuclear weapons keep the world safe through deterrence is a grotesque and dangerous lie.
ZELENSKYY SHAKES UP CABINET
Zelensky tapped 39-year-old Yuliya Sveridenko, who served as economy minister. She also played a key role in talks with the US to jointly develop Ukraine's mineral resources. Her nomination is seen as a move to strengthen ties with Washington. The president said on social media outgoing Prime Minister Dinesh Mihal will be valuable in the defense chief role.Meanwhile, the Kremlin's spokesperson said Wednesday Russia is ready for direct peace talks with Ukraine. He said mediation by the US, Trump and his administration is crucial. He adds that Moscow hopes their pressure will persuade Kiev to agree to a third round of negotiations.
There's been a cabinet shuffle in Kiev. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has nominated a young economist as his new prime minister. He is reassigning his current one to head the defense ministry.
SPACE IMAGES FROM WORLD'S BIGGEST DIGITAL CAMERA
The NSF-DOE Varacy Rubin Observatory has a telescope with an aperture of 8.4 meters. It also has a 3.2 gigapixel camera that Guinness World Records recognizes as the biggest in the world. The field of view is wide enough for an area of sky equivalent to 45 full moons in a single exposure. Researchers unveiled images for the first time. This composite photo shows galaxies, thousands of light years in the direction of the Sagittarius constellation. It clearly shows gases and dust, which are the materials that form stars. This composite was shot in the direction of Virgo. It includes around 10 million galaxies.The depth and breadth are unprecedented.
I'm told we'll get answers to a range of astronomical questions.
The team plans to photograph the whole of the sky over the southern hemisphere during the coming 10 years.
We turn now to an unprecedented view of space. A team at an astronomical observatory in Chile has released images from the world's biggest digital camera.
INTENSE DOWNPOURS FORECAST FOR CENTRAL, WESTERN JAPAN
More rain is on the way for central and western Japan heading into the weekend, increasing the risk of flooding and landslides. Officials say people should be on the alert, especially those in the Shikoku and Tokai regions.The Japan Meteorological Agency says an influx of warm, moist air around a high pressure system has caused very unstable conditions along the Pacific coast. In parts of Mie and Gifu prefectures, rainfall exceeded 120 millimetres in just three hours, a record for July.
Rain clouds are mainly affecting the Tokai, Kinki and Shikoku regions. The unstable conditions are expected to continue throughout Friday, primarily in Pacific coastal regions, with the risk of localized torrential rain and Thunder.
Mie and Gifu prefectures in central Japan face a high risk of landslides and the warning has been issued. And there's an extremely high risk of flooding in parts of Aichi prefecture. There's also a possibility of linear rain bands forming in Tokushima and Kochi prefectures in the Shikoku region, which could increase the risk of weather-related disasters.
CONCERN ABOUT FALSE INFO ON SOCIAL MEDIA
The Internet is playing a bigger role in Japanese elections. We're seeing that unfold as people prepare to vote Sunday for members of the Upper House. An NHK poll this month suggests that more than one in three people will consider information on social media when casting a ballot. But not everything they come across is accurate. One expert says that could affect the election's outcome. NHK Wall's Yako Kento reports.Getting access to information about political parties and candidates is easier than ever before.
Social media platforms, you know, YouTube and TikTok, a lot of campaign speeches are recorded and the best parts are uploaded there. I consider those posts when voting. I look at political information that pops up. I think other people refer to it. My husband looks at it a lot, too. Problem is, disinformation and misinformation are also popping up. Earlier this year, NHK conducted an opinion poll.
It asked people if they are concerned that the spread of lies and false information on social media could affect the vote. More than 80% of the respondents said they are concerned.
It depends on how you use it. Information can be exaggerated, so we need to know how to tell the difference. I think it's necessary for us to have some kind of standard. I think the government should have a minimum level of regulation to prevent things that hurt people.
Last month, the government requested social media companies to take measures to reduce false information. Those include publicly disclosing a contact point where they can accept requests for removal and formulating removal standards and making quick decisions. The ruling and opposition parties are also concerned. They are calling on the public to check the sources and velocity of information they see online.
Yamaguchi Shinichi studies the effects of social media. He says, compared to other countries, it's taken longer for the internet to play a big role in elections in Japan, a shift with pros and cons. Radical information, sensational information, or conflicting opinions, such things are very likely to spread on social media. In my research, only 14.5% of people who have seen or heard fake information were able to properly judge that the information was false. The majority of people are being deceived.
Yamaguchi says he's found out people with no political party affiliation. One of the biggest voting groups are more easily swayed by false information than others.
The fact that a large number of people are more likely to switch their support due to fake information on social media suggests that it may have a great influence during elections. He says the government can consider further regulations to better balance the good and bust size of social media, and companies should respond quickly and firmly to this information. But he also says it's especially important that all of us do our part. and think carefully before clicking that share button. Yako Kento, NHK World.
BUSINESS
Now for business stories, here's Gene Otani.Keiko, thanks.
CANADIAN FIRM WITHDRAWS SEVEN & I TAKEOVER BID
In our top business story this hour, Canadian convenience store operator Alimantasian KushtarHas withdrawn its buyout proposal for Seven NI Holdings. The Canadian firm said the Japanese retail giant refused to engage in constructive talks on the deal.Alimentation Couche start announced the pullout in a letter to Seven NI's board of directors dated Wednesday in Canada.
The Canadian company said it was able to hold just two highly restricted meetings.
With Seven and I, Kushtar also said the Japanese firm failed to provide due diligence information it had requested. Seven and I Holdings said in a statement that Kushtar's decision was made independently. The Japanese company called the withdrawal regrettable and described parts of the Canadian firm's announcement as erroneous.
7&I says it will continue to work on measures to create value on its own.
The Canadian firm had proposed to pay 7 trillion yen, or about $47 billion, for the operator of 7-Eleven convenience stores. In May, the two firms signed a non-disclosure agreement to share financial and other information.
JAPAN'S EXPORTS TO US FALL FOR 3RD STRAIGHT MONTH
The Japanese Finance Ministry says the country's exports to the United States Fell in June for the third straight month. The that appears to be the result of tariffs imposed by the administration of President Donald Trump.The ministry announced on Thursday the value of shipments fell 11.4% in yen terms from the same month last year. The drop was particularly sharp in the auto sector.
Exports were down over 26%.
The number of vehicles was up, but their average price was down nearly 30% to around $22,800.
Car makers are believed to be cutting prices or shipping less expensive bottles to offset the tariffs. Japan's overall exports stood at about $62 billion in June, down half a percent from last year. Imports ticked up 0.2% to about $61 billion.
translating into a slight trade surplus of about $1 billion. The ministry also says Japan had a trade deficit of over 2.2 trillion yen, or nearly $15 billion, for the first six months of the year.
FED REPORT SHOWS SLIGHT UPTICK IN ECONOMY
The Fed released its latest Beige Book on Wednesday based on interviews with businesses in the central bank's 12 districts. Economic activity increased slightly from late May through early July. That was an improvement over the previous update, when half the districts reported at least slight declines.But the report warns that uncertainty remained elevated with businesses. still cautious about the tariff measures imposed by the Trump administration. The Fed's survey describes the outlook as neutral to slightly pessimistic. The central bank is scheduled to start its next monetary policy meeting on July 29.
The latest report on the economy by the US Federal Reserve shows overall activity in the country has improved slightly, but the outlook is pessimistic given the uncertainty from higher tariffs.
FOREIGN VISITORS TO JAPAN TOP 20 MIL. IN FIRST HALF OF 2025
The number of foreign visitors to Japan this year has surpassed 20 million at the fastest base on record.The Japan National Tourism Organization says the figure reached 21.5 million by the end of June. That's 21% more than in the same period last year. The biggest number of visitors came from South Korea, followed by China. Travelers from Russia roughly doubled from the same period last year, the Japan Tourism Agency. Says foreign visitors spent a record 4.8 trillion yen, or $32 billion in the country in the first six months of the year. That's up nearly 23% from a year earlier. The government says that it wants to work on strategic promotion by encouraging visitors to rural areas in order to achieve the goal of 60 million visitors by 2030.
EEL IMPORTS SURGE IN JAPAN AHEAD OF MIDSUMMER
People traditionally eat eel during Japanese mid-summer.They believe it boosts stamina against the sweltering heat. Demand will surge over the next two months, and shipments of the fishDemand will surge over the next two weeks, rather, and shipments of the fish are stacking up at Narita Airport near Tokyo in anticipation.
More than two tons of eel arrived from China and Taiwan on Wednesday alone.
Customs officials were seen pulling live eels from their containers to check if they matched import documents. One importer says prices remain high due to another poor catch of glass eels. a trend seen over several years.
With the hot and humid days continuing, I hope everyone eats eel and stays healthy.
Customs officials say about 80% of all live eel imports, roughly 6,500 tons, came through Narita Airport last year.
All right, let's have a look at the markets.
♪
That's it for business news.
That's it for business news.
IN FOCUS
Next, let's go over to Shibuya Aki with Newsline in Focus. She's looking at the rising interest in Japanese literature outside Japan.A LITERARY WAVE FROM JAPAN WASHES OVER BRITAIN
Contemporary Japanese literature is finally found in many parts of the world, even as far away as the UK.Earlier this month, the prestigious UK Dagger Award for Best Translated Crime Novel went to The Night of Babayaga by Japanese author Otani Akira, translated by Sam Batt.
It's the first time a Japanese work has won this award.
Another Japanese author, Yuzuki Asako, was also on the shortlist for her novel Butter, an indication of the strong interest in contemporary Japanese fiction. In the U.K., younger readers are leading the way in the recent demand for works in translation, so much so that they're sometimes called Generation GF, or translated fiction. And right now, Japanese literature is enjoying a remarkable wave of popularity.
Let's take a look.
A wave of Japanese literature has swept into this London bookstore.
OK, so here we have a display of Japanese mysteries, including quite a few rediscovered classics.
There are prominent displays devoted to a recent hit novel by a writer who first gained fame as a Youtuber. plus a classic mystery by one of Japan's post-war literary giants.
The bookstore says there's also growing demand for a genre that's come to be known as healing fiction, including books thought to have a Japanese sensibility.
Novels in this category include the works of Kawaguchi Toshikazu, best known for his book Before the Coffee Gets Gold.
They are quiet, comforting reads that touch the heart, often set in libraries or bookstores or which have cat motifs. It's a quite a tough moment politically and just in general, and I think a lot of our kind of culture is quite heavy. So I think people are really kind of looking to looking for escapism in their kind of art.
Another field that's gaining traction is Japanese crime fiction. Last year, the store picked Butter by Yuzuki Asako as its Book of the Year. Later, it was shortlisted for the Dagger Award in the story inspired by a real life case. A female journalist interviews a woman accused of murdering a series of lovers. She becomes increasingly unsettled and manipulated by the suspect's behaviour and candid desires. The novel has now sold as many as 400,000 copies in the UK. It can be read just as a really fun mystery, but also as a work of.
Social commentary. It works fantastically. It's very good on impossible beauty standards and what it's like to be a kind of a woman in a man's world. I think the issues that it explores are issues that we feel in the UK. Butter was also the focus of a recent book club meeting held on the outskirts of London.
I think there was lots of different kind of themes to kind of talk about in there.
There was obviously like things around feminism and misogyny. I think that, you know, whether you're Japanese or not, there's lots of things you. that resonated with people. Japanese novels are also being recognized in one of the UK's most prestigious literary awards, the International Booker Prize.
This year's shortlist included Under the Eye of the Big Bird by Kawakami Hiromi and translated by Yoneda Asa, a futuristic tale set in a world where humanity is on the brink of extinction.
Here, an actor reads from the text of Kawakami's book. The factory makes food and also children, the origins of the children. Kawakami is the third Japanese author to be shortlisted in recent years, following Ogawa Yoko in 2020 and Kawakami Mieko in 2022.
Experts say there are two key reasons behind this interest in Japanese literature.
yeah What we see now is a much greater exposure of the work of the translator. You know, you see the translator's name on the front of the of a cover, so we know that it's a text in translation. We're also seeing a greater diversity, so we're seeing a lot more women being translated, and again, different sort of perspectives as well. One translator who has long been captivated by Japanese female authors is Lucy North. She first came across their works some 40 years ago while studying Japanese at university and in Graduate School. This was a book that I really, really loved. It was the first book by Imamura Natsuko.
North was struck by how completely different the writing by Japanese women was from that of American or British authors. However, she says the great majority of the Japanese novels being translated at that time were written by men.
This sense of under-representationAs well as my own growing awareness of the incredible richness that did exist in modern Japanese literature of women, women's writing made me want to concentrate on Japanese women writers.
N also networks with translators and literary professionals in Japan.
She says she values this network and intends to continue introducing not only contemporary writers, but also works from the past that deserve greater attention.
Well, I just want to carry on translating and shaping the field, adding to the landscape as it's developing.
As we saw, Japanese female authors are starting to make their mark on the literary landscape in other countries.
And it's about time. Now, looking at this thirst for novels and translation among younger readers,We asked a Japanese critic what's driving this phenomenon in the UK.
This surge of interest might be a kind of reaction, a backlash against the rise of nationalism and the political shift to the right that we're seeing around the world. In the UK, leaving the EU represented a major turning point.
Many young people with liberal values who want to stay connected to Europe feel a real sense of crisis. I think there's a desire to be more connected with the outside world, to read works about the world that is unfamiliar to them, written in languages they don't understand.
Picking up a book is a wonderful way to observe cultures different from our own.
But at the same time, it can reveal the commonalities, the humanity we all share, and that can draw us together.
That's all for me.
♬
oh You don't like And it's like an apple, the jewish and the sweet. I love it.WEATHER
Now it's time to check out the weather.As we reported earlier, central and western Japan remains at risk of heavy rain. Our meteorologist Yumi Hirano has the details.
Ample moisture continues to flow into the Pacific side of Japan, so more rain is expected.
Up to 200 millimeters is possible in Shikoku, with whisks of fronts and landslides. The highest alert for heavy rain is in Kochi, Tokushima and Hyogo prefectures. Wet weather is also expected in Osaka and Fukuoka on Friday, but sunny skies are likely in Tokyo for a while. The end of the rainy season is coming to the Kanto region, but at the same time, heat will be the biggest concern, with highs around 35. Not only Japan, but also South Korea has been struggling with downpours. In one location, over 500 millimeters has been reported in less than two days. Heavy rain caused some disruptions.
Heavy rains swept across South Korea on Wednesday and Thursday. The fire agency says a two-meter-high roadside wall corrapsed in a city south of Seoul, shopping one car and partially bailing another. One driver was killed.
In the neighboring province, trench or rain caused an embankment to corrapse, causing water to overflow from a river.
So more rain is expected in South Korea and eastern China on Friday due to a frontal system leading to possible floods and landslides. For the south, we have to monitor one more system. It's expected to intensify to a tropical storm by Friday near the Philippines. The system will approach northern Luzon. Up to 200 millimeters of rain is possible in the next 24 hours.
Thundershowers are expected in Manila, but heat is a concern in parts of China.
The highs will be 35 in Beijing and 39 in Chongqing.
Up to 200 millimeters is possible in Shikoku, with whisks of fronts and landslides. The highest alert for heavy rain is in Kochi, Tokushima and Hyogo prefectures. Wet weather is also expected in Osaka and Fukuoka on Friday, but sunny skies are likely in Tokyo for a while. The end of the rainy season is coming to the Kanto region, but at the same time, heat will be the biggest concern, with highs around 35. Not only Japan, but also South Korea has been struggling with downpours. In one location, over 500 millimeters has been reported in less than two days. Heavy rain caused some disruptions.
Heavy rains swept across South Korea on Wednesday and Thursday. The fire agency says a two-meter-high roadside wall corrapsed in a city south of Seoul, shopping one car and partially bailing another. One driver was killed.
In the neighboring province, trench or rain caused an embankment to corrapse, causing water to overflow from a river.
So more rain is expected in South Korea and eastern China on Friday due to a frontal system leading to possible floods and landslides. For the south, we have to monitor one more system. It's expected to intensify to a tropical storm by Friday near the Philippines. The system will approach northern Luzon. Up to 200 millimeters of rain is possible in the next 24 hours.
Thundershowers are expected in Manila, but heat is a concern in parts of China.
The highs will be 35 in Beijing and 39 in Chongqing.
That's it for now. Take care.
♫～ 3-DAY FORECAST ～♫
That wraps up this edition of NHK Newsline. I'm Keiko Kitagawa in Tokyo.Thank you for joining us.
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