Welcome back to NHK Newsline. Here's the latest we have for you at this hour.
Crews in Myanmar are still searching for hundreds of missing people after last week's earthquake. International relief efforts are underway, but support workers are facing immense challenges getting help to those who need it. The magnitude 7.7 quake struck the central part of the country on Friday near Mandalay. Myanmar's military says over 2,000 people are dead and nearly 4,000 injured. China, Russia and some Southeast Asian nations have deployed rescue workers and medical teams. They have the tough task of navigating wide areas of devastation.
An NHK crew on the ground captured footage of the immense damage in Mandalay's city center. A local says houses collapsed in the blink of an eye.
This humanitarian monitor says he fears hygiene and social order may be deteriorating, with many people now sleeping outdoors.
Prior to the quake, there were already more than 3 million people internally displaced in Myanmar due to the conflict, natural disasters or economic hardships.
Last week's earthquake has made the situation even worse for those vulnerable people.
And a desperate search continues in neighboring Thailand's capital, Bangkok, where the quake sent a tower under construction crashing down. At least 12 people are dead and over 70 are still missing. Earlier, I spoke with NHK World's Tammarin Dejsupa, who is at the site.
Minori, the chances are getting slimmer by the hour, but people aren't ready to give up hope just yet. Families of workers who were inside the structure have gathered here, anxiously waiting for any good news. In the past few days, teams have only found bodies, but there are still treating this as a rescue mission. They're scanning for signs of life. Any clue survivors could still be trapped in air pockets somewhere here.
Authorities have deployed large cranes to begin removing debris, but it will likely take some time. Eventually, however, this will shift into a recovery operation, and that will be a huge undertaking.
So we know that this tower was a joint project between a Thai company and a Chinese construction firm. Do we have any updates on why it collapsed?
Officials have not confirmed the cause as yet, but there have been a few interesting developments. We should mention that this wasn't just any project. Once completed, this tower was going to house the Thai government's auditing office. This was going to be a high profile building, so if its construction had major issues, that's a pretty big deal. As you said, a Chinese state-owned firm is involved. Local media say police questioned several Chinese nationals who allegedly entered a restricted area near the collapsed building. Reportedly, they went in to retrieve documents with details about the construction work and claimed they were needed for insurance procedures. We don't know what that means for the investigation just yet. We've also heard from officials who tested samples of the steel used in this structure. They say initial findings suggest some parts do not meet strength standards. It's still early, and all eyes are on the results of a government probe that could come out later this week.
Japan is bracing for its next mega quake. A government panel says nearly 300,000 people could die when one occurs in the Nankai Trough.
The panel submitted its report to the government Monday. The Nankai Trough runs along Japan's Pacific coast from Kyushu to Shizuoka Prefecture. The area is overdue for a major seismic event. It would rock big cities, including Osaka. Experts believe there is an 80% chance it will happen in the next 30 years. The report says the shaking will top Japan's seismic scale in 10 prefectures. It would also trigger widespread tsunami, with some places seeing waves over 30 meters high.
Some may even be observed in Tokyo. The panel says those tsunamis could cause the vast majority of deaths, but up to 52,000 people could also die from disaster related causes. such as untreated medical issues or stress.
For more on this, I earlier spoke with NHK World's Shimakawa Eisuke, who's been following this issue for us.
Eisuke, why is the government focused on the Nankai trough now?
Obviously, it is a huge risk for the whole country. Records show a mega quake hits the region about once every 150 years or so. We are now overdue for another.
But the other reason it's an issue now has to do with the great East Japan earthquake. When it stuck in 2011, the scale was far beyond what anyone expected. It raised concerns. We were underestimating the Nankai Drought. So the government is now looking at what needs to be done based on the worst-case scenario.
That would be a magnitude 9 earthquake, the largest scientifically possible.
So can we say that Japan is prepared for this mega-quake?
Yes and no. Over 10 years ago, the government decided to take measures to reduce that death toll. The goal was an 80% reduction over 10 years. For example, there are they have started building evacuation towers. The goal is to give people a place to evacuate, too, when there isn't higher ground nearby.
Local governments are also holding more drifts. But the national government has not hit its target. There are multiple reasons why. For one,The report does not take into account how people think about tsunami. It assumes most people near the coast wouldn't evacuate immediately after an earthquake. But coastal residents today seem more prepared for tsunami than they were 10 years ago.
Experts also expanded what they considered the tsunami-affected area by about 30 percent. That is another reason why it looks like progress isn't being made.
Well, you just mentioned being prepared for these disasters. And that, of course, is true for Japanese people who have experienced these things and live near the coast, for example. But what about foreigners and visitors here who might not have that sort of experience?Right.
The panel did look into the impact a mega quake would have on foreigners here. It found they have less access to information and humanitarian supplies. They are also more likely to be stuck in the affected area without transportation. Again, the biggest causes of death will probably be tsunami. It is critical the government makes sure everyone near the coast knows to run to higher ground that includes those who may not speak Japanese. If everyone evacuates immediately after the quake, the data shows we can reduce tsunami deaths by 70%.
But that is not the only things we can do. By making our homes quake-resistant and securing heavy furniture, we can reduce the number of deaths. We assume major actions are the only way to address a major quake, but that's just not true. Both the government and the people need to make the effort. That is the only way to be truly resilient against a mega-creek.
US President Donald Trump says he plans to soon visit Saudi Arabia and other countries in the Middle East. It would be the first trip abroad of his second term.
I have a very good relationship with the Middle East. It could be next month, maybe a little bit later, yeah. And we're going to Qatar also, and also we're going to possibly a couple of other countries.
Trump also touted his warm ties with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. He apparently wants to strengthen economic relations with the Kingdom.
Trump has expressed A willingness to hold a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Saudi Arabia. He reportedly wants the Saudis to help bring about an early ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. And the president is expected to discuss the stalled ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas during his Middle East tour.
Health authorities in the Gaza Strip say more than 1,000 people have been killed since Israel resumed its offensive.
The military assault started up again on March 18 after ceasefire talks with Hamas became stalled. On Monday, Israel issued an evacuation notice to residents in much of the Rafah area in southern Gaza.
Meanwhile huge crowds gathered in Jerusalem for a rally against Prime Minister Bin Yamin Netanyahu. They said the renewed offensive could put the lives of hostages in danger. The protests have gone on for days.
Israel can't stop the war. There is no need in that war. And we know that Hamas wants to give all the hostages back if Israel stops the war.
Netanyahu has come under increased scrutiny since Monday. That's when media reported that two aides had been arrested on suspicion of accepting bribes from someone linked to Qatar. The Gulf state acted as a mediator in the talks with Hamas.
China is ramping up the pressure on Taiwan with more military drills. Officials describe the latest activities as a stern warning against separatist forces.
State-run media say a Rocket Force unit carried out a series of simulated attacks early on Tuesday morning. Air Force fighters and bombers were also reportedly deployed alongside naval vessels.
Military officials also revealed they held exercises around Taiwan last month.
China regards Taiwan's ruling party as a pro-independence force. Observers say the drills are part of a push to keep President Lai Chunta's government and the United States in check.
Japan is bracing for the impacts of tariffs targeting the auto industry from its close ally, the United States. Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru says his government is working hard to convince US President Trump's administration to make an exception for his country.
Japan is America's largest investor. Given that reality, we will continue to strongly urge the US to exempt our country from the new tariffs.
Ishiba has indicated he has plans if an exclusion is not made. He's announced measures to support small and medium-sized Japanese firms. About a thousand consultation offices will be set up nationwide to hear their concerns.
Government officials will also visit factories and companies to assess their situations. Ishiba says he will not hesitate to visit the US to negotiate for Japan in person, if necessary.
The Prime Minister was speaking to reporters after the Diet passed one of the largest budgets in Japanese history.
He's seen his cabinet's popularity drop amid the rising cost of living and a recent political scandal.
I take full responsibility for my cabinet's declining approval rating.
I take this seriously and will reflect on it intensely, taking steps to restore trust.
Ishiba was widely criticized after it was revealed he had distributed gift coupons worth about $700 each to over a dozen lawmakers from his party. He reiterated his apology during Tuesday's news conference, saying the decision was out of touch with public opinion.
More than 13,000 people in Ishikawa Prefecture are still living in temporary housing, 15 months after a major earthquake devastated parts of central Japan. Officials say they are working to help those residents. The quake struck the Noto Peninsula on New Year's Day last year. It left 570 people dead in the prefectures of Ishikawa, Toyama, and Niigata. That number includes deaths classified as related to the disaster. It could climb higher. Officials are still vetting applications from families seeking the deaths of their loved ones to be classified as disaster-related.
An Ishikawa prefectural official says the number of housing structures damaged by the quake stood at more than 115,000 as of last week. Many of the roughly 13,600 people living in temporary housing units in the prefecture are elderly.
Ishikawa's governor told his staff that they will continue to work toward recovery.
Our next mission is to support essential workers employed in education, medical, welfare and other fields in order to ensure residents can earn a living.
Authorities are teaming up with social welfare professionals and volunteers to visit the homes of elderly people on a regular basis. It's part of an effort to help those who are dealing with feelings of isolation.
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, a closely watched survey on business sentiment in Japan is showing a slight worsening among major manufacturers, and that's the first dip in four quarters.
The Bank of Japan's Tankan survey puts the index at plus 12. The reading released Tuesday was two points worse than the previous poll. A positive number indicates that more companies are optimistic about recent business conditions than those feeling pessimistic. Sentiment in the iron and steel sector has been affected by the Trump administration's tariff policies.
The index plunged 10 points to minus 18. It was a different story for large non manufacturers. The reading came in at plus 35, up two points. Sentiment saw the biggest rise among consumption related industries such as retailing due to inbound demand. Now looking three months ahead, confidence at large manufacturers remains at plus 12.
BOJ officials say the sluggish, forward-looking sentiment reflects the worry among vehicle related firms about the impact of US tariffs. The non manufacturers index slid seven points for the same period. The BOJ polled about 9,000 companies from late February through the end of March.
And Taiwan's semiconductor manufacturing company on Monday marked the expansion of a plant to produce next generation two nanometer chips. The event, attended by Taiwan Premier Cho Rong Tai, is being seen as a vote of confidence in local manufacturing.
TSMC executives say the facility in the southern Taiwanese city of Kaohsiung will start mass producing two nanometer chips in the second-half of this year. They added the world's largest contract chip maker will keep investing in Taiwan operations even as it expands in the US and elsewhere. Taiwan's premier made the same point at the opening ceremony, saying the island will retain its chip production and R&D centers.
TSMC recently announced plans to spend as much as $100 billion on US facilities. The move was welcomed by US President Donald Trump as he seeks to attract more high tech investment. But the decision did fuel concerns in Taiwan about a possible technology drain, apparently prompting TSMC to clarify its focus on local production at the events. And global markets are on edge as an April 2 deadline for the US to enact far-reaching tariffs draws near.
President Trump says the plans he has in mind for reciprocal levies will make the world sit up and take notice.
And we have some big things we're going to be announcing over the next two days.
They've been ripping us off for years, right from the beginning. And the term I like best probably is the liberation of America.
Trump told reporters at the White House on Monday that the tariffs are going to bring tremendous wealth back to his country, Treasury Secretary Scott Besson said on Fox News.
The president will announce the details at 3:00 PM US Eastern Time on Wednesday. Trump left the door open for some exemptions from the levies. When asked whether there are any countries that he's not targeting, he said it depends.
Now Japan's antitrust watchdog says Google and Apple will be subject to a new law aimed at regulating IT giants and promoting competition in the smartphone apps market. The Act on Promotion of Competition for specified smartphone software bans the prevention of alternatives in fields such as app stores and search engines. The law was enacted in June last year.
It targets firms with over 40 million monthly users in each area.
The Fair Trade Commission said on Monday that Apple and its subsidiary iTunes, as well as Google, will be subject to the law. Restrictions will apply to all three in the App Store area. They'll be prohibited from blocking other companies from offering alternative app stores and entering in store payment systems. Google faces restrictions in search engines. It will be banned from presenting its own services in a primary position in search results without justifiable reasons.
The Commission plans to release guidelines on restrictions under the law before its implementation by December this year.
Niche proxy businesses in an increasingly busy world are popping up, offering services that are quick, efficient, and in some cases are assisting with people's major life decisions. We follow several such companies in Japan to find out what's behind their growth.
This is a proxy laundry service in Tokyo. It handles water washable laundry. After a pickup order is made online, the laundry is collected within 19 minutes, washed and returned by as early as the next day. It costs about $12 for a 45-liter bag.
Customers get to select the detergents or softeners they want and the amounts to be used. They can also specify how they want the clothing folded.
For example,Some customers want us to return clothes folded small like this, so we try to meet their requests.
The users can set the delivery time.
With two children, I used to do laundry twice a day. Now I have more time with the kids. Having that extra time is really important.
The company handles more than 200 orders a day at its two locations in Tokyo.
It says business has been increasing by 50% each month.
We want to provide a service that can be used anytime. The concept is to pay money for extra time.
Another proxy service is helping those dealing with life's ultimate event.
A moment of silence.
Now we begin the ceremony to scatter the ashes at sea.
The ashes of a deceased person are being dispersed in Tokyo Bay. The scattering of ashes at sea is normally done by bereaved family members from a boat, but this company does it on behalf of those who may be anxious about going to sea or who wish to keep the costs down. The staff records the...
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