Hello and welcome to NHK News Line. I'm Ross Mihara in Tokyo with the stories at this hour.
South Korea's Constitutional Court has upheld President Yoon Suk-yeol's impeachment, formally removing him from office. The decision comes about four months after he briefly declared martial law.
By deploying military and police, he obstructed the National Assembly's constitutional authority and denied people sovereignty and democracy. He violated principles of governance laid out in the Constitution by using the military to conduct search and seizure of the Election Commission. Through his proclamation, he broadly violated people's fundamental rights.
The court handed down its unanimous ruling Friday morning. Yoon had already been suspended from presidential duties after the National Assembly voted last year to impeach him. Yoon has released a statement to his supporters, saying I am so sorry and regretful that I could not live up to your expectations.
Opposition supporters held a rally near the court. They burst out in joy when the ruling came out.
I'm so happy. All the built-up stress was blown away. Everyone here must feel the same.
Yoon's supporters at a rally in front of the presidential office were disappointed and shocked. Some even cried.
We will fight to protect our sovereignty together with the president to protect democracy.
The interim leader of Yoon's ruling People Power Party also apologized and says his party accepts the court's decision. The head of the main opposition Democratic Party says it's tragic that the country has had to remove a sitting president for a second time. He added that it should never happen again. Yoon's removal follows the impeachment and ouster of former President Park Geun-hye in 2017.
South Korea will hold an election for a new president within 60 days. Local news outlets say June 3 is a strong candidate for the voting date.
Suffice to say, the state of South Korean politics over the last few months has been, in a word, chaotic. Let's take a look back now at some of the twists and turns, including what triggered all this turmoil.
Any president making a sudden televised address late on a Tuesday night is bound to turn heads. But few expected a shocker quite like this one.
To protect the constitutional order, I am declaring emergency martial law.
Yoon claimed that national politics were in crisis, referencing the refusal by opposition parties to agree on government policies.
His declaration banned political activities, gave the government control over the media, and led to the military breaking into the National Assembly Building.
But that didn't stop lawmakers. They quickly passed the resolutioncalling for the lifting of martial law.
Yoon complied, and his declaration ended up lasting about six hours total.
But the blowback was just starting.
(voice)
Massive protests calling for him to step down. Lawmakers, including some from Yun's own party,eventually impeached him, suspending him from office.
I here by declare the motion has passed.
A month later, investigators detained him, a first for a sitting president in the country. He was taken in on charges of insurrection over his martial law declaration.
His arrest and indictment soon followed, and he was held in a detention center near the capital. Amid all this, his separate impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court.
I did not declare martial law to suppress the people with military power. It was an appeal to the people in the form of martial law. Many didn't buy Yoon's argument. In a Gallup Korea poll released in March, 60% of respondents said they support Yoon's impeachment.
35% were against it.
Meanwhile, a district court decided to end his detention in the other case, saying questions remained about his detainment process. But he still faces a criminal trial.
We're joined by NHK World's Aoki Yoshiyuki, who's been watching the situation for us from Seoul. Yoshiyuki, for starters, were you surprised by the court's decision?
Yes, I was. As we've said, public opinion here in South Korea has been divided. In the past, the Constitutional Court has taken public opinion into consideration.
Some people who criticized the president's use of martial law still thought they needed to keep him in power. So there was some speculation that some of the justices may vote against the impeachment motion. Obviously, that didn't happen. The court upheld the motion supporting all five of the National Assembly's reasons. Despite the spilt in public opinion, the justices were unanimous and decisive, and that was surprising.
This incident led to months of protests there. With this decision, does that mean the turmoil is over?
No, I don't think so. Lawmakers from both the ruling and opposition parties have been finger-pointing at each other.
Citizens are doing the same at rallies held by both sides. There's still a lot of bad blood, and now we're heading into a presidential election. Lee Jae-yeon, the main opposition Democratic Party leader, is way ahead in the polls, but he's also facing five allegations, including that he broke election law.
One person I spoke to said she hates the president, but also dislikes Lee.
Today's verdict called on the National Assembly to try to communicate better with the government. It also asked the assembly to be restrained and to tolerant and to find a compromise through dialogue. So now the question is whether the opposition will take that advice and at least until voters head to the ballot box.
Thank you, Yoshiyuki. That was NHK World's Aoki Yoshiyuki from Seoul.
Now let's see what's happening in the world of business. Here's Ramin Mellegard from the Biz Desk.
Thank you very much indeed.
Now global leaders have sharply criticized US President Donald Trump's sweeping new tariffs. He'll slap a 10% baseline levy on all countries starting Saturday and higher rates on key trading partners next week.
Nobody wins in a trade war that is not in our national interest.
We will defend our interests. Europe will respond to the US decision in a united, strong and appropriate manner.
One thing is certain. With his decision, the US economy and Americans, whether businesses or citizens, will get weaker and poorer.
And Japan will face a so-called reciprocal tariff of 24%. Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru says this will have a major impact on bilateral ties.
We have been making requests at various levels for these unilateral tariff measures to be reviewed. It is extremely regrettable that they are being implemented in spite of our appeals.
The Trump administration's additional 25% tariff on all auto imports took effect on Thursday. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney says his country will retaliate. Canada will target vehicles made in the US if they don't comply with the US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement.
This is a tragedy. It is also the new reality. We must respond with both purpose and force.
Carney says the global trade system anchored on the US since the end of the Second World War is over.
Now, Japan's trade ministry has decided to offer aid to Japan-based exporters amid concern that US tariffs will hurt their business. The ministry set up a task force on Thursday to implement easier loan terms and develop other policies to help affected exporters.
Trump on Wednesday announced a 24% tariff on imports from Japan. He said a new 25% tariff last month on autos made outside the US. The rate for vehicles shipped from Japan is on top of levies already in place at the time.
Loans to struggling businesses will be offered with easier requirements under the ministry plan. State-run financial institutions such as Japan Finance Corporation will provide the lending. The ministry also plans to set up. About 1,000 inquiry counters across Japan, including at its bureaus and state-run financial institutions. Now, meanwhile, Trade Minister Mutoyoji reiterated that the government continues to seek an exemption from the new tariffs and will work to protect industries.
The US tariffs could have a major impact on a wide range of Japan's industries, so the government will carefully examine that and will do its best to provide all possible support to protect primary industries and employment.
The ministry plans to continue considering additional support measures.
And Trump's tariff announcement sent global financial markets into freefall and weakened the dollar. Shares in Tokyo plummeted on Friday. Just have a look at that screen right there after Wall Street indices suffered their biggest one day losses since the COVID pandemic in 2020. Now the benchmark Nikkei 225 briefly plunged by over 1,400 points or more than 4%.
The index ended sharply lower for the second straight day, closing the week at 33,780, down 955 points or two and three quarter percent 2.75%. The benchmark finished below the 34,000 mark for the first time about 8 months. Now, in Washington, a senior administration official warned the countries targeted by reciprocal tariffs not to take retaliatory measures.
That comment poured more fuel on investor fears of an impending trade war. They dumped stocks across the board, worried about damage to the global economy. The dollar also fell sharply against the yen in New York on Thursday. It weakened to the lower 145 level for the first time in about six months. The Japanese currency maintained that level in Tokyo on Friday.
Now, investors fear that the tariffs could drive the US economy into a recession. That's causing US long-term interest rates to drop and making dollar assets less attractive.
And Bank of Japan Governor Ueda Kazuo said the central bank will act, if necessary, to mitigate the effects of US tariffs on the economy.
Ueda spoke at the Lower House's Financial Affairs Committee on Friday. He discussed the recently announced trade levies, including those Trump has described as reciprocal. He said the tariffs will add downward pressure on the global and Japanese economies through various routes.
Major changes in the external environment will influence our economic and price outlook. We will implement appropriate measures according to the situation.
Ueda said the US tariffs could cause prices to rise or fall, prices are likely to fall if tariffs slow economic growth. But disruptions in global supply chains caused by the levies might lead to higher prices. And US President Donald Trump has suggested again the tariffs can help convince video sharing app TikTok to sell its US operations to an American company. A law went into effect in January banning TikTok in the United States unless his Chinese parent company Byte Dance is sold to AUS buyer. Trump signed an executive order delaying the law's enforcement for 75 days, but the order expires on Saturday. Trump spoke with reporters on Thursday. He was asked if he was open to making deals with countries on tariffs.
The tariffs give us great power to negotiate.
Trump says his administration is very close to reaching an agreement regarding the app. He says multiple investors are involved in negotiations.
Reports say US software giant Oracle and Amazon are among potential buyers.
Now here's NHK World's Yanaka Marie BizPicks.
This segment previews the week ahead in business. And today, there's a report card of sorts on one of the most influential people for the Japanese economy. Wednesday will mark two years since Ueda Kazuo took office as Bank of Japan governor.
Our BizPicks feature this week evaluates the BOJ's journey to normalize monetary policy. The central bank lifted its negative interest rate policy in March 2024, raising its T-rate for the first time in 17 years. The bank further hiked to around a quarter of a percent last July, and then half a percent in January. Monma Kazuo is a former BOJ executive director. He gives Ueda's actions to date what he calls a high mark like A-minus.
It's very much appropriate that BOJ has been slowly but steadily adjusting degree of monetary accommodation for the past year or so.
Currently, consumer inflation continues to be on track toward the sustainable 2% inflation goal of the BOJ, and the economy and financial markets are digesting the changing monetary policy environment without much difficulty.
According to Monma, better communication. Last summer, Ueda's remarks after the July rate hike triggered a surge in the yen. With weak US jobs data further fueling its rise, the sharp appreciation led to the largest single-day drop in Japan's stock market history.
I think the rate hike at the end of July last year, per se, was not a problem given economic conditions and the market environment at that time. However, Governor Ueda failed to send adequate messages to the market in advance.
Moreover, the messages from Governor Ueda right after the rate hike sounded surprisingly hawkish to the market audience. Failure to deliver appropriate communication on the part of the BOJ, both before and after the July rate hike, certainly contributed to the excessive market volatility.
Kadota Shinichiro is head of Japan FX and Rate Strategy at Barclays. He has a slightly less glowing assessment of Ueda, a B grade due to comments the governor made last March. Many saw his remarks as approving of a weaker yen, which sent the currency to the 160 level against the dollar. Japan's financial officials were forced to conduct massive intervention to curb the yen's depreciation.
The market's take was, you know, BOJ's OK with the negotiation and that has basically, you know, promoted the carry trades and, you know, that bringing the Dalian to 160. I think the lack of, I guess, you know, understanding about what the market was expecting and what market was, you know, hoping for, you know, by the, you know, Governor Ueda, or at least in his communication, I think was the major issue.
Kadota notes Ueda's communication has improved since last autumn. Markets took the bank's latest hike in stride.
As Ueda enters the third year of his term, we'll see how his performance affects his next report card.
I'm Yanaka Marie, and that wraps it up for this week's BizPicks.
And that is it for business news, going to hand it right back to you. All right, thanks for that, Ramin.
Friday marks one week since a huge earthquake struck central Myanmar. The death toll has surpassed 3,100 and survivors are enduring harsh living conditions. The magnitude 7.7 quake occurred on March 28, damaging wide areas of the country.
The capital Nepidua and Mandalay, the second largest city, were hit. The military says over 4,500 people have been injured and 221 are missing.
Relief supplies like food, water and medicines have not reached everyone in need, and many injured remain untreated as hospitals have been damaged.
Many survivors are living outdoors. A Japanese medical team arrived in Mandalay on Thursday. They will start providing medical aid at a makeshift clinic from Friday. Myanmar's junta leader, Senior General Min Online made a rare appearance on the international stage in Bangkok in neighboring Thailand on Thursday for a regional summit. He is likely seeking help for rescue efforts.
On the same day, NHK interviewed a Myanmar military spokesperson. Zhao Min Thun called for aid in the aftermath of the disaster.
We We need international help.
He said the military wants the international community to provide assistance through Myanmar's foreign ministry and its diplomatic missions overseas.
Myanmar's military has been fighting against pro-democracy forces and ethnic minority groups since it grabbed power in 2021. The quake is believed to have devastated areas near the epicenter controlled by the rebel forces. The pro-democracy National Unity government said it would stop fighting in disaster-hit areas for two weeks from March 30. The military on Wednesday also declared a ceasefire until April 22.
But fighting reportedly continues in some areas. It is unclear if humanitarian assistance can reach quake survivors there.
NATO's secretary-general will visit Japan next week for the first time since taking office in October. It's part of a recent push by the alliance to strengthen ties with countries in the Indo-Pacific.
NATO says Mark Rutte will visit Japan next Tuesday and Wednesday. He is scheduled to meet with Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru and visit a Maritime Self-Defense Force base south of Tokyo. He will also talk to economic officials and Japanese business leaders.
The trip follows Rutte's visit to the White House last month. A senior NATO official told NHK US President Trump told Ruta it was important for NATO to work more closely with the Indo-Pacific.
Rutte is is expected to use his trip to Japan as an opportunity to exchange views on how to respond to China, which is strengthening ties with Russia. He will also discuss NATO's possible cooperation with Japan's defense industry.
The Chinese and US militaries have been discussing ways to ensure the safety of maritime operations amid rising tensions between the two nations. Members of the Military Maritime Consultative Agreement Working Group met in Shanghai on Wednesday and Thursday. Chinese officials said US ships and airplanes have been conducting surveys and holding exercises near China. They said their military will defend Chinese sovereignty and maritime interests by legally responding to all risky and provocative conduct. The US military said the working-level talks focused on reducing the incidences of unsafe and unprofessional actions by China's Navy and Air Force. The meeting is said to be the first since US President Trump returned to office. Observers say it indicates Beijing's willingness to continue security communications with Washington, despite an intensifying tariff war between the two superpowers.
US President Trump has suggested that Elon Musk could step down from his government role.
There'll be a point at which time Elon's going to have to leave. I would think a few months.
Trump says that Musk has done a fantastic job but has multiple companies to run. Musk leads the new Department of Government Efficiency and has overseen major cuts to federal funding and jobs. Trump says the department will remain active even after Musk leaves. US political news site Politico earlier reported that Trump told his inner circle that Musk would leave his role in a few weeks. White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt dismissed that article and Musk called it fake news.
The Israeli military is stepping up attacks against Hamas and is also working to create a new corridor across the southern Gaza Strip. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the aim of the corridor is to cut off the southern city of Rafah. Health authorities in Gaza said Thursday that Israeli assaults in the previous 24 hours had killed 100 people. Israel resumed its military operation in Gaza on March 18 as negotiations with Hamas on extending the ceasefire were in a stalemate. Israel has been telling residents of various parts of Gaza to evacuate ahead of a planned offensive. Reuters quotes sources as saying that Hamas has rejected a new proposal to extend the ceasefire.
Israel reportedly had mediators pass along the proposal, but Hamas is said to be seeking a permanent ceasefire.
Netanyahu visited Hungary on Thursday, where Hungary's Prime Minister announced his country would withdraw from the International Criminal Court.
Prime Minister Viktor Orban revealed the decision at a news conference with the Israeli leader in Hungary's capital of Budapest. He accused the ICC of being politically motivated. The court has issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity stemming from the conflict in the Gaza Strip. Hungary, as an ICC member, is obliged to cooperate, but Orban's administration is taking a pro Israel stance. It has indicated that Hungary won't arrest Netanyahu. The ICC says Hungary is still a member, despite its plans to leave, and remains under a duty to cooperate with the ICC.
It's now time to check out the world weather. Our meteorologist Yumi Hirano has details.
In the United States, cold air is surging from the north and warm air is covering the south. Between these two air masses, severe weather has occurred on Thursday.
A tornado and 36 gusts were reported, mainly in Kentucky, Tennessee and Arkansas. These have caused severe disruptions.
Devastating storms lashed the US Southeast on Thursday, leading a trial of disasters. In Pulsar, Kentucky, a house was struck by a huge tree while people were still inside.
Meanwhile, in Arkansas, some cars were overturned and even flung up on trees.
Emergency workers can be seen using heavy machines to clean deeply, and assess the damage.
So the risk of tornado and gusting winds will continue over the weekend. On top of that, downpours are also a big concern. Total rainfall could be about 400 millimeters from western Kentucky to Arkansas by Sunday. Amounts could be historic, leading to widespread major flooding, so please prepare for severe and long-lasting disruptions.
Moving to Asia, a couple of high pressure systems will dominate the north while a low pressure system is approaching the Korean peninsula. Showers are likely in Seoul, Beijing will see warm and sunny conditions, but there is an increasing risk of fires. A forest fire warning is in effect widely in northern China. Tokyo will see sunny skies with a high of 16, so this could be the perfect time to enjoy the cherry blossoms.
That's all for the weather. Have a nice weekend.
♫～
I'm Ross Mihara in Tokyo, and that's all we have for now on NHK Newsline. Thanks for staying with us.
