Welcome to NHK Newsline. I'm Yamaguchi Hiroaki in Tokyo.
Japan Sweltering Under Scorching Heat
People across Japan are sweltering through an ongoing heatwave.
A number of places are experiencing temperatures of over 40 degrees Celsius for a second day.
As of 4 p.m. Wednesday, the high in Kuwana City in Mie Prefecture was 40.6 degrees and 40.1 degrees in Hamamatsu City in Shizuoka Prefecture and Mino City in Gifu Prefecture.
Several other cities marked temperatures above 39 degrees.
The meteorological agency says the rainy season appears to have ended in the Kanto, Koshin and Tokai regions on Monday.
The Tokyo Fire Department says 287 people were taken to hospital with suspected heatstroke on Tuesday.
The weather agency has issued heatstroke alerts in 41 of Japan's 47 prefectures.
It's advising people to use air conditioners and consume adequate amounts of water and salt supplements to prevent heatstroke.
It's also urging people to avoid long periods of outdoor activity.
No End in Sight for Sweltering Temps Across Japan
People in Japan should expect intense heat this summer.
Our meteorologist Tsietsi Monare is up next with an in-depth look at the summer ahead.
00:01:32 話者 2/Tsietsi Monare
Hi there. You might have noticed that temperatures are on the rise here in Japan.
Just as an example, look at these temperatures in Kuana and Sakuma, both of those 40.5 and 40 degrees respectively.
So the Tokai region is really feeling the heat, but they're not the only ones.
There are many places across Japan where temperatures are steadily on the rise.
Why is that, you ask?
Well, if you think about it, is summer, so temperatures are supposed to be high, but this is unusually high.
And what is driving these conditions, you may ask.
So some of the key features...
What drives Japanese summers?
At first, we've got the Pacific high pressure as well as the Tibetan high pressure.
Now, unusually, they are situated in areas that they're normally not in.
Just as an example, this one, the Pacific high, is a little bit larger, moving on the eastern side of the country, and that's leading to clear, sunny skies prevailing across many parts of the country.
And then once in a long time, you get both of these pressures almost overlapping, moving one over the other.
And that actually creates an even stronger heat dome, trapping a lot of that heat, rising temperatures, lots of warm, moist air.
And at the same time, it is also making the sea surfaces a lot warmer than usual.
And that's why you're getting to see for long periods of time, temperatures above 35 degrees, 37, and now they're getting closer and closer to 40 degrees.
even for us here in Tokyo.
So those high pressures are big, big drivers of the weather and also they are big drivers of the general climate across here in Japan.
Something slightly different now.
You might have heard a couple of times that we are now in that El Nino period, and the El Nino might turn into a super Nino, so getting even stronger than that.
Now, the El Nino, what it does is it creates droughts depending on where you are in other parts of the world, such as in Southern Africa.
Also brings wetter weather in certain places and higher temperatures.
Now, for us in Japan, normally we shouldn't be seeing higher temperatures.
This is Japan right here.
So during an El Nino year, we should not be seeing higher temperatures.
In fact, it should be slightly lower.
But here is the difference.
This map that you see here indicates the temperatures along the sea surface, or SST, sea surface temperatures.
And this is Japan, the dark shade here.
And all are grounded.
You can see the temperatures.
indicated in red, are much warmer than they should be, about two, maybe even 4 degrees, sometimes warmer than that, 4 degrees warmer than the averages.
And that is what is trapping the heat even further, making it an unordinary or extraordinary year in terms of the heat index that we are experiencing here.
So you might even see outside temperatures saying it's 37 degrees, but feels like 42 degrees.
All of these impacts are included in here.
and they lead to a rapid rising of warm, moist air, and that traps the heat all around here in Japan.
And then they have also issued a forecast from the Japan Meteorological Agency that indicates the next three months are going to be quite warm, in fact, very hot for many people.
I took a picture for you to show you what August, just a little bit of the beginning of summer, what it's going to be like.
And you can see this darker shade here.
This darker orange indicates areas where the temperatures
be between 40, maybe even 60 percent higher than their normal.
Even up north, places that normally get cooler weather, you know about Hawkeye, it's usually quite cool.
But this August, it will be about 40 percent warmer than its average temperatures.
And the same can be seen into -- later on into the summer.
So, as we begin October, now, this is the time where we're supposed to be entering
autumn and cooler weather expected, but look at these conditions.
They're going to be a lot warmer, 40% warmer than the average.
What will that do?
It could increase the intensity of the typhoons.
So typhoons can get a lot stronger.
I'm not saying there'll be more of them.
Don't get that wrong.
But with warmer ocean surfaces, with the warmer climate, and the impact of both El Nino, climate change, all of these impacts are going to just be extended.
It's going to feel like now we're having a much longer summer than before because the heat that is building up in July and then in August as well is going to linger on and stay around up until later on into the season.
So what should you do? Try your best to stay cool and stay safe.
Mt. Tokachi Erupts for First Time Since 2004
00:06:04 話者 1
Next, a small eruption has occurred at Mount Tokachi in Japan's northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido.
The Japan Meteorological Agency said black smoke was spotted coming from a crater at around 11:07 a.m. on Wednesday.
The plume of smoke rose about 200 meters into the air.
Volcanic tremors lasted about 45 seconds and atmospheric vibrations were recorded at a monitoring spot in a sheltering lodge.
No large volcanic projectiles have been confirmed.
The volcano is a part of the Taesetsan mountain range.
It last erupted in 2004.
The volcanic alert for Mount Tokachi was raised to level two last month due to increased seismic activity around one of its craters.
Meteorological officials plan to maintain the alert at level two...
and warn that more minor eruptions could follow.
They are urging people to watch out for large volcanic projectiles within about 1.5 kilometers of the crater, and to stay away from areas deemed at risk.
Takaichi's First Major Economic Policy Approved
The Japanese government has decided on a major economic and fiscal policy...
the first such measure under Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae.
It aims to drastically boost investment to bring about a strong economy.
Cabinet ministers approved the policy on Tuesday.
It puts forward the idea of a responsible, proactive fiscal policy.
00:07:41 話者 3
We will stop the trend of excessive austerity and insufficient investment for the future.
We will thoroughly boost domestic investment.
00:07:51 話者 1
The policy involves the public and private sectors working together to promote investment in strategic fields.
The growth strategy envisions both sectors investing a total of more than 370 trillion yen, or about 2-point-2 trillion dollars, in 17 fields by fiscal 2040.
The target areas include AI and chips, as well as shipbuilding.
The policy states that the detrimental effects of single-year budgeting must be corrected.
The government aims to create a new investment allocation framework based on multi-year budgeting.
The policy adds that it will not set upper limits when ministries make budget requests for the allocation.
The aim is to achieve real growth of one percent and nominal growth of over three percent as soon as possible.
The policy also aims to balance fiscal sustainability with strong growth.
The government intends to lower the ratio of Japan's debt to GDP.
It will do this by keeping the growth rate of outstanding debt below the growth rate of the economy.
NHK asked chief economist at the Daiba Institute of Research about the potential impacts of the plan.
00:09:10 話者 4
If the government can successfully implement the policy, workers will feel the full benefit of higher wages and spend more, resulting in a virtuous economic cycle.
However, if the proactive fiscal policy does not spur investment, real wages may shrink amid high inflation.
00:09:29 話者 1
Kanda said he is watching closely to see whether the policy guidelines stabilize prices.
Iran Conflict: Trump Issues More Threats Against Tehran, Houthis
The United States and Iran are trading threats as tensions grow around key shipping routes in the region.
US President Donald Trump says Iran is looking for an off-ramp, but he says Washington isn't ready for talks.
Trump told reporters that the public doesn't know what's happening behind the scenes.
00:10:08 話者 2
They want to desperately meet, and until they're ready to meet in a meaningful way, we have no interest.
00:10:16 話者 1
Defense Secretary Pete Hegsteth stresses that US forces are ready to continue attacks if Iran shows no willingness to negotiate.
00:10:25 話者 11
If they're going to shoot at commercial shipping, then we're going to hit them, as the president said, ten times harder.
00:10:32 話者 1
Iran's Meher news agency reports that Iranian forces stopped a Kuwaiti oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz.
It also says they attacked three tankers over the past 24 hours...
and that vessels can't pass through without Iran's coordination.
Kuwait's foreign ministry says that Iran attacked one of its oil tankers in the Strait, injuring several crew members.
And elsewhere in the region, on Monday, the Houthi rebels in Yemen announced a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia.
Trump claims it hasn't happened so far.
And he warns that Washington will respond and take care of it if the Iran-backed group goes through with the plan.
Reuters reports that two tankers carrying Saudi oil to China and India reversed course in the Red Sea after the Houthis' warning.
Iran Conflict: Estimated US Costs for Operation Rise to $37.5 Bil.
Americans are getting an idea of how much the conflict is costing them.
Hexeth says an estimated 37-point-5 billion dollars has been spent on the operation as of Tuesday.
Hexeth appeared before a hearing of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
The new figure is about 8-point-5 billion dollars more than what was previously reported.
Tagsath says the new number includes personnel and other expenses needed through the end of September.
Dan Cain, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, also appeared before the hearing.
He was asked whether Iran could be defeated through airstrikes alone.
As you look across the totality of history, air power's got limits and we always have to be mindful of those.
Kaine was then asked about the possibility of a ground operation.
He remained non-committal, saying it would be unhelpful to speak on hypotheticals.
Rubio Says US Seeking Diplomatic Solution With Iran
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stressed that his country is ready to seek a diplomatic solution to the Middle East conflict.
He made the comments in a meeting with his counterparts in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN. The United States is always committed to diplomacy.
We are open-minded and always willing to engage in negotiated settlements of differences.
And that remains true in the case of Iran.
Rubio refers to the conflict at the start of the meeting in the Philippine capital of Manila on Wednesday.
He also said that there will be consequences if Iran does not keep its commitments.
The ASEAN foreign minister's statement, issued on Tuesday, expressed serious concern over the situation in the Middle East.
Disruptions to oil supplies from the region have severely impacted ASEAN countries, which rely heavily on those imports.
France Approves Under‑15 Social Media Ban
The French parliament has voted to ban social media for children under 15 years old.
It will be the first such measure in Europe once it takes effect in September.
France's Senate and National Assembly approved the legislation on Tuesday.
Platforms will be given until January to close existing accounts of underwage users.
Age verification systems approved by the French privacy regulator are also required under new rules.
French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed the legislation as a major step forward.
He said in a social media video that France is leading the way in Europe when it comes to protecting children.
Age-based social media restrictions reflect growing concerns that the use of such platforms may harm children.
Australia became the world's first nation to introduce a sweeping ban for those younger than 16. The EU is also considering rules.
with European Commission President Ursula von der Leying saying that a specific proposal will be made after the summer.
Business
Now let's turn to our Ramin Mellegard for what's happening in the world of business.
Ramin.
00:14:55 話者 5/Ramin Mellegard
Thank you very much indeed.
Yen Weakens to Near 40‑Year Low of 163 vs Dollar
Now, the Japanese currency traded in the 163 yen range against the dollar in Tokyo on Wednesday. That's the lowest level in nearly 40 years.
Investors are worried about the potential impact of higher crude oil prices amid tensions in the Middle East.
The last time the pair traded in the 163 range was in December 1986.
The yen also weakened to the level overnight in New York, as the United States and Iran continue to exchange fire.
Crude oil futures rose on concerns that the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen may close the Babel-Mandeb Strait.
It's an alternative oil shipping route to bypass the Strait of Hormuz.
Amid the weekend, market sources say investors are on edge about a potential currency intervention by Japanese monetary authorities.
Hackers Claim Responsibility for Nichirei Attack
A security firm says a known ransomware group has claimed responsibility for a cyberattack that disrupted operations at a major Japanese frozen food company, Nichire.
S&J, the cybersecurity company, said a group calling itself Ransom House posted a statement on a so-called dark website on Tuesday.
The hackers claimed they had stolen some internal data from the food maker.
The attack had caused system failures at Nichire.
that affected cold storage operations and deliveries starting July 13th.
Ransom House reportedly claimed responsibility last October for a cyber attack that hit operations at Japanese e-commerce and logistics platform Askul.
KFC Japan: Operations Normal After Nichirei Cyberattack
Now, Kentucky Fried Chicken Japan says it resumed normal operations at all outlets on Wednesday.
The fast food chain had faced supply shortages following the cyber attack on Nichire.
KFC Japan outsources deliveries of chicken and other items to a Nichire subsidiary.
Some of its outlets had been forced to limit menus and shorten opening hours due to the supply disruptions.
Nichire said on Friday last week that it was gradually bringing its computer systems back online and resuming some deliveries.
Avg. Price of New Greater Tokyo Condos Hits Record High
The average price of new condominiums listed in the greater Tokyo area from January to June has topped 100 million yen.
That's the highest since 1973, when comparable record-keeping began.
The Real Estate Economic Institute released the figures.
It says the average asking price of a unit in Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama, and Chiba prefectures reached more than 101 million yen, or about $620,000.
That's up 13% from the same period a year earlier, and the sixth straight year of gains.
The price in Tokyo's 23 wards climbed 9 percent to over 142 million yen.
Prices in Chiba jumped almost 57 percent, while Kanagawa saw a 20 percent increase.
The research firm says potential condo buyers are starting to turn more cautious after the repeated sharp gains in prices.
However, it predicts that average prices will continue trending higher as luxury units in Tokyo are set to the market in the second-half of the year.
Markets
Okay, let's get a check of the markets.
♪
And that is it for Business News.
00:19:09 話者 1
Thanks, Ramin.
China Festival Offers Hope for Better Ties
Moving on, against the backdrop of strained relations, one event is showing that people-to-people exchanges can bridge divides.
This year's China Festival in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture, was in jeopardy at one point...
but ordinary people from both Japan and China stepped up to ensure its success.
NHK World's Tsuchiya Utami has the story.
00:19:35 話者 6/Tsuchiya Utami
The China Festival has been held in Japan since 2017.
A recent event took place in the city of Kanazawa for the first time.
The theme was understanding and sharing contemporary China.
About 18,000 people attended.
00:20:07 話者 3
My daughter and I are going to each get a souvenir panda.
Just walking around here makes me feel like I'm on vacation.
00:20:17 話者 6
But due to the worsening of Japan-China relations, the event was almost called off at one point.
That's when Koga Katsumi, a local business owner, stepped in and persuaded the local government to sponsor it. He also provided financial support.
00:20:41 話者 7
My firm belief is that if there is no exchange, there is no friendship.
When the idea for the festival came up, I decided right away, Let's do it.
I'll do whatever I can to help.
00:20:59 話者 6
Koga is cheering for Zhu Tsuyen, a Chinese exchange student who served as co-host of the festival.
She came to Japan from China last year and is studying at a university in Kanazawa.
00:21:20 話者 3
Because the teachers taught us so much about Japanese culture and language, I was able to apply what I learned not only at school, but also in my daily life.
00:21:35 話者 6
But it hasn't all been smooth sailing for Joo.
She has seen the impact of worsening Japan-China relations firsthand.
Xu happened to be present, where a Chinese friend was subjected to discriminatory remarks.
00:21:56 話者 3
To be honest, I was shocked. I couldn't say anything.
00:22:02 話者 6
Around that time, she was invited to co-host the China Festival.
She jumped at the chance to help people get a better understanding of her country.
Ju put her best foot forward on the day of the festival.
00:22:28 話者 3
I made a few mistakes while posting, but I feel like I did a good job overall.
00:22:48 話者 6
Ju also made a new Japanese friend, Asai Rina, who co-hosted the event with her.
00:22:55 話者 3
Mmm, it's really good. It's really good.
00:23:12 話者 6
Ju introduced her new friend to the pipa, a traditional Chinese string instrument that she also plays.
00:23:44 話者 3
I think there have been a lot of negative aspects related to politics, but after meeting her, I found her to be incredibly approachable.
Learning about various cultures has given me a much better impression.
I listened to Asai-san, and we talked about a lot of things.
I learned that I can actually interact with Japanese people.
I hope to serve as a bridge for cultural exchanges between our two countries.
00:24:19 話者 6
The festival was a big success.
Without this interaction, friendship like this would never have blossomed.
Tsuchiya Utami, NHK World.
Weather
00:24:36 話者 1
And now to weather.
As we've been reporting, Japan is roasting with some hot temperatures.
Our meteorologist Jonathan Oh has a look at what's ahead in world weather.
00:24:47 話者 7/Jonathan Oh
Hello, I hope you've been taking the proper precautions to stay cool and protect yourself from this heat because it has been hot and humid. Yes, it's summer.
No, this is still dangerous outside if you're going to be out for a long period of time.
Seeing highs reaching up to 40.6 degrees in Kuana and Sakuma seeing 40.1 degrees for the high on Wednesday.
We do have the influence of two high pressure systems, and as they are overlapping each other, that's really pumping in the hot air areas to the north.
Yeah, the rainy season fronts there, not bringing a lot of wet weather with it.
In fact, clouds are in the forecast for South Porto by Friday, but still highs in the upper 20s coming up for the next couple of days.
Tokyo, Osaka, upper 30s.
And then we may see a little bit of a cooling trend as we head into the weekend, but in the meantime, just as a reminder,
Make sure that you stay hydrated.
Try to stay indoors in air-conditioned locations, wear the proper clothing, and just avoid having too much sun as the heat continues to be in place.
Meanwhile, rain is a big issue over portions of Chile.
I want to show you some video that's coming out from the country, as at least 10 people were killed this week as a powerful storm brought days of heavy rain and battered parts of Chile.
According to Reuters, the country's disaster agency says more than 3,000 homes were damaged.
damage, and more than 100,000 people were isolated after roads were cut off.
Reuters also reported that in one coastal city, heavy rain left streets, farmland, and a popular amusement park under a meter of water.
Now, the government declared a state of emergency in the affected regions as emergency
crews stepped up rescue and cleanup operations.
And it looks like that the rain is still part of the forecast as we have more moisture pushing into the region, which will not be helpful.
The rain also impacts areas to the east, to Osucio and Buenos Aires, up to the north as well.
We're looking at some rain as we go through the day on Wednesday.
Hope you have a good day wherever you are.
♫～ 3-DAY FORECAST ～♫
00:27:40 話者 1
And that concludes this edition of NHK Newsline. Thanks for watching.
NHK World
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