2025年6月20日金曜日

at 18:00 (JST), June 20

It's a Friday evening here in Japan. I'm James Tengan. I'm in Tokyo. Welcome to NHK Newsline.

THAI PM PHONE CALL SPARKS POLITICAL TURBULENCE

It's a turbulent time in Thai politics. The prime minister's political future appears to be at risk after the second largest party in her ruling coalition quit the alliance.
It was over a leaked phone call in which the leader appeared to undermine a Thai army commander.
Piton Thang Shinawatra had been speaking last weekend with former Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen. He currently serves as Senate President. The conversation delved into a border dispute between their countries. She referred to him as uncle.
yeah In a statement, the Pumjai Thai Party condemned Petong Thang, saying she damaged Thailand's sovereignty and the army's dignity. The party's departure leaves the coalition with a slim majority in the lower house.
Peyton Tang later apologized and described her comments in the call as a negotiation tactic. She has held office since August. Her government has been facing mounting criticism over its economic policies, as well as its handling of the border dispute.
Earlier, I spoke with NHK World's Takaoka Achikashi, who is following this political turbulence from the Thai capital. He explained what's at stake.
Chikashi, let's start with the phone call. Give us more context on that chat.
Well, it was spurred by a military clash with Cambodia last month. The militaries of the two countries exchanged fire along the border, killing one Cambodian soldier. During the conversation Sunday, Pad Thong Thang called on Huongsan to engage in dialogue rather than listen to what top military officials say. In response, Hongsen called on Thailand to ease border controls that it had tightened after the clash. Negotiations were reaching a statement stalemate. Patongtan's father is former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. He has had a close relationship with Hongsen. And as we heard, Patongtan even calls Hongsen uncle. So it seems she tried to leverage the connection between the families. But clearly, it ended up blowing up in our face. As for how the call leaked, Cambodian news outlets say Hun Sen has admitted to recording and sharing it with dozens of government officials. But it remains unclear how it actually became public.
Right. Either way, it's quite unusual for a confidential phone call on regional security to be leaked. Now let's delve into the reaction. Shikashi, can you tell us about the blowback? Yes, our comments triggered public outrage because they are being seen as disrespectful to the military. The military repeatedly staged coups when the country faced political turmoil.
Despite that, it has maintained a certain level of public support, and the latest tension at the border has strengthened that support. Political parties are aware of this. Including the conservative parties within the ruling coalition, they have a long history of confrontation with Patten Tan's poor Thai party.
The coalition itself has already been far from stable given that it came into power with 11 parties in the group. But even with one party calling it quits, the coalition still hangs on to power slim as the majority may be. How long do you see that lasting? The situation is extremely unclear.
People are watching to see how the third largest United Thai Nations party will react. It says it will make a decision after speaking with Paton Tan, but some news outlets in the country say her resignation is inevitable. They are already reporting on possible candidates to to replace her. Even if Pedentale stays on, the pressure likely won't go away anytime soon. In fact, it's expected to only escalate.

TUMP TO DECIDE ON US MILITARY INTERVENTION WITH 2 WEEKS

Two weeks. That's the timeline within which US President Donald Trump says he'll make his decision whether to intervene in the Israel-Iran conflict.
The White House says he's leaving room for diplomacy. Based on the fact that there's a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, he will make that decision within the next two weeks. At the same time, the US military is on the move. The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz is heading to the region after leaving the South China Sea.
It's relieving another vessel, and the two US aircraft carriers will briefly be active in the Middle East at once.
More F-35 stealth fighters are also reportedly on the way.
The US and Israel say Iran must not be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon.
Israeli strikes have targeted related facilities, including a non-operational nuclear reactor, on Wednesday. But some sites are buried deep.
The US military's so-called bunker buster bombThe GBU-57 is believed to be capable of piercing some of Tehran's most hardened locations.
Several B-2 bombers capable of carrying those munitions have already been deployed to an island base in the Indian Ocean. As Trump weighs his options, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has issued a stern warning.
The Iranian people will not surrender.
Any US military intervention will undoubtedly result in irreparable damage for America. The European Union is pushing for a diplomatic solution. Officials from the bloc will meet Iran's foreign minister in Switzerland Friday. The EU wants to restart negotiations on a 2015 deal to curb Tehran's nuclear program.

NETANYAHU: ISRAEL CAPABLE OF REMOVING ALL NUCLEAR SITES ALONE

A key element in the question of whether the US gets involved in the conflict is Iran's Fordo enrichment plant.
This crucial nuclear site is believed to be buried about 80 meters underground in a mountainous area. But Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu has suggested he may not need heavy US ordnance to strike it.
Netanyahu was asked by an Israeli TV news station on Thursday whether Fordo could be attacked with or without US involvement. He said Israel has the power to remove all targets, including all of Iran's nuclear facilities. This comes after US news site Axios quoted Israeli government sources who claim Israel alone could cause huge damage to the Fordo complex. The sources cited an Israeli surprise attack against an underground missile plant in Syria last September. The operation reportedly involved a risky commando raid, suggesting Israel may not need bunker busters to knock out Iran's hardened facilities.

SOME EMBASSIES IN TEHERAN SUSPEND OPERATIONS

As the conflict stretches into its second week, many countries fear their citizens could get caught in the crossfire. Now, some embassies in Iran's capital are suspending operations.
Australia's foreign minister, Penny Wong, said on Friday that her country's embassy in Tehran had orders to do so.
The Australian government has directed the departure of all Australian officials and dependents, and we have suspended our operations in Tehran.
The Australian ambassador to Iran will remain in the region to support the government's response to the crisis.
Wong also urged Australians who are able to leave Iran to do so immediately if their safety is ensured.
On Thursday, New Zealand said it had suspended operations at its embassy.
Switzerland has also done so.
Reuters news agency reports that Portugal has temporarily closed its embassy, and Bulgaria has temporarily moved its embassy functions to Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan.

JAPAN EVACUATES NATIONALS FROM ISRAEL, IRAN

Japan has already begun helping its people leave both Israel and Iran for neighboring countries by bus. On Friday, Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi said about 90 Japanese nationals and their families have been evacuated so far. Iwaya said a second bus evacuation from Iran will take place as early as Saturday.

PUTIN, XI DISCUSS MIDDLE EAST IN PHONE CALL

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping spoke about the conflict by phone Thursday.
Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov says both leaders firmly condemned Israel's actions, calling them a violation of the UN Charter. He says they also agreed that force is not the answer when it comes to the current situation or the Iranian nuclear issue.
This comment appears to be aimed at the Trump administration.
China's foreign ministry says Xi stressed that the international community, especially major countries with influence over the parties involved, should work to calm the situation, not inflame it. Ushakov adds that in light of the increasingly challenging environment, the two leaders agreed to instruct their agencies to work closely together in the coming days.

PITIN CALLS ON KYIV TO ACCEPT PEACE TREATY MEMORANDUM

Putin is also pressuring Ukraine to quickly accept Russia's memorandum on a potential peace treaty.
Putin spoke to reporters in St. Petersburg on Thursday. He referred to direct negotiations with Ukraine that took place in May and June in Istanbul.
If they fail to agree, the situation could change for the worse.
Don't drag it out. Sit down and talk.
The two countries exchanged memorandums during the negotiations. Russia is seeking the complete withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the four regions in Ukraine's east and South that it claims to have annexed. Russia is also calling for Ukraine's neutrality.
Ukraine has dismissed the proposal, saying Russia is only repeating previous demands.

INDONESIA PRESIDENT VISITS RUSSIA FOR PUTIN TALKS

Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto has held talks with Putin in Russia. It's the latest sign of growing ties between the two countries.
The two leaders met on Thursday in St. Petersburg. Putin said at the beginning of the meeting that Russia's relations with Indonesia are developing steadily.
He said the countries are working together in a wide range of fields, including agriculture, energy and military technology.
Prabowo thanked Russia for supporting Indonesia's campaign to become a full member of the BRICS group of Emerging Economies. He turned down an invitation to the Group of Seven summit to make the trip.
Indonesia maintains a foreign policy that advocates building strong relations with many countries. But it has recently deepened cooperation with Russia. The two countries held their first ever joint naval drills last year.
Indonesia has also not supported Western sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.

UNICEF: 50,000 CHILDREN IN GAZA HAVE DIED OR BEEN INJURED

A UN official says more than 400 million children across the globe are affected by conflicts. In Gaza, 50,000 children have died or been injured since fighting between Israel and Hamas erupted in October 2023.
More children than ever now live in areas with conflict.
473 million children, that is one in every six children in the world, is either living in conflict or running away from conflict. We have never had that in the historyof UNICEF. This is the worst time to be a child.
The UN Children's Fund Deputy Executive Director, Kitty Vanderheyden, spoke with NHK in Tokyo on Thursday.
Speaking about children in Gaza, she says the situation is turning from very bad to even worse after Israel imposed restrictions on the delivery of UN aid. Not only we have seen rising levels of malnutrition, rising levelsOf the medical care system at the verge of a collapse. But we are also, as United Nations and partners, unable to reach children that need us.
As you may know, since March we have almost been completely blockaded out of Gaza.
She says the world will soon see half a million people at starvation levels in Gaza if the situation continues.
We are calling on all parties to this conflict to stop the violence so that children finally can find a little bit of hope, a little bit of rest, which every child deserves.
Regarding the conflict between Israel and Iran, Fander Hayden said children on both sides have died or been injured.
She added that UNICEF, along with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, is calling on Israel and Iran to exercise maximum restraints.

JAPAN'S EMPEROR AND EMPRESS TO VISIT MONGOLIA IN JULY

Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako will make an official visit to Mongolia next month. The eight-day trip will include a state banquet and the opening of a major festival.
It'll be their first trip to the country as emperor and empress. The emperor had visited Mongolia when he was still the crown prince. They're scheduled to depart the morning of July 6th and arrive in Mongolia's capital, Ulaanbaatar, by the afternoon.
The imperial couple will attend a welcome ceremony as state guests. They'll also meet with the Mongolian president and his wife and attend a banquet in the capital.
They're also scheduled to pay their respects at a monument. It remembers Japanese nationals who were detained by the former Soviet Union and sent to Mongolia after World War II. Many died due to hard labor and other causes.
Toward the end of the trip, the couple is expected to attend the opening ceremony of Naadam. The National Sports Festival features several competitions, such as horse racing. The imperial couple will return to Japan on July 13th.


Now let's see what's happening on the business and financial fronts with Gene Otani.
James, thanks.

JAPAN TO CURB RETAIL GAS PRICES IF CRUDE OIL SURGES

In our top business story this hour, Japan's government says it will act to curb any spikes in retail prices for gasoline that could occurDue to the fighting between Israel and Iran, the government says it will subsidize oil wholesalers starting from June 26th. It aims to keep the cost of regular gasoline at the pump at around 175 yen or $1.20 per liter, even if crude prices surge. It says it will also provide the same level of subsidy for light oil, roughly half for kerosene and heavy oil and. about 40% for aviation fuel. The government says the arrangement will be in place for some two months. It says it will use an existing fund to finance the measure. Japan's Industry Minister Mutoyo Yoji stressed the government's subsidies will be temporary.
Considering decarbonization efforts, this support program for fuel is not something that can continue indefinitely.
Muto said these subsidies are to help support the daily lives of citizens through July and August when gasoline demand typically increases.

HIGHER RICE PRICES DRIVING UP JAPANS'S CPI

High rice prices continue to drive up consumer inflation in Japan in May.
The country's staple crop more than doubled in price for the first time compared to the same month a year earlier. The Internal Affairs Ministry saysThe 101.7 percent jump in the price of rice was the highest since the government started keeping comparable data in 1971. It was 3.3 points higher than in April, extending a record for the eighth straight month. Consumers in Japan have continued to pay more for popular rice-based dishes. Onigiri rice balls were up over 19 percent, and restaurant sushi rose more than 6 percent. Overall, Japan's consumer price index, excluding prices for fresh food, rose 3.7 percent in May from a year earlier. That's two-tenths of a percentage point higher than in April, and it was the sixth straight month of a reading of 3 percent or above.

SOME STORES EXCLUDING RICE FROM SUMMER GIFT SALES

Some businesses in Japan have stopped including rice in summer gift sales campaigns. amid soaring prices of the staple food. Major department store chains Sogo and Cebu has decided to exclude rice from its campaign. It began accepting orders for gifts at storefronts early this month.
The retailer previously handled brand-name rice in five-kilogram bags and smaller packages, but it says it's difficult to ensure stable supplies of such items this year. Instead, it expects demand to rise for foods that can serve as alternatives. The retailer increased the lineup of items using processed rice, such as rice burgers, by 20%.
It also turned to steamed buns. The company says the products are selling well.
We feel that demand for rice substitutes as gifts is high, given the unstable supplies of the staple food.
We hope to please our customers by promoting products that cater to such needs. Rice prices at supermarkets in Japan have almost doubled from a year ago, starting with poor harvests followed by increased demand.

BIZPICKS

Now NHK World's John LaDue is here with BizPicks. He looks at upcoming business and economic stories.

EXPERT: TOKYO INFLATION TO SLOW SLIGHTLY

Here is some of the news we'll be tracking in the week ahead. On Tuesday, we'll get numbers on German sentiment when the EFO Institute for Economic Research releases its Business Climate Index for June. The figure has improved for the previous five months straight. And on Friday, Japan's Internal Affairs Ministry will release the Tokyo Consumer Price Index for June. Now, price trends in the capital are considered a leading indicator of nationwide inflation. The Tokyo prices for May rose a preliminary 3.6% from a year earlier. That's up two tenths of a percentage point from April. The figure excludes fresh food.
Kumano Hideo of the Daiichi Life Research Institute expects the June figure will be about one tenth of a point lower than the May number.
A slight drop in crude oil prices led to lower costs for petroleum products.
A major factor behind overall inflation is import prices. Now they are moving toward a minor decrease.
I predict that a slowdown in import price inflation will probably help lower Tokyo's CPI slightly.
Kumano says that even as the pace of inflation may moderate, soaring costs for food are likely to keep overall rates high.
Fresh food prices have continued to rise 7 to 8% since around 2022. Factors such as global warming and abnormal weather have been raising overall prices of food.
In the case of Japan, weakening of the yen has progressed insanelywith this.
Therefore, price high pressure has been high in the country compared to other countries. Engels coefficient, or the proportion of household spending on food, has become around 30%, the highest among G7 members.
While Japan has struggled with deflation for decades, consumer price increases are now outpacing inflation in every G7 economy.
Kumano expects Japan consumer prices to remain high. He says the government and central bank have not been helping to cool inflation.
Some in the government do not share the idea of achieving a stronger yen through monetary tightening to fight price hikes.
The Bank of Japan's rate hikes have been carried out in an extremely moderate pace, about once in six months or twice a year. Therefore, the currency depreciates, and that pushes up prices for imports and commodities.
Kumano warns that unless price gains stabilize, Japan's real consumption will not increase, and that will add downward pressure on economic growth toward the end of 2025. I'm John Lieu, and that wraps it up for this week's Biz Picks.


John, thanks. Let's have a look at the markets.

And that's it for business news.

♪JAPAN Sketch♪ 

It's the most impressive castle I've ever seen.

world weather

Now for world weather. Hurricane Eric made landfall in Mexico, causing significant damage. Our meteorologist Yumi Hirano has the details.
Eric became the first major hurricane on record in the eastern Pacific to make landfall in Mexico before August.
This unusually early arrival caused many disruptions.
The first major hurricane this year left a trail of disaster on Thursday. In some places, total rainfall has reached nearly 300 millimeters over the past few days.
In the footage, you can see damaged buildings and scattered debris. The storm is expected to weaken significantly, but officials cautioned Alex's intense rains remained dangerous.
So even though the system has weakened, it still has enough power to bring additional downpours. 200 millimeters of rainfall is possible in the region, which could lead to more flooding.
Now moving to North America, an active front is bringing severe weather to the upper Midwest. There are risks of thundershowers, gusty winds and even tornadoes. But for the west, dry and hot conditions are a concern.
The highs will be 38 in Denver and 40 in Las Vegas. People there should watch out for wildfires.
Finally, across Asia, a rainy season front is stretching from China to the Korean Peninsula. About 300 millimeters of rain is possible from Jiangsu to Hunan provinces by Saturday afternoon and more by Sunday, leading to severe flash flooding. The downpours are expected to shift toward Japan over the weekend. So people in Tohoku and Hokkaido should watch out for heavy rain from Saturday to Monday.
But sunny weather will continue in Tokyo with a high of 31. Seoul may shift heavy downpours until Saturday. The temperature in Beijing will jump to 35.
That's it for now. Take care.

♫~

For all of us here on NHK Newsline, I'm James Tengan in Tokyo. Thanks for watching.

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