Hello, and welcome to NHK Newsline. I'm Yoshikawa Ryuichi in Tokyo.
Xi and Putin Reaffirm Strategic Partnership
Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, have wrapped up their initial meeting in Beijing.
The leaders reaffirmed their ties and demonstrated their shared stance against the Western-led global order following last week's US-China summit.
A ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in the capital welcomed Putin on Wednesday.
The two leaders then sat down together for the first time since Putin visited China last September.
00:00:55 話者 2/Xi Jinping
The international situation is fraught with turmoil, and unilateral hegemonic tendencies are rampant.
00:01:02 話者 1
Regarding the situation in Iran, Xi reportedly said that hostilities must end immediately, and urged all parties to stick to negotiations and refrain from more violence.
00:01:18 話者 3/Vladimir Putin
The relationship between Russia and China has reached unprecedented heights and serves as a model of partnership and strategic cooperation.
00:01:28 話者 1
Putin said that Russia is still playing a role as a reliable source of resources amid the crisis in the Middle East.
China and Russia have stepped up cooperation in recent years in multinational frameworks, including the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the BRICS Group of Emerging Economies.
China–Russia Summit: Key Goals and Analysis
For more on this, earlier I spoke with NHK World's Yoshida Mayu, who is watching the summit from Beijing. What do both sides want out of this summit?
00:02:06 話者 4/Yoshida Mayu
In a sense, they want the same thing, to show they are opposed to a Western-led international order, and they're willing to stand up to it together.
Xi started the summit by saying the international situation has been thrown into confusion. He blamed what he called a rampant, one-sided hegemony.
For his part, Putin highlighted the relationship between the two countries, saying it's at an unprecedented level. But of course, they each also have their own goals.
Like you said, President Trump was here just last week.
So for China, Russia is acting as a sort of counterweight. But it's also good optics for Xi.
It shows Beijing is a major power, one that can sit down with both Washington and Moscow. That's the image China wants to project.
As for Putin, he obviously wants to coordinate on key issues like the conflicts in Ukraine and Iran. But Russia also has a lot at stake economically.
Western sanctions have hit its economy hard, so it's had to depend more on Beijing.
China is now Russia's largest trading partner.
That's a relationship Putin doesn't want to lose.
00:03:19 話者 1
So, Mayu, what will you be watching out for?
00:03:25 話者 4
Like I said, that economic angle is huge. And it's not just one way.
Russia is China's largest supplier of crude oil, and the conflict in the Middle East has thrown the global supply into disarray. So China wants to keep that oil flowing.
Moscow's delegation even includes executives from major Russian energy companies.
Otherwise, we're watching to see how Taiwan is addressed.
China highlighted the issue during last week's summit with the US.
How it plays out here will tell us a lot about where things stand.
Japan–South Korea Summit Highlights Energy Cooperation
00:04:04 話者 1
Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae held a summit with South Korean President Lee Jae-myon on Tuesday.
The talks focused largely on oil and how they can strengthen energy security through cooperation.
Earlier, my colleague Yoshi Iwasawa spoke with NHKRO's Kim Chan-ju in Seoul to hear how it went.
00:04:29 話者 5/Kim Chan-ju
The level of ceremony we saw was like that of a state visit. Experts say that special treatment may have helped to build a rapport between the two leaders.
In fact, building a rapport may have been just as important as the talks themselves.
When Takaichi hosted Lee in January, it was in her hometown, Nara.
This time, Lee returned the favor, welcoming her to his hometown, Andong.
Even the dinner was designed to highlight the ties between Japan and South Korea.
The menu included a local chicken dish that's only served to honored guests.
And the drinks featured andong soju paired with sake from Nara, symbolizing their friendship.
Observers say meetings like this can help build a strong foundation for future relations.
00:05:23 話者 6/Yoshi Ogasawara
Right, but that doesn't mean there won't still be challenges.
00:05:28 話者 5
Exactly.
For example, the two sides differ on key issues like how to handle China and North Korea.
That sort of thing can become a big problem later on.
But that's why these visits, with their symbolic gestures and friendly dinners, are so important.
00:05:50 話者 7/Choi Eun-mi/Senior Research Fellow, Asan Institute for Policy Studies
When it comes to Japan and South Korea, many issues could flare up at any given moment.
It's important that both leaders are able to get on the same page and manage those problems without provoking each other.
00:06:13 話者 5
So this hospitality isn't just a pomp and circumstance.
It's a diplomatic message, one that suggests both sides want stable ties.
But that expert says it needs to be followed up with concrete action.
The challenge now will be turning these agreements into something tangible.
That means improving supply chains, economic security, and diplomacy.
Another question is whether this cooperation can expand beyond the national level to include regional and local initiatives.
00:06:51 話者 6
So where do you think the two sides go from here?
00:06:56 話者 5
It's hard to say for sure, but they seem keen to meet again.
Takaichi said she's already thinking of their next summit and even floated the idea of holding it at a hot spring resort.
Heavy Rains in China Leave Over 20 Dead
00:07:20 話者 1
At least 20 people have been killed due to torrential rains in China since last week.
Local media report the downpours triggered floods and landslides across southern and central parts of the country.
In the province of Guizhou, a river running through an urban area overflowed.
Video taken on Tuesday shows a car being swept away.
In neighboring Guanxizhuan Autonomous Region, a truck fell into a river.
Ten people in the vehicle reportedly died.
Damage has also been reported in the provinces of Hubei and Hunan.
Intermittent downpours are forecast for inland and southern China through Thursday.
Authorities are urging people to stay on alert.
M5.9 Earthquake Strikes Near Okinawa
Next, we have an update from officials on an earthquake that struck the southern part of Japan just before noon local time.
Their shaking primarily hit a chain of remote islands close to Okinawa.
The Japan Meteorological Agency sets the magnitude of 5.9 quake struck at a depth of 50 kilometers.
It had an intensity of upper 5 on the Japanese scale of 0 to 7 in the hardest-hit areas.
Yoron Town in Kagoshima Prefecture saw the strongest shaking.
There is no risk of tsunami, but officials are warning that subsequent earthquakes may follow.
00:08:54 話者 6/Ebita Ayataka/Japan Meteorological Agency
In areas where the tremor was particularly strong, please remain on alert for earthquakes with an intensity of up to upper 5 for about a week.
Over the next two to three days in particular, there is a possibility of strong earthquakes.
00:09:09 話者 1
The agency added that there is an increased risk of falling rocks or landslides in areas that saw the strongest shaking.
Officials say quakes with a magnitude of 5 or higher happen occasionally in the region.
Unification Church Victim Compensation Begins
Now to the latest in the dissolution of the religious group widely known as the Unification Church.
A court-appointed liquidator has started accepting applications for compensation from victims of the organization.
The group was ordered by the Tokyo High Court in March to disband as a religious cooperation. The compensation process is the next step of the procedure.
The liquidator will accept applications for a period of one year starting Wednesday.
At least 40 billion yen, or more than $250 million, seized from the group's savings and deposits will be made available.
Those applying are expected to include large donors and people who were harmed by the organization's spiritual sales practices.
The liquidator says his team will secure additional money for compensation by selling real estate properties owned by the group that are currently not in use.
He has also stated damage claims will not be accepted beyond the one-year time frame.
This is believed to be the final opportunity for victims to receive compensation.
Trump Threatens Possible Renewed Strikes on Iran
US President Donald Trump has once again threatened to resume military strikes on Iran, but he added he is willing to give negotiations time to produce a deal.
Trump said Tuesday the US is negotiating and Iran is begging to make a deal.
He added, I hope we don't have to, but we may have to give them another big hit.
He also suggested he may give Iran several days before launching an attack.
00:11:12 話者 8/Donald Trump
I think we're going to be finished with that very quickly, and they won't have a nuclear weapon, and hopefully we're going to get it done in a very nice manner.
00:11:23 話者 1
Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, said in a social media post, the US has temporarily halted attacks so the sides can negotiate.
But he added, posturing over the resumption of attacks means this opportunity for peace is another threat.
The head of the Iranian parliament's National Security Commission also responded on social media.
Ebrahim Azizi said Trump knows any move against Iran means facing a decisive military response and a unified nation.
IAEA Condemns Drone Attack on UAE Nuclear Plant
The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency has reiterated that attacks on nuclear power plants are unacceptable.
It follows a recent drone strike in the United Arab Emirates.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi explained the situation at an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday.
00:12:24 話者 13/Rafael Grossi
In case of an attack on the Baraka nuclear power plant, a direct hit could result in a very high release of radioactivity to the environment.
00:12:38 話者 1
Grossi said there were no reports of injuries and radiation levels at the plant remain normal.
But he stressed that nuclear facilities are protected under international humanitarian law.
UAE's defense ministry said recent drone attacks are being launched from Iraq.
Sunday's strike sparked a fire at an electrical generator in the Baraka nuclear power plant.
The ministry said on Tuesday that its defense system had engaged 6 drones targeting civilian and vital areas over the past 48 hours.
US Increases Sanctions Pressure on Cuba
The US has been turning up the pressure on Cuba.
The State Department has announced new sanctions on 11 Cuban regime-aligned actors and three entities.
The move comes after President Trump signed an executive order earlier this month.
It calls for sanctioning those who threaten US national security or foreign policy.
The department says the sanctions are a part of the Trump administration's campaign to hold the regime accountable and those who provide it with material or financial support.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio says they include government officials and military figures associated with Cuba's security apparatus.
He says many of them have been involved in repressing the Cuban people.
Trump told reporters he believes a diplomatic deal could be reached with the Cuban government. He says he can help Cuba whether or not there is a regime change there.
00:14:19 話者 8/Donald Trump
Cuba's calling us. They need help. Cuba is a failed nation.
Cuba needs help, and we'll do that.
00:14:28 話者 1
Cuban President Miguel. Diaz-Canel has condemned the US efforts.
He says the executive order pursues and threatens third parties who want to sell fuel to Cuba, and he calls that immoral, illegal, and criminal.
BUSINESS
And now for business stories, here's Yuko Fukushima.
00:14:50 話者 9/Yuko Fukushima
Thanks, Ryuichi.
Nikkei Falls Below 60,000 After Market Selloff
Well, the Tokyo Stock Exchange's benchmark, Nikkei 225, ended below the 60,000 mark for the first time in about 3 weeks on Wednesday.
Investors offloaded broader shares and concerns that persistently rising long-term rates could hurt corporate earnings. The index finished at 59,804, down 1.2 percent.
It fell below 60,000 for the first time since May 1, extending its losing streak for a fifth trading day.
Analysts say investors turned cautious ahead of US semiconductor giant Nvidia's earnings results due later in the day.
US Treasury Yields Hit Highest Levels in Years
And long-term bond yields are also surging in the United States.
Investors are selling US Treasuries and concern that high crude oil prices caused by the Iran conflict will drive broader inflation.
The yield on the 30-year US Treasury hit 5.19% in New York on Tuesday.
That's the highest level in nearly 19 years. The 10-year Treasury yield also rose to 4.68 percent at one point, a level not seen since January last year.
The moves reflect increasing speculation by investors that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates to contain inflation rather than cut them.
Trump’s 3,700 Trades Raise Ethics Questions
US government records show President Donald Trump conducted more than 3,700 transactions in securities and other asset classes in the first three months of this year.
Trump's financial disclosures, made public by the federal ethics agency, list transactions involving several major US companies.
Their stock prices are substantially influenced by government policies.
The firms include semiconductor giants Nvidia and Intel, as well as aircraft manufacturer Boeing. The US subsidiary of Japanese sushi chain operator Kura Sushi is also on the list.
Bloomberg pointed out that previous serving presidents divested assets or took other steps to avoid conflicts of interest or ethical issues.
Vice President JD Vance defended Trump's trading activity when asked about it by a reporter.
00:17:01 話者 23/JD Vance
The president doesn't sit at the Oval Office on his computer, on his like Robinhood account, buying and selling stocks.
That's absurd. He has independent wealth advisors who manage his money.
00:17:14 話者 9
Vance went on to say public officials should not use inside information from their jobs to trade stocks, and the administration wants to ban the practice.
Google Expands Gemini AI Agent Functions
US tech giant Google says it will upgrade its Gemini AI agent functions and expand them to individual users.
The announcement comes amid intensifying competition in AI development.
00:17:38 話者 30/Sundar Pichai/CEO, Google
We are super focused on bringing the power of agents safely and securely to consumers so that they work for everyone.
00:17:48 話者 9
Google announced the change for Gemini at an annual conference for developers in California. The new AI agent is able to perform various tasks autonomously.
The company says Gemini can collect users' information around the clock, upon their instructions from multiple apps, and implement tasks from creating documents to sending them out.
For example, Gemini will automatically check updates from children's schools, extract critical deadlines, and send consolidated daily digests to family members.
It will also be able to analyze monthly credit card statements and flag new or hidden subscription fees.
From next week, Google will provide this new service for paid subscribers in the US with an eye to expanding it to a wider population.
Competition is heating up in AI Asian development.
Google's rivals, such as OpenAI and Anthropic, are also in the race.
MARKETS
Now, let's get you a check on the latest market figures.
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And that's the news for this hour.
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Kabuki Stars Discuss Tradition and the Future
00:19:45 話者 1
Turning to the traditional Japanese performing art of kabuki, two big stars have been sharing the stage in Tokyo recently.
Onoe Kikugoro, 8th, and Ichikawa Danjiro, 13th, are more than just fellow actors.
In many ways, they are lifelong companions, ever since they were classmates at elementary school.
NHK World's Katayama Chieko spoke with them about growing up together and their thoughts on the future of kabuki.
00:20:25 話者 11/Katayama Chieko
The annual Dan Kiku Festival at Tokyo's Kabukizo Theater is always a crowd pleaser.
It brings together two of the great acting families of the centuries-old kabuki world, represented by stars, Onoe Kikugoro VIII and Ichikawa Danjiro XIII.
Both are successors of their families' traditional acting styles.
(Japanese)
00:21:03 話者 48/Onoe Kikugoro VIII
When we were students, we used to talk about wanting someday to perform both daytime and evening plays just like our fathers did.
00:21:12 話者 42/Ichikawa Danjiro XIII
I remember that. We used to talk about it a lot.
00:21:20 話者 48
I'm truly happy that we can celebrate the Dankiku Festival together like this.
00:21:34 話者 11
One highlight of this year's program is the classic play Sukeroku: The Flower of Edo.
The story is set in the Yoshiwara Pleasure District, a what is now, Tokyo.
Danjuro's character, Sukeroku, is popular with the local courtesans.
When he appears, they offer him their smoking pipes.
Kikugoro plays Agemaki, Sukeroku's flower and a higher-ranking courtesan.
The play is often described as a showcase of Kabuki's splendor, filled with action, romance, and dramatic flair.
The production features both veterans and younger actors, including Danjuro's son, Shinosuke. Danjuro has now become a teacher to the next generation.
But he and Kikugoro still remember what it was like to be students.
00:23:08 話者 48
After practice, we often went for ramen together.
00:23:13 話者 42
When the crows go home, so it's time to go. That was our youth.
00:23:20 話者 48
We even traveled together just to watch our fathers perform.
00:23:29 話者 42
It's natural, isn't it?
00:23:34 話者 48
He's been by my side for as long as I can remember.
It's like the bond between fish and water, simply a natural presence.
00:23:50 話者 11
In a fast-changing world, they feel kabuki is still just as relevant.
00:23:59 話者 48
When people come to the theater and experience kabuki firsthand, they can feel the warmth and spirit of what it is to be Japanese. Many classical works convey that.
00:24:17 話者 42
The pace of modern life is accelerating, and the world is becoming increasingly digital.
But when people begin seeking human connection again, I believe the kind of direct interaction found in Kabuki will become even more important.
Our role is to prepare for that future and guide the next generation.
Weather Outlook: Heat, Rain, and Cooling Trend
00:24:40 話者 1
It's time for a check on the weather with our meteorologist, Jonathan Oh.
So, Jonathan, those in the western part of Japan have been dealing with heat and humidity. Are we going to see a cooling trend anytime soon?
00:24:53 話者 50/Jonathan Oh
Hello, over the past few days we've been talking about heat that's not typical for May.
Sometimes it felt like July in some places, some places even hotter than that, but it was relatively dry.
Now we're introducing some rain into the picture and that's making it hot and humid in western portions of Japan.
Here's a look at some video coming out of Miyazaki City.
As it's been hot in Kyushu and the rain is making it muggy and that's bringing concerns of heat stroke.
The Japan Meteorological Agency reported that Miyazaki City saw a high of 27.7 degrees Celsius as well as 19 millimeters of rain.
Now that's not a lot of rain but that's just enough of a combination to push heat stress levels to the second highest warning level according to Japan's Environment Ministry.
And so, because of that, as we've been telling you, need to take frequent breaks, make sure that you are staying hydrated, but also keep in mind that when you're indoors, with the humidity being added into the picture, some of those levels go up even inside, so you want to monitor the conditions inside where you are to make sure that you're also not being induced under those heat straps type of situation.
Mention the rain, low pressure, combined with some moisture down from the south, pushing across the Korean Peninsula, and then eventually bringing some more rain, not just for western Japan, but across Japan as you go through Thursday.
So you need to grab those umbrellas, you'll need them.
But the relief from the heat, not a lot. I mean, Osaka and Miyazaki, you're staying quite warm. Tokyo, you'll be dropping off to 18 for a high on Friday, and overnight lows dropping down to the low teens.
So you actually may have to actually bundle up before we see temperatures monitoring back by the time we go into the weekend.
But a bit of a cloudier for Japan as we go through the rest of this week.
Speaking of clouds, we're seeing some strong to severe thunderstorms down toward Texas. There's a big dip in the jet stream here.
Cold air from the north really hitting up against very hot air down toward the east.
I mean, look at this, 35 in D.C., but thunderstorms to Oklahoma City with a high of 21, 14 in Denver as we go through Wednesday.
Hope you have a good day wherever you are.
♫～ 3-DAY FORECAST ～♫
00:27:35 話者 1
And that wraps up this edition of NHK Newsline.
I'm Yoshikawa Ryuichi in Tokyo. Thank you very much for joining us on NHK World Japan.
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