Welcome to NHK Newsline. I'm Morishita Erika in Tokyo.
TRUMP, XI WRAP UP TALKS IN S. KOREA
We begin with an update from the city of Busan, South Korea, where US
President Donald Trump held talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
00:00:27 話者 2
Good to meet you. Very pleasure to see you again.
And we're going to have a very successful meeting, I have no doubt.
But he's a very tough negotiator. That's not good. We know each other well.
We have a great relationship.
00:00:49 話者 1
This was Trump's first in-person meeting with Xi since 2019.
00:00:53 話者 2
We've already agreed to a lot of things and we'll agree to some more right now.
President Xi is a great leader of a great country and I think we're going to have a fantastic relationship for a long period of time.
00:01:10 話者 1
Xi Jinping said it's normal for the two leading economies of the world to experience friction now and then.
He also said he's willing to continue to work with Trump to lay a solid foundation for China-US relations.
Xi said he wants to create a favorable environment for the two countries.
After the two-hour meeting, Trump and Xi shook hands again, and Trump was seen whispering into Xi's ear.
After the meeting, Trump left the airport in Busan to return home, wrapping up his Asia tour.
TRUMP AND XI FINISH SUMMIT IN S. KOREA
Earlier, I spoke with NHK was Yako Kento, who is near the spot where the two leaders met.
Kento, tell us what you saw from your vantage point.
00:02:01 話者 3
Things are much calmer now, but this area in front of Kimei Air Base was packed earlier.
We were surrounded by other journalists, and security was extremely tight, especially when President Xi left the venue.
He and his team passed us by on this road.
We saw a lot of supporters and protesters in this area, too, but the situation appeared relatively peaceful.
00:02:27 話者 1
What did the leaders discuss in the meeting?
00:02:33 話者 3
Trump spoke with supporters afterwards, and he revealed a lot.
Let's go through some of the key points.
First, the issue around where are this?
China announced strict export controls on them earlier this month.
Trump then threatened to slap an extra 100% typhe on Chinese goods in response, but he now says that the issue has been settled.
Trump says China will resume purchases of soybeans and other farm products.
He also mentioned the typhe that he imposed on imports from China over the flow of fentanyl.
He says that the tide will drop from 20% to 10% because China will take measures to address the issue.
As for the meeting itself, Trump says that on a scale of 1 to 10, the meeting was at 12.
He says he'll be going to China in April and she will visit the US sometime after that.
TRUMP OKAYS S. KOREA'S WISH FOR NUCLEAR SUBMARINE
00:03:46 話者 1
US President Donald Trump says he's given South Korea the okay to build a nuclear-powered submarine.
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung had asked him for approval at the summit the day before.
They met in the South Korean city of Gyeongju to discuss issues including tariffs in North Korea.
Lee told Trump he hoped the US would let South Korea acquire fuel for nuclear submarines so it could build some using its own technology.
Lee also said South Korea's use of nuclear submarines to defend the borders around the Korean Peninsula would reduce the burden on US forces.
Trump posted his approval on social media. He also wrote that South Korea would be building its nuclear submarine in the US state of Philadelphia.
He wrote that shipbuilding in the US would soon make a big comeback.
South Korea's Yonhap News Agency says this is the first time the government has made its intention to acquire nuclear submarines public.
AKITA PREFECTURE STEPS UP BEAR MEASURES
Next, as bear attacks continue across the country, one prefecture is investing in prevention.
It's beefing up its staffing and has asked Japan's Self-Defense Forces for help.
Akita Prefecture says bears have killed three people there since April.
Another 53 have been injured. To address the issue, it more than doubled the size of its Nature Conservation Division Thursday.
The prefecture now has 46 workers dedicated to coordinating anti-bear measures.
00:05:35 話者 2
Bears are frequently showing up where people live. It's extremely dangerous for residents.
I hope everyone will work hard to protect the public's safety and security.
00:05:49 話者 1
They will also be responsible for coordinating with local governments and Japan's Self-Defense Forces. The prefecture had requested its support.
Shida says the prefecture wants the SDF to send troops once municipalities and local hunters are ready to receive them.
EDUCATION MINISTRY RELEASES BEAR MEASURES FOR SCHOOLS
And Japan's education ministry is also stepping up to keep kids safe from bears.
Several were spotted on school grounds across the country.
This recent footage shows a bear at an elementary school in the northern prefecture of Yamagata.
The school canceled classes Wednesday after the bear broke a glass door.
The education ministry sent school boards new safety measures this week.
It includes locking garbage stations and telling kids not to walk around with food.
And if a bear is spotted nearby, schools will ask parents to accompany their children to and from class.
The ministry says bears are now appearing in areas where they have not been seen before.
It says it will respond quickly to keep children safe.
BUSINESS
Now, let's see what's happening in the world of business.
Here's Ramin Mellegard from The Biz Desk.
00:07:23 話者 4
Thank you very much indeed.
BOJ KEEPS RATE TARGET UNCHANGED AT AROUND 0.5%
Now, the Bank of Japan says it will keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged.
Explaining their decision, policymakers pointed to uncertainty, hang over the economy, and international trade.
The central bank said at the end of its two-day policy meeting that it will continue to target a short-term rate of around 0.5 percent.
It's the sixth time in a row that the BOJ has maintained the same level since a rate hike in January.
The bank's governor, Ueda Kazuo, said the uncertainty caused by US tariff measures remains high in the overseas economy.
00:08:02 話者 2
If the economy and prices move as we predict, the BOJ will continue to raise the policy rate in line with how much conditions improve.
That's one way to adjust the degree of monetary easing policy.
00:08:15 話者 4
Ueda also said he needs a little bit more time to study whether businesses will retain their aggressive attitude in setting wages, even when US tariff measures continue to put downward pressure on profitability.
The BOJ also kept its inflation outlook unchanged. The bank is sticking to its July median forecast that consumer prices, excluding fresh food, will rise 2.7 percent in fiscal 2025.
Its outlook for next year remains at 1.8% and 2% for the following year.
The board members expect that the bank's 2% inflation target will be reached after the second-half of fiscal 2026, and that's also in line with earlier predictions.
FORMER BOJ EXECUTIVE BREAKS DOWN POLICY DECISION
And for more, we spoke with Momma Kazuo, a former BOJ executive director.
We asked why the central bank doesn't consider Japan's persistently high inflation sufficient cause to raise the rate.
00:09:17 話者 5
It is true that the CPI inflation has been around 3% or even higher for the recent past.
But the inflation rate has been slowing partly due to surges of food prices, particularly of rice prices. Most of them appear to be temporary.
Therefore, the year-on-year CPI inflation is likely to move down to around 2% in the next six months or so.
Given that outlook of inflation, the BOJ does not think it is necessary to quicken the pace of rate hikes.
00:09:51 話者 4
Momma says although the yen is weak, it's not weak enough to convince the bank to take urgent action.
He says there's a more pressing concern, the impact of Trump's tariffs on the US economy.
00:10:05 話者 5
But let me quickly ask that, despite everything I said, the BOJ makes it clear that it is prepared for raising the interest rate going forward, and the BOJ is just looking for an appropriate timing to do so.
I think that the BOJ will consider waging its interest rate at the next meeting in December or the meeting after in January.
Exact timing will be subject to a combination of these three very important factors: the US
economy, exchange rates, and the prospect for wage negotiation next spring.
00:10:41 話者 4
Hours before the BOJ announcement, the US Federal Reserve said it would cut its benchmark interest rate. That makes it the second cut in a row.
00:10:50 話者 5
Today's BOJ decision, together with the Fed's decision earlier, does not seem to create a big market movement one way or the other, because reserves on both central banks have been well anticipated.
00:11:05 話者 4
Momma says the direction of the dollar/yen exchange rate in coming months will depend heavily on the US economy.
00:11:15 話者 5
If the US economy deteriorates more than many people currently expect, then the Fed will have to cut interest rates more aggressively, resulting in weaker dollar and stronger yen.
On the other hand, if the US economy turns out to be surprisingly strong, the Fed may not cut the interest rate any further, which in turn will cause the dollar to be stronger and the yen weaker.
So therefore, we need to see what might come from the US side a lot more carefully than the BOJ policy itself when it comes to the dollar/yen exchange rate going forward.
00:11:53 話者 4
Momma says given the elevated uncertainty in the global economy, things could go either way in the medium term.
TOYOTA PLANS TO IMPORT US-MADE MODELS TO JAPAN
Toyota Motor is gearing up to start shipments of American-made models to Japan.
The company says the imports are aimed at helping to cut the US trade deficit.
Japan's government pledged to ease trade tension as part of a tariff deal backed by the private sector. Toyota is one of the companies stepping forward.
It says the Camry sedan is among the vehicles being considered for shipment to the home market. US President Donald Trump met Japanese business leaders on Tuesday during his visit to Tokyo.
One of them was Toyota Motor Chairman Toyoda Akio.
They reportedly exchanged views on the business environment in their two countries.
Now, Nissan is another automaker considering importing US-made models.
It says it's checking on demand in Japan and assessing profitability.
CHIP DISPUTE HALTS HONDA PLANT IN MEXICO
In other auto industry news, NHK has learned that Honda Motor has suspended production in Mexico. Assembly lines came to a stop on Tuesday.
The company cited a shortage of semiconductors linked to tensions between the Netherlands and China.
Honda also reported disruption at some of its plants in North America.
The company says it is drawing on its chip reserves to continue production.
The confrontation came after the Dutch government intervened in management of China-funded chipmaker Nexperia, which is based in the Netherlands, officials cited security reasons.
The Chinese government responded by restricting exports of Nexperia's chips used in automobiles.
NIKKEI 225 SETS RECORD CLOSING HIGH FOR 2ND STRAIGHT DAY
And Tokyo's Nikkei 225 climbed again on Thursday, not by much, but enough to set a record closing high for the second straight day.
Now, US-China summit was in the spotlight.
Many investors decided the talks had eased trade tensions somewhat.
The benchmark finished at 51,325, up 0.04%.
Trading was volatile, but the index rebounded sharply toward the end of the session.
Analysts say President Trump's announcement that he would reduce additional tariffs on Chinese goods prompted aggressive buying.
The Nikkei index topped the 50,000 mark for the first time on Monday, and it advanced even further on Wednesday to exceed 51,000, led by chip-related shares.
MARKETS
Okay, let's get a check on some of the other markets.
♪
And that is it for business news.
IN FOCUS
00:15:12 話者 1
Next, let's go over to Shibuya Aki with Newsa in Focus.
She's looking at the dreams of Japanese craftspeople who have been aiming to get to the Olympics.
TOKYO CRAFTSPEOPLE CHASE OLYMPIC BOBSLEIGH DREAM
00:15:25 話者 6
Formula One on ice. Yes, we're talking about bobsleds.
Sleek, aerodynamic, these gravity-powered machines can reach speeds of up to 130 kilometers per hour.
A team of small factory owners in Tokyo's Ota Ward launched a project in 2011 called Shitamachi Babslei.
Shitamachi refers to the traditional working-class neighborhood that's home to their workshop. Their aim has been to make it to the Olympics.
So far, their efforts have not borne fruit for three consecutive games.
With the upcoming Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics in Italy in sight, Stamaci Bobsleigh might be selected by the host country's national team.
00:16:20 話者 7
The head coach of Italy's bobsled team, Manuel Mahata, recently visited the workshop.
Mahata came to oversee the final adjustments.
About 20 companies are involved in the project.
This latest model has over 200 parts.
One company that's taking part designs satellite radar systems.
It's in charge of the sled's overall engineering.
The sled's base frame is milled from a single block of metal, no welding required.
This seamless construction boosts its structural strength.
The required precision is 0.01 millimeters.
The project's members are vying to enter a field that has typically been dominated by major automakers.
The Italian team is impressed with the way the Shitomachi sled handled in recent international competitions.
00:17:32 話者 3
I started sliding already here and marched up with the sled.
It was already a good feeling, a great experience.
00:17:40 話者 7
What the Italian team values most is the adaptability of the Japanese.
On this day, the Italian team asked that the sled be made even lighter.
00:18:02 話者 2
If the sled's too heavy, it may exceed the weight limit when our two athletes are on it.
We've got to reduce its weight.
00:18:19 話者 7
Seki Eichi's firm is one of the group's members responsible for the task.
He's been with the project since day one, investing over $60,000 of his own money.
Other members, too, have chipped in.
What keeps driving him is the lingering sense of frustration over their past failures to reach the Olympics.
00:18:42 話者 2
I couldn't shake the frustration of not making it to the Games.
00:18:49 話者 7
Starting with the 2014 Sochi Games, they've made three bids to get to the Olympics, but none were successful.
Some countries have expressed interest after many trials and test runs, but problems involving speed or weight led to last-minute rejections in favor of other countries' sleds.
And with each Olympic setback came the inevitable online trolls.
Small factories played a big role in Japan's post-war economic miracle.
But in the past decade, the number in old award has dropped nearly 30%, due largely to fewer successors.
The project's members hope to reinvigorate the spirit of craftsmanship.
00:19:46 話者 2
I want people to know we're still here. I want to show how far we can go with our craftsmanship. And the Olympics? Well, that's the highest measure possible.
00:20:06 話者 7
So the challenge now is how to further reduce the sled's weight.
Seki and his team decide they can lighten it a bit by machining the sled's metal frame.
They carefully shave off a tiny bit, but not enough to compromise the structural integrity.
To enhance both safety and weight savings, they sand down the sharp corners by hand.
They eventually succeed in reducing the sled's weight by a whopping 13 kilograms.
00:21:04 話者 2
It looks great, but we won't know until we test it.
What matters most is how the athletes feel when they get on it.
00:21:11 話者 7
The Shitamachi Bobsley team has pushed forward with their project despite the many obstacles.
Fueled by pride in Japanese craftsmanship, they pursue their challenge with dogged determination.
00:21:28 話者 2
There will still be more tweaks and improvements.
If we actually make it to the Olympics, I might cry.
00:21:45 話者 6
According to the members of the Shitamachi Bobsleigh team, the technical capabilities of their rivals overseas have improved significantly, and competition is tougher than ever.
The athletes will only pick the sled they'll use on the day of the actual race, so the nail biting will continue for the Shitamachi team until then.
But they are absolutely determined to see their sled racing down the Cortina d'Anpezzo bobsled track in northern Italy to Olympic glory in February.
Fingers crossed. And that's all for me.
00:22:22 話者 1
In an earlier story, we refer to Philadelphia as a US state.
It's, in fact, an American city. We regret the era.
WEATHER
Now, let's check out the world weather. October is among the months with the heaviest rainfall in parts of Vietnam. Our meteorologist, Yumi Hirano, has the details.
00:23:43 話者 8
Over 280 millimeters of rain has been reported in Hue, Vietnam.
Now it's the peak of the monsoon season, causing severe flooding.
Record-breaking rainfall in central Vietnam has caused severe floods this week, leaving at least 10 dead and five missing, according to officials.
Much of fuel remains underwater, with rivers overflowing after heavy rainfall.
In Denang, many homes, crops and thousands of livestock were washed away.
More than 120 landslides have struck a major highway in a nearby province.
In this region, the monsoon usually lasts until November, so more rain is expected on Friday. People there should stay a lot for additional flooding.
In the bigger picture across Asia, sunny skies are expected in Beijing and Uranbato, but showers are likely in Tokyo with a high of only 17.
People in Japan also should watch out for stormy conditions on Friday due to a low-pressure system.
It's expected to move along the Pacific side, bringing downpours and strong winds.
A storm warning is likely to be issued in Hokkaido, causing potential power outages.
Finally, in the United States, a low-pressure system is moving over the mid-Atlantic.
It's expected to intensify, bringing severe weather, such as downpours and strong winds, along the eastern seaboard.
So showers are likely in many cities, such as in New York and Washington, but sunny skies are expected in Chicago, Oklahoma City and Denver.
The high in L.A. will be 32, which is much higher than usual.
That's all for now. Have a nice day.
♫～ 3-DAY FORECAST ～♫
MESSY FUN AT OKINAWA MUD-SMEARING FESTIVAL
00:26:30 話者 1
Finally, local residents and visitors got down in 30 for a traditional mud-smelling festival in the southern prefecture of Okinawa.
The annual event held on Miyakojima is to chase out evil spirits.
The festival is registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Its name, Pantu, comes from the Miyakojima dialect and means demon or monster.
In the island's Shimajiri district and elsewhere, they're regarded as deities that bring good harvest and health.
Three people wearing masks and covered in vines smeared mud on local residents and tourists alike for good luck.
That's all for this edition of NHK Newsline.
I'm Morishita Erika in Tokyo. Thank you very much for joining us.
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