at 18:00 (JST), April 30

 

20250430180000_english_1.mp3

Welcome back to NHK Newsline. Here's the latest we have for you at this hour.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to speak with his Indian and Pakistani counterparts in a bid to ease rising tensions. This follows a deadly terrorist attack in Indian-controlled Kashmir last week.
State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce told reporters on Tuesday a phone conversation will take place in the coming days.

He is encouraging other national leaders, other foreign ministers, to also reach out to the countries on this issue.

Tension has been mounting since gunmen opened fire on a group of tourists in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir on April 22.
26 people were killed. India and Pakistan have each taken retaliatory measures. Both countries claim the Kashmir region. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with his defense minister and senior military officials on Tuesday. He gave the military complete operational freedom to respond to the attack. A Pakistani cabinet minister said on social media the country has credible intelligence that India intends to take military action against Pakistan.
He said it could happen in the next 24 to 36 hours.

Pakistan reiterates that any such military adventurism by India would be responded to assuredly and decisively.

In 2019, India crossed the de facto border in Kashmir and conducted an air raid in retaliation for a suicide attack.

Water from a broken pipe has flooded a major road in Kyoto in Japan. City officials believe aging infrastructure is to blame. A passerby reported that the Takakura intersection in the city's Shimogyo Ward was underwater at around 3:30 AM on Wednesday. City officials say water was gushing from the 30 centimeter diameter pipe.
The Water Supply and Sewerage Bureau says it dispatched workers to replace the aging pipe. The officials are warning that murky water could contaminate tap water for more than 6000 buildings and houses, 6 trucks. We're providing clean water to residents and businesses.

We cannot wash food items without water. I hope it will be restored as soon as possible. Police say traffic was congested on roads in the area.

People are marking 50 years since the end of the Vietnam War. The war pitted communist North Vietnam against the US backed South and ended with the fall of Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam.
Earlier, I spoke with NHK World's Dhira Dhirakaosal, who told me what's happening in what is now called Ho Chi Minh City.

The city is in a festive and excited mood. People from all over the country and beyond have gathered here to celebrate the anniversary of the reunification of a country once divided.
Thousands of people, including top officials from the Communist Party and the government, attended a commemorative ceremony. It took place in front of the former presidential palace of South Vietnam. The country's top leader and the party's general secretary, Tho Lam, stressed the party's achievements after the war. The ceremony was followed by a parade that included many Vietnamese troops marching through the main street.
And the celebrations are not limited to official venues. The billboards behind me show words like peace and independence, with the date April 30. We can find messages like these in almost every corner of the city. We have also just spoken to some citizens.

As a Vietnamese, I'm going out to the streets to see how people in the country live in peace, and then I will celebrate with my family at home.

I hope our children will live in peace for a long time, not only in Vietnam, but in the region and in the world.

Well, I can't see how people in Vietnam have really been anticipating today, but this is also the anniversary of the end of a horrific war. How are they reflecting on the past?

The war has definitely left deep scars on people. On this day of celebration, Vietnamese citizens are also reaffirming the peace they have today was built on an enormous cost. The war escalated and bogged down after the US intervened out of fear communism would expand. It staged large-scale bombings against North Vietnam, and the fighting engulfed the entire country. The US withdrew its forces amid a growing anti-war movement.
The war may have ended with the North's victory, but more than 3 million people in Vietnam are said to have been killed.
Now, more than 70% of the population were born after the war. The people I spoke to from younger generations said that even though they didn't live through the war, they have learned a lot from their parents and elders about the past. But they also say they are looking forward to the future. Vietnam is now one of Asia's growth centers, and Ho Chi Minh City is a bustling metropolis. The country restored diplomatic ties with the US 30 years ago, and their economic and security ties continue to deepen. With the memory of the devastating war and the footsteps of reconstruction in people's minds, the commemorations continue throughout the day.

Canada has voted to keep the Liberal Party in power in the country's federal election. It means Prime Minister Mark Carney will stay on amid threats from the United States. Canada's election agency says the Liberals have won at least 169 seats, falling just short of a majority. Trump's tariffs and his remarks undermining Canadian sovereignty were major issues throughout the campaign.

When I sit down with President Trump,It will be to discuss the future economic and security relationship between two sovereign nations.

Carney took office in March, replacing outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. He previously served as the governor of two central banks in both Canada and the UK. Earlier, I spoke with NHK World's Laura Marchand for her insight into the election.
So, Laura. As a Canadian journalist, were you surprised by the result?

So yes and no. A few months ago I would have said this was impossible. Back in January, the Conservatives were leading by 20 points.
Actually, they'd been leading for over two years and they were really riding on this question of affordability. So the cost of living, housing, they successfully said the Liberals have been in power for about 10 years now.
This happened under their watch, and we will be the party of change. So everyone thought they were a shoo-in to win the next election. But then several things happened. So look at these numbers. You can see how far ahead the Conservatives were. And then Trudeau announced he'll resign. Trump also began making these threats to make Canada the 51st state and slapped these huge tariffs on the country. That's when the conversation really shifted. In the end, the liberals wound up going into this race as the favorites. So in that sense, we can't say this was a huge surprise, but it's just such a departure from where we were just a few months ago.

Well, obviously, Trump and the tariffs loomed over this election. Can you break down what kind of difference they made?

Yeah, so Trump's threat to make Canada a state, it sparked this wave of Canadian patriotism. And I've never seen anything like it. People were boycotting American goods in stores or canceling their vacations to the United States.
Some even bought this patriotic merchandise that they were wearing around the town. People really rallied together, and it happened in really unexpected places, too. So I'm from Montreal. That's in Quebec, Canada's Francophone province. And people in Quebec generally don't consider themselves Canadians as much as they consider themselves Quebecois. But even there, there was this uptick in patriotism. And Carney was really able to tap into that. His campaign focused on the threat from the United States. And he leaned on his experience running those central banks. He said, I am the best man to take on Trump. And that really resonated with voters.

So many times that you can hear, you know, 51st state and governor this and all that disrespect that's coming that you have to think, you know, at some point you have to take it seriously.

I believe that he's the right person to run our country against a lot of volatile situations right now, considering the states and Trump.

Some people told me they don't normally vote liberal, but did this time.
Considering everything with Trump, they said they wanted to give the liberals a majority. That didn't happen, but they did get close. But that kind of thinking is what helped propel the liberals to this victory. On the other hand, the conservatives kind of struggled to pivot to that new reality. Pierre Poiliev, the leader, he arguably took a lot of pages out of Trump's playbook. He talked about wanting to tackle woke ideology, and one of his campaign slogans was Canada First, which obviously sounds a little similar to Trump's America First. So that backfired when many Canadians saw Trump in him.
And, you know, credit where it's due, the Conservatives did win more seats than last time, but Polyev actually lost his own seat to a Liberal. So their message clearly resonated with some Canadians, just not enough.

So now, with the election's over, where does Canada head from here?

Well, for decades, the US has been Canada's largest trading partner. Now that the election's over, negotiations will likely follow. But Carney says, going forward, it's not going to be business as usual.

Our old relationship with the United States, a relationship based on steadily increasing integration,Is over, but it's also our new reality.

He also said Canada needs new trade corridors with reliable partners. And I think there's a growing sense that Canadians doubt if the US is reliable anymore. You know, when Carney first came into office, his first foreign trip was to the UK and France, and that's unusual. Canadian prime ministers usually go to Washington first, so he's definitely looking towards Europe. So we'll have to see what he can get done, considering he is leading a minority government.

The US president touted his achievements regarding illegal immigration and tariffs as he celebrated a milestone of his second term, 100 days in office.

We're here tonight in the heartland of our nation to celebrate the most successful first 100 days of any administration in the history of our country. Week by week, we're ending illegal immigration. We're taking back our jobs.

Donald Trump also referred to efforts to reduce the federal workforce and review government programs. He held his rally in a suburb of Detroit, the center of the country's auto industry. He expressed dissatisfaction over the high number of imported Japanese cars.

We love Japan. We don't want them building them in Japan. We want them to build them here.

Trump's additional tariffs on imported cars have prompted concerns. He claims the move will help bring investment and jobs back to the US and protect American industry.
Now for more business stories, we go to Ramin Mellegaard.

Thank you very much indeed. Now US President Donald Trump says he wants to see a revival of auto manufacturing in America, but his new tariffs threatened to raise the price of parts that car makers need.
So he's relaxing some of the levies to give companies more time to move production back home.
Trump says his 25% tariffs on imported vehicles will remain in place, but he says the government will reimburse car makers for some of the money they pay for foreign parts.

We just wanted to help them during this little transition, short term, and during this little, if they can't get parts, you know, it has to do with a very small percentage. If they can't get parts, we didn't want to penalize them.

The offset will be offered for two years. Years in the first, it'll be the equivalent of 3.75% of the sticker price of domestic cars. That will drop to 2.5% in the second and will be phased out in the third. The administration hopes the change will push companies to make auto parts in the US.
Now Trump imposed the 25% tariffs on foreign made cars earlier this month.
They will be expanded to include parts by Saturday. Executives of major automakers have been voicing concerns. They say the tariffs could raise prices, reduce sales, and make US production less competitive around the world.

And Japan's top tariffs negotiator is on his way to Washington for a second round of talks. Economic Revitalization Minister Akazawa Ryosei took off from Tokyo's Haneda Airport on Wednesday morning. Akazawa is due to meet US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Thursday in Washington. The talks are expected to focus on narrowing down topics for detailed discussion.

My ultimate goal is to reach an agreement which benefits both Japan and the United States. I'm determined to move the discussions forward, even if only marginally.

Akazawa is likely to continue pressing the US side to rethink its tariff measures.
He hopes to convince the Trump administration that further investment from Japan will benefit the US economy.
Akazawa will also take up the administration's demand that Japan increase imports of autos and agricultural products. He'll convey Japan's stance while determining the US negotiating position. Trump has said that the US is very close to striking a deal with Japan, but Japanese government officials are skeptical. Some question his grounds for asserting that and wonder if it was intended for the domestic audience.

And US Treasury Secretary Scott Besson says Japan and South Korea are eager to reach trade agreements because they both have elections on the horizon.
I think from our talks that these governments actually want to have the framework of a trade deal done before they go into elections to show that they have successfully negotiated with the United States. So we are finding that they are actually much more keen to come to the table, get this done, and then go home and campaign on it.

Bessent also says the US is very close to striking an agreement with India. He says India is easier to negotiate with because it places high tariffs on a wide range of products, and this makes it possible to hold straightforward negotiations. He says that stands in contrast to many other countries with non-tariff trade barriers, because those are more insidious and harder to detect.

And China's manufacturing activity in April fell below the boom or bust line for the first time in three months, reflecting the escalating trade war between Beijing and Washington.
China's National Bureau of Statistics says the April purchasing managers index dipped to 49, a drop of 1.5 points from March. Figures above 50 indicate expansion, while those below a contraction. The Bureau surveyed 3,200 manufacturers. Now, exports fell as Beijing and Washington slapped new tariffs on each other's products, making firms increasingly cautious. The index came short of 50 for all size categories of companies. It was 49.2 for large businesses, 48.8 for mid-sized firms, and 48.7 for smaller operations. The index for non-manufacturers, which includes the service sector, fell 0.4 points to 50.4. China's government has pledged to boost domestic demand, but it faces significant challenges in developing effective measures because of the prolonged slump in the real estate industry and property prices.

Japanese companies are lowering earnings forecasts for the fiscal year as they factor in the cost of additional import tariffs imposed by the US.
Construction machinery maker Komatsu says operating profit for the year through March 2026 is expected to fall by more than 94 billion yen or $662 million. It says sales may decline about 52 billion yen, which is the equivalent of $365 million. Komatsu says the tariffs introduced by President Donald Trump will push up the costs. of imported machinery at its US subsidiary. Now, about 50% of the company's products sold in the US are imported. Hitachi Construction Machinery repeats the theme, saying the tariffs could lower operating profit by 30 billion yen or $210 million. The company's North America business accounted for 23% of total sales in fiscal 2024.
Officials say they will need to raise prices and reduce costs.
Electronics giant Hitachi says it's cutting its net profit forecast for the year ahead by about 35 billion yen, or $245 million. However, despite lowering his forecast, Hitachi still expects to book a record net profit of 710 billion yen, or $5 billion. That'st hanks to a strong outlook for its infrastructure operations and others. Hitachi says it will dilute the effects of the US import tariffs by focusing on buying materials and manufacturing products within the areas where they will be sold.

And Japan's industrial production fell for the first time in two months in March, partly due to a decline in passenger car output.
The industry ministry says the industrial production index slipped 1.1% from the previous month. Ten of the 15 industries surveyed posted a decline. The index for the automobile industry was down nearly 6% due to a drop in the production of vehicles for export.
General and commercial machinery also fell 5% due to lower production of conveyors used at domestic facilities. Meanwhile, the index for fiscal 2024 ended in March slid 1.6% from 2023, marking a decline for the third straight year.

And Toyota Motor says it has reached a preliminary agreement with US firm Waymo to collaborate in the development and deployment of self driving technologies.
Waymo is a subsidiary of Google parent Alphabet. Japan's biggest automaker aims to improve the autonomous technology of its commercial vehicles through the tie up. Waymo plans to employ Toyota cars in its self-driving taxi service. It has already started such services in some areas in the US, including San Francisco. It also began gathering information on road environments and map data in Tokyo this month in cooperation with a Japanese taxi operator. Toyota is aiming to speed up the development and popularization of self-driving technologies. It has been working together with US semiconductor giant Nvidia and Japan's leading telecom firm NTT.
Global competition is revving up in the field. Tesla plans to start a self-driving taxi service as early as June. And Japan's Nissan Motor hopes to get a mobility service on the road in fiscal 2027.

OK, let's get a check on the markets.

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And that's it for Business News. I'm going to hand it back to you.

Thanks, Ramin.

North Korea says its leader Kim Jong-un attended combat readiness tests of weapon systems mounted on its recently launched destroyer. The country's state media reported on Wednesday that Kim observed the testing of cruise missiles and weapon systems on the destroyer Chaehyung.
The vessel was launched earlier this month. Kim reportedly said the time has come to accelerate the Navy's nuclear armament in order to defend the state and maritime sovereignty. State media said North Korea test-fired supersonic cruise missiles and strategic cruise missiles on Monday. They also said ship-to-ship tactical guided weapons and other systems were tested on Tuesday. They noted Kim highly praised the systems. North Korea says the Chaehyun is a new type of destroyer. Pyongyang describes it as a 5,000-ton class multi-purpose vessel that can carry ballistic missiles.

The North's military has also been busy supporting Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Now, a new report says its soldiers may enter the battlefield in areas beyond Russia. The troops took part in operations to reclaim territory in Kursk, where Ukrainian forces have been staging cross-border incursions. Russian news agency Interfax reports it's possible for North Korean soldiers to take part in combat operations in other regions after Kursk is liberated.
It attributes that information to the head of the State Duma's Defense Committee, Andrei Kartopolov.
Kartopolov reportedly suggests that a final decision would rest with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Kartopolov said that North Korean troops have completed their tasks and are preparing for other ones, and that details will be made clear later. He also reportedly commented on the Victory Day military parade, slated for next week. It commemorates the Soviet Union's defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II.
Interfax quotes Karta Pole office saying that it would be right if the North Korean military participates.

And now let's have a check of the weather with our meteorologist, Jonathan Oh. So Jonathan, it was a bright, clear and very warm day here in Tokyo Wednesday. Will this last for the rest of the work week?

Hello, we had a bit of a Spring summer like day depends on how you define as it was quite warm in Tokyo as temperatures are moving into the mid 20s But it was overall a dry day from Hokkaido down toward Okinawa and and that might be the case for the day at least part of the day on Thursday except for the western portion of Japan. When we see a low pressure system moving in that's going to help introduce the possibility of some showers So on Thursday in Fukuoka into Friday, we'll see That'll spread toward the east into Osaka, Tokyo, even into Sapporo as another low toward the north impacts the forecast. And as we head into what's considered a longer holiday weekend, as the national holiday set takes place from Saturday into Tuesday, looks like we'll be starting off with some wet weather in Sapporo from Tokyo to Fukuoka, starting off with ooh quite warm temperatures here as we go through on Saturday up to 27 in Fukuoka as we go into the weekend.
Meanwhile, we're talking about some strong severe thunderstorms. Once again, we had the system earlier this week move its way across the plains into the Great Lakes over to Northeast. But the South tail end still kind of stuck back here into the plains causes a problems. Here's some video coming out of Missouri where these storms ended up packing some lightning, hail and gusts, possible tornadoes as well. In the Midwest on Tuesday, severe weather impacted Springfield, the third largest city in Missouri, damaging homes and businesses, including a small private airport. Over 140 kilometer per hour winds were observed near the city and thousands of customers were left without power as gusts end up taking down some trees in the process as well. As you can see right there, looking at this low down toward the plain stays strong to even severe conditional possibilities for Oklahoma into Texas. And so keep an eye to the sky. As we go through today on Wednesday, looking at the forecast here, thunderstorms from Oklahoma City into Houston highs in the 20 showers into Chicago and Atlanta near 30 degrees as we go through today on Wednesday.
That's the forecast. Hope you have a good day wherever you are.

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And that's all we have for this edition of NHK Newsline. We'll have more for you soon. Thank you very much for joining us.

at 18:00 (JST), April 29 /EJ/LM

20250429180000_english_1.mp3

 Welcome to NHK Newsline. I'm Ramin Malegaard in Tokyo.

Japan's Prime Minister Ishima Shigeru has arrived in the Philippines on the second leg of a Southeast Asian trip. He will meet with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and is likely to discuss security issues. Ishiba left Vietnam and arrived in the Philippines on Tuesday. He's first scheduled to meet with people of Japanese descent, whose fathers were Japanese and mothers were from the Philippines. Many of these people were left behind in the confusion of World War II and have often been marginalized since.
Ishiba and Marcos are expected to discuss China's increasing maritime assertiveness in the East and South China Seas. They're likely to agree on opposing attempts to change the status quo unilaterally by force or coercion, and to boost security cooperation. One plan is to start talks towards an agreement on the provision of supplies and services between Japan's self-defense forces and the Philippine military. The two leaders are also expected to discuss. The possible impact of US tariff policy on the global economy, as well as the multilateral free trade system.

Two family members of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea have left for the United States. They are seeking support from President Donald Trump's administration for an early resolution of the issue.
Yokota Takuya and Izuka Koichiro will stay in Washington until May 3rd.
They plan to meet US government officials and lawmakers of both chambers of Congress. Yokota Takuya is the younger brother of Yokota Megumi, who was kidnapped by North Korean agents at the age of 13. Izuka Koichiro's mother, Taguchi Yaeko, was abducted by the North when he was one year old.

We have been asking that all abductees be returned home while their parents are still alive. We regard this as a time limit. We will reiterate to key US officials that we are running out of time. In order to save our family members, strong support from the US is essential, and we will strongly appeal for it. 

In 2018, during his first term, Trump raises the issue of abduction to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at the first ever US-North Korea summit. The abductees' families are asking senior US government officials to support their efforts to bring their loved ones back to Japan as early as possible.
They also want Trump to emphasize the need to resolve the issue if he holds another summit meeting with Kim. The Japanese government has so far recognized 17 citizens as having been abducted by North Korea in the 1970s and 1980s.
Five returned home, but the other 12 are still unaccounted for. The mother of Yokota Megumi, 89 year old Yokota Sakye, is now the only surviving parent of the remaining 12 victims.

And officials from parties to the Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, or N, or the NPT, have gathered in New York to discuss the direction of nuclear disarmament. A UN official called for urgency over the state of nuclear disarmament at the preparatory meeting for next year's review conference of the NPT.

We live in a world of heightened nuclear risks. that the threats posed to the disarmament and non-proliferation regime are not static. They continue to evolve.

Japanese Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi has called for unity.

We are seeing accelerating moves that run counter to the progress of nuclear disarmament or threaten nuclear non-proliferation. Such as a rapid buildup of nuclear capabilities in an opaque manner.

Now Russia lowered its threshold for using nuclear weapons in 2024, and North Korea is pushing forward with nuclear and missile development. You I mentioned that at the past two review conferences, parties failed to adopt outcome documents and the framework for international cooperation, including the NPT faces difficulties. He called for dialogue and cooperation at next year's review conference. Iwaya also referred to Nihon Hidankiyo, a group representing survivors of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki that won the Nobel Peace Prize. He said calls for achieving a world without nuclear weapons are becoming louder than ever, and the NPT must respond.

I have really high expectations that the countries will hold concrete talks and can work on the issue.
Looking at the current situation, it's not clear when the talks will move forward. I hope everyone will hold more discussions and continue next year.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says the Trump administration might strike his first trade deal as early as this week or next week. The administration is engaged in tariff negotiations with its trading partners in a bid to reduce America's trade deficit.

Some of our Asian trading partners have come with very, very good deals. We're evaluating those, and President Trump's going to have the final say on all of them.

Bessent didn't specify which country he thinks will become the first to sign a deal with the US. Now, among those negotiating with the US is Japan. The government plans to send its top negotiator, Akazawa Ryose, for a second round of talks with Bessent in Washington later this week. Akazawa vowed not to back down.

We have been strongly demanding that the Trump administration remove all new tariffs, and there is no change to our stance. That is our main focus, and we will not budge on it.

Akazawa says he's seeking a deal that would be acceptable to both countries by reaching an understanding on investment and other economic initiatives. Akazawa insists that Japan has made massive investments, creating creative jobs for Americans, and has made efforts to reduce the US trade deficit with Japan.

Now, a Japanese earthquake expert has found that high-rise buildings in Bangkok swayed up to 1.6 meters during a massive tremor that hit neighboring Myanmar in March.
Japan's Meteorological Agency earlier pointed out that long period ground motion from the magnitude 7.7 quake shook the high-rises in Thailand's capital, a distance of over 1,000 kilometers from the epicenter. Chiba University professor Maruyama Yoshihisa analyzed data from seismometers set up in Bangkok. As 60-story buildings appeared to have been mostly affected by the jolt, he theorized that the floors in such structures wobbled horizontally by up to 1.6 meters.

I was really surprised that a strong long period ground motion 1000 kilometers from the epicenter caused severe damage.

Long period ground motion involves strong tremors from powerful quakes traveling great distances. Water from rooftop pools on skyscrapers cascaded down onto the streets below.
Maruyama also said that the data from seismometers in Bangkok. Suggests the swing lasted nearly five minutes. 

And those are the top stories for this hour.

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And that's a wrap for this edition of NSK Newsline. I'm Ramin Mellegard. Thank you very much for joining us.

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Hi there. It's time for Easy Japanese from NHK World Japan. I'm Eriko Kojima and I'm Michael Rhys. Let's have fun learning Japanese together.

Today we bring you Lesson 5. On expressions for explaining how you study Japanese.
The main character of our skit is Tam, a student from Vietnam who now lives in Harusan House. Today is her first day of classes at the university. She's been nervous since waking up. Harusan, the robot landlady, notices something's wrong. Listen to the skit for Lesson 5 

Hai, nasiyo deben kyo si master.

Sori nara...
Let's review the skit line by line.
Haru-san speaks to Tam. Tam-san, kyo karagako desne. Tam-san, your school starts today, doesn't it?Tam replies, Ai.
Yes. Haru-san's sensor detects something wrong, and her cheeks start glowing in light blue.
Oh.
What's wrong?Tam replies anxiously.
I'm nervous about my Japanese, Haru-san says.
Tam-san, your Japanese is fine.
Tam humbly replies.
No, it's not good enough. Haru-san asks, You studied it in Vietnam, right? Tam replies, Yes, I study by listening to the radio.
Haru-san reassures her with, Then you'll be okay. Tam was worried about conveying herself in Japanese smoothly. Haru-san senses whenever her residents are having any trouble, and we'll talk them through it.
Today's key phrase is, I studied by listening to the radio.
By learning this pattern, you'll be able to tell people how you study Japanese.
Now, let's review the meaning of this phrase. Rajio is radio. The following de is a particle which indicates the means in this situation. Benkyo shimashita is a verb meaning I studied. In our previous lesson, we learned that when you want to say what you're going to do, you use verbs in the masu form. That means those that end with masu. But in today's skit, the verb ended with mashita.
Right. O Here's the difference.
Today's point changing the. end of the masu form of a verb from masu to mashita expresses something you did in the past. The past form of I'm going to study, benkyou shimasu, is benkyou shimashita.
By the way, in today's key phrase, the subject watashi-wa and the object nihongo have been omitted because they're clear from the context. Okay, are you ready to give it a try?Listen and repeat.
OK. Were you able to say it well? Now, let's listen to a conversation about how someone studied Japanese. If you travel to Japan and see a few words in Japanese, you might be asked this question.
Huh Nihongo doyatebenkyo shimashita? Now, here it is, part by part.
Ah, nihongo. Oh, Japanese. Ah, meaning oh, expresses surprise.
Nihongo is Japanese.
Doyate benkyo shimashita ka?How did you study?Doyate is an interrogative, meaning how.
Benkyo shimashita is studied.
By adding the particle ka at the end and raising the intonation, it becomes a question.
Intanetto de benki oshimashita. I studied online. Try saying it after the question.
Do ya te benki oshimashita ka? Intanetto de benki oshimashita.
Intanetto de benki oshimashita.
Try a few more ways. What would you say if you studied by watching anime? Anime is anime.
Anime. Now give it a try.
Anime de benkyo shimasata.
Anime de benkyo shimasata.
Today's bonus phrase is what Tam said when she was told her Japanese is good.
Memorize it and make it yours.
Ie, mada, mada desu. Ie, mada, mada desu. No, it's not good enough is a humble expression you can use when someone praises you. Iye means no. Now, listen again and repeat.
Iye, mada, mada desu.
Good, I'm sure you did fine.
Okay, let's listen to today's skit one more time.
.
.
.
And that brings us to Harusan's bag full of advice. Today, expressions of humility.
Now, Mike, I have a quiz for you. Okay.
If someone compliments you saying your Japanese is good,How should you answer? Choose one of these three options.
Number one, thank you very much.
Number two, no, it's not good enough.
Number three, yes, I studied at the university. Well, I'd say... Well, number one, thank you very much. Arigato gozaimasu. Being complimented feels good, I know, but most Japanese people would answer. No, it's not good enough, or iye madamada desu in cases like this. Okay, I guess they're just being humble. That's right. Japanese has lots of humble expressions. For example, even when you've prepared a table full of delicacies, you tell your guests, We have nothing but this. Oh, really?Is that so?Mm-hmmLearning humble expressions will boost your Japanese skills.
We hope you enjoyed today's Easy Japanese and join us again next time.

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Japan has various kinds of landmarks that fascinate visitors. They range from cultural and historic locations to modern buildings created with cutting-edge technologies. What led to their creation and what were the challenges involved?The backstory of Japanese landmarks brings you the stories behind these amazing places. In this episode of the Backstory of Japanese Landmarks, we feature the world's tallest broadcast tower, Tokyo Skytree.
Tokyo Skytree is 634 meters tall. Other landmarks, such as the Tokyo Tower and Paris's Eiffel Tower, have wide bases. But Tokyo Skytree is slim and more like a spire.
Its color, named Skytree White, is based on the lightest shade of Japanese indigo blue. The tower can be seen from a great distance, but when people first see it, some think its form is rather simple.
Tokyo Skytree was built using state-of-the-art Japanese technology, but that's not all. Traditional skills, respected and handed down over generations of craftspeople, also played a vital role in its construction.
The base of Tokyo Skytree is triangular in shape when seen from above. This was designed to let people enter from the three sides of the surrounding areas.
Meanwhile, the two observation decks at the heights of 350 meters and 450 meters are round. and offer a 360 degree panoramic view.
This means the cross-section of the tower's base is a triangle, but becomes round toward the top.
Looking more carefully, Tokyo Skytree's outline is not made of straight lines.
The lines are actually slightly curved.
Depending where the tower is viewed from, some parts of the tower warp inwards, while other parts bulge outwards.
This comes from traditional Japanese architecture. The inward warp is called sori, or the outward curve is called mukuri. Tokyo Skytree's towering outline is a combination of sori and mukuri. A particularly important feature of Tokyo Skytree is its earthquake resistance.
The tower's construction began in 2008. Three years later, in 2011, a massive earthquake struck eastern Japan. After overcoming a number of challenges posed by the disaster, the tower was completed in 2012 Tokyo Skytree has an outer frame and an inner column. The two are structurally detached. During an earthquake, the column acts as a weight and moves in the opposite direction as the outer frame.
This reduces the impact of tremors.
This anti-seismic structure was inspired by a traditional Japanese structure, the five-story pagoda.
Five-story pagodas of Buddhist temples have a column at the center, similar to Tokyo Skytree. Due to their excellent quake resistance, there are no records of any wooden pagodas collapsing in an earthquake in Japan's history.
Japan's oldest five-story pagoda is in Horyuji Temple in Nara, built more than 1,400 years ago. The wisdom of ancient people lives on in today's advanced technologies.
Thank you for tuning in to the backstory of Japanese landmarks. We hope you have a chance to visit these landmarks and see for yourself what makes them so special.

at 18:00 (JST), April 28

20250428180000_english_1.mp3

 Glad to have you with us on NHK Newsline. I'm Yuko Fukushima.

An international group of journalists released a survey on the cross-border repression of Chinese dissidents. They claims Beijing is targeting those speaking out overseas.
International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, or ICIJ, released the report Monday. It says it interviewed 105 victims in 23 countries and regions.
The ICIJ says it includes political dissidents from mainland China and Hong Kong, as well as Uighur and Tibetan minorities. The respondents said they were followed and threatened. Some say there were attempts to hack their devices. Half said the harassment extended to family back home who were intimidated and interrogated by police.
The report says the methods are allegedly consistent with investigative guidelines they say they found in internal Chinese government documents. The Chinese embassy in Washington rejected the allegations.
It said they are groundless and fabricated by those who want to slander China.

Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru and his Vietnamese counterpart have agreed to strengthen security ties amid growing regional uncertainty. They also vowed to work together to overcome the impact of US President Donald Trump's tariffs.
Ishiba is visiting Vietnam as part of a two-nation tour of Southeast Asia.

We'd like to work to realize a free and open Indo-Pacific and strengthen relations between Japan and Vietnam.

Ishiba said he would listen to Vietnam on how to respond to the Trump tariffs, as the issue affects many Japanese businesses operating in the country.
The two also exchanged views on the East and South China Seas, where China is increasing its maritime activities. They agreed to strengthen security ties by launching a framework for discussions between their foreign affairs and defense officials. The inaugural meeting will be held in Japan later this year. They exchanged views on regional issues, including North Korea's nuclear and missile development and deepening military ties with Russia. They also discussed Myanmar, which was devastated by a massive earthquake last month. Ishiba said after the talks that Vietnam is a country with great geopolitical importance and Japan must work with it to contribute to regional stability and prosperity.

US President Donald Trump has commented positively about his recent meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Vatican. It was their first face-to-face talk since their meeting in February at the White House ended in a heated argument.

I think the meeting went well. We'll see what happens over the next few days. We'll probably learn a lot.

Trump described Zelenskyy as calmer and said he thinks the Ukrainian president wants to make a deal. Trump also referred to Russian drone and missile attacks on Ukraine that occurred while ceasefire talks were underway.

Russia had been surprised and disappointed, very disappointed that they did the bombing of those places after discussions.

Asked if he would act to punish Russia, Trump said he was not looking to do it, but that he has a lot of options.

North Korea has confirmed for the first time that leader Kim Jong-un made the decision to send troops to fight for Russia in the conflict with Ukraine.
This comes from a statement by the ruling party's military commission carried on state-run media on Monday. It said North Korean soldiers had joined the fighting in the western Russian region of Kursk against cross-border incursions by Ukrainian forces. The statement said the troops had helped liberate the Russian territory and that their participation was basedon a strategic partnership treaty between Pyongyang and Moscow.
There was also a comment attributed to Kim. He referred to a monument of battle feats being erected in Pyongyang and flowers placed before the tombstones of fallen soldiers. This was taken to be confirmation of North Korean casualties in the fighting. 

The militaries of the US and the Philippines have, for the first time, conducted drone interception exercises on the South China Sea. The shoot-down exercises take place on the western part of the Philippine island of Luzon on Sunday. It was part of joint drills by the two countries involving more than 14,000 personnel. In the anti-drone exercises, the US military deployed a new mobile air defense system developed to shoot down drones flying at low altitudes. Reporters were invited to observe this being done by vehicles equipped with an autocannon and Stinger anti-aircraft missiles. The US military says the drills are also coordinated with the Philippine military's surface-to-air missile system.

This was a good step forward as far as integrating both capabilities.

The joint exercises are due to continue until May 9th. Remote islands in the Philippines north, close to Taiwan, are also expected to be the venue for landing training, amid China's increasing maritime activities in the area.

The Swedish Research Institute says last year's world military expenditures topped 2.7 trillion dollars, up 9% from the year before, and the largest single-year increase since 1989. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute says thatWith the conflict in Ukraine in its third year, military spending kept rising across Europe, including Russia.
It says Russia's spending rose 38% to an estimated 149 billion dollars, Ukraine's climb 2.9% to 64.7 billion. The institute says Ukraine shouldered the largest military burden of any country in 2024, as its spending made-up 34% of its gross domestic product. NATO is working to reinforce its deterrence against Russia. The institute says all 32 member countries of the alliance boosted their military spending last year. In Germany, Poland and Sweden, it surged about 30%. The institute says the United States was the largest spender at 997 billion dollars. It rose 5.7% and accounted for nearly 40% of the global total. China came second with an estimated 314 billion, up 7%.
Japan ranked 10th with its defense spending up 21% to 55.3 billion dollars. That's the largest percent increase for a year by the country since 1952.
It warns that governments increasingly prioritizing military security could have significant effects on societies for years to come.
The institute says China's military buildup has influenced the policies of its East Asian neighbors, prompting many to hide spending. The institute also says more than 100 countries around the world raised their military spending in 2024.

Well, Monday marks one month since a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck central Myanmar. In the worsted areas, many people are still having to live outdoors with no sense of when they will next have a proper roof over their heads.

In Mandalay, Myanmar's second largest city, the quake reduced many buildings to rubble. Food and medicine are in short supply.

I can't sleep at home, as I'm scared another quake could hit. I'm reliant on food aid, and I don't know what I'll do if it runs out. 

The country's military junta says the quake left more than 3,700 people dead and destroyed or damaged around 60,000 homes.
In the northwestern region of Zagiing, near the epicenter, ongoing fighting between the military and pro-democracy forces makes the full extent of the damage hard to assess.
Comparing satellite images from before and after the quake shows buildings that have fully collapsed. The yellow dots indicate structures believed to have been damaged.
Just in an area of around 3 square kilometers, there are more than 100.
This 27-year-old man says he fled to Mandalay six months ago to escape fierce fighting in the northern state of Kachin. But the quake claimed the lives of his wife and 18-month-old son.

I want to go back, but it's difficult now. I'm suddenly all alone. Everything's changed.

Over 3.5 million people have been internally displaced by the fighting. For many, the earthquake has dealt them a second low.

My sadness over their deaths hasn't gone away, but there are other people who are suffering even more. I think for now, we need to help each other, but I hope the day will come when we can live in peace again.

Japanese medical workers are taking part in relief efforts. They include Tomabe Chinoriko, who has spent about two weeks working in the worst-hit areas. She's worried that the coming rainy season could cause infectious diseases to spread, but she says some foreign aid workers are already starting to head back to their home countries.

For people affected by the disaster, it doesn't matter if one month, two months, or a whole year have passed. Putting their lives back together is an ongoing process. I hope many people around the world will continue to take an interest in Myanmar.

In areas devastated by the quake, reconstruction still feels a long way off, and residents will need all the help they can get, as he tried to rebuild their lives.

Now let's get to the latest in business. Ramin Mellegard has the details. Ramin.

Thank you very much indeed.
Now, about half of Japan's rice wholesalers say there's been no change in the country's rice shortage, even after the government began releasing national stockpiles in mid-March. NHK questioned 13 members of the National Rice Wholesalers Cooperative Association. It asks about their transactions since the release. Now, seven said there has been no improvement in the recent shortage, just four said the situation has improved. All 13 said their purchase prices haven't fallen or remain nearly the same. Five said they've notified clients, including supermarkets, of plans to raise wholesale prices this month. Some wholesalers said that they're adjusting the amount of rice they sell to make sure there's enough to last until a new harvest hits the market later this year. Now, a wholesaler in Kyushu, southwestern Japan, said prices remain high and will certainly rise for this year's harvest over last year.
An expert on agricultural policy said prices will only fall if a big production increase is expected this year, but that does not seem likely at the moment.

Production capacity in Japan has been falling. Raising production depends on how much more can be harvested in the rice producing areas of eastern Japan.
But that is unclear and concerns persist as so many farmers are quitting due to old age.

Ando says the size of this year's harvest should give a clear picture of how much more rice can be produced in the country.

And tax free shopping at Japanese department stores fell in March for the first time in three years. That was as the stronger yen discouraged foreign visitors from splashing out on luxury items. The Japan Department Stores Association says overall sales for the month came to about 495 billion yen or $3.4 billion. That was down 2.8% from a year earlier in yen terms and the second straight month of decline. Cool weather caused people to hold off from buying spring clothing.
Now, duty-free sales dropped at a much faster pace, down 10.7% to around $307 million. Aside from the stronger yen, China's economic slowdown also played a role. Demand for watches and other luxury goods was especially weak. The Department Store Association says the outlook going forward is unclear, but there are reasons for optimism. They include higher wages here in Japan and the World Expo in Osaka, which should draw in more overseas tourists.

And, the Bank of Japan will hold a regular monetary policy meeting this week to decide on Interest rates. But there isn't anything regular in the challenge policymakers face in trying to assess how new US import tariffs will affect businesses and the broader economy.
BOJ board members meet for two days from Wednesday and we'll discuss the outlook for the economy and prices for the current and next fiscal years.
As of January, the central bank's median forecast for economic growth stood at 1.1% for fiscal 2025 and 1% for fiscal 2026. The median outlook for consumer inflation was 2.4% and 2%. For the same two years, however, most policymakers now believe the tariffs introduced by President Donald Trump this year will dampen exports and reduce capital investment. This is expected to lead to lower projections for both the economy and price growth. Now, considering the uncertainties, most analysts expect the BOJ to leave its interest rate unchanged this week.
BOJ Governor Ueda Kazuo last week said the bank will continue to carefully monitor economic and price data in relation to interest rate policy. The governor will hold a press conference after the policy meeting, and his comments are likely to be of special interest to investors.

A Japanese government survey has found that 20% of companies based in the country say the Trump administration's tariff measures could affect their business. Now, companies in the auto industry are the most likely to feel an impact. The Development Bank of Japan got responses from roughly 230 companies across a range of businesses, including the automotive, transportation, and machinery sectors.
Nearly 40% of firms in the auto sector said the tariffs could influence their business. Some said many of the products they export to the United States are made in Japan and Mexico. They said it's difficult for them to relocate production bases and replace supply chains. Meanwhile, a separate survey conducted by the Agriculture Ministry found that green tea producers are concerned about lower demand in the US due to price hikes there. The survey also found that beef exporting firms have heard from some of their clients that they don't want to receive any more products for now. The government has already decided on an emergency package that provides support for financing and helping companies maintain their workforce. It plans to compile other support measures if necessary.

OK, let's get a check on the markets.

♪

And that is it for business news.

Today's In Focus is all about the upcoming grand sumo tournament. Here's NHK World Shibuya Aki with Raja Pradhan.

The action gets underway in less than two weeks. NHK World's in-house sumo expert, Raja Pradhan, is here to talk about the May tournament. So which wrestler are you tipping for big things?

Hi Aki, I'll be watching this man over here, Ono Sato. He won the previous tournament in March. He's currently in Ozeki, sumo's second highest rank, and is now gunning for promotion to the very top, Yokozuna.

Onosato.

The 24-year-old comes from Ishikawa Prefecture on the Sea of Japan coast.
In the ring, his imposing frame gives him a huge advantage. He weighs about 180 kilograms and can overwhelm his opponents in a flash.
Onosato was already a phenomenon in college.  Thanks to his illustrious amateur career, he made his grand sumo debut from the third highest division, Makushita. He didn't disappoint after turning pro, rising to the top division, Makunoji, in just over half a year.
Onosato went on to claim his first championship in May 2024 in record-breaking fashion.
His second championship came in September. He was then promoted to the sport's second highest rank, Ozeki.
Onosato did it in just nine tournaments since his debut, a feat not seen in 100 years.

(Japanese)

But his form dipped over the next two tournaments. 

(Japanese)

Onosato was determined to turn things around. On the final day of the March contest, he faced off against former ozeki Takayasu and sealed his third championship.

For an ozeki to be promoted to the top rank, they must win back-to-back tournaments or have an equivalent record.

(Japanese)

So Raja, the next tournament is really important. Can Onosato become a Yokozuna?

I think he's the favorite if he stays fit.

Well, he's 192 centimeters and weighs 183 kilograms. What more can you tell us about his style?

Ohh Well, he has an extremely effective signature move, and it's like a lifeline when he's on the ropes. When Onosato uses his right hand to get an inside position on his opponent, he's virtually unstoppable. He used the technique in March to bulldoze his ozeki counterpart, Kotozakura. Look here, how Onosato quickly slides his right hand just under the armpit to take full control. And if that fails, Onosato has a plan B. He uses his left hand to execute a forearm attack called otsuke. He's refined that technique this past year and has taken his game to new heights.
What's more, Aki, I think Onosato's mentality is top-notch. Starting off strong will be vital in May, but also not hitting the deck on consecutive days. If Onosato avoids that, I think we'll see the fastest ever rise to Yokozuna.

And if he does make it to Sumo's pinnacle, he won't be alone.

Exactly, because we have this man over here, Yokozuna Hoshoryu. The Mongolian is a Sumo thoroughbred, whose uncle Asashoryu was a Yokozuna, too.
Hoshoryu debuted as the top-ranked wrestler in March, but he aggravated an elbow injury and pulled out from day 10. In fact, that was the first time in 39 years a new Yokozuna withdrew from competition.

So let's assume he stays fit in May. Could you see him winning the championship?

For sure. Hoshoryu will be looking to channel that frustration from March, and if he stays injury free, he'll no doubt be a front runner and Hoshoryu's versatility.
That's what makes him such an exciting fighter. He doesn't actually rely on a specific move, and instead he uses all sorts of pushes, throws, leg tricks, you name it.

So, OK, Raja, depending on what happens, the sumo world could soon see two yokozuna. Is there room for two at the top?

Good question. Actually, there hasn't been a pair of yokosuna for about three and a half years. But two is indeed better than one. And I'll explain why by showing you the official listing of ranks over here. This is called the banzuke.
The list is prepared by the Japan Sumo Association about two weeks before each tournament. And this one over here is from March.

Well, it's packed with names.

Yes. It's actually the job of referees to write them all out by hand. And it's a very delicate process. The higher-ranked wrestlers, you can see at the very top, their names are much bigger. And those in the lower divisions are so small, they're almost impossible to read, right? Yes. And the banzuke has two sides, East over here and West. And interestingly, East is superior.

Well, I can see Yokozuna Ho Shoriu's name on the east, and he doesn't have a counterpart on the west.

That's right. The highest ranked Rikishi, the wrestler on the west, right now is an ozeki. So if Onosato becomes a Yokozuna, he'll bring the balance and the box office back to the banzuke. And because nothing gets the heart pumping quite like a final day duo between two grand champions.

Ohh Thanks, Raja.
So, will Onosato earn promotion? Or will Hoshoryu claim his first title since becoming a Yokozuna himself?
Only one way to find out. Don't miss the Gran Sumo tournament in May. That's all from us.

♪

It's time for a check on the weather with our meteorologist, Jonathan Oh. So, Jonathan, we're seeing some changes. Uh Changes in Tokyo's after a dry start to Monday. How are things looking for Tuesday?

Hello, it looks like we're going to be dealing with some wet weather as we go through the overnight period into the day on Tuesday. And the areas to the north are going to get more of the rain, while the Pacific side will wrap up and we'll even see a warm and drier day as we go through Tuesday. A couple low pressure systems, one down toward the south, one toward the north. The one down toward the south is going to be the main rainmaker for places like Tokyo and Osaka overnight into the day on Tuesday.

Up to the north, this low is going to bringing rain to Hokkaido and the Tohoku region. So in general, if you're going out during the overnight period, you're going to need the umbrellas. On Tuesday, the focus of the rain will be up toward the north, the next 24 hours showing us that rain pushing on through. So from Sendai points northward, we'll be seeing more of that wet weather. Sendai looking at 17, 7 Sapporo, 15 Niigata.

But, once the morning hours, you know we'll be seeing things clear out. So Tokyo back toward the West, we'll be seeing the drier weather up to 24 on Tuesday. Now folks, for those of you who may not be familiar with the weather in Tokyo, 24 is not normal for this time of year. It's still quite warm. So if you're going to be outdoors, make sure you stay hydrated and make sure you take the proper precautions because these temperatures are more like summer like temperatures.
Meanwhile, we're talking about a powerful spring storm that's starting to light up the skies in the northern portions of the plains states, and as we go through Monday, this lows are pushing toward the east and we're looking at the possibility of seeing some severe weather that could lead to some strong tornadoes, large hail and damaging winds, especially for those of you around the southern portion of Minnesota from the Twin Cities down South into Wisconsin into northern portion of Iowa. That's the focal point where you have the most elevated risk of severe weather. But even all on the cold front down toward the central and southern plain states, you're looking at the possibility of seeing some strong thunderstorms. So be on the lookout as you go. today on Monday and a much cooler temperature pattern coming in behind that front as we head toward Tuesday and Wednesday.

Quick note on Europe, low down for the South bringing some thunderstorms into places like Italy. Warm with highs in the 20s up toward the central northern portion of continent for Monday.

Hope you have a good day wherever you are.

♫～

And that's it for this hour on NHK Newsline. I'm Yuko Fukushima. Thanks for joining us.

at 18:00 (JST), April 27

20250427180000_english_1.mp3

Welcome to NHK Newsline. I'm Gene Otani in Tokyo.

Russian security authorities say they have detained a Ukrainian special services agent suspected of involvement in a car explosion in a Moscow suburb. A Russian general was killed in the incident on Friday.
Russia's Federal Security Service said it had detained a man in his 40s in connection with the bombing. The FSB said the suspect obtained the components for the explosive device from a cache set up by Ukrainian special services in the Moscow region. It said the car bomb was detonated remotely from Ukraine when Lieutenant General Yaroslav Moskelik left his home.
Russia's state-run television aired a video released by the FSB.
It shows a man alleged to be the suspect, saying he bought the car in February. He said he took a video camera and a bomb from a hiding place and installed them in the back of the vehicle. A series of explosions have occurred in Russia since it launched its invasion of Ukraine.
Last December, two Russian military officials were killed in a blast in Moscow.

People in Ukraine gathered to remember those who died in the Chornobyl power plant accident, marking 39 years of the nuclear disaster.
Participants laid flowers at a cenotaph and observed a moment of silence during a memorial ceremony. Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Svitlana Grynchuk and workers at the facility were among the participants. The accident that occurred on April 26, 1986, took the lives of about 30 firefighters and others who were exposed to a large amount of radiation while battling the fire.
Many others near the plat in northern Ukraine suffered lasting health problems.
Ukraine still faces nuclear threats amid Russia's ongoing invasion. In February, the Ukrainian government said a Russian drone attack hit Chornobyl, seriously damaging a radiation shelter designed to block radioactive substances from flowing into the atmosphere. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry referred to the February attack in a statement on Saturday, and called on the international community to intensify efforts to protect nuclear plants from Russian threats.

The United States and Iran are continuing talks on Tehran's nuclear program, with senior officials signaling possible progress towards an agreement. The third round of the high-level talks took place on Saturday in Oman. US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi led the delegations.
Working-level representatives participated for the first time to discuss more specific content of an agreement. The US is seeking to limit Iran's nuclear program. Iran maintains that the program is for peaceful use and is demanding the US lift sanctions. A US official called the latest talks positive and productive, adding that there is still much to do, but progress had been made. Arakchi said differences remain on both major and minor issues, but added that both sides are gradually moving from generalities to detailed discussions.
He noted that the next round will probably begin on Saturday next week.
Observers say making progress in the upcoming detailed negotiation may not be easy, considering the big differences that remain between the two sides.

A massive explosion at a port in southern Iran has killed at least 14 people and injured more than 700 others. The Iranian government says containers of chemical materialswere the probable source of the blast.
The explosion occurred at a port in Bandar Abbas on Saturday, damaging and collapsing buildings near the site.

I heard a huge explosion. It was very loud. Then we saw that, unfortunately, there was a fire. You can see how the car is damaged. Grooves and windshields of all cars were shattered.

President Masoud Perezhkin issued a statement on Saturday expressing deep regret and sympathy for the victims. He said he ordered an investigation into what caused the accident. Strong winds are set to be fanning fires started by the explosion, and firefighters are reportedly struggling to contain the blaze. The government says the exact cause would not be known until the fire was fully extinguished.

US President Donald Trump says that American vessels should be able to navigate through the Panama and Suez Canals free of charge.
Trump wrote on social media that US military and commercial ships should be allowed through without paying fees. He added that the canals would not exist without the US and that he has asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio to take care of the matter. The Panama Canal in Central America connects the Pacific and the Atlantic, while the Suez in the Middle East links the Mediterranean with the Red Sea. The Trump administration insists that the US will take back control of the Panama Canal, which he considers to be under the influence of China. The administration has also proposed collecting fees from Chinese ships at US ports. This would join existing tariffs as part of measures targeting China. Media outlet Bloomberg reports that the measures against Chinese commercial shipping and shipbuilding are aimed at reviving US shipbuilding by targeting China's dominance.

North Korean state-run television reports that leader Kim Jong-un attended the launch of a new type of destroyer.
A broadcast on Saturday showed Kim participating in the ceremony the day before at a dockyard in the western city of Nampo. Friday also marked a military anniversary. The vessel is reportedly a 5,000 ton destroyer.
Kim delivered a speech saying it will be equipped with supersonic strategic cruise missiles and tactical ballistic missiles. The broadcast showed radar, air defense and vertical launch systems. South Korean media quotes an expert as saying the vertical launch systems have a combined 74 cells for missiles.
Media in South Korea also reported speculation that the destroyer could be equipped with missiles carrying nuclear warheads. Kim expressed his desire to launch a fleet that operates far offshore. He also stated that his country will proceed with building nuclear-powered submarines. That is one of the goals in its five year National Defense plan.

An operator of a flying car vehicle at the 2025 World Expo in Osaka canceled scheduled demo flights on Sunday due to problems with some components.
Japanese trading firm Marubeni is one of the three operators demonstrating the flying cars without passengers during the expo period. The company is currently in charge of the attraction through July. Marubeni said some parts fell off during a demo flight on Saturday afternoon with a single pilot aboard. The incident occurred as it flew over an area with no spectators. Nobody was injured and the vehicle landed safely. The company later found that part of a frame and one of the propellers had broken. It says it will resume the demo flights after identifying the cause of the mishap and ensuring the vehicle is safe to operate.

 Those were the main stories for this hour.

♫～

And that's the news this hour. I'm Gene Otani. From all of us here at NHK Newsline to all around the world, thanks very much for joining us.
 

at 18:00 (JST), April 26

 

20250426180000_english_1.mp3

Welcome to NHK Newsline. I'm Gene Otani in Tokyo.

People from around the globe have gathered for the funeral of Pope Francis, who passed away on Monday. They include world leaders such as US President Donald Trump, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. People have flocked to Vatican's St. Peter's Square hours before the start of the funeral mass. Local media report that hundreds of thousands of people from around the world are expected to visit.
The Vatican estimates that at least 160 foreign delegations, including heads of state, are likely to attend. Japan will be represented by Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi.
Some observers are watching to see whether Trump, Zelensky and other leaders will speak about a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine on the sidelines of the funeral. Pope Francis appealed for resolving global conflicts through dialogue. Even on the day before his death, he called for a fair and lasting peace in Ukraine.

(Italian) Penso a tanti paesi che sono in guerra. Preghiamo per la pace, facciamo del nostro tutto. Non dimenticatevi che la guerra è una sconfitta.

The Pope's body will be laid to rest at the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome in accordance with his will Unlike those of many of his predecessors who were buried at St. Peter's Basilica, the will had also asked that the Pope's tomb be simple.

Trump has sent a special envoy for yet another round of talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. Steve Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The meeting lasted 3 hours. A Kremlin aide says they discussed resuming direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.
And he says Moscow and Washington are getting closer in their positions. Ahead of the talks, Ukrainian and European officials had their own meeting. They pushed back on US proposals that would allow Russia's annexation of Crimea.
The discussions come one day after President Trump criticized a Russian missile and drone attack. The strike on the capital, Kyiv, killed at least 12 people. A Ukrainian government spokesperson provided more details. He or he tihi says Russian forces used a ballistic missile made in North Korea. He says cooperation between Russia and the North has improved the accuracy of such weapons. He pointed out that the missiles used components made in the West and called for tighter sanctions.

The United Nations World Food Program says it has run out of food stocks in the Gaza Strip. Israel has been blocking aid from entering the area for almost 8 weeks. WFP officials said on Friday they had delivered their last remaining supplies to kitchens serving hot meals. They say all bakeries they were supporting had closed by March 31. They also say food prices have surged up to 1,400% since January when a ceasefire was in place.
Israel launched airstrikes across Gaza on Friday. Local health authorities said 84 people had died in the past 24 hours, raising the death toll to more than 2,000 since March 18.
That's when Israeli troops resumed attacks after cease-fire negotiations with Hamas stalled. Israel has been blocking the flow of aid supplies into Gaza since March 2.
A WFP official is urging all parties to immediately allow aid deliveries to resume.

To meet the basic needs of population in Gaza, it is critical that we are able to resume food deliveries into Gaza immediately.

The WFP says it's ready to supply enough food assistance to feed 1 million  people in Gaza for up to four months.

Britain's Financial Times and other Western media outlets say US tech giant Apple. Plans to shift production of iPhones sold in the United States to India from China. The move is an apparent bid to mitigate risks related to higher tariffs. The media said Apple aims to assemble all or most of the iPhones it sells in the US at factories in India by the end of 2026. The company sells more than 60 million iPhones a year in the United States. A survey shows around 80% of them are made in China, reflecting Apple's heavy dependence on the country as its main production base.
The administration of President Trump has imposed additional tariffs of 145% on imports from China, except for smartphones and other electronic devices. Washington says it will impose other levies on such products after investigating potential risks to national security.
The Financial Times said the push builds on Apple's strategy to diversify its supply chain. but goes further and faster than investors appreciate.

Japan's spring holiday season has begun.
Narita Airport near Tokyo is crowded, with many travelers heading overseas.
Over 54,000 people are expected to fly abroad from this airport on Saturday alone. The airport's operator says it expects to serve around 1.2 million travelers from Friday to May 6.
It also says this figure is almost the same level as 2019, before the spread of the coronavirus. Popular travel destinations include resort areas such as Hawaii and Guam, as well as various parts of Asia, including South Korea.

(Japanese)

Narita Airport is expected to be packed on May 6, with travelers returning to Japan.

The city of Ofunato in northeastern Japan is making gradual progress in rebuilding two months after it was hit by massive wildfires.
The fires that erupted in Iwate Prefecture on February 26 killed one person and damaged 222 structures, including homes. The blaze burned more than 3,000 hectares before being declared extinguished on April 7.
Some 193 residents were in evacuation centers or elsewhere as of Friday after their homes were damaged in the fires. The evacuees have begun relocating to public housing. Temporary units are expected to be completed early next month at two locations in Ofunato. But the approaching rainy season poses new challenges as the fires diminish the water holding capacity of soil. In the burned areas, prefectural officials plan to take steps such as piling sandbags in areas at high risk of landslides.

♪

Those were the main stories for this hour.

♫～

And that's the news this hour. I'm Gene Otani from all of us here at NHK Newsline to all around the world. Thanks very much for joining us.

at 18:00 (JST), April 25

20250425180000_english_1.mp3

Hello and welcome to NHK Newsline. I'm Yoshikawa Ryuichi in Tokyo.

The meeting between Japan's finance minister and the US Treasury Secretary in Washington on Thursday seems to have eased recent concerns about the strengthening yen.
Finance Minister Kato Katsunobu says the US did not bring up currency targets in the meeting, which lasted about 50 minutes.

There was no talk from the US side about currency levels, targets, or any framework to manage exchange rates.

Kato says that he and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent agreed that exchange rates should be determined by the market. They also confirmed that excessively volatile or disorderly currency markets can undermine economic and financial stability. Kato says he and Bessent agreed to keep in close consultation on currency issues. The meeting came after US President Donald Trump repeatedly said the yen was too weak against the dollar. Trump on Wednesday said Japan would always fight to keep its currency low.
Trump's comments led to speculation Washington would push for a stronger yen, which prompted recent gains in the currency. The Kato-Bessent meeting appears to have deflated some of those concerns with the yen weakening in Tokyo trading on Friday.
In other markets, Tokyo's Nikkei 225 benchmark stock index gained ground, ending Friday at 35,705, up almost two percent from the previous day.

Japan is gearing up for the second round of tariff talks with the United States, planned for next week.
Japan's top negotiator Akazawa Ryosei is scheduled to visit Washington from Wednesday. He will meet with Treasury Secretary Bessent during his three day visit. Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru on Friday instructed his cabinet ministers to accelerate preparations for the talks. The ultimate goal is to achieve neutral benefits for both countries. Ishiba said the US tariffs could shake the free and fair economic order nurtured by the international community from its foundation. He also said they could have a major impact on Japanese industries, including auto and steel, as well as the global economy.

It is extremely important for Japan to urge the US to review the tariff measures by showing how Japanese companies greatly contribute to the US economy through investment and job creation.

The government is also working to address US complaints about Japan's auto exports. It is compiling a detailed report on the investments and production expansion that Japanese automakers are planning in the US. Honda and Nissan are shifting some car production for the American market to the US. Toyota has announced a new investment of $88 million to boost output in the US. The government hopes to convince the Trump administration of the continued contributions of Japanese businesses to local economies to move the negotiations forward.

South Korea has announced that it held talks with the US on President Trump's tariff policies and that the two sides agreed to continue negotiations.
The government says the meeting took place in Washington on Thursday. South Korean Deputy Prime Minister Choe Sun-mok and Industry Minister Ahn Deok-geun met with Treasury Secretary Bessent  and Trade Representative Jamison Greer.
The ministers explained that the tariffs could threaten their economic relationship. They conveyed Seoul's stance that removing the levies is vital, especially for the auto industry. The government says the two parties agreed to continue talks on tariffs and non-tariff measures, as well as economic security, investment cooperation, and currency policy.
Local media reports compared the tariff talks to those between Japan and the US, pointing out Trump's absence in the meeting with the South Korean ministers.

And now let's see what's happening in the world of business. Here's Gene Ohtani from The Biz Desk.

Yuichi, thanks. Opening our business story this hour. Tokyo's consumer inflation this month has hit its highest level in two years. The surging cost of rice is a major factor. The Internal Affairs Ministry says the Consumer Price Index for the capital rose a preliminary 3.4% compared to a year earlier. That's up one percentage point from March. The figure excludes fresh food, whose prices tend to fluctuate based on the weather. The price of rice surged 94%. That's the biggest jump since comparable data became available in 1971.
It also marks the seventh straight month of record-setting price growth for the staple crop. The inflation affected items made from rice.
Onigiri rice balls jumped nearly 16 percent and restaurant sushi more than 8 percent. Meanwhile, bird flu outbreaks across Japan pushed up egg prices 7 percent. Strong inflation was also seen in energy bills due to a reduction in government subsidies. Households paid 13 percent more for their power. City gas was up 4.8 percent. Tokyo prices are considered a leading indicator of nationwide inflation. The country's CPI figures will be released on May 23.

The incoming president of Japan Seven and I Holdings says the company wants to expand the global presence of its convenience store chain.
Stephen Hayes Dacus will officially become the first non Japanese president of 7-Eleven's operator following a shareholders meeting next month. Dacus told members of the media that the firm is eyeing Europe, where many countries have no 7-Eleven stores in South America where there are none.
He said 7 and Eye's growth strategy will focus on the convenience store business.

We don't know how much bigger we can expand our business, but there are many opportunities. Many more than we can imagine. We want to have another strong pillar outside Japan and North America.

Dacus touched on a takeover proposal from a Canadian firm, Alimentation Couche-Tard. He said two options exist. One is to optimize corporate value on its own, the other is to consider Couche-Tard's proposal. He did not say if he thinks the offer is good for Seven and I. He explained that a special committee of the firm, comprised of only outside directors, will study the options.

Canon reported strong gains in sales and profit in the January through March quarter, but cut its earnings forecast for the full year. The leading precision equipment maker says the rise in US import tariffs and the stronger yen have dampened its business outlook.

Canon on Thursday reported a year-on-year 20.5% jump in group net profit for the quarter to more than 72 billion yen, or about $500 million. Revenue in the three-month period climbed 7% to more than 1 trillion yen. That's the equivalent of $7.4 billion. However, Canon revised down its group net profit forecast for all of 2025 to about $2.3 billion.
That's a drop of almost 9%, or about $220 million from the previous forecast. Canon expects sales will decline when it raises prices in response to the new US tariffs.
It also foresees headwinds from the yen's gain against the dollar. In response, the company says it may shift production to countries facing lower tariffs or to the US.

Next, NHK World's John LaDue is here with BizPicks, looking at key business and economic stories for the week ahead.

We're expecting fresh evidence to help answer the looming question. How are US President Donald Trump's tariff gambits affecting economic fundamentals and monetary policy?
On Thursday, the Bank of Japan is due to announce its monetary policy decisions. The BOJ has been taking steps to emerge from years of ultra low and negative interest rates. Traders and investors will be pouring over Thursday's policy statement for any signs. That furious swings in financial markets and tariff driven uncertainty are prompting the central bank to alter its course.
Here's more to know ahead of the Bank of Japan's monetary policy meeting. In January, the central bank raised its benchmark rate to around half a percent and hinted it would consider another increase. Economic growth in tandem with wage hikes and inflation in line with the bank's 2% target are seen as its preconditions for higher rates. But how large does tariffs turmoil loom over the BOJ's outlook?
Executive economist Kiuchi Takahide at Nomura Research Institute suggests the central bank may not be able to take new steps for a while. Kiuchi is a former member of the central bank's policy board.
The BOJ is highly likely to hold off on additional interest rate hikes as financial markets have been severely disrupted by Trump's tariff policies. In the coming meeting, financial market players will pay attention to what kind of message Governor Ueda sends about future monetary policy and whether the bank's stance will change significantly.

Japanese share prices tumbled and the yen jumped higher this month after the Trump administration slapped a baseline 10% tariff on imports from the country, plus a 25% point increase in duties on cars. Kiuchi estimates that the levies will directly cut Japan's GDP growth rate by around 0.42 percentage points. He notes that a gradual slowdown would not change the BOJ's stance on raising rates.

If the economy and prices continue to move as the BOJ expects, the bank will gradually raise interest rates. In terms of real interest rates, current levels are very low. So I think the BOJ's stances are that the rate hike is not a tightening, but an adjustment to reduce the degree of easing and that policy normalization should continue.

Kiuchi predicts the next hike will be in September, depending on three preconditions.

The first condition is that the economic situation in Japan and the world doesn't get much worse. Second, in response to an economic downturn and public criticism, the Trump administration would significantly scale back tariffs by September. The third condition is that there is no party within the coalition government strongly opposed to the rate hike. after Japan's upper house election in July.

However, he knows the biggest risk is the US economy. He says that some conditions are in place for a broader financial meltdown that could reverberate around the world, including Japan.

Financial problems in the US that could worsen include things like massive defaults of commercial real estate and small business lending, which banks have been significantly increasing. If that happens, Japan will also suffer a serious recession and the yen will rapidly strengthen. The BOJ will not be able to raise interest rates, but would probably need to implement monetary easing again.

Kiuchi also says there are concerns about some negative outlooks for Japan's economy. He points out that with consumer spending very low, very weak amid rising prices and declines in inflation adjusted wages year on year, the hurdles to the next rate hike could be getting higher.
I'm John LaDue and that was this week's BizPicks.

John, thanks. All right, let's have a look at the markets.

♪

And that's a look at business news. Ryuichi, I'm going to hand it back to you.

Okay, Gene, thank you.

South Korea says it has told China it is deeply concerned about Chinese structures in part of the Yellow Sea.
Maritime boundaries have not yet been determined between the two countries in the area. South Korea's public broadcaster KBS reports there are three structures. It says one is 80 meters wide and 70 meters high, large enough to be used as a heliport. KBS says China has been preventing South Korean survey vessels from approaching the structures.
South Korea's foreign ministry conveyed its concern during talks in Seoul on Wednesday. China did not notify South Korea before it built the structures in the provisional maritime zone. The two nations' exclusive economic zones overlap in that area. South Korea says such installations violate a bilateral fishery agreement.
A Chinese foreign minister spokesperson said on Thursday that the structures are aquaculture facilities. He also said their construction is consistent with Chinese and international law. He said the structures do not breach the bilateral fishery agreement. The two countries' governments say they will establish a subcommittee to discuss the issue.

It's been 10 years since a deadly earthquake rocked Nepal, leaving 9,000 people dead. About 20 percent of country's buildings, nearly 900,000 of them, were damaged. Many are still working to rebuild their lives. Earlier, I spoke with NHK World's Mitamura Taro in Lalitpur, one of the city's hardest hit by the disaster.

Earlier today, a memorial was held at this square just behind me. Over 3,000 people came to pay their respects. Some were local residents. Others were police and fire crews who took part in the rescue operations. They offered flowers to the victims. I spoke to one woman who lost two of her grandsons.
She told me she still wishes she could see them again. She said she hoped there will be never another tragedy like this.
This ancient city is filled with historical buildings. Many were damaged by the quake. But as you can see, now they've been repaired or reconstructed thanks to help from the international community.
The Nepali government said, that's also the case for home nationwide, for many home nationwide.
However, the country is still grappling with the idea of disaster striking again. Preparedness is still a challenge, especially when it comes to emergency care. I spoke with some doctors who are trying to change that.

This regional hospital in central Nepal holds this emergency drill every three months. It's to make sure they are ready for the next disaster.
In an emergency, doctors face a surge of patients all at once.
Triage is key to identify who needs help first. In this drill, they assess the severity of the injured before marking them with a ribbon.
It follows the green, yellow, and red system, with red being the most severe. Dr. Deepak Shrestha is supervising the drill. It comes from his own experience treating the injured in 2015.

For the last 10 years, we are doing this drill again and again. And as you can see in this hospital, that everybody is tuned up in any disaster situations.

The hospital is in Kabreplanchak, one of the regions hit hardest by the quake.
Around 10,000 patients arrived at its doors. Its surgeons performed over 500 major surgeries.
As an expert in spinal injuries, Shresta himself worked day and night.
He performed countless operations, but regrets how many lost their lives before reaching the hospital. He realized that after a disaster, patients are in a race against time.

What we call the golden hour, the six hours, so I think many patients could not be brought within the six hours, and that's why we lost the patient, and as well as I think they have not good quality of life.

But 10 years later, he feared they are still far from those golden hours.
Nepal is mostly mountains. It makes emergency response difficult, especially if you have a time limit. It's a reality this small village knows all too well. Earthquakes and heavy rain make this village prone to landslides. When the roads are cut off, emergency crews can't reach the area. 800 residents. Its only clinic has just one health worker.
He says he is struggling to make do with what they have.

We can only use what the government gives us for free, so we only have things like cold and cough medicine.

Some residents here still live in temporary housing. This man says when the quake struck, it took a long time for help to arrive.

On that day, my eldest son was injured here, here and here.
It took three days for the helicopter to take him to hospital.

Doctors are trying to expand their youth.
Right now, helicopters are used just to transport patients. The hope is to get equipment and doctors on board so the injured can also receive treatment en route.
And soon, they will be taken to a new trauma and emergency center.
Construction starts at Shresstad's hospital next month.
The Japanese government is helping to build it. The center is designed to treat over 100 patients at once.

Earthquake we cannot prevent, but what we can prevent is the damage caused by the earthquake or minimize the damage caused by the earthquake.

Nepal doctors say it's key to improve emergency care to save life when disaster finally strikes again.

So, Taro, the doctor there mentioned minimizing damage in future disasters.
So what else is Nepal doing to try to save lives?

Well, it's important to teach people the basics of disaster risk reduction, so education is key. Some schools have started teaching disaster preparedness for kids, so they know how to protect themselves and evacuate. Teachers hope it will help keep them safe.
But if Nepal wants to offer that nationwide, it will definitely need more teachers and more funding. Experts tell me the program itself also needs to be improved. It's not tailored to specific situations, like what to do if we were outside when an earthquake hits, for example.
Another issue has to do with Nepal's buildings. As I mentioned before, nearly 900,000 were damaged in the quake. While many were reconstructed, experts say they might not be earthquake-resistant.
In rural areas, there are still many houses made of stone, clay, or bricks. Those are the type of fragile buildings that crumpled in the quake.
Some people don't have the money to build more resilient homes.

So what what is the solution to that?

Well, one of the reasons Nepal is struggling is because of the brain drain.
Like other developing nations, the country is losing some of its top talent.
For example, look at doctors and nurses. They would make huge differences in post-disaster care.
But many are going abroad to seek better opportunities. Nepal is prone to many natural disasters, including heavy rains and flooding. The country will still need international support to build back better before disaster strikes again.

♪

It's now time to check the world weather. The South Central United States is experiencing rough conditions. Our meteorologist Yumi Hirano has the details.

The tornado season has just started, but on Thursday, already 16 were observed, mainly in Texas and Oklahoma. In addition, other severe events have been reported.
Severe thunderstorms hit Oklahoma State on Thursday evening, bringing large storm clouds and flashes of lightning.
Local TV cameras captured a dramatic video of the stormy skies. Some areas saw tornado-producing storms and up to 150 millimeters of rain fall in the northwestern region. The severe weather is expected to continue into the weekend. So the similar conditions are expected to persist across the same regions on Friday as ample moisture from the Gulf of Mexico will continue to flow in. There are risks of thundershowers, lightning and also tornadoes leading to possible power outages and flash flooding.
Thundershowers are also likely in Houston and Oklahoma City, but sunny skies are expected in Seattle with a high of 21.
Moving to Asia, a frontal system is bringing downpours to southern China. Over 120 millimeters of heavy rain was reported in just a day. The rain is expected to ease on Friday, but another round is likely to start from Saturday.
Even a small amount could lead to flooding, so please stay alert.
Showers will continue in Chongqing, Hong Kong and Taipei, but dry weather is expected in Beijing and Seoul.
In Japan, some people will start a long weekend. Sunny skies are expected in Fukuoka and Osaka, but in Tokyo, there is a possibility of afternoon showers on Saturday and also on Monday. That's all for now. Have a nice weekend.

♫～

And that wraps up this edition of NHK Newsline. I'm Yoshikawa Ryuichi in Tokyo.
Thanks for joining us.