Glad to have you with us on NHK Newsline. I'm Yuko Fukushima.
REPORT: US-IRAN TALKS SET FOR FRIDAY
The US Trump administration has been boosting pressure on Iran to enter negotiations over its nuclear program.
And now, an American media outlet reports US-Iran nuclear talks are set to take place in Turkey later this week. Axios, cited multiple sources in the report on Monday.
They say President Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, is slated to meet Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqi in Istanbul on Friday.
They're planning to discuss a possible nuclear deal. Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, will join, along with the foreign ministers of several Arab and Muslim countries.
The report quotes one US official as saying the meeting will focus on putting together a package deal that prevents war.
Axios says the meeting is the result of a diplomatic push by Turkey, Egypt and Qatar over the last several days.
Iranian state media also reports that President Masoud Pezeskian has ordered fresh negotiations with the US. But major gaps remain.
The report says the Trump administration is demanding that any deal cover Iran's nuclear and missile programs, as well as regional proxies.
But Iran wants only the nuclear issue on the table.
This would reportedly be the first meeting between the two sides since negotiations collapsed and fighting last June.
TRUMP UNVEILS $12 BIL. PLAN FOR CRITICAL MINERAL RESERVES
And the US president has announced a $12 billion project to create a national stockpile of critical minerals.
The move is aimed at helping to ease US dependence on China for the key component used in high-tech production.
President Donald Trump said on Monday that automakers and other manufacturers will be able to tap the planned strategic reserve.
He said the US already has a stockpile for national defense, but the new one would be the first for American industry.
The US Export-Import Bank is slated to provide $10 billion of seed money for the project through loans. The private sector is to fund the remainder.
The stockpile would help US companies hedge against risks, including supply shortages and price fluctuations.
The Trump administration is aiming to reduce dependence on China, which dominates the market for rare earths and other critical minerals.
ZELENSKYY: WILL SPEED UP WORK TO RESTORE ENERGY FACILITIES
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says work to restore energy facilities will be sped up. Many houses lack heating as a result of Russian attacks.
Ukraine is suffering serious blackouts amid bitter winter cold.
Kyiv is expecting daytime highs of minus 11 degrees Celsius through Wednesday.
Local media say the first four days of February will likely be the coldest in 20 years.
00:03:08 話者 2
Electricity is available for as little as two hours a day, and getting light.
00:03:12 話者 1
For four hours feels like a holiday.
The gas burner is the only source of warmth, so the whole family gathers around it.
Zelenskyy also said on social media on Monday, Russia is shifting from attacking energy infrastructure to terrorizing logistics, especially railways.
In Russia, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Piskov says the next round of high-level peace talks with Ukraine and the US is likely to start on Wednesday in Abu Dhabi.
Piskov suggested negotiations have been challenging.
He said it is easier to find common ground on some issues, but difficult on others.
One point of contention is the issue of territory.
Moscow says Ukrainian forces must withdraw from the eastern Donbas region that Russia unilaterally declared as its annexed territory.
Kyiv calls the demand unacceptable.
TRUMP SAYS INDIA AGREED TO STOP BUYING RUSSIAN CRUDE OIL
US President Donald Trump says Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has agreed to stop buying Russian oil.
In exchange, the US pledged to lower its additional tariffs on Indian goods from 50 to 18 percent.
Last August, the Trump administration increased its total tariffs on India to 50 percent, citing the country's purchases of Russian crude oil and petroleum products.
Trump said on social media on Monday that Modi also agreed to buy more crude oil from the United States and potentially Venezuela.
The US president added that India will move forward to reduce tariffs and non-tariff barriers against US imports.
He also said Modi is committed to buying American goods, including energy and agriculture products worth more than $500 billion.
Modi expressed appreciation to Trump on social media over the trade deal, but did not refer to any plan to stop buying Russian crude oil.
India has continued to import Russian crude without joining the US and other Western nations in imposing sanctions against Moscow.
It has been the second largest importer of Russian oil following China.
US SERVICE MEMBER WHO SEXUALLY ASSAULTED MINOR FACES PRISON
Japan's Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal filed by a US Air Force member against a five-year prison term for sexually assaulting a minor.
Brennan Washington was sentenced by a lower court for assaulting an underage girl in the southern prefecture of Okinawa in 2023.
The Supreme Court decision means that the sentence for Washington will likely be finalized.
Justice Miura Mamoda reached the decision on the dismissal by Tuesday.
The 26-year-old defendant, who belongs to Karana Air Base in Okinawa, allegedly approached the girl, who was under the age of 16, at a park before forcibly taking her to his home.
He was charged with sexually assaulting her there in December of 2023.
The two did not know each other.
The defendant had pleaded not guilty, saying he thought the girl was 18 at the time and that the act was consensual.
In the first trial, the Naha District Court sentenced the defendant to five years in prison.
The presiding judge said the girl's claim that she used gestures to tell the defendant her age was credible.
The judge described the case as extremely malicious, saying the defendant continued the assault even after the girl clearly rejected him.
The Naha branch of the Fukuoka High Court later dismissed an appeal filed by the defendant.
TOKYO POSTS NET POPULATION INFLOW FOR 12TH STRAIGHT YEAR
The Japanese government says more people moved to the capital, Tokyo, than left for the 12th straight year in 2025.
The Internal Affairs Ministry says the net population inflow to Tokyo that year was about 65,000.
That's because over 451,000 people, including foreign nationals, moved to the capital, while around 387,000 left.
This is the 12th straight year Tokyo has posted a net population inflow since comparable data first became available in 2014.
But the size of its inflow was down by about 14,000 from a year earlier, marking its first decrease since 2021.
Six other prefectures also saw net population inflows, including Kanagawa, Saitama and Chiba prefectures near Tokyo.
DEEP-SEA RARE EARTH MINING TEST PROVES SUCCESSFUL
Japanese researchers say a deep sea mining test has been successful.
It's part of efforts to secure rare earth materials.
The exploration vessel Chikyu began the test excavation last month.
The vessel is operated by the Japan Agency for Marine Earth Science and Technology, and the test is a project led by Japan's Cabinet Office.
The seabed is about 5,700 meters below the surface.
It is within Japan's exclusive economic zone, around 150 kilometers southeast of the island of Minami-Torishima.
A pipe with a mining device at the end was extended to the seabed.
Officials say retrieval of mud began last Friday and it was hauled under the vessel for the first time early Sunday.
The vessel will return to Shimizu port in central Japan in two weeks.
Then there will be tests to separate metals from the mud and refine them.
The Cabinet Office is planning a test for February next year to mine
350 tons of mud a day.
That will be carried to the island of Minami-Torishima to drain seawater.
Then, the extracted materials will be brought to the mainland.
The total cost of mining, refining, and shipping for the project will be calculated and compiled by March 2028.
Japan aims to research and develop rare earths mining to diversify sources.
BUSINESS
Now let's go to Ramin Mellegard for the latest new business.
00:09:14 話者 2/Ramin Mellegard
Thank you very much indeed,
JAPAN'S NIKKEI 225 HITS RECORD HIGH ON NY GAINS, WEAKER YEN
and let's go straight to the markets. Just look at the big screen there.
Japan's Nikkei 225 stock index set another all-time high on Tuesday, bolstered by overnight gains on Wall Street and a weaker yen.
Tokyo investors bought up a wide range of shares.
The Nikkei benchmark ended at $54,720, up nearly 4%.
Semiconductor-related stocks led the surge.
The yen's depreciation also prompted buying of exporters such as automakers.
US markets welcomed robust factory data as a sign of the economy's strength, which became a cue for the rally in Japan.
All three main New York indices rose on Monday.
JAPAN'S FARM, FOOD EXPORTS HIT RECORD HIGH, BUT MISS TARGET
And Japan's farm produce and food exports reached a record high for the 13th straight year in 2025, thanks to growing demand.
But the total still fell short of the government's target.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries says the value of exports by those sectors came to just over 1.7 trillion yen, or about $10.9 billion last year.
The increase of nearly 13% in yen terms from a year earlier was mainly due to the growing popularity of Japanese food abroad.
But exports did not reach the government's goal of 2 trillion yen, or about $12.8 billion.
Green tea posted the biggest rise in value terms.
Exports nearly doubled year on year to 72 billion yen or more than $460 million.
Demand for matcha green tea was strong in Europe, the United States, and other parts of Asia.
Now, shipments of scallops jumped 30 percent, with key markets including Vietnam and Taiwan.
Overall exports to the US, Japan's biggest market, grew 14 percent.
Combined shipments to the top five, which include Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, and South Korea, accounted for nearly 60 percent of all Japan's food and farm exports.
Exporters now face the challenge of diversifying their sales channels to boost their shipments even more.
BANK OF JAPAN STARTS ETF SALES IN JANUARY
Now, the Bank of Japan started selling off its holdings of exchange-traded funds in January.
The step is part of the central bank's plan to dispose of ETFs it purchased during a monetary easing policy.
The bank's accounts released on Tuesday show it sold ETFs with a book value of 5.37 billion yen between January 21 and the 31. That's about $34 million.
The BOJ announced the disposal plan in September.
The bank holds ETFs worth more than 37 trillion yen, or $239 billion.
It aims to sell off about 330 billion yen of the assets each year.
That would be the equivalent of 2.1 billion dollars.
BOJ governor Ueda Kazuo has predicted it may take more than a hundred years to offload all the ETFs the bank holds.
Okay, two of Japan's biggest banking groups, Sumitoma Mitsui and Mizuho, have posted record net profits for the nine months to December.
Their strong performance was partly due to higher interest rates.
SUMITOMO MITSUI, MIZUHO POST RECORD 9-MONTH PROFITS
Sumitomo Mitsuri Financial Group's net income for the April to December periods surged 23% year on year to almost 1.4 trillion yen, or close to $9 billion.
Mizuho Financial Group reported a 19% jump in net profit to a little over 1 trillion yen, or about six and a half billion dollars.
Rising interest rates helped the financial giants earn more interest on loans, they also received more fees from corporate business,
including advisory services on mergers and acquisitions.
In December, the Bank of Japan raised its benchmark interest rate to the highest level in 30 years, and the two groups foresee continued expansion in revenue from lending and investments.
But both kept their full-year profit forecasts unchanged, citing an uncertain outlook for the foreign exchange and bond markets.
SERVING UP INCENTIVES TO JAPAN'S RESTAURANT WORKERS
Japan's food service industry faces a severe labor shortage.
To cope with the situation, some restaurant operators have come up with ways to efficiently allocate existing workers to understaffed locations.
00:13:51 話者 3
Kawashima Momoka is a vocational student.
She is waiting tables at a family restaurant today.
But this is not her usual workplace.
Her employment contract is with a Japanese hotpot or shabu-shabu restaurant.
How does this happen?
Both restaurants are operated by a major chain in Japan that is letting its staff flexibly apply their skills across its 18 culinary brands.
Workers contracted to one location can pick up shifts at other outlets that need help, potentially about 2,600 restaurants across the country.
It's done through the company's own app.
Workers can apply up to three hours before the spare shift starts.
While food offerings vary by restaurant brand, basic tasks like customer service and cleanup do not.
So workers with a certain level of experience can contribute immediately, even at a new location.
I can apply any time, even when I'm back home.
That's really convenient.
The system started last July, originally aimed at better utilizing valued staff.
But the company says its part-timers also benefit by gaining new work experience.
00:15:12 話者 4
The skills they've acquired can be immediately applied at other stores or brands.
We've structured the system to help workers excel at any place within our company network.
00:15:26 話者 3
Another restaurant operator offers incentives on wages.
The chain serves made-to-order salads at over 40 locations, mainly in Tokyo.
Workers can view hourly pay for all outlets through an app.
For example, on Christmas Eve last year at one central Tokyo location, it was set at 400 yen, or about $2.5 over the base rate.
00:15:52 話者 4
Higher hourly wages naturally boost motivation.
I really like this system.
00:16:00 話者 3
The company has another way to motivate its workers.
A monthly bonus of 200,000 yen, or about $1,300, is awarded to the outlet that receives the highest customer rating.
It's distributed evenly, so those who did as little as one shift there still receive a share.
Building systems that encourage workers to take the initiative, I believe that's a key part of what we need to focus on.
Amid the labor shortage, new initiatives are emerging that benefit both employers and workers who want to choose when, where, and for how much they work.
MARKETS
00:16:41 話者 2
Okay, let's get a check on the markets.
♪
And that is it for Business News.
00:17:19 話者 1
IN FOCUS
And next to my colleague Shibuya Aki for Newsline In Focus and a report on the impact of climate change.
00:17:28 話者 5/Shibuya Aki
The South Pacific nation of Tuvalu sits around 4,000 kilometers from Australia.
Its nine islands are home to just 10,000 people.
But with most of the land less than two meters above sea level, climate change is putting its continued existence in jeopardy.
Projections suggest Tuvalu could be submerged by the end of this century.
That's led the government to encourage people to relocate as climate migrants.
00:18:04 話者 4
Tuvalu has lived under the threat of climate change for years.
It's particularly clear during February and March.
The surging seawater pushes into gardens and around people's homes, reaching up almost to floor level.
Local media professional Stella Futigai is already planning for the future.
00:18:31 話者 6
I've seen a post on the internet.
It says that by 2050 or 2030, probably Tuvalu will be gone.
I don't want anything to happen to my family.
00:18:50 話者 4
With the risk of submersion no longer abstract,
The Tuvalu government has been weighing a range of measures in recent years.
A 2023 treaty with Australia allows up to 280 people to move there annually.
Each person gets access to the same education, medical care, and welfare services as Australian citizens.
Applicants are chosen by lottery.
And winners can bring a spouse and children under the age of 23.
The first lottery last year saw nearly 90% of the population apply.
Futiga made it through and will be relocating with her husband and one-year-old daughter.
00:19:48 話者 6
That's what they chose to migrate, to have better education, better salary, and a better life.
Moving to Australia will become my second home, like a new home for myself and my family.
00:20:09 話者 4
Behind the desire to leave is more than climate change.
Tuvalu has no major industries, and its economy is under strain.
More than 30 percent of the national budget relies on aid from countries like Australia.
Tuvalu is also feeling the pressure of recent global inflation.
Growing crops is difficult on coral reefs, so vegetables and fruits are mostly imported.
Cabbages like these cost as much as 12 US dollars.
00:20:44 話者 7
For a household to.
00:20:46 話者 4
Literally planned out through, for a week, for two weeks. It's pretty hard.
But personally, this is how me and my wife viewed our, decision to apply for visa.
This is Tuvalu's only general hospital.
Pharmacist Kavega Vaya is also planning to immigrate.
00:21:14 話者 8
Yes, I'm planning to see what the future has planned for me, and also to explore and see the opportunities that I can get in Australia.
00:21:29 話者 4
But Tuvalu has only three pharmacists, including Via.
She says that makes her hesitate.
00:21:38 話者 8
Like give back to the country, like to Tuvalu.
So I might just go into Australia, activate my visa, and then move back and serve the country.
00:21:50 話者 4
And it's not only via. A dentist and at least one other staff member at the hospital are also planning to relocate, raising concerns about the very future of the medical system.
Tuvalu's foreign minister says he is worried about the years ahead.
00:22:11 話者 5
It is a concern that maybe a lot of those very, those professional people leaving the country. This is the very first year for the first lot of people to go on the Falepilis.
We are yet now to see who are actually leaving and then we'll work on from there.
Tuvalu is not only promoting relocation, it's also moving ahead with measures to keep the country alive, even if its land is lost.
We spoke with Sydney Bureau Chief Matsuda Nobuko about the plans.
00:22:48 話者 8
To prepare for the worst, Tuvalu's government amended the constitution three years ago.
It now states that the country will continue to exist, even if it loses its physical territory.
It's also creating a digital twin for posterity, populated with cultural heritage and islanders' memories.
Digital IDs and voucher passports are also being considered, with the aim of making elections and referendums possible online.
00:23:19 話者 5
Matsuda says the impact of rising sea levels is intensifying not only in Tuvalu, but across many Pacific island nations.
00:23:30 話者 8
According to a report from the UN, the global average increase over the past 30 years was 9.4 centimeters, but some Pacific island nations recorded more than 15 centimeters.
In these countries, damage is already been seen to coastal villages, roads, and other infrastructure.
Mass relocation is a stark possibility when recovery and prevention measures are falling short.
Places like Tubaru, where the economy is fragile, are most at risk.
Pacific island nations are often grouped together, but each has its own culture, and all are in need of protection.
The fact that these countries are suffering most from climate change is even more worrying when we consider that their collective greenhouse gas emissions account for just under a tenth of 1% of the global total.
00:24:25 話者 5
That was Matsuda Nobuko, our Sydney Bureau Chief.
And that's all from me.
WEATHER
00:24:32 話者 1
And now it's time for a check on the weather with our meteorologist, Jonathan Oh.
So Jonathan, snow has caused some real problems up in Niigata Prefecture.
What can you tell us?
00:24:43 話者 7/Jonathan Oh
Hello, we have been reporting to you about that sea effect snow that's really impacted the Sea of Japan side of the country over the past few weeks and we're still seeing impacts of the snow located in places like Niigata Prefecture.
Here's a look at some of the video to give you an idea of what happened.
Here as heavy snow caused a part of a house to collapse in Kashiwazaki City on Tuesday morning.
A man in his 50s was taken to the hospital in critical condition after being trapped under the garage.
Officials say they believe he lost consciousness after being hit in the head.
The snow depth in the city reached 62 centimeters on Tuesday morning, about three times the normal level.
So when you have all of that heavy snow sitting on top of any facility, if it has a weakness in the structure, it can really collapse because of that weight.
And it looks like that snow might be easing at least for Wednesday.
Yes, we have a low toward the north and a high back toward the west, but the flow is more zonal. And so as that happens, the essentially the spigot of the moisture starts to back off.
We'll still see some clouds into the northeastern portion of Japan.
May see a flurry here or there, but really talking about a calmer day as we go through Wednesday.
Sapporo Niigata looking at cloudy skies. Temperatures from Sendai through Tokyo, Osaka into Fukuoka moving into the low teens as we go through the day on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, North America, we have one low that's trying to squeeze on through the south.
the southern areas of the United States, and that's going to bring some rain as it goes through the area.
A low pressure up toward the Great Lakes, bringing some snow into places like Toronto with a high of three below 0 on Tuesday, 9 below in Winnipeg, and looking at some showers in a place like Houston with a high of 21.
Stormy weather impacting the western and southern areas of Europe.
We have a low that's going to be moving on through, and so it's caused some problems back toward the west into places like Portugal, but more thunderstorms into Rome, rain into Madrid and Lisbon as we go through today on Tuesday.
Hope you have a good day wherever you are.
♫～ 3-DAY FORECAST ～♫
00:27:36 話者 1
And that wraps it up for this hour. I'm Yuko Fukushima.
Thanks for joining us.
