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20250414180000_english_1.mp3

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

Former South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol faced his first criminal court hearing Monday. His lawyers say they'll fight all the charges, including insurrection. He was indicted over last December's short-lived attempt at imposing martial law. He said the declaration was intended as a peaceful message to the people. He's accused of attempting to detain lawmakers by deploying troops to the National Assembly. Prosecutors say he tried to incapacitate and destroy the democratic order. Yoon was removed from office on April 4 when the Constitutional Court upheld his impeachment.
In their opening statement, prosecutors said Yoon regarded the opposition and even some media as anti-state forces.
They also suggest Yoon had been preparing to declare martial law for months since April last year. In response, Yoon said he told the military to never provide troops with live ammunition. He said he also told them not to clash with civilians. In South Korea, those convicted of leading an insurrection face life in prison and even the death penalty.

Two South Korean business lobbies have made donations to a foundation that pays compensation to plaintiffs of wartime labor lawsuits against Japanese firms.
The foundation is funded by the South Korean government and donations from private companies. These are the first contributions by business organizations.
Foundation officials say the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Federation of Korean Industries each donated roughly $1 million. The foundation pays compensation to people who say they were forced to work for Japanese firms during World War II.
South Korea's Supreme Court ordered the Japanese companies to pay, but they refused. The foundation is making the payments instead, but it has been running out of money since a series of rulings in favor of plaintiffs in 2023 and 2024. The foundation is set to still be short about $4.2 million, even after the latest donations. Japan says any right to merit to wartime claims was settled completely and finally under an agreement when the two countries normalized ties in 1965.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is kicking off a diplomatic tour of Southeast Asian nations. He is seeking enhanced cooperation amid mounting US tariffs.
Xi visits Vietnam first on Monday. He is to hold talks with his Vietnamese counterpart Tho Lam and other senior officials. China and Vietnam have strong economic relations despite territorial disputes in the South China Sea. The leaders are likely to discuss trade expansion and a railway project to link a Chinese border area to northern Vietnamese cities like Hanoi and Haiphong. On Tuesday, Xi will stop in Malaysia. The country's communications minister reportedly said hosting him is part of efforts to improve trade ties with other countries, including China. From Thursday, Xi will visit Cambodia.
Earlier, I spoke to NHK World's Nakamura Genta in Beijing about the aim of President Xi Jinping's tour of Southeast Asia.

I should note, this trip had been in the works for some time. But make no mistake, Xi Jinping is sending a clear message by starting the tour, just as tensions with Washington are being ramped up by the latest Trump tariffs.
Here's a key stat. ASEAN, which includes the three countries Xi is visiting, is now a bigger export market for China than the US.

Beijing is banking on deeper trade ties to soften the blow of American tariffs. And there's more. Those same three countries are also targets of US reciprocal tariffs. By showing up, Xi is hammering home a message. While the US wages trade wars, China champions multilateral trade.

Umm So Genta, the Trump tariffs present a chance for China to reach out to ASEAN.

Exactly. But China is also moving quickly to resolve long-standing tensions with other major players, seizing what it sees as a once-in-a-generation opening.
This includes effort to address a simmering disagreement with the EU.
The Commerce Ministry announced that talks about Chinese electric vehicle sales in Europe are starting.
Reports say a plan is under consideration to set minimum prices for the EVs, potentially replacing European tariffs that are as high as 45 per cent. EU tariffs on Chinese EVs have symbolized a deep divide.
Now, Beijing appears to take the view that the enemy of my enemy is my friend, and the EU seems to be rethinking its position. Ironically, the global disruption caused by Trump's tariffs may be giving Chinese diplomacy a boost, helping Beijing turn pressure into opportunity.

Again, meanwhile, President Trump just announced a 90-day pause on some of the reciprocal tariffs that he slapped on countries around the world.
So,Does this mean the situation has shifted?Has China now become the lone target?

Hmm That's exactly how it looks from here in Beijing. And the reaction?Pure urgency. Still, China won't back down. The phrase we hear again and again at foreign ministry briefings is Fompei Daodi, meaning We'll follow this through to the end. A spokesperson for Chinese commerce ministry said that even if the US raises tariffs further, China will ignore it. It's a message that seems to say the bull is now in America's court. Beijing appears to ready to wait patiently until Washington comes back to the table.
There is an intriguing twist.
Just days ago,Reports emerged that Chinese authorities are investigating the son of former Chinese Vice Premier Liu He on corruption charges. Liu was Beijing's lead negotiator during the first round of trade talks with the Trump administration. Some see this targeting of his son as signaling a shift in tone. Instead of trying to strengthen back channels with Washington, Beijing now seems driven more by hostility than diplomacy. Now that Trump has zeroed in on China, Beijing sees even more value in courting Southeast Asia. For now, the strategy is clear. Strengthen ties beyond the US, stay the course, and prepare for a drawn-out economic standoff.

Now let's see what's happening in the world of business. Here's Ramin Mellegard from The Biz Desk.

Thank you very much indeed. 

Now, US President Donald Trump has said he will announce tariff rates on semiconductors over the next week. He was speaking to reporters on Air Force One on Sunday.

We're doing that with semiconductors, with chips and numerous other things, and that'll take place in the very near future.

And when asked about tariffs on electronics, including cell phones and tablets, he said he would talk to companies and that there must be a certain flexibility. Electronics were exempted from what Trump calls reciprocal tariffs, according to a government notice published on Friday. But Trump posted a message on social media on Sunday denying that there will be any exemptions. He indicated that electronics would be subject to different levies that could affect tech giants, including Apple, which assembles iPhones overseas. There are also concerns that the extra levies will drive up prices of electronic devices in the United States.

And new figures show Chinese exports to the US jumped in March as companies rushed shipments before Trump's latest tariffs took effect.
Chinese customs authorities say exports rose 9% from a year earlier in dollar terms. Washington doubled its additional tariffs on Chinese goods in March to 20%. But exporters anticipated that that figure would rise dramatically in April.
The value of imports in the US fell 9.4%. The result was that China's trade surplus with the US jumped by 20%.
America's trade imbalance with countries around the world has been a source of anger for Trump for decades. The total value of China's exports in March was up by more than 12% as shipments to Southeast Asia rose. Imports fell 4.3%.

And Tokyo's benchmark stock index rallied on Monday as investors concerns over US China trade conflict eased somewhat. The Nikkei 225 briefly rose as much as 2.2% from Friday's close. Market players placed buy orders for semiconductor and other electronic parts related shares. The Nikkei index ended the day at 33,982, up 396 points or 1.2%. Now analysts say some investors bought back shares as they took the view that President Trump would not be able to continue his tariff policy if stocks, US Treasuries and the dollar continue to be sold off. Turkey stocks had a roller coaster ride last week. The Nikkei index had three large declines, including a 7.8% plunge and two big rallies. It surged 9.1% on Thursday in its second biggest ever points gain.

Major Japanese travel agency JTB says that fewer people in the country are likely to take trips over the upcoming spring holiday period. The downbeat prediction comes as soaring prices prompt many households to tighten their purse strings. JTB bases forecasts on a survey, hotel reservations and other data. It says about 23.5 million people will be traveling domestically or abroad on a trip involving at least one overnight stay between April 25 and May 7.
That's down almost 7% from the same period last year. close to 23 million people are planning domestic trips, more than 7% fewer year-on-year.

Meanwhile, the number of tourists opting for overseas destination is up 10% to more than half a million. But the number of outbound travellers is still only about half that in 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic.

When prices remain high for an extended period, people can't save as much.
That cools personal consumption, including the desire to go away on holiday.

Hoshino added that concerns over the impact on wages and employment of the Trump administration's tariff policies are also depressing consumer sentiment. JTB says the dates the springtime public holidays fall on this year are also less conducive to taking a long vacation. The travel agency notes that people are increasingly trying to avoid peak seasons. as major tourist spots are crowded with Japanese and foreign visitors.

Ohh Japan has revamped its agriculture policy to target a sharp increase in rice exports over the next five years. The move comes amid a surge in domestic prices for Japan's main staple food. The Agriculture Ministry aims for exports of about 350,000 tons of rice including pre cooked products in 20-30. That's a 7.5 fold jump from current levels. Officials hope the decision will give farmers an incentive to plant more of the grain, which will also help ease supply shortages at home.
The five year plan looks beyond rice to boost food and beverage spending by the record numbers of overseas visitors to Japan. The ministry expects this revenue to grow 2.8 times to 4.5 trillion yen, or more than $30 billion. The ministry also sees opportunities overseas for Japanese restaurants and food makers. It expects their foreign earnings to climb 1.8 fold to around $20 billion in the same period.

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

♪

And that is it for business news.

Next we have in focus. with my colleague Shibuya Aki. She'll tell us about some researchers who have been looking at a century of progress for one of Japan's enduring natural symbols.
This time we're taking a trip to Japan's northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido, where a wild success story is creating some entirely new challenges.
This magnificent bird is the red-crowned crane. It's one of Japan's designated natural treasures and has been revered as a symbol of good luck and longevity for centuries. But the species was once believed to be extinct in the country until a small number were found in Kushiro Marsh in the 1920s.
Now, there are about 2,000 living in the wild. That wild population largely stays in the area year-round,and needs to be fed by humans in winter when their usual food, such as grain and insects, is scarce.
It's a situation that's likely to lead to overcrowding, which would allow diseases to spread. Both the environment ministry and other organizations have been working on dispersing the cranes to a wider area in a bid to ensure their survival.

Momose Kunikazu chairs NPO, the Red-crowned Crane Conservancy.
He has been studying the birds for more than 40 years.
Every year in January and February, his group surveys the crane population, mainly at feeding sites in the eastern part of the prefecture.
The Environment Ministry began reducing the amount of food provided there in 2015 to the current 40% of the peak.
Preventing overcrowding encourages the birds to move elsewhere.
Momose has noticed a significant change in the birds' behavior.

The number of cranes at the big feeding stations has been getting smaller and smaller. We can say with certainty that they are becoming more dispersed during the winter. I believe the birds are dispersing in small groups and living in multiple large ranges.

This year's survey found that the number of cranes living naturally during winter reached a record high in the Hidaka and Tokachi regions. In addition, the tally of breeding pairs in northern and central Hokkaido during summer has been increasing.
Momosei has been a trailblazer, having started work on crane dispersal about 20 years before the ministry.
This abandoned farmland in Nakashibetsu town features another part of his efforts. It's more than 100 kilometers from the major feeding station at Kushiro Marsh.
Momosei provides dense corn to simulate a natural feeding spot.

I would like to get the cranes closer to their original wild state, where they can feed on their own without human intervention. But as it stands, they do need to be fed.

The number of red-crowned cranes coming to the remote Nakashibetsu feeding spot has increased nearly tenfold in recent years.

We wanted them to use Nakashibetsu as a base and spread across the mountains to the Okhotsk area. There are no more than 20 breeding pairs in the region.
And some of them are already overwintering. So in that respect, things are going well.

That progress hasn't been without setbacks, however. Ever hungry, the cranes raid cowsheds in search of food, stressing out the cattle and affecting their milk production.
These are crane footprints. They're all over the place in the evening.
Come spring, the cranes also create headaches for farmers by eating newly planted corn seeds.

Right after we sow our seeds, about 50 cranes come and eat them. They make lines and just pick them out. That greatly damages our harvest. Eating the seeds, that's what we're mostconcerned about.

Momose works with farmers to deter the birds, mixing the seeds with a substance they don't like.

We're still experimenting, but we've had some success. I think if we can make it a little bit more reliable, we can help farmers who need it.

Momose believes the understanding of local people is essential to expanding the areas where cranes can roam free.

I believe our efforts will give people a chance, even if it's just a small one, to feel proud as a community that humans are living with cranes. In the not too distant future, perhaps 10 or 20 years, we can hope that cranes will live in the south of Hokkaido or even on the main island of Honshu.

And in fact, records suggest that has happened in the past. This 19th century Ukiyo-e print by Hiroshige features the very same crane species that's now thriving in Hokkaido. But the setting back then was actually present-day Tokyo, a far crime for the wind and snow of northern Japan. The conservation efforts of Momose and his group have been a success so far,But now it seems it's up to humans to really embrace the needs of nature while striking a balance to protect livelihoods.

That's all from me.

People in Thailand are celebrating their traditional New Year. Many are taking the opportunity to pray for recovery in neighboring Myanmar, with the holiday coming less than a month after a devastating earthquake. The Song Koran Festival started on Sunday. Locals and tourists poured water on Buddhist statues at the landmark Wat Tharun Temple in Bangkok. The act symbolizes cleansing, reverence, and good fortune.
The effects of the earthquake continue to weigh on many.

well I just want peace in my home country. I don't want to see any other disasters. The best I can do now is pray for those affected by the quake.

I hoped for an end to the disasters. I was feeling down, but I felt better after making that wish.

The tremor also caused destruction in Thailand. It toppled a high-rise building in Bangkok that was under construction.
Thai tourism officials say hotel reservations declined following the earthquake, but they've been gradually recovering. UNESCO put the Songkran Festival on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2023.

American media report that a teenager charged with killing his parents may have done so as part of a plot to assassinate US President Trump. The teen was apparently trying to obtain the financial means and autonomy to carry out the plan. The 17-year-old boy is alleged to have fatally shot his mother and stepfather in Wisconsin in February. He allegedly then fled with property worth more than $10,000.
Media outlets report that investigators found a document calling for the president's assassination on his mobile phone. The document also indicates the boy held anti-Semitic views.
Authorities have accused him of trying to obtain a drone and explosives. They say he also told a person who speaks Russian about a plan to flee to Ukraine.
Investigators say the boy was in contact with other parties who appear to have provided assistance.

♪

It is time now for us to check the weather with our meteorologist, Jonathan Oh. So Jonathan, we had a sunny Monday here in Tokyo, but seems other parts of Japan saw some severe weather. Give us the details.

Hello, we did see a pretty fair day in Tokyo and along the eastern side of Japan, well, most of it at least. It was relatively calm. But back toward the West, we had some hail to talk about. Let's take a look at some video coming out of Sasebo in Nagasaki Prefecture. Where people there had to protect themselves from falling hail Monday morning and within just a few minutes these ice stones pounded the ground and also the roofs and was accompanied by lightning. Hail was also reported other parts of Kyushu Monday, with thunderstorms expected in various parts of western to eastern Japan over the next couple of days as these unstable conditions. Persist. And So what we are expecting is this low pressure system that's helping to really bring in some of the warm air and because of the way that the atmosphere stack, it's creating the turmoil in a sense that's leading to these thunderstorms popping up. Chukoku region back toward the West likely to see the possibility of some thunderstorms as we go through today on Tuesday. But even into portions of the Kanto Koshin region, you may be dealing with the possibility of seeing a few thunderstorms as well as we go through Tuesday leading into Wednesday. So showers from Osaka into Niigata 14 is hot port of Sendai. At 16 and 21 in Tokyo is a bit of a warm but wet day expected as we go through Tuesday.

Meanwhile, we're talking about some warm weather across portions of North America, warmer than what we typically see for this time of year. We have high pressure controlling the southeastern areas, the United States.
Need a break from the the unstable weather that we had over the past week or so. Some of that were quite a serious, but now we're seeing a little of a calm pattern but it's also quite warm. Some places like Atlanta looking at highs near 30 degrees as we go through the day on Monday and then the Pacific Northwest and sometimes we talk about the cloudy and the dreary kind of weather. That's not the case. 19 with sunny skies coming up on Monday. So that's quite a dramatic shift in temperatures. You want to make sure to take it easy if you have to be outdoors looking at Houston, Atlanta also. Temperatures near 30.

Quick note on Europe down to the South, some unstable weather, the low pressures moving through, so thunderstorms possible into Rome with a high of 19 on Monday.
Hope you have a good day wherever you are.

And that wraps it up for this edition of NHP Newsline. We'll have more for you soon. Thanks for watching.