Welcome to NHK Newsline. Here's the latest we have for you at this hour.
US TO BEGIN BLOCKADE OF IRAN AFTER LENGTHY PEACE TALKS
The United States says it's set to start a massive naval blockade of Iranian ports Monday.
It's reigniting tensions after talks between the two sides broke down over the weekend.
00:00:28 話者 10/Trump
We have a blockade going into effect. That'll be 10 o'clock tomorrow.
Other nations are working so that Iran will not be able to sell oil.
And that will be very effective.
00:00:41 話者 1
US Central Command says it will not allow ships to enter or leave Iranian ports or coastal areas. That includes those in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.
But it says it won't stop those transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
In a statement, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says the strait is still under its control.
It says if any military vessel approaches the area, it will be considered a violation of the ceasefire, and it warns it will be dealt with severely.
The blockade comes after Trump expressed frustration with how some countries continue to buy Iranian oil. In a Fox News interview, he criticized both Japan and South Korea.
He pointed to the US soldiers stationed in the two countries.
He said, When we want a little help, they don't help us.
He also said he was dissatisfied with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO.
Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary, Kihara Minoru, said he wouldn't comment on every remark from US officials, including the president.
He was asked whether Japan might take part in activities such as mine removal in the strait.
00:01:53 話者 12/Kihara Minoru
No decision has been made on the dispatch of Japanese Self-Defense Forces.
00:01:59 話者 1
Trump is also reportedly mulling a return to military strikes.
The Wall Street Journal says Washington is considering limited attacks to restart negotiations. Trump is reportedly still open to a diplomatic solution.
But the latest talks failed over the weekend.
A US official told NHK the American delegation refused to back down on six conditions, including dismantling Iran's uranium enrichment program.
As for Iran, state-run media says President Masoud Pezeshkian spoke to Russia's Vladimir Putin.
Pezeshkian reportedly said US double standards were the biggest obstacle in negotiations.
He said Iran is ready to reach a fair and balanced deal if the US returns to the framework of international law.
WHAT'S NEXT FOR US-IRAN PEACE TALKS?
For more on this, I spoke earlier with NHK's Islamabad bureau chief Ota Yusuke.
He has been following the US-Iran talks for us.
So, Yusuke, why did these talks fall apart?
00:03:04 話者 2/Ota Yusuke
The two biggest speaking points seems to be control of the Strait of Horumuz and the issue of uranium enrichment.
During the talks in Islamabad, we heard from a source from the Uranian side.
He said the Strait of Horumuz is a like flying for Iran, so any compromise wouldn't be acceptable.
The US strongly demanded that the Strait of Hormuz be opened immediately and the ship be able to pass through it without fees.
But Iran insisted on continuing to manage the Strait of Hormuz, so the two sides were not able to reach an agreement on that issue.
The other major disagreement was about whether Iran would be allowed to enrich uranium.
This is part of the process for generating nuclear power, but the US is concerned it will lead to Iran developing nuclear weapons.
As we heard a few minutes ago, US government officials told NHK on Sunday that one of the conditions they wouldn't compromise on was the end of Iran's uranium enrichment activities and the demolition of all major enrichment facilities.
It's also been one of President Trump's main talking points throughout the conflict.
Before this weekend's talks, a reporter asked Trump what a good deal would look like to him.
And Trump said 99% of what he wanted was to keep Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
But in the talks, the Iranian side is believed to have demanded that the US allow Iran to continue to enrich uranium.
And so, the two sides seem to have reached a significant impact.
00:05:01 話者 1
Right. Well, what might we expect to see happen next between these two countries?
00:05:08 話者 2
Well, in situations like this, generally what happens is each delegation returns to home to discuss what happened at this talk.
And then, meditators would make plans for the next round.
But at this point, it's not clear whether another round of talks will be held at all.
President Trump's announcement that the US Navy will close the Strait of Hormuz is believed to be an attempt to step up pressure on Iran to make concessions.
But the Iranian side also lashed out, saying that it won't hesitate to attack if the US Navy approaches the Strait of Hormuz.
The two sides are both arguing that the ball is in their opponent's court, and that the other side should make concessions.
So it's unclear how much progress they will be able to make towards the next round of talks.
00:06:10 話者 1
Well, Pakistan has been acting as the intermediary in these talks.
How are people there reacting and what role might the country play in this process going forward?
00:06:24 話者 2
Well, as you can imagine, Pakistani people were also watching the meeting, holding their breath.
00:06:35 話者 23
As a Pakistani citizen, I am proud that this kind of dialogue was held in my country.
The negotiation process itself is an important effort.
00:06:49 話者 2
Many expressed their hopes that the talks will resume. It is believed that Pakistani government plans to step up efforts to bring the two sides back to the negotiating table.
A Pakistani government official stressed the complex history between the US and Iran, especially in the 50 years since the Islamic Revolution.
The official said the lengthy weakened talks themselves were an important strategic process.
He went on to say that as a whole, dialogue remains positive and constructive, and that continuing diplomatic efforts on both sides to lead to a permanent ceasefire.
One thing is certain, though, the Pakistani government will face a major test of its diplomatic abilities trying to get these two sides to make concessions.
NON-NUCLEAR-ARMED NATIONS URGE DIALOGUE ON NPT AGENDA
00:07:53 話者 1
A group of twelve non-nuclear weapon countries has urged the signatories of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons to engage in dialogue and cooperate to advance its agenda.
The Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Initiative includes Japan and Australia.
Its members issued a joint statement on Monday ahead of a review conference on the treaty, which begins later this month in New York.
Last year marked 80 years since the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Referring to this, the statement said all nations should make every effort to prevent nuclear war and work toward the total elimination of nuclear weapons.
The statement also touched on the expiration of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty between the United States and Russia in February.
The group called for new, verifiable arms control arrangements by nuclear weapon states.
The Japanese government plans to send State Minister for Foreign Affairs Kunimitsu Ayano to the upcoming NPT review conference.
It says it will work to play an active role in helping nuclear-armed and non-nuclear-armed countries find common ground.
JAPANESE ISLAND SIGNALS APPROVAL OF NUCLEAR WASTE SURVEY
Japan's government has been considering a remote island in the Pacific as a possible final disposal site for high-level radioactive waste.
The mayor of the village that administers the island has now said he will let the government decide whether to conduct a survey to gauge its suitability.
The government is now expected to go ahead with the process.
The industry ministry in March requested permission for a first-stage survey to be conducted on Minami Torishima.
The ministry cited favorable scientific characteristics, such as the absence of active fault lines nearby and the fact that the island is state-owned.
The local government scheduled two meetings with residents to consider the request on Monday.
At one, Ogasawara Village Mayor Shibuya Masaki said it is up to the central government to decide whether the survey will be carried out.
The government is expected to take this statement as effective approval and go ahead with steps to begin the survey.
First-stage surveys to choose final disposal sites for high-level radioactive waste have already been conducted in two towns and one village.
But if Ogasawara Village accepts the central government's proposal, it would be the first time a survey is greenlit without being requested by a local assembly.
BUSINESS
And now let's see what's happening in the world of business.
Here's Ramin Mellegard from The Biz Desk.
00:10:38 話者 4/Ramin Mellegard
Thank you very much indeed.
Now let's see how investors in Tokyo reacted to the outcome of US-Iran talks.
NHK World's Yuko Fukushima reports from the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
NIKKEI 225 FALLS ON OIL SUPPLY CONCERNS
00:10:50 話者 5/Yuko Fukushima
Shares dropped after crude oil prices rose on news that the US and Iran failed to reach an agreement. The NIKKEI 225 index fell from the opening on Monday.
It ended the day down more than 400 points, or seven-tenths of a percent.
Since the conflict in Iran heated up one-and-a-half months ago, concerns over disruption of crude oil supplies have affected markets around the world.
Benchmark WTI futures briefly topped 105 dollars a barrel overnight in New York.
That's up about 10 dollars from the end of last week before the US-Iran talks.
Concerns about higher oil prices are also pushing up Japanese government bond yields.
The yield of the benchmark 10-year JGB touched 2.49 percent on Monday.
That's the highest in 27 years.
One economist said the Nikkei index did not decline so much, as many traders had already expected the US and Iran would not agree quickly, but the US president's blockage of the Strait of Hormuz was a negative surprise.
Another analyst told us some money managers are getting tired of reacting heavily on every turn of events in the conflict.
He says that is why the decline in the Nikkei was not as much as previous drops.
The earnings reporting season is about to peak in Japan.
Economists say from here, investors' attention will be split between the situation in the Middle East and the profit outlooks for individual companies.
Yuko Fukushima, NHK World from the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
00:12:19 話者 4
Okay, now cell phone service prices are rising in Japan, with SoftBank becoming the latest major carrier to announce a base rate increase.
The company is planning to lift the monthly fee by up to 550 yen, or about $3.4, starting July. It has cited higher costs for labor and for electricity used by its base stations.
SoftBank says that along with the price increase, it will allow users to exchange text messages via satellite link, even when they're out of range for cellular service.
00:12:58 話者 44/Terao Hiroyuki/Executive Vice President, SoftBank
We will continue to create reliable connectivity.
For that, we have decided to revise the price.
We're very sorry we had to do this, but would like to ask for cooperation.
00:13:11 話者 4
Other major carriers, NTT Docomo and KDDI, raised their base rates last year while also offering additional services.
Meanwhile, another carrier, Rakuten Mobile, is ruling out a rate hike for now.
JAPAN FIRM LEADS HALAL WAGYU BOOM
The global Muslim population is growing and demand for halal food is rising.
One meat processor in western Japan is taking advantage of the trend.
It's in Tokushima Prefecture, which is not widely known for beef production, but it accounts for 80 percent of exports to Muslim countries.
NHK World's Ando Mana reports.
00:13:49 話者 6/Ando Mana
Indonesia is home to more than 200 million Muslims.
In Jakarta, a restaurant specializing in Japanese Wagyu attracts many diners.
Everything is prepared according to Muslim rules.
00:14:12 話者 51
Because it's halal, I don't have to worry.
All the beef comes from one company in Tokushima Prefecture.
The form one sold beef only in Japan.
About 10 years ago, Tanifuji Hayato saw that few Japanese companies offered halal meat and spotted an opportunity.
00:14:42 話者 52/Tanifuji Hayato/Director, Nishiawa Beef
If we exported wagyu to major countries, we'd be competing with big meat dealers and trading firms. I wasn't sure we could play to our strengths.
But the global Muslim population is increasing, so we decided to focus on that market.
00:14:56 話者 6
Tanifuji studied halal processes overseas before building his facility.
Halal certification has strict rules, and they differ by country.
For example, beef must be processed facing the holy city of Mecca.
Because Islam prohibits alcohol, knives and tools are cleaned in boiling water.
Tanifuji also needed Muslim staff.
He hired 12 Indonesians, including certified halal handlers.
In addition to payment, he supported them by providing housing and food.
He even studied Indonesian to communicate with them.
At first, the company was only certified to export halal beef to Indonesia.
Now, it can ship to 13 countries and regions, including the United Arab Emirates and Taiwan.
Shipments have increased, and in fiscal 2024, the firm accounted for about 80% of Japan's beef exports to the Islamic world.
As demand rises, more companies are entering the halal market.
Tanifuji is working to protect his share. He recently met a key Malaysian client and agreed to adjust how the meat is cut and shipped.
00:16:34 話者 53/Yong Chen Kok/Director, Zenrich Allied
We'll need a lot of chunk rib and brisket, and we want it shipped by sea.
We never have enough.
The quality is reliable and everything is halal certified, which suits the Malaysian market.
We trust each other, so I can say what I need without hesitation.
I value this business relationship.
00:17:02 話者 52
We want to keep growing and export halal wagyu to even more countries.
It's our mission to provide quality beef to Muslim people around the world.
00:17:13 話者 6
The popularity of Wagyu in the Islamic world could open the door for other Japanese food exports made in the Halal Manor, Ando Mana, NHK World.
MARKETS
00:17:28 話者 4
Okay, let's get a check on the markets.
♪
And that is it for business news.
PERU'S KEIKO FUJIMORI LEADING PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
00:18:20 話者 1
Peru's presidential election appears headed for a runoff in June, with exit polls showing Keiko Fujimori in the early lead.
The daughter of former President Alberto Fujimori is projected to secure around 16 percent of the vote. Voting took place on Sunday, with 35 candidates taking part.
Vote counting continues across the country.
Fujimori, who is of Japanese ancestry, is making her fourth bid for the presidency.
In the previous three elections, she was defeated in a runoff.
Exit polls show businessman and former Lima Mayor Rafael Lopez-Aliaga and former Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism Roberto Sanchez are among Fujimori's major contenders. The country had been experiencing prolonged political turmoil.
Following the previous presidential election in 2021, three presidents in a row were ousted by lawmakers.
PRO-EU PARTY DEFEATS ORBAN IN HUNGARY ELECTION
An upstart pro-European party won a landslide victory in Hungary's parliamentary election.
The ousting of Prime Minister Viktor Orban marks the first change of government for the country in 16 years. Orban conceded defeat to his supporters on Sunday night.
He congratulated the opposition TISA party, which picked up more than two-thirds of the country's seats.
Orban is known for his pro-Russian stance and has opposed the EU's assistance to Ukraine. He has also maintained favorable relations with US President Trump.
Peter Magyar leads the TISA party, which promoted anti-corruption policies over the course of its campaign.
It also stressed the need to cooperate with Hungary's European neighbors and reform the economy. Leaders on the continent welcomed the victory.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyens said Hungary has reclaimed its European path. French President Emmanuel Macron offered his congratulations.
He wrote, Together let us build a more sovereign Europe.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also posted a message.
He said he is ready for meetings and joint constructive work for the benefit of both nations, as well as peace, security and stability in Europe.
UKRAINE, RUSSIA TRADE ACCUSATIONS OVER EASTER TRUCE
Ukraine and Russia are accusing each other of violating a truce during Orthodox Easter, leaving some questioning the effectiveness of the ceasefire.
Russian President Vladimir Putin declared a 32-hour truce through the end of Sunday over the Easter weekend and Ukraine followed suit.
But Ukrainian forces posted on social media that there had been more than 2,200 ceasefire violations, including drone strikes by Russia as of Sunday morning.
On Sunday, people in Kyiv dressed in traditional costumes for Easter celebrations.
They gathered at a monastery and had their decorated eggs sprinkled with holy water.
Some called the Easter truce a fake.
00:21:35 話者 61
I don't believe in the ceasefire. I think it's just giving the Russians a chance to prepare.
00:21:48 話者 62
I don't trust Russia. It never keeps promises and always does the opposite.
00:21:54 話者 1
Reuters news agency says a Russian governor reported a Ukrainian drone strike on a gas station in Russia's western region of Kursk.
The official said the strike injured three people.
♫～
And we invite you to access the NHK World Japan website for more details.
♪
WEATHER
And it is time for us to check the world weather with our meteorologist, Jonathan Oh.
Jonathan, people in the Mariana Islands are dealing with a large and violent typhoon.
What's the latest?
00:23:45 話者 7/Jonathan Oh
Hello, over the weekend, Sinlaku really intensified and became quite powerful, and it continues to create a lot of concern for those on the Mariana islands and are already seeing some of the initial bands of the storm as it moves toward the north and west.
I mean, that pinhole that you can see right in the middle of the storm shows how intense the storm is, and we are looking at heavy rainfall with tremendous force in terms of winds and storm surge, not just going into Tuesday, but even into Wednesday as well.
This is a 48-hour forecast model, and we're looking at this system moving right over Site Pound, moving toward the north and west at a very slow pace.
So fierce winds, not slowing down anytime soon.
Some areas can get 300 or more millions of rainfall in just a short period of time, and that can lead to some major flooding problems on the ground.
And there's not a lot of places where you can go, so make sure you are weather aware, knowing where you can go,
in terms of safety as the storm continues to make its approach toward the north and west.
Very different story in Japan. Much calmer weather taking place, and we're seeing some warm weather impacting the northern areas of the country.
Take a look at this video coming out of Aomori, where cherry blossoms are starting to appear in the most northern parts of Honshu, Japan's largest island.
The Japan Meteorological Agency reported that the blossoms have reached first bloom in Aomori City Monday.
That means blooming occurred 90s earlier than usual, making this the second earliest on record, with the city hitting a high of 18.9 degrees Celsius, which is typically seen in mid-May.
JMA reported a sudden jump in the number of cherry blossoms flowering.
And you see right there, the white and the pink that's all now unfolding.
Now we are looking at dry weather for the north and east, but down to the south and the west, a stationary front is developing and that's going to help bring some rain into the western portions of Japan for Tuesday that'll spread to the north and east into places like Tokyo as we go into Wednesday and Thursday, but Aomori staying dry with highs in the mid teens for the next few days.
Hope you have a good day wherever you are.
♫～ 3-DAY FORECAST ～♫
CARP TAKE TO THE SKIES IN WESTERN JAPAN TOWN
00:27:00 話者 1
One more story before we leave you. A town in western Japan is preparing for a Children's Day next month with a display of colorful carp streamers.
About one-hundred were hoisted over a river in Kudoyama in Wakayama Prefecture on Sunday.
They are flown at this time of year as people wish for the healthy growth of children.
(Japanese)
The carp streamers, known as koinobori, were donated by local families or created by elementary school students.
They will flutter over the river until Children's Day on May 5.
And that wraps it up for this edition of NHK NewsLine.
We'll have more for you soon. Thank you very much for joining us.
NHK World
00:28:01 話者 99
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