Welcome back to NHK Newsline. Here's the latest we have for you at this hour.
One of South Korea's presidential candidates is once again facing allegations he violated election law. The country's top court says a lower court needs to review its decision to acquit Lee Jae Myung.
We are nullifying the second trial ruling and are sending the case back to the Seoul High Court.
The news comes just days after Lee was picked to be the main opposition's presidential candidate. The saga began three years ago. Lee was charged with making false claims during the last presidential campaign. The comments were related to a development project he oversaw as a city mayor. The Seoul Central District Court initially found him guilty, but the Seoul High Court acquitted him in March.
Lee has been leading recent polls. Local media say the High Court won't make a ruling until after South Koreans vote on June 3.
South Korea's acting president and prime minister has announced his resignation.
Media outlets in the country say that he is expected to announce on Friday his candidacy for that upcoming presidential election.
There are two ways in front of us. One is to finish all the heavy tasks I am in charge of. The other is to resign my current post to take on a bigger responsibility.
To overcome the crisis we are facing, I have decided to step down to do what I can and have to do.
He has served as the ambassador to the United States. Han has been the prime minister since the start of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration. Recent election polls show that support for Han has been growing. Some conservatives hope he will get the backing of the ruling People Power Party. It is now in the process of selecting its own candidate. The party has narrowed down the contenders to two politicians and plans to officially make its selection on Saturday.
A Japanese atomic bomb survivor and the mayors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki have called for a world without nuclear weapons at the United Nations Headquarters. The preparatory committee for next year's review conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty convened on Wednesday. Kanamoto Hiroshi spoke on behalf of Nihon Hidankyo, a group of atomic bomb survivors, or Hibakusha, that won last year's Nobel Peace Prize. He was exposed to radiation in Hiroshima when he was nine months old.
Our ardent wish is to achieve the elimination of nuclear weapons in our lifetime. We have high expectations in the role of the NPT Review Conference in a world where the decline of the nuclear taboo is a growing concern.
The mayor of Hiroshima expressed concern that more countries are advocating for nuclear weapons for national security reasons.
It is my sincerest hope that you will urge world leaders to adopt diplomatic policies for a peaceful solution through dialogue and advance reliable nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation measures in good faith.
Nagasaki's mayor expressed sympathy over the death of Pope Francis. The pontiff called for the abolition of nuclear weapons when he visited Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 2019.
The only way for humanity to escape the nuclear risk is through abolition. Nagasaki must remain the last wartime atomic bombing site.
This year marks 80 years since the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Now let's see what's happening in the world of business. Here's Ramin Mellegard.
It's Gene Otani today, but thanks, Minori, our opening business story this hour.
Japan's top tariff negotiator has arrived in Washington to meet his US counterpart for a second round of talks this week. Japanese Economic Revitalization Minister Akazawa Ryosei says, he wants to urge the US to rethink its latest tariffs. He plans to stress that further investment from Japan would benefit the American economy.
Japan needs the US to rethink its series of tariffs. The policies are starting to pose huge damage to the Japanese economy. So I will do my best to reach a win-win agreement.
Akazawa said his talks with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant are set for Thursday. He later had a roughly one-hour meeting at his hotel with two senior officials of Japan's main ruling Liberal Democratic Party.
Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru expressed his hope that Akazawa will seek a mutually beneficial outcome.
Regarding Japan-US tariff negotiations, we see this as not one side winning and the other side losing. Minister Akazawa will tell the US side it's important to play our respective roles globally and harmoniously.
The focus on the talks will be whether the negotiators can identify specific areas, given that US President Donald Trump is demanding an end to America's trade deficits.
Meanwhile, Trump has said he is in no rush to conclude a trade deal with Japan as well as with South Korea and India.
He made the comment in a telephone interview with US media outlet Newsroom Nation on Wednesday.
Trump was asked about when all right. He made the comment in a telephone interview with US media outlet News Nation on Wednesday. Trump was asked about when he will announce agreements with the three countries. He answered. I'm in less of a hurry than you are, adding, They want us. We don't need them. Trump's stance to appear aloof is apparently aimed at gaining the upper hand and strike a better deal. Sources familiar with the talk say Washington wants Tokyo to come up with proposals that would help reduce US trade deficits with Japan.
A Japanese government task force is pulling together a list of negotiating points for the ongoing talks with the US.
It covers what Washington calls non-tariff trade barriers, as well as Tokyo's plans to invest in America and boost imports from the country.
President Trump has questioned why only a small number of US autos are sold in Japan. The task force is considering Washington's requests to modify Japan's safety and electric vehicle charging standards. The Office of the United States Trade Representative called such rules non-tariff barriers.
Tokyo is also considering measures to simplify the screening process for imported vehicles.
In addition, Washington has complained about the auto trade imbalanceas Japan exports a much larger number of vehicles to the US. The task force in response will highlight the investment by Japanese automakers in America and additional spending plans to boost local output.
Honda and Nissan have recently announced they will shift some production to the US from Japan.
Toyota last month said it will invest $88 million to boost output in its factory in West Virginia.
In the farming sector, Japan may increase imports of soybeans as US shipments to China are expected to shrink due to trade disputes with Beijing.
Imports of American corn for livestock feed and biofuel could also increase.
Rice is also on the negotiation list.
Japan has a tariff free import scheme for the grain called Minimum Access.
The task force is discussing if more US rice could be included in this framework, but this has to be balanced against the interests of domestic farmers.
The Bank of Japan has opted to keep its monetary policy unchanged. BOJ members apparently took into account Growing uncertainty stemming from the Trump administration's tariff policies.
Japan's central bank decided at the second day of its policy meeting on Thursday that it will continue to target a short-term rate of around half a percent. The decision reflects the bank's cautious stance to carefully monitor economic and price data after the new US import tariffs took effect.
That has LED it to downgrade Japan's GDP growth rate and inflation forecast from January's outlook. Policy makers also policy makers are seen as believing the tariffs will dampen exports and reduce capital investment. The bank's medium forecast for economic growth in fiscal 2025 is at an annualized 0.5% in real terms from the previous fiscal year. Downgraded from the January forecast of 1.1% for the next year, it projects 0.7% growth, down from the 1% forecast in January. The BOJ says it expects Japan to see a 2.2% increase in consumer prices in fiscal 2025. That's down from the previous projection of 2.4%.
The forecast is 1.7% for fiscal 2026, also down from the January projection.
BOJ Governor Ueda Kazuo explained why the bank downgraded their outlook. Ueda said that Japan's economic activity and prices have been generally on track, but he explained that they took into account some progress in ongoing trade negotiations. Policymakers compiled the outlook on the premisethat a level of tariffs that cannot be ignored will remain. Ueda was also asked about the timing of the next rate hikes.
As the accuracy of our outlook is relatively low, I think there is a large chance of a review of our projections due to changes in a range of conditions, including tariffs. The timing of interest rate hikes will shift depending on future developments.
The BOJ's decision triggered a fall in the Japanese currency against the dollar in Tokyo on Thursday. The yen briefly weakened to the upper 144 level. Analysts say the central bank's downgraded outlook for Japan's economic growth and inflation prompted investors to sell the yen on the speculation that the BOJ will find it difficult to raise interest rates this year. Tokyo's benchmark Nikkei 225 stock index rose on the weaker yen.
It closed on Thursday at 36,452, up 1.1 percent. Some investors bought shares of export-related companies on expectations that the yen's depreciation will have a positive impact on their performance. The benchmark index extended its winning streak to six trading days.
And that's a look at business news. Minori, I'm gonna hand it back to you.
Thanks Gene Otani from the biz desk.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has urged India and Pakistan to deescalate tensions following a deadly terrorist attack in the Indian controlled part of Kashmir. The State Department said Rubio spoke with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar by phone on Wednesday. He had a separate call with Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif. The department said Rubio encouraged the two countries to work together to maintain peace and security in South Asia. The Pakistani government also released a statement following the call from Rubio. It said Sharif had urged Washington to make clear to India that it should dial down the rhetoric and act responsibly.
The Kashmir region is claimed by both India and Pakistan. On April 22, 26 people died when gunmen opened fire on a group of tourists in Indian administered Jammu and Kashmir.
India has accused Pakistan of involvement Indian. Attack and taken countermeasures.
Pakistan has denied any role. It has called for a neutral investigation into the incident while also taking retaliatory measures against India's response. The escalating tensions between the two nuclear states are fueling concern that India may carry out a military strike against Pakistan.
Ukraine and the US have signed an agreement to establish a reconstruction investment fund. The deal is expected to fuel mineral resources development in Ukraine and advance ties between both nations. Ukraine's First Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko posted on social media that the two countries will jointly manage and contribute equally to the fund. She also said the fund will invest in the extraction of critical minerals, oil and gas, as well as related infrastructure in Ukraine. The announcement notes Ukraine will retain control of all resources on its territory and in territorial waters. It also says the US may provide new assistance, such as air defense systems for Ukraine, in addition to the financial contributions. The US Department of the Treasury also announced the agreement. It said their mutual assets, talents and capabilities can accelerate Ukraine's economic recovery.
Today's agreement signals clearly to Russian leadership that the Trump administration is committed to a peace process centered on a free, sovereign and prosperous Ukraine over the long term.
NHK correspondent Ichihara Akiko in Washington tells us about the background of this agreement and what impact it will have on ceasefire talks related to the Ukraine conflict.
Negotiations on the resource deal intensified in recent weeks.
On April 17, it was announced that the two sides had finalized what's known as a memorandum of intent related to the agreement.
Last week,Trump and Zelenskyy met at the Vatican while attending the funeral of Pope Francis. It was their first face-to-face talks since February. Both sides described the meeting as very productive. Speaking later to US media, Trump said he told Zelenskyy that it's a very good thing if we can produce a deal.
Describing Russia as much bigger and stronger. He added that he just wanted to stop the war, referring to young soldiers on both sides losing their lives every week.
Trump has sent a special envoy to Moscow several times to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin. The two held talks aimed at ending the war, but recentlyTrump has criticized Russian drone and missile attacks on Ukraine.
The attacks occurred while ceasefire talks were underway.
The Trump administration has signaled that this agreement is a long-term commitment to Ukraine and the peace process. The question is whether it will lead to a Russian agreement for a ceasefire.
And now we hear from NHK correspondent Arimizu Takashi in Kiev about the Ukrainian government's perspective on the deal. This report is in Japanese with simultaneous interpretation.
Ukraine's intent is to strengthen the relationship with the Trump administration. When the two nations were about to sign a mineral deal, US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Vlodimir Zelenskyy got into a fierce argument at the White House. The bilateral relations got strained. While the Trump administration has been pushing for a peace deal in favor of Russia, Kiev continued negotiating with Washington with the determination to sign a deal.
Ukraine seems to be satisfied with this agreement, as it will retain control of all its resources, and it could lead to further military assistance from the US. However, the deal does not include US security guarantee to protect Ukraine from possible another Russian invasion. Kyiv will likely to try to negotiate a peace plan from their advantage by keeping the Trump administration on its side as signaled by the deal.
Japan's indigenous Ainu people have received ancestral remains that spent more than a century in Scotland.
The skulls of three Ainu people have been kept in a museum at the University of Edinburgh. They were given a ceremonial return to representatives from Japan, including members of an Ainu group. The university's principal presented them to a leader of the Ainu Association of Hokkaido, Okawa Masaru.
Okawa shared how he felt about the ancestors who were coming home.
It makes me emotional to think how they'd felt in a faraway foreign land. We want to honor their remains with dignity.
The remains will be injured at the Upapoi National Ainu Museum and Park in Hokkaido. The University of Edinburgh says they were donated in 1913 by a Scottish-born anthropologist and physician who lived in Japan. The remains of three other Ainu people are kept at the Natural History Museum in London. The Japanese government is asking for their return.
Prosecutors in Japan's southwestern prefecture of Okinawa have indicted a US Marine on charges of sexually assaulting a woman and injuring another on a US military base. Police and prosecutors have not disclosed whether the suspect has admitted to the charges.
The Naha District Public Prosecutor's Office indicted 27-year-old Private First Class Austin Weddington without arrest on Wednesday. The charges allege the attack took place in a restroom on March 18. Sources say the victim is a Japanese national who works at the base and did not know the soldier. The suspect is also alleged to have used violence against another woman who tried to help the assaulted woman.
This case is a very heinous crime. We need to state very clearly to the US side that it is unforgivable.
The Naha District Court approved a request from prosecutors for the Marine to be detained. The US Ambassador to Japan, George Glass, issued a statement pledging full cooperation with the Japanese government and local authorities in their investigation.
Family members of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea decades ago have taken their mission abroad. They've asked senior US administration officials and lawmakers for help to bring their loved ones back home. The meeting happened in the capital. Izuka Koichiro's mother, Taguchi Aiko, was taken when he was just a year old.
Yokota Takuya's sister, Megumi, was abducted when she was 13.
The men met with House Representative Jill Tokuda. Yokota told her that his mother is 89 years old and time is running out.
Please give us your help so that my mother may reunite with Megumi. We must be united and stand shoulder to shoulder to you as we seek to bring them all home.
Yokota and Izuka later met senior White House officials in charge of national security. Izuka asked for the abduction issue to be put on the agenda if the US President and North Korea's leader hold another summit.
I feel we now have more people on our side. It is our mission, as well as that of the Japanese government, to turn this support into action.
Japan's government says at least 17 of its citizens were kidnapped by North Korean agents in the 1970s and '80s.
Five of them returned in 2002, but what happened to a dozen others remains unknown.
Russia and North Korea have begun construction of a road bridge connecting the two countries. It's the first such link, and it appears meant to reinforce their economic ties. A groundbreaking ceremony took place Wednesday. Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and North Korean Premier Park Tae-song attended via video link.
Mishustin said the project shows their common desire to strengthen friendly and neighborly relations. Park said it symbolizes the immortal friendship and cooperation between the peoples of the two countries. The bridge over the Tumen River will connect the Russian Far East with North Korea's Northeast.
There's currently a railway bridge, but no way for cars and trucks to get across.
Russian officials say the two-lane bridge will be a kilometer long when it's finished in about 18 months.
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And it is time now to check the weather. It's been nice and sunny the past few days here in Tokyo, but seems like rain is on the way. Our meteorologist Yumi Hirano has the details.
Rain is expected in western Japan on Thursday night and then will shift toward eastern and northern Japan on Friday.
Even in Tokyo, intense rain is possible from the afternoon into the evening.
The high in the city will drop to 19 due to the wet weather, but sunny skies are coming back starting from this holiday Saturday. And then hot conditions may be an issue. The highs will be 26 in Tokyo on Sunday and 25 in Osaka on Monday.
The next round of widespread showers will start from Tuesday.
Moving to Europe, people in the West have been experiencing summer-like conditions.
Temperatures reached 28.1 in London and 28.7 in Paris, making the hottest day of the year so far.
Midsummer-like hot weather has been sweeping across Central Europe this week.
On Wednesday, many people in Paris and London were enjoying the warm weather.
The hot weather is expected to peak on Thursday, with highs around 30 degrees in both cities. It will be the first time in the UK temperatures have reached 30 degrees as early as May.
A couple of high-pressure systems will dominate much of the continent, bringing sunny weather. In addition, warm air will continue to flow from the south, leading to peak heat conditions on Thursday. The temperatures will be 29 in London and Paris, exceeding the typical highs for the hottest time of year. So please stay hydrated.
That's it for now. Stay safe.
♫～
That brings us to the end of this edition of NHK Newsline. We will have more for you soon. Thanks for joining us.
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