Welcome to NHK NewsLine. I'm Yoko Nishimura in Tokyo with the latest news.
TRUMP SLAMS RESPONSE OF ALLIES TO CALL FOR HELP ON HORMUZ
US President Donald Trump has expressed displeasure with some US allies over their responses to his request for help to secure the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran has been enforcing a de facto closure of the major oil shipping route in response to US and Israeli attacks.
Trump told reporters on Monday the United States has tens of thousands of troops in Japan, South Korea and Germany.
00:00:42 話者 10/Donald Trump
We defend all these countries. And then do you have any minesweepers?
And they say, well, would it be possible for us not to get involved?
00:00:54 話者 1
Trump also criticized NATO. He claimed the US spends trillions of dollars defending its NATO allies, but he has long doubted if they would defend the US in return.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer says the UK will not be drawn into a wider war in Iran, but he says he will work with allies on a viable plan to reopen the strait.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz says Berlin will not send ships or be involved in military operations by the US and Israel.
Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Kihara Minoru says nothing has been decided regarding the dispatch of the country's Self-Defense Forces.
00:01:38 話者 2/Kihara Minoru
There has been no specific request from the US for Japan to dispatch ships, including in the phone talks between Japan and US defense ministers on Sunday.
00:01:50 話者 1
A senior official in the South Korean presidential office says the US and South Korea will take time to discuss and carefully decide whether to send ships.
Trump has also said he hopes China will send ships.
China's foreign ministry has not made the country's position clear on the matter.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abba Sarakchi says the strait is open.
He says it's only closed to those who have carried out what he calls unfair aggression and Iran's enemies.
EX-IRGC COMMANDER WARNS JAPAN OVER ESCORT PLAN
A former commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has a warning for Japan.
He says Japanese vessels could face danger if they are sent to secure the Strait of Hormuz at the request of the United States.
Hossein Kanani Mogadam spoke to NHK in an online interview from Tehran.
00:02:45 話者 11/Hossein Kanani Moghaddam/Former commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
Iran has placed mines on the seabed that can be detonated by remote control.
Mine sweeping is not really applicable and Japanese vessels will be exposed to danger.
00:03:00 話者 1
The former commander also says US bases in Japan will be targeted if they are used to launch attacks on his country.
He suggested Japanese commercial vessels would be allowed to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, as long as Tokyo does not support the US military operation.
ATTACKS CONTINUE ACROSS MIDDLE EAST
Meanwhile, the US and Israel continue to launch further attacks against Iran, and Tehran is vowing to fight to the bitter end.
US Central Command says it's destroyed over 100 Iranian naval vessels.
CENTCOM says it will continue to deplete Iran's ability to threaten navigation in and around the Strait of Hormuz.
It also says US forces attacked Iran's Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf on Friday.
They say they have destroyed more than 90 military targets, including storage bunkers for naval mines and missiles. The island serves as a key oil export hub for Iran.
Pipelines from oil fields across Iran are connected to the island's facilities.
The Israeli military says it's launched a wide-scale wave of strikes against Tehran and other cities. It says the strikes are targeted at the regime's infrastructure.
It also says the Israeli Air Force destroyed a compound in Tehran, which was used to develop satellite attack capabilities.
An Israeli media outlet says debris from the missile interceptions hit a building in Jerusalem.
Iranian state-run media released a post from the new Supreme Leader Mujtaba Khamenei.
It's his second official statement since taking on the role, and once again, it does not contain his image.
He calls for officials appointed by his father, the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, to continue to carry out his father's orders and policies.
UN RAPPORTEUR CONDEMNS US-ISRAELI STRIKES AS 'UNLAWFUL'
A UN expert has condemned the US-Israeli strikes on Iran.
She made the comments during a briefing on the situation in the country to the UN Human Rights Council.
The strikes remain unlawful, no matter the assumed or stated objectives of those strikes.
She also criticized the government in Iran for restricting internet access.
She said this has cut off people from information and connectivity.
Sato added the reported absence of bomb shelters adds to concerns about civilian safety.
She told reporters after the meeting that she was deeply concerned the war has exacerbated the already poor human rights situation in the country.
TALIBAN: 400 KILLED IN AIRSTRIKE ON KABUL HOSPITAL
Afghanistan's interim Taliban government says a Pakistani airstrike on a hospital in Kabul has left at least 400 people dead and about 250 others wounded.
A Taliban spokesperson says the attack took place Monday night at a hospital in the Afghan capital dedicated to treating drug addiction.
He condemned the attack, saying many of the victims were innocent civilians.
Pakistan denied targeting a hospital.
Authorities said the country's forces struck Taliban military installations.
They claim the facilities housed technical equipment and ammunition being used against Pakistani civilians.
Clashes between Pakistan and the Taliban erupted last October over cross-border terror attacks, leading to many civilian casualties.
Both sides agreed on an immediate ceasefire, but fighting resumed last month and has been escalating.
KUMAMOTO GOVERNOR, MAYOR BRIEFED ON NEW MISSILE DEPLOYMENT
Japan's defense ministry has briefed the local governor and a mayor in the southwestern prefecture of Kumamoto on an extended-range anti-ship missile deployment to a Ground Self-Defense Force camp.
The ministry plans to deploy the upgraded Type 12 surface-to-ship missile at Camp Kangun in Kumamoto City on March 31.
With an extended range of about 1,000 kilometers, it will be part of Japan's counter-strike capabilities.
On Tuesday, Kumamoto Governor Kimura Takashi and Kumamoto City Mayor Onishi Kazufumi were among those invited to the camp.
They were briefed by officials of the Kyushu Defense Bureau on the reasons for the deployment of the upgraded missile, and inspected the launchers and other equipment.
Governor Kimura said that he and the mayor asked the government to provide detailed explanations to ease residents' concerns.
00:07:41 話者 12/Governor Kimura
I think if a thorough explanation is given to the people in the prefecture based on the fundamental premise that the deployment is to strengthen deterrence to prevent an attack from enemy countries, their understanding will deepen.
00:07:53 話者 1
Representatives of local residents' associations and shopping districts were also invited to the camp on Tuesday afternoon for briefings.
FIVE UNITS OF LIFE'S GENETIC CODE FOUND IN ASTEROID SAMPLE
A team of Japanese scientists say they've identified all five nucleobases that make up DNA and RNA in samples brought back from a distant asteroid.
The researchers from the Japan Agency for Marine Earth Science and Technology analyzed organic matter extracted from about 20 milligrams of the samples.
Japan's space probe Hayabusa-2 collected the samples from the asteroid Ryugu.
The same nucleobases were also found in material that was retrieved by a NASA probe from a different asteroid.
00:08:40 話者 4/Koga Toshiki/JAMSTEC Biogeochemistry Research Center
Our finding makes it more certain that the nuclear bases were universally generated in the formation process of the solar system.
00:08:49 話者 1
The researchers say the discoveries from the two separate asteroids suggest that these basic building blocks of life may be widespread throughout the solar system.
BUSINESS
And now for business stories, here's Ramin Mellegard.
00:09:04 話者 5/Ramin Mellegard
Thank you very much indeed.
JAPAN CABINET APPROVES DRAFT ON FOREIGN INVESTMENT SCREENING
Now, Japan's cabinet has approved a draft amendment to tighten screening of investments from abroad.
The government aims to set up a body similar to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States.
The Cabinet on Tuesday signed off on a revision to the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act.
The current law requires overseas investors to give the government notice when buying shares of Japanese companies in certain sectors.
The draft would extend the mandate to purchases by Japan-based investors deemed to be under the influence of a foreign government or a state-owned firm.
Notification would be also required when overseas investors acquire shares in foreign companies with stakes in Japanese businesses.
In addition, the revision calls for strengthened cooperation among entities such as the Finance Ministry and National Security Secretariat.
The government aims to have the draft bill passed into law during the current diet session through July.
MAJOR JAPANESE CONTAINER SHIP FIRM TO ADD FUEL SURCHARGE
A major Japanese container ship operator says it will introduce an emergency fuel surcharge from March 24. The move comes amid surging crude oil prices.
Ocean Network Express owns about 260 container ships.
It's jointly funded by three Japanese shipping firms, NYK Line, Mitsui OSK Lines, and Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha.
The operator says the surcharge will range from $80 to $210 per TEU or standard 20-foot container. The price depends on the cargo and shipping distance.
The company says fuel costs have spiked and the surcharge is a contingency measure.
It says the duration of the measure is uncertain as it depends on the situation in Iran.
The introduction of the surcharge means higher shipping costs for cargo owners, which could push up prices of many different items.
Makers of oil-related products in Japan are starting to take measures as the mounting tension in the Middle East affects their business.
Some are concerned about the supply of nafta.
The raw material comes from crude oil and is used in various petroleum products.
A potential shortage has prompted leading oil wholesaler, Idemitsu Kosan, to start cutting output of ethylene at two of its domestic sites.
Ethylene is a key material for many plastics, and its production includes naphtha.
The company says it's making efforts to ensure stable supply of naphtha by anticipating every possible situation.
Now, two other firms, Mitsubishi Chemical and Mitsui Chemicals, have also started cutting production of ethylene.
Japan's Industry Minister Akazawa Ryosei said on Tuesday he sees no immediate supply and demand problem for NAFTA.
00:12:17 話者 23/Akazawa Ryosei
Japanese companies have been pursuing ways to procure NAFTA from areas other than the Middle East.
00:12:23 話者 5
Akazawa says the country is also seeking to source the material from the United States and South America, as well as from domestic refining.
JAPANESE PREFECTURE LOOKS TO SPARK BAMBOO BOOM
Now, bamboo spreads across Asia, South America, and Africa.
It's known for growing fast and tall, but in parts of Japan, that can be a negative.
Overgrown and neglected groves invade farmland, forests, and residential areas, damaging ecosystems and risking landslides.
The western prefecture of Yamaguchi is working to manage its bamboo resources and spark business opportunities.
00:13:05 話者 2/Narrator: Marcus Pittman
In Yamaguchi Prefecture, the encroachment of bamboo is causing headaches for orange farmers. The citrus trees are in the shadow of the towering plants even on this sunny day.
Because of this, some of the oranges don't turn sweet and have to be discarded.
The bamboo also draws wild boars seeking out hiding places.
they wreak havoc on the fields.
00:13:36 話者 23/Kadoi Masayuki/Farmer
Bamboo is the enemy, pure and simple.
Honestly, I don't think we can handle it on our own.
00:13:44 話者 2
Yamaguchi has the fourth largest area of bamboo growth in Japan.
It has started training people in forest management to minimize such damage.
This is a session held last year.
Participants spent six days learning cutting and other techniques.
So far, 25 people have been certified as bamboo forest management meisters.
The prefecture also established Japan's first bamboo market facilities last year at two locations. Only the meisters can sell there.
00:14:21 話者 25/Sueda Akio/Bamboo Forest Management Meister
Before, even if we cut bamboo, there was almost nowhere to sell it.
We just left the cut bamboo in the bamboo.
Now, since we can sell it in the market, the cut areas will look clean.
I think this is a really good situation.
00:14:39 話者 2
By limiting the sellers and setting prices, officials aim to encourage fair trade.
Their efforts seek to transform a negative legacy into an asset.
00:14:51 話者 27/
We frequently heard from bamboo grove owners that even if they cut bamboo, they didn't know where to sell it. We want to effectively match owners with buyers.
00:15:05 話者 2
So what happens to the bamboo after it's sold?
Tazawa Etsuko is one of the buyers.
Her company manufactures and sells products based on the forest resource.
They include towels made from the plant's fiber, as well as detergents and insect repellent using bamboo extracts.
For about five years, she has been exporting to Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia and Peru. Annual export sales are about $100,000.
The company needs over 500 stalks a day, but previously struggled to secure a stable supply. She sees her business model extending to any place bamboo is found.
00:15:54 話者 29/Tazawa Etsuko/President, Ethical Bamboo
For manufacturers, local markets are incredibly important because they can use locally sourced bamboo as raw material.
If local people can bring in materials and sell them at the market, it becomes easier to establish a stable production schedule.
00:16:14 話者 2
Tozawa was invited to India to give a lecture on bamboo business last year. Evidence that eco-friendly initiatives from one rural area in Japan are beginning to spread globally.
MARKETS
00:16:29 話者 5
Okay, let's get a check on the markets.
♪
And that is it for Business News.
IN FOCUS
00:17:07 話者 1
Next, let's go to Shibiya Aki for Newsline in Focus. She has a story about how Russia's youth are voicing their concerns about the current situation in the country.
ANTI-WAR SONGS RESONATE WITH RUSSIA'S YOUTH
00:17:18 話者 6/Shibiya Aki
As Russia's invasion of Ukraine drags on, rumblings of discontent are becoming louder among the younger generations.
The government has also designated individuals and organizations critical of it as foreign agents effectively as spies.
At the same time, the authorities are tightening their grip on free speech suppressing gatherings against the invasion, and even punishing people for what it considers negative social media posts.
These are the circumstances in which one 19-year-old musician has been singing her anti-war songs on the streets.
And ordinary Russians are listening, spreading solidarity in support of freedom.
00:18:16 話者 4/Narrator: Robert Jefferson
This is Naoko. The 19-year-old musician took her name from a character in Lodakami Haruki's novel, Norwegian Wood.
Naoko focuses on songs by musicians who have fled abroad and been labeled foreign agents by the government.
Musical protests began drawing attention within Russia last summer.
Mass sing-alongs by young people started to spread across the country.
00:19:14 話者 41/Naoko/Musician
For me, singing is a way to express my feelings and my position through music rather than speech.
00:19:37 話者 4
Greb Vasilia is also a street musician. As censorship intensified, he says Naoko's performances offered special meaning to young people.
00:19:53 話者 43/Greb Vasiliev/Musician
I'm surprised myself, but the more things are banned, the stronger people's feelings become.
We listened to Naoko's songs as a reflection of our complex emotions, our fears, suspicions, hopes, and more.
According to independent polling agency Levada Center, which has itself been branded a foreign agent, support for the Ukraine invasion exceeds 80% among those aged 55 and older.
But when it comes to people 25 and below, It's just 66 percent.
00:20:36 話者 42/Lev Gudkov/Academic supervisor, Levada-Center
Anti-war sentiment is extremely high among young people in the big cities.
Anti-war messages are widely accepted, especially within youth culture and subculture.
00:20:55 話者 4
That feeling was fueled to even greater heights last October, when Naoko and her band were arrested. The charges included holding an unauthorized gathering.
Outraged supporters posted countless messages protesting her detention.
Many took the bold step of revealing their faces.
(Russian)
00:21:27 話者 4
Street musicians joined the fray too, bringing their voices to the same songs Naoko played. The movement gathered pace, despite the risk from above.
No more champagne.
And 39 days after being detained, Naoko was released from custody.
She left immediately for neighboring Lithuania, where she continues to play her music.
00:22:46 話者 41
I believe that every person has the right to express themselves, not only through art, but also directly.
That is why I call on you not to be afraid and to do what you believe is right for yourself and for your family.
00:23:10 話者 6
We've just seen the risk that speaking out can pose, and four years into the conflict, social media restrictions continue to tighten, making it increasingly difficult for people to connect with each other.
Alongside the mounting frustration, there is also the possibility of further call-ups to the army this year.
The question now is, will activists such as Naoko be able to make their feelings heard even more widely?
At present, it seems the protest movement could be gaining momentum.
And that's all for me.
♪
WEATHER
00:24:11 話者 1
It's time for a check on the weather with our meteorologist, Jonathan Oh.
So Jonathan, some parts of Japan are dealing with a serious lack of rainfall.
What can you tell us about the situation?
00:24:23 話者 7/Jonathan Oh
Hello, as we went through the day on Tuesday, it was a dry day and a sunny day, but the dry weather is adding to some problems that are taking place in parts of Japan.
Here's a look at some video that's coming out of Miya Prefecture, where for the first time since 2013, the National Japan Water Agency has placed a restriction on water use for those in the prefecture.
According to the agency, since July of last year, low rainfall has led to serious drought conditions, and as of last
Friday, total water levels in storage facilities fell to about half of what's normal.
The agency is calling for people to save water as much as possible.
We're going to be looking at the possibility of some wet weather coming in from the west.
And as it moves eastward, we may be talking about seeing some rainfall.
But when you have such a long period of drought and dry weather, it's going to take a little more than just a little bit of rain for things to be restored. But at least it is on the way.
So western areas of Japan picking up on the wet weather as we go into Wednesday.
A place like Fukuoka and Osako, we're seeing the rain.
Then we see Tokyo picking up on the rain action as we go into Thursday as we head into...
But Saturday, Friday and Saturday, we'll be seeing some drier weather that'll be coming into the pictures.
Sapporo, we picking up as a possibility of some snow on Thursday and Friday?
Speaking of snow, lots of it taking place up toward Canada and the northeastern portions of the United States as a cold front with a low pressure system pushes on through.
And that cold air is dipping way down toward the deep south of the United States.
Temperatures topping off at 8 in Atlanta.
Overnight lows at or even below freezing over the next couple of nights.
And look at this snow into Winnipeg and Toronto.
Meanwhile, 36 in Los Angeles. I mean, it's like the opposite situation as you go through Tuesday. So make sure you take care if you have to be outdoors.
Quick note on Europe. Low pressure down to the southern portions of the continent, bringing in some rain to places like Athens on Tuesday.
Hope you have a good day wherever you are.
♫～ 3-DAY FORECAST ～♫
00:27:40 話者 1
And that's it for now on NHK Newsline.
I'm Yoko Nishimura in Tokyo. Thanks for joining us.
checked.
