Welcome to NHK Newsline. I'm Moris Daarika in Tokyo.
TRUMP TO DESIGNATE ANTIFA AS TERRORIST ORGANIZATION
US President Donald Trump is taking new action against left-wing groups. He said he's designating the anti-fascism movement, Antifa, as a terrorist organization.In a social media post, Trump called Antifa a sick, dangerous, radical left disaster. He also said authorities would investigate those believed to be funding it. The move comes after conservative political activist Charlie Clark was shot dead at a public event last week.
Trump claimed the suspect in the killing is a left and stressed the need to take action against left-wing groups.
However, it's unclear how his administration would tackle Antifa.
The term refers to a group or movement opposed to fascism and white supremacy. As CNN reports, Antifa lacks centralized structure or defined leadership, making it unclear who or what precisely would be targeted.
REPORTS: CHINA LIFTS EXIT BAN ON US BANKER
China has reportedly lifted an exit ban on an American banking executive, allowing her to return to the United States. A Chinese government said in July that a female Wells Fargo banker visiting the country was involved in a criminal case under investigation. It also said she was subject to exit restrictions.But US news outlets Wednesday quoted sources familiar with the matter as saying that the situation changed following discussions between the two countries. The Chinese foreign ministry was asked about the case.
China is a country governed by the rule of law, and it handles criminal cases and entry-exit matters in accordance with the law. Both Chinese citizens and foreign nationals in China are required to abide by Chinese laws.
A spokesperson responded, saying the Department of State has no higher priority than the safety and security of US citizens. Washington and Beijing have been stepping up high-level talks this month on issues such as trade and diplomacy. US President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to speak by telephone on Friday.
BUSINESS
Now let's see what's happening in the world of business. Here's Ramin Mellegard from the Biz Desk.Thank you very much indeed.
US FEDERAL RESERVE CUTS INTEREST RATE
Now, policymakers of the US Federal Reserve have decided to cut their benchmark interest rate for the first time this year. They've approved a cut of a quarter of a percentage point.The Fed's target rate range is now between four and four and a quarter percent. It's the first time policymakers have made a cut since December. Chair Jerome Powell says he and his colleagues have seen concerning signs about the economy.
While the unemployment rate remains low, it has edged up. Job gains have slowed and downside risks to employment have risen. At the same time, inflation has risen recently and remains somewhat elevated.
Powell touched on the impact of President Donald Trump's tariffs. He says they've begun to push up prices, but their overall effect remains to be seen.Trump has repeatedly pressured the Fed to lower rates. The Fed's so-called dot chart outlines where policymakers think rates should be. It shows that nearly half now expect two more cuts this year.
EXPERT: MORE FED CUTS LIKELY
And meanwhile, here in Tokyo, the Bank of Japan kicks off its own two-day policy meeting on Thursday. The central bank is expected to keep its benchmark interest rate target unchanged at around 0.5%.The BOJ has kept rates on hold for four meetings in a row, citing uncertainty about how US import tariffs will affect Japan's economy. Those concerns remain even after Washington lowered its tariff on Japanese orders to 15%. Many BOJ policymakers reportedly want to wait for the release of the quarterly Tankan survey on business sentiment in October for more clarity on the state of the economy.
Reports by the central bank's regional managers on the economy will come around the same time. Governor Ueda Kazuo is due to hold a news conference after the meeting ends on Friday, where he is expected to comment on the economic outlook for Japan and the US.
EXPERT: MORE FED CUTS LIKELY
And we spoke to Suzuki Toshiyuki, an economist and longtime Fed watcher, about the impact of the latest Fed decision.Suzuki says a quarter of the percentage point cut will not lead to an improvement in US employment figures, which means more rate cuts could be on the way.
Today we need additional rate cuts for a change of economic situation. And so they will wait and see another round of economic data.
And if another weak or poor employment data comes, they will move to another rate cuts.
EXPERT: FED DECISION WILL HAVE LIMITED IMPACT ON BOJ
Suzuki, as the Fed will move, will not have a significant effect on the Bank of Japan's policy. He says that's because several factors, such as domestic political uncertainty, are making it difficult for the BOJ to act.Possibility of a deterioration of economic activities or business situations due to the US tariff impulse, particularly to automobile sector. And the Bank of Japan will hesitate to increase rates.
Suzuki says for now, the Fed decision will not lead to big changes in Japan's economic outlook.NIKKEI 225 FINISHES ABOVE 45,000 FOR RECORD HIGH
Tokyo's benchmark Nikkei 225 stock index set another closing high on Thursday, finishing above the 45,000 mark for the first time. Now the rise follows the US Federal Reserve's key interest rate cut overnight.The index ended the day at 45,303, up 1.15%. Many investors bought semiconductor and other export related shares after the Fed decision eased concerns over the US economic outlook. They believe there will be a tailwind for the Japanese economy.
Analysts say the yen's fall against the dollar also prompted investors to pick up those shares. The Nikkei 225 set its all-time closing high on four straight trading days until Tuesday.
This was driven by growing expectations for a Fed rate cut and record highs in New York stock indices.
INDIVIDUAL FINANCIAL ASSETS IN JAPAN HIT RECORD HIGH
And higher stock prices are driving up financial assets held by individuals in Japan. The Bank of Japan says the total value hit an all-time high at the end of June. The BOJ conducts A quarterly survey covering individual assets, including cash savings, securities and insurance.The total for the second quarter was more than 2200 trillion yen or about $15 trillion. That's up 1% from a year ago. Equity holdings rose nearly 5% year on year. Investments, investment trusts grew 9%.
Rising stock prices led to higher equity values and. investment balances. Now, the country is also seeing a growing number of new investors following the government's expansion of its NISA tax-free investment program.
Cash and deposit balances fell 0.1 percent from a year earlier. This is the first decline since December 2006. The BOJ attributes the decline to the growing prevalence of cashless payment systems. It also says more people are using their money to invest.
MARKETS
Okay, let's get a check of the markets.♪
And that is it for Business News. I'm going to hand it back to you.
Thank you, Ramin. Next.
FROM THE ASHES IN NEPAL
An interim government is taking shape in Nepal after a youth-led protest movement toppled the previous leadership last week. Seventy-two people were killed, public offices were torched, and the situation remains tense.Earlier, I spoke with Energy Giver's Aoyama Satoru for the latest from Kathmandu.
FROM THE ASHES, NEPAL CHARTS FUTURE AFTER GOVERNMENT TOPPLED
Well, things are relatively calm, and daily life is resuming. People are going to work and school. But this is not a return to normal.Wednesday was a national day of mourning for the dozens of people killed in last week's demonstrations. There are still reminders of that violence all around. Behind me, you can see one of the government buildings which was set on fire by protesters.
You can still scorch marks and places where the structure collapsed.
Many other structures were also torched and will take some time to repair.
In the meantime, Nepal's new leaders will need to rebuild people's trust.
Sotoru, what do we know about what led people to become so incensed that they quite literally burned down their own government?
Well, if you remember, this began as a reaction to Nepal banning access to a number of social media services. Many Nepalese work abroad, so apps like Facebook and Instagram A key for people to stay in touch with loved ones. But the real outrage run much deeper. These restrictions came just as political corruption and nepotism in Nepal had gone viral. There was a scandal over the ruling class, so-called Nepal kids. These were young people fronting the benefits of their elite families, wealth and status online. Some of these images. were then combined with images of poor Nepalese and reposted by influences during a firestorm.
Tanuja Pandey, a prominent young activist, says the videos showed Nepal's problems with inequality.
There are a lot of people who work below the bare minimum. I'm 25 now, and I've seen seen people in power my entire life, so I think this is really unjust to the people of Nepal.
Now, those who are in power are out, but solving the huge gap between Nepal rich and poor has yet to start.
Right. And what can you tell us about the people who are now in charge of Nepal?
Sushila Karuki has stepped in as interim prime minister. She's a former chief justice who has taken a tough stance against political corruption in the past. She's well-liked among the so-called Jenji protesters, but she's also facing very high expectations. I spoke with a political scientist who says if the new leaders cannot demonstrate that they are listening to these young voices, the stability could fall apart.
They wanted to end corruption in the country, and they wanted to have good governance. If the changes are not really introduced, then the GNG will will not really be happy about it. There are high chances that protests will happen.
It is worth noting that Nepal is a young democracy. Next year will mark two decades since the end of a bloody civil war, and an election is planned for March.
The question is whether the vote will happen as scheduled, and whether protesters will feel like their sacrifices have led to real changes.
JAPAN: MORE PEOPLE IN MOUNTAIN-RELATED ACCIDENTS
Japan marked a record number of mountain-related accidents this summer, The National Police Agency is urging anyone heading out to. plan carefully beforehand.Police say over 900 people were involved in mishaps in 2025, about 180 more than last year.
48 people died, while six remain missing. By age group, 190 of the people involved in accidents were in their 50s, 199 in their 60s, and 166 in their 70s.
These age groups accounted for about 60 percent of the total. The agency says over 200 people fell, accounting for the largest number, while about 170 people lost their way. As the autumn hiking season approaches, police are calling on climbers to prepare properly, including having communication devices and appropriate clothing and gear.
TREMORS CONTINUE AFTER QUAKE HITS SOUTHWEST JAPAN ISLAND
A magnitude 4-point-7 earthquake shook the island of Suwanosejima in southwest Japan's Kagoshima Prefecture on Wednesday... and weather officials say tremors continue to hit the area.The Japan Meteorological Agency says a quake registering lower 5 on the country's seismic scale of 0 to 7 hit the island at around 9:55 p.m. Agency officials say 34 earthquakes with an intensity of one or stronger have since been observed through 11 a.m. on Thursday.
After an inspection in the village this morning, no abnormalities were found.
The officials say more quakes of up to around lower five could occur over the next week or so. They are urging caution and say the risk of falling rocks and landslides has risen. The agency says Wednesday's quake appears unrelated to the series of earthquakes that started in late June near the islands of Akusekijima and Kodakarajima.It also says the volcano on Tsuanosejima has erupted repeatedly, but so far have not confirmed significant changes in volcanic activity.
JAPAN'S HOTTER SUMMERS LEAD TO 'FIFTH SEASON'
Next, the idea of a year divided into four seasons may be a thing of the past. With Japan's summers getting hotter and longer, there's a growing movement to split that season into two parts, making a total of five seasons in the year.Businesses are dreaming up novel ways to cash in on this trend.
This is a brand store operated by a major apparel manufacturer in Japan.
Starting last year, it expanded its seasonal product rollout from the traditional four seasons to five.
This company that runs the store has divided the prolonged summer into two periods and is developing products suited to each one.
Consumers aren't inclined to buy autumn items while it's still hot. More people are saying they want products better suited to the current weather.
As a result, the company's products now feature autumn inspired colors, utilizing summer weight fabrics that are thin and sheer. And summer merchandise is now staying on the shelves until late September, with production volumes up over 30%.
Compared to previous years, this is considered a novel approach in an industry typically focused on early sales of the next season's products.
Customers are shifting toward buying what they want and need right now. We must supply clothing suited to current sunlight and humidity levels, and we intend to actively develop such products.
Efforts to expand the summer season are also spreading in the food industry.
This food maker launched a new project this year to address the five seasons trend.
The firm designated the period from September to early October, when the summer heat is still intense, as a new season. It developed recipes using its products in collaboration with chefsand publish them on their website and other platforms.
In recent years, the scorching weather has reduced consumers' desire to cook.
This has led to sales of the company's flagship Japanese flavor seasoning dropping by over 10% during summer.
Many people say they don't want to use the stove in the kitchen when it's hot.
Recipe development prioritizes surveys. It responds to consumers' desire for recipes using autumn ingredients that can be eaten even in hot weather, with minimal time spent sleeping in the kitchen.
Umm
The company plans to collaborate with restaurant chains and retailers on future events.
If people enjoy these recipes, they will use up their stock of household seasoning and then buy more. We aim to create a movement that celebrates the fiveseasons.
ISRAEL-HAMAS CONFLICT
EU MULLS SUSPENDING ISRAEL'S TARIFF PREFERENCES
The European Union's executive body has proposed suspending tariff preferences it gives Israelin response to the situation in the Gaza Strip.The European Commission made the proposals on Wednesday. It said Israel's military operations and other actions have caused the humanitarian situation in Gaza to deteriorate. The EU is Israel's largest trading partner. The imposition of tariffs would affect around 40 percent of the goods it imports from Israel.
that would amount to about 5.8 billion euros or around 6.85 billion dollars.
The Commission also proposed sanctioning Israeli government officials it deems extremists. The sanctions would include freezing their assets and prohibiting them from traveling to the EU. The aim is not to punish Israel.
The aim is to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza. The commission also proposed sanctions against 10 members of Hamas. The EU member states will vote on the proposals, but it remains to be seen whether the measures will be approved as Germany and some other nations may not vote for them.
WAR IN UKRAINE
KYIV TO GET US WEAPONS UNDER A NEW NATO-LED MECHANISM
The Ukrainian government says a new NATO-led funding mechanism is up and running to send military aid from the US to Ukraine.In July, US President Donald Trump disclosed plans to deliver weapons to Ukraine, including Patriot air defense systems. Under the new framework, US weaponry will be purchased by NATO allies and then delivered to Ukraine. The Ukrainian foreign ministry said on Wednesday that it hopes for continued support by the trans-Atlantic alliance.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that the first NATO-funded aid packages will include Patriot missiles. Ukraine is looking to strengthen its air defense capabilities. Earlier this month, Russia unleashed its largest wave of missile and drone attacks on Ukraine.
since the start of the invasion, killing civilians and damaging a key government building in Kyiv.
CENTRAL JAPAN'S LOBSTER SEASON OPENS TO LOW YIELDS
This season's spiny lobster fishing has begun in central Japan, but the results have fallen short of local fishers' expectations.Two fishing boats returned to port in the town of Minami-Izu, Shizuoka Prefecture, with nets they had set the day before. The first day haul was 36 kilograms, which was less than last year's. Fishers removed the nets carefully to avoid damaging the prize delicacy.
Some lobsters were as big as 30 centimeters, but many were small.
The catch has been getting smaller every year. I hope this season will be better than last year. The town's lobster fishing season will continue through mid-May next year.
JAPAN Sketch
Ohh It's good, the horseYeah, first time.We tried it a bit on the street like that.
How was this? Really good.
Amazing.
WEATHER
Now it's time to check out the weather. A powerful rainstorm is sweeping across Japan. Our meteorologist Yumi Hirano has the details.An active frontal system is bringing intense downpours to Japan on Thursday. Parts of Yamagata and the Niigata prefectures saw over 220 millimeters in just at day, setting records for September.
Now the rain is hitting the Pacific side of the country, including the Kanto region. Intense downpours could hit evening commute, so please check out both weather and traffic updates. As the frontal system is expected to move away from Japan on Friday, the rain is likely to taper off in many areas.
Behind the system, cooler air is surging in, so the temperature in Tokyo will drop sharply to 27, while Sapporo will see only 22.
In the bigger picture, across East Asia, we have to monitor a couple of tropical systems. One is expected to intensify to typhoon and affect the northern Philippines and Taiwan. Another is likely to approach southern China, including Hong Kong. Up to 240 millimeters of rain is possible in Guangdong Province by Friday afternoon and more by Saturday.
Speaking of heavy rain, monsoon season is still going on in much of India. Downfalls have caused severe floods.
Heavy rain from the monsoon caused a crowd burst in northern India on Wednesday night. By Thursday morning, the state had received over 150 millimeters of rain in 24 hours. According to Reuters, houses in one district were buried under debris, and at least 10 people went missing. Rescue operations are underway.
Showers are still possible in many cities such as Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Chennai.
That's all for now. Stay safe.
♫～ 3-DAY FORECAST ～♫
That's all for this edition of NHK Newsline. I'm Morishita Erika in Tokyo.
Thank you for joining us.
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