Hello and welcome to NHK Newsline. I'm Yoshikawa Ryuichi in Tokyo.
US President Donald Trump said he's hoping for a productive day as he waits to speak with his Russian counterpart by phone. But first, Ukraine's president met with top US officials in Italy.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy had talks with Vice President J.D. Vance and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines of the inaugural mass of the new pope.
They met for the first time since Vance sparred publicly with Zelenskyy at the White House in February.
Zelenskyy wrote on social media that they discussed the direct talks between Ukraine and Russia held last week in Istanbul. He added that the meeting also covered the need for sanctions against Russia and the battlefield situation. Zelenskyy also emphasized the importance of a full and unconditional ceasefire as soon as possible.
Ukraine has expressed its intention to accept an unconditional 30-day pause proposed by Trump, but Russia has not agreed to that. Zelanskyy also met Pope Leo XIV. He says the new pontiff is a symbol of hope for peace, and the Vatican can play an important role in ending the war.
Meanwhile, Ukraine says Moscow will carry out a training launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile as a tactic to intimidate Kyiv.
Ukraine's military intelligence agencies said in a social media post that the launch is set for Monday night, local time. That's the same day as the US and Russian presidents are due to talk.
It said the missile, which has a range of more than 10,000 kilometers, will be launched from a complex in the central region of Svetlovsk. The agency added that the launch is intended to pressure and intimidate Ukraine, as well as EU and NATO member states. Separately, Ukraine has shown off its latest naval drone, dubbed the Magura V-7, to the media. The domestically developed model can carry two anti-aircraft missiles and operate continuously for up to seven days. The defense ministry started to deploy the Magura V-7 in combat situations late last year.
The intelligence agency said it had shut down two Russian fighter jets over the Black Sea earlier this month. The agency said various Magura drone models deployed in the Black Sea have destroyed 15 Russian military targets, including several major ships and aircraft, over two years.
Russia has retreated. They have hidden their fleet. They are afraid of approaching the Ukrainian coast or entering the temporarily occupied region of Crimea. All of this is thanks to our unmanned boats.
The intelligence agency's spokesperson added that the Magura drone platform may also be developed for underwater use.
In about two weeks, South Koreans will head to the polls to elect a new president. They just saw candidates face off in their first televised debate, and the hopefuls clashed on competing visions for economic revitalization. Earlier, I spoke with NHK World's Kim Chan-ju in Seoul for an update on the race.
So, Chan-ju, what did we hear during Sunday's debate?
Right, so we had four candidates up on stage duking it out, but all eyes were on the two frontrunners. They are Lee Jae-myung with the Democratic Party and the ruling People Power Party's Kim Moon-soo. And they had a lot to talk about because right now, South Korea's economy is not doing well.
Growth is projected to be around 0% this year.
Lee blames that on PPP government mismanagement. He says his administration would intervene, promising a supplementary budget to boost the working class. Kim argues the opposition hamstrung the PPP's efforts to address the economy by blocking bills.
He also pointed to the political fallout after impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol's Martial Law Declaration. But Kim argues things will be different under his watch. Here's what they both had to say.
I'd like to ask people to vote for the candidate who will work for them and be their useful instrument. I want to build a new, real South Korea.
I'll be a president who will create new jobs. To do that, we must improve South Korea's business environment.
We also heard from the new reform party's Lee Jun-seok and the Democratic Labor Party's Kwon Young-kook.
My background is in science and engineering. This gives me the tools to interact freely with global leaders.
I'll make a new, equal South Korea without discrimination.
The debate got heated at points, although some Korean media have criticized the candidates for not giving many concrete details on how they'd revive the economy.
So where do the polls stand at this point?
It seems to be very much a two-party race. A poll from Realmeter released after the debate found the Democratic Party still has a wide lead over the PPP since campaigning began last Monday.
Lee is polling at around 50%, Kim is at about 36, and the new Reform Party's candidate is almost at 9%.
Lee seems to be attracting undecideds and even some moderate conservatives, so he's in a comfortable spot. But anything can happen between now and June 3.
Right. And there have been a few events that could shake things up. Can you tell us about them?
Yes, so obviously Kim and his party are struggling to overcome ex-president Yoon's political legacy.
Well, over the weekend, Yoon announced he is leaving the PPP, likely after pressure from party executives.
This could sway some conservatives put off by the Martial Law Declaration scandal, but it may also alienate some of Yoon's die-hard supporters. We should mention the Martial Law Declaration has sparked debate around reforming the Constitution. Yi wants to limit presidential veto power.
He's also pitching changes to term limits. Right now, presidents serve a single, five-year term, but Yi has proposed amending the rules to allow for two four-year terms, similar to what we see in the US. He says this would give voters a chance to evaluate a president's performance more frequently.
The PPP scheme also proposed two four-year terms, but and even says the next president should serve just a three-year term to better align with South Korea's other elections.
All of this means we could see a presidential rematch in a few years' time. Those potential changes are still far away, and we still have two more TV debates before election day, June 3.
Police in central Japan say a car appears to have driven the wrong direction down the expressway in Mie Prefecture on Sunday, causing a series of crashes.
This footage shows a vehicle swerving out of the car's way. The blue car is said to have driven 10 kilometers against traffic on the Shin Meishin Expressway's westbound lanes. The car hit two vehicles at around 11 a.m. and caused more collisions as drivers tried to avoid it. Four women in their 40s and 60s were injured. The person behind the wheel of the car is still at large. Police are looking for the driver on suspicion of hit and run.
The 2025 World Expo in Osaka offers a vision of the future. It's now doing that by showing how people in Japan are moving forward from a devastating moment in the past.
This exhibition opened Monday. It focuses on the reconstruction of areas hit by the 2011 Great East Japan earthquake and tsunami. It's divided into four areas based on themes.
A large screen near the entrance shows the damage. The booth for disaster response has maps and panels displaying community building led by local residents, as well as education on disaster preparedness.
I heard her about the tsunami, but I didn't know that it was this big.
The JapaneseGovernment's reconstruction agency organized the exhibit. It's meant to help visitors from around the world to understand the recovery efforts from the disaster and the subsequent nuclear accident.
I'm confident that the exhibition showcases the charms as well as the reconstruction efforts in the disaster-hit areas. I hope that as many people as possible come and visit.
I believe the lessons that we've learned from the disaster and the reconstruction efforts will lead us to a safer and more secure life.
The exhibition will last through Saturday. Next month, summer festivals in northeastern Japan will be showcased at the expo.
And now let's see what's happening in the world of business. Here's Gene Otani from the BizDesk.
Thanks to you, Ryuichi. In our top business story this hour, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says the Trump administration is focusing on 18 important trading relationships in its tariff negotiations. Japan is believed to be among that group. The administration has put trading partners on notice worldwide and says it wants to get deals done during the 90 day pause on what Washington has called reciprocal tariffs. Bessent told CNN there are a lot of smaller trading relationships where the administration can just come up with a number. He also said the US will sign a lot of deals with regions, such as Central America and parts of Africa.
Japan is currently preparing for its third round of tariff talks with Bessent and other senior officials. It's considering sending its chief negotiator, Economic Revitalization Minister Akazawa Ryodei to Washington later this week. Akazawa has said that Japan will continue pushing for a review of all US tariff measures.
We'll tackle this issue as our top priority and do our best while carefully considering what will contribute to Japan's national interests and what will be the most effective out of all the options.
Akazawa said. He's also willing to cooperate with other countries that are negotiating with the US.
Thailand's GDP expanded by 3.1%. In real terms from a year earlier, that was better than market expectations. Exports to the US increased in the lead up to new American tariffs on steel products and autos. Outbound shipments of rubber products, such as car tires as well as electronic parts, were strong.
Vietnam's economy grew by almost 7%. Again, that was due to solid exports to the US.
Indonesia's economy logged nearly 5% growth and Malaysia's expanded by 4.4%.
Thailand and Vietnam have proposed to increase imports of liquefied natural gas and aircrafts from the US in exchange for lower tariffs. Thailand has cut its economic growth forecast. For this year, due to concerns over trade.
China's industrial production posted slower growth in April amid additional US tariffs. China and the US agreed to sharply reduce their tit for tat levies in May, but uncertainties remain.
China's National Bureau of Statistics. Says industrial output grew 6.1% from the same month last year. That marks a slowdown of 1.6% points from March. The latest data will also under score a continued property slump. Investment in real estate development dropped 10.3% in the four months through April compared to the same period last year. Prices of new houses fell in 45 of 70 major cities, up four from a month earlier. That means nearly 2/3 of major cities saw price declines. the US and China have agreed to hold further trade talks during a 90 day pause, but concerns remain that. Friction may return if their negotiations break down.
7-Eleven Japan says it has launched a trial using delivery robots on public roads. The convenience store operator believes such a service could eventually help deal with a worsening labor shortage. The 7-Eleven stores in Tokyo's Hachioji area are taking part. Customers use an app to send their orders.
Unmanned robots then head to the destinations. Sensors and other features detect road bumps and respond to traffic lights. The trial is reportedly the first by a major convenience store operator in Japan in which robots run on public roads.
Permission to do that is granted by the local police. The company hopes that in the future, robots, rather than humans, can make more customer deliveries amid the shortage of workers.
In neither urban or rural areas, we'd like this service to be a means of reaching customers who have difficulty shopping.
The company plans to call on nearby residents to participate. The firm plans to consider expanding the service to other areas after examining the results.
Convenience stores are not the only businesses facing serious labor shortages in Japan. A wide range of service industry operators are feeling the crunch. They are desperate for solutions and some are offering discounts to customers willing to help out on the shop floor. We report on a surprising number of these stand-in workers eager to pitch in.
A busy Tokyo restaurant facing a common problem. Plenty of eager diners, but not enough wait staff to serve them.
Then management had an idea. Perhaps they could persuade customers to help out. They just had to find the right incentive. And they did.
A thirty-five cent discount if you pour your own drink. Pouring a second drink using the same glass and the discount is even bigger, around 70 cents.
Filling my own glass is no problem. I'm happy to get a discount for that.
After the meal, stacking tableware will also lower the final bill, a 35 cent reduction.
The operator says their discount system has paid off. Time serving drinks is down and sales are up.
We do this because of the labour shortage, but from a different perspective, we are creating a restaurant together with our customers and we think it can add value to our brand.
This company operates over 1,800 gyms across Japan. Open 24/7, but labour shortages have created a problem for this business too. In this case, keeping the gyms clean.
In February, the operator launched a discount scheme to enlist the help of members.
Managers use a smartphone app to notify them which outlets need cleaning.
Gym goers can accept a job at a convenient location.
Dusting and polishing over, they are free to start exercising if they still have the energy. The incentives seem to be working. Some members are coming in just to clean up.
Those who clean 4 times a month earn a discount of around $7.00 on their monthly fee. That's a 30% saving. The reduction doubles with eight clean-ups a month.
Some of the tasks are more specialized.
This customer is helping to maintain the machines. The reward?
A gift certificate worth up to $14.00.
We want to make this system a success and keep it going. We believe this model could be applied in different types of business.
Most people enjoy a discount, and if it helps Japan deal with a labour shortage, even in a small way, expect to see more customers roll up their sleeves and get to work.
All right, let's have a look at the markets.
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And that's a look at business news. Ryuichi, I'm going to hand it back to you.
Gene, thank you.
The military claims it has struck more than 670 Hamas targets including weapons storage facilities.
The number of casualties is growing in the enclave. Qatar-based broadcaster Al Jazeera quoted health officials in the territory as saying 500 people had been killed during the previous three days.
Meanwhile, media outlets say Hamas and mediators have been discussing a deal that calls for the group to release some hostages in return for a two-month ceasefire.
But Israel has apparently been ratcheting up pressure on Hamas to draw concessions from the group.
Israel also declared on Sunday it will allow what it calls a basic amount of food to enter the enclave. The country has been blocking deliveries of relief supplies for more than two months, saying it wants to prevent them from falling into Hamas's hands. This has caused a serious shortage of food and medical supplies. The international community has been warning that Palestinians living there face the risk of famine.
Supporters of Israel and Palestinian people have held separate rallies in the United States to highlight their respective causes.
A parade down New York Fifth Avenue on Sunday celebrated the anniversary of Israel's founding on May 14, 1948. The Israeli ambassador to the United Nations took part.
We are in pain. We are thinking about the hostages, but we know that we will prevail. We will win this war. We will bring back all the hostages. Free, free Palestine.
A separate rally in Paterson, New Jersey, drew attention to the region's history of suffering. Palestinians called the day after Israel's foundation Nagba, the Arabic word for catastrophe.
It refers to the mass displacement of Palestinians during the Arab-Israeli war in 1948. Paterson is called Little Palestine because of its large population of people who came from there.
To see people like us suffering, we feel that this is, we have to help them. We are a human being, we will not accept this to happen to us.
Patterson's deputy mayor took part in the rally. He called on the US administration to help end the killing of Palestinian people.
So Jonathan, we saw a slightly cooler day in Tokyo, but over in southern parts of China, we're talking about a serious rainy situation. What's the latest?
Hello, we are seeing a massive cold front that is extending east of Japan all the way down into southern areas of China. Now part of that front brought some cloud cover across the Pacific side of Japan, bringing us a bit of a cooler day in Tokyo where temperatures were mainly the teens as opposed to hitting into the 20s where we're typically are for this time of year. But down for the southern areas of China, we've been talking over some serious flooding that we talk about the flooding issues that happened. Around this time every year, but it's still a serious problem and we're talking as a major problems that will continue to be a part of the story as we see that rainy season type pattern continue to remain in the southern portions of China. Speaking of the rainy season, Amami is now in the rainy season here in Japan and we'll continue to see that front spreading toward the north and east. We'll be talking more about clouds and rain. As we go forward in time. So looking at the forecast as we go through next 24 hours again, the southern areas of China will be seeing some rain into the southwestern islands of Japan. Tokyo, however, it's going to be hot. I mean sunny skies, high of 29. That's a dramatic increase in the temperature. And so it's going to feel much more like summer as opposed to May. So make sure that you stay hydrated and use the sunscreen because it's going to be quite sunny as well for Tuesday showers and soar into Shanghai down to Hong Kong with a. High of 32.
Let's look at what's happening across North America, southern areas, United States. You've been hit really hard over the weekend, especially into places like Kentucky, Missouri into Illinois as we had severe thunderstorms over the weekend causing some major damage and a few people were killed as well. Another low pressure system set up down to the southern plains centralized over into Oklahoma City, Oklahoma state of Oklahoma and spreading hours from there. Look at the possibility of some real severe thunderstorm risk and some possible outbreak of severe weather as well, so be weather aware as you go through Monday.
Thunderstorms to Oklahoma City with high of 29. Thunderstorms to Denver as well with a high of 19 on Monday. That's look at your forecast. Stay safe wherever you are.
♫～
And one last story before we go. A historic home in Fukuoka Prefecture, Western Japan, hosted a garden party full of cosplayers.
More than 200 people took part on Sunday, with many dressed as their favorite characters from anime and video games.
They gathered at the Kyu-Yasukawatei residence, a tangible cultural property of the city Kitakyushu. It was also the home of a renowned businessman active at the turn of the 20th century. The participants sort out the best places to show off their costumes and to pose for videos and photos. The deputy director of the residence says he hopes the party will inspire more people to come, take photos,and interact with others.
And that wraps up this edition of NHK Newsline. I'm Yoshikawa Ryuichi in Tokyo.
Thank you very much for joining us.
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