Welcome to NHK Newsline. I'm Yoko Nishimura in Tokyo with the latest news.
DEATH TOLL AT LEAST 1,400 IN SOUTH, SOUTHEAST ASIAN FLOODS
We begin our newscast with the lethal weather once again slamming South and Southeast Asia. Torrential rain has left hundreds dead and missing since late last month.
The damage comes as thousands more are still trying to pick up the pieces after a severe typhoon tore through yet another part of the region in November.
In Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand, intense downpours have triggered deadly floods and mudslides in recent days, killing at least 1,400 people and dealing a blow to the local economies.
At least 770 have died in Indonesia and more than 400 are missing.
Severe local environmental or several local environmental groups have said forced logging on Sumatra island made the damage worse.
They're calling on the government to take measures.
The Indonesian government says it will examine forest management.
More than half a million people have been displaced in North Sumatra province amid widespread flooding. At one evacuation center, heavy rain on Tuesday night flooded a tent, forcing evacuees to take shelter in a roofed parking area.
00:01:28 話者 2
This is the worst damage I've ever experienced. My house was flooded after an embankment collapsed. I need materials to rebuild and basic daily necessities.
00:01:41 話者 1
Some residents who have returned home are cleaning up.
One man says he has been unable to work and has lost his income.
He says it is now harder to secure food and daily necessities than when he was at the evacuation centers.
Heavy rain has also hit Sri Lanka and Thailand.
In these two countries, at least 650 people have been confirmed dead.
In Sri Lanka, about 350 remain unaccounted for.
FLOODS BRING ECONOMIC LOSSES
The flooded areas are facing huge economic losses due to heavy rain concentrated in November.
Many residences and commercial facilities were washed away by heavy rain that has pounded southern Thailand since November.
The downpours also flooded rubber planting areas, which provide natural rubber for making tires and other products.
The Thai government says damage caused by the disaster is estimated at 500 billion baht, or about 15.7 billion dollars.
Indonesian flooding destroyed not only a large number of homes, but also infrastructure, including roads and bridges. Vast farmlands were also submerged.
Indonesian think tank the Center of Economic and Law Studies estimates that economic losses exceed 68 trillion rupiahs, or over four billion dollars.
UNDP OFFICIAL CALLS FOR STRONGER REGIONAL COOPERATION AFTER FLOODS
NHK spoke with Kanni Wignaraja, director of the Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific, at the United Nations Development Program.
She is now in Sri Lanka, where she says the flooding is beyond anything she has seen before.
Wignoraja calls the destruction devastating, with heavy loss of life and widespread damage to infrastructure.
She says insufficient preparedness contributed to the severity of the disaster.
00:03:32 話者 3
Look at flood management systems and infrastructure.
These have to be done with materials and with design and technology that can withstand much, much harsher climate action.
00:03:49 話者 1
Sri Lanka, like many other countries, needs to strengthen its infrastructure to prepare for increasingly severe disasters. But official development assistance is shrinking.
Vignaraja says stronger regional cooperation is essential to reduce inequalities and to strengthen public goods locally and globally.
CEBU STILL STRUGGLING ONE MONTH AFTER TYPHOON
Elsewhere in Asia, floodwaters stemming from a typhoon one month ago have dropped, but the struggle continues.
The Philippines is dealing with widespread destruction in central areas.
More than 260,000 people are still living in evacuation shelters and an earlier disaster has compounded the situation.
The resort areas of Cebu saw extensive damage. Authorities say 253 people died and more than 100 remain missing. Over 180,000 are still displaced in Cebu.
Recovery has especially been complicated.
That's because of a magnitude 6.9 earthquake that hit at the end of September.
It killed 79 people and severely damaged infrastructure, including roads and hospitals.
Earlier, I spoke with NHK World's Kondo Yukari, who was in Cebu reporting on the ongoing need and the recovery efforts.
Now you've been speaking with people in Bogo City, which is one of the hardest hit areas.
What are they telling you?
00:05:25 話者 4
They say they're exhausted. But these back-to-back disasters have taken a huge toll.
So people are trying to move on, but there's still so much recovery ahead.
So look at this area behind me. It's normally for sports and events, but believe it or not, this is Boca City Hall.
It's a makeshift version of it, anyway. So employees have to work outdoors.
The situation in Cebu is also difficult for people in evacuation centers.
So I visited a couple this week. So many families are having to share tents with other families. So many essential items are still in short supply.
So evacuates say they need water, diapers, and sanitary products. And they're dealing with all this amid daytime temperatures that reach close to 30 degrees Celsius.
00:06:13 話者 3
There are still three families, seven or eight people, all living in one tent.
With no breeze passing through, I think the conditions must be extremely harsh.
00:06:27 話者 4
So Uchiyama Junko is Japanese. So she runs a nonprofit organization providing educational support for children in the region.
So she visits evacuation centers to understand the needs of disastrous victims and deliver essential supplies. I went with Uchiyama, and her team handed out sanitary pads.
But they're one of the most requested items.
So people have to live in clamped conditions.
So this woman lives with two other families in this tent, including two babies.
So 13 people in total. So she says her house was swept away by the flood.
00:07:05 話者 9
That is why we are here. It hurts my heart. that we no longer have a house.
We don't have a house anymore. It breaks my heart.
00:07:21 話者 4
It's also worth mentioning how scared people still feel. The aftershocks have continued, and that prompted some to remain in shelters instead of returning home.
00:07:33 話者 1
Right, Yukari, a sad but important reminder of the lingering mental effects.
Now, what about the recovery efforts?
00:07:44 話者 4
So the government officials said recovery will take time.
So they point out that many people are still grieving the loved ones they lost.
In regard to a typhoon, so people are still missing, and some laws are cut off by landslides.
So those issues need to be resolved first.
For the earthquake, they say a damage assessment is nearly complete.
But as mentioned, the aftershocks continue, so officials say the situation has to be stabilized first before they can rebuild.
CHINA REACTS SHARPLY TO NEW US LAW ON TAIWAN RELATIONS
00:08:20 話者 1
China has reacted sharply after US President Donald Trump signed into law a bill on his country's relations with Taiwan.
The Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act was signed by Trump on Tuesday.
It requires the US State Department to review its guidelines on relations with Taiwan at least every five years. The US and Taiwan do not have official diplomatic relations.
Taiwan's presidential office expressed gratitude for the move, saying the law supports closer Taiwan-US relations. But China's foreign ministry spokesperson had this to say:.
00:08:57 話者 2
China firmly opposes official exchanges between the US and China's Taiwan region in any form.
00:09:04 話者 1
The spokesperson also urged the US not to send any wrong signals to Taiwan independent separatist forces.
UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION: RETURN UKRAINIAN CHILDREN
The United Nations General Assembly has adopted a resolution calling for the immediate return of Ukrainian children who have been taken to Russia.
The Ukrainian government says Russian forces have removed more than 19,000 children from Russian-occupied areas and other parts of Ukraine since Moscow's invasion began in February 2022.
The draft resolution submitted on Wednesday demanded Russia ensure the immediate, safe and unconditional return of the children.
Ukraine's Deputy Foreign Minister Mariana Betsa claims the children are being taught to hate their own country.
She said the names of many have been changed, including through adoption by Russian families, so they may never be traced.
Russia's representative claimed that the adoption of children is a temporary guardianship measure.
The official described the resolution as mendacious and nothing more than mere paper.
The resolution was adopted with support from 91 countries.
Twelve voted against, including Russia, while 57, including China, abstained.
The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2023, accusing him of committing the war crime of unlawful deportation and transfer of children from occupied areas of Ukraine to Russia.
ISRAEL AND LEBANON JOIN TALKS
Israel has dispatched a high-ranking official to join talks in southern Lebanon regarding the ceasefire agreement between the two countries.
Israel has continued attacks against Hezbollah, which is currently based in Lebanon.
The US embassy in Beirut announced on Wednesday that the Israeli official and a representative from Lebanon met in southern Lebanon.
They joined a meeting of the Multilateral Committee promoting cessation of hostilities in the region. The two countries do not have diplomatic relations.
Israeli media have reported that the move is in response to mounting pressure from the United States to keep the truce in place.
The Israeli Prime Minister's office announced that they want to establish a basis for a relationship and economic cooperation between Israel and Lebanon.
00:11:30 話者 4
This is a historic development. Be in no doubt that this direct meeting between Israel and Lebanon took place as a result of Prime Minister Netanyahu's efforts to change the face of the Middle East.
00:11:44 話者 1
Fighting between Israel and Hezbollah has continued since 2023, even as a ceasefire deal between Israel and Lebanon, mediated by Washington, came into effect in November last year.
The ceasefire has not stopped Israeli forces from carrying out air raids against Hezbollah in Lebanon, claiming that the group is continuing military activities.
TRUMP REPEATS WARNING OF POSSIBLE LAND STRIKES ON VENEZUELA
US President Donald Trump has again warned of possible military strikes on drug manufacturing bases and other targets in Venezuela.
Since September, his administration has attacked several boats it alleges were carrying drugs in waters off the country's coast.
00:12:26 話者 10
Very soon we're going to start doing it on land, too, because we know every route, we know every house.
00:12:32 話者 1
He added that the US knows where the drugs are manufactured. Washington has been claiming that smuggling large quantities of drugs amounts to an act of terrorism.
In other steps, the US Treasury Department announced on Wednesday it is sanctioning individuals and groups that support a Venezuelan drug cartel.
Separately, the US State Department is offering up to $5 million for information that could lead to the arrest of the organization's leader.
BUSINESS
Now, to tell us what's happening in the world of business, here's Jean Otani from The Biz Desk.
00:13:10 話者 5
Yoko, thanks in our top business story this hour.
CANCELLATIONS SURGE AT HOT SPRING INNS IN NORTHEASTERN JAPAN
Cancellations have been surging at hot springs resorts in Japan's northeastern prefecture of Akita following repeated sightings of wild bears.
At one inn in Odata City dating back over 130 years, more than 300 bookings have been withdrawn since mid-October. The establishment is famous for its open-air baths.
Cancellations started soaring in October after a fatal bear attack at a hot spring inn in neighboring Iwate Prefecture.
To keep the animals away, the one in Odate cut down chestnut trees and cleared undergrowth on the compound.
But the inn's president says sales in October still plunged by around 30 percent from a year earlier. The property is now taking additional measures.
One of them is installing fences to protect guests and staff.
This was no easy decision as the property is known for its stunning views.
Barriers have also been placed along the outdoor corridor leading to the baths.
Firecrackers are sent off twice a day, right before check-in time and right after check-out.
The inn has spent over a million yen, or around $6,500, this season alone.
00:14:45 話者 9
It was finally a time when the impact of the coronavirus pandemic had ended. So the rise in cancellations was a great shock, coming right in the middle of the peak season.
00:14:56 話者 5
Ishikawa says the only thing his business can do is keep taking regular measures to deter the bears so guests can enjoy themselves free of worry.
WASEDA UNIVERSITY PLANS TO RAISE FEES FOR FOREIGN STUDENTS
NHK has learned that Waseda University plans to increase tuition fees for overseas students, citing rising costs.
The university's plan is in line with practices in many academic institutions in other countries, which charge higher fees for international students.
As of May last year, Waseda had more than 5,500 students from overseas, the highest of any educational institution in Japan.
Currently, non-Japanese students pay the same fees as locals, even though Waseda officials say they receive a variety of support services that add to costs.
The officials say the size of the fee increase and when it will be introduced is still being considered.
Waseda won't be the first in Japan to introduce a two-tier tuition structure.
Earlier this year, Tohoku University said fees for international students will increase to 70% more than Japanese students.
Hiroshima University has also said it will increase tuition costs.
Education ministry officials said tuition fees at Japanese universities are relatively low compared to overseas.
The University of California charges international students about 3.4 times as much as domestic students.
Foreign students at the U.K.'s University of Oxford pay about three times more.
JAPAN'S POWER-FROM-SEAWATER PROJECT ATTRACTS GLOBAL ATTENTION
Generating round-the-clock clean electricity straight from the sea.
That's the promise of Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion, or OTEC.
The technology taps temperature gaps in seawater to generate power, and a test facility on a remote Japanese island is attracting international attention.
00:17:02 話者 3
The facility sits next to the sea on Kumejima Island in Okinawa Prefecture.
00:17:11 話者 2
This white pipe contains deep ocean water.
00:17:18 話者 3
Okinawa and Kumejima funded construction of the plant based on Saga University research and technology.
OTEC takes advantage of the 20-degree temperature difference between surface seawater and colder water pumped up from more than 600 meters.
The warmer water is used to turn liquids with low boiling points, such as ammonia, into vapor to spin a turbine and generate power.
The colder water turns the vapor back into liquid, so the cycle continues.
The test plant produces just 100 kilowatts, but it has provided a stable electricity supply for over 10 years. Saga University Professor Ikegami Yasuyuki is a leading expert on OTEC.
00:18:11 話者 2
When I open this vapor valve, the pressure will rise and rapidly spin the turbine.
This is how it generates electricity.
00:18:22 話者 3
The university has studied ocean energy for about 50 years to find alternative sources to fossil fuels. It identified Kumejima as an ideal site where warmer and deep ocean seawater is easily available.
00:18:40 話者 2
The biggest advantage of the system is it can generate stable electricity supply 24 hours a day, regardless of the weather. This is how it provides a baseload power source.
00:18:52 話者 3
The next stage is to expand the test facility to a commercial use plant.
A shipping company has joined with the university to achieve this.
However, OTEC is a costly method for generating power.
The university started recycling seawater to offset these costs.
Cold seawater warms up after use and becomes ideal for marine farming.
It's being used on Kumejima to grow a type of edible seaweed known as sea grapes.
The island is now Okinawa's leading producer. The water is also used for onshore oyster farming.
Another facility opened in spring to use the water to farm other types of seaweed used in food and medicine.
These businesses generate about $17 million a year and have created about 140 jobs.
The additional revenue helps cut the cost of generating power.
Japan's research into OTEC is benefiting other nations.
A facility designed by Saga University started operation in Malaysia in October last year.
Officials from the Pacific island nation of Palau visited Kumejima and plan to build their own plant.
00:20:19 話者 2
I would like the research at Saga University to help not just people in Komejima, but many others around the world.
There are many people struggling from shortages of electricity.
00:20:31 話者 3
The technology nurtured over decades in Saga University is now doing its part to build a world based on sustainable energy.
MARKETS
00:20:40 話者 5
All right, let's have a look at the markets.
♪
And that's a look at business news. Yoko, I'm going to hand it back to you.
00:21:16 話者 1
Thanks, Gene.
AFTERMATH OF HIGH-RISE COMPLEX BLAZE
More than a week has passed after a massive fire engulfed a high-rise residential complex in Hong Kong.
The death toll has risen to 159. About 30 people remain missing.
The blaze erupted on November 26, tearing through seven of the eight skyscrapers in the complex. More than 2,000 people have been displaced.
Residents of the single structure that escaped the fire were temporarily allowed to enter it on Wednesday to retrieve their belongings.
Search operations have continued through the buildings, including the one where the fire is believed to have broken out.
00:22:03 話者 4
The search of the seven buildings has been completed. But unfortunately, we still have not been able to make contact with 31 people.
00:22:16 話者 1
Mourners continue to visit the area amid deepening public sorrow.
People are asking how the blaze turned so catastrophic.
00:22:28 話者 4
Residents must be wanting to know the truth, why the fire spread so quickly to so many buildings.
00:22:38 話者 1
Officials have revealed that protective mesh around the building's scaffolding did not meet fireproofing standards.
Flammable polystyrene foam was also being used in renovation work.
The government has said it will set up an independent panel to investigate the cause of the blaze, issues around safety compliance and how the project was supervised.
TWO MISSING AFTER FISHING BOAT CAPSIZES SOUTH OF OKINAWA
A Japanese fishing boat has capsized in the Pacific off the coast of Miyakojima, a southern island in Okinawa prefecture. The two people on board are both missing.
The Japan Coast Guard says it received a call around 4 a.m. on Thursday from the prefecture's Fishery Radio Association.
The fishing boat's operator had reportedly informed another vessel that its craft was in danger of sinking.
At aroud 7:30 a.m., the Coast Guard spotted a capsized boat about 115 kilometers south of Miyakojima Island.
The Japanese captain and an Indonesian national were known to be on board before the accident. They remain unaccounted for.
The local fisheries cooperative identified the campsite's vessel as a Daihachi Michitake Maru. The boat reportedly left port on November 30 to fish for diamond squid.
STUDENTS HELP NEW YEARS SPIRIT BLOOM WITH RICE CAKE FLOWERS
Elementary students in central Japan are helping to bring a little spring spirit to the new year. They're learning how to make hanamochi, a traditional rice cake flour.
Fifth graders in Takayama City got hands-on with a local expert Tuesday.
Red and white rice cakes are sliced into strips and wrapped around branches like flowers.
It's a traditional New Year's ornament in the region. These cakes were made using rice the students planted themselves, with help from local farmers.
00:24:35 話者 8
I wasn't able to do it very well, but it's fun to make it with everyone.
00:24:41 話者 1
The students will take some of the hanamochi home. The rest will be given to the farmers who help them or gifted to nearby welfare facilities.
WEATHER
Now let's check out the weather. It's been a cold day here in Tokyo and it feels wintry across Japan. Our meteorologist Yumi Hirano has the details.
00:25:02 話者 6
Strong cold air has moved in and the first snow of the season has been reported at
19 locations across Japan, not only Hokuriku, but also Chugoku and Shikoku saw some snowfall.
In Shizuoka, the snow has arrived more than a month earlier than our village.
Some areas in the country even saw heavy snowfall.
In Nikko, a famous tourist city in Tochigi Prefecture, up to 30 centimeters of snow covered the area, including its historic temples and shrines.
Commuters drove slowly on the national highway, and the temple staff cleared snow to welcome visiting schoolchildren.
Even in western Japan, Shobada City in Hiroshima Prefecture saw 10 centimeters of snowfall in 12 hours by Thursday.
Train services were canceled throughout the day.
The snow has already eased on the Pacific side, but another round of winter weather is arriving in Tohoku and Hokuriku as a low-pressure system approaches.
Up to 50 centimeters of snow is possible by Friday noon. The system is likely to bring heavy snowfall not only in the mountains but also in low-lying areas.
Snow is likely in Niigata and Sapporo, but sunny skies are expected on the Pacific side, including Tokyo, with a high of 13.
Now moving to the United States, the northeast has experienced heavy snow this week, and the next round of snow is arriving as a cold front moves in.
So snow is expected in New York and Toronto. The temperature in Chicago will be -8 despite sunny skies.
That's all for now. Have a nice day and stay warm.
♫～ 3-DAY FORECAST ～♫
00:27:36 話者 1
And that's it for now on NHK Newsline. I'm Yoko Nishimura in Tokyo.
Thanks for joining us.
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