at 18:00 (JST), July 07

20250707180000_english_1.mp3

Welcome back to NHK Newsline. Here's the latest we have for you at this hour.

TYPHOON DANAS LEAVES 2 DEAD IN TAIWAN

Fire services and other sources say a 69-year-old man died in the southern city of Tainan when his vehicle was hit by a fallen tree. A 60-year-old patient recuperating at home in the city died because his ventilator stopped in a power outage. Authorities say 502 people were injured over a wide area, mostly in southern Taiwan.
Taiwanese TV station TVBS reported that intense winds and rain caused branches of trees to sway and some buildings to partially collapse.
Transportation has also been affected. A total of 138 flights, or about half of the daily total within Taiwan, were canceled on Monday. Some flights between Taiwan and other destinations, including China, have also been canceled.
Taiwanese weather authorities say strong winds and rain are expected to continue until Monday night.
Typhoon Danas ripped across Taiwan's main island, leaving two dead and more than 500 injured. Danas has become a tropical storm. Local officials said that by about 6:00 AM Monday, it had moved north to the East China Sea.

JAPAN MONITORS INDONESIA ERUPTION, NO TSUNAMI REPORTED

Japanese officials are monitoring the effects of a massive volcanic eruption in Indonesia. The blast could potentially generate powerful ocean waves, though no tsunami have yet been reported.
Indonesia's Volcano Monitoring Agency says Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki erupted around 11 a.m. local time Monday.
The volcano ejected an ash cloud towering 18 kilometers over its summit.
Intense atmospheric pressure could trigger tsunami. The Japan Meteorological Agency estimates such waves would likely have hit the southwestern prefecture of Okinawa by around 3:30 p.m. Japan time at the earliest. As of 4:00 PM, none had been spotted by ocean monitors. Mount Lewotobi has been very active this past year. An eruption last November led to multiple deaths, followed by more eruptions, including one last month.

AT LEAST 80 DEAD IN TEXAS FLOODING

Devastating flooding in the US state of Texas has reportedly left more than 80 people dead. Authorities are still searching for others who have been reported missing. The downpours hit in the early hours of Friday, inundating an area along the Guadalupe River. Officials in Kerr County say at least 68 people there were confirmed dead, including 28 children. They say about 10 people, mostly children, are missing. More deaths have been reported in other counties. Authorities say the rain came so quickly overnight that many people likely had no chance to reach safety.
US President Donald Trump posted a message on social media Sunday saying he'd signed a major disaster declaration for Kerr County. He pledged to work closely with local leaders to ensure they get the resources they need.

EMPEROR BEGINS STATE VISIT AT MONGOLIA MUSEUM

Japan's emperor visited a national museum in Mongolia as part of an official state visit. Emperor Naruhito arrived at the museum in the capital, Ulaanbaatar, Monday morning.
Ancient military uniforms made of sheepskin and a model of the summer palace of the nomadic tribes that ruled the Mongolian highland were among the items the emperor saw. He also looked at displays related to the Mongolian Empire, which was founded in the 13th century on territory stretching east to west across Eurasia. At the museum, the emperor asked how water was secured as the country moved and expanded its territory.
The Emperor and Empress are officially visiting Mongolia to attend a welcome ceremony as state guests on Tuesday. They will meet with Mongolian President Uh Na Hur Suk and his wife before a banquet. The imperial couple will pay their respects at a monument for Japanese nationals who died from hard labor and other causes. They had been detained by the former Soviet Union and sent to Mongolia shortly after the end of World War II. Toward the end of their visit, the Emperor and Empress are expected to attend the opening ceremony of the Naadam Sports Festival. They're set to watch an archery competition and horse racing.

FALSE DISASTER RUMOR PROMPTS HONG KONGERS TO AVOID JAPAN

A rumor originating from a manga story predicted a natural disaster would hit Japan on July 5. Well, despite that being false, it's had a major impact on the country's tourism sector, especially with travelers from Hong Kong.
That's because the prediction was given a boost when Feng Shui masters in Hong Kong advised people not to travel to Japan. For May, flights from Hong Kong to Japan were canceled or reduced, and the number of visitors from Hong Kong that month fell by about 10 percent from the same period last year. 

For me, the most important thing about traveling is safety. After hearing this prediction, I will try to avoid going to Japan during July and August. If possible, I might delay my trip until after September.

On Saturday, stories about the rumor made the front pages of Hong Kong newspapers saying the truth of the prophecy is now revealed. People expressed relief on social media that nothing had happened. A Hong Kong travel agency has launched a sales campaign declaring the end of the rumor. It posted videos of people leading normal lives across Japan. Last year, Japan saw 2.68 million arrivals from Hong Kong, a record high. The country is the most popular travel destination for Hong Kongers.
So, no massive disaster, but concern, at least among some people.
Earlier, I spoke with NHK World's Okatani Hiroki. He's been looking into the online chatter.

ANALYSIS: BASELESS RUMOR FUELS JAPAN QUAKE CONCERN

Hiroki, this rumor is baseless, but it has certainly made headlines across the world. Now, why did it spread so far? 

Well, we are in the internet age, so rightly or wrongly, anything can catch many eyeballs at any time. But a couple of factors gave this rumor some extra traction. First, this is Japan. Earthquakes are nothing new.
Shown quakes have hit in the Tokara Island chain in recent weeks. Many people still have the one that hit the Noto Peninsula fresh in mind. The Meteorological Agency says it was one of the 30 earthquakes with a magnitude of six or higher that hit the country last year alone. And of course, we will never forget 2011's great East Japan earthquake.
Those were devastating disasters, and word of anything similar triggers concern. People in Japan, Hong Kong and beyond have been a little more on edge since March. That's when a Japanese government panel revised its damage estimate for an anticipated mega-quake. Scientists say there's a high chance that it will happen in the Nankai trough of Japan's coast within the next 30 years. The panel's update and just the reality of Japan being prone to disasters helped boost the chatter on TikTok and other platforms, especially YouTube. Many videos about the rumor have been posted there, including one from the user with more than 2 million subscribers. 

Now, it's also worth pointing out that popular but baseless rumors of disasters are not a new concept. 

Yes, definitely not. I mean, it's an age-old thing.
Many in Japan are familiar with Nostradamus and his prediction that mankind would collapse at the end of the 20th century. You probably remember people saying the end of the the Mayan calendar meant the world would end in 2012. And then just last summer, False Information claiming a massive earthquake would hit Japan that season. The post on X got more than 35 million views. 

Right. So from stone tablets to computer tablets, this issue doesn't appear to be going away. People will continue to come across these rumors. So what should we keep in mind in regards to the latest one?

Well, I want to emphasize that currently there is no scientific way to predict an earthquake, at least not with a specific date, scale and location.
Yes, earthquakes have been happening one after another in Kagoshima Prefecture, but experts say, they have nothing to do with rumors. And this may sound obvious, but they also say we should not spread false information. 
Some people take rumors as a truth. This causes unnecessary panic and stress.
Though one thing many agree we should be spreading is the need to prepare for the for the worst at any time in Japan and across the world.
Earthquakes and other disasters do not have social media accounts, right? And don't wait to see a post. Think about safety ahead of time and trust the science.

the world of business

Now let's see what's happening in the world of business. Here's Ramin Mellegard from The Biz Desk. 

Thank you very much indeed. 

US BUILDS PRESSURE FOR TRADE DEALS AS TARIFF PAUSE SET TO END

Now, with a pause on imposing US tariffs due to expire on Wednesday, President Donald Trump says the 1st letters notifying countries of the rates they face are set to be sent. 

It could be maybe as many as 15 or so, and they'll be going out on Monday and some will go out on Tuesday and Wednesday. 

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNN on Sunday that the administration is close to securing several deals, but he said there had been a lot of what he called foot dragging by countries in finalizing agreements.
Bessent warned that without sufficient progress, tariffs will boomerang back to their April 2 levels starting on August 1. The Treasury Secretary said the administration is sending letters to around 100 countries that the US doesn't have much trade with, but he said the focus is on the 18 partners he says account for 95% of the US trade deficit. Meanwhile, White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett told CBS television that negotiations could continue beyond Wednesday. He said there are some deals that are close, but ultimately the president will decide whether to carry on past the deadline.

BRICS SUMMIT WARNS OF DANGERS FROM TRUMP TARIFFS

Leaders of the BRICS emerging economies have expressed concern about the tariff policies of US President Donald Trump, calling them a threat to global trade.

With multilateralism under attack, our economy is once again at stake.
Hard-won achievements, such as climate and trade regimes, are under threat.

The 11 member bloc began a two day summit in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday. Members include China, Russia and India. The Brazilian government released a declaration following some discussions.
It says the proliferation of trade restrictive actions threatens to further reduce global trade. Now, the statement does not mention the US or its president by name, but it clearly directed, it's clearly directed at the Trump administration. Trump shot back at the block on Sunday on social media. He stated any country aligning themselves with the anti-American policies of BRICS will be charged an additional 10 percent tariff. He added there would be no exceptions.

JAPAN'S REAL WAGES FELL MOST IN NEARLY 2 YEARS IN MAY

Japan's inflation-adjusted wages posted their largest drop in nearly two years in May, surging prices continued to outpace salary increases.
The labor ministry's preliminary data showed that real pay fell 2.9% from the same month last year. That's the sharpest fall since September 2023 and marks the fifth straight month of decline. The ministry surveyed about 30,000 businesses nationwide with at least five employees, Workers took home a little over 300,000 yen or about $2,000 on average. That includes base pay and overtime. The figure is up 1% year on year and has risen for 41 consecutive months. Base pay stood at just over 268,000 yen or about $1,850.
That's up 2.1% and marks the 43rd straight month of gains.
Japan's inflation rate remained above 3% for a sixth month in a row in May.

NISSAN THINKING OF LETTING TAIWAN'S HON HAI USE ITS OPPAMA PLANT

As sources say, Nissan Motors thinking about allowing Honhai Precision Industry to use one of its underutilized factories. They say the Taiwanese company, also known as Foxconn, would occupy part of Nissan's Opama plant to produce electric vehicles. Nissan would continue assembling its cars at the facility. The factory is in Yokosuka, near Tokyo. It suffers from low capacity utilization due to sluggish sales of Nissan vehicles. It's rumored the struggling Japanese automaker had put the factory on its restructuring agenda.
The plan also targets job cuts and reductions in the number of overseas plants. Honhai is one of the world's largest contract manufacturers of smartphones and other electronics.
It launched its EV business five years ago and is aiming to expand its presence in the field. Nissan posted a massive net loss of more than 670 billion yen, or about $4.6 billion in the fiscal year that ended in March.
The sources say Nissan officials are studying whether the plant's joint use could boost its financial fortunes.

ADULT DIAPERS TAKE CENTER STAGE AT FASHION SHOW

Japan's adult diaper market is growing as the population ages. A survey says that shipments of adult diapers surpass those for infants in 2024.
A fashion show featuring adult diapers was held at the World Expo in Osaka.
7 diaper manufacturers and an underwear company came together to unveil about 30 cool designs.
But in reality, Nurse Urata Katsumi holds workshops for elderly people and how to choose and wear products. She started these workshops because many people complain about wearing diapers or about discomfort, when in fact they do not understand the functions or use them incorrectly.

I didn't want to wear them if at all possible. It was a question of pride.

Diapers can come as a big change for a person, but they also support that person. I hope more people see them as something that supports their lives.

Hirabayashi Kei wanted to overcome that resistance and came up with the idea of the fashion show. 

Changing the design won't eliminate resistance and solve everything, but increasing attractive options is extremely important in enriching people's lives.

One of the companies that participated in the fashion show worked with Hirabayashi on developing prototypes.
Their concept is cool diapers to show off. They opted for blue rather than the standard white and added stitching to resemble garments. They replaced the bulky design with a slim one and added side strings to adjust the size.

We usually focus on performance and leakage prevention, but this time we thought that the fit and size adjustment via the strings could be useful for future products.

The fashion show featured models of various ages and ethnicities, including some with disabilities. These are only concept pieces, but they may lead to actual products in thefuture.

The models were so confident. If there are cute or stylish designs, I think the resistance would disappear.

Going forward, it depends on whether manufacturers will see the needs of society and decide to start this as a business. I've thrown the ball, so I'm curious to see if manufacturers and society take it.

Completely redesigning a daily necessity can make the lives of users happier and more active.

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

♪

And that is it for Business News. I'm going to hand it back to you. 

Thanks, Ramin. 

WAR IN UKRAINE
KYIV STRIKING MORE TARGETS DEEP INSIDE RUSSIA

Ukraine appears to be stepping up attacks on Russia. Kiev says it has struck more targets inside the country, including strikes far from the front lines. The Ukrainian military says it hit a military industrial complex in central Russia on Saturday night. It says facilities there produce antennae used in suicide drones and missiles. The attacks come after Kiev's spider web drone assaults on military airfields last month. A US think tank, the Institute for the Study of War, said on Saturday that Ukraine continues to show it can conduct long range strikes on Russia's defense industrial base. Meanwhile, Russia is stepping up attacks in eastern Ukraine. The institute says Moscow is trying to envelop the transport hub of Pokrovsk in the coming months. The attacks come as the United States has suspended some weapons shipments to Ukraine, but Germany has indicated it intends to help bolster Ukrainian air defenses. A German government spokesperson on Friday said the country is considering procuring Patriot defense systems from the US to offer to Ukraine. 

ISRAEL-HAMAS CONFLICT
SOURCES: LATEST ROUND OF INDIRECT CEASEFIRE TALKS ENDS

The latest round of indirect ceasefire talks between Israel and the Islamic group Hamas have reportedly ended without a breakthrough.
According to Reuters, the talks in Qatar ended inconclusively. Middle Eastern media outlets say Hamas has demanded multiple amendments to a US-proposed 60-day truce between the group and Israel. They say those include the UN and the Red Crescent, again leading aid distribution in the Gaza Strip, as well as the withdrawal of Israeli troops to the position they held when a temporary ceasefire took place in January. Israel has refused to accept those demands. Despite stark differences, Israel has expressed its intention to continue talks for the release of its hostages. Israeli media outlet Haaretz quoted government sources on Sunday as saying it will take time for an agreement as there are many disputed details. The country's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, left for Washington to hold a summit meeting with US President Donald Trump on Monday. Meanwhile, Israel continued intense attacks in Gaza. Local health authorities said on Sunday 80 people had died in the past 24 hours, bringing the death toll to over 57,400 since the conflict began in October 2023.

TRUMP CALLS MUSK'S NEW PARTY IDEA 'RIDICULOUS'

US tech billionaire Elon Musk's new proposed political party already has some detractors. President Trump slammed the idea as ridiculous. 

I think starting a third party just adds to confusion. It really seems to have been developed for two parties. Third parties have never worked. So he can have fun with it, but I think it's ridiculous.

Trump spoke Sunday, the day after Musk announced his intention to form a new party. Musk said it will be known as the America Party, but didn't offer any specifics. Musk first floated the idea of a third party after Trump signed a recent bill, which included tax cuts into law. Musk has consistently opposed the legislation, saying it would add to the fiscal deficit. The billionaire had, until recently, headed the Department of Government Efficiency for Trump, but the two have been at odds since a major falling out last month.

the world weather

And it is time for us to check the world weather with our meteorologist, Jonathan Oh. So Jonathan, we mentioned Danas earlier in the broadcast. What is the latest for those impacted by the system? 

Hello, it looks like that we're going to still be talking about Danas as we go throughout the next few days as the storm is going to be moving to the north and then back toward the West impacting places like Shanghai and areas along the Yangtze River basin. The storm has brought plenty of wet weather with it along with some of those stronger winds and it looks like that's going to continue to be the story. And so be on the lookout as the storm we'll be packing that heavy rain potential as it moves toward the north and then back toward the West. 

Meanwhile, toward other areas of Northeast Asia along the Korean Peninsula, we're talking about temperatures in the mid thirties and in Japan, high pressure is moving in, but we still have the instability where we have some colder air loft higher up in the atmosphere, encountering some of the warmer air from the ground. And so we'll see the clouds at times bubbling up, might see a stray shower from time to time. That's just a typical summertime Pattern that we lookout for, especially with a little tropical system also back toward the east of Japan. That's also helping to feed in some of that moisture as well. But in general, Tokyo looking at partly cloudy skies, 34 for the high on Tuesday, 36 in Seoul, thunderstorms into Beijing at 31, Shanghai also looking at some rain picking up and we have some additional moisture now impacting as we had that monsoonal pattern across the Philippines. Thunderstorms in Manila with high of 28. 
Meanwhile, we continue to monitor the situation in Texas in the aftermath of those horrible rain storms that led to that flash flood emergency in Central Texas. And The thing is, the instability still remains in place, and so the chances of rain will still be a part of the story in the region. Stronger thunderstorms are more likely toward the north into the upper plains. The low pressure system moves on through and so be on the lookout for possible strong thunderstorms as you go throughout the day on Monday. Thunderstorms in Denver, Oklahoma City also to Houston, Atlanta, you're going to be quite hot on Monday. Highs topping off at 36 degrees as we go through the day.
Hope you have a good day wherever you are.

VISITORS GET RARE INSIDE LOOK AT 'GEIGI' TRAINING

One last story before we go. The world of geisha has long been shrouded in mystery.
Well, this summer, one Japanese city is giving people a rare glimpse of how they're trained.

In Kanazawa, geisha are known as geigi. They're taught traditional forms of dancing, music, and games to entertain guests at banquets. The city's three teahouse districts are home to about 40 geigi who carry on the art.
Visitors and locals alike had the chance to visit the Higashi Teahouse District's training site Saturday. Twelve geigi donned summer kimonos for a stage performance. They took turns dancing, accompanied by traditional songs played on the shamisen-stringed instrument. Visitors could also try beating the drum, which is also a banquet game.

You really felt it was a live performance. It was very nice.

It's refreshing to get a glimpse of this tradition, which I've never had the chance to see before. If my family and friends back in Germany come to visit, I want them to see it. 

Those interested in this experience need to apply in advance. The visits are expected to continue through the summer.
Might be good for you too, if you're coming. That wraps up this edition of NHK Newsline. We'll have more for you soon. Thanks for watching.