INDONESIAN AUTHORITIES CONFIRM 49 DEATHS IN SCHOOL COLLAPSE
Indonesia's disaster management authorities say 49 deaths have been confirmed in the collapse of an Islamic boarding school in East Java province.The authorities say six more people are in intensive care, and the search continues for 14 others who are still unaccounted for. The building suddenly collapsed on September 29th, trapping many students under the rubble. Rescue crews began using heavy machinery in their search after the critical 72 hours had passed, when chances of survival fall sharply.
So far, 80% of the debris has been cleared. Authorities say work was underway to extend the building when it came down. They are investigating the cause of the accident. They say there's a possibility the structure's foundation was not strong enough. Local media are reporting that Minister of State Secretary Prostitio Hadi said on Sunday that steps will be taken to prevent a recurrence. Prostitio was quoted as saying the authorities intend to collect data on all Islamic boarding schools to ensure their safety.
COUPLE ARRESTED FOR SMUGGLING 45 TONS OF RICE INTO JAPAN
Japanese police have arrested two people for trying to smuggle about 45 tons of rice into the country from Vietnam. They say the suspects were planning to sell the grain in Japan, where prices remain high.Police in Osaka Prefecture arrested a 36-year-old Vietnamese citizen who runs a food import firm and her husband.
The rice had initially been found by customs officials inside a shipping container in June. The police say it was hidden with over 2,000 boxes of other items and did not carry the inspection certificates required for imports. Investigators have not said whether the two suspects have admitted to the allegations.
WAR IN UKRAINE
RUSSIAN AIR BARRAGE TARGETS ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE
An intensive missile and drone attack by the Russian military has left five people dead in Ukraine. The wide-scale air barrage also damaged civilian infrastructure in the south.The Ukrainian Air Force said Russia launched 53 missiles and about 500 drones in the overnight offensive through Sunday morning. It said most of them targeted the western region of Lviv.
Ukraine's state emergency service says five people have been confirmed dead, including a 15-year-old girl. The energy ministry said a power infrastructure facility was damaged, leading to a massive blackout in the southern region of Zaporizhia.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a video address that Russia is trying to destroy Ukraine's civilian infrastructure. He said Moscow is trying to knock out gas infrastructure, power generation, and transmission ahead of winter. He added that the drones Russia used for the attack contained parts manufactured by the United States, European nations, Japan, and others.
He stressed the need to cut off the supply chain. European Union's foreign policy chief Kaya Kalas criticized Russia, posting on acts that the country is masking its failed summer offensive with terror attacks on Ukrainian civilians and infrastructure.
She called for applying more pressure on Russia.
NORTH KOREA'S KIM VOWS TO EXPAND NAVAL POWER
North Korean media say leader Kim Jong-un has stressed his intention to increase the country's strength as a naval power.State-run Korean Central Television said on Monday Kim made the comments while visiting a Navy facility the previous day. Photos released show him inspecting a new type of destroyer that was launched in April. Kim is seen receiving a briefing on the ship's bridge and elsewhere. He reportedly said in order to protect the country, North Korea's Navy must thoroughly deter any provocations by enemies and punish them.
He added that his party will rapidly beef up naval forces. On Saturday, Kim visited an exhibition of military hardware in Pyongyang. A South Korean expert says that photos published from the event show what appear to be submarine-launched ballistic missiles, or SLBMs, among other weapons. The expert also says North Korea is signaling that it is reinforcing its nuclear capabilities at sea.
North Korea is expected to hold a large-scale military parade on October 10 to mark the 80th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Workers' Party.
Some observers say Pyongyang might unveil its latest weapons.
TAKACHI CHOOSING HER TEAM AFTER WINNING LDP LEADERSHIP
Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party has started a new week with a new leader.Former Economic Security Minister Takaichi Sanae has become the LDP's first-ever female president and is set to be the first woman to serve as Japanese prime minister.
Takaichi won after heading into a runoff vote against Agriculture Minister Koizumi Shinjiro on Saturday.
With all of you, I will strive to fire up the LDP. and make it a positive party, which turns people's anxieties into hope.
Takaichi's ascent comes after a year of declining popularity for the LDP, punctuated by two disappointing national elections. In response, the new leader has called on LDP members to work tirelessly. Attention is now focused on how she appoints the LDP's new executives. On Sunday, Takaichi met with former Prime Minister Aso Taro, who backed her in the runoff. NHK has now learned she's preparing to appoint former finance minister Suzuki Shunichi as her party's secretary-general. Suzuki is Aso's brother-in-law.
Takaichi has also said she plans to give key positions to those who ran against her in the leadership race, hoping to bring together their energy and resources. Diet lawmakers will hold a vote later this month, with Takaichi expected to be elected the next prime minister.
TAKAICHI SANA'E'S LONG ROAD TO LEADERSHIP
Now, let's take a look at Takaichi's journey into being just steps away from becoming the first woman to lead Japan's government.This was Takaichi Sanai's third time running for party leadership. The 64-year-old started her political career in Nara Prefecture, where she grew up.
After graduating university, she served as a congressional fellow in the United States. She then returned to Japan and worked as a TV anchor.
Before jumping into politics as an independent. Takaichi was first elected in 1993 and later joined the LVP in 1996.
A close ally of late Prime Minister Abe Shinzo, Takaichi entered cabinet as part of his first administration. She was well known for her conservative views.
Takaichi went on to serve as the Internal Affairs and Communications Minister. She stayed in the role for a record number of days, over 1400 in all.
Takaichi enjoys wide-ranging hobbies.
As a student, she played drums in a heavy metal band. She also enjoys riding motorcycles.
As a politician, Takaichi says she takes inspiration from Britain's Iron Lady, Margaret Thatcher, calling her a role model. She has said she admires Thatcher's determination to push forward with tough but necessary policies.
CHALLENGES AHEAD FOR TAKAOCHI AFTER WINNING LDP RACE
Earlier, I spoke with NHK World's political correspondent, Igarashi Jun, for more on what lies ahead for the new LDP leader.So, Jun, Takaichi is not in the prime minister's seat just yet. So what challenges does she still face?
As we know, the LDP and its junior coalition partner, Komeito, do not hold majorities in either house. but we do not expect opposition parties to rally behind someone to challenge her in the upcoming Diet vote. Takaichi is almost guaranteed to become the next prime minister, but that's when the challenges really start. One of her first acts after winning the LDP election was to meet with the head of Komeito, Saito Tetsuo.
She wants to maintain that coalition.
Saito says to do that,Takeichi must address some of Komeito's concerns about her historical interpretation of issues like Japan's actions during World War II. He says that Takeichi assured him she would prevent any further concerns from happening, concerns from rising.
And what about the opposition parties? How is Takeichi planning to work with them?
She could be planning to cooperate with some of them on a case-by-case basis to pass certain policies. During the party's leadership race, Takeichi stressed she would work with the opposition on legislation mostly aimed at tackling rising prices. Those include cash handouts, tax breaks, and getting rid of provisional gasoline tax rates.
She may also be thinking about expanding her tent. Tamaki Yuichiro President of the Democratic Party for the People says he and his members share common ground with Takeichi on issues like energy policy. He says he would consider forming a coalition with the LDP if the ruling party proposes one. The DPFP is one of the parties that expanded its numbers of seats in the upper house election as the LDP lost ground.
So a partnership with them would certainly put the ruling party in a more powerful position.
And Jun, looking beyond Japan, what should we expect from Takeichi's foreign policies?
Well, let's start with the Japan-US alliance.
Takeichi has made clear that she wants to reaffirm and reinforce that relationship, and she may have an opportunity to do that very soon. US President Donald Trump is expected to visit Japan later this month. And we'll see how their talks will affect both countries' stances on trade and security. When it comes to Japan's neighbors, Takeichi says she wants to have dialogue with China and to strengthen cooperation with South Korea in terms of defense. On the other hand, Takeichi is known for her conservative views, and in the past, she has visited Yasukuni Shrine. The shrine honors Japan's war dead. Those remembered include leaders convicted of war crimes after World War II.
Visits by Japanese leaders to the shrine often provoke outrage from both China and South Korea. Takeichi was asked if she would go once in office.
She only said that she would consider how to appropriately console the souls of the dead and pray for peace.
Also, the APEC and ASEAN summits are coming up. We'll be watching how Takeichi builds relationships with the leaders of South Korea, China, and other nations during those meetings as well.
BUSINESS
Staying with the new LDP leader, to see how her win is affecting the markets, let's turn to Gene Otani from our business desk.
Gene, tell us the details.
Hiroaki, thanks.
NIKKEI 225 SURGES TO RECORD HIGH AFTER KAKAGI'S WIN
Takayichi's victory triggered a surge in Tokyo stock prices on Monday. The Nikkei 225 briefly surpassed the 48,000 mark for the first time and ended the trading day at an all time high. The benchmark closed at 47,944. That is up more than 2,100 points, or 4.7% from Friday. Investors bought up a wide range of shares on expectations that Takeichi will go easy on fiscal policy.YEN SLUMPS TO TWO WEEK LOW AGAINST DOLLAR
Currency markets also reacted to the news. The Japanese yen weakened to the 150 level against the dollar, crossing that line for the first time in two months. Some investors sold the currency in the belief that the Bank of Japan will push back the timing of the next interest rate hike.NIKKEI 225 SURGES TO RECORD HIGH AFTER TAKACHI'S WIN
Market sources say Takeichi's win came as somewhat of a surprise. The news put foreign investors in particular in a bullish mood. The sources added that stocks may be overheating given their rapid price rises. The market will also be moved by decisions on the selection of new party executivesin the formation of a new coalition framework.'WALL STREET GIANT' REVIEWS GLOBAL ECONOMY
Next, we present our interview in New York with Jamie Dimon. He is the Chairman and CEO of JPMorgan Chase, which is the largest financial institution in the United States. Dimon is regarded as a giant on Wall Street. He led the bank through the global financial crisis and directed its dramatic growthAfterward, he was also once seen as a candidate for US Treasury Secretary. We asked him for his views on the world economy.Nice meeting you.
Jamie, how are you?
The US economy is being rocked by the current administration's tariff policies and other factors. And the Federal Reserve Board went ahead with a rate cut in September, citing the slowdown in the labor market. Here is Diamond's take on the prospects for the US.
Tariffs do cause uncertainty. I think when you look at trade, I mean, we want trade. I'm a free trade person. So the US economy is definitely weakening. You see it a little bit in the labor markets, a little bit in spend, a little bit in confidence, a little bit in increasing consumer and corporate losses. But it doesn't mean that we're going to go into recession. It may just be a slowdown. We really don't know because there's a large amount of factors at play, as you know, including tariffs, you know, global geopolitics. And so we all have to wait and see.
The Trump administration's pressure on the Fed on monetary policy and staffing has raised questions about confidence in the dollar. Against this backdrop, Diamond stresses the importance of an independent central bank.
We need independent central banks. And so, you know, even the president of the United States, who criticizes the Fed, said recently on TV, We're going to have an independent Fed. You know, and so, yeah, it should be independent. I don't know of any president or prime minister ever arguing for higher rates. They always argue for lower rates. They do it their own way, some publicly, some privately. I I think too much attacking the Fed is not a good idea. Independence is critical.
Diamond's annual letters to shareholders are also scrutinized by investors and the media, who are looking for clues about the direction of the global economy. This spring, he wrote that the US should not embrace isolationism, but instead lead international allies in the fight for the economic world order.
So I think what I'm talking about is all these military issues, mostly driven by the war in Ukraine, terrorism in the Middle East,You know, North Korea, Iran, Russia, and somewhat China, how they're operating is not great. And I think the goal of American military, with our great ally Japan, should be to to strengthen the military alliances of the Western world.
I think the goal of a lot of economic things should be to strengthen those alliances, to make sure you're strong, that we're strong. You know, there may be some unsettlement because of trade, but the goal should be to make the Western world stronger, not weaker. And I hope that is what the ultimate outcome is.
As for the Japanese economy, Diamond says it's moving in the right direction.
And I think as they're freeing up capital, they're improving corporate governance. There'll be some parts that Japanese companies may not like, like some of theseyou know, the the people, the rabble rousers who come in, but it'll be good for the people to free up the capital, the companies, and it'll help grow Japan. It'll also help make up for the fact that Japan population is shrinking a little bit, so very optimistic.
But on a broader front, Diamond remains cautious about the outlook for the United States and the rest of the world.
2025 NOBEL PRIZE WEEK UNDERWAY
The Nobel Prize winners for 2025 are set to be announced this week. The prizes were created by Diamond inventor Alfred Nobel. They are awarded to people who have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind during the preceding year.Last year's Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Nihon Hidankyo, a Japanese organization representing the survivors of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II.
28 individuals from Japan have so far won a Nobel Prize. This number includes those who have obtained US citizenship. The announcements start with the physiology or medicine prize on Monday, followed by the physics, chemistry, and literature prizes. The Peace Prize will be announced on Friday. The winner in economic sciences will be announced the following Monday. The award ceremonies are due to take place in December in Stockholm, Sweden, and Oslo, Norway.
MARKETS
All right, let's have a look at the markets.♪
And that's a look at business news.
Hiroaki, I'm going to hand it back to you.
All right. Thanks, Gene.
ISRAEL-HAMAS CONFLICT
TRUMP PRESSES HAMAS TO ACCEPT CEASEFIRE PLAN
Moving on. The US president is raising the pressure on Hamas to accept the ceasefire plan he announced last week to end the conflict in the Gaza Strip. This comes ahead of indirect talks between Israel and the Islamic group.CNN asked Donald Trump via text message on Saturday what would happen if Hamas insists on staying in power in the enclave. He replied, saying, complete obliteration. Hamas agreed on Friday to release all Israeli hostages.
But the group has not clarified whether it will agree to other demands in the proposal, including disarming itself and playing no role in governing Gaza.
Over the weekend, Secretary of State Marco Rubio stressed on ABC Newsthat the US will place top priority on securing the release of hostages.
We're hoping it'll be finalized very quickly, early this week. And I'm hoping, you know, again, who knows the timeline, but this cannot take weeks or even multiple days. We want to see this happen very fast.
Trump says he thinks the hostages will start being freed very soon.
They're in negotiation right now as we speak. They've started the negotiation. It'll last a couple of days. We'll see how it turns out, but I'm hearing it's going very well.
An Arab news outlet reports that indirect talks between the two sides are set for Monday in Egypt. They will reportedly delve into the release of hostages and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.
REPORTS: JUDGE BLOCKS TRUMP'S NATIONAL GUARD ORDER
Multiple US news outlets say a federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration's attempt to deploy National Guard troops to Oregon. It's the latest development in a battle involving multiple states.Earlier on Sunday, the Defense Department said about 200 of California's National Guard members will be reassigned through Portland. Trump claimed it was necessary to defend Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities from potential terrorist threats. The move appeared to be aimed at circumventing an earlier order that blocked the use of Oregon's troops.
Governor Tina Kotek pushed back against Trump. She says there's no need for military intervention in her state, no insurrection in Portland, and no threat to national security. Her Californian counterpart also condemned the move. Fellow Democrat Gavin Newsom called it a breathtaking abuse of law, abuse of the law and power.
IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS DEAL WITH IAEA NO LONGER VALID
Iran's foreign minister says the cooperative agreement Tehran struck with the International Atomic Energy Agency last month is no longer valid. The deal included a framework for resuming inspections of nuclear facilities in the country. Abbas Arakji spoke on Sunday during a meeting attended by foreign ambassadors and other officials. His comments come after Western countries reimposed UN sanctions on the country last month.It's not back. The reimposition of sanctions changes all the conditions. In my view, the agreement with IAEA is no longer effective for the current situation.
He emphasized that Tehran will continue its nuclear development, but he also said Iran is seeking to build trust that its program is peaceful. His comments suggest Iran's readiness to engage in negotiations with the US and other relevant countries to work towards a diplomatic solution to the nuclear issue.
♫～
WEATHER
It's time for a check on the weather with our meteorologist, Jonathan Oh.Jonathan, after a bright Sunday in Tokyo, we saw a lot more clouds and windy weather on Monday. How are things looking this week?
Hello, it looks like that we're going to be talking about more clouds and rain across Japan. As we go through this week, we've been dealing with a little bit of a break in the clouds. As we went through the weekend, but then the clouds did return and we're looking at the possibility seeing some more rain in the forecast here as we go forward in time.
We do have a stationary front that's trying to move through and this is kind of the pattern we start to run into during the fall months where we start to see a little bit more of a stationary frontal boundary that tries to hover over Japan, which means we'll see clouds and rain kind of moving back into the picture. We do have one other story though down toward the South and we'll talk about that system in just a bit.
Back toward the West we have Matmo which has caused. some major rain problems into southern portions of China and into other portions of Southeast Asia, and that will continue to be the story as the system lingers on in the region. Now, I mentioned about a tropical system that's located south from the main islands of Japan, Halong, is really packing some strong winds, but it's not at its peak.
We're expecting it to actually get stronger as we go through the next few days, and it's going to get awfully close to the Pacific side of Japan, especially as we goInto mid to latter part of this week, so we'll have to keep an eye out on this. The peak of the system likely getting close to Wednesday, Thursday. And so yes, a rough surf, strong winds, heavy rainfall, all part of things that we have to watch out for and we'll keep you posted on this as we head into the next few days. In the meantime, on Tuesday, cloudy skies in Tokyo with high 24 soar at 19.
And looking at clouds also into the story for Beijing and Shanghai for Tuesday.
Meanwhile, across North America, cold front trying to really move its way through the plains states into the Great Lakes. And as it does so might see some intense rainfall in some localized areas.
We also have another low that's staking its way across the Gulf Coast into Florida. So that could also be a point where we may be dealing with some rainfall and heavier rainfall from time to time. Look at the forecast here, rain from Chicago through Atlanta down to Miami for Monday.
Hope you have a good day wherever you are.
♫～ 3-DAY FORECAST ～♫
And that wraps up this edition of NHK Newsline. I'm Yamaguchi Hiroaki in Tokyo.
Thanks for watching.
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