TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS HITTING CENTRAL, EASTERN JAPAN
Torrential downpours are hitting parts of central Japan and the region around Tokyo, and weather officials warn there's heightened risk of rain-triggered disasters.Officials say warm, damp air has been flowing in from the edge of low- and high-pressure systems around Japan.
Atmospheric conditions are expected to remain extremely unstable, and officials say they may bring localized torrential rainfall and lightning to some areas in eastern Japan. Heavy rains could continue through Thursday in areas along the Pacific coast of eastern and western Japan. In the 24 hours through Wednesday noon, the Kanto-Koshin region, which includes Tokyo, could receive as much as 150 millimeters of rain, and the Tokai region 100 millimeters.
Weather officials are urging people to watch for mudslides, flooding in low-lying areas and swollen rivers. They also say there's a risk of lightning strikes, hail, gusty winds, as well as possible tornadoes.
JAPAN DEFENSE PAPER SHOWS CONCERN OVER CHINA'S MILITARY
Japan's Defense White Paper for 2025 has expressed strong concern over Chinese military activities that it says could have a serious impact on the country's security.The annual report was presented to a cabinet meeting on Tuesday. It describes China's increased military activities, such as the first-ever intrusion of Japan's airspace by a Chinese military plane in August last year. It also says a Chinese aircraft carrier entered Japan's contiguous zone just outside its territorial waters in September of that year. On North Korea, the white paper notes that Pyongyang is stepping up military cooperation with Moscow. It says the North is providing ballistic missiles and other weapons to Russia, and that the dispatch of North Korean troops to join Russia in the fighting could further exacerbate the situation in Ukraine.
The white paper stresses the need to drastically boost Japan's defense capabilities amid the circumstances.
It says that this fiscal year, the defense ministry will start deploying stand-off missiles that can hit targets from outside enemy range. It adds they will be part of Japan's counter-strike capabilities. The ministry also plans to develop a constellation of satellites to collect target data. In March, the Ministry launched the Joint Operations Command to unify the leadership of the Ground, Maritime and Air Self-Defense Forces. The report says the Joint Operations Command will enable the SDF to make quick decisions and responses.
BUSINESS
Now to tell us what else is happening in the world of business, here's Gene Otani from the BizDesk.CHINA'S GDP GROWTH SLOWS IN APR.-JUN. AMID TARIFF UNCERTAINTY
The National Bureau of Statistics says gross domestic product grew 5.2 percent in real terms compared to the same quarter last year. That was above the government's target of around 5%, but it was down from the 5.4% logged from January to March.
Domestic demand remained stagnant as the property market continued to struggle.
Also, tariffs announced by US President Donald Trump discouraged businesses from investing in new equipment. Beijing and Washington are continuing trade talks after agreeing to drastically slash their additional tit-for-tat tariffs. But concerns are spreading that a trade war between the world's two largest economies could flare up again. China's central bank cut interest rates in May to help boost domestic demand.
"TARIFF WHIPSAW EFFECT" RESULTS IN IMPORT BOUNCE AT LA PORT
The LA port is a key gateway to Asia for the US. The agreement made with China in mid-May apparently led to a surge in shipments from the country. The port's executive director called the record-setting volume welcome news, but added the rebound is an example of what he called tariff whipsaw effect. He also predicted this will continue until the US's new tariff deadline.
We're only as good as the information we have at this time. With pushing back the trade tariffs with nations around the world to August 1, we're going to probably get one last push on imports coming to the United States.
He called the trend a peak season push ahead of potentially higher tariffs later this summer.
SUPERMARKET RICE PRICES IN JAPAN DROP FOR 7TH WEEK
The Agriculture Ministry on Monday released its weekly survey on about 1,000 supermarkets nationwide for the period through July 6. The average price of a five-kilogram bag declined 1.9 percent from the previous week to about 3,600 yen, or roughly $24. But that's still nearly 55 percent higher than a year earlier, when shortages and other factors pushed prices considerably higher. The latest survey notes another trend. The gap between the price of single brand varieties and that of blended rice and other types has been widening. That is because a portion of the blended packages is stockpiled grains.
JAPAN CONSUMERS EXPECT BIGGEST PRICE JUMP EVER
A central bank survey found that Japanese consumers expect prices to rise by a record amount in a year's time. The average increase anticipated by people questioned in the poll was a jump of over 12 percent.The Bank of Japan conducted the quarterly survey from May to June. About 2,000 people from across the country aged 20 or older were polled. Around 85 percent of respondents said they see prices going up one year from now, down slightly from the previous survey conducted from February to March. They were also asked how much they expect prices to rise. The average response was 12.8 percent in one year and 9.9 percent in five years. Both figures were the highest since comparable data became available in September 2006. 3.8% said they are better off when they were asked about their present household circumstances compared to a year ago.
That was a small decline from the previous survey. 61% said they are worse off, up about five percentage points. Most of them cited inflation as the reason.
PANASONIC STARTS MASS OUTPUT AT EV BATTERY PLANT IN US
A subsidiary of Japanese electronics giant Panasonic Holdings has started Mass producing EV batteries at a factory in the US state of Kansas.Panasonic Energy held a ceremony on Monday. The company has invested $4 billion to build the plant. It's the company's second factory in the United States. The facility's annual output capacity is expected to be enough to power 450,000 electric vehicles.
There are plans to hire up to 4000 workers, but the full production that was initially targeted by the end of March 2027 has been effectively postponed. That's partly due to falling sales at the company's key customer, Tesla, another unfavorable factor for Panasonic. Is that US tax breaks for EV purchases are set to expire in September. This will likely mean a challenging business climate, just as the company is trying to diversify its customer base.
US FIRMS STRUGGLE TO SHIELD CUSTOMERS FROM TARIFF IMPACT
There have been concerns that Trump's tariffs would lead to soaring prices in the United States, but recent inflation data show that isn't the case so far. We look at how companies are trying to keep things on a straight line as US tariff rates go on a roller coaster ride.Los Angeles Port handles the most containers coming into the United States.
This yard is normally filled with containers, but now there's a big empty space due to the tariffs.
The volume of imports decreased by 15 to 20% in May. The head of the terminal operator attributes the reduction to Trump's tariffs.
Trump and when the tariffs were initially announced at 145%, we saw a reduction in volumes coming into use in terminals in the early parts of May.There's always a lag period from the point that an announcement's been made until we can fill it on to the until we fill it here at Houston Terminals.
Hello.
Some companies reacted by ceasing imports altogether, including this baby products maker that stopped taking shipments in April. The company had been avoiding price increases by selling off the inventory imported before the latest Trump tariffs took hold.It decided to resume imports after the US and China agreed to substantially reduce the extra levies on each other's products in May. Still, the cost per shipment will increase sharply, and the future strategy is uncertain.
We don't know if we need to increase our prices, or maybe we just add a tariff surcharge at checkout.
Bonded warehouses are secure facilities where imports can be stored duty free.
Normally, the tariff is due when the goods arrive. The warehouses offer importers the flexibility of paying the levy when they want to sell the products up to five years. A firm that sells specialized containers for farmers and beekeepers is considering a bonded warehouse to store inventory. Some of its parts come from China.
We're looking at a pre-tariff price and a post-tariff price.
The CEO says some customers have rejected the increase. She sees the bonded warehouse as a possible solution, but one that's not ideal.
The problem with that is that we don't know how long that's going to take. We don't know how long it's going to be before the price can come down and our customers can afford to buy them again.
While companies brace for what may come next, President Trump is again pressuring the Federal Reserve to ease the brakes on the US economy. He wants Fed chair Jerome Powell to cut interest rates.But Powell maintains his position that tariff falsies pose a potential threat to price stability.
Essentially, all all inflation forecasts for the United States went up materially as a consequence of the tariffs. So we we didn't overreact. In fact, we didn't react at all. We're simply taking some time. As long as the US economy is in solid shape, we think the the prudent thing to do is to wait and learn more and see what those effects might be.
So far, efforts by US companies have shielded their customers from the worst of the tariff impact, but that may change as pre-tariff inventories run out.All right, let's have a look at the markets.
And that's it for Business News.
BACK TO BASICS: HOW JAPAN'S UPPER HOUSE ELECTION WORKS
Preparations for Japan's Upper House election are well underway. On Sunday, July 20, voters will head to the polls. But how exactly does Japan's voting system work?With just a few days to go, NHK World's Takao Minori joins us to explain some of the details. Minori?
Thank you, Yoko.
So campaigning officially kicked off on July 3. Over 500 candidates from across the country are running. Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru's Liberal Democratic Party and its partner Komeito hope to keep their majority in the upper house.
Opposition parties are trying to topple it. They're aiming for a repeat of last October's lower house election, which saw the ruling coalition lose its majority.
But while all the seats are up for grabs in the lower house elections, the upper house system is a bit more complicated. So let me explain.
248 seats make up the upper house. They have six-year terms.
But elections are held every three years, with half the seats voted for each time. And this year, voters are weighing in on the usual 124 seats, plus one extra that's been vacant. Of those, 75 are elected via electoral districts. The remaining 50 are chosen through proportional representation. The ruling coalition currently has 75 seats that are not being contested in this election. So the key number to watch is 50.
That's how many seatsthe coalition must win in order to maintain its majority.
Now, I recently got my voter card in the mail. Can you walk me through what the next steps of this process are like?
Sure. So you take that card and you take a look at where your polling station is, and once you get there, there will be election guides to help you out. Voters must use the polling station's ballot paper. Pencils will also be provided.
First, you choose the candidate of your choice from your electoral district. Voters need to handwrite the name of their candidate. Once they're done, then that ballot goes into the designated ballot box.
Then voters move on to the next step, which is to receive another ballot for their proportional representation vote.
For the second ballot, they can write either a candidate's name or the party, but be careful not to write anything else, because even adding a simple message of support could invalidate the vote.
Well, lately, there's been misinformation suggesting that using a pen is better than using a pencil. This video was going around on social media claiming that votes written in pencil could be erased and rewritten. It's gotten nearly 2 million views. Here's what election officials in Tokyo's Setagaya Ward have to say.
These ballots have a special coating on them, designed specifically for pencil use. And that could be an issue when people use a pen and fold their ballot.
If you vote using a pen, the ink might smear or rub off onto other ballots, invalidating that vote. That doesn't happen with pencil, and that's why we recommend using them.
But that coating isn't the only thing that makes these ballots special. This paper includes a kind of plastic called polypropylene resin. This material allows the paper to unfold itself. And that helps speed up the counting process. Japan is the only group of seven countries where handwriting a candidate's name is still the norm for national-level elections. So the fact we still have this system is unique. For those who can't make it to the polls Sunday, early voting is already underway.Monday is actually a national holiday here, so this time Election Day falls during a three-day weekend. And officials are worried that people may have other plans and not be able to go vote.
So some municipalities set up extra early voting stations. We'll see if that helps to get more people to the ballot box.
Thanks, Minori, for the explainer.
IN FOCUS
Next, let's go to Shibuya Aki with Newsline in Focus. Today, we're looking at Japan's nuclear power plants and a fundamental problem that's affecting how they're managed.
RECRUITMENT DRIVE NEEDED TO SECURE JAPAN'S NUCLEAR FUTURE
In the past, Japan's nuclear power plants were allowed to operate for up to 40 years in principle, with some being permitted through a strict screening process to extend that by an extra 20. But from June this year, a new law allows nuclear reactors to remain in operation beyond the current 60-year limit after further testing. By 2050, around half the nation's 33 nuclear reactors will have been in operation for more than 60 years, and that brings a litany of problems as the facilities begin to deteriorate.
Electric power companies are required to implement rigorous reviewsto ensure the safety of their plant. That's overseen by the Secretariat of the Nuclear Regulation Authority. But the watchdog currently faces a shortage of inspectors.
It seems like alternative energy sources haven't been decided on, so it's better to keep it going, at least until that happens.
I wonder if it's OK. I'm hoping they can maintain the basic safety levels.
The Secretariat monitors nuclear power plants to ensure they're operated and inspected properly. Eight of its staff work here in Takahama town. Two are in their 30s, but the rest are over 50. They're on site to ensure the operator is conducting its testing according to requirements.But when it comes to those stationed at plants like Takahama, that jumps to 80%.
People retire every year, so I think there will definitely be a staff shortage. I believe we need more experienced workers as well as new graduates to keep the plants operating.
Despite that pinch, recruitment is proving challenging.We are facing a critical situation with fewer people wanting to enter the field.
I know there are many issues surrounding recruitment, but we need to figure out how to overcome those.
A training session at Kindai University's research reactor for students from universities and technical colleges. The goal is to foster an interest in the nuclear power industry.
They're learning to adjust the power output of the reactor to measure the number of neutrons. Students come from across Japan to take advantage of the facilities. The government covers their transport and accommodation.
You know I feel like working in nuclear power plant management might be a good option.
This was a great experience for me.
We asked its students about their career paths.
For now, I'm thinking of doing a PhD and then working for a nuclear power company.
But some are considering other options.I'm going to work for an international consultancy.
There are no new power plants being built, so I think the nuclear industry is lacking in excitement.
A Tokyo University survey found that less than 30% of its grad school alumni from the last five years went on to jobs at the Secretariat or nuclear power companies. The 2011 accident at Fukushima Daiichi has altered the perception of the nuclear industry. Some students find it less appealing, and a Kindai University professor we spoke with says the situation spells trouble.Even if we decide to close the nuclear power plants, we need engineers to shut them down. We want people who have studied nuclear power to come into the field, but that is not going to be enough. So we need to make more efforts to attract people from other disciplines.
We often talk about broadening our perspective, and that's what we need to do.
Those responsible for nuclear plant safety bear a heavy load and the operators face a huge task if they're to get the best workers on board by providing a rewarding and fulfilling career path. With efforts to maximize renewable energy sources, current government plans say nuclear power is still expected to account for around 20 percent of Japan's total electricity generation in fiscal 2040. With that in mind, the pressure on the nuclear industry is clear.
And that's all for me.
WEATHER
As we mentioned earlier, we've seen some heavy downpours in central and eastern Japan Tuesday. Our meteorologist Jonathan Oh is here with the details on what's ahead. Jonathan.
And so definitely a wet day. Here's some video. We'll start in Tokyo to give you an idea of what things look like on the ground. It was a drenching Tuesday across the Contour region as heavy rain battered the area. The in central Tokyo, people had a hard time walking and struggled to hold on to their umbrellas as winds whipped up to nearly 60 kilometers per hour. Rain also soaked pedestrians and Mito northeast of Tokyo, with some places reporting 50 millimeters in just a few hours. The story is not over yet. We're still talking about rain. We're still talking about these kind of tropical downpours as well as the strong winds as we have interaction between a low to the West and high toward the east. And we'll still see this pattern for the day on Wednesday for especially the central and eastern portions of Japan. Back to the West, we'll see a little bit break in the clouds, but as we head toward Thursday, the rain is likely to come back. So it's a bit of a messy setup across Japan for the next few days. Rain in Sapporo for Wednesday, maybe some on Thursday, but especially on Friday again, Tokyo wrapping up, and guess what? If you've kind of enjoyed the slightly cooler temperatures, say bye bye to that because we're talking about highs into the mid 30s by Friday. Showers picking back up into Osaka and Fukuoka starting on Thursday.
Hope you have a good day wherever you are.
♫～ 3-DAY FORECAST ～♫
And that's it for now on NHK Newsline.I'm Yoko Nishimura in Tokyo. Thanks for joining us.
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