Hello, glad to have you with us on NHK Newsline. I'm Yamamoto Miki in Tokyo.
Mega‑Quake Advisory Lifted but Risks Remain
Japan's meteorological agency has ended an advisory for a potential mega-quake in the northeastern part of the country as of 5 p.m. Japan time on Monday.
The advisory was issued following the earthquake that struck the area on April 20.
00:00:31 話者 2/Iwamura Kota/Japanese Cabinet Office
The period to call for special caution has ended, but the possibility of a large-scale earthquake has not disappeared.
Please continue to prepare for earthquakes on a daily basis.
00:00:50 話者 1
The JMA and the Cabinet Office held a news conference on Monday after the advisory ended.
An official from the Cabinet Office said a large-scale earthquake could still occur suddenly without any preceding shaking, even though the advisory has ended.
The magnitude 7.7 earthquake that prompted the advisory struck off the coast of Japan's Sanriku region on April 20.
The quake reached an intensity of upper five on the Japanese scale of zero to seven in Hashikami Town in Aomori Prefecture.
An 80-centimeter tsunami was observed in Iwate Prefecture's Kushi Port.
Under the advisory, 182 municipalities in Hokkaido and the Tohoku and Kanto regions were required to take disaster preparedness measures.
What the Advisory Means and Expert Insights
Now, for more on the advisory for a potential mega-quake, which was issued one week ago, I earlier spoke with NHK World's correspondent Yako Kento.
So, Kento, tell us more about the advisory and its significance.
00:01:57 話者 3/Yako Kento
Yes. The JML first introduced the subsequent earthquake advisory in 2022.
This is only the second time it has been issued.
The last time was when a quake struck the eastern coast of Aomoi Prefecture in December of last year.
The JMA says that based on past seismic activity in this area, people need to be aware of the increased possibility of a mega quake.
According to recent data, an advisory like this could be issued about once every two years in the future.
If another earthquake with a magnitude of seven or more occurs, the agency will issue another week-long advisory.
Magnitude 7 to 9 earthquakes have repeatedly occurred in the Chishima Trench and the Japan Trench in the past. An earthquake could occur at any time.
00:02:49 話者 1
Right. And we need to remember that even after the advisory period passes, a large-scale earthquake could still occur.
00:02:58 話者 3
Even after the week has passed, the possibility of a massive earthquake is still there.
For example, in Russia, seismic activity ramped up near the Kamchatka Peninsula after a magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck on July 20, 2025.
Ten days later, a larger magnitude 8.8 earthquake hit the region, triggering tsunami warnings across the Pacific.
The chance of a major earthquake occurring decreases gradually as time passes, but the risk will always be there.
Another point to remember is that many major earthquakes of magnitude 8 or higher have occurred suddenly without a previous earthquake.
So people really need to be on alert and prepared at any time.
00:03:46 話者 1
Right. So what should people in the advisory area do now?
00:03:51 話者 3
People in the area can continue social and economic activities as usual.
But in order to evacuate immediately in the event of a tremor or tsunami, there is a checklist people should follow.
Review evacuation routes and shelter locations, prepare emergency bags, secure furniture, and check stockpiled items such as food and water on a regular basis.
Meanwhile, as Japan's spring holiday season gets underway, the number of people going to their hometowns or on trips is expected to increase.
Because it is unclear where and when an earthquake will occur.
It is important to prepare in advance.
That means learning the disaster risk for the area you are staying in and identifying evacuation shelters so you know what to do in case of emergency.
In the end, this advisory is a valuable exercise for people in that region to prepare for the worst as well as a good reminder for the rest of the country.
Wildfires Continue to Spread in Iwate Prefecture
00:05:02 話者 1
Firefighters have been working to extinguish wildfires since last Wednesday in Iwate Prefecture, northeastern Japan.
The fires continue to spread without any prospect of being contained.
Firefighters, including some from other prefectures, are working to put out the fires from the ground.
On Monday, they plan to spray chemicals that can put out the blaze and prevent its recurrence. Helicopters are also continuing to extinguish the fires.
Local officials believe the fires had burned over 1,600 hectares as of Monday morning.
It has not rained in Otsuji town since the fires broke out, but rain is on the forecast for Monday afternoon.
U.S. Media Reports on Trump Event Gunman
US media reports say the gunman detained after opening fire at a White House Correspondents' Dinner called himself an assassin in a note he left.
Cole Thomas Allen was armed with a shotgun and knives when investigators say he attempted to enter the party attended by President Trump.
Trump was not harmed and the suspect was taken into custody.
Media outlets reported on Sunday that the suspect from California left what they call a manifesto. They say he referred to himself as the friendly federal assassin.
The reports say he had a list of targets that included administration officials.
The suspect also pointed to a lack of security at the hotel.
White House officials told NHK he had sent the memo to family members shortly before the shooting. The family reported this to the police.
Investigative authorities say the suspect's sister told them that he spoke of plans to fix the issues in today's world and that he attended a protest against Trump.
Hibakusha March in New York Ahead of NPT Review
A pivotal conference on nuclear disarmament is kicking off in New York Monday.
Japanese atomic bomb survivors, or Hibakusha, marked the meeting with a march.
They called for a world without nuclear weapons.
Members of Nihon Hidankyo, an atomic bomb survivors group, walked alongside US
peace groups.
The hibakusha are in the city to attend the review conference of the parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, or NPT.
00:07:44 話者 12/Sugino Nobuko/Hiroshima atomic bomb survivor
If an atomic bomb is dropped, it will devastate the earth. It's a horrifying thought.
00:07:51 話者 13/Kawazoe Tadako/Nagasaki atomic bomb survivor
I think I can convey why nuclear weapons should not exist, because I know the harm they cause.
00:07:59 話者 1
The treaty has 191 member states adhering to it.
It compels five nuclear powers, including the US and Russia, to negotiate for nuclear arms reduction.
It also bans others from developing or possessing the weapons.
The question is whether those limits can be maintained in light of the conflicts in Iran and Ukraine.
In principle, the review is held every five years.
Delegates at the last two conferences failed to adopt the final document.
There are hopes that can be avoided this time.
The meeting will continue through May 22.
Global Defense Spending Reaches Record High
World defense spending reached a record high last year.
That's according to a Swedish research institute.
It says countries spent over $2.8 trillion in 2025, marking 11 straight years of growth.
The report is from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
It says European NATO members saw a significant increase, totaling $559 billion.
Germany and Spain saw some big leaps, with 24% and 50% respectively.
It brings Berlin's total military spending to $114 billion, one of the highest in Europe.
As the Russian invasion continues, Ukraine has continued to invest in its military.
It's estimated Kyiv increased its spending by about 20 percent, bringing it to over 84 billion dollars. That's 40 percent of the country's GDP.
Estimates suggest Russia's also grew by almost 6 percent, bringing it to 190 billion.
That's believed to be 20 percent of Moscow's total spending.
And it is not just a European phenomenon. Asia and Oceania saw similar increases.
Japan's defense spending was also up by nearly 10 percent.
The institute says the trend reflects countries moving toward self-reliance.
It notes Washington has been pressuring European NATO members to increase spending.
And it says countries like Japan are investing more due to what the report calls uncertainty over US support.
The United States remains the world's largest spender, despite a decrease of 7.5 percent.
That decline was primarily due to stalled military assistance to Ukraine.
The figure is expected to rise this year. China is the world's second-largest spender.
It's estimated to have increased by 7.4 percent.
Think Tank Warns of New Nuclear Arms Race
In a separate report, the institute also laid out nine countries that own nuclear weapons.
Together, they are believed to have possessed over 12-thousand warheads as of January 2025.
The institute notes that the global nuclear inventory is shrinking, but it warns dismantling is slowing down as the deployment of new nuclear weapons speeds up.
Zelenskyy Condemns Russia on Chernobyl Anniversary
Sunday marks the 40th anniversary of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy used the occasion to once again condemn Russia for allegedly attacking the plant last year.
The accident in northern Ukraine occurred on April 26, 1986.
The plant's No. 4 reactor exploded, releasing clouds of radioactive material.
About 30 people, including plant workers, died.
A ceremony was held in Chernobyl on Sunday to remember the victims.
Zelenskyy and International Atomic Energy Agency Director-General Rafael Grossi were among those taking part.
They placed lanterns at the memorial and observed a moment of silence.
Ukraine says a Russian drone attack damaged the protective shield of the No. 4 reactor last year.
The IAEA says temporary repairs have been carried out, but more work is needed to ensure long-term safety.
After the ceremony, Zelenskyy said the world needs strong sanctions against Moscow.
He added that the drone strike proves that Russia cannot be a participant in civilized international relations.
BUSINESS
Now let's see what's happening in the world of business with Ramin Mellegard from The BizDesk.
00:12:41 話者 5/Ramin Mellegard
Thank you very much indeed.
Business: Nikkei 225 Hits Record Closing High
Now, the Tokyo Stock Exchange's Nikkei 225 index has closed above the 60,000 mark for the first time ever.
Reports that Iran offered a new proposal to the United States toward ending their conflict prompted investors to place buy orders.
The benchmark finished Monday's session up nearly 1.4% at 60,537.
It earlier set an all-time high above 60,900, led by gains in semiconductor-related shares.
The index posted a record closing high for the second straight trading day.
It reached the 60,000 mark for the first time last Thursday.
The Nikkei has risen 100% in less than three years.
It last hit 30,000 in May 2023 on expectations for Japan's full-fledged economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.
The benchmark breached the 40,000 milestone for the first time in March 2024 and topped 50,000 last October.
It has only taken another six months to break through 60,000 amid the AI boom.
BOJ Expected to Keep Policy Rate Unchanged
The Bank of Japan is expected to leave its interest rate unchanged during a two-day policy meeting that starts Monday.
The central bank is said to be still assessing inflation pressures on Japan's economy from higher energy costs.
The meeting comes after Japan's government last week said consumer inflation accelerated for the first time in five months in March.
This was largely attributed to the Iran conflict, driving up prices of crude oil and petroleum products such as NAFTA and gasoline.
Some BOJ policymakers have said higher interest rates will be needed as businesses pass on costs to customers.
But others have expressed concern that disruptions in raw materials supplies could drag on the economy.
The BOJ has indicated it aims to gradually raise its policy rate as companies increase pay again this year and underpin a durable inflation cycle.
Markets will be focused on whether the BOJ governor gives any signal on the pace and timing of future rate hikes at his news conference after the meeting.
Japan’s Department Store Sales Rise for Third Month
Sales at Japan's department stores grew in March, mainly due to brisk demand for watches, jewelry, and other luxury items.
Tax-free purchases by foreign visitors also rebounded.
The Japan Department Stores Association says March sales topped 507 billion yen, or about $3.2 billion.
That's up 3.2% year-on-year on a same-store basis, marking the third consecutive month of growth.
Tax-free sales to foreign visitors rose 5.2% to about $300 million, reversing four straight months of decline.
A drop in the number of visitors from China was offset by an increase from Taiwan, South Korea, and Southeast Asia.
The weaker yen also helped bolster per person spending by about 20 percent year-on-year.
Still, the Middle East conflict and disruptions to energy and petrochemical supplies are raising business uncertainties.
The association says supplies to department stores could be hit further down the road.
Some clothes, food trays and other items are made from petrochemical-derived materials.
Prediction Markets Under Scrutiny
Now, prediction markets are trading platforms for making bets on future outcomes.
These can include an election, a sports game, or even armed conflicts.
Traders can buy or sell the position before the event concludes.
Transactions are estimated to have jumped to $44 billion last year.
But are prediction markets a new type of financial trading or just unregulated gambling?
NHK World's Sarah Aoyagi has the story.
00:16:51 話者 6/Sarah Aoyagi
Evan Semet, a 26-year-old living in Florida, quit a finance job last year to become a prediction market trader. One of his biggest wins so far is related to a sports event.
00:17:04 話者 22/Evan Semet
We'll have occasional days like the Super Bowl where that was, I believe, over 65,000, it was like 66 point something K on that given day.
00:17:14 話者 6
Semet built his own trading system.
It gathers information on developing events and runs automatic trades.
While he's had sizable losses along with the wins, he reckons he's on track to earn more than in his previous job. However, Semet isn't sure how long this can last.
Most current prediction markets are dominated by individual traders.
As the markets get larger, institutional investors may move in.
Professional traders have much bigger funding pools and analytical resources.
Once they enter the markets, Semet says individual traders lose an advantage.
00:17:56 話者 22
I do see edge and a lot of stuff just totally disappearing as more participants enter, once the space hits like a certain critical threshold of volume.
00:18:08 話者 6
Prediction markets are said to have helped to augment opinion polls or economic forecasts by analysts. But they also wander into more controversial territory.
A leading platform known as Kalshi ran a trade that allowed bets on when Iran's late supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, would leave office.
After Khamenei was killed in a US-Israeli attack, Kalshi canceled the bet, saying the platform does not offer markets that settle on death.
Nevertheless, it faced a backlash from traders.
Another problem is insider information.
There is speculation that profits have been made off classified government intelligence.
This includes military operations in Venezuela and attacks on Iran.
A lawyer who specializes in financial regulations says tougher rules are needed if prediction markets are to grow into healthy platforms.
00:19:09 話者 23/Peter Malyshev/Partner, Sidley Austin
If someone trades on insider information, it means that markets as a whole are not efficient.
And you're basically cheating the whole bunch of other people who trade the same contract.
There will be greater protections for these contracts that the markets are fair and they provide accurate information for everybody.
00:19:32 話者 6
Platform operators are introducing measures to combat insider activities.
But critics say other concerns include ethical issues and fraud.
As this new market expands, one safe bet is they will face tougher scrutiny.
Sarah Aoyagi, NHK World.
MARKETS
00:19:52 話者 5
Okay, let's get a check on the markets.
♪
And that is it for business news.
Night Schools Support Diverse Learners in Japan
00:20:31 話者 1
Japan's evening junior high school programs attract a wide range of students of different ages and backgrounds.
And among them are foreign nationals hoping to get closer to the country's culture.
In our next report, we spotlight one graduate who found joy in learning in a night class.
00:20:50 話者 4/Narrator: Yoshino Mika
In this junior high school night class in Nagoya City, 15 students are celebrating their graduation.
They range in age from 17 to 89 and are from seven different countries of origin.
00:21:05 話者 41
I could learn a lot of things. I really enjoyed it.
00:21:08 話者 42
This experience has been a real asset. I have lots of memories of this place.
00:21:15 話者 4
For over 50 years, the class has been a haven for people of different nationalities and those who couldn't attend school for various reasons.
One of this year's graduates is Sylvia Sano. She's a third-generation Japanese-Brazilian.
She studied here with her daughter, Rie.
00:21:37 話者 48/Sylvia Sano
Although we are parent and child, in class we studied side by side as classmates.
That experience is a treasure I will cherish forever.
00:21:51 話者 4
Sylvia was born in Brazil. She longed to visit her grandparents' home country, so when she was 20, she came to Japan. But at first, she says, she had a hard time.
00:22:08 話者 48
When I said hello to someone, they often ignored me.
If I spoke Portuguese in stores, people immediately gave me strange looks.
00:22:20 話者 4
After ten years, she went back to Brazil, but later she returned to Japan, hoping to work here. Sylvia felt that just studying Japanese wouldn't be enough.
She also wanted to learn about the culture and society.
So at age 55, she decided to attend the night class with Rye.
School starts at 6 p.m. Students come to class three days a week and learn nine subjects using the same textbooks as regular schools.
In two years, they earn a junior high school diploma.
While there, Sylvia got the chance to play traditional Japanese instruments and try the martial art kendo.
00:23:07 話者 48
Learning in junior high school feels a bit like looking through a Zoom lens.
I come to school, take in new information, learn new things.
And that's what makes every day enjoyable.
00:23:22 話者 49/Rye Sano
Meeting people from all over the world and of all ages.
And studying with my mom, on top of that, was a bit of an unusual experience.
Sylvia continues to work as an interpreter, a career she has pursued for over 15 years.
But she's still making time to add to her education.
00:23:47 話者 48
The more I learn, the more fun it becomes.
I'm starting high school this April to continue my studies.
I don't think age matters in learning, so I'm just going to do my best.
00:24:02 話者 4
The number of night schools in Japan is increasing, giving more people the chance to learn new things and have more options in life.
♪
Weather Outlook with Jonathan Oh
00:24:40 話者 1
Now, let's check out the weather with our meteorologist Jonathan Oh.
So Jonathan, parts of Tokyo were absolutely drenched Monday morning, but things started drying out. What's ahead for the week?
00:24:52 話者 7/Jonathan Oh
Hello.
As we went through the morning hours in the eastern and even portions of the western portions of Japan, we had a low pressure system that dumped a lot of rain in a relatively short period of time.
I mean, a portion of Chiba Prefecture saw 16 millimeters of rainfall in a six-hour period over into Oase, 114 millimeters in that same time period.
So if you're out and about and that rain was dumping on you, you got drenched.
The low did eventually move out, and it relatively cleared up, at least in terms of the rain.
And it looks like that as we go into Tuesday, things are going to be on the drier side, but we'll have some more moisture coming in from the west, and that's going to help bring some more rain as we go into the day.
on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, depending on where you're located.
Looking at the four-day forecast here, again, drier on Tuesday.
Then we'll see rain creeping in from the southwest on Wednesday, spring toward the north and east as we head toward the end of the week.
Speaking of some rain, we go to the Middle East, where a lot of rainfall is causing problems over in Syria. Here's a look at some video coming out from the country.
People in the northwestern portion of Syria were caught in floodwaters over the weekend after heavy rain caused a dam to collapse.
According to the Associated Press, a farmer said about 150 houses were flooded and their farmland was gone.
Residents were forced to navigate flooded streets on tractors and small boats.
Rescue teams are doing what they can to strengthen the embankment while watching the water levels.
People are being urged to listen to official instructions and avoid flooded roads.
It does look like that we're still dealing with a bit of the wet pattern in place, but eventually spraying toward the east and so things just start to dry out as we go toward Tuesday and Wednesday.
Other areas of the Middle East down to the South and east into this the Arabian Peninsula, looking at highs in the mid to upper 30s as we go through Monday.
Quick note, in North America, strong severe thunderstorms being reported in the central portions of the United States.
This pattern, with the low pressure system moving on through, will continue to bring the possibility of strong severe thunderstorms, not just for Monday, but also into Tuesday as well.
Hope you have a good day wherever you are.
♫～ 3-DAY FORECAST ～♫
00:27:35 話者 1
And that's all for this edition of NHK Newsline.
I'm Yamamoto Miki in Tokyo. Thank you for joining us.
NHK World
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