at 18:00 (JST), August 05

 

20250805180000_english_1.mp3

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

JAPAN SEES HOTTEST TEMPERATURE ON RECORD

Japan has recorded its highest ever temperature as the country swelters through an especially hot summer. Bone-dry conditions are also prompting concerns about water charges and crop damage.
The Japan Meteorological Agency says as of midday, a community in Guma Prefecture recorded a temperature of 41.8 degrees Celsius, topping previous records. The heat has been especially intense in Guma, with intense heat also felt in neighboring Saitama Prefecture, just north of Tokyo. Locals are struggling to get through the day. It's hotter than usual, and it's making it hard to breathe. Japanese weather officials warned Tuesday could be one of the hottest days on record. Heat stroke warnings have been issued for 44 prefectures, the most so far this summer.
The heat and lack of rain is especially concerning for rice farmers who say they're worried about heat damage to their crops. Early harvest rice is already being collected, and farmers say what they're finding is white and muddy.
Not a good sign.
The quality of the rice is bad this year, worse than I've seen in a while.
There's nothing we can do. It's because of the weather. Concerns about this year's rice yields come as Japan has been contending with high grain prices, partially aggravated by poor harvests in recent years. Well, for more on this record-breaking day, we bring in our meteorologist, Jonathan Oh. So, Jonathan, what's causing the temperatures to spike again? 

Hello, we are definitely talking about some really hot weather with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees and some locations.
In fact a national record 41.8 degrees in Izazaki in Guma Prefecture and Hachioji seeing an all time record for that location at 40.3 degrees on Tuesday. Two main reasons why we're seeing this really hot phenomenon. First is the Pacific high that I just sit in top of this area and bringing the southerly flow. But we also have the mountains that are also enhancing this.
When the air goes up and then back down over the mountains, it's the fan effect that really just bursts out and we really see the heat that. Is really in effect for the area. And guess what?It's not going to be over anytime soon. We're talking about temperatures in the upper 30s in places like Tokyo, a high of 37 on Wednesday, 36 on Thursday and Friday. We may be seeing a little bit of reprieve for western areas of Japan as we go later on this week. But in general, make sure you take the proper precautions, staying hydrated, staying cool as much as possible as this heat wave continues.

AUSTRALIA PICKS JAPAN TO PARTNER ON NAVY SHIP PROJECT

The Australian government has chosen Japan to partner on the development of a new ship for the country's navy. The several billion dollar frigate contract is seen as one of Japan's biggest defense equipment export deals ever. Defense Minister Richard Morals said that the Mogami-class vessel has been selected as the preferred choice for Australia's future needs. This is a decision that is made about how we can get the best platform, the best capability for the Royal Australian Navy.
That said, having made the decision, this does represent a very significant moment in the bilateral relationship between Australia and Japan.
Australia plans to introduce up to 11 new frigates to replace its aging fleet.
Investment is expected to total 10 billion Australian dollars, or about six and a half billion US dollars. The Mogami-quest frigate is used by Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force and is seen as a state-of-the-art vessel. Germany had also been shortlisted for the Australian project. Marles touted the Japanese frigate's stealth and missile capabilities, as well as its high-performance radar and sonar. He noted the ship can be operated by a smaller crew. Japanese Defense Minister Nakatani Gen. welcomed the decision. He called it is a big step that will elevate Japan's security cooperation with a key strategic partner.
The selection is proof of the high level of trust in our country's technological capabilities and the importance of mutual cooperation between Japan's Self-Defense Forces and the Australian military. Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru also welcomed the decision, saying government and industry will work together to ensure the contract is concluded.

ICAN: JAPAN SHOULD JOIN NUCLEAR WEAPON TREATY MEETINGS

Well, this week marks 80 years since atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. A major anti-nuclear advocate is in Japan for the ceremony, and she's urging the government to take part in UN meetings on the treaty banning the weapons. It's time for us allto listen to the Hibakusha and eliminate these weapons of total destruction. Japan has the opportunity to provide unique moral leadership as the only country attacked with nuclear weapons in wartime.
Melissa Park is the executive director of ICANN, or International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons. She spoke to reporters in Hiroshima on Monday. She said the risk of nuclear weapons being used has never been higher. While it's been 80 years since the atomic bombings, she said no one can guarantee that the next 80 will be safe so long as the weapons exist. Park also urged the Japanese government to listen to the survivors. She highlighted how the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons provides for victim assistance.
ICAN won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2017 for its work leading to the adoption of that treaty.

RUSSIA TO STOP ABIDING BY DEFUNCT MISSILE TREATY

Russia says it will no longer abide by a now-defunct treaty with the United States prohibiting the deployment of intermediate- and short-range missiles.
The Treaty on the Elimination of Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles was a key nuclear arms control pact between the US and Russia. Known as the INF Treaty, it was signed in 1987. The treaty expired in 2019 due to heightened tensions between the two nations. Nevertheless, Russia had maintained it would refrain from producing or deploying INF systems as long as the US did not deploy similar missiles. But in a statement released Monday, the Russian Foreign Ministry claims the situation is developing for US-made ground-based intermediate-range missiles to be deployed in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. It noted that the conditions for maintaining a unilateral moratorium on the deployment of similar weapons have disappeared. The ministry added that Russia no longer considers itself bound by the relevant self-imposed restrictions. Last year, Russian President Vladimir Putin noted a need to resume the production and deployment of intermediate and short-range missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads. He disclosed last week that mass production of a new intermediate-range ballistic missile called Oreshnik had begun. And that it is slated for deployment. US President Donald Trump is urging Russia to agree to a ceasefire and its conflict with Ukraine by Friday.
He has warned that Moscow will face steep tariffs if it fails to meet the deadline.

OFFICIALS: COMPUTER FAILED TO STOP YOKOHAMA FIREWORKS LAUNCH

A fireworks festival in the city of Yokohama on Monday was thrown into chaos after barges used for the display went up in flames. City officials said that they tried to halt the fireworks from launching, but a computer controlling them did not respond. Footage taken by NHK on Tuesday morning shows tubes believed to have been used to launch fireworks scattered on barges.
Coast Guard officials said they confirmed the fire was extinguished 15 hours after it started.
Two of the barges used for the event caught fire. Five workers on on one of them jumped into the water to escape the flames. Fire department officials said one was taken to hospital with minor injuries. The city officials say the fireworks were to be launched in in time with music by computer control.
They say they tried to stop the display about one minute after the fire broke out, but the launches from the bar just did not stop. Police and Coast Guard investigators are continuing to look into what went wrong.

BRAZIL'S TOP COURT ORDERS BOLSONARO UNDER HOUSE ARREST

Authorities in Brazil have put embattled former President Jair Bolsonaro under house arrest. He's accused of failing to comply with a series of restraining orders imposed last month. The Supreme Court took the new measure on Monday. The measure also bans Bolsonaro from using cell phones. The former leader is standing trial for allegedly plotting A coup after Brazil's presidential election in 2022. The top court said last month that Bolsonaro had attempted to intervene by asking the US government to sanction officials involved in the trial. The judge then imposed a series of restraining orders, including social media. But Bolsonaro continued to use accounts of his political supporters and children.
US President Donald Trump has called Bolsonaro's trial a witch hunt and justification for recently raising tariffs on Brazil to 50%.
The US State Department criticized the Supreme Court's latest orders, saying on social media, quote, Let Bolsonaro speak.

BUSINESS 

Now to the latest in business with Ramin Mellegard. Ramin. 
Thank you very much indeed. 

BOJ MINUTES REFLECT GROWING WARINESS OVER RISING BOND YIELDS

Now, minutes of the Bank of Japan's June board meeting show policymakers were increasingly wary of a sharp rise in Japanese government bond yields. The BOJ decided at the meeting to slow the pace of planned reductions in purchases of long-term JGBs from next April to avoid market instability. The decision came after JGB sell-offs in April and May drove up yields.
Many policymakers shared the view that if the pace of reduction in BOJ bond purchases is too fast, it might have an unforeseen impact on market stability. Now, one board member pointed out that if the central bank proceeds too hastily, the adjustments might end up taking more time. The BOJ still is still holding almost half of the outstanding JGB's and value terms. It faces a challenge of normalizing monetary policy while avoiding destabilizing financial markets. 

TRUMP SAYS US TO 'SUBSTANTIALLY' RAISE TRADE TARIFFS ON INDIA

And President Donald Trump says the US will substantially raise trade tariffs on India. Which he claims is buying Russian oil that helps finance Moscow's war in Ukraine.
Now Trump has set a Friday deadline for Russia to agree to a ceasefire with Ukraine. Trump said in a social media post on Monday that India is buying massive amounts of Russian oil and selling much of it on the open market for big profits, he wrote. They don't care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian war machine. India rejected the charges, calling them unjustified and unreasonable. Now, a statement by India's External Affairs Ministry said India's imports are a necessity to ensure predictable and affordable energy to the Indian consumer. It said India will take all necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security. Indian government figures show imports of Russian oil have significantly increased. They made-up about 2% of the country's supply before the invasion of Ukraine, but now account for more than 30%. 

RICE CRISIS PROBE: AGRICULTURE MINISTRY DIDN'T FORESEE OUTPUT SHORTAGE

A Japanese government investigation into the recent price surge for the staple grain points the finger at the agriculture ministry for misjudging demand from inbound visitors. Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru set up a task force in June to examine the cause of shortages and skyrocketing prices. The investigation found that the ministry assumed demand for rice would continue to fall as Japan's population dwindles. Officials failed to take account of the possibility that booming inbound tourism or an increase in individual consumption could cause demand to rise. The probe also found that higher temperatures caused the milled rice yield to fall, leading to a shortage in actual output. It goes on to say that the ministry was reluctant to look into the distribution mechanism because it believed there was enough rice on the market. This resulted in a delay in releasing stockpiled rice, which aggravated the crisis. Now the investigation concludes that the government should change policy and take measures to increase rice production.
Including using abandoned farmland.
It also calls for making rice cultivation more efficient by consolidating small paddies into larger ones and using smart technology. 

APPLICATIONS WITHDRAWN FOR 10% OF STOCKPILED RICE UP FOR SALE

Now, Japan's agriculture minister says businesses have withdrawn applications to buy nearly 10% of the rice they had sought from government stockpiles in no-bid contracts. They're unsure whether they can meet a government requirement to sell everything they purchase by the end of this month.
Applications for about 29,000 tons of government reserves have been withdrawn as of now. That's nearly one-tenth of the roughly 300,000 tons that businesses were seeking to buy.
Koizumi Shinjiro said a delay in rice shipments and distribution in some regions may have been behind the cancellations, but the minister mentioned concerns that prices for newly harvested rice could be affected if the deadline is extended. Koizumi said he will consult businesses this week to grasp the current situation and assess what steps to take.

RICE PRICES RISE FOR FIRST TIME IN 10 WEEKS IN JAPAN SUPERMARKETS

Now, the sale of rice from government stockpiles had pushed prices down in recent months, but they're edging up again amid uncertainty over the release of reserves. A nationwide survey shows the average cost of rice in supermarkets increased for the first time in 10 weeks.
The agriculture ministry released a survey on Monday which covered 1,000 supermarkets in the week through July 27th. The average price of a 5 kilogram bag cost over 3,600 yen or $24. That's up around 1% from the previous week and 50% higher than a year ago. The ministry says the price bump comes as sales of government reserves dipped slightly. It started tapping stockpiles to boost supply after retail prices doubled.
in the space of a year.

OK, let's get a check on the markets.
♪
And that is it for Business News.

IN FOCUS

Next for you, go over to my colleague Shibuya Aki for Newsline in Focus and a story about one way the memories of war are being preserved. The Burma Campaign is known as one of Japan's fiercest battles in World War II.

STUDENTS STEP UP TO PRESERVE MEMORIES OF WAR

A Buddhist service for those who died is held every July on Mount Koya in Wakayama Prefecture. The event is now in its 60th year. It was started by the late head priest, Ueda Tenzi, who took part in the Burma Campaign. He built the pagoda in a bid to seek redemption.

He made a vow to promote peace with war veterans. Today we focus on two younger people, one Japanese university student with roots in Myanmar, and a historian from Singapore.

Mo Chon is a 20-year-old university student born and raised in Japan.

His parents are from Myanmar, and from them, he learned the history of both Myanmar and Japan. Thanks to him,The service was delivered via live streaming this year for the first time.

Others in the association have worked very hard to connect Japan and Myanmar, so I wanted to take over this event and stream it to reach more people.

Mo Chan began taking part in the service three years ago. He was invited by this man, 81 year old Shirai Minoru. Whose father perished in the war. Shirai was born after his father was sent to Burma to serve as a military civilian interpreter of Japanese and English. During a visit to Myanmar, he learned that there was a school in an area near where his father died. Since then, he has been working hard to support education through fundraising and grants for more than 30 years.

I thought the service could stand for an international exchange to pray for peace, and so I asked him to join it.

Last year, Shirai asked him to take part in reading the wills of fallen soldiers.

I think there are many people who died at about the same age as I am, so I feel we should not forget them.

Historian Li Shi Ming has come to the event from Singapore. The PhD student says he's researching how Japanese veterans influenced their society after they fought in Southeast Asian countries.

His late grandmother was forced to flee from the Malay Peninsula to Singapore due to the invasion by the now defunct Imperial Japanese Army. Yet, she never discouraged him from pursuing his studies.

Through his research, he learned that many Japanese veterans engaged in a variety of civil society activities throughout their remaining years, including international exchange and charity. I think, you know, one thing that just really surprised me again was this, was the insight thatJapanese soldiers were actually much more active in reaching out to, you know, societies abroad, that is, to the places that they had been to before.

Ling witnessed how, even at the temple service, bereaved family members are determined to preserve the memories of the war.

Fujiwara Yoshiko has been deeply involved in the event. carrying on her father's activities.

My father is one of only two miraculous survivors out of 400 members of a unit. So I used to travel to Myanmar with him to hold a memorial service there.

Imasato Shukuro ran a medical equipment company after the war. On top of that, he often took part in memorial services in both Japan and Myanmar,to dedicate the rest of his life to victims of the war. At age 84, he became a monk in Myanmar, practicing Buddhism for the rest of his life. The war was really a sort of transformative experience for them, that their whole worldview changed, and this also kind of is reflected in what they then tell to their children. So they are, you know, I guess, moral values or their attitudes towards life. You know This is part of the message that you know they are trying to tell to their to their children.

Ling heard about the memorial service online from a group that was set up by a veteran of the Burma campaign.

His grandchild, Nakao Yoshinobu, is continuing his activities.

Nakao Sakuzo was a member of a logistics unit.

After returning to Japan, he ran a dairy company and put that experience into providing agricultural and educational support in Myanmar until he died at the age of ninety-one.

ohh I remember my grandfather told me that war should never be repeated. I've taken over his activities to try to fulfill his wish in some way through my action. A lot of soldiers actually felt strongly about anti-war sentiments. A lot of soldiers, you know, in their own ways, wanted to make amends, perhaps, for what they had done or for what the the country's military machine had done. And in their own ways, they wanted to make sure that this did not happen again through their own forms of grassroots diplomacy.

After the memorial service, the head priest thanked them.

Umm I hope we can reach out to more people around the world to promote peace and empathy, not just those in Japan and Myanmar, and spread the significance of the event to understand how war memory is made, how war memory is maintained and how it changes over time as well. So I think those are. processes.

Those are phenomena that are worth reflecting one.

It was interesting to see that younger people like Mo Chan and Ling are getting involved using powerful tools particular to their generation.

While Mo Chan's live-streamed video has been drawing more and more attention on YouTube, Ling plans to hold a seminar in Singapore about the memorial service.

This momentum is something that can definitely help pass on the memories of war. And that's all from me.

WEATHER

Our meteorologist Jonathan Oh is back with a look at world weather. Jonathan.

Hello, while we're talking about the heat across Japan, we're talking about some serious rainfall down toward Hong Kong.
Let's take a look at some video that's coming out from the city. They're getting hit with some of the worst rainfall that they've seen in quite some time, prompting the highest level rainstorm warning on Tuesday. Hong Kong recorded 355 millimeters of daily rainfall on Tuesday, setting a new record for the month of August. Local TV stations showing vehicles trapped in flooded car parks, using people wading through knee deep water. AP reporting that classes were canceled and that government services were suspended. We have this low pressure system that's in the area and that's helping to bring some of that enhancement to the monsoonal pattern in place. And it's not just there, I mean all across southern areas of China, back toward portions of Southeast Asia, all seeing the wet weather. We are also seeing some wet weather up toward the Korean Peninsula and a cold front swinging through the northern portion of Japan, but. We're still talking about heat in terms of temperatures moving to the upper 30s in place like Tokyo as we go into today on Wednesday. So make sure you take precautions if you're going to have to spend some time outdoors. 28 in Seoul with some rain and again some rain down toward Hong Kong once again with a high of 30 as we go through today on Wednesday. Meanwhile across North America, western areas, especially the desert southwest in the United States, seeing temperatures are really pushing up due to high pressure in place. Now we have another system located toward the northeastern portion of the US that's really ushering in what call wedge formation. There's this cooler pocket of air that's bringing some persistent. It almost feels like kind of like a. A spring kind of constant rain because it's cooler and it's wet and that's going to be the case as you go into the on Tuesday. Atlanta, you're cooler than New York City coming up on Tuesday with a high of 22 with some thunderstorms with Denver moving up to 36 degrees for the highs to go through today on Tuesday. So again, the heat will be a part of the story as you go throughout the next few days. That's the future forecast. 
Hope you have a good day wherever you are.

♫～　3-DAY FORECAST　～♫

And that's it for this hour. I'm Yuka Fukushima. Thanks for joining us.