From our studios in Tokyo, this is NHK Newsline. I'm Ross Mihara.
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Voters in Japan go to the polls on Sunday to elect lower house members. Economic issues will be on the minds of many. Around a third of respondents surveyed by NHK picked the economy and inflation as the most important policy when choosing a candidate. NHK World's Hirata Miyu takes a closer look.
We will work to bring the economy out of deflation, immediately drawing up measures to achieve growth through investment and stable wage hikes, surpassing the inflation rate. We will strive to implement these steps.
When taking over Japan's government, Ishibashigeru said he would continue the economic policies of his predecessor, Kishida Fumio, but financial markets seemed uncertain about what he would do. On September 30, the Nikkei's stock average fell by more than 2,000 points at one stage. Though seen as a temporary reaction, the drop has significance because the government has been urging people to shift their assets from savings to investments. This is an asset management seminar for retail investors in Tokyo. Participants are expressing hope and anxiety about the Ishiba administration's economic policies.
People want to see their salaries rise if consumer prices are continuing to rise. I hope the government will help create momentum that will push more companies to get behind this policy.
Japanese voters have reason to worry about inflation. Consumer prices have stayed above the Bank of Japan's target of 2% since April 2022, but wage hikes are not keeping pace. Real wages adjusted for inflation have been stuck in the negative for much of that time.
I don't feel like my after-tax income has increased. That's surprising because my salary has gone up. I just don't feel the effects.
Kanda Yoko lives in Tokyo with her husband and mother. The 65-year-old still works part-time. Her family tries to make ends meet with that income and pension benefits.
I plan to buy milk today because it's Thursday and it's on sale. Spending less matters to me, even if it's only 10 cents or so.
Kanda says the milk she buys cost about $1.80 at the start of the year, but it's now over $2.
5 kilograms of rice is $26. That used to be the price for 10 kilograms, so it's doubled a year ago. I would not have believed that was possible.
She is also trying to cut her electricity bill, which was running over $150 a month this summer. So, Kanda cooks a large amount of rice each time, splits it into portions and freezes them, enough to last 10 days. She sees a way out of the situation.
I want to see economic policies that will bring down the prices of staples such as rice, bread and wheat. It's tough because we live on pensions. I'd been planning to quit my part-time job at 65, but now I expect to work until around 70 if possible.
An economist says voters should cast their ballots after carefully examining the feasibility and potential impact of each party's economic platform.
The ruling and opposition parties are offering ideas about how to ease the pain that price hikes have on people. I don't think the economy can benefit from policies centred on subsidies or handouts. The best approach for voters is to question each party about their policies and vote for the one you believe can produce good economic results.
U.S. media have quoted a former top White House aide as saying that Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump made approving comments about Adolf Hitler while he was president. Trump has denied the reports. The reports on Tuesday cited John Kelly, a retired Marine Corps general, who servedserved as chief of staff in Trump's administration.
The New York Times quoted Kelly as saying that Trump told them more than once that Hitler did some good things too. The U.S. magazine The Atlantic also quoted Kelly in reporting that Trump wanted his officials to be like Hitler's generals because they were totally loyal.
Referring to the reports, Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris said they show that Trump wants unchecked power.
All of this is further evidence for the American people of who Donald Trump really is. Donald Trump is someone who, I quote, certainly falls into the general definition of fascist, who in fact vowed to be a dictator on day one.
Trump said that Kelly made-up a story out of hatred toward him. Britain's ruling Labor Party has also come under fire from Trump. He accused it of sending staff to help Harris. His campaign issued a statement on Tuesday saying the head of operations for the Labor Party solicited volunteers on social media and posted we will sort your housing. The Trump campaign has requested an investigation by the Federal Election Commission into what it describes as illegal foreign interference. The deputy leader of the Labor Party denied the allegation.
People in their own time. Often go and campaign, and that's what we've seen. It happens in all political parties. People go and campaign and they do what they want to do in their own time with their own money.
Rainer said that the volunteers were acting in a personal capacity.
Striking Boeing workers have voted to reject an offer from the company, continuing their weeks long strike. The plane maker says it's lost over $6 billion between July and September.
It's the company's first strike in 16 years and has slowed the production and delivery of its planes. Some 33,000 workers put down their tools in September after talks on wages and other issues stalled. According to the union, 64% of workers rejected the company's latest proposal Wednesday. It included a 35% pay hike over four years. The firm has been struggling for several straight quarters. Part of its latest loss is the delay delivering its next-generation twin-engine jet.
One aerospace expert says if the strike drags on, it wouldn't just be bad news for Boeing. He said it could impact the global supply chain, including Japanese makers who send parts to the company.
I think there's a great deal of concern that if the line doesn't resume building and if shipments don't keep flowing, then you could see some failures in the supply chain. Boeing says it has partnerships with 150 Japanese firms, making Japan Boeing's largest supplier outside the US.
The World Health Organization has postponed its polio vaccination campaign in the northern Gaza Strip due to the escalating violence. The decision came amid concerns. Polio is spreading in Gaza due to poor hygiene. The WHO says it administered a first dose of vaccines to local children in the first half of September. It began the second round of the campaign in mid-october and planned to bring it to northern Gaza on Wednesday to cover about 119,000 children. But the organization says current conditions make it impossible for families to safely bring their children for vaccination and for health workers to operate. It cited ongoing attacks on civilian infrastructure. The WHO called for humanitarian pauses in the fighting, saying it is essential. The second round of jabs are given within six weeks of the first.
Now it's time for a look at the world weather. Parts of the Philippines are being battered by the Storm Chami. Our meteorologist Yumi Hirano has details.
Over 500 millimeters of rainfall in just one day has been reported in the northern Philippines, leading to severe floods. Due to the large system, more rain is possible in northern areas and strong winds are also expected across the region. The storm is likely to move westward to the east of Vietnam and slow down over the weekend.
In the bigger picture, across Asia, we have to monitor one more system over the Pacific. The tropical depression is expected to develop and move toward the Philippines and Taiwan early next week.
On Friday, showers are possible in Shanghai and Taipei. Chili rain is expected in Tokyo with a high of only 22.
Moving to India, people in the east are facing severe weather due to a cyclone. However, in the northwest, there is another issue due to the end of the monsoon season. We have some video.
People in India's capital are dealing with poor air quality this week. Some locals say they had to cancel their morning walks and outdoor activities for fear of their health. Air pollution is usually caused by construction dust, traffic congestion, and the burning of farmlands. To reduce the problem, officials are encouraging people to use public transport and avoid the illegal burning of crops.
No significant rain is expected in the area to ease the conditions so far. On the other hand, the cyclone is likely to bring over 200 millimeters of rainfall in the eastern parts of the country both on Thursday and Friday. That's all for me. Stay safe.
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I'm Ross Mihara in Tokyo. Thanks for joining us on NHK Newsline.
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