Welcome back to NHK Newsline. I'm Kanako Sakno.
TRUMP WANTS NEW TREATY RATHER THAN START EXTENSION
US President Donald Trump has called for a new nuclear arms control treaty following the expiration of the New START agreement with Russia.
Trump said in a social media post, we should have our nuclear experts work on a new, improved and modernized treaty that can last long into the future.
New START was the last remaining pact on nuclear weapons reduction between the United States and Russia.
It capped the number of deployed strategic nuclear warheads at 1,550.
Russian President Vladimir Putin last September effectively proposed extending New START by another year.
But with no agreement reached with the US, the treaty expired on Thursday.
White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt was asked whether there would be a temporary agreement to stand by the terms of the treaty. She said, not to my knowledge.
Trump has indicated any future nuclear arms control deal should include China, which is said to be rapidly expanding its nuclear capabilities.
US-IRAN NUCLEAR TALKS IN OMAN
Tehran's nuclear program is set to be a focus of talks between senior US and Iranian officials in Oman on Friday.
The key question is whether this round will lead to an easing of tensions between the two countries.
The meeting includes Iran's foreign minister and US President Trump's special envoy.
That's according to Iran's Tasnim news agency, which is linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The talks had been suspended since last June, when the US military carried out strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
The news agency says the subject of the negotiations is limited to the nuclear issue and lifting sanctions on Iran.
But US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the agenda should include other issues as well, and he cited Iran's ballistic missiles, sponsorship of terrorist organizations, and treatment of its people.
The Trump administration has been boosting military pressure on Tehran.
It has deployed an aircraft carrier to the Arabian Sea region near Iran.
An arms control expert based in Washington shared his expectations for the talks.
00:02:23 話者 2/Daryl Kimball/Executive Director, Arms Control Association
So there is a lot of differences between the two sides here.
But I think if they can agree to some very modest initial steps, I wouldn't call it a deal, it can ease tensions and it can address the most urgent dangers that are still posed by Iran's nuclear program.
00:02:45 話者 1
He says this is a difficult and sensitive moment and he stresses that both sides need to act with greater realism and greater flexibility to avoid another conflict in the Middle East.
CUBA SAYS IT'S OPEN TO DIALOGUE WITH THE US
Cuba appears to be inching closer to dialogue with the US. It comes after Washington stepped up pressure on the country, including attempts to restrict oil supplies.
00:03:10 話者 Miguel Diaz-Canel/Cuban President
Cuba is open to dialogue with the United States on any of the topics that need to be discussed.
Under what conditions?
Without pressure.
Under pressure, no dialogue is possible, without preconditions.
00:03:30 話者 1
President Miguel Diaz-Canel says the US measures affect areas including public transportation, schools and the economy.
Counterpart Donald Trump signed an executive order last week to impose additional tariffs on countries that supply oil to Cuba.
He also suggested that the US military operations in Venezuela last month will stop the country's oil exports to Cuba.
The fuel shortage has made it a struggle to keep electricity flowing.
Observers say Cuba could run out of its oil stockpile this month.
Part of the supply comes from Mexico. Last week, that country's president said stopping oil shipments to Cuba could trigger a humanitarian crisis.
Here's how the White House press secretary reacted to Diaz-Canel's remarks.
00:04:18 話者 Karoline Leavitt/White House Press Secretary
I think the fact that the Cuban government is on its last leg and its country is about to collapse, they should be wise in their statements directed towards the President of the United States.
00:04:28 話者 1
She says Trump is always willing to engage in diplomacy, and she believes that it's taking place with the Cuban government.
BUSINESS
Now let's see what's happening in the world of business.
Here's Ramin Mellegard from the BizDesk.
00:04:42 話者 4/Ramin Mellegard
Thank you very much indeed.
TOYOTA NAMES KON KENTA AS NEW CEO
Now, Toyota Motor has named a new chief executive operating officer.
Kon Kenta will be the new president and CEO, with effect from April 1.
Japan's largest automaker announced the appointment on Friday as part of changes to his executive structure.
Current CEO Sato Koji will become vice chairman and take on the newly established role of chief industry officer.
Sato took the helm three years ago from current Chairman Toyoda Akio.
The company says the change in roles is aimed at speeding up management and decision-making in response to changes in what it calls the internal and external environment.
00:05:26 話者 Kon Kenta/Operating Officer, Toyota Motor
When our company tries to do something new, we tend to think in ways consistent with the methods and formulas we used in the past.
I think that's very important for improving our current business.
But when it comes to something new, we need to do things a little differently.
TOYOTA POSTS LOWER PROFITS DESPITE RECORD SALES
00:05:49 話者 4
Toyota also announced that its sales hit a record for the April to December period, helped by robust performance in the Japanese and North American markets.
Revenue rose 6.8% from a year earlier to 38 trillion yen, or about $243 billion.
But operating income fell 13% to just under 3.2 trillion yen, roughly $20 billion.
Toyota says the Trump administration's tariff measures drove down operating profit by 1.2 trillion yen, income also dropped 26% to just over 3 trillion yen.
MITSUBISHI MOTORS POSTS NET LOSS FOR APR .- DEC. PERIOD
And sticking with Japanese automakers, Mitsubishi Motors posted a net loss of 4.4 billion yen, or roughly $28 million for the nine months to December, as US import tariffs hurt its earnings.
The Japanese automaker says consolidated sales fell 0.6% from a year earlier to just under 2 trillion yen, or about $12 billion.
Operating profit plunged 70% to a little over 31 billion yen, or roughly $200 million.
The company said the Trump administration's tariff measures pushed down operating profit by over 37 billion yen, or nearly $238 million.
It also attributed the poor performance to exchange rate fluctuations.
But the automaker revised up its sales forecast for the 12 months ending in March to 2.9 trillion yen, or about $18 billion.
SUZUKI HAS FIRST DROP IN 9-MONTH OPERATING PROFIT IN 5 YEARS
Meanwhile, Suzuki Motor reported its first drop in operating profit for the April to December period.
In five years, nine-month operating income fell more than 10% to about 429 billion yen, or roughly $2.7 billion.
Raw material costs have risen in India, where Suzuki has extensive production facilities.
Revenue rose more than 5% to 4.5 trillion yen, or nearly $29 billion.
The automaker attributed the increase to a reduction in the tax on goods and services in India, the company's biggest market.
FOOD RATIO OF JAPAN'S HOUSEHOLD SPENDING AT 44-YEAR HIGH
Now, a ratio indicating household spending on food in Japan has hit a four-decade high amid ongoing soaring prices.
An Internal Affairs Ministry report released Friday says food accounted for over 28% of total household spending in 2025.
The measure is known as the Engels coefficient, and it gauges the country's standard of living.
An increase in the coefficient indicates decreased affluence and ability to spend money on things other than food.
That's the highest ratio since 1981, although an exact comparison is difficult due to a change in survey methods.
Ministry officials attribute the higher ratio to rising prices of rice and other foods.
They also said people were eating out more.
Meanwhile, households of two or more people spent an average 314,000 yen a month in total, or about $2,000 last year on an inflation-adjusted basis.
Now, that's up 0.9 percent from 2024 in yen terms and the first annual increase in three years.
Spending on automobiles, rebounding from the previous year.
The 2025 World Expo in Osaka boosted expenditures on transportation and admissions.
Also, a major US tech giant ended support for one of its operating systems.
This prompted many users to replace their computers, pushing up demand.
BIZ PICKS
And next up is NHK World's Yanaka Marie with Pizpix.
00:09:38 話者 6/Yanaka Marie
Let's start with the business and economic stories we'll be tracking in the week ahead.
On Monday, the Labour Ministry will release its statistics on inflation-adjusted wages in Japan. That's for December last year, as well as for the whole of 2025.
This time in BizPix, we'll focus on the pressure on real wages.
As this chart shows, up till November, real wages consistently fell throughout 2025.
The reason is simple. Prices have been outpacing pay rises, hitting take-home pay.
EXPERT: JAPAN'S REAL-WAGE SLUMP COULD BE TURNING CORNER
Business and labor leaders have just started their annual wage negotiations, the outcome of which will affect the future course of real wages.
The labor side is aiming for an average increase of at least 5% of base pay and regular raises.
Senior economic analyst at Meiji Yasuda Research Institute, Morita Yukihiro, says attention is on whether the talks will deliver robust pay hikes amid real concerns about one major external factor.
00:10:51 話者 7/Morita Yukihiro/Senior Economic Analyst, Meiji Yasuda Research Institute
The management side has also expressed their intention to aim for stable rises in real wages. So both business and labor appear to be on the same page.
But last year's performance was significantly affected by the US tariff policy.
That meant their overall financial results didn't turn out all that rosy.
The question now is how many businesses can afford to offer the strong raises that the labor side is asking for.
00:11:22 話者 6
Even with the hike, real pay will not rise if prices keep climbing faster.
But Morita thinks this may not persist for long.
He says the cost of food items, including rice, remains elevated.
But the pace of inflation seems to be nearing the ceiling.
He expects real wages to finally turn positive.
00:11:46 話者 7
The upcoming December data will reflect an increase in winter bonuses.
So I think real wages went up, and the provisional gasoline tax has been abolished, decreasing the rise in energy prices.
Generous support for electricity and gas bills from January to March will also help.
So real wages are likely to move in a narrow, slightly upward band towards spring.
But even if real wages actually rose starting in December, it would most likely be a small increase, and the impact on consumption would be limited.
00:12:37 話者 6
Morita says it's important for consumer sentiment to get a boost to encourage positive effects on spending.
Monday's announcement could prove to be a real turning point for Japan's economy.
I'm Yanaka Marie, and that wraps up this edition of Biz Picks.
00:12:55 話者 4
Great stuff.
MARKETS
OK, let's go to check on the markets.
♪
00:13:25 話者 4
And that is it for business news.
BLIZZARD CONDITIONS EXPECTED IN NORTHERN JAPAN
00:13:29 話者 1
Weather officials say a rapidly developing low-pressure system is bringing blizzard conditions and heavy snow to Japan's northern prefecture of Hokkaido.
That's as the Fire and Disaster Management Agency says at least 42 people have died across the country since January 20 due to harsh winter weather.
The fire department in Rumoi, Hokkaido received a report that a signboard had fallen down in a supermarket parking lot on Friday.
Snowstorm warnings have been issued for the city.
00:14:01 話者 3/shop manager
Some cars would have been passing by during the day.
It was good that no one was injured.
00:14:09 話者 1
The meteorological agency expects the snow and wind to intensify in Hokkaido and other parts of northern Japan until early morning Saturday.
Officials say blizzard conditions could reduce visibility to zero.
They forecast more snow for Saturday and Sunday, mainly in areas along the Sea of Japan.
Snow has been piling up there in recent days. It's expected to peak on Sunday.
The officials also say snow could accumulate in areas along the Pacific Ocean, including the Kantor region and southern Kyushu.
SNOW TO SHUT SOME POLLS EARLY IN GENERAL ELECTION
Election officials will shut some polling stations early on Sunday in the lower house election, amid possible safety hazards from winter weather.
Six polling stations in mountain areas in Ehime Prefecture of the Shikoku region will be closed at 4 p.m. instead of 6 p.m. as initially scheduled.
2026 ELECTION JAPAN DECIDES
Our special coverage of the election starts just before 8 p.m. Sunday Tokyo time.
Catch NHK World's Japan Decides for the latest results, deep dives, analysis and more.
REACTOR TO RESTART MONDAY AFTER ALARM PROBLEM SOLVED
The operator of a nuclear power plant in central Japan says it plans to restart one of its reactors on Monday.
The company had to halt the initial reactivation last month following an issue with an alarm.
Tokyo Electric Power Company made the announcement on Friday regarding the number six reactor at its Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear plant in Niigata Prefecture.
00:15:38 話者 Inagaki Takeyuki/Superintendent, Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Plant
I strongly feel the concern among local residents.
If any problems occur during the upcoming start-up process, TEPCO will thoroughly discuss them with the relevant parties and take appropriate action.
00:15:54 話者 1
TEPCO restarted the reactor on January 21, but shut it down a little more than a day later.
That was due to an alarm sounding while control rods were being extracted.
Officials found a fault in the alarm settings for an inverter that regulates speed on a motor that moves the rod.
TEPCO says the alarm was installed in 2023, mainly for inspections, and officials concluded that its removal will not affect the motor and inverter's safety.
The company also says it has deactivated the alarm for all control rods and that the trouble has been resolved.
It now aims to resume commercial operation of the reactor on March 18.
That's 20 days later than initially scheduled.
PRISONER SWAP FOLLOWS TRILATERAL TALKS
Senior officials from Ukraine and Russia have once again met for talks to end the fighting.
They were joined by delegation from the US.
They say that after the meeting, more than 150 prisoners from each side were exchanged.
The Ukrainian captives included personnel from the Armed Forces, the National Guard and the State Border Guard Service, and civilians were among those released.
That's according to a social media post by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
He says most had been held since 2022.
The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed that its people had been freed.
It says they'll receive medical treatment and rehabilitation.
The peace talks included Zelenskyy's chief of staff and Russia's head of the military intelligence service.
US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff led the American side.
Witkoff says more work needs to be done but anticipates progress in the coming weeks.
It remains unclear whether progress was made over the issues of territory and security guarantees for Ukraine.
TURKEY, SYRIA STILL REBUILDING 3 YEARS AFTER QUAKES
Friday marks three years since powerful earthquakes hit southern Turkey, leaving tens of thousands dead there and in neighboring Syria.
The quake struck on February 6, 2023, claiming over 53,000 lives in Turkey and about 6,000 in Syria.
The Turkish government says reconstruction is progressing.
It announced in December that 450,000 new housing units have been completed.
Public housing units have been built in the city of Antakya in the southern province of Hatay, which was hit particularly hard.
But damaged buildings can still be seen in the city centre.
00:18:26 話者 disaster victim
We still remember the quake every single day.
Under today's condition, I believe we need more support to overcome this situation.
00:18:38 話者 1
About 680,000 residential units and over 100,000 commercial properties and other facilities were destroyed or damaged in Turkey.
HONG KONG PRO-DEMOCRACY STUDENT GROUP TO DISBAND
A student organisation that played a key role in pro-democracy movements in Hong Kong says it will disband.
The group is believed to have struggled to continue its activities under pressure from authorities.
The Hong Kong Federation of Students made the announcement online on Thursday.
It says members and their allies have faced increasing pressure in recent years and it decided to end its activities after careful consideration.
The group helped lead the 2014 Umbrella Movement in which demonstrators called for democratic elections.
The federation is made-up of university student unions and was established in 1958.
It helped organise a large demonstration in 1989.
That was when Chinese authorities carried out a deadly crackdown on students and other pro-democracy protesters. It happened in and around Beijing's Tiananmen Square.
Following the implementation of Hong Kong's national security law in 2020, some key members went into exile or took other steps to protect themselves.
The law has been used to crack down on anti-government activities.
It has also led many other pro-democracy groups, including political parties, to dissolve.
The territory's largest pro-democracy party, the Democratic Party, decided in December to disband.
TAIWAN ADAPTS TO INFLUX OF FOREIGN WORKERS
Taiwan's population is aging and its birth rate is falling.
That means it must rely more and more on foreign workers to fill the labour gap.
Last year, the number topped 850,000, accounting for 7% of the workforce.
But Taiwan is not a big place.
So how does society manage such an influx of people from abroad?
NHK World's Sumino Hiroshi reports.
00:20:33 話者 5/Sumino Hiroshi
Many of the foreign workers are in fields such as nursing care and manufacturing.
Over a third come from Indonesia, followed by Vietnam, the Philippines, and Thailand.
In the eating space of this convenience store in Taoyuan, southwest of Taipei, Chinese lessons are underway.
...
The program was jointly launched last year by a non-profit group and a major convenience store chain. Foreigners learn the language skills they need for day-to-day life.
00:21:23 話者 Foreigners learn the language
I can immediately use what I learn. I think these lessons have a lot of value.
00:21:34 話者 5
There is also a free online course accessed through an app.
Over 100,000 foreign nationals have used it so far.
Until four years ago, foreign workers could only stay in Taiwan for 12 years.
But in 2022, that changed.
People can now stay longer if they meet the right conditions, such as having special skills and staying in their jobs for a certain period.
Eventually, they can apply for permanent residency.
At this metalworking company, 14 of 45 employees are from countries such as the Philippines and Vietnam.
Four have taken advantage of the new system to stay in Taiwan beyond 12 years.
00:22:31 話者 foreign worker 1
The working conditions are good, I'm still physically able, and I want to keep working in Taiwan as long as I can.
00:22:40 話者 foreign worker 2
If they leave, we'll have to shut down the company. Experienced foreign workers who stay long-term are a huge benefit to our businesses.
00:22:50 話者 5
But there have been problems as well.
The number of those going missing has risen dramatically. The reasons are poor wages, harsh working conditions, and having nowhere to turn for support.
Fifteen years ago, the number of missing workers was around 20,000.
As of last September, it has jumped to 94,000.
Some local governments are stepping up to create a more supportive environment.
Counselors offer assistance in multiple languages.
They help with legal matters, taxes, workplace disputes, and everyday life.
Facilities have been set up to support people with families and allow them to practice their customs and faith.
00:23:50 話者 Hung Sun-han/Taiwanese Labor Minister
Supporting foreign workers not only helps them, but Taiwan's society and industries as well. We believe such efforts will reduce the number who go missing.
00:24:03 話者 5
Taiwan appears to be recognizing how important these people are.
That's helping them fit in and become accepted as members of society.
Sumino Hiroshi NHK World.
WEATHER
00:24:43 話者 1
Now it's time to check out the weather. As we've reported, parts of Japan need to be prepared for heavy snowfall this weekend. Our meteorologist Yumi Hirano has the details.
00:24:53 話者 8/Yumi Hirano
Intense cold air with heavy snow is expected to hit much of Japan over the weekend.
Snow is likely to intensify along the Sea of Japan side, especially in Hokuriku, Kinki and Chugoku.
Up to 70 centimeters is possible not only in Hokuriku but also in Kinki and Chugoku by Sunday evening. Traffic and transportation could be affected.
And snow is also likely to spread toward the Pacific side, including Tokyo.
Up to one centimeter is possible by Sunday evening.
On Sunday, there is a risk of snow accumulation, so please watch out for freezing road conditions such as snowy and icy patches on sidewalks.
Now moving to Europe.
People in the Ibelian Peninsula are dealing with prolonged downpours.
And the same storms also caused severe flooding in northern Morocco.
Widespread flooding hit northwestern Morocco on Thursday.
In a city known for its sugar production, trends show rain of 64 millimeters raised water levels in rivers.
Officials say up to 85 percent of residents were evacuated.
Unfortunately, the situation is not expected to change over the weekend.
Moisture from the Atlantic is likely to bring more downpours.
Showers are also expected in Marrakesh, Madrid and Lisbon.
Colder-than-usual conditions will continue in Kyiv with a high of minus 7.
That's it for now. Stay safe.
00:27:41 話者 1
That wraps up this edition of NHK Newsline. I'm Kanako Sachno in Tokyo.
Thanks very much for joining us.
checked.
