Welcome to NHK Newsline. I'm Gene Otani in Tokyo.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is taking aim at the military's top brass. In a drive to cut costs, he's ordered the Pentagon to cut the number of four-star generals by at least 20%.
This is not a slash and burn exercise meant to punish high-ranking officers.
This has been a deliberative process, working with the Joint Chiefs of Staff with one goal, maximizing strategic readiness and operational effectiveness.
Hagseth says there are currently 44 four-star generals or equivalent posts. He insists the streamlining will be done carefully but swiftly. Media reports say the government could merge the military's commands in Africa and Europe. The Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, is leading a broader push to cut federal spending.
The Israeli military says it has carried out airstrikes against Houthi-related targets in Yemen. The attacks came a day after the rebel group fired a missile at Israel's main international airport. The military said that it struck Hodeidah port and surrounding areas in western Yemen on Monday.
Officials also said the targets included a cement factorywhich they claim is a significant economic resource for the Houthis. The military says the rebel group used the port for the transportation of weapons supplied by Iran. They say the cement factory supplied material for the construction of tunnels and military infrastructure. Yemeni media say at least 21 citizens were injured in the airstrike on the factory. The Houthi rebels, who expressed solidarity with the Islamic group Hamas, have repeatedly fired missiles against Israel, which has blocked humanitarian supplies to the Gaza Strip since March. On Sunday, a missile fired by the group landed in the vicinity of Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv, injuring at least six people.
Officials also said the targets included a cement factorywhich they claim is a significant economic resource for the Houthis. The military says the rebel group used the port for the transportation of weapons supplied by Iran. They say the cement factory supplied material for the construction of tunnels and military infrastructure. Yemeni media say at least 21 citizens were injured in the airstrike on the factory. The Houthi rebels, who expressed solidarity with the Islamic group Hamas, have repeatedly fired missiles against Israel, which has blocked humanitarian supplies to the Gaza Strip since March. On Sunday, a missile fired by the group landed in the vicinity of Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv, injuring at least six people.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says his military forces will expand their campaign in Gaza. He says civilians will be relocated inside the enclave for their protection.
We are not letting go of this effort and we will not give up on anyone.
The operation is reportedly set to start after US President Donald Trump's visit to the Middle East next week. Local media quotes an Israeli official as saying there's a window of opportunity for a hostage deal. He warns that if they fail, the new operation will begin with what he says is great intensity. IDF officials say they plan to evacuate residents in northern Gaza to the south. They want to distinguish them from Hamas fighters, then they'll secure the area and station troops there. And Israeli media says officials have decided on a plan to resume the delivery of humanitarian aid. Reports say private security groups and international organizations will distribute food directly to families so supplies won't go to Hamas.This plan that was presented is not in line with the humanitarian principles and giving more operational control to a party to the conflict. would risk aid not reaching the vulnerable people.
Local health authorities say more than 52,000 people have been killed in the fighting.
Japan's Imperial Household Agency says Emperor Emeritus Akihito has been admitted to a hospital in Tokyo for a heart examination.
The agency says he underwent a regular checkup in mid-april and showed signs of possible myocardial ischemia. This condition occurs when blood flows from the coronary arteries to the heart muscle is insufficient. Agency officials say the 91-year-old Emperor Emeritus had not noticed any symptoms such as chest pains, but after re-examination, he was diagnosed with a high probability of myocardial ischemia on Sunday. They say he was admitted to the University of Tokyo Hospital on Tuesday for more detailed examination. The Emperor Emeritus underwent coronary bypass surgery in 2012 after being diagnosed with angina.
In July 2022, he was diagnosed with right heart failure and has since been taking medication and restricting his fluid intake.
Planes and bullet trains across Japan are packed with domestic travelers heading home on the final day of the spring holidays.
Shin-Osaka station on Tuesday morning was filled with people who had spent time in their hometowns and tourist destinations.
I went to my grandmother's home. I enjoyed seeing my family.
I came back to Osaka for the expo. It was nice, but there were a lot of people, and it was stressful.
The operator of the Tokaido Shinkansen line says trains heading for Tokyo are almost fully booked. Reserved seats for some Tokyo-bound trains on the Tohoku and Akita-Shinkansen lines are sold out.
Airports are also seeing peak traffic on domestic flights. Booking rates for planes bound for Tokyo and Osaka stand at nearly 83% for all Nippon Airways and 80% for Japan Airlines. Many people who traveled overseas are also flying home.
The operator of Narita International Airport near Tokyo says it expects about 54,000 arrivals on Tuesday.
Airports are also seeing peak traffic on domestic flights. Booking rates for planes bound for Tokyo and Osaka stand at nearly 83% for all Nippon Airways and 80% for Japan Airlines. Many people who traveled overseas are also flying home.
The operator of Narita International Airport near Tokyo says it expects about 54,000 arrivals on Tuesday.
It was fun. I saw many different capes and a lifetime worse of boulders.
The sea was beautiful.
I got food poisoning. I'm still suffering with an upset stomach.
The operator estimates around 1.17 million travelers use the airport between April 25 and May 6. That is almost the same level as in 2019, before the start of the pandemic.
A nursing care union in Japan is sounding the alarm about the nation's chronic labor shortage. A new survey shows many providers of home visits are struggling to meet demand.
More than 1,000 administrators and managers responded to the poll conducted online last month.
Almost 90% of the administrators say there had been time since April last year when they had to decline requests for nursing care. More than 55 percent said revenues declined, with most citing the labor shortage as the main cause.
More than two-thirds of the managers say they have at times been unable to make sufficient plans.
Union officials say insurance policy holders may not be receiving the care they need. They say the government should help secure more workers.
More than 1,000 administrators and managers responded to the poll conducted online last month.
Almost 90% of the administrators say there had been time since April last year when they had to decline requests for nursing care. More than 55 percent said revenues declined, with most citing the labor shortage as the main cause.
More than two-thirds of the managers say they have at times been unable to make sufficient plans.
Union officials say insurance policy holders may not be receiving the care they need. They say the government should help secure more workers.
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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.////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Hi there. It's time now for Easy Japanese from NHK World Japan.
I'm Eriko Kojima. And I'm Michael Reese.
Let's have fun studying Japanese together. Today we bring you Lesson 6 on how to ask where a bus, train, or other kind of public transportation is headed.
The main character of our skit is Tam, a student from Vietnam. It's Tam's first day to commute to a university in Tokyo by train. She's at the station, but she's not sure if the train she's about to get on is the right one, so she asks a station staff member. Listen to the skit for Lesson 6.
Hi.
Now let's go over the skit line by line.
Tam catches the attention of a staff member. Excuse me, the staffer replies. Hi.
Yes. Tam asks if the train she's about to take goes to where she wants to go. Does this train go to Ikebukuro?The person answers.
No, it doesn't.
Ikebukuro is on the Yamanote line.
So, Tam asks another question.
Where is the Yamanote line?The staff member replies.
Platform number three, Tam says.
I see.
Thank you very much. I'm glad that Tam was able to find the right train. Lots of railway lines run through Tokyo, so it can get confusing.
If you're not sure which train to take, you can ask someone, like Tam did.
Today's key phrase is, Does this train go to Ikebukuro? Kono desya wa Ikebukuro ni kimasuka? Master this pattern and you'll be able to avoid going the wrong way. Here's what it means piece by piece. Kono desya means this train.
Kono means this. and comes in front of a noun. Densha is train. The following wa is a particle expressing the topic, remember?Ikebukuro is the name of a train station. And it's one of the busiest in central Tokyo.
Mm-hmmNi is a particle expressing the destination. Ikimasu is the verb iku, to go, in the masu form. The sentence ends with ka, making it a question.
Now, today's point. In asking the destination of public transportation, say kono transportation wa destination ni ikimasuka.
So, after the destination, you add ni ikimasuka. That's right. Let's practice that. Listen and repeat out loud.
Ikimasuka Ikebukuro ni ikimasuka? Kono denishawa, Ikebukuro ni ikimasuka? Got it? Here's a conversation with the station staff checking where a train is headed.
Kono denishawa. Akihabara ni ikimasuka.
Iye ichimasen. Akihabara ba ichiban sen desu.
Now, let's go over the details.
Kono denishawa. Akihabara ni ikimasuka. Does this train go to Akihabara?Akihabara is the name of a station in Tokyo. Iye ichimasen. No, it doesn't.
Iye means no. Yes, by the way, is hai. Ikimasen means it doesn't go. It's the negative form of the verb ikimasu, to go.
Instead of using masu at the end of a verb, masen changes it to the negative form. Akihabara ba ichiban sendesu. Akihabara is platform number one. Ichi is the numeral one. When referring to a train platform, add Bansen to the number. OK, imagine you're standing on the platform and going to ask a staff member if the train is bound for Akihabara. Listen and repeat.
Okay, now how would you ask if the bus in front of you is going to the airport? Bus is pronounced bus, bus. And airport is kuko, kuko.
Konobasuba, kuko ni kimasuka.
How did you do? Now to step up, where we study useful words such as numbers and days of the week. Here's our chance to learn how to count from one to ten. The skit we listened to included train platform numbers. Sang is three and ichi is one. Listen to how each of the numbers from one to ten is pronounced. One is ichi. Two is ni. 3 is sang, 4 is yong, 5 is go, 6 is roku, 7 is nana, 8 is hachi, 9 is kyu and 10 is ju.
Now it's your turn. Listen and repeat.
Ichi ni sang yong go roku nana hachi kyu jiu Not too hard, right?Okay, let's listen to the skit once again.
Next, Harusan's bag full of advice on culture and manners. Today's topic is train lines in Japan.
Japan's railway system spreads all across the country. Big cities, in particular, are filled with lines, including subways.
They're also connected by express trains and Shinkansen bullet trains, making long-distance travel convenient. Buying tickets takes a little getting used to, though. First, look for your destination on the fare list.
Then, insert the money in the ticket machine and get your ticket. If you get a prepaid IC card, you can just touch in and out at the ticket gate. The fare is deducted automatically. Quite simple. And the trains are typically on time. In urban areas during the morning and evening peak periods, they pull into the station within minutes of one another. The duration that each train stays at a station is calculated in seconds. Really?Yes, they're quite precise. But the stations and trains are extremely crowded in rush hours, so you'd better take that into account when you're travelling. So plan accordingly and have a nice trip.
We hope you enjoyed today's Easy Japanese. Join us again next time.
Hi there. It's time now for Easy Japanese from NHK World Japan.
I'm Eriko Kojima. And I'm Michael Reese.
Let's have fun studying Japanese together. Today we bring you Lesson 6 on how to ask where a bus, train, or other kind of public transportation is headed.
The main character of our skit is Tam, a student from Vietnam. It's Tam's first day to commute to a university in Tokyo by train. She's at the station, but she's not sure if the train she's about to get on is the right one, so she asks a station staff member. Listen to the skit for Lesson 6.
Hi.
Now let's go over the skit line by line.
Tam catches the attention of a staff member. Excuse me, the staffer replies. Hi.
Yes. Tam asks if the train she's about to take goes to where she wants to go. Does this train go to Ikebukuro?The person answers.
No, it doesn't.
Ikebukuro is on the Yamanote line.
So, Tam asks another question.
Where is the Yamanote line?The staff member replies.
Platform number three, Tam says.
I see.
Thank you very much. I'm glad that Tam was able to find the right train. Lots of railway lines run through Tokyo, so it can get confusing.
If you're not sure which train to take, you can ask someone, like Tam did.
Today's key phrase is, Does this train go to Ikebukuro? Kono desya wa Ikebukuro ni kimasuka? Master this pattern and you'll be able to avoid going the wrong way. Here's what it means piece by piece. Kono desya means this train.
Kono means this. and comes in front of a noun. Densha is train. The following wa is a particle expressing the topic, remember?Ikebukuro is the name of a train station. And it's one of the busiest in central Tokyo.
Mm-hmmNi is a particle expressing the destination. Ikimasu is the verb iku, to go, in the masu form. The sentence ends with ka, making it a question.
Now, today's point. In asking the destination of public transportation, say kono transportation wa destination ni ikimasuka.
So, after the destination, you add ni ikimasuka. That's right. Let's practice that. Listen and repeat out loud.
Ikimasuka Ikebukuro ni ikimasuka? Kono denishawa, Ikebukuro ni ikimasuka? Got it? Here's a conversation with the station staff checking where a train is headed.
Kono denishawa. Akihabara ni ikimasuka.
Iye ichimasen. Akihabara ba ichiban sen desu.
Now, let's go over the details.
Kono denishawa. Akihabara ni ikimasuka. Does this train go to Akihabara?Akihabara is the name of a station in Tokyo. Iye ichimasen. No, it doesn't.
Iye means no. Yes, by the way, is hai. Ikimasen means it doesn't go. It's the negative form of the verb ikimasu, to go.
Instead of using masu at the end of a verb, masen changes it to the negative form. Akihabara ba ichiban sendesu. Akihabara is platform number one. Ichi is the numeral one. When referring to a train platform, add Bansen to the number. OK, imagine you're standing on the platform and going to ask a staff member if the train is bound for Akihabara. Listen and repeat.
Okay, now how would you ask if the bus in front of you is going to the airport? Bus is pronounced bus, bus. And airport is kuko, kuko.
Konobasuba, kuko ni kimasuka.
How did you do? Now to step up, where we study useful words such as numbers and days of the week. Here's our chance to learn how to count from one to ten. The skit we listened to included train platform numbers. Sang is three and ichi is one. Listen to how each of the numbers from one to ten is pronounced. One is ichi. Two is ni. 3 is sang, 4 is yong, 5 is go, 6 is roku, 7 is nana, 8 is hachi, 9 is kyu and 10 is ju.
Now it's your turn. Listen and repeat.
Ichi ni sang yong go roku nana hachi kyu jiu Not too hard, right?Okay, let's listen to the skit once again.
Next, Harusan's bag full of advice on culture and manners. Today's topic is train lines in Japan.
Japan's railway system spreads all across the country. Big cities, in particular, are filled with lines, including subways.
They're also connected by express trains and Shinkansen bullet trains, making long-distance travel convenient. Buying tickets takes a little getting used to, though. First, look for your destination on the fare list.
Then, insert the money in the ticket machine and get your ticket. If you get a prepaid IC card, you can just touch in and out at the ticket gate. The fare is deducted automatically. Quite simple. And the trains are typically on time. In urban areas during the morning and evening peak periods, they pull into the station within minutes of one another. The duration that each train stays at a station is calculated in seconds. Really?Yes, they're quite precise. But the stations and trains are extremely crowded in rush hours, so you'd better take that into account when you're travelling. So plan accordingly and have a nice trip.
We hope you enjoyed today's Easy Japanese. Join us again next time.
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Japan has various kinds of landmarks that fascinate visitors. They range from cultural and historic locations to modern buildings created with cutting-edge technologies. The Backstory of Japanese Landmarks brings you the stories behind these amazing places.
In this episode of The Backstory of Japanese Landmarks, we feature.
Kusatsu Hot Springs The first thing a visitor notices upon entering the town of Kusatsu is what appears to be a giant pond of hot water.
Some 4,000 liters of hot spring water gushes up every minute at this yubatake, or literally hot water field. It's 60 meters across and 20 meters wide.
The area is filled with the sound of flowing water. Steam rising from the Yubatake and a sulfurous odor typical of hot spring resorts. It all adds up to create an atmosphere that helps visitors step away from their everyday mind state. Kusatsu Hot Springs is in Gunma Prefecture in the central part of Japan. You can get there by the Shinkansen bullet train or buses from Tokyo. Kusatsu has been a renowned hot spring resort for many centuries. Emperors and shoguns, as well as regular people, have long taken a dip in its maths. The natural hot springs are said to ease fatigue from long travels and supposedly have curative effects for illnesses, bruises and sprains. Kusatsu is ranked as one of the top three hot springs in Japan.
Bathing is a well-loved part of life in Japan, but bathing in hot springs is not the same as taking a bath at home. Under Japan's hot spring law, in order to be officially considered a hot spring, the water, steam, and gas must well up from the ground and contain certain natural elements, and the temperature must be at least 25 degrees Celsius.
One of the main features of Kusatsu Hot Springs is the sheer amount of water that wells up from the ground in the area. In terms of volume, it's the top hot spring in Japan, with more than 32,000 liters gushing out a minute. That's enough to fill 230,000 oil drums a day. The Yubatake hot water pond at the center of the town is where visitors can get a sense of the vast amount of water flowing out from the ground. Seven wooden conduits line the oval-shaped Yubatake.
Hot water of around 50 degrees Celsius cools as it flows through the conduits before being distributed for bathing to some baths. The conduits also accumulate what are known as yunohana, or literally hot spring flowers.
They're crystalline compounds that form from the elements in the water as it's cooled by the air. The crystals are gathered and dried and made into a powder. The powder is a popular souvenir as it can be used as a natural bath salt.
But the most famous of the attractions at Kusatsu is a water stirring event called yumomi.
With a temperature of around 50 degrees Celsius, the hot spring water must be cooled down to a temperature suitable for bathing. One way to do this is yumomi, stirring the water using wooden paddles. Locals stir the water while singing traditional folk songs to keep rhythm. The most famous of these are the kusatsu folk songs. Visitors can enjoy umomi performances and even try their own hand at stirring the water.
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.
Japan has various kinds of landmarks that fascinate visitors. They range from cultural and historic locations to modern buildings created with cutting-edge technologies. The Backstory of Japanese Landmarks brings you the stories behind these amazing places.
In this episode of The Backstory of Japanese Landmarks, we feature.
Kusatsu Hot Springs The first thing a visitor notices upon entering the town of Kusatsu is what appears to be a giant pond of hot water.
Some 4,000 liters of hot spring water gushes up every minute at this yubatake, or literally hot water field. It's 60 meters across and 20 meters wide.
The area is filled with the sound of flowing water. Steam rising from the Yubatake and a sulfurous odor typical of hot spring resorts. It all adds up to create an atmosphere that helps visitors step away from their everyday mind state. Kusatsu Hot Springs is in Gunma Prefecture in the central part of Japan. You can get there by the Shinkansen bullet train or buses from Tokyo. Kusatsu has been a renowned hot spring resort for many centuries. Emperors and shoguns, as well as regular people, have long taken a dip in its maths. The natural hot springs are said to ease fatigue from long travels and supposedly have curative effects for illnesses, bruises and sprains. Kusatsu is ranked as one of the top three hot springs in Japan.
Bathing is a well-loved part of life in Japan, but bathing in hot springs is not the same as taking a bath at home. Under Japan's hot spring law, in order to be officially considered a hot spring, the water, steam, and gas must well up from the ground and contain certain natural elements, and the temperature must be at least 25 degrees Celsius.
One of the main features of Kusatsu Hot Springs is the sheer amount of water that wells up from the ground in the area. In terms of volume, it's the top hot spring in Japan, with more than 32,000 liters gushing out a minute. That's enough to fill 230,000 oil drums a day. The Yubatake hot water pond at the center of the town is where visitors can get a sense of the vast amount of water flowing out from the ground. Seven wooden conduits line the oval-shaped Yubatake.
Hot water of around 50 degrees Celsius cools as it flows through the conduits before being distributed for bathing to some baths. The conduits also accumulate what are known as yunohana, or literally hot spring flowers.
They're crystalline compounds that form from the elements in the water as it's cooled by the air. The crystals are gathered and dried and made into a powder. The powder is a popular souvenir as it can be used as a natural bath salt.
But the most famous of the attractions at Kusatsu is a water stirring event called yumomi.
With a temperature of around 50 degrees Celsius, the hot spring water must be cooled down to a temperature suitable for bathing. One way to do this is yumomi, stirring the water using wooden paddles. Locals stir the water while singing traditional folk songs to keep rhythm. The most famous of these are the kusatsu folk songs. Visitors can enjoy umomi performances and even try their own hand at stirring the water.
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.
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