at 18:00 (JST), November 20 (Ai-CC by Clipchamp)

 

20241120180000_english_1.mp3

Thank you for joining us. From our studio in Tokyo, this is NHK Newsline.

Japan's prime minister stressed teamwork as he wrapped up a series of summits in South America. Ishima Shigeru expressed his eagerness to develop cooperation with China and other nations.
He held a news conference after attending the Group of Twenty summit in Rio de Janeiro and the earlier summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum in Peru. Ishiba spoke about one-on-one meetings he had with the U.S., South Korean and Chinese leaders on the sidelines of the APEC Forum.

I had frank discussions with world leaders and was able to build and deepen personal relationships with them.

Ishiba says he and Chinese President Xi Jinping found themselves on the same page in discussions. And Japan will work together with China to promote frequent bilateral communication and visits at all levels, including the summit level. He also expressed his hope that such efforts will help to reduce challenges and pending issues, and will enhance cooperation and coordination between the two countries.
Ishiba says he stressed the importance of a free and open international order based on the rule of law through the APEC and the G20 summits.
Ishiba says he wants to build a cooperative relationship with U.S. President-elect Donald Trumpby analyzing what the incoming administration's policies will likely be.
Ishiba says it's not confrontation, but mutual cooperation that benefits both countries as well as contributes to the peace and stability of the Indo-Pacific region. He says he intends to clearly explain this stance to Trump.

China says the August intrusion into Japanese airspace of one of its military planes was due to force majeure, the Japanese government launched a strong protest after the incident and has repeatedly demanded a swift and sufficient explanation.
Japan's foreign ministry said on Tuesday that China explained a military intelligence-gathering aircraft had briefly entered Japanese airspace while its crew was coping with an air current disturbance. The incident took place over waters near Nagasaki Prefecture in southwestern Japan.
China said this so-called force majeure, or an event that can't be anticipated or controlled, was the only reason for what happened. It added that the aircraft had no intention of entering Japan's airspace.
Japan's defense ministry said it's hard to imagine a situation where the impact of an air current is so strong that it would force a plane to deviate widely from its route. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi Yoshimasa responded on Wednesday.

It's noted that the Chinese side has admitted to the facts. They explained it will make efforts to prevent a recurrence. So we will keep a close eye on China's actions going forward.

Hayashi also said Japan is seriously concerned about intensifying Chinese military activity near Japan. The government will use meetings at various levels, including between national leaders, to call on China to improve the situation.

Separately, China's president appears to be trying to strengthen his country's economic ties with heavyweights in Europe. It comes as the continent's key bloc shows its stance to keep distance from China and as the world prepares for a major shift in Washington.
Xi Jinping met with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz Tuesday on the sidelines of the Group of Twenty summit. Xi reportedly said their countries share highly integrated economic interests, and bilateral cooperation is an opportunity for shared development.
He also said China regards Germany as an important partner, and it will continue to provide broad market opportunities for German companies. Scholz responded by saying Berlin hopes to further strengthen bilateral and multilateral dialogue and cooperation with Beijingas well as to properly resolve differences.

The European Union and China are at odds over the bloc's tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles. The EU has also agreed to promote de-risking to reduce its dependence on China. The bloc cites the risk of trade and investment in goods that could be diverted to military use, as well as dependence on important mineral resources. Xi also met with French President Emmanuel Macron. Xi expressed hope that their countries will further tap into the potential of economic cooperation, strengthen complementary advantages, and properly resolve differences.
Xi likely has the U.S. president-elect's inauguration next January on mind.
Donald Trump pledged throughout his election campaign to impose higher tariffs on Chinese goods.

Prosecutors in New York have told the state's Supreme Court that they would agree to a delay in sentencing president-elect Donald Trump for his hush money conviction, but they oppose any attempt by Trump's team to get the case dismissed. In May, Trump became the first-ever former U.S. president to be convicted of a crime when he was found guilty of falsifying business records to cover up payment of hush money to an adult film star. But his sentencing has been repeatedly delayed for reasons including possible impact on his presidential election campaign.
Trump's defense lawyers have asked that the case be thrown out.
On Tuesday,District Attorney Alvin Bragg sent a letter to state Supreme Court Justice Juan Mershon to convey the prosecutor's decision. The letter said the prosecutors are mindful of the demands and obligation of the presidency, but also deeply respect the fundamental role of the jury in the U.S. constitutional system.

Prosecutors also referred to the need to balance competing constitutional interests. The court has not responded to the letter. But U.S. media say the sentencing, scheduled for next Tuesday, will likely be delayed further, possibly until after Trump's new term.
Meanwhile, Trump himself was in Texas Tuesday. He was observing the test launch of a SpaceX ship alongside billionaire Elon Musk. U.S. media say the event shows the growing closeness between the two men. Musk had rallied support for Trump's re-election campaign. He also reported they've been spending significant time at Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida.

Last week, Trump announced Musk would co-lead a new organization tasked with reviewing government spending. The billionaire has also allegedly been present during phone calls between Trump and foreign leaders. Reports suggest he's also sat in on interviews, as Trump tries to fill key posts in his administration.

And one of those new appointments is a prominent Wall Street banker. Trump has tapped Howard Lutnick to be his next commerce secretary. Lutnick is the billionaire head of a financial services firm. He's also the co-chair of Trump's transition team.

Ludnick has been charged with carrying out the incoming administration's trade agenda. He's considered a vocal supporter of Trump's plan to impose sweeping tariffs, particularly on goods from China.

COP 29 climate change negotiators remain divided over new funding targets to fight global warming despite the commitment of G20 leaders to take urgent action.

We are grateful for the support they have pledged for the COP29 presidency.
We appreciate the signal that they have sent of their intention to accelerate the reform of the international financial architecture.

Azerbaijan holds the presidency for the UN Climate Conference, which is being held in the capital, Baku. The lead negotiator, Yao-chin Rafiev, said Tuesday one of the key points of discussion is how to promote the use of private funds in financial support for developing nations. Delegates are struggling to set new funding targets.
There are divisions over how much money advanced economies should provide to developing nations and how to share the costs. Rafiev said delegates are aiming to produce a full draft of the financial deal by Wednesday evening.

Officials in Moscow say Ukrainian forces have struck Russian territory with long-range missiles made by the United States. The attack comes days after U.S.
President Joe Biden reportedly authorized Ukrainian use of the weapons.
The Russian defense ministry announced that six attack-coms missiles were fired into the Bryansk region bordering Ukraine on Tuesday. It said five of them were downed. But fragments of the six fell on a military facility, causing a fire. The fire was put out quickly, and no casualties were reported.
Ukrainian military said it had struck an ammunition depot, causing 12 explosions. But it did not specify the type of weapons used.
Local media reported that this was the first time Kyiv has used attack-ems for an attack inside Russia.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov criticized the U.S. and Ukraine at a news conference in Rio de Janeiro.

We will be taking this as a qualitatively new phase of the Western war against Russia and we will will react accordingly.

The New York Times on Tuesday quoted senior U.S. and Ukrainian government officials as saying Ukrainian forces had carried out the first attack on Russian territory using the US made missiles.

Now check on the world weather with our meteorologist Jonathan. Oh, Jonathan, it felt like December outside in Tokyo Wednesday. Are we going to stay cold the next few days?

Hello. We knew that is going to be colder as we went through Wednesday, but. It's still a little bit of a shock to the system when you step outside and only reach a high of 8.8 degrees in Tokyo, which is more like December as opposed to November.
If you're looking for slightly warmer weather, it's going to be here for at least a couple of days. Now we still have that. Wet and cloudy feeling that's going to be lingering due to a low pressure system South of the Kanto Koshin region, but we'll see a little bit of a southerly flow that's gonna help push up those temperatures just a little bit. So we're talking about highs in the mid to upper teens in Tokyo.
Again, some showers during the early part of Thursday. We'll see a little bit more sunshine that we'll see temperatures that are going to hover around average as we head into the weekend, but overnight lows still the single digits, so still a bit on the chillier side. Looking some snow in Sapporo as we head toward the weekend, it looks like we're seeing temperatures are going to be in the mid teens for highs from Osaka to Fukuoka as we go through the rest of this week.
Speaking of some cold, you're feeling it over into northern areas of Europe. I want to show you some video coming out of the United Kingdom where folks in Scotland are seeing some snow and people across the UK waking up to bitterly cold and snowy weather Tuesday, with traffic becoming an issue in parts of Scotland as roads were slippery that led to a car crash. The Met Office issued a yellow warning for England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, with local media saying almost 200 schools were closed.

Due to bad weather, we have this massive cold from the swinging on through from the north and that's hoping to really usher in some of the northerly flow that's bringing in the chilly, frigid air and the snowy weather even up to the north in the Scandinavian peninsula. Now looking forward for the next day on Wednesday, showers from Berlin to Vienna, but overnight lows are going to be chilly, close to freezing with snow into Stockholm and Moscow. As we go through today on Wednesday, Speaking of frigid Pacific Northwest in the United States and also to portions of Canada, massive low bring in some of the wintry weather situation, some of it on the stormier side for the higher elevations. You need to be on the lookout for that as we go through today on Wednesday.
Hope you have a good day wherever you are.

♫

That's all for this edition of NHK News Line. Thank you very much for watching.
Please stay with us for more.

at 18:00 (JST), November 19 (Ai-CC by Clipchamp)

 

20241119180000_english_1.mp3

Hello, glad to have you with us on NHK Newsline. I'm Yamamoto Miki in Tokyo.

China's state-run media says children are among the injured after a vehicle struck people outside an elementary school.
The report says the incident took place in Chande City in Hunan Province Tuesday morning. Many were reportedly injured, but the exact number remains unknown.
Chinese media say the driver was apprehended at the scene by parents and security guards. The car was allegedly a small sports utility vehicle.
China has seen a recent spate of attacks on crowds. Last week, a car plowed into people at a sports facility in the southern province of Guangdong. Thirty-five were killed. Five days later, a man went on a stabbing spree at a vocational school in the eastern province of Jiangsu, killing eight more.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says his country's attack on Iran last month damaged a specific part of Tehran's nuclear program. He did not specify what was hit in the October 26th airstrike.

We will still be tested for our ability to thwart the nuclear program. It's not a secret. It was published. There is a specific component in the nuclear program that was hit in this attack.

The remark appears to be his first mention of inflicting damage on a nuclear-related target. U.S. news site Axios last Friday quoted U.S. officials and current and former Israeli officials as saying the attack destroyed a top-secret nuclear weapons research facility near Tehran. The U.S. had called on Israel to refrain from attacking Iran's nuclear facilities, fearing an escalation of violence. Concerns are mounting that if Iran strikes again, the cycle of retaliatory attacks between the two major powers in the Middle East could spiral out of control.

Tuesday marks 1,000 days since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine. Kiev has warned that Moscow's growing ties with North Korea is threatening the global order. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiya spoke at a UN Security Council ministerial meeting on Monday. He held in his hands debris of what he said was part of a North Korean KN-23 short-range ballistic missile and asserted that civilians were being harmed. Sibiya said Russia was aligning itself with countries such as North Korea and Iran.

This emergingAxis is in an active phase and of undermining the global order.

He added that the recent involvement of North Korean troops marks a global proliferation of the conflict. At the meeting, Russia's UN ambassador responded to reports that the US president is allowing Ukraine to use long-range missiles to strike inside Russia. Vasily Nebenzia called the move suicidal. He warned that Ukraine will not be spared from defeat, no matter what kind of Western weaponry the country is given. Ukraine's foreign minister told reporters using long range missiles can have a significant impact on the course of the war.

Briefly, it could be a game changer. We have a full right to strike military targets on the territory of Russia. It is our legitimate right and it will save our lives of our 
Civilians. The UN reports that at least 12,164 civilians have been killed, including over 600 children. It said more than 6.8 million people have fled Ukraine.

EU foreign ministers have pledged continued support for Ukraine while expressing concern over Russia's deepening military ties with North Korea, Iran and China.
The European Union's top diplomats met in Brussels on Monday, with Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrzej Sibiya joining via video link. After the talks, EU foreign policy chief Joseph Borrell told reporters that Russian President Vladimir Putin does not appear willing to negotiate. Referring to Russia's attacks on Ukraine's energy facilities, Borrell said Putin is escalating the war to fulfill Moscow's goals to conquer, occupy and subjugate Ukraine. Burrell named North Korea, Iran and China as countries that support Russia's invasion.

Without North Korea, without Iran, without China, Russia could not support its military effort, could not continue fighting the war. And certainly, we are concerned by reports of production and deliveries of complete weapon system from these three countries.

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump was also on the agenda at the UN EU meeting. Trump has expressed a negative stance on continuing military assistance to Ukraine. Burrell said EU member states must invest more in security while boosting defense capabilities in order to deal with the incoming U.S. administration.
Bilateral summit talks between Japan and Britain took place in Rio de Janeiro on Monday. Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru and his counterpart Keir Starmer agreed to launch a new framework to strengthen cooperation in the economic security sector. It was the first time for the two leaders to meet in person. Starmer congratulated Ishiba for his inauguration as Prime Minister.

We would like to strengthen relations with your country in all sectors and at all levels.

They agreed to set up a new framework that includes the foreign and trade ministers of the two countries, known as the Economic 2 + 2. The aim is to advance cooperation on economic and geopolitical issues. They decided to arrange the first meeting as early as January. The talks included discussions on the situations in East Asia and Ukraine. The prime ministers shared the view that the security of Euro-Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific region are indivisible. They also talked about the next-generation fighter jet that Japan, Britain and Italy are jointly developing.
Starmer said the partnership would be crucial for maintaining safety and security for generations to come.

Brazil has released a declaration ahead of the end of the G20 summit. It calls for an end to global inequality.
World leaders were expected to adopt the declaration on Tuesday, but Brazil released it Monday, saying the participants agreed with the content.
Without naming any country, it said all states must refrain from the use of force to acquire territory. It also reiterated the members commitment to the Paris Agreement, saying they will continue to combat climate change.
The declaration also pledges to support developing countries. It says inequality is at the root of most global challenges. It called for socially just and environmentally sustainable measures.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva had said Monday that the G20 has an urgent responsibility to act. He called the challenges of today a scourge that shames humanity and said they must be eradicated.
All this comes as President-elect Trump is preparing to return to the White House. He's claimed he will govern with an American-first policy. Outgoing President Joe Biden called for continued cooperation among the members.

This group has within its power to usher in a new era of sustainable development, to go from billions to trillions in the assistance of those who need most in need.

The summit is set to wrap up Tuesday.

Now, U.S. President-elect Trump confirmed he plans to use the military and declare a national emergency in order to deport millions of undocumented immigrants as soon as he enters office. Trump made a comment on social media. He responded with the word true to a conservative activist talking about the plan.
It's not the first time Trump has called for a national emergency over the border.
He declared one in 2019 to finance a wall between the U.S. and Mexico.
Immigration remains a cornerstone of Trump's agenda. He has already begun filling out his new cabinet with hardliners on the issue. He's pledged to carry out what he called the largest deportation operation in U.S. history.

The major economies in Southeast Asia all posted growth in the July to September period, but worries are emerging over U.S. President-elect Trump's tradepolicy.
Thailand's GDP in the third quarter expanded three percent in real terms from the same period last year. A recovery in foreign traveler numbers helped boost spending on hotels and dining. Exports of computers and electronic parts were also strong. Malaysia logged growth of 5.3 percent due to solid shipments of semiconductors to the U.S. and other products. Vietnam jumped by 7.4 percent and the Philippines expanded 5.2 percent.
Indonesia, the region's largest economy, grew 4.9 percent and Singapore was up 4.1 percent.
But there are uncertainties ahead, as the incoming Trump administration is eyeing higher tariffs on products from China, which has strong economic ties with the region.

The world of modern Japanese poetry is mourning one of its greatest pioneers.
Tanikawa Shuntaro has died, aged 92 Tanikawa was born in Tokyo in 1931. He began writing poetry in high school. He published his first collection of works in 1952. Two Billion Light-Years of Solitude earned instant acclaim.
Tanikawa's poems struck a chord with people of all ages. Some have appeared in Japanese school textbooks.

（His voice and　♫）

Tanikawa even made a lasting impact in the world of anime, writing the lyrics for the theme song of the hit series Astro Boy. He also translated foreign works into Japanese, including the comic strip Peanuts. Tanikawa's poetry has been translated into dozens of languages, including English, Chinese, French, and German. His office says he died of old age on November 13th.

Let's check out the world weather with our meteorologist, Jonathan. Ohh So Jonathan, it is feeling a bit colder here in Tokyo Tuesday. And folks farther north are continuing to deal with snowy conditions. What's the latest?

Hello, we talked about the possibility of seeing some decent amount of snowfall in the northern portions of Japan because of a high pressure system that was coming over the Sea of Japan. And that was the case as we went through Tuesday. 
Let's take a look at some video that's coming out from the northeastern region of the country. A strong cold snap brought sub-zero temperatures and heavy snow to northern Japan. Parts of Aomori Prefecture received 69 centimeters in 24 hours.

In Hokkaido, the snow prompted the traditional Sasada train snowplow to operate in Sapporo for the first time this season, police are urging drivers to be careful and slow down as slippery roads have caused traffic accidents.

The high is going to be slipping over the main island of Honshu as we go throughout the day on Wednesday. So that's going to essentially shut off the pump when it comes to the wintry weather up north. But we have another low down toward the South that's going to help bring some moisture into the southeastern portions of Japan. So we have to look out for the possibility of seeing some of the wet weather as you go forward in time. Look at that rain spread across into places like Tokyo as we go through the day on Wednesday.

So as we look at the forecast, we're expecting looking at temperatures to be climbing in Tokyo as we go later on this week, rains will be the stormy for the next couple of days and then we'll be seeing high for an 18 on Friday. Snow is part of the stormy on Friday and Saturday in Sapporo and temperatures in the mid teens as you go through the next few days from Osaka into Fukuoka.

Look at what's happening across North America. We have this low that's moving toward the north and east. It's brought some strong thunderstorms as well as some heavy rainfall. The concern down to the southeast is this remnant of Sarah that's going to be moving along the front. And so we're looking at some pretty excessive rainfall concerns down to the Deep South. So please make sure that you're preparing for that by knowing where you need to go if this type of rain situation is impacting your neighborhood.

We're also talking about some stormy weather up into the north and West here with. with a lot of moisture headed in the direction for the Pacific Northwest, so that's going to be the case as you go through today on Tuesday.

Hope you have a good day wherever you are.

♫

And that is all for this edition of NHK Newsline. I'm Yamamoto Miki in Tokyo.
Thank you for watching.

at 18:00 (JST), November 18 (Ai-CC by Clipchamp)

 

20241118180000_english_1.mp3

Hello, a very warm welcome to NHK Newsline. I'm Yamamoto Miki in Tokyo.

NHK has learned that the Japanese government is considering tougher sanctions on North Korea and Russia as the two countries deepen military ties in the fight against Ukraine.
Japanese Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a visit to Kiev on Saturday. They agreed that the participation of North Korean soldiers in Russia's combat operations is of grave concern. Tokyo says such cooperation violates international law and poses a serious threat to the peace and stability of Europe and the Indo-Pacific region. Government officials are discussing specific measures, including expanding asset-freeze targets for North Korea and Russia. Japan aims to coordinate with the Group of Seven nations. Japan is also strengthening its own ties in the Pacific. It says it will exchange liaison officers with the Australian military. The news comes after Japanese Defense Minister Nakata Niigen met with his Australian counterpart Richard Marles Sunday. A Self-Defense Forces liaison officer will be dispatched to Australia's Headquarters Joint Operations Command. The SDF's own Joint Operations Command will also welcome an Australian officer. The two countries also hope to further collaborate on research and development.

Our defense authorities will continue to work closely together at all levels.
We will strengthen coordination between the Self-Defense Forces and the Australian military and make progress when it comes to defense cooperation.

Nakatani also met with his American counterpart, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. They agreed to step up cooperation when it comes to ventures in space. That includes information gathering via satellites and ways to counter hypersonic weapons. They also discussed the relocation of U.S. Marine Corps personnel from Okinawa to Guam. That transfer is set to begin by the end of the year.

President Joe Biden has reportedly authorized Ukraine to use U.S.-supplied long-range missiles to strike targets inside Russia.
Multiple American media cited unnamed U.S. officials Sunday. They claimed the permission was given for Kyiv to use Army tactical missile systems. They are reportedly capable of precision strikes.
The New York Times reports it was a response to Russia's surprise decision to bring North Korean troops into the fight.
Sources told the paper the weapons will likely be used to defend Ukrainian troops in Russia's Kursk region. Kiev has been engaging in a cross-border incursion in that area. The Times called Biden's decision a major change in U.S. policy. It said his advisors were divided on the issue. The shift also comes two months before President-elect Donald J. Trump is set to take office. He's vowed to limit support for Ukraine. Ukraine has long asked for permission to strike inside Russia with the weapons, but Washington had refused to give the green light out of concern it would escalate tensions.

U.S. President-elect Trump has picked Brendan Carr to chair the Federal Communications Commission. He's been a vocal critic of U.S. big tech companies.
Trump made the announcement in a statement on Sunday, calling Carr a warrior for free speech. Carr was involved in Project 2025, a wishlist proposal launched by a conservative think tank. In a chapter focused on the FCC, Carr called for stricter regulations on tech giants like Meta and Google. He has also publicly agreed with Trump's plan to regulate TV networks for political bias.
After the nomination, Carr criticized tech giants on social media, claiming they engaged in unfair censorship.
Multiple U.S. media outlets say Carr is close to billionaire Elon Musk, the owner of X, formerly Twitter, raising concerns over potential conflicts.

The latest G20 summit kicks off in Brazil Monday. World leaders will be discussing global issues such as poverty and climate change. Japan's Prime Minister Ishibashigeru is in Rio de Janeiro for the event. U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping are also attending. They are expected to discuss how to address hunger and poverty. They will also touch on sustainable development and measures to tackle climate change. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will preside over the summit.
The world will be told what the Amazon wants. He said rich countries need to help finance the protection of such spaces. But it's unclear if the G20 will manage to reach a consensus of such issues before the summit wraps up Tuesday. It's the last G20 meeting before the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Trump in January. He is considered reluctant to tackle climate change and prefers one-on-one negotiations. Prime Minister Ishibha will likely stress Tokyo's commitment to tackling those issues alongside developing nations. He will also hold separate talks with the leaders of Mexico and Brazil in a bid to deepen ties with emerging economies.

Trump's impending impact on global free trade was top of mind at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in Peru. Talks wrapped up over the weekend with a declaration stressing the need for cooperation and predictability.

The declaration, adopted at the 31st APEC Economic Leaders Meeting, reflects our vision to build a peaceful, a prosperous, resilient Asia Pacific  community empowering our people to receive the benefits of the global economy.

The APEC gathering in Lima brought together leaders from 21 countries and regions across the Pacific Rim to speak about investment and sustainable growth. But that's not all that was discussed. The trade meeting was also a chance for leaders to meet on the sidelines to affirm cooperation on other issues,They include a trilateral summit of Japan, the U.S. and South Korea. Those countries condemned North Korea and Russia. They say Pyongyang has deployed troops to help Moscow fight against Ukraine, violating UN resolutions. That summit was one of several big sideline meetings for Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba, making his debut on the world stage after recently taking office. He spoke one-on-one with U.S. and South Korean leaders, and he had a bilateral talk with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Ishiba and Xi say they will work to build constructive and stable relations between Japan and China. And for a look at the big developments from APEC, I earlier spoke with our senior international correspondent, Aoki Yoshiyuki.

What's your view on this year's declaration?Is there any special meaning we can take from it?

I think all the wording around cooperation and stability is really written with what happens in January in mind. Organizations like APEC are meant to keep trade free and open, but that could get a lot whole a lot more difficult when Trump returns to office. He wants to levy tariffs of 10 to 20% on importing goods. even higher on Chinese imports. I think that's why President Xi highlighted the challenges of geopolitical rivalries and protectionism in his APEC address. It's also why he tried to be the star of this year's summit. Xi was the most active leader when it came to holding talks on the sidelines, hoping to strengthen China's relationships ahead of next year, the US included. When she met outgoing President Joe Biden, he chose his words very carefully. So take a listen.

China is ready to work with the new US administration to maintain communication, expand cooperation and manage differences so as to strive for a steady transition of the China US relationship for the benefit of the people of both countries.

So he struck a similar tone in his meeting with Japan and South Korea, two important U.S. allies.

Speaking of which, what was your take on Ishiba's meeting with Xi?

I think it seems to go well. China is Japan's biggest trading partner, so there's a lot at stake. Ishiba says he and Xi had a very engaged exchange of opinions. One big issue Japan wants resolved is Chinese restrictions on Japanese seafood imports. Both countries reached an agreement in September, which the two leaders reaffirmed, though we're still waiting to learn when the ban will be lifted. Japan and China still have other lingering issues, but the overall message from this was let's be constructive. And we also saw lots of constructive talk between Ishiba and his American and South Korean counterparts. They want to build what they are calling a trilateral secretariat, basically permanent office of cooperation between the three countries. So this is significant, Miki, because it's meant to create a strong framework, a trilateral framework to last into a new US administration.

And we know South Korea is set to chair next year's APEC summit. How did President Yoon Sonyeol do this time?

He seemed to perform well. Yoon is in a similar situation as Ishiba, so balancing defense ties with U.S. and the economic ties with China. This was Yoon's first meeting with Xi in two years, and the two seemed open to more dialogue. They invited each other over to visit and they discussed more South Korean investment in China. And As for Japan, Yoon wants what he had with Ishiba's predecessor, clear efforts from both sides to improve relations, which had deteriorated before Yoon's time in office. We're seeing signs Ishiba and Yoon will stay the course. But what's interesting is when you tune into South Korean media, you see doubts that things will last. One outlet points to Yoon's low domestic approval ratings, suggesting it's unlikely Japan and South Korea will progress on lingering historical issues. So now, as I mentioned, Yoon will chair EPIC next year. He has to keep up friendly ties with Japan and manage relations with China and the and the new Trump administration, all while North Korea and Russia are growing closer. So just put simply, Yoon has a challenging year ahead of you. 

Yes, things could be certainly harder. Thank you very much, Yoshiyuki.

Thank you.

It's time now for a check on the world weather with our meteorologist Jonathan Oh. Jonathan, cold air is helping to bring a taste of winter a little early to northern parts of Japan. If you will, what's the latest?

Hello, we are still in the latter part of November, but we're seeing snow as a part of the story up toward Hokkaido and into Aomori Prefecture. Let's take a look at some video to give you an idea of the situation on the ground.
As after a warmer than usual weekend, a strong cold snap is bringing snowfall to northern and central Japan. Officials are urging people to install winter tires or chains as more snow and blizzard like conditions are expected through Tuesday.

Parts of Aomori Prefecture have already had more than 30 centimeters of snow in 12 hours. The weather has prompted the prefecture to begin winter road closures in the mountainous areas a week ahead of schedule. High pressure back toward the context of areas of Asia really bringing a northerly flow and so plenty of snow along the sea in Japan side of the country from Hokkaido all the way down into the Hokuriku region. And so we're talking about more snow and maybe again the blizzard like conditions are part of the concern as we go through the day on Tuesday. Once the high pushes farther toward the east, we're going to see less of that flow from the north and so we won't be talking nearly as much in terms of the snow. But for Tuesday we're talking about the winter weather from Sapporo into Niigata. Tokyo high of 13 which is a couple degrees lower for daytime highs compared to what we typically see for this time of year. So make sure that you bundle up because it's going to be chilly not only for the daytime but overnight lows sink into the single digits and so it's going to be quite frigid during the morning hours.

We broaden out the view down to the South money moves away from the Philippines impacting the southern areas of China as we go throughout the day on Tuesday. So showers into Hong Kong with high of 23 for Tuesday.

Quick note on North America low pressure system down to the southern plain. really developing itself. We may be talking about not only strong, but even severe thunderstorm possibilities into the southern plains as we go through the day on Monday. Looking at a high of 27 in Houston, that warm air really colliding with the cold air, bringing that stormy activity as we go through the day.

Hope you have a good day wherever you are.

♫

That is all for this edition of NHK Newsline. I'm Yamo Otamichi in Tokyo.
Thank you very much for joining us.

at 18:00 (JST), November 17 (Ai-CC by Clipchamp)

 

20241117180000_english_1.mp3

Welcome to NHK Newsline. I'm Ramin Malagard in Tokyo.

U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping have confirmed the significance of maintaining bilateral dialogue ahead of Donald Trump's return to the White House. Biden and Xi met on Saturday on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit. It was their first summit meeting in a year.

China is ready to work with the new U.S. administration to maintain communication, expand cooperation, and manage differences so as to strive for a steady transition of the China-U.S. relationship for the benefit of the people of both countries.

These conversations prevent miscalculations and they ensure the competition between our two countries will not veer into conflict. The competition, not conflict.

According to a White House official, both sides welcomed last year's resumption of high level military to military communications. Biden reportedly urged an end to what he called China's destabilizing military activity around Taiwan. China's foreign ministry says she emphasized the need for the US to handle the Taiwan question with extreme prudence and to unequivocally oppose Taiwan's independence. And support China's peaceful unification. The ministry says she told Biden that there must be no challenge to what he called 4 red lines for China. The Taiwan question, democracy and human rights, China's path and system, and its right to development. US president-elect Trump is set to impose heavy tariffs on Chinese products, which could further escalate rivalry. At issue is whether the two global powers can maintain dialogue and work together to resolve problems, and the APEC Forum has wrapped up its two day summit. Leaders adopted a declaration emphasizing the importance of multilateral cooperation. There's been growing concern about protectionism.
Japanese Prime Minister Ishibashigaru and U.S. President Biden were among the representatives of 21 countries and regions. They discussed trade, investment and sustainable growth. A number of leaders voiced concerns about growing protectionism in light of Trump's return to office in January. Chinese President Xi said that APEC is faced with challenges, and he named rising tendencies of geopolitics, unilateralism and protectionism. The declaration underscores the need for multilateral cooperation to respond to unprecedented and rapid changes.
It also stresses the importance of delivering a free, open and predictable trade and investment environments.

The declaration adopted at the 31st APEC Economic Leaders Meeting reflects our visionto build a peaceful, a prosperous, resilient Asia-Pacific community, empowering our people to receive the benefits of the global economy.

Next year's APEC Forum is scheduled to be held in South Korea. China will host the following year.

And Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba and South Korean President Yoon Son Yol have shared serious concerns about North Korea's military moves and agreed to continue working together bilaterally and trilaterally with the United States. Ishiba and Yoon met on Saturday on the sidelines of the APEC Forum.

In light of the difficult security environment surrounding us, including recent activities by North Korea, it is important to continue to strengthen cooperation between Japan, South Korea, and the U.S. 

Now, during the meeting, the two leaders expressed grave concerns that Pyongyang is advancing nuclear and missile development and deepening military ties with Moscow. Yoon described the talks with Ishiba as especially meaningful at a time when the close partnership between Seoul and Tokyo is becoming ever more important. Ishiba and Yoon agreed to further elevate bilateral ties under their leadership. as the two countries will mark the 60th anniversary of normalizing diplomatic ties next year. Now, after the summit, Ishiba spoke to reporters.

Former Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and President Yoon have built better relations, and I hope to hold dialogue to further develop our relations and contribute to the peace and stability of the region.

Ishmael also said he would like to deepen discussions between leaders in various fields. Ishiba and Trump will not be meeting, despite speculation that such talks would take place in the coming days. Trump's transition team says he will not have any official talks before taking office. Arrangements were being made for Ishiba to meet Trump in the US after visiting Peru and Brazil for international conferences. According to Japanese government sources, Trump's team said a U.S. law prohibits private citizens from engaging in unauthorized negotiations with foreign government officials. Ishiba seeks to build a personal relationship of trust with the incoming president in order to maintain and strengthen the bilateral alliance. The prime minister continues to make arrangements for in-person talks as soon as possible after Trump takes office in January.

A knife-wielding man has gone on a rampage at a vocational school in eastern China, killing eight people and injuring 17 others.
The attack occurred Saturday evening in Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province. Police detained a 21 year old man at the scene.
Police say the suspect, who had attended the school, was angry about not receiving a graduation certificate after poor exam results. They believe he was also unhappy about the amount of his earnings during practical training. Chinese authorities are concerned about public unease across the country. This latest incident comes just days after a hit-and-run incident left 35 people dead at a sports facility in the southern city of Zhuhai.

And Japanese animation master Miyazaki Hayao has been honored with a Ramon Magsaysai Award, widely known as the Nobel Prize of Asia.

Miyazaki Hayao.

The award is given annually to individuals and organizations who've contributed to peace and development in Asia. Hiyazaki was recognized for creating a number of highly acclaimed films on themes of peace and the environment. The director was not able to attend the award ceremony, citing health problems. But he sent a handwritten letter to be read. The letter mentions the battle in Manila at the end of World War II between the now defunct Imperial Japanese military and U.S. forces that claimed the lives of around 100,000 civilians. Miyazaki said the Japanese committed numerous atrocities during the war, killing many civilians, and the Japanese should not forget this fact, Miyazaki said with such history in mind. He feels humbled to receive an honor from a foundation based in the Philippines
And those are the top stories for this hour.

♫

Now one more story before we go. A park in Saitama Prefecture near Tokyo offers visitors the best of two seasons.
Cherry blossoms, usually associated with spring, are flowering among fall foliage.
The park's 600 cherry trees bloom twice a year in early winter and spring. Maple trees began to turn bright red this month, contrasting with the pale pink cherry blossoms.
As it's such nice weather, I can see the leaves and blossoms shining. I'm so lucky to come here. Visitors can enjoy the site until the end of the month.

And that's a wrap for this edition of NHK Newsline. I'm Ramin Malegard.
Thank you very much for joining us and enjoy this beautiful view.

at 18:00 (JST), November 16 (Ai-CC by Clipchamp)

20241116180000_english_1.mp3

 Welcome to NHK Newsline. I'm Ramin Mallegard in Tokyo.

Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigaru has traveled to South America for a major international forum. He's held his first three-way meeting with presidents from the US and South Korea. Ishiba is in Peru for the latest gathering of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. His talks with U.S. President Joe Biden and South Korea's Yoon Song-yol took place on Friday. One of the main issues discussed was how to deal with North Korea. The three countries released a joint statement saying they condemned North Korea and Russia's violations of multiple UN resolutions. They cited the North's deployment of troops to Russia. The leaders also agreed to set up a trilateral secretariat to formalize their ties and their commitment to bolstering regional and global peace and security.Ishiba also met with Chinese President Xi Jinping. He conveyed concerns about the situation in the East China Sea and an increase in Chinese military activity near Japan.

I think I was able to exchange opinions with President Xi from a broad perspective. My impression is that it was a very engaged exchange of opinions.

The Chinese foreign ministry says she told Ishiba he hopes the two countries will properly handle issues, including Taiwan, while constructively managing differences and safeguarding the foundation for bilateral relations. Now the leaders also agreed to take steps to resume imports of Japanese seafood. Beijing blocked the shipments last year after the operator of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant began discharging treated and diluted water into the ocean. The two sides reached an agreement in September to allow the imports to resume.

Japanese Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi will hold talks with his Ukrainian counterpart on Saturday. He's expected to pledge Japan's continued support as Russia's invasion continues.
Iwaya arrived in Ukraine by train from Poland. He's scheduled to visit Ucha, the town near the capital Kiev, where many civilians were killed in the early days of the invasion. Iwaya will then meet with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sibiya. He plans to convey Japan's policy of continuing support for Ukraine, including providing power-related equipment to help the country survive winter. Arrangements are also underway for a courtesy visit to President Volodymyr Zelensky. Iwaya visit comes amid growing concerns that the situation in Ukraine could worsen.
North Korean troops have been deployed to Russia and are reportedly engaging in combat operations with Russian forces.
Now countries are also closely watching how the United States will deal with the situation in Ukraine after Donald Trump takes office in January.

And people in Japan have been invited to offer their condolences for the late Princess Mikasa. The Princess, whose given name is Yuriko, was the widow of Prince Mikasa, a younger brother of the late Emperor Showa. 
The princess passed away due to old age at a hospital in Tokyo on Friday morning. She was 101 years old. Her residence in Tokyo's Minata Ward was open to the public on Saturday to allow visitors to sign condolence books.

I thought she was beautiful and respectable. I feel deep sorrow.

Members of the public can pay their respects from 9 AM to 7 PM every day For some time to come now, those wishing to sign the condolence books can enter the premises from the South gates.

U.S. president-elect Donald Trump says he will establish a new organization to handle his energy policy, which includes producing more fossil fuels.
In a statement released on Friday, Trump says the National Energy Council will consist of departments and agencies in charge of permission, production and regulation of energy in the country. The council will be led by Doug Burgum, governor of the fossil fuel rich state of North Dakota. Burgum will also lead the Interior Department. Trump has said he aims to support oil and gas drilling to lower energy costs. In the statement, Trump says he will expand energy production to grow the economy, adding that the U.S. is blessed with vast amounts of liquid gold.

Now, an international environmental NGO has given the Group of Seven nations a satirical Fossil of the Day award on the sidelines of the COP29 Climate Change Conference in Azerbaijan.

Today's Fossil of the Day award goes to...Oh, that G7.

The Climate Action Network is presenting awards every day during the COP 29 conference. It named the G7 as Friday's winner, saying the group's members are running away from their fiscal responsibility to pay up for their growing climate finance debt.
The group also said the G7 countries have failed in their duty to provide funds for developing nations a key agenda at the COP 29 talks. NGO officials from the recipient nations accepted the award in a mock ceremony.

Atomic bomb survivors are planning to attend this year's Nobel Peace Prize ceremony to watch their organization receive the prestigious honor. Now, Nihon Hidankiyo has launched a crowdfunding drive to raise funds to send more of its delegates to the event. It hopes to send 31 people to the ceremony in Norway's capital, Oslo, on December 10th. They include Hibakusha, or survivors of the attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, as well as their descendants. Group officials say its goal is to collect about $64,000. 

No more hibakusha. I hope this will be an opportunity to once again send our message of no more hibakusha to the world. We'd like to ask for everyone's support.

Officials say the Nobel Committee will cover costs for the group's three Co chairs to attend the ceremony. The rest of the participants will each need about $3200 for their travel and accommodations. The group says the individuals cannot afford the costs on their own. Additional funds will be needed for their interpreters and caregivers.

Now, Friday marked 47 years since Japanese national Yokota Megumi was abducted by North Korean agents. A school she attended has held a musical gathering to renew calls for her return. Organizers put on the event at the elementary school she graduated from in Niigata Prefecture on the Sea of Japan coast. Megumi was a first-year junior high school student when she was abducted.

♪

A local student played a song she wrote. It asks people to imagine the suffering of the victims and their families.

♪
Two of Megumi's former classmates performed Spring from Antonio Vivaldi's The Four Seasons. They chose the piece in hopes she'll be able to see spring in Japan again.

Megumi has been suffering for 47 years, and they still haven't brought her home. Every possible effort should be made to make that happen.

Megumi's mother, Yokota Sakiye, joined the event by phone. She thanked participants for remembering her daughter and seeking her return. The Japanese government says at least 17 citizens were abducted by North Korean agents in the 1970s and 80s. Five returned to Japan in 2002, but Megumi and eleven others remain unaccounted for.
And those are the top stories for this hour.

♫

And that's a wrap for this edition of NHK Newsline. I'm Ramin Malegard.
Thank you very much for joining us.

at 18:00 (JST), November 15

 

20241115180000_english_1.mp3

Welcome back to NHK Newsline. I'm Yamaguchi Hiroaki in Tokyo.

Japan's Princess Mikasa, whose given name is Yuriko, has passed away at the age of 101. The princess was the widow of Prince Mikasa, a younger brother of the late Emperor Showa.
She was hospitalized at St. Luke's International Hospital in Tokyo on March 3 after suffering a stroke and aspiration pneumonia. Officials with the Imperial Household Agency said that the princess passed away of old age at around 6:30 on Friday morning.

Japan's Emperor Narushito and Empress Masako visited Princess Mikasa's residence in Tokyo on Friday afternoon to express their condolences.

Princess Mikasa's life of more than a century was marked by times of turbulence. She was born in 1923 as the second daughter of a noble family. She married Prince Mikasa at the age of 18 in 1941.
But the Pacific War began soon after their marriage. Their house burned down in the air raids, and she lived in a shelter for some time. After the war, she spent decades serving as the president of a foundation dedicated to maternal and child welfare.

(voice)
She was committed to improving welfare throughout her life. She served as an honorary vice president of the Japanese Red Cross Society. The princess turned 101 on June 4th. That was the oldest for a member of the imperial family since the Meiji era that began in the late 19th century.

Donald Trump's re-election as U.S. president continues to reverberate globally. He campaigned on a promise to put America first.
People around the world are waiting to see what that will mean when he returns with full control of Congress and a roster of loyalists picked for his administration. Trump has officially nominated Florida Senator Marco Rubio to be Secretary of State. Rubio is a hardliner on China and a prominent supporter of Taiwan. Regarding Iran, he said the Trump administration would be very clear and very firm in dealing with the country.

For Defense Secretary, Trump has picked Pete Hegsteth, a Fox News host and military veteran who was deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The president-elect wants Florida Congressman Mike Waltz to be his national security adviser. Waltz served in the Middle East and Afghanistan as a member of the U.S. Army's elite Green Berets.He has expressed skepticism about the current U.S. administration's approach to continuing military support for Ukraine.

Trump has raised eyebrows with his choice of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Kennedy has claimed that some vaccines can trigger autism.

Trump went a more traditional route for his CIA director, choosing John Ratcliffe, who served as Director of National Intelligence during his first term.

We spoke to an expert in American politics, Waseda University professor Nakabayashi Miyako, about how she views the president-elect's picks so far.

Well, they're pretty surprising. At the first administration, he was surrounded by professionals, Washington insiders and so on. However, this time, he's picking someone who are very loyal to him. instead of their professionality or careers with particular knowledge and experiences.

Professor Nakabayashi flagged Elon Musk as someone who could have a significant sway as head of the new Budget Streaming Department of Government Efficiency.
But she noted that he will be in a position to influence policies that have a massive effect on his own businesses. Professor Nakabayashi pointed out that Trump's picks still have to pass the nomination process, though with both chambers of Congress controlled by the Republican Party, it isn't clear who will provide real opposition to the incoming president. When Trump won the election, China said it respected the choice of the American people. That's a position that could be tested by if so-called China hawk Marco Rubio becomes Secretary of State. But Professor Nakabayashi says he may show more nuance than we expect.

His stance is very interesting, and he understands the moderate position. Therefore, although he is very hawkish against China, he may be able to see the balance in Asian region. I am hoping that he would listen to others pretty well. One problem is whoever the appointees are going to be, they are all have to be very loyal to Mr. Trump. So eventually, as long as Mr. Trump sees things, he is the one to decide the direction of American diplomacy as well as national security.

There's concern in Japan, too, about what the changes in Washington will bring. The professor says the key will be how well Japan's new prime minister can read Trump and work with him.

This Indo-Pacific area depends on American security coverage and deterrence. Japan must explain the importance of it to Mr. Trump. In order to do that, Japanese Prime Minister must be able to have a close communication with Mr. Trump, because Mr. Trump's decision-making pattern is top-down, not bottom to the top. Therefore, Mr. Ishiba needs to learn how to deal with him.

Meanwhile, Trump is lashing out at a plan to reduce street congestion in the heart of the Big Apple. That's after New York State announced it will bring it will begin charging motorists entering central Manhattan next year.

Governor Kathy Hochul says passenger vehicles will face a daytime charge of $9 starting January 5th. That's down from the initial proposal, a $15 toll.

Hochul says they hope to see 10% reduction. and traffic under the plan. Toll revenue will be used to expand public transit and other services.
But the president-elect, a New York native, says the plan will put the city at a disadvantage and drive out business. U.S. media say the state may be trying to get federal approval before the Trump administration takes office in January.

North Korea says its leader has called for accelerating the mass production of exploding attack drones after seeing them perform in a test.
State media says Kim Jong-un visited the test site on Thursday. The report included blurred photos of drones. Other images show what's said to be an armored vehicle on fire following the drone attack.

Kim reportedly expressed his satisfaction with the tactical and technical characteristics of the devices. He underscored the need to build a serial production system as early as possible and go into full-scale mass production. Kim added that military authorities around the world probably recognize that drones are achieving clear successes in big and small conflicts. The leader reportedly touched on the necessity of updating the country's military education in response to drone warfare. A five-year national defense plan made public by North Korea in 2021 called for the development of unmanned combat equipment.

U.S. President Joe Biden is in Lima for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum.

He is scheduled for a three-way summit with the leaders of Japan and South Korea to discuss how they can make their countries' relationships even closer.
Biden will sit down with Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba shigeru and South Korean President Yoon Son-yo Friday. His national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, says they're expected to agree to create a trilateral coordination secretariat.
Sullivan says it will be aimed at furthering their country's collaboration and as it's expected to continue during the incoming Trump administration.
Sullivan also says Pyongyang has previously taken provocative actions when the U.S. has transitioned from one president to another. He also says the possibility of another North Korean nuclear test is ever-present.
Meanwhile, the White House says Biden will have a bilateral meeting with Ishiba also on Friday.

The Pentagon has published its annual update on unidentified flying objects, widely known as UFOs. The report found many cases could be traced not to aliens, but to origins closer to home.
The U.S. Department of Defense released a document on Thursday. It says it received 757 reports of what it calls unidentified anomalous phenomena, or UAP, in the 13 months through June 1st. They came mainly from the US, the Middle East, and East Asia. About 300 were found to be objects such as balloons, bers, or unmanned aerial systems.
The department notes a rise in cases in which SpaceX's Starlink satellites were mistakenly reported as UAP. But the document reveals nothing new about possible alien life.

The department has discovered no verifiable evidence of extraterrestrial beings, activity, or technology.

The Pentagon spokesperson said none of the resolved cases point to any advanced capabilities or breakthrough technologies. The department says it will continue analyzing the unresolved cases.

♪

The northern Philippines has been affected by its fifth storm in the past three weeks. Our meteorologist Yumi Hirano has the details.

Usagi might landfall in northern Philippines on Thursday as a strong typhoon, bringing gusty winds and heavy downpours. We have some video.Usagi forced the evacuation of more than 20,000 people in northern Luzon.It brought heavy rain and stronger winds, causing flooding, power outages and damaging homes. Flat water swamped breaches, making them impossible.The northern part of the country has been hit by 5 tropical storms in less than a month, and it's now racing for another. So after Usagi, Mangy will be the next typhoon hitting the area. It's expected to intensify into very strong status, which is more dangerous than the previous typhoon Usagi, and it will arrive in loose zone by Sunday with its peak intensity. So the main concern is strong winds, which are damaging structures and causing widespread power outages. In addition, more than 200 millimeters of rainfall is possible, increasing the risk of severe flooding. Elsewhere in Asia, Taipei will see intense rain due to Usagi, but mild weather is expected in Seoul and Tokyo, with highs around 20.Moving to Europe, a circulating low-pressure system is bringing intense rain, even in a citythat experienced severe flooding two weeks ago. Over 130 millimeters of rain was reported in just six hours, which is more than the total monthly average. It has caused additional flooding. The system is expected to gradually offshore, but risks of isolated heavy rainfall and gusty winds will continue Friday.

That's all for me. Stay safe.

♫

And that's all for this edition of NHK Newsline, but do stay with us for more.

at 18:00 (JST), November 14 (Ai-CC by Clipchamp)

20241114180000_english_1.mp3

Welcome to NHK Newsline. I'm Morishita Erika in Tokyo.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has been a major drain on military supplies. It had to rely on older equipment to keep up the fight. We now know some of the tanks being used by the military may have once been movie props.
The head of state Rob Mosfield made the disclosure at the meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday.
Karen Chekhnozarov says the studio has donated dozens of its Soviet-era vehicles to Russian forces. They include 28 T-55 tanks, which first entered service over half a century ago. It's unclear whether any of Mosfilm's Cold War vehicles have been used in combat in Ukraine. Next February will mark three years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Its military has suffered massive losses since then.
Ukraine has relied heavily on military equipment from Western countries, including the United States. But U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has thrown that continued support into doubt.
Meanwhile, in Washington, Trump has made a victor's return to the White House. He was welcomed by President Joe Biden as part of the customary handoff of power.

Mr. President-elect and former President and Donald, congratulations. And looking forward to having a, like we said, smooth transition. Do everything we can to make sure you're accommodating what you need. So we're going to get a chance to talk about some of that today. So welcome. Welcome back.

Thank you very much. And politics is tough and it's in many cases, not a very nice world, but it is a nice world today, and I appreciate very much a transition that's so smooth. It'll be as smooth as it can get, and I very much appreciate it. Thank you.

The meeting is a traditional courtesy offered by outgoing presidents, but Trump did not extend it to Biden after his defeat in 2020. The new president will be entering office with a unified government. ABC News is projecting that Republicans will take control of the House of Representatives. That's on top of their retaking a majority in the Senate. Trump is continuing to announce nominations for key posts in his next administration. He has picked Matt Gaetz for the crucial job of attorney general.
Gates is a Republican representative from Florida and a staunch Trump supporter.
He would take over leadership of the Department of Justice. In a statement, Trump said Gates would end weaponized government as attorney general and restore faith and confidence in the Justice Department. Trump has been strongly critical of the department for investigating him over the 2021 attack on the Capitol by his supporters. and his handling of classified documents after leaving the White House. A leading U.S. newspaper calls Trump's pick a provocative move to exact retribution on Justice Department officials. This comes as Trump has officially announced that another Floridian, Marco Rubio, in his choice for Secretary of State.

It's a tremendous honor to the president, would place his confidence in me in a position of such importance. So it's a tremendous responsibility.

Rubio is a senator and a son of Cuban immigrants. He was a finalist to be Trump's running mate in the election. Rubio is known as a hardliner on China, who has also indicated his support for Taiwan. When it comes to Iran, he had said the Trump administration would be very clear and very firm in his dealings. He echoes the sentiment of Trump on Russia's invasion of Ukraine, saying the conflict must end through negotiation.

It's University Entrance Exam Day in South Korea, one of the most challenging times of the year for young people across the country. More than half a million students are taking the state-administered college scholastic ability test. South Koreans attach great importance to academics and consider the exam to be life-changing.

(whistle)

Familiar scenes Thursday as police helped party students get to exam venues.
The test is taken so seriously, airplane landings and take-offs were restricted to control noise levels during the English listening evaluation portion. Younger students encourage their older peers arriving at this venue.

I have been preparing for a long time, so I want to get good results. I hope to live up to the expectations of the many people cheering me on.

Some families went to temples in the hopes of attracting success for their loved ones taking the test.

My child has studied hard, so I prayed a lot for the best.

Earlier, I spoke with NHK World's Yamashita Ryota in Seoul about this most intense day.

The exams started Thursday morning nationwide. I've been reporting from in front of this test venue since 6:30 this morning, and I've seen students falling in with tense looks on their faces, and many other students have turned up to give the examinees moral support. You can sense that it feels like the most important day of their lives so far. 

So, Ryota, why are entrance exams so intense in South Korea?

Well, academic background is extremely important here, and getting into a top university is seen as a pursuit to a secure, well-paying job at a major company and a stable economic future. In fact, numbers from the Korea Statistical Information Service show that the average salary at a large company is roughly double than at the medium-sized one. So it's very competitive. And more than 70% of students here go to university. That's one of the highest rates in the world. But there is a narrow gate to enter top tier score.

So what impact does all this have on society at large?

For parents, there is a skyline targeting financial one. Last year alone, families spent a record $19 billion on cram school for students from elementary to high school age. The government tried removing the so-called pillar questions, the most difficult ones, from exams last year to help ease the financial burden on parents. But it doesn't seem to have made much difference. The intense pressure of exams and the economic burden have been linked to social issues such as a declining birth rate and rising depression among students. So while South Korea's higher education levels have driven economic growth, these negative aspects are a serious concern and call for urgent efforts for reform.

♪

The Guardian, a major British newspaper, says it will no longer post on any official editorial accounts on the social media platform X, terming it toxic.
A daily, known for its liberal taunt, cited the often disturbing content promoted or found on the platform, including far-right conspiracy theories and racism. The U.S.
presidential election campaign served only to underline what we have considered for a long time, that X is a toxic media platform and that its owner, Elon Musk, has been able to use its influence to shape political discourse, it added. Musk responded on X, calling The Guardian a laboriously vile propaganda machine. The neutrality of the social media platform has repeatedly been called into question.
In Britain, several regional police forces and at least one university have said they would review or halt the use of X after false information posted there fueled anti-immigrant sentiment, triggering widespread rioting.
Voters in the Pacific island nation of Palau have re-elected a president who favors closer ties with the U.S. and Taiwan. Incumbent Surangel Whipps Jr. faced former President Tommy Remengue-so in the November 5th race. The Palau Election Commission says Whipps won more than 5,600 votes and Remengue-so at least 4100.

China has been increasing its influence over Pacific island nations through development support. In 2019, the Solomon Islands and Kilibati switched diplomatic ties from Taiwan to China. Nauru followed earlier this year.

It's now time to check out the world weather. Fire crews on both coasts of the U.S. have been battling fires this week. Our meteorologist Yumi Hirano has the details.

Wildfires are a concern not only in the southwest but also in the northeast, including New York City. We have some video. 
A large brush fire broke out Wednesday in a park on the northern tip of Manhattan.

Aerial footage shows smoke rising above the trees and drifting into the city.

Officials issued a red flag warning for the New York area. Dry weather has led to multiple wildfires to the northeastern United States, with some areas experiencing their driest conditions in more than a century.

A high pressure system is leading to dry conditions, but low pressure and frontal systems over the Great Lakes are expected to move eastward, so showers will expect spread into the east and will ease the fire conditions on Thursday.

Moving to Asia, two tropical systems are targeting northern Philippines. Usagi is the third typhoon hitting the area in a week. It's now approaching Luzon as a strong typhoon, so the main concern is gusty winds with high waves and high storm surges. In addition, more than 200 millimeters of rainfall is possible, increasing the risk of severe flooding.

And another system, Man-yi, is expected to intensify into very strong states by Saturday and arrive in northern Philippines on Sunday, so more caution is required for flats and landslides.

Elsewhere in Asia, showers are expected in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Seoul due to wet weather. The temperature in Tokyo will drop down sharply to only 16. Taipei should be prepared for Typhoon Usagi before the stormy weather arrives.

That's all for me. Stay safe.

♫

So that's all for this edition of NHK Newsline. I'm Morishita Erika in Tokyo.
Thank you for watching.