at 18:00 (JST), July 31

20250731180000_english_1.mp3

 Hello and welcome to NHK Newsline. I'm Keiko Kitagawa in Tokyo. 

JMA LIFTS ALL TSUNAMI ADVISORIES

The Japan Meteorological Agency has lifted old tsunami advisories in place for a huge stretch of the Pacific coast. Alerts were triggered following Wednesday's powerful earthquake off Russia's Far East.
The magnitude 8.7 tremor struck off the Kamchatka Peninsula around 8:25 AM Japan time.
Just over an hour later, the JMA issued tsunami warnings for coastal areas spanning from northern Hokkaido to western Wakayama Prefecture.
Tsunami waves were recorded in a number of areas. The highest, about 1.3 meters tall, struck Kuji Iwata Prefecture around 1:52 PM.
Japan's government says more than 2 million people across the country instructed to evacuate at one point.
As of 2 p.m. Thursday, nearly 100,000 people in five prefectures from Aomori to Chiba were still under evacuation orders. In Toba City, in Mie Prefecture, rafts for farming oysters were washed away. A tsunami of up to 40 centimeters was observed in the area.

It's very terrible. It's the first time since the disaster in 2011.

The government says a woman in her 50s died in a traffic accident while evacuating in Mie Prefecture. In Hokkaido, 15 people received medical treatment, including a man in his 80s who broke a bone after falling down at an evacuation shelter. 

QUAKE PUTS PEOPLE ACROSS PACIFIC ON HIGH ALERT

The quake had communities across the Pacific bracing forward tsunami, and authorities urged people to evacuate from coastal areas. The US-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center recorded waves of more than 1.7 meters on Maui Island in Hawaii, over 1.1 meters in California, and about 1 meter on Ecuador's Galapagos Islands. In Russia, oceanology officials told state-run media that tsunami in Kamchatka and the Kuril Islands reached five to six meters.
Several people were reportedly injured in Kamchatka. Russian newspaper Izvestia says muddy water flowed into the far eastern town of Severokurilsk, damaging a seafood processing plant.

MYANMAR MILITARY SAYS STATE OF EMERGENCY LIFTED

We have this news from Myanmar. The country's military rulers say they have lifted a state of emergency. The move could pave the way for a return to civilian rule.
Military leader Min Aum Flyin says a general election will take place in December. Elections cannot take place under a state of emergency, which has been in place since the military seized power in 2021.

CANADA TO RECOGNIZE PALESTINIAN STATE

Canada's prime minister says his country will recognize the state of Palestine if the Palestinian Authority commits to certain democratic reforms. This follows similar announcements by the UK and France. 

Canada intends to recognize the state of Palestine at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in September.

Carney condemned the Israeli government at a news conference, saying it has allowed a catastrophe to unfold in Gaza. He said Canada's recognition will come on several conditions, including that the Palestinian Authority holds elections next year that exclude Hamas. Carney's announcement came as the UN wrapped up a conference on a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict. Britain said during the event it would recognize a Palestinian state on certain conditions. France's announcement came last week.
Israel's foreign ministry criticized Canada's decision, calling it a reward for Hamas that harms efforts to achieve a ceasefire.

TRUMP HINTS AT SKIPPING G20 SUMMIT IN SOUTH AFRICA

US President Donald Trump suggested he'll skip the next Group of 20 summit in South Africa. He has criticized the country for allegedly discriminating against its white residents. 

I think maybe I'll send somebody else, because I've had a lot of problems with South Africa, and they have some very bad policies, very, very bad policies, like policies where people are being killed.

Trump met South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at the White House in May. At the time, Trump showed what he claimed was proof of mass killings of the white minority. It was later confirmed one photo wasn't from South Africa at all.
Other top US officials have already skipped some meetings. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Besant didn't attend the G20 ministerial talks in South Africa either. The summit itself is scheduled for November. 

JAPAN DEFENSE MINISTRY ENDS SDF EVENT TRADITION

A self-defense Forces tradition is being shelved. Japan's Defense Ministry says the SDF annual review ceremonies will be no longer held due to security concerns.
The reviews were held every autumn and brought together units from across the country. Personnel from the ground, air and maritime forces would take turns hosting. The event was meant to display the results of their regular training.
The Prime Minister was traditionally in attendance. The ceremonies were scaled down in recent years to ease SDF workflows, but now the ministry says events are gone for the foreseeable future and it says they won't come back until there's significant changes to Japan's security environment.
The ministry said this is Japan's most severe and complex security situation since the end of World War Two.
Therefore, it says it needs to reduce the burden on SDF personnel. The ministry said the SDF will focus instead on monitoring and other activities.

JAPANESE OCEAN PROBE PLUNGES NEW DEPTHS

Marine scientists in Japan are taking their work to new depths. They've modified an unmanned probe which can now plunge a whopping 8000 meters under the sea.
The Urashima was previously capable of going 3,500 meters down, but the researchers gave their probe a major upgrade and they put it to the test in the Izu-Ogasawara trench. In a separate trial, they say the Urashima endured over 24 hours at a depth of up to 7,500 meters in the Japan trench where a massive earthquake is likely to strike in the future. They say the probe's new capabilities will let them explore almost all of Japan's exclusive economic zone, starting as early as fiscal 2026. 

BUSINESS

Now for business stories, here's Gene Otani. 

Keiko, thanks. 

BOJ KEEPS RATE TARGET UNCHANGED AT AROUND 0.5%

In our top business story this hour, the Bank of Japan has decided to keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged. This was its first policy move since Japan struck a tariff deal with the US. The agreement has eased one source of uncertainty the bank had flagged as a risk.
The latest decision reflects a cautious stance, though the bank maintained its short term policy rate. at around half a percent, the same level it's been since a rate hike back in January.
Japan's central bank made the call on the second day of its policy meeting on Thursday. It's the fourth time in a row for the BOJ to maintain policy.

I believe the trade agreement with the United States will help reduce uncertainty surrounding Japan's economy.
That said, our outlook remains unchanged.
We still expect the pace of growth to slow and underlying inflation to struggle to gain momentum. And while uncertainty has eased somewhat, it remains high, especially regarding the impact of trade policies in various countries.

BOJ UPGRADES GROWTH, INFLATION OUTLOOK

The BOJ also announced its economic outlook through fiscal 2025.
Its medium forecast for economic growth is at an annualized 0.6% in real terms from the previous fiscal year. That is up from the April forecast of half a percent.
The central bank projects that consumer prices, excluding fresh food, will rise 2.7% this year, up from the 2.2% forecast in April. The bank says the outlook reflects the fact that prices for rice and some other food items remain high. Governor Ueda Kazuo also said if the bank's forecast for the economy and inflation become reality, the bank will raise the rate as the economy improves and adjusts the degree of monetary accommodation.

US THREATENS 25% TARIFF FOR INDIA, 'PENALTY'

US President Donald Trump says he will slap India with a 25% rate, plus a "penalty" for buying Russian oil and weapons. 

They have one of the highest tariffs in the world. Now they're willing to cut it very substantially, but we'll see what happens. We're talking to India now. We'll see what happens. 

Trump says the measures will start August 1. He describes India as a friend, but says that its tariffs on American products are far too high. He also criticized India's purchase. Of military equipment and energy from Russia. Washington has been pressuring Moscow to agree to a cease-fire with Ukraine. The Indian government says it's studying the implications of Trump's announcement. It says India is committed to concluding a fair, balanced and mutually beneficial trade agreement. But it notes that the country will take all steps necessary to secure its national interest. Washington has stepped up negotiations with its trading partners as the deadline nears.
Trump has warned that other countries unable to reach agreements could face 15 to 20 percent tariffs. 

TRUMP: S. KOREA WILL PAY 15% TARIFF UNDER NEW TRADE AGREEMENT

Meanwhile, Trump says the US has reached a trade agreement with South Korea. The US tariff on imports from the country will be 15%. And that's the same rate the US will charge Japan and the EU. Trump had earlier threatened to slap South Korea with a 25% levy from August 1. South Korea will invest $350 billion in the US, Trump says the amount. Will be owned and controlled by the US and the projects selected by him. The agreement also calls for South Korea to purchase $100 billion of liquefied natural gas or other energy products. Trump says the country will accept American products, including cars, trucks and agricultural goods. He stressed that the deal will expand South Korea's imports from the US. South Korea's presidential office held an emergency news conference. On Thursday morning, officials said the tariffs on its semiconductors and pharmaceuticals are not expected to put the products at a disadvantage to those of other nations. The office also said the two sides agreed to refrain from further opening South Korea's beef and rice markets. President Lee Jae Mong wrote in a social media post that quote we have cleared a major hurdle. He said he has established an environment in which his country can compete with major nations in equal or advantageous conditions.

TRUMP'S TARIFFS HIT FORD'S LATEST QUARTER

The Trump administration's tariff measures are starting to hurt the bottom lines of major automakers. US giant Ford Motor posted record revenue in the last quarter, but still ended up in the red as costs ballooned under the new levies. Ford reported a net loss of $36 million for the April to June period. The company said the cancellation of an electric vehicle program was another factor. The loss came despite a 5% rise in revenue from a year earlier to $50 billion. More than 75% of new vehicles Ford sells in the US are built on home soil, but the automaker imports many of its of the parts.
Ford is now warning that the additional 25% duty on those imports will slash its profit by about $2 billion this year. 

All right, let's have a look at the markets.
♪
And that's it for Business News.

IN FOCUS

Next, let's go over to Shibuya Aki for Newsline in Focus. We're spotlighting the United Nations peacekeepers who are now facing an uncertain future.

TRAINING UN PEACEKEEPERS IN DIFFICULT TIMES

Since 1948, the United Nations has deployed peacekeeping units to hotspots around the world. Their activities range from monitoring ceasefires to observing elections. Often known as the Blue Helmets, these forces are made-up of personnel from UN member nations.
Many of their missions take them into dangerous situations. To date, more than 4,000 peacekeepers have been killed in the course of their duties.
And that has led some countries to pull out their units from certain missions. At the same time,some peacekeeping operations are being impacted by domestic political factors in member nations.
Despite this, one initiative led by Japan continues to play a key role.
NHK World's Sugimoto Yuki has the report.

This facility on the outskirts of Nairobi provides training for peacekeepers from around the world. The current team of instructors includes members of Japan's self-defense forces, who are staying there for about two months. The 30 trainees are from four countries, including Kenya and neighboring Uganda.

They are learning to use a bulldozer to build a position. For many of them, this is the first time they've handled heavy machinery, and some do not even have a driving license.

The most difficult part at first, we were failing to to dig, even the pushing. But this time, everything is okay.

I'm proud to participate in this program, which contributes to improving the security environment.

The underlying reason for setting up this facility was due to changes in peacekeeping.

Since the 1990s, developed countries have reduced direct deployment to high-risk mission that followed an incident in which 18 US soldiers were killed during a mission in Somalia.

Instead, personnel from Asian and African countries are now on the front line.

However, some countries have been unable to provide sufficient training and that resulted in fatal accidents.

It is important to prepare them and to ensure that they have the skills and the knowledge to enable them. not only protect themselves, but also be able to undertake the mandate that they have been assigned.

Recognizing the need for better training, a triangular partnership program was launched 10 years ago, led by Japan.

The initiative is a three-way collaboration between the countries contributing the troops, the countries support the training program, and the United Nations. to improve the efficiency of the peacekeeping operations.

Initially, Japan was the only donor country, but after a decade, the number has risen to 42. Now more than 100 countries are involved in the program, including those sending trainees. A gathering to mark its 10th anniversary in June drew many participants.

At the same time, the training programs have expanded to cover fields such as medical care, communications, and dealing with explosives, tailored to the actual situation on the ground.

A Swiss Army colonel involved in training peacekeepers for many years points out the need to be ready to deal with new threats. Twenty-five years ago, the Blue Barrett was protecting you. Nobody was attacking UN troops, and this changed now dramatically. So peacekeepers must be aware not only by improvised explosive devices currently, but also by future threats, by drones, by mis and disinformation, by fake news.

However, a major challenge has arisen over the budget for peacekeeping. This is funded by contributions from UN member states, of which the US is mandated to contribute 27%, the largest share. The reports indicate the Trump administration may withhold its payment.

A senior Kenyan government official is concerned that cutting the budget might lead to instability in the region.

There is always the effect of an unstable country, even to the rest of the countries and the region. For example, in Kenya, when you have issues with the with our countries, neighboring countries, we we host refugees, peace missions are critical forCount specific countries for the region and for Africa. And so we have to retreat and think what is it we do as global actors, as global players, to make sure peace missions are not injured by the budget cuts.

A senior peacekeeping official says the UN is planning an emergency reduction in expenditures. He says the emphasis will be on improvements in quality rather than quantity.

If the member states do not pay their assessed contributions in full and on time, there will be a serious impact on peacekeeping. When the resources are constrained,It is extremely important to have very effective, trained peacekeepers so that even when they are less in number, they can effectively implement their mandate, bring peace and security.

In a perfect world, there will be no need for peacekeepers. But in the real world of constant conflict,It seems like their work is more important than ever.

While officials search for ways to sustain operational capacity, it's extremely worrisome that peacekeeping missions may be at the whim of powerful global players.

Their very presence represents the potential for peace, for the many millions whose wish is for just that. And that's all from me.

DRONE SPECTACLE DAZZLES OSAKA EXPO

Each day, just as the sun is about to set on the 2025 World Expo in Osaka, workers busy themselves preparing for one of the highlights of the event, the evening drone show.

This is the main venue at the World Fair, the giant Grand Roof Ring.

This spot nearby is off-limits to the public. It's where workers are preparing to make sure the drone show goes off without a hitch. The 1000 drones are arranged by hand.

On this day, Nakamura Yusei is in charge of the performance. He's a little concerned about the weather.

A strong wind could disrupt the drones and we'd have to cancel the show.

Come sundown, the grand roof ring takes on a magical appearance.

The differences between the pavilions too is literally like night and day.

During the day, it's difficult to tell which pavilion represents which country.

However, at night, the differences become clear. Back at the launch pad, the team is taking stock.

The wind has calmed down. I think it'll be fine.

The drones aren't piloted by humans.

Instead, they're individually programmed with specific flight patterns and lighting sequences, so pre-flight checks are essential.

Let's check the propellers.

The propellers are tested.

This one isn't spinning right, so it's quickly replaced.

The water performance provides the visitors with a cool respite just before the main event of the evening, the drone show.

The drones take to the sky in threewaves.

They form into the shape of a person lying down. And then reform into a giant tree. The theme of the performance is Wishes, which organizers say aims to inspire a brighter future.

Just when the spectators think the show's over, the drones make one final appearance, this time offering directions to the exits.

The dazzling aerial display continues for 10 minutes. Before the drones fly back to the launch pad.

For us, we do this every day. But for many of the Expo visitors, I think it's the first time they're seeing a drone show, and I hope they are moved by what we do.

WEATHER

People in Japan have been dealing with relentless, stifling hot weather. I'm meteorologist Seika Mori joins us now for the latest. 

Hello there. It was a historic day for Japan on Wednesday. The high reached 41.2 degrees in the west, making it the national record. Today's temperature was 40.4 degrees in Takahashi in the western areas of Japan. The heat will remain in place in the west. If you're going to the World Expo, make sure to drink enough water to avoid heat stroke. The daytimelike could be in the mid thirties every day in the nighttime temperatures could be in the upper twenties. But the east will see a cool down. Tokyo's high could be 29 degrees on Friday. It could be the first twenties in about two weeks and rain is the forecast into Saturday. The reason is this we have severe tropical some krosa to the south of Japan. The good news is that krosa is expected to make a easily direction compared to what we forecast before that means the probability of it making landfall inin central Japan is low but because of the proximity central Japan including Tokyo could feel strong winds and high waves especially on near Saturday and that could possibly into Sunday and stay away from the beaches because of high waves. Now giant waves hit Brazil we have some video coming out of the area so take a look at this.
Huge waves hit Rio de Janeiro's coastline mid-week due to a storm surge. The waves reached nearly 4 meters high, prompting authorities to close nearby avenues.
The strong water washed away gym equipment and a car, and it also damaged buildings. High waves are expected through Thursday evening, so it was dangerous out there. And the temperature is going to be 21 in Ruin de Janeiro. The rough sea conditions are expected to continue into Thursday, but the sky will be mild, 21 with some sunny skies on your Thursday in Ruin de Janeiro. But rainy weather in Santiago with high 13 degrees. Buenos Aires, there's a chance for thunderstorms.
That's it for me. Have a nice day.

♫～　3-DAY FORECAST　～♫

That wraps up this edition of NHK Newsline. I'm Keiko Kitagawa in Tokyo.
Thank you for joining us.

at 18:00 (JST), July 30

 

20250730180000_english_1.mp3

BREAKING NEWS

TSUNAMI HIT JAPAN'S COASTAL AREAS

I did to stay here.

Around 300 residents, including high school students, evacuated to this rooftop in Hokkaido's Mukawa town. The building belongs to the local fire department association. Its officials say they will ensure the safety of the evacuees.
In the coastal town of Matsushima in Miyagi Prefecture. People fled to higher ground, including this parking lot, a three-minute drive from shore.

We evacuated immediately because if there's a traffic jam near the coast, our car and everything could get swept away.

Governments across the Pacific are also bracing for a tsunami. US officials say destructive tsunami waves may hit Hawaii and are urging people to evacuate.
The Philippines and Taiwan are also calling on people to stay alert.
For more updates, back to our domestic service. 

Reported Kuchi at one day prefecture. Tied, ebb, and flowed. And then rose significantly at around 2 p.m. At 1.3 meter away was observed in Kuchi at 1:52 p.m.

This is the city of Denver...

Many of Japan's coastal regions after a strong earthquake near Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula Wednesday morning. The Japan Meteorological Agency is calling on people to stay evacuated until all alerts have been lifted.
The magnitude 8.7 quake struck near the peninsula at about 8:25 AM Japan timed. The US Geological Survey says it had a depth of 20.7 kilometers.
The JMA initially announced a tsunami advisory for most of the country's Pacific coast. Many areas were escalated to a tsunami warning at 9:40 AM. Northern Hokkaido down to western Wakayama is still under that warning.
Advisories are still in effect for other regions spanning from Hokkaido to Okinawa. Tsunami started to arrive in eastern Hokkaido around 10:30 a.m. They've since been observed across a broad area of Japan's Pacific coast.
The waves so far have been up to 1.3 meters high.
On the screen, you can see the heights of the tsunami in yellow. the time of impact, as well as the location of impact.
Kuji Port in Iwate Prefecture saw 1.3 meters at 1:52 p.m. Nemuro Hanasaki in Hokkaido saw 80 centimeters.
Also, 80 centimeters for Hachijojima Island, Yaene at 4:19 p.m. 70 meters, 70 centimeters, rather, were seen in Ishinomaki Port, Miyagi Prefecture, Sendai Port, also in Miyagi, as well as Tanegashima Island, Kumano.
NHK has obtained video of a port in Kuji-Iwate Prefecture, where that 1.3 meter high tsunami was observed at 1:52 p.m. It's been sped up, showing the sea level rising significantly between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m., causing boats moored at the port to move. By the end of the hour, the water was almost as high as the road.
The JMA is urging people in coastal areas or along rivers to evacuate to safer areas immediately, and stay there until the alert is lifted, warning there could be long gaps between tsunami crests.

Tsunami waves are still being observed. Each cycle can take about an hour.
Waves may continue for an extended period, and there could be powerful surges that cause further damage.

The agency says tsunami waves are expected to continue for at least a day.
That's based on records of previous quakes of similar scale in the area.
At least one death has been reportedly linked to evacuation efforts. Police in Mie Prefecture say a 58 year old woman was killed when the car she was in fell from a cliffside road. The area was under a tsunami warning. Officials say they believe she was trying to get to a safe zone. 

Kushido City in Hokkaido is one of the areas affected by the alerts. People there moved to a park on a hill for safety. One college student says he woke up to see news of the advisory, which has since been upgraded to a warning.

I survived the great East Japan earthquake, so I know how scary its tsunami is. I figured I shouldn't move around until the advisory is lifted, so I decided to stay here.

Around 300 residents, including high school students, evacuated to this rooftop in Hokkaido's Mukawa town.
The building belongs to the local fire department association. Its officials say they will ensure the safety of all the evacuees.
In the coastal town of Matsushima in Miyagi Prefecture, people fled to higher ground, including this parking lot, a three-minute drive from shore.

We evacuated immediately because if there's a traffic jam near the coast, our car and everything could get swept away.

Governments across the Pacific are also bracing for tsunami. US officials say destructive tsunami waves may hit Hawaii and are urging people to evacuate. The Philippines and Taiwan are also calling on people to stay alert.
More details are emerging concerning the impact of the quake and tsunami in Russia's Far East, where there were reportedly waves three to four meters high. Local authorities said tsunami reached up to 200 meters inland, according to Russian media.
And now for more details and updates with our domestic service.

This is a characteristic, and what we're seeing here is Hanasaki Port at Nemura in Hokkaido around 5 p.m. Yes, we're fast-forwarding, but you can see that the waves are breaking over the keys, and so the sea level is rising, and so there's inundation caused by the sea level rise too. Can you show the live? image right now.

Yes, you can see that the sea level is lower. And you can observe this on the data. At Hanasaki Port, if you look at the tide level data of the port, you can see here. I have to explain this, but this wave, the blue line, shows the tide level. And the smooth green curve, this shows the full tide. Now, if you look at this, shortly around 5:00 PM, it exceeded the tsunami advisory level and reached the warning level. That is as high as the tsunami rose, and now you can see that it's lower. But once again, it seems that the next wave is starting to rise, and therefore, this again will be observed at Hanasaki port, and the same, it could occur again, meaning that the wave breaking over the key. And this is the phenomena that we're seeing right now. The tide level is rising and lowering, so it's up and down. And the same is happening in other areas too, yes, especially in northern Japan. Right now, they are approaching the full tide, and from Tohoku to Hokkaido, well, as we reach the full tide, the tide level will become the highest, and this is Kuji Iwate and Kuji is about to reach the full tide and the 6th wave or maybe the 7th wave of tsunami could hit the area. So if it is at the exactly the same time as full tide, there could be flooding and that is the characteristic of the tsunami this time. So um so if the tsunami should become at the same time as the full tide, it'll become extremely dangerous. So people should not approach the area. And those people have yet to evacuate. Please evacuate before it gets dark, because once it gets dark, it will be difficult to evacuate.
Please evacuate now. That was our reporter, Kiyonaga.
you know To the evacuees, the temperature continues to be high. Please take measures against heatstroke and keep hydrated. Please look after the elderly and small children.

 And that ends this newsline. Here in Japan at 6:10 p.m. on a Wednesday. I'm James Tengan in Tokyo. This is NHK Newsline.

at 18:00 (JST), July 29

20250729180000_english_1.mp3

 Hello, a very warm welcome to NHK Newsline. I'm Yamamoto Miki in Tokyo.

FUKUSHIMA DAIICHI NUCLEAR PLANT
SOURCES: DEBRIS REMOVAL WON'T START UNTIL LATE 2030s

Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party has decided to convene a key decision making meeting. This comes amid pressure on Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru to resign as party head following the LDP's poor showing in the recent upper house election. Ishiba and other LDP executives decided on Tuesday to hold a joint plenary meeting of all the party's Diet lawmakers in the near future. The Prime Minister says he will take party lawmakers' opinions into consideration after he faced criticism at a meeting on Monday. A senior LDP official says more discussions will be held.

The opinion was expressed at yesterday's meeting that we should hold an LDP joint plenary meeting. I think that should be respected. We can hold the meeting without going through the procedures, so I decided to do so.

Moriya Ma said the chair of the joint plenary will now listen to the opinions of lawmakers who called for the meeting.

He added it was uncertain whether the joint plenary could bring forth the date of the party's presidential election.

Ishiba also spoke to reporters about his stance on the meeting.

I have to offer a thorough and sincere explanation. That's all I'm thinking about right now.

I will explain without hiding.

Plans to remove molten fuel debris from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant will likely be years behind schedule.

NHK has learned that the work won't start until the late 2030s at the earliest. Three of the plant's nuclear reactors melted down after a massive earthquake and tsunami in 2011. The facility is now in the process of being decommissioned, but 880 tons of debris still resides in the reactors.

It consists of molten nuclear fuel and parts of the reactor structures themselves. Removing it is considered the biggest hurdle of the decommissioning process. The plant's operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company, aims to start with the debris in reactor number three. There were plans to begin in the early 2030s. But after conducting studies on specific removal methods, sources say TEPCO concluded it would take more time. They say the company would need 12 to 15 years just to prepare for the work. That's because TEPCO planned to build new facilities above reactor number 3 and try to reduce radiation levels. But that will take longer than anticipated.

The government and TEPCO were aiming to decommission the plant by 2051, 40 years after the accident. But several parts of their roadmap are now behind schedule. 

KIM JONG UN'S SISTER SUGGESTS TALKS WITH THE US ARE POSSIBLE

The sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has suggested that new summit talks with the US are possible, but ruled out Pyongyang giving up its nuclear weapons program. In a statement, Kim Yo-jong described the personal relationship between her brother and US President Donald Trump as not bad. But she added that if the US's purpose is North Korea's denuclearization, it can be interpreted as nothing but a mockery of the other party. She reiterated North Korea's irreversible position as a nuclear weapons state. But Kim also stressed that if two countries that possess nuclear weapons move in a confrontational direction, it is by no means beneficial to each other.

Trump met Kim Jong-un three times in 2018 and 2019 during his first term. Trump was not able to reach agreement with Kim, but is still willing to meet him again in his current term.

Reuters news agency quoted a White House official as saying, Trump remains open to engaging with Kim to achieve a fully denuclearized North Korea.

CHINA'S MILITARY MOVES IN INDO-PACIFIC RAISE CONCERN

China's increasing military presence in the Indo-Pacific has been raising concern in and out of the region. It's also raising some uncomfortable questions about a possible future conflict and whether Japan and other countries would get involved. A former senior advisor to the Secretary of Defense in the previous US administration gave us his thoughts.

Here's that report.

Japan's Air Self-Defense Force is taking part in this massive US-led exercise in the Indo-Pacific for the first time. It continues through August 8th. The aim is to strengthen US frontline deployment capabilities. It comes amid a rise in China's activities in the region.

In early June, two Chinese aircraft carriers were spotted in the Pacific.

Japan's defense ministry says it was the first time that Liaoning and the Shandong entered the area simultaneously.

Around that same time, a J-15 fighter jet from the Shandong flew close to a Japanese P-3C patrol plane.

The ministry says the J-15 jet came as close as about 45 meters.

What appears to be a missile can be seen under the fighter's wing.

Then in July, the Chinese JH-7 fighter-bomber repeatedly approached a Japanese YS-11 intelligence-gathering plane two days in a row over the East China Sea. The ministry says this time the fighter-bomber came as close as about 30 meters.

And in February, in an unprecedented move, three Chinese naval vessels circled around Australia.

Indo-Pacific security expert Abraham Denmark says he thinks there are two main drivers behind the recent actions by the PLA, China's People's Liberation Army. As they become more of a global power, their interests are expanding, their economies, their economy is more closely tied with other countries around the world, and the PLA sees the need for them to defend and assert China's interests more more broadly, more explicitly around the world. and especially in the region. I think the second driver, ohh so I'd say a corollary to that is the purpose of these military actions I think is very clear.

It's coercion. It's an attempt to intimidate countries in the region to show that China has military capability, that China needs to be respected and potentially feared as a lot of these geopolitical negotiations are are ongoing. Taiwan recently conducted its longest ever military exercise. It was based on a scenario in which Chinese forces gradually shift from Gray zone activities to actual military action. Denmark says a Chinese invasion of Taiwan is possible. There's no check on Xi Jinping's power. If he makes the decision, that's what China will do. I think it would be dramatically risky for Xi Jinping to do that. I remain very confident that the US has the ability to defend Taiwan and any of our other allies or partners in the region, but the risks and the potential costs of that defense, I think are increasing. And that to me is where a lot of our focus is and how do we reduce the the cost and how do we increase deterrence so that China knows that it will not succeed. In its in any sort of military adventurism. Former President Joe Biden repeatedly said the US would use force to defend Taiwan.

There are questions around whether the new administration would do the same, but Denmark points out that the administration also thinks China is a major threat.

Recently, some news outlets reported that Under Secretary of Defense Elbridge Colby asked Australian and Japanese defense officials how their countries would respond to an invasion of Taiwan.

My understanding is that what Under Secretary Colby is looking for is a political commitment from our allies that if the United States comes to the defense of Taiwan, that you'll be with us. Um So it maintains that ambiguity.

Ultimately, it's going to be the decision of the American president. But I think it's beyond a question of joint planning or joint discussions about how we would work together, how armed militaries work together, more of a political commitment that he's looking for, that if the United States comes to Taiwan's defense, um that Japan and Australia would be with us. That's my understanding of what he's looking for.

TAIWAN LEADER SCRUBS US VISIT AMID CHINESE OBJECTIONS

A planned trip by Taiwan's president to Latin America next month that included possible stopovers in the US has reportedly been shelved. The Financial Times says Washington has denied permission for Lai Tsingta to stop in the US amid objections from China.

Diplomatic sources said there had been a plan for Lai to visit Latin American countries that have diplomatic ties with Taiwan. He was also supposed to visit some US cities, including New York. But a spokesperson for the Taiwan presidential office on Monday said Lai has no plans for overseas trips in the near future. He cites the country's recovery efforts from a typhoon disaster and trade talks with the US as reasons.

A US State Department spokesperson noted that Taiwan has yet to announce Lai's itinerary, adding that the department will not comment on a hypothetical case. The US administration is also now in trade talks with China. It is reportedly seeking to arrange a summit between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

TRUMP TARIFFS
US, CHINA BEGIN TALKS AS TRADE TRUCE DEADLINE NEARS

The US and China trade talks has kicked off in Stockholm. They're expected to discuss extending the August 12th deadline for Beijing to reach a deal with Washington. US Treasury Secretary Scott Besant and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, who oversees his country's economic policy, are attending. The world's two biggest economies have kept negotiating since reaching a truce in May, when they agreed to slash additional tariffs and pause some levies for 90 days. The US is expected to push China to further open its market, particularly in the agriculture sector.

And China is likely to call for abolishing all tariff measures.

Bessent has indicated Washington could extend the deadline by another 90 days. And US President Trump is hoping for progress. We have a good relationship with China. China is tough. And like you're tough, you know we're we're all tough, yes. But we're going to see what happens. He also warns that other countries unable to reach deals could see tariffs ranging from 15 to 20 percent.

SHAOLIN 'CEO MONK' PROBED FOR EMBEZZLEMENT AND IMPROPRIETY

The head monk of the world-famous Shaolin Temple is reportedly being investigated by Chinese authorities. He is suspected of embezzling funds and having inappropriate relationships with women.

The Buddhist temple in Hunan Province revealed Xi Yongsin is being probed by multiple agencies. In addition to misappropriating assets and violating temple ethics by having affairs, he's accused of fathering at least one child.

Xi has been referred to as the CEO monk for launching multiple business ventures including in the food and clothing industries. He's also reportedly served as deputy head of China's Buddhist Association and attended the National People's Congress as a delegate.

The temple he oversaw is known globally in martial arts circles as the center of the tradition known as Kung Fu.

WAR IN UKRAINE
TRUMP SETS NEW CEASEFIRE DEADLINE FOR RUSSIA

US President Trump has moved up the deadline for Russia to reach a ceasefire with Ukraine. He now says he wants a deal to be agreed within 10 to 12 days.

Trump, earlier this month, called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to make a deal within 50 days. He threatened severe tariffs if Moscow did not act within the limit, which ends in early September. But on Monday, he expressed his frustration with Putin and shortened the time frame.

I'm going to make a new deadline of about 10 or 12 days from today. There's no reason in waiting. There's no reason in waiting.

It's 50 days I wantbe generous, but yeah we just don't see any progress being made. Trump threatened sanctions and maybe tariffs. He also suggested that secondary levies could hit imports from countries buying Russian products. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the move. He said on social media that Trump's clear stance and expressed determination is right on time. Russian Security Council Deputy Chair Dmitry Medvedev responded online, calling it a threat and a step towards war, not between Russia and Ukraine, but with his own country.

UN CONFERENCE ON ISRAEL-PALESTINIAN SOLUTION BEGINS

An international conference on a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict kicked off in New York on Monday, but the United States and Israel were not there.

France and Saudi Arabia are hosting the gathering at UN headquarters, which aims to raise approval for Israelis and Palestinians to live side by side in peace and security. Delegates from 125 countries and territories are attending. The wholesale destruction of Gaza is intolerable. It must stop. Unilateral elections that would forever undermine the two-state solutionare unacceptable.

They must stop.

The UN Secretary-General said a two-state solution is farther than ever before.

He added that it remains the only framework rooted in international law, endorsed by this assembly and supported by the international community.

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa called for independence.

There is a path to peace. and regional integration. It will be achieved through our independence, not our destruction.

Discussions included recognition of a Palestinian state and disarming the Islamic group Hamas. Many participants called for an immediate ceasefire and criticized Israel's settlement activities in the West Bank, which are said to be in violation of international law. Israel's ambassador to the UN, Danny Danan, said on Monday, This conference does not promote a solution, but rather deepens the illusion. He criticized the organizers of the meeting, saying they are engaging in discussions and plenaries that are disconnected from reality.

BUSINESSESS

Now let's see what's happening in the world of business. Here's Gene Otani from The Business. Gene.

Miki, thanks. 

JAPAN PRESSING US TO ACT AS TARIFF DEADLINE NEARS

In our top business story this hour, Japan's trade minister says Tokyo and Washington need to act swiftly to implement their recent tariff deal.

Mito Yoji is urging the US to take the necessary legal steps with a deadline looming. The two countries agreed last week to cut a planned. 25% US tariff on Japanese goods to 15%. The higher rate was set to come into force on Friday.

The important thing for both Japan and the US is to make efforts to implement the agreement. With Friday's deadline in mind, Japan is strongly urging the US to take necessary measures, such as signing at an early date executive orders to cut the rate.

Muto said the ministry is calling for quick implementation of the 15% levy on Japanese cars, which was cut from 27.5%. He said the ministry will determine the impacts of the tariffs on Japan's industries and job market and take additional measures whenever necessary.

ISUZU MAY MOVE SMALL-TRUCK PRODUCTION TO US FROM JAPAN

Japanese automaker Isuzu Motors says it may shift small truck production to the US in 2028 to avoid the higher import tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump.

Isuzu exports more than 10,000 small trucks to the US each year from its Fujisawa plant near Tokyo.

The company says it is considering to move production of the vehicles to a factory it plans to build in the US state ofSouth Carolina, he says it says it would maintain production at Fujisawa by baking vehicles for other markets at the plant.

FINANCE MINISTRY UPGRADES ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT FOR OKINAWA

Okinawa is enjoying an economic rebound due to some strong tourism

 numbers. That's from the finance ministry, which has upgraded its economic assessment for the southern island prefecture. The ministry's local Bureau chiefsheld a quarterly meeting on Tuesday. They revised Okinawa's economic description, saying it is recovering, up from the previous moderately recovering.

They kept their assessment unchanged for all 10 other regions.

Officials say the prefecture is seeing a sharp rise in inbound visitor numbers, due in part to more flights. They say hotels and other tourism businesses are thriving and retail sales are up.

The officials say the opening last week of the Janguria Okinawa amusement park has helped to fill hotel rooms, but elsewhere the picture is less rosy.

JAPAN GOVT. WHITE PAPER WARNS OF ECONOMIC RISK FROM US TARIFFS

The ministry says the Japanese economy overall is picking up moderately, a phrase unchanged for two years.

The government says price increases. show Japan is clearly not in the deflation that plagued the economy for more than 20 years. However, it says US tariffs are a new threat and may drag on growth.

The government on Tuesday released its annual white paper on the economy and public finance for the current fiscal year through March. The document says the virtuous cycle of prices and wages rising together is starting to take root.

It points out that this year's spring labor talks led to the biggest wage hikes in 34 years and businesses are passing on higher costs in product prices. But the paper warns the economy could slip back into deflation because wages are not rising fast enough to keep up with inflation and US tariffs add a new risk. The white paper says further work is needed to balance efforts to revitalize the economy with fiscal health. It says supplementary budgets for the past five fiscal years totaled about 170 trillion yen, or more than $1.1 trillion.

JAPANESE TOILET TECH CONTINUES TO EVOLVE

Japanese toilets are world-renowned for their cleanliness, comfort and cutting-edge features, butPublic restrooms get less rave reviews, especially when it comes to long lines. We take a look at efforts to solve the problem through technologies aimed at reducing wait times and improving the experience for everyone.

And this is toilet. You see?Wow.

A hot item for foreign visitors to Tokyo is toilet tours. They take people to see modern Japanese commode construction done by famous architects. That is amazing. But when it comes to the wait for using facilities, some visitors to Japan are less impressed. The woman's toilet always has more cue.

I had to wait in line for the restroom at shopping malls in Shinjuku and Shibuya.

This public event space in Shibuya has adopted A surprisingly simple solution.

Stools in the restroom are arranged along a corridor with men's and women's sides separated by a barrier, but depending on the needs, the wall can be slid to change the number of toilets available. Adjustments are made for events like concerts based on the ratio of attendees.

We've gotten feedback that the waiting time for restrooms has decreased compared to before. We hope that other venues take note and consider adopting the system.

The wait time issue stems from a long-standing problem, according to Kobayashi Junko, an architect with extensive experience in restroom design.

Society was male-dominated for quite some time, so more men's restrooms were built than women's. Things are gradually changing, but the old thinking for restroom design has remained.

One possible solution that can be implemented at existing facilities is showing how busy a restroom is.

This department store has digital displays that indicate occupied status, making it clear when toilets are available. People can even scan a QR code with their phones to see if there are any free seats.

Sensors detect when a door opens and closes, and a screen in the store notifies users when they've been inside for over 10 minutes.

It also lets them know how busy the bathroom is by showing how many stools are in use. But people are also encouraged to stay longer if they need to. People can see how long they've been using the stall and how many are open or full. It generally encourages people to take less time and result in improved usage for everyone. Japanese restroom tech is regarded as some of the best in the world. But efforts are still underway to make it even better and ensure greater accessibility for all.

And that's it for business news.

WEATHER 

And it's time for world weather with our meteorologist Jonathan. Oh, Jonathan.

Hello. We have a couple of tropical systems that we're keeping an eye out on as we are looking at a couple of things spinning out in the northwestern areas of the Pacific Ocean. We have Colmay and we have Crosa. But let's start with Colmay where it's. Definitely made some impact on the ground. Here's some video that's coming out of Taiwan, where people in the central and southern portions found themselves deep in floodwaters. With that extreme rainfall, the outer bands of Komei enhanced the monsoonal pattern, leading to some places receiving more than 400 millimeters of rainfall in just half a day. And you know, people are not the only ones that are dealing with this.
Pigs found themselves trying to stay afloat in the submerged pens and trying to escape from those high waters.
Eventually they were able to get out, but that's a lot of water. A car, streets and homes were flooded, leading to school and business closure. So CO may will continue to be a story where eastern areas of China will get real heavier rain bands from Shanghai points northward as we go through the next few days. We also have Crosa, which is kind of having a hard time figuring out where it wants to go. First it looks like it's gonna go straight N then looking more toward the north and West toward Japan and the eastern areas of Japan. So we have to keep an eye out on this because the possibilities are still quite variant. So looking at this, looking at cold wind, bringing this heavy rainfall into Shanghai, and Krosa still spinning its wheels for the moment. Heavy rainfall though, Taiwan's other areas looking at up to 200 millimeters of rainfall in a very short period of time, so it could be compounding the flooding concerns.
Shanghai 29, hot though across Japan into North and South Korea, highs in the mid 30s, so make sure you take those proper precautions. Meanwhile, strong thunderstorms were impacting the upper Midwest of the United States. That focal point is shifting slowly toward the east into the Great Lakes, so we'll still be looking at the possibility of strong thunderstorms with that down toward the South. It's hot 38 for the high on Tuesday in Oklahoma City, 36 in Houston. Thunderstorms into Atlanta with a high of 35 for Tuesday.
Hope you have a good day wherever you are.

♫～　3-DAY FORECAST　～♫

And that's NHK Newsline for this hour.
I'm Yamamoto Miki in Tokyo. Thanks for staying with us.

at 18:00 (JST), July 28

20250728180000_english_1.mp3

 Hello. A very warm welcome to NHK Newsline. I'm Yamamoto Miki in Tokyo.

THAILAND, CAMBODIA HOLD CEASEFIRE TALKS

Leaders from Thailand and Cambodia are holding peace talks in Malaysia. They're aimed at quelling days of clashes, which have killed over 30 people, including civilians. Acting Thai Prime Minister Phumtham Witchayachai and Cambodian Prime Minister Hu Manet are both attending the talks. Fighting started between Thai and Cambodian forces last week, along a stretch of border disputed by both countries. Since then, the US and a number of other nations have begun applying pressure to stop the violence. The State Department says officials are on the ground in Malaysia to assist peace efforts. And US President Donald Trump said Sunday he's reached out to both sides.

So I called the prime ministers of each, and I said, we're not going to make a trade deal unless you settle the war.

Despite the talks, fighting has continued near the border. Cambodia's defense ministry claims the Thai side attacked as recently as Monday morning. They say Thailand used highly lethal cluster bombs, but Thailand claims it claims it came under rocket fire. It also said it had to use artillery against Cambodian soldiers who were trying to cross the border. And earlier, I spoke with NHK World's Takaoka Chikashi in Bangkok to learn about the lingering issues and added pressure going into the talks.
Tell us why this fighting between the two countries sticks out.

Well, there has been a long history of clashes over territorial rights, but this latest conflict is deadlier compared to others in recent years. In Thailand, martial law has been imposed in areas near the border. It gives the military the authority necessary to maintain security. More than 130,000 people have been forced to flee, and many civilians, including children, have been killed. The fear is how this could escalate. Even here in Bangkok, hundreds of kilometers away from the fighting, people are feeling a lot of anxiety and shock. 

Umm And people must be anxious to see what comes out of the ceasefire talks. But the question is, should people also be feeling hopeful? 

Well, both sides say they have the same finish line in mind. They have expressed their intentions to engage in negotiations to seek a ceasefire. That said, they do not seem to trust each other. One of the big complicating factors is the political turmoil in Thailand right now. Many have been offended by a leaked phone call. It was between Prime Minister Petan Thanh Chinawat and Cambodia's Senate President Poon Sen. During their talk about border disputes, she seemed to disparage a Thai army commando. The Constitutional Court later suspended Patong Dam from duty.
People have been paying close attention to Bangkok's attitude toward Phnom Penh.
Some news artists have been reporting that Thailand might be forced to make concessions on the territorial issue during the negotiations, but a government spokesperson strongly denied that, say no no government would sell out its own country.
Also, the Cambodian side claims that Thailand agreed to a ceasefire proposal presented by Malaysia's prime minister last week, but later withdrew it.
So ahead of the talks, both sides have continued to criticize each other, and nothing major announced beforehand. It's unclear what will come next.
Thailand and Cambodia are both set to subject to 36% tariffs imposed by the United States.
President Donald Trump says he will not hold trade talks with the two as long as the fighting continues. Local news outlets say that this pressure from him was a big driver behind these talks to happen. And as mentioned earlier, China appears to be involved too.
more practice on an already complicated situation.

PANAMA CANAL PORTS OPERATOR PLANS TO INVITE CHINESE INVESTOR

The Hong Kong company that operates ports at both ends of the Panama Canal says it plans to invite a Chinese investor into a consortium aiming to buy the ports business. But that could run into opposition from Washington.
C.K. Hutchison Holdings said on Monday it will continue talks with the view of inviting a major strategic investor from China. The consortium is being led by US asset management firm BlackRock.
The period for exclusive negotiations with the consortium expired on Sunday.
C.K. Hutchison has not disclosed the name of the potential investor. But the Wall Street Journal is reporting that the Chinese government wants it to be the state-owned marine transport firm Costco. C.K. Hutchison agreed to sell the port's business in March. This was as the administration of US President Donald Trump called for the Panama Canal to be taken back from Chinese influence. Beijing opposed the agreement, warning it would review any related transactions. C.K. Hutchinson is believed to be trying to win Beijing's consent by announcing the plan to invite a Chinese investor, but Washington may oppose the move.

NORTH KOREA SHUTS DOOR ON TALKS WITH SEOUL

One of North Korea's most senior figures has dashed hopes of warmer ties on the Korean Peninsula. The sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un dismissed overtures from the South Monday.

The strongly worded statement by Kim Yo Jong criticized President Lee Jae-myung by name for the first time. He took office in June. She accused Seoul of showing blind trust in its alliance with the United States and claimed the South remains fundamentally confrontational toward the North.

Lee's administration has taken a more conciliatory tone than the previous government. It turned off the loudspeakers near the border in an effort to restart talks. But Kim brushed aside the gesture as meaningless, calling it just a reversal of something South Korea should not have done in the first place. She condemned upcoming joint military exercises involving the US and South Korea, saying there can be no change in the understanding of the enemy. She wrapped up by saying North Korea has no interest in any policy or proposal from Seoul, and there is no reason to meet for talks.

WAR IN UKRAINE
MEDIA CONFIRM DEATHS OF MORE THAN 120,000 RUSSIAN SOLDIERS

New media reports suggest more than 120,000 Russian military personnel have been killed in the fighting in Ukraine. The BBC and the Russian independent media outlet MediaZona have been tallying Russian deaths since the invasion began in February 2022. The figures are based on open-source information, including posts on social media by family members. The latest figure was released on Friday. The report says nearly one-third of the 120,343 confirmed deaths were volunteers who signed a contract after the war began.
The report says the average age of those killed is 39. People from the Central Republic of Bash, Kordostan account for the largest number of deaths by region. The report notes the actual Russian death toll is likely to be much higher. It says it could be over 260,000.

US, EU STRIKE 15% TARIFF DEAL

The United States and the European Union have announced a tariff agreement. US President Donald Trump had said Washington would impose a 30 percent levy on EU goods starting on August 1, but now he says the rate will be set at 15 percent.
Trump met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Scotland on Sunday. The two spoke to reporters after their talks.

We are agreeing that the tariff straight across for automobiles and everything else will be a straight across tariff of 15 percent. I think it's the biggest deal ever made. Thank you very much. Congratulations.

We have a deal. We have a trade deal between the two largest economies in the world. And it's a big deal. It's a huge deal. It will bring stability. It will bring predictability. That's very important for our businesses on both sides of the Atlantic. 

But Trump also saidA 50 percent tariff on steel and aluminum imports will remain unchanged. He added the EU is going to agree to buy 750 billion dollars worth of energy from the US and to invest 600 billion dollars into the country.

NEARLY 4,000 NASA STAFF APPLY TO LEAVE AGENCY

US media says nearly 4,000 NASA employees have applied to leave their jobs. They signed up under a resignation program offered by the Trump administration. It's part of the White House's efforts to reduce the federal workforce. Employees had until Friday to signal their intent to leave.
CBS News and other media say about 20 percent of all the agency's staff chose to go. NASA leads the US government's space efforts, but it's also facing potential budget cuts that could slash its funding by 24 percent. Over 300 current and former employees signed a letter opposing those cuts. It said, recent rapid and wasteful changes undermined the agency's mission and had a catastrophic impact on the workforce. In a statement, a NASA spokesperson said the agency is balancing the need to be more streamlined. It said NASA will continue to pursue a golden era of exploration and innovation.

JAPAN-DEVELOPED AI CAN AID IN FERTILITY TREATMENT

Researchers in Japan have developed an AI system to help women make informed decisions about fertility treatment. It can better estimate egg levels and ovarian functions.
A group led by a University of Tokyo professor created the model by having artificial intelligence study data on over 440 patients. The system takes into account five factors, such as the number of births, as well as age and blood test results.
The model can then estimate the amount of eggs a patient has. The researchers say its predictions are more accurate than using blood tests alone.

you know Women can use the model to learn more about the condition of their eggs before going through fertility treatment.

The scientists say they have also developed a model that can predict a decline in the quality of a patient's eggs. The group aims to create an app within a few years that can be be used by both medical professionals and individuals.

JAPANESE ACTOR HIROSUE RYOKO ATTENDS CRASH SITE WITH POLICE

Japanese actor Hirosue Ryoko has taken part in an on-site police investigation of a car accident she was involved in three months ago. The 45-year-old is best known internationally for her role in the Oscar-winning movie Departures.
Hirosue rear-ended a large trailer truck while driving a car on an expressway in Shizuoka Prefecture, central Japan, in April. On Monday morning,Hirosue arrived in a police vehicle at the rest area where she had stopped prior to the accident. The vehicle carrying her later headed to the tunnel where the collision occurred. Police are believed to have questioned Hirosue to determine exactly what factors contributed to the accident. The on-site investigation caused a temporary closure of a section of one side of the expressway. Hirosue was taken to hospital after the collision. She was later arrested on suspicion of injuring a nurse by kicking and scratching her. Sources close to the matter say it has been settled out of court. But police are still investigating Hirosube over the incident.

COOL BUDDHA DRAWS TOURISTS OFF BEATEN PATH

Nara and Kamakura are the hot spots for foreign tourists who want to check out Japan's giant Buddhas. But that one Buddha that's far off the beaten path is going viral on social media for its unique look.

SUNGLASSES BUDDHA GOES VIRAL

Located in Konan City, Aichi Prefecture is an 18-meter tall Buddha statue made of concrete.
Point your camera at the right angle, and you can get a shot of Buddha in sunglasses.

Perfect. It's difficult to get a good photo, but. very beautiful to see the Buddha and to see the glasses.

A building is attached to the Buddha's back.
The Buddha's current owner is Mayada Masahide. He's been running a clinic inside it for decades, offering acupuncture and bone setting.
His father spent five years building the statue.
He was deeply religious and wanted to console the spirits of Japanese people killed in war. He said one night he received a religious message in a dream, telling him to build the Buddha.
He completed it with help from nearby residents.
Maeda says the Buddha's face has a distinctive characteristic.

My father planned to make the Buddha more handsome, but it ended up having a round face and gradually came to resemble my father's. So maybe it looks like me too.

For local residents, the Buddha is a special part of their daily life.

I've been seeing this since I was in first grade. This is one of the things we are proud of.

That's the head. We can see it very well.

My wedding was held there. For as long as I live, I need the Buddha to be there.

Shibata Hiromi is the district head of this area. He's lived near the Buddha since childhood and is involved in activities to help people feel connected to it. 

I doubt you can find anything at this scale that's privately owned and freely accessible to the public anywhere else in Japan.

Every year, Shibata partners with local police on a campaign that utilizes the Buddha to raise awareness for crime prevention. The statue gets lit up in red on days when even one criminal incident is reported and blue on peaceful days.

It's a good, friendly symbol. It helps and contributes to maintaining our community's safety and security.

Whether the Buddha is shielded by sunglasses or lit up in lights, the kind-hearted guardian has watched over the community and helped keep things calm for more than half a century.

BUSINESS

All right, now let's see what's happening in the world of business. Here's Gene Otani from the BizDesk. Gene.

Miki, thanks. 

RUSSIAN AIRLINE STARTS DIRECT MOSCOW-PYONGYANG FLIGHTS

In our top business story this hour, a Russian airline has started Direct passenger flights between Moscow and Pyongyang in North Korea. It's reportedly the first such air carrier service between the two capitals in 30 years.
Russia's Norwind Airlines began the flights on Sunday. Many of the first passengers were North Korean citizens.
The airline plans to serve the route once a month. The eight-hour flight costs about 45,000 rubles, or $560. The link points to growing ties between the two countries.
It comes after they signed a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement in June last year.

BANK OF JAPAN EXPECTED TO STAND PAT ON INTEREST RATES

The Bank of Japan is expected to leave its short-term interest rate unchanged at a two-day policy meeting that ends on Thursday. Analysts say the central bank is likely to remain cautious following the trade deal with the US and as consumer prices remain stubbornly high.
The BOJ has stood pat on its policy rate for three consecutive meetings since March. This was amid uncertainties surrounding Japan-US tariff talks. BOJ Deputy Governor Uchida Shinichi says the trade agreement announced last week by Tokyo and Washington may help ease some of those concerns, but he added that the hard data is not yet available to measure how the deal will affect the Japanese and other economies.
BOJ officials agreed that more time is needed to gauge the real impact of the tariff agreement on corporate profits and personal consumption. In the meeting this week, the BOJ will also give its economic outlook through fiscal 2027. The bank has indicated it will consider raising interest rates. if the economy and prices move in line with forecasts.

KODANSHA TARGETS US WITH MANGA MAGAZINE FOR YOUNG ADULTS

Japanese publisher Kodansha aims to broaden the appeal of manga in the US, with a plan to give away aspecial English-language edition of its popular magazine for young adults. Young Magazine is a long-running weekly in Japan, known for popular works such as the Cyberpunk Akira series end Initial D on streetcar racers. Young Magazine USA will have about 1,000 pages featuring 20 titles on themes including sci-fi and cyberpunk. Kodasha says it is unusual for a manga magazine targeting readers other than teenagers to be published overseas. Other Japanese manga publishers are offering foreign language manga apps to try and build a global fan base. The editor-in-chief of Young Magazine USA says the stories target an older audience with themes of real-life struggles.

These magazines have inspiring themes.
I hope to leave behind masterpieces that will be read for 50 or 100 years.

Kodansha will hand out the special edition at an anime event in bookstores in the US in August. Readers can vote for the story they like most on the Kodansha website. The winner will be serialized in the company's manga app in Japan and the US. 

THE GROWING BUSINESS OF SEAWEED

An essential but often overlooked ingredient in Japanese cuisine is seaweed. Recently, it has been getting greater prominence in cooking, drinks and even bathing.

Shoppers at this department store in Tokyo are snapping up seaweed.
It smells delicious. It makes a good topping for rice and goes well with a bowl of noodles. This company specializing in seaweed has seen strong sales. It says increasingly health-conscious consumers are driving popularity.

Seaweed is low in calories and has health benefits. You don't have to feel guilty eating it.

The ingredient is finding growing use beyond traditional Japanese cuisine.

This seaweed seller worked with a chef to develop over 300 dishes ranging from pasta to ice cream. The firm says sales have been picking up.

You can enjoy it in a wide variety of meals, not just your typical Japanese fare. I'd like to keep exploring its possibilities and uncover itspotential. 

At the World Expo in Osaka. This young company shows off a beverage that's bringing the seaweed buzz overseas.

The start-up says its seaweed drink is being sold at about 700 retailers in the United States.

Seaweed is good for the environment and for the body. There's a growing market for it in the US, where there are all kinds of business opportunities.

It's even being tapped for tourism.

The northern Japanese city of Hakodate is a major kelp producer. The local government is working with businesses to use seaweed to snag tourists. It held a trial tour this year that lets visitors experience how it's harvested.

With a full course lunch featuring the local delicacy, they even get to try. Kelp therapy. Participants can have a soak in a seaweed bath.
The kelp has substances known for boosting moisture. It is followed by a spa session that uses seaweed oil.

The organizer aims to begin offering the tour this fiscal year.

We'd like to offer content that's both educational. And intriguing.

From cuisine and drinks to tours and relaxation, the business prospects for seaweed appear only set to grow. 

MARKETS

All right, let's have a look at the markets.
♪
And that's it for business news.

♪

WEATHER 

It's time for a check on the weather with our meteorologist Jonathan Oh. So Jonathan, while many areas of Japan are dealing with intense heat, stormy conditions are hitting parts of Okinawa. What's the latest?

Hello, While it looks like that the heat is going to be a big part of the story again for Tuesday for most of Japan, areas down to the South and West are dealing with a tropical system that's dumping a lot of rain in the area. Here's a look at some video that's coming out.
From the region, as tropical storm Komei has drenched the village of Minami Daito with record rainfall and more than half a meter of total rainfall, about four times the monthly average flooded streets and houses across the village, reportedly affecting daily commutes. The local airport was also flooded, forcing counter services to shut down and causing several flight cancellations, which affected more than 160 people. So it looks like that Komi will continue to be a part of the issue here as the storm slowly moves away toward the east and will see impacts not only in Okinawa, but also the eastern areas of China as we go through the day on Tuesday. High pressure sitting on top of Japan remaining quite hot. In fact, it's getting even hotter in places like Osaka, as we go toward the day on Tuesday, 37 for the high there, 37 in Fukuoka, 36 in Tokyo.
Overnight lows are going to be the mid to upper 20s, so we're not cooling off all that much. So let me emphasize to you that not only during the daytime, but nighttime. If you're not properly getting the ventilation and the hydration, this can also the heat can get to you. Make sure you take the proper precautions as we continue on with this heat pattern.
A separate note, we have a tropical system located way South and east of Japan that's going to slowly try to make switch to north and east. It doesn't look like it's going to be a huge factor when it comes to the forecast in Japan. 36 in Tokyo, 37 is over 29 in Shanghai, 31 in Taipei with some rain.
Meanwhile, we have a more serious severe weather type of a situation in the upper West with the low pressure moving through the Dakotas. Moderate risk of severe thunderstorms are going to be part of the story, so make sure you keep an eye out to the skies we go through Monday. 
Stay safe wherever you are.

♫～　3-DAY FORECAST　～♫

And that's NHK Newsline for this hour.
I'm Yamamoto Miki in Tokyo. Thank you for staying with us.

at 18:00 (JST), July 27

20250727180000_english_1.mp3

 Glad to have you with us on NHK Newsline. I'm Yuko Fukushima. 

TRUMP: THAILAND AND CAMBODIA AGREE TO CEASEFIRE TALKS

US President Donald Trump says Thailand and Cambodia will start ceasefire talks.
The two Southeast Asian countries have been engaged in military classes since last week in a disputed border region.
Trump said on social media on Saturday that he had spoken to Cambodia's Prime Minister and Thailand's acting Prime Minister. He says the leaders agreed to immediately meet and workout a ceasefire and ultimately peace. Trump says he's working on trade agreements with both countries, but will not make a deal with either if they continue fighting.
Thailand's acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai says he has agreed in principle to a ceasefire, but adds that Thailand hopes for a sincere response from Cambodia.
And Cambodian Prime Minister Hud Manneh says his country agreed to the proposal for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire between the two armed forces.
But border clashes have continued even after the two expressed their intentions to agree to the ceasefire. The clashes since Thursday have left 20 civilians dead and over 30 others injured in Thailand. Cambodia says 13 residents were killed and dozens others wounded. The number of people displaced on both sides have surpassed 110,000. Japan's Foreign Ministry has raised its travel advisory for the border regions to Level 3, the second highest alert level on a scale of one to four. It is calling on Japanese nationals to avoid all travels to the area. 

TAIWAN BID TO RECALL KMT LAWMAKERS FAILS

Voters in Taiwan have rejected a bid to remove 24 lawmakers from the Kuomintan, or KMT, the largest opposition party in a recall election. Taiwan's Central Election Commission said Saturday the number of votes against the recall surpassed those in favor in all the electoral districts the 24 KMT lawmakers represent.
The recall vote was held following calls by civic groups. They argue the KMT has been involved in Beijing's infiltration operation to expand its influence in Taiwan. The KMT currently holds 52 seats in the parliament, while the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, or DPP, of President Lai Tseng-te holds only 51. The KMT, together with another opposition party, has imposed budget cuts and include that include a reduction in defense spending. The minority DPP government is facing difficulty in implementing its agenda. The outcome of the election is seen as voters approval of the opposition majority in parliament and a major blow to President Lai.
Another seven KMT lawmakers are set to face recall votes on August 23. The DPP could gain a majority if enough KMT lawmakers are dismissed and if it wins at least six seats in by-elections to fill vacancies caused by the recall vote.

DANGEROUS HEAT CONTINUES ACROSS JAPAN ON SUNDAY

A heat wave continues to bake Japan on Sunday. The mercury is expected hit 39 degrees Celsius, reaching dangerous levels in the Kinki region. Authorities are urging people to take extra precautions against heat stroke. The Meteorological Agency says a high pressure system will cover areas near the country's main island of Honshu, bringing sunny and hot weather. Some places have already recorded 37 degrees Celsius or above. The projected daytime high for the city of Toyooka and Hyogo Prefecture is 39 degrees and three degrees in Kyoto. Many other cities could see the mercury top 35. Heat stroke alerts have been issued for 20 prefectures. The extended heat wave has seen more people taken to hospitals with symptoms of heat stroke. Some patients have died. Authorities are telling people to stay cool by using air conditioning, drinking water, taking salt and resting frequently during outdoor activities.

JAPAN TRADE ENVOY TO URGE TRUMP TO SIGN ORDERS TO CUT TARIFFS

Japan's top negotiator for trade talks with the US says the government intends to urge President Donald Trump to sign at an early date executive orders to cut tariffs on Japanese imports.
Economic Revitalization Minister Akazawa Ryosei made the remarks in an NHK news program on Saturday. He referred to the latest meeting in which Japan and the US reached an agreement on trade and tariffs.

President Trump is skilled at making deals with a style that presses for an answer. But if I fell silent, that would be the end of it. So I repeated dozens of times. Mr. President, may I ask one more? 

Akazawa stressed the significance of the agreement, saying Japan successfully cut tariffs by 10 percentage points from the rate that had been scheduled to kick in on August 1st. He said about 10 trillion yen, or about $68 billion in losses have been avoided. He also referred to a plan in which up to 550 billion dollars should be offered for bilateral cooperation in economic security through government-affiliated financial institutions. The funds will be included in the category of investment, loans and loan guarantees. Akazawa said the investment is expected to account for one or two percent of the total and that the Japanese government plans to accumulate the funds during Trump's term.

JAPANESE EX-ABDUCTEE COLLECTS SIGNATURES FOR THE RETURN OF OTHERS

A former Japanese abductee to North Korea has taken part in a petition drive. He's calling on Japan's government to take serious steps to free all abductees as soon as possible. Hasuike Kaoru was abducted on July 31, 1978 along the coast of Niigata Prefecture. He was repatriated in 2002 after a Japan-North Korea summit. On Saturday, just days before the 47th anniversary of his abduction, Hasuika took part in a signature collection campaign near where he was abducted. People responded to his petition dry, with some saying they support him. Hasuika said it is important to send a message to North Korea that the Japanese people have not forgotten the abduction issue.

I want the Japanese government to seriously consider how to make progress with this issue. And take action regardless of the political situation following the upper house election.

The Japanese government says at least 17 of its citizens were abducted by North Korea in the 1970s and 1980s. Five were returned home in 2002, but the other 12 remain unaccounted for. 
Abductee Arimoto Keiko's mother father, actually, Akihiro died at the age of 96 this past February. That leaves Sakiye Yokota, the 89-year-old mother of abductee Megumi Yokota, the only surviving parent of the recognized victims.

♪

JAPANESE DANCE SETS GUINNESS WORLD RECORD

People gathered Saturday at the 2025 World Expo in Osaka in an attempt to set a Guinness World Record.
Bon is a Japanese dance performed at summer festivals throughout the country.
Nearly 4,000 people from 62 countries wore summer kimono known as yukata and other traditional clothing as they dance to the expo's official theme song. The rule, set by Guinness, says that 90% of participants need to continue a choreographed dance for at least 5 minutes.
The event had over 1,000 more participants than the previous record for the largest bond dance set in 2017 in the city of Yao, Osaka prefecture.

I feel so happy that so many people came together. I was nearly moved to tears during performance. 

It was very iconic to participate with a lot of different countries from different worlds. I really enjoyed it so much.

All the participants surpassed the requirements by dancing for 10 minutes.

WEATHER 

And here's the three day weather forecast.

♫～　3-DAY FORECAST　～♫

And that's it for this hour on NHK Newsline. I'm Yuko Fukushima. Thanks for joining us.

at 18:00 (JST), July 26

20250726180000_english_1.mp3

 Welcome to NHK Newsline. I'm Ramin Malagard in Tokyo.

UN SECURITY COUNCIL MEETS OVER THAI-CAMBODIAN BORDER CLASHES

The United Nations Security Council has met behind closed doors amid border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia.
Military clashes erupted on Thursday in the disputed border region between the two countries. Thai authorities say at least 14 people are dead, while Cambodia's defense ministry says 13 people have died. The UN's emergency security meeting took place on Friday at Cambodia's request. Cambodia's ambassador to the UN spoke to reporters after the meeting. 

Cambodia asked for immediate sea fire, so the unconditional is and we also called for the peaceful solution of the disputes.

The ambassador also said members of the Security Council called on both parties to exercise maximum restraint and find a diplomatic solution. Thailand's permanent representative to the UN released a statement after the meeting. It says Thailand condemns in the strongest possible terms Cambodia's indiscriminate and inhumane attacks on civilian infrastructure. It also says that Thailand urges Cambodia to immediately cease all hostilities and acts of aggression and resume dialogue in good faith.

TOKYO GOVERNOR PROPOSES RELOCATING PARTS OF UN TO JAPAN'S CAPITAL

Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko has proposed relocating parts of the United Nations functions to the Japanese capital.
Koike made the proposal during a meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at the world body's headquarters in New York on Thursday. Koike said she stressed that Tokyo offers numerous advantages, including safety and the weak yen.

I told the Secretary General that we would like to support various UN activities in Tokyo.

The governor, said Guterres, responded that the UN has received similar cooperation offers from around the world.
In June, Koike proposed the relocation of functions of the UN Security Council, the WHO and the OECD at the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly. Under pressure from the administration of US President Donald Trump, the UN is aiming to significantly reduce costs. Personnel from the UN's Population Fund have begun moving to Kenya's capital, Nairobi, from New York, where prices and expenses are high.

POTSDAM MARKS 1945 ATOMIC BOMBINGS OF HIROSHIMA, NAGASAKI

The victims of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki have been remembered at a ceremony in the German city of Potsdam. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the attacks.
Then US President Harry Truman is said to have given the go-ahead for the bombings while attending the 1945 Potsdam Conference. On the post war treatment of Germany and conditions for Japan's surrender. The order to drop the bombs was issued by the military on July 25. The memorial ceremony took place on Friday. It was held at the Hiroshima Nagasaki Square, located in front of the building where Truman stayed while attending the conference. Participants laid flowers and origami cranes in front of a monument.
Made of a streetcar paving stone from Hiroshima and another stone from a shrine in Nagasaki. They then observed a moment of silence.

I came to remember that this should never happen again.

This is a monument to remind my son of what happened and that such things should never happen again.

I want people to know that this is a very important place in regard to the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

IRAN AND EUROPE HOLD NUCLEAR TALKS

Diplomats from Tehran and Europe have met in Turkey to discuss Iran's nuclear program. The talks have been stalled since Israel and the US attacked Iranian facilities last month.
The European delegation includes officials from Britain, France, and Germany. They met for about four hours.
Iranian leaders have been resolute in maintaining their nuclear enrichment program. The European powers have warned that if a deal isn't reached by the end of August, they will trigger what's known as a snapback. That's the mechanism which automatically reimposes UN Security Council sanctions that were lifted in 2015.
Reuters is reporting the Europeans urged Iran to avoid the situation that situation by committing to key issues. Those include full cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency and accounting for the whereabouts of highly enriched uranium.
An Iranian official with the foreign ministry said the talks were serious, frank, and detailed. He says his delegation explained what he called Tehran's principled positions, including those on the threat of UN sanctions. And he says they agreed to continue consultations.

TRUMP IN SCOTLAND FOR TALKS WITH UK, EU LEADERS

US President Donald Trump is in Scotland for a five-day visit. He's scheduled to meet with the British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. They're set to discuss the trade deal they reached earlier this year.
Trump is expected to remain in Scotland till Tuesday. US media have reported that he'll visit golf resorts owned by his family's business. The US and Britain were the first to announce what Trump called a breakthrough in tariff negotiations. The two leaders later signed the agreement. Trump says he's now turning his attention to Europe.

I'll be meeting with the EU on Sunday and we'll be working on a deal. We'll see if we make a deal. Ursula will be here, highly respected woman. So we look forward to that. That'll be good.

Trump will return to the UK in mid-september as a state guest. He'll be making the trip on an official invitation from King Charles.

JAPAN'S ONISHI PRAISES ISS ASTRONAUTS BEFORE RETURN TO EARTH

Japanese astronaut Onishi Takuya has praised his crew at the end of his stint as commander of the International Space Station. Onishi has been on the ISS for more than four months since arriving in March. It's his second long term stay in space and he's the third Japanese to serve as ISS commander. He is engaged in various scientific experiments during his mission. Onishi spoke to reporters from the ISS on Friday, Japan time.

It's been a great honor for me to be the commander of this excellent crew. I am so lucky to have such an excellent crew members.

Onishi also said he's looking forward to seeing a fellow Japanese astronaut Yui Kimiya. Yui will arrive at the ISS on a spacecraft scheduled to be launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida next Thursday.
Onishi is due to return to Earth. after a short handover period.

JAPAN PLANS TO RAISE CAP ON INTL. HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENTS

The Japanese government plans to boost the country's global competitiveness in higher education by allowing institutions to accept more international students.
Now, the changes could come into effect as early as the next academic year.
Enrollment limits, including overseas students for universities and colleges, are determined on factors such as their size. Institutions that exceed the upper limit are subject to penalties, such as a reduction in state subsidies.
The Education Ministry plans to raise the cap by five percentage points when certain conditions are met. These include their management of international students. Officials say they plan to start accepting applications from educational institutions as early as later this year. That would mean the upper limit for overseas students would be raised in the academic year starting next April. The officials say they hope the measure not only boosts the competitiveness of higher education institutions, but also Japanese students.

♪

And those are the top stories for this hour.

♫～　3-DAY FORECAST　～♫

And that is a wrap for this edition of NHK Newsline. I'm Ramin Mellegard. Thank you very much for joining us.

at 18:00 (JST), July 25

20250725180000_english_1.mp3

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

THAI-CAMBODIA BORDER CLASHES CONTINUE

Clashes continue between Thai and Cambodian forces along their disputed border. Thailand says at least 14 people on its side have been killed and dozens injured. More than 100,000 people have fled the violence. Fighting began on Thursday, quickly spreading to different parts along the border region. Thailand says buildings in its areas, including a hospital and a convenience store, came under shelling from Cambodia.
The Thai military said its fighter jets have carried out strikes on Cambodian forces. So far, Cambodia has not provided casualty figures. Thai residents living nearby have been sheltering in schools and other evacuation centers. Both sides have vowed to continue retaliating against further aggression.
Meanwhile, the UN Security Council is holding an emergency meeting Friday, chaired by Pakistan. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is urging both sides to exercise maximum restraint. His spokesperson says Guterres called on Thailand and Cambodia to find a lasting solution to the dispute through dialogue and in a spirit of good neighborliness.
Washington also says it's gravely concerned by reports of the escalating border conflict. 
A US State Department spokesperson urged both sides to cease attacks immediately and to protect civilians.

THAI-CAMBODIA CLASHES CONTINUE AS INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE MOUNTS

For more on this, earlier I spoke with two reporters, NHK World's Takaoka Chikashi in Bangkok, as well as our Hanoi bureau chief, Suzuki Kota, who is covering the story from Cambodia's neighbor, Vietnam.
First, let's go to NHK World's Takaoka Chikashi, who's in the Thai capital for us. Chikashi, what can you tell us? 

Well, people are concerned about this conflict escalating and we have reports of more clashes Friday morning. I'm in Bangkok about several hundred kilometers away. News of the civilians killed at the border has put residents here on edge. The Thai government says it's working to keep people safe, but it has also vowed to protect its sovereignty. It's calling on the Cambodian side to end its attacks to start the diplomatic process.
So far, we don't have a sense when that will happen. 

Chikashi, I'd like you to take us back and walk us through what sparked this violence on the border.

So Thailand and Cambodia have a history of these kinds of border disputes dating back a while. Earlier this year, in May, there was a shootout that left one Cambodian soldier dead. Then earlier this month, several Thai soldiers were reportedly injured by landmines.
Thailand accused Cambodia of planting the explosives recently, violating the Ottawa Convention. Both countries began taking actions against each other, including expelling diplomats, and now they are clashing. We should also mention that Thailand and Cambodia were already in a politically sensitive situation.
A phone call between now-suspending Thai Prime Minister Phet Thong Thang Sinawat and Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen leaked. Their conversation involved this disputed border issue. All of this comes after years of relative calm.
Thailand and Cambodia are important trading partners. This kind of fight could have a serious impact on the entire region, so ASEAN and China are watching closely. But this is a chaotic situation without an easy solution. 

All right. Thanks for that, Chikashi. NHK World's Takaoka Chikashi in Bangkok. Now let's turn to the Cambodian side. Covering that for us from neighboring Vietnam is NHK's Hanoi bureau chief, Suzuki Kota.
Kota, what's the latest on your end? 

So far, Cambodian government has not provided any casualty figures on its side, but it is stepping up criticism against Thailand, accusing Bangkok of conducting multiple airstrikes. Cambodia claims Thai forces have damaged Pura Bihir, a temple and UNESCO World Heritage Site located in disputed area.
Prime Minister Hu Mannet has been trying to get the international community involved. He's the one who asked for the emergency UN Security Council meeting to discuss de-escalation.
Cambodia does not appear to want classes to intensify. That's because its military is believed to lag behind Thailand, meaning a prolonged conflict could be diversity for the country.

Right. So is there any sense there could be a pathway to a diplomatic end between these two with outside help? 

Potentially. especially if regional power ramp up pressure. My local colleague Chikashi mentioned ASEAN, the block's 2025 chair. Malaysian President Anwar Ibrahim says he spoke with the leaders of Thailand and Cambodia Thursday evening. He appealed for an immediate ceasefire. Crushes appear to be continuing, but clearly ASEAN has a keen interest in getting both sides to talk things out. The problem, as Chikashi also mentioned, is that political turmoil in Thailand appears to be causing issues. One of my sources in Cambodia tells me that the country's government doesn't even know who in Thailand has the authority to oversee ceasefire talks. This kind of confusion could prolong the details. It's still hard to say how long this will drag on, but very few. especially ASEAN wanted to drag on for one.

Thank you, Kota. That was NHK World's Suzuki Kota reporting from our bureau in Vietnam.

ISHIBA PLEDGES IMPLEMENTATION OF US TRADE DEAL

Japan's prime minister has instructed his government to try to reduce any negative impacts stemming from the new trade deal with the US. The agreement would bring tariffs on Japanese products to a baseline of 15%, down from the 25 figure previously threatened. At a task force meeting on Friday, Ishiba Shigeru said it's important for the countries to work for tangible results that will benefit both sides.
He said the potential impact from the deal on domestic industries and jobs must be closely analyzed. And he proposed creating consultation centers nationwide to explain tariffs and offer financial advice as a way to reduce any negative impact.
Ishiba also met leaders of the ruling and opposition parties to explain how the deal was reached and ask for their cooperation.

Since I made a proposal to President Trump at our summit in February, the Japanese side consistently called strongly for the US side to prioritize investment over tariffs. As a result, we have reached a deal that meets the national interests of Japan and the United States, while protecting what needs to be protected.

But the head of the largest opposition party says worries remain about the agreement.

All parties were concerned the US may make further demands on Japan depending on how it interprets the agreement, since it has yet to be written in a document signed by both sides. The matter needs to be debated in detail in diet sessions. I had the impression that the trade deal could remain fragile unless the deal is signed into a document.

Ishiba says his government will handle the matter. He added he received valuable comments from the leaders and will take them into account. Following his meeting, a reporter asked if he had explained his reasons for staying in office. Ishiba said he had not, and that there had been no questions or comments on the issue. Ishiba has been facing pressure from within his own party to step down after his ruling coalition was battered in Sunday's upper house election. 

S.KOREAN MILITARY PLANE ENTERS JAPAN'S AIR DEFENSE ZONE.

Japan's top government spokesperson has revealed that a South Korean military transport plane entered Japan's Air Defense Identification Zone earlier this month.
The incursion prompted a scramble by Air Self-Defense Force fighter jets.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi Yoshimasa told reporters on Friday that the incident occurred on July 13.
The transport plane declared an emergency and landed at the US military's Kadena base. in the southwestern Japanese prefecture of Okinawa. The South Korean side explained its plane was low on fuel. 

It is regrettable the situation led to a scramble. Japan asked the South Korean government to take measures to prevent a recurrence. In any case, South Korea is an important partner of Japan, and we hope to continue our close bilateral cooperation.

South Korean Air Force officials said its plane was heading to Guam for drills, but ran low on fuel after avoiding a thunderstorm. The officials also said the country's defense ministry is investigating the plane's entry into Japan's air defense identification zone.
They said the Air Force will reconfirm compliance with proper procedures to prevent any recurrence.

MACRON: FRANCE TO RECOGNIZE STATE OF PALESTINE IN SEPTEMBER.

French President Emmanuel Macron has announced that his country will recognize Palestine as a state. The move would make France the first among the Group of Seven nations to do so. Macron announced his decision on social media on Thursday, saying the French people want peace in the Middle East.
He added that it is the responsibility of French citizens to prove that peace is possible. Macron said in a post on X that he will formalize the decision at a UN General Assembly in September. The move is seen as consistent with France's objective of promoting peace through a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine amid intense Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu strongly condemned Macron's decision on Thursday on social media. He said a Palestinian state would be a launchpad to annihilate Israel, not to live in peace beside it.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also posted a strong rejection of Macron's plan. He described it as a reckless decision that only serves to set back peace. Meanwhile, Israel says it has decided to recall its negotiating team from indirect talks with the Islamic group Hamas that have been taking place in Qatar. This came after Hamas announced on Thursday that they had asked for an amendment to the US proposal for a 60-day ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. 

EU SAYS RELATIONS WITH CHINA AT 'INFLECTION POINT'

A top European official says the region's relationship with China is at an inflection point. Beijing held a one-day summit with the European Union Thursday amid ongoing tariff disputes with Washington.
Chinese President Xi Jinping met with European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula van der Leyen in Beijing.
Xi expressed his desire to strengthen relations with the EU. But van der Leyen pushed back, pointing at Europe's huge trade deficit with China.

The more complex and challenging the international situation becomes, the more China and Europe need to strengthen communication, enhance mutual trust, and deepen cooperation so as to contribute greater stability and certainty to the world through a steady and healthy China-Europe relationship.

As our cooperation has deepened, so have we imbalances. We have reached an inflection point. Rebalancing our bilateral relation is essential, because to be sustainable, relations need to be mutually beneficial. And to achieve this, it is vital for China and Europe to acknowledge our respective concerns and come forward to real solutions. 

The European leaders asked Xi to lift export controls on rare earths. They also asked China to not support Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Von der Leyen told reporters she hopes Beijing will urge Moscow to accept a ceasefire. She said how China interacts with the war will be a determining factor in their relationship.
These talks come as Chinathe continues tariff negotiations with the US. The meeting was an attempt to develop its relations with Europe, but highlighted their stark differences.

ZELENSKYY MOVES TO RESTORE INDEPENDENCE OF ANTI-CORRUPTION AGENCIES

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has submitted a new bill to reinstate the independence of two anti-corruption agencies. This comes just days after the largest anti-government protests in Ukraine since the beginning of Russia's invasion over three years ago erupted nationwide.
The demonstration started after Zelenskyy enacted a law that grants oversight of two key anti-corruption agencies to the prosecutor general, who was appointed by the president. Critics say, under the law, independence from the government could be lost. 

I like how he represented our country during the war, but now this decision we cannot support.

Some European countries had voiced concerns over the legislation.
Zelenskyy submitted the new bill to Parliament on Thursday. It is designed to guarantee the independence of two agencies, including the National Anti-Corruption Bureau, that cracks down on corruption by government officials. The new bill limits the power of the Prosecutor General. The two agencies welcomed the new bill, saying that it restores all their procedural powers and guarantees their independence.

N. KOREA ARMY DRILLS POSSIBLY LINKED TO RUSSIA EXPERIENCE

North Korean state media say the army has held artillery drills observed by the country's leader Kim Jong-un. Korean Central Television says the drills simulated conditions including nighttime and summer with targets on the ocean.
Kim Jong-un said artillery tactics need to constantly evolve in response to the harsh, quickly changing environment of modern warfare. NHK got insight on the drills from a South Korean government affiliated think tank, the Korea Institute for National Unification. A researcher there said the goal may have been to enable troops to learn from the experience of those sent to Russia.

BUSINESS 
Now let's see what's happening in the world of business with Ramin Mellegard.

Thank you very much indeed. 

LOWER US TARIFF SEEN REDUCING HIT ON AUTOMAKERS BY $10 BIL

Now, the recent trade deal between Japan and the United States is projected to reduce the tariff impact on Japanese automakers by about 1.6 trillion yen or $10 billion. And that's according to the investment house Goldman Sachs. The agreement drastically cut the tariff on Japanese cars from 27.5% to 15%. Goldman Sachs estimates the gross impact on the operating profits of seven major car makers. In the current fiscal year will now be $13 billion, down from $24 billion. Under the new levy, Toyota Motors operating profit is projected to drop by about $6 billion. That's far less than the $11 billion expected if the higher tariff had remained. For Honda Motor, the loss is now projected at around $2 billion, down from $3.8 billion. But people in the industry say the tariff is still high and difficult to bear. An official at Mitsubishi Motors says the impact is considerable and it is hard to be optimistic even if the tariff is lowered further. Mitsubishi reported an operating profit of about $38 million for the April to June quarter, down 84% in yen terms from a year earlier. It says profit fell by about $98 million due to the tariff impact.

JETRO: READY TO HELP JAPAN FIRMS NAVIGATE US TARIFF DEAL

And as the tariffs take a bite out of earnings at automakers, the Japan External Trade Organization, or JETRO, says it will help companies navigate and find opportunities in the new trade deal with the US.

We believe it is possible to ease the effect of the tariffs through various creative measures, Japan's industry, agriculture, forestry and fisheries. and food businesses should take this opportunity to further increase their competitiveness.

Ishiguro said the fact a deal was reached before the August 1st deadline is a welcome development. He says JETRO offices nationwide will offer consulting services to companies to explain the details of the tariffs on specific products exported to the US. Ishiguro adds that Japanese firms will also need to examine their supply chains as US tariff rates differ by country. 

DINOSAUR, ADVENTURE THEME PARK OPENS ON OKINAWA ISLAND

A jungle-themed adventure park opened on Japan's main Okinawa island on Friday. It includes a dinosaur chase and hot air balloon rides over subtropical forest.
Junglia Okinawa was created on a former golf course in the north of the island at a cost of 70 billion yen, or about $476 million. It has 22 attractions and 15 dining spots spread over 60 hectares of land. The Dinosaur Safari features an off-road vehicle ride to escape from a Tyrannosaurus Rex. Visitors can also enjoy island and jungle views from a hot air balloon.

Dinosaurs. Dinosaurs. Dinosaurs.

There's a lot of people, but it was really fun. The dinosaurs is really like the real dinosaurs. Very cool. Yeah. It's a very realistic experience.

The park also features zip line rides and a spa with infinity pools offering views over tropical forests. The park uses a two-tiered pricing system for residents and overseas visitors. A one-day ticket for adults living in Japan is 6,930 yen, or $47. The same ticket for non-residents is 8,800 yen, or $60. Local officials hope the park will create jobs, stimulate the economy, and boost tourism in the northern region of Okinawa.

BIZPICKS
Next, NHK World's John Ladue is here with Bizpicks, a look at upcoming business and economic stories.

FED, BOJ STRUGGLE UNDER UNCERTAINTY

Let's look at the topics we'll be tracking. On Wednesday, the US Federal Reserve will set its latest monetary policy, and the next day, the Bank of Japan does the same. Today's feature looks into what policies are likely to come out of these two central banks. The Fed's previous meeting in June was the 4th in a row that ended with interest rates kept the same. The benchmark rate is locked between four and a quarter to four and a half percent.
Fed Chair Jerome Powell says before cutting rates, there should be confidence that inflation is coming down. He stressed the need to assess the effect of President Donald Trump's tariffs. An expert predicts that the Fed will once again keep rates unchanged in order to further scrutinize prices and other data.

Recent economic indicators show the economy is steady, with employment remaining strong and personal consumption in not very bad shape. On the other hand, prices for some goods are showing signs of rising. I think before the Fed decides to cut rates, it will need to look at two more rounds of data to determine if inflation will accelerate or not.

But President Trump has been calling for rate cuts and criticizing Powell for moving slowly. Iwashita says despite the pressure, the Fed makes decisions based solely on data. She predicts that the US economy will gradually slow down, prompting the Fed to lower rates, most likely in winter.

Given the solid economy, the Fed will probably start cutting rates at the end of the year, when the jobless rate approaches 4.5%, and will lower rates consecutively in December, January and March. There will be preemptive cuts to prevent the economy from deteriorating quickly.

Looking to Japan, the consumer price index, excluding fresh food, has climbed 3% or more for seven months in a row, and the US will impose tariffs on Japanese imports of 15% on August 1. Under these circumstances, Iwashita expects the BOJ won't hike rates from around 0.5%.

The BOJ is likely to keep rates on hold, citing a high degree of uncertainty on the influences of Trump's tariffs.
Iwashita says Japan's auto industry and related sectors have been hit by the higher US tariffs, but the service industry is posting steady growth, buoyed by brisk inbound tourism. Iwashita says the Japanese economy is basically not in bad shape. She predicts that the next rate hike will come in January next year.

By January, we will know how spring wage negotiations are likely to go and the influence of US tariffs. We will know the worst-case scenario for the economy, and that will at least ease some uncertainty. But if political instability in Japan causes the yen to be sold off, or the dollar rises as expectations fade for US rate cuts, there's a slight chance that the BOJ will raise rates a bit earlier.

Prolonged uncertainty is creating a tough situation for the central banks in both the US and Japan. I'm John Ladue, and that wraps up this edition of BizPicks. 

OK, let's get a check on the markets.

♪

And that is it for business news.

WEATHER
Let's check, check in with our meteorologist Setsi Monari for an update on world weather.

Hi there. We start immediately by looking at the temperatures across Japan. It's been quite a hot week and it looks like it's not even going to be stopping there. Some of these temperatures have tied to their all time records. You can see up north in Hokkaido, a place that is usually. Much cooler for this time of day and here in Tokyo, again exceeding 35 degrees Celsius. 
Let us take a look at this following video. Lots and lots of people are just trying their best to deal with the heat as the temperatures in Tokyo have been above average for 9 consecutive days. Many people were seen using parasols or drinking cold beverages to cool down from the heat. According to the Tokyo Fire Department, the number of people taken to hospital with heat stroke has exceeded 3,600 so far, more than at the same time last year. So yeah, that is basically what we are dealing with. Temperatures are not going to be cooling down much, except maybe if you're in Sapporo. Only for Saturday though, 28 just below 30 degrees, that's basically all I can give you for now. And then we've seen those mid 30s from Osaka, Tokyo, including Fukuoka down in Kyushu. 
And on top of all of that, if you move further down, this is Japan as you can see up north there. She moved further down, got a couple of tropical storms active in various places leading to rough seas and also heavy rainfall bringing. Some flooding in certain places. If you're out on holiday in the Philippines, for example, please make sure you stay safe at all time. 
And the rest of Asia will be seeing a sharp rise in temperature as well. Seoul 38 and it's going to be quite dry. Manila 29, a lot better there, but rainy weather is going to be something that you need to be extra cautious of. 
Finally, across Europe, dry weather can be seen across the Iberian Peninsula going all the way into the Balkans because of that high pressure system. Other than that, Temperatures into the upper 20s, Paris, Vienna, including Berlin, and then Istanbul jumps up to 34 degrees. 

That's all for the weather. Bye for now.

♫～　3-DAY FORECAST　～♫

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