Hello, a very warm welcome to NHK Newsline. I'm Yamamoto Miki in Tokyo.
Tiananmen Square crackdown being forgotten in China 36 years on
Wednesday marks 36 years since the violent crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators in Beijing's Tiananmen Square, but fewer and fewer younger Chinese people know anything about it.
A number of students and citizens in and around the square were cut down when soldiers opened fire on June 4, 1989. The government puts the death toll at 319, but many believe the actual figure is much higher.
The government maintains its response to what it describes as turmoil was quite correct. The square and the avenue leading up to it have been under tight security since last week.
Police have been conducting ID checks on pedestrians in an apparent effort to discourage memorial events and other activities. People in Beijing mostly refused to speak to foreign media. A woman in her 30s said she knew very little about the incident.We might have heard of the incident but have no clear idea as we haven't studied it.
The government keeps a tight lid on any discussion of the episode. The number 64 is taboo as it evokes the date June 4. Even NHK's overseas service has been affected. A TV newscast in China about the event on Wednesday was completely blocked out.
US research group: North Korean capsized destroyer appears to be upright
A US research group says a North Korean destroyer that remained capsized following its failed launch last monthnow appears to be in the upright position.
38 North has released its analysis of satellite imagery of the shipyard in Chongjing in the country's northeast. The photo is dated Monday. The group says North Korea apparently restored the vessel's position manually.
This was the scene last week. The warship was on its side and partially submerged.
The image shows balloons and personnel pulling ropes which were used to lift it upright. North Korean media reported that the ship was damaged in an accident during its launch ceremony on May 21.
The image also showed probable damage to the sonar bow position. The analysis says that the shipyard does not have the facilities to handle the necessary repairs. Leader Kim Jong-un has ordered that the campsized destroyer be restored before the ruling party Central Committee's plenary meeting set for later this month.
Lee faces challenges at home and abroad
Lee Jae-myung of South Korea's Democratic Party was sworn in as president Wednesday. He said he will work to bridge the country's divide.
No matter who you supported in this election, I will be a president for all the people. It is a president's role to foster greater unity.
The 21st president also said he will honor the Constitution, protect the country, and pursue the peaceful unification of the peninsula. Lee also promised to promote individual freedom in public welfare. He said he also wants to strengthen national culture.
Through practical diplomacy, we will make the global economic and security crisis an opportunity to maximize our national interests based on our solid alliance with the United States. We will strengthen cooperation with the US and Japan and approach relations with neighboring countries with our interests and practicality in mind.
Lee already spoke with the chairman of South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff. He was briefed on North Korea's recent military activities. Lee later said he will make sure the country is prepared for Pyongyang's nuclear and military provocations. He said he will pursue deterrence based on the South Korea-US military alliance. But he also suggested he was open to discussions with the North. Lee said he will open channels of communication and work towards peace through dialogue.
South Koreans told us what they expect from the new president.
I am a working mom, so I hope it creates a society that will provide a better environment for raising kids.
He will be a busy president. He will have to handle relations with North Korea, deal with the economy both around the world and at home, and tackle diplomacy.
I hope he cares for the socially vulnerable and makes sure we don't have another martial law and civil unrest.
He came from the rock bottom of society and went through a lot before working his way to the top. So I think he knows what he has to do for this country.
And for more on this, I earlier spoke to NHK World's Tokuda Ryosuke in Seoul.
Ryosuke, I can see that you are right near the National Assembly. We're hearing from citizens about their expectations.
That's right. Some of the supporters who were outside here, as Lee was speaking, just wanted to be close to the action. They want to see Lee bring changes to this country, and there was even more excitement here last night. Crowds of pro-Democratic Party supporters were watching as the results came in on the big screen, cheering blasting music. It was like a festival. But now it's a new day and there's work to be done.
Yes, back to business after six months of turmoil. So what stuck from Lee's speech regarding the challenges he faces and how he will solve them?
Well, South Koreans are still deeply divided, but Lee says he will be a president for everyone.
He's been telling people on both sides of the political spectrum he will focus on national unity to end the crisis.
He is starting with a strong mandate. His party holds a majority. meaning he won't face the challenges of the previous administration. Yoon struggled to pass any registration because of his minority government. Lee also has to revive South Korea's strong economy.
He says he will immediately launch an emergency response task force to kick-start an economic rebound.
And he also has to contend with foreign relations. What can you tell us about that?
First, he has to prepare for trade negotiations with the United States. South Korea has been basically rigorous since President Donald Trump came into office and began threatening his so-called reciprocal types. Lee and his ministers will have to act fast.
To make a deal over the country's economy could be in deep trouble. Media here also report the US may reduce its military deployment here, affecting defense against the North. Also, Lee once referred to Japan as an enemy country, but throughout his campaign and during today's speech, he said he wants to see closer ties with Tokyo. Both countries face common challenges, like rising tensions between the US and China, as well as the security concerns over Pyongyang's missile launches. Japan and South Korea are also dealing with an aging population and falling birth rates.
There's much in common for Lee to speak about with his Japanese counterpart whenever they eventually meet. We still don't know when that will happen.
Now, the government here says it will keep a close eye on Lee's foreign policy and what that might mean for Japan.
Prime Minister Ishiba congratulated the new president Wednesday.
I congratulate him on winning the election and taking office. I hope to step up cooperation between Japan and South Korea, as well as our trilateral relationship with the US.
Some members of the government say they think Lee won't shake up relations, citing security concerns in East Asia.
And Japan will likely try to keep recent positive momentum going. Their relationship started to improve under former President Yoon Suk-yeol.
However, there are concerns the new president may take a tougher stance.
Officials in Tokyo are working to arrange a summit between Prime Minister Ishiba and Lee. There are hopes it can happen soon on the sidelines of an international conference.
Japanese births hit record low in 2024, below 700,000 for first time
The Japanese government said the number of babies born last year dropped below 700,000 for the first time since record-keeping began in 1899.
15 years earlier than predicted, the health ministry said there were 686,061 births to Japanese nationals in 2024.
That's down 41,227 from the previous year. The number has fallen for nine years in a row. The National Institute of Population and Social Security Research had estimated that the figure would drop to the 680,000 level 15 years later in 2039. The ministry says the number of children a woman is expected to have during her lifetime fell to a record low of 1.15 last year, down 0.05 points from 2023. The ministry attributed the decline in births to a smaller population of childbearing age and a tendency to marry and have children later in life. It expressed a sense of crisis about the situation and said it would continue with measures to stem the decline.
Mongolian prime minister resigns after son's luxury life prompted protests
The Mongolian prime minister has resigned after his son's luxury lifestyle set off public anger and protests that brought down his government. Local media reported that Lofsunam Shran Oyang Erdan stepped down after he lost a confidence vote in parliament on Tuesday.
He first took power in 2021 and has led a coalition government since last July.
Street protests began in the capital, Ulaanbaatar, this May after his son's lavish lifestyle drew criticism on social media. Viral photos included those of the son proposing to his girlfriend at an upscale resort exclusively reserved for them.
Protesters, many of them young, called for the prime minister's resignation and a disclosure of his personal assets.
Mongolian President Ukhna Hoel Suk reportedly urged parliament before the vote to honor citizens' calls for justice. After losing Tuesday's vote, Oyane Erdene said it was an honor to serve the country and people in difficult times. He will remain as a caretaker prime minister until his successor is named within 30 days.
BizDesk
Now let's see what's happening in the world of business. Here's Jin Ohtani from The BizDesk.
Thanks, Miki. In our top business story this hour.
Trump to double steel, aluminum tariffs to 50%
The US doubled additional tariffs on steel and aluminum imports to 50% from Wednesday.
President Donald Trump announced the higher levies on Friday during a rally at a US steel plant in Pennsylvania. He said the move will further secure the future of the steel industry and the United States. Trump signed the order on Tuesday. However, imports of the metals from the UK will not be affected by the higher duties after the two countries agreed to a trade deal last month. The Trump administration had already imposed a 25% additional tariff on steel and aluminum on March 12. The European Union has criticized the higher duties, saying the move undermines ongoing efforts to reach a negotiated solution. The EU has indicated it may respond with countermeasures.
Musk calls Trump's budget bill 'disgusting abomination'
Elon Musk has slammed Trump's signature tax cut and spending bill, calling it, quote, a disgusting abomination. Musk had been tasked with finding and cutting waste in the federal bureaucracy until he left the post late last month.
The bill has passed the House of Representatives. It includes extending personal tax cuts implemented in Trump's first term. It also exempts. Taxes on tips and overtime pay earned by restaurant workers. Musk has described the package on X as a massive, outrageous, pork-filled congressional spending bill. He called that the bill is in that that the bill, in his words, will massively increase the already gigantic budget deficit and burn American citizens with crushingly unsustainable debt. The White House dismissed the comments.
The president already knows where Elon Musk stood on this bill. It doesn't change the president's opinion. This is one big, beautiful bill, and he's sticking to it.
Musk formerly headed the US Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE, as a special government employee with a limited term.
This is not the first time he has spoken out on the bill. He said in an interview last month that it undermines the work that the DOGE team was doing.
US promotes Alaska LNG to Asia as trade deficit fix
Officials from Japan and other Asian nations attended a government briefing in Alaska on a planned liquefied natural gas project in the region.
The administration of President Trump is urging the countries to invest in the venture as a means to reduce their trade surpluses with the US.
The $44 billion project aims to pump natural gas from Prudhoe Bay in northern Alaska to the southern part of the state through a 1,300-kilometer pipeline. It will then be converted into LNG for export by ship to Asia. Representatives from South Korea and Taiwan also flew in for the briefing on Monday. Energy Secretary Chris Wright, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, and Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy were the senior officials attending for the US. Burgum stressed the importance of the project.
Energy is the foundation of our economy. It's the foundation of of prosperity for our country. It's also the foundation of prosperity for our allies. And when we can have enough energy for ourselves and then sell energy to our friends and allies, they don't have to buy it from our adversaries.
Washington has indicated that countries investing or buying the LNG could reduce their surpluses with the US to help ease current trade conflicts.
The state hopes to start construction of the Alaska LNG project in 2026 and begin production in 2031. However, potential investors have raised concerns about cost overruns and the fate of the venturepost the Trump administration.
Swiss-made watches
Swiss-made watches have a global fan base, and the industry is a pillar of the country's economy. The US is the biggest market for the timepieces, but that is turning into a liability due to President Trump's tariff policy. NHK World's Donovan Raynal has more.
One of the world's largest annual trade fairs from wristwatchers took place in April in Switzerland.
Luxury brands used the event to unveil new models, and it attracts 10s of thousands of visitors and buyers from all around the globe.
You really cannot replace handling and touching and holding the new products. You just can't do that virtually.
Watches are Switzerland's third largest export. Around 17% go to the United States, making it the largest market in value terms.
When Trump announced a 31% tariff on Swiss products in April, watchmakers scrambled to ship more products to the US before the levees hit.
We were expecting tariffs on Europe. But we didn't see a levy this steep coming.
Sales of luxury watches in the US will fall.
The tariffs are the latest body blow to the Swiss watch industry. It was hit hard by the COVID pandemic and sales in mainland China and Hong Kong plunged last year amid consumer concerns about the economy.
I think the number of people that are interested. are have have reduced, and this is probably due to some economic factors. Let's say you have 50 people being interested in one particular watch, whereas now you might be looking at half that amount.
This has hit production at Swiss watchmakers. La Chaux de Fond in the northwest is known for its watchmaking industry. It is registered as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site. This maker of wash parts started their business in this town over 100 years ago. The company rebuilt its factory four years ago in anticipation of a post COVID bounce back in demand, but it is now operating at about 70% of capacity. Many shelves for finished products are empty due to the fall in China sales.
Demand from our clients began slowing down around the fall in 2023.
This worsened in the summer of last year.
Now it's a clear-cut slump.
The firm laid off 70 of its 400 employees as sales began to slow, but the business outlook is now worse because of the US import tariffs.
First, it was China's economic downturn.
Now US trade measures have triggered a global trade war affecting all countries.
I don't see an end in sight to this.
Switzerland runs a large trade surplus with the US, which will make for tough negotiations to lower or eliminate the import levies. For the Swiss watch industry, the outcome of the talks will be crucial. Donovan Raynal, NHK World.
That's a look at business news. Miki, I'm going to hand it back to you.
All right, Gene, thank you very much.
World Expo pavilion tackles gender gap, inspires women
Now, gender inequality has long been a pervasive problem in Japan. A recent report by the World Economic Forum put the country far behind its G7 counterparts. Now, one World Expo pavilion is trying to tackle the issue.
NHK World's Fujita Kyoko has more.
Among the different sights and sounds of the Expo, Japan's Women's Pavilion is unique. It showcases the lives of female activists and data on gender inequality. The goal is to openly discuss the problem while encouraging women to push forward.
When I think about how I want to live my life, I think I gained some more courage.
I think this exhibition can change people's minds a little. I think it has a great significance in that sense.
It's the reaction architect Nagayama Yuko was hoping for. She had previously designed the Japan Pavilion's facade at the Dubai Expo. She repurposed it to build the women's pavilion in a sustainable way.
It's like a dream that the pavilion really came to life.
But not everyone understood why it was necessary. She said some questioned whether there should be a women's pavilion at all.
Some said things like, Well, there's no men's pavilion, so why is there a women's one?Those people probably aren't aware of the problems women are facing. They think, If someone doesn't excel, that's on them. That may be the reason for Japan's low gender gap ranking. I hope this expo can promote a change in our future society.
Nagayama was committed to working with other women to bring the pavilion to life. She met one of the construction industry's few female managers who helped build it.
I believe this pavilion will make you think of the life you want to pursue. The exhibit spotlights women who did just that. One message is from Japanese sushi chef Miyoshi Fumiye. For those hesitating to chase their dreams, she gave these words of advice.
Make a commitment. Don't lie to yourself. Keep going and follow through.
Miyoshi runs a high-end sushi restaurant in Tokyo's Ginza district.
But it's not how she imagined her career would go.
At 28, she chose to start a new path as a sushi apprentice. But many thought being a sushi chef was a man's job.
With few women in the industry, Miyoshi says it wasn't easy to break through the stereotype.
Those around me, including customers, would look at me like she's going to quit soon anyway. They didn't treat me like an apprentice. Some probably just couldn't stand a woman workingthere.
Now, Miyoshi has her own apprentice. Over time, she says people started to judge her by her work, not her gender.
She hopes more women will try to chase their dreams without the hurdles she had to face.
Even if there's a storm of criticism, if you power through, at some point things will change. People will praise you. The ones who are watching will truly see you. You're not alone.
The idea of a truly equal society is part of the future these women want to see, here in Japan and beyond. Fujita Kyoko NHK World.
the world weather
Let's check out the world weather with our meteorologist Jonathan Ohh. So Jonathan, we went from a cool, drenching wet Tuesday to a sunny, hot and dry Wednesday in Tokyo. How are things looking for the rest of the week?
Hello, we are seeing a bit of a swing between wet and dry weather, cloudy and sunny weather and it looks like that we're going to be on the side of more drier weather as you go through the rest of this week before we swing back into cloudier and possibly wetter and even slightly cooler weather as we head into next week. Looking at what's happening here, Tokyo saw a high of 28.4 degrees on Wednesday over in Miyazaki 31.2 degrees, which is the hottest this year for that particular location. Here's a look at some video, now we're talking about heat and you're like video like we know what he kind of looks like or doesn't look like. But I mean what the point is people out and about and they're having to take the measures to try to stay cool like drinking water, eating ice cream and things like that. Because we saw these big chains arriving Wednesday with the sunny weather bringing summer like heat to much of western central Japan, with central Tokyo about 10 degrees higher on Wednesday compared to Tuesday. Now these highs that are going to be floating with a 30 degree mark with sunny skies continuing in many areas toward the end of the week before cloudy and rainy weather returns. So we've got the frontal boundary that's moving down toward the South and these with a low pressure of screening across the north as a Hokkaido.
You're going to be seeing more of a cloudy and wetter pattern, and then once that pushes away, you're also going to be jumping up in terms of the temperatures as high pressure moves in behind there.
So like I mentioned, close to 40 with 30 degrees in Tokyo on Thursday, Friday into Saturday before Sunday, we'll see clouds moving in and temperatures dropping off to what's actually more normal for this time of year. Sapporo also seeing mid 20s and 30 degrees in Osaka and Naha as we head into the latter part of the week.
We brought out the view the rainy season front does extend back toward the southern portions of China, so showers from Hong Kong into type with highs in the upper 20s. As you go through Thursday.
Meanwhile, we're seeing more heavy rain. Flash flood concerns have been in place for the past day or so, and that'll continue to be the case for the central and southeastern portion of the United States as you see the low pressure pushing through and moving toward the east. So make sure you pay attention as you go through Wednesday.
Hope you have a good day wherever you are.
♫～
That's NHK Newsline for this hour. I'm Yamamoto Miki in Tokyo. Thank you for joining us.
