The city of Hiroshima will mark the 80th anniversary of the world's first atomic bombing in August. NHK has learned that Ukraine plans to take part in this year's memorial, regardless of whether or not Russia also attends.
NHK contacted embassies and facilities of countries and regions to ask whether their representatives plan to attend the August 6 event.
Hiroshima City plans to send announcements to Russia and Belarus after not doing so for three consecutive years. Russia's embassy told NHK it will consider what to do after it receives it. The Ukrainian embassy said it would be regrettable if the city also included Russia and Belarus. But it said what matters most is attending the ceremony to pay respects to the victims.
Officials from Israel, Palestine, and Belarus told NHK they could not comment because they had not yet received any announcement. Britain and France said they plan to take part, while the US and Germany said they could not comment yet. Hiroshima will send its announcements of the annual ceremony to all countries and regions that have diplomatic channels with Japan.
The city cites the need to call on the world to abolish nuclear weapons.
A new survey shows the candidate for South Korea's largest opposition party remains the frontrunner in next month's presidential election.
The Democratic Party's Lee Jae-myung attracted 51% support in the Gallup Korea poll. The ruling People Power Party's Kim Mun-soo got 29. And the new Reform Party's Lee Jun-seok followed with 8%.
Among those who supported Lee Jae-myung, 13% cited his ability to perform duties as a factor behind their approval.
Another 13% referenced their expectations in regard to his skills.
As for Kim's supporters, 20% said his integrity and fairness cited his integrity and fairness. Half of the respondents were not affiliated with any party said they haven't decided who they'll vote for. The survey is Gallup's first since the candidates were finalized. It was conducted over three days until Thursday. About a thousand people took part. South Koreans head to the polls on June 3.
Officials from Kyiv and Moscow are in Turkey, set to sit down for discussions for the first time since the Russian invasion of Ukraine's opening stages.
Hopes for a breakthrough are low after both countries' leaders decide to skip the meeting.
Russia is being represented by Vladimir Medinsky, a senior aide to President Vladimir Putin. He's released a video statement saying he and his team will be waiting for the Ukrainian side from 10 a.m. Friday in Istanbul.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky traveled to Ankara, but opted against meeting the Russians after learning Putin would not be there. He's sending Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umarov to lead his delegation.
The talks are expected to be tough. Kiev had called for a 30-day ceasefire as a first step. Moscow ignored those calls and says it wants to eliminate the root causes of the conflict. It's demanding Ukraine give up on ever joining NATO and is refusing to concede territory. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says US and Turkish officials will be present at the meeting. He also says he doesn't have high expectations for talks without the presence of leaders, including President Donald Trump.
The only way we're going to have a breakthrough here is is with President Trump sitting face to face with President Putin.
Trump is in the United Arab Emirates, the last stop on his deal-making swing through the Gulf states. Trump met with the country's president, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nayan. The White House says he's secured $200 billion in investments from the UAE.
The two nations agreed to build AI data centers in Abu Dhabi operated by American companies. The Trump administration pledged to boost the UAE's position as a global hub for cutting-edge research.
We really appreciate your confidence and and investment that's your biggest investment that you've ever made and we really appreciate it and we're going to treat you very as you should be magnificently.
One of the agreements is a $14.5 billion commitment from the Etihad Airways to invest in Boeing jets powered by GE engines.
Earlier, I spoke with NHK World's Jordan Gravelle in Abu Dhabi for more insight.
So, Jordan, this was Trump's first major trip overseas since he returned to the White House in January. Why choose these countries?
This was clearly a chance for Trump to score an economic win after the turmoil over his tariff threats. He needed a layup, and that's what he got. And that's not surprising. Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE are very wealthy, and they already have strong ties with Washington.
They also have a lot to gain by investing big in the US, in terms of technology as well as international credibility.
Saudi Arabia, in particular, scored a $142 billion arms deal to modernize its military.
For Trump, he gets to show off his ability to make these kinds of deals.
That's pretty important, since he upended his country's trade relations with much of the world not too long ago.
Absolutely. And that's obviously what the White House has been promoting on this tour. What about on the diplomatic front, especially regarding ongoing conflicts?
Well, the biggest moment was probably Trump's meeting with the interim Syrian leader in Riyadh and announcing he'll end US sanctions on their country. But the elephant in the room during all these meetings was Israel's conflict in Gaza.
It's very close to home for the Gulf states. Qatar has hosted peace talks between Israel and Hamas, and during his tour, we heard Trump reiterate that he wants to bring an end to the fighting.
Before he arrived in the Middle East, Hamas released an American-Israeli hostage, which Trump said could be the first step toward peace. But we also know Israel is getting ready to ramp up its military operations in Gaza again over the coming days. So no real progress, despite reports of the humanitarian situation getting worse and worse for Palestinians.
The other notable thing happening during this tour, as you mentioned, are the Ukraine-Russia peace efforts in Turkey.
Zelenskyy had called on both Trump and Putin to attend. Istanbul is only about a five-hour flight away from here, and Trump's even teased at points that he could still go. He could be testing the waters to see if Putin would be willing to join the talks if all three leaders are present. That could be why we just heard from a top US official that the only chance for a breakthrough between Kyiv and Moscow is with Trump's direct participation.
He's sort of exerting his influence through his absence. If the talks fail, It's because Trump wasn't there. But if Putin changes his mind, he's close enough to swoop in. We just have to wait and see who blinks first.
Health authorities in Gaza say a wave of Israeli airstrikes have killed more than 80 people across the enclave in the past 24 hours.
The Israeli military on Wednesday ordered residents of northern Gaza to evacuate.
It said it would attack the area with extreme force. The military conducted airstrikes through the night and hit parts of southern Gaza as well.
The death toll from Israel's campaign has now topped 53,000.
The latest airstrikes come as Israel and Hamas hold ceasefire talks in Qatar to coincide with Donald Trump's visit to the Middle East, but there has reportedly been little progress.
The UN says the people of Gaza face the risk of famine as the Israeli military is blocking shipments of humanitarian aid.
No supplies have been delivered for over two months. The US wants to set up a distribution base using private contractors. Media reports say it could be launched by the end of the month. But the UN and aid groups have criticized the plan. They say it's a way for Israel to shut down the UN's distribution system and replace it with one its military controls.
Over a thousand Japanese soldiers from World War II are believed to have been buried on Palau's Peleliu Island. Work has now begun to bring some of those remains home.
This is a mass burial site. As you can see, people are digging little by little with shovels and removing branches and stones by hand.
A-Team commissioned by the Japanese government started excavating the spot Friday. Documents discovered 10 years ago suggested 1,086 Japanese soldiers were buried there by US troops. A preliminary search last year found 19 remains. The island was a fierce battleground in the Pacific.
Japan's now-defunct imperial military clashed with US forces there in 1944.
More than 10,000 Japanese died.
Welfare Minister Fukuoka Takamaro visited the island earlier this month. He announced plans to intensify the recovery effort. Palau's government also offered its full cooperation.
This search is scheduled to last about a week. The Japanese government hopes to complete most of the recovery process by March 2028.
For more on this, earlier we spoke with NHK's Ito Kenya. He's in Peliru and told us what it's like.
I am just steps from the mass barrier site on Peliru. I have been out here with the collection team, watching them work. It's mid afternoon now. So it's quite humid and hot. It's well over 30 degrees. So it's a very slow process. But just a little while ago, they finally found remains. One person told me they have known they were here for years. And now, they are finally able to pick them up.
They hope to finish the work as soon as possible. so they can move on to the next step, bring them home.
Remember, these remains have been here for over 18 years.
We don't know for sure who they even are.
The plan is to bring portions back to Japan for DNA analysis.
If they are Japanese, then they will be transported back, hopefully to be reunited with their families.
China and the US have stepped back from their trade war by slashing tariffs after agreeing to a 90 day truce this week. The news will be well received in China, where uncertainty about the economic outlook is on the rise. Chinese companies and the government have their hands full trying to overcome adversity and sustain growth.
This Hong Kong firm manufactures aluminum building materials and other products in Guangdong province for export to the US.
US tariffs were added to the price of their products, prompting some buyers to suspend orders.
The tariffs are a big blow for us, but now we have to accept them.
Production sites are under pressure to review their management strategies, and meetings are frequently held to discuss countermeasures.
Yeah, yeah I do think that that is necessary, you know, expanding to another market, such as the Middle East, like Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi.
The firm has decided to boost its sales in the Middle East and India to reduce its dependence on the US market.
It's also considering building a new production facility in Malaysia. But it will take at least two years to construct a plant, and a large amount of capital investment is required. So for now, the firm is waiting to see how the trade war pans out.
If the trade war continues, it will be a difficult problem for small to medium-sized businesses like ours under the currentcircumstances, there's nothing we can do. We need to assess the future first.
To maintain growth, the Chinese government is promoting a strategy called self-reliance and strength. Under it, advanced technologies are produced domestically without relying on foreign countries.
The semiconductor sector is one such area. In March, a record 1,400 companies from China, Japan, Europe, and the US participated in a Shanghai semiconductor trade show. China has been pushing forward with its own semiconductor development in the face of US restrictions on the export of advanced chips. A major Chinese semiconductor maker used the show to showcase its latest manufacturing processes, highlighting improvements in its technological capabilities.
With the Trump administration expected to further tighten semiconductor regulations, industry participants voiced their concerns and expectations.
Change and reform are needed. But it will be difficult to break through the technology barrier in a short period of time.
I believe the day will come when we break through technologically. There is a time issue, but we need to look at it over the long term.
With the outcome of the trade war still uncertain, the question for China is how far it can go in promoting self-reliance in science and technology to maintain economic growth.
Let's see what's happening in the world of business with Ramin Malagarde.
Now, government data show Japan's economy shrank for the first time in four quarters in the first three months of this year. Private consumption was virtually unchanged from the previous quarter. Preliminary gross domestic product figures for the January to March period show the economy contracted by an annualized 0.7% in real terms quarter on quarter. GDP last shrank in the January to March period of 2024 as production suspensions followed rigged certification tests among some automakers took a toll.
Private consumption, which accounts for more than half of Japan's GDP, grew just 0.04% due to the impact of higher prices.
Corporate capital investment gained 1.4% thanks to robust spending on software and semiconductor related equipment, marking a fourth straight quarterly gain. Now exports fell 0.6%, while imports climbed 2.9%. Analysts say first quarter GDP was not directly affected by additional tariffs announced by the United States because they had not yet taken effect in the period.
And Japanese companies are pulling out of Myanmar after the military coup four years ago led to worsening violence and disrupted the economy.
Trading houses Sumitomo Corporation and Toyota Tsusho say they have started procedures to liquidate a joint venture set up in 2019 to manage a port in the country. The port is next to the Tillawa Special Economic Zone on the outskirts of Yangon, Myanmar's largest city. Sumitomo and Toyota Tsusho say they made the decision because the business environment has worsened since the military coup.
Now, international human rights groups have criticized the port project. They allege a local logistical company that is a partner in the venture has ties with the military. Other Japanese companies left Myanmar earlier. Beverage maker Kirin Holdings ended his beer business in the country in 2023. And Japanese oil wholesaler Eneos Holdings also pulled out of an oil and natural gas development project in Myanmar in the same year.
Now, Japan's agriculture ministry says it will hold its fourth auction of rice from government stockpiles later this month.
It will release 100,000 tons for sale from May 28 to the 30. Starting with the up and coming upcoming auction, revised bidding rules will be applied, giving priority to wholesalers who have already committed to distribute rice to retailers. The deadline for the government to buy back rice from wholesalers will be extended from a year to up to five years. The change also applies to stockpiled rice that wholesalers have already purchased, but there will be no buyback for this year's harvest. The government is hoping the revisions will ensure that more rice is available for consumers amid shortages and soaring prices. Some smaller supermarkets and rice stores in rural areas say they have no idea when they can get rice released from stockpiles. The revised bidding conditions are aimed at encouraging more wholesalers to take part in auctions and widening distribution channels.
Previously, the government bought back from wholesalers within a year the same amount of rice it had sold to them. But for some wholesalers, the short deadline was a disincentive because they could not be certain of obtaining enough rice to sell back. Now competition is already keen among wholesalers, aiming to buy the rice that will be harvested this year.
And next, Yanaka Maria is here with BizPicks, a look at the upcoming business news.
Let's look at the stories we'll be tracking in the week ahead. On Monday, China will release its retail sales and industrial production numbers for April.
And on Friday, Japan will release its consumer price index. Now, the CPI has exceeded the Bank of Japan's 2% inflation target for 36 months in a row. The central bank has been gradually changing its monetary policy in line with these rising prices.
The BOJ ended its negative rate policy in March 2024 after 17 years and has since raised rates twice. But the policy rate is still far lower than those in other major economies. This time, we explore why the bank remains cautious.
Now, the BOJ doesn't base its monetary policy solely on the CPI.
It also factors in underlying inflation, which the bank says is a measure that excludes temporary and volatile components. Policymakers believe this method better reflects long-term price trends. An economist says the price growth of the past few years is partially due to such temporary and erratic factors.
When prices started to rise in 2022, the increase in energy prices was the main reason. Then other factors gradually came into play. One of them was the weaker yen, which raised the prices of food and other imports. Then there was unstable weather.
Price increases due to these factors do not reflect economic trends or the balance between supply and demand.
So what is the underlying inflation rate right now?
Unfortunately, it's impossible to calculate a concrete figure, but we believe it's slightly lower than 2%.
The BOJ says there's no index that produces a clear underlying inflation rate. It tries to get a general idea by following various indices and studying the factors behind them. This includes the supply-demand gap and wage growth rates.
Bank officials say when underlying inflation is taken into consideration, Japan's inflation rate has not yet hit the 2% target, and that's why the BOJ's policy rate remains low.
So what type of factors do BOJ policymakers look at to assess whether underlying inflation is steadily increasing?
When wages rise, the cost is passed on to sales prices. Consumers accept these price hikes to some extent, precisely because their wages are rising.
So corporate business performance doesn't suffer. Companies then have the funds to raise wages further. If this becomes the trend, there will be steady increasing underlying inflation.
In this respect, increases in service prices in April, which was the beginning of the fiscal year, will be important figures for the officials to judge underlying inflation and future monetary policy.
But Kobayashi says it might not be all smooth sailing ahead. He warns the Trump tariffs could hurt Japanese companies and dampen the wage hike trend. With this risk looming, he believes it'll be difficult for the BOJ to raise rates this year.
I'm Yanaka Marie, and that wraps up this edition of BizPix.
OK, let's go check on the markets.
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And that is it for business news.
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Time now for a check on the weather. South Asia is starting to feel the onset of the monsoon. This week we'll see the season also coming to parts of East Asia. Our meteorologist Yumi Hirano has the details.
Japan's rainy season has started in southern Kyushu even before Okinawa and Amami. It was 14 days earlier than normal. More cloudy and rainy days are expected next week. It might be the first time southern Kyushu is the earliest region in Japan to enter the rainy season. Rain is expected to spread to eastern and northern Japan on Saturday. Downpours are possible especially along the Pacific side with stormy conditions. This is due to a stationary front stretching from Japan to the Korean peninsula and southern China. It could bring over 150 millimeters of heavy rain to China's Guangxi, Zhuangzi province by Sunday, leading to possible flash flooding. Showers are also likely in Hong Kong and Shanghai. Wet weather is expected in Tokyo with a high of 23, but sunny skies are coming back to Seoul.
Sunday showers are expected in Bangkok, where the monsoon has also started.
Moving to North America, a developing low pressure system is bringing severe conditions to the upper Midwest and the Great Lakes region. The affected area is expected to shift southeast on Friday, especially from Missouri to Kentucky. There are risks of intense rain, gusty winds and even tornadoes.
Thundershowers are possible in Chicago, Toronto, New York and Washington, but heat is a concern in the south. The high in Houston will be 34, but LA will have milder conditions with a high of 22.
That's it for now. Have a nice weekend.
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Be sure to visit our website for more news, feature stories and information.
I'm James Tangan. Thanks for watching.
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