Welcome back to NHK Newsline. I'm Kanako Sachno.
CCTV CAPTURES BEAR IN CITY CENTER, MORE ATTACKS REPORTED
We begin with the latest on the surging number of incidents involving bears in this country. Two more people have been injured in separate attacks.
But first, some dramatic footage showing a bear on the loose in the middle of a city in northern Japan.
A security camera captured the moment the animal slammed into the entrance of an education centre early Tuesday morning in Iwate's prefectural capital.
The bear speeds off, leaving locals unsettled.
00:00:44 話者 2
For a bear to appear in a city like this, something has obviously changed.
The bear also ran so fast in the security camera footage, so I'm scared if I ever encounter it.
00:00:58 話者 1
No injuries have been reported in relation to this sighting. But in central Japan's Fukui Prefecture, a man in his 80s was found with head injuries Thursday morning.
He told authorities he was attacked by a bear while on a walk.
Hunters and police are now searching for the animal.
And in Yamagata Prefecture, northeastern Japan, a woman in her 70s was clawed on the face and arms while working in a field next to her home.
Her family says the bear was lurking in a persimmon tree when it came down and attacked her. The animal fled the scene, and officials are urging locals to be on alert until the bear is caught.
NHK estimates there have been at least 29 bear attacks, including one fatality across Japan so far this month.
That's in addition to almost 200 attacks and 12 deaths logged by the Environment Ministry from April through the end of October.
Japanese officials have promised to address the spike in incidents, including equipping some police units with rifles to shoot bears that pose a threat to public safety.
LDP AIMS TO BOOST JAPAN'S SECURITY STRATEGY
Japan's main ruling Liberal Democratic Party is discussing revisions to the country's national security documents. The aim is to boost its defense capabilities.
Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae has said her government aims to revise the National Security Strategy and two other security documents by the end of next year.
Takaichi also heads the LDP.
The LDP began discussions at the Research Commission on Security on Thursday.
The topics include revising the guidelines for the transfer of defense equipment and technology.
The current guidelines limit the overseas transfer of equipment to five categories.
These include rescue and transport.
Several participants called for the abolition of the five categories.
The Commission chairperson spoke to reporters on the matter.
00:03:00 話者 3
Major changes have taken place since the three security documents were drawn up in 2022. We will first consolidate opinions within the party before hearing from our coalition partner Japan Innovation Party and making adjustments.
00:03:15 話者 1
The Commission aims to compile a set of proposals for the government by the end of April next year, after consultation with experts.
REPORT: CHINA-RUSSIA, RUSSIA-N.KOREA TIES AFFECT REGIONAL SECURITY
A Japanese Defense Ministry think tank report says closer ties between China and Russia and between Russia and North Korea are heightening uncertainty in the security environment of the Indo-Pacific.
The annual China Security Report was compiled by Japan's National Institute for Defense Studies. It notes that Moscow and Beijing have ramped up strategic cooperation in the military and security fields.
The report says China has used joint military exercises and patrols with Moscow to verify that its forces have necessary military and operational capabilities.
It also says the activities are a way for China to send signals to the outside world.
The report's authors cite China's view that its security is under threat in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea.
However, the report also notes strategic differences between the two countries.
It says China maintains a neutral position over Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
It also says Beijing has distanced itself from military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang.
The report says that despite those differences, Northeast Asia may see an intensification of the confrontation dynamic of Japan, the United States, and South Korea versus China, Russia, and North Korea.
The authors conclude that the asymmetric bilateral partnerships established among China, Russia, and North Korea, and the dynamics generated by those partnerships, are behind the uncertainty in the regional security environment.
HOW JAPANESE SOCIETY PUTS PRESSURE ON DADS TODAY
For years, most of the child-rearing in Japan fell to mothers, but new figures show men are increasingly stepping in.
For International Men's Day, NHK World's Katsumata Chieko looked at the pressures those fathers are facing, both in and outside the home.
00:05:24 話者 4
Ito Yoshiki and his wife, Lena, have an appointment here, at Japan's first postpartum depression clinic for men.
00:05:35 話者 2
How is your job going?
00:05:39 話者 3
Work's been busy, but I want to prioritize our new baby.
00:05:48 話者 4
The problems began after their first child was stillborn, as his wife's physical and mental health worsened. Ito did his best to support her, but it also took a toll on him.
He had trouble sleeping and developed health problems of his own.
I thought, despite all the pressure, he was OK and was doing his best.
00:06:18 話者 2
But I was only thinking about myself.
00:06:22 話者 4
Then he found this clinic. Ito is now well on the road to recovery.
But with the couple expecting another child, he still comes to talk.
Without the clinic, he said he wouldn't have opened up about his struggles.
00:06:43 話者 3
You're a man. You have to be strong, or as a man, you can't show weakness.
I guess I just felt more and more pressure because of that.
00:06:58 話者 4
Dr. Murakami Hiroshi says he sees about 20 fathers every year.
He said he started treating them after new murders raised concerns about their partners.
00:07:16 話者 5
If we are going to encourage men to take a bigger role in parenting or take childcare leave, I think we also need to consider their mental health.
I think we should recognize how those who take both work and childcare seriously are often those most vulnerable to issues.
That's why it's important for policy and mental health support to move forward together.
00:07:43 話者 4
For some fathers, their job is the problem. Kawanishi Keiji and his wife have three children and both work.
00:07:52 話者 2
This is always when we're rushing around.
00:07:57 話者 4
On weekdays, Kawanishi handles the daycare pickup, but it wasn't always so easy.
When they were expecting their first child, Kawanishi wanted to focus more on parenting.
But when he took time off to care for his sick kid, his supervisor wasn't happy.
00:08:23 話者 2
He implied men aren't supposed to take that kind of time off.
He clearly told me, If you leave work for things like that, I can't give you more responsibilities or ask you to take on bigger tasks.
00:08:38 話者 4
After that, Kawa Nishi decided to switch jobs to ease the burden on his wife.
00:08:46 話者 2
If society could accept that there are many different ways to be a father, different working styles, different ways of living, then I wouldn't feel like I need to change jobs just to make it work.
00:08:57 話者 4
Kawanishi isn't the only man trying to find a better balance. The company hosting this event helps working parents with their careers. It says 30% of its users are men.
00:09:13 話者 3
Since I work in sales, to be honest, my job tends to take priority.
It's really hard to be as involved in parenting as I'd like.
00:09:23 話者 4
Uehara Tatsuya founded the company after she, too, struggled to balance work and family.
I think this is a turning point. Companies need to rethink how they treat their employees if they want to attract and retain talented people.
Uehara says companies need to change and take their employees seriously for the health of not only their businesses, but the families behind them.
Katsumata Chieko, NHK World.
00:09:58 話者 1
For more on this issue, I spoke earlier with our reporter Katsumata Chieko.
Chiko, balancing work and family has long been a struggle for working parents.
Why are men speaking out about this now?
00:10:12 話者 4
Well, it's not uncommon to hear that from mams, but we are only just starting to hear it from dads. And it's because the men are taking on more childcare.
The Japanese government has been tracking paternity leave for decades.
As you can see, there has been a huge jump to above 40% last year.
Though keep in mind, many of these leaves tend to be short. Even so, we are witnessing A dramatic shift. The question is why legal reforms have played a major role.
When a man tells his company his partner is pregnant or giving birth, the company has to ask if he will take paternity leave.
But it's taken a long time to get here.
00:11:05 話者 1
Right, because in Japanese society this has long been seen as a women's issue.
I imagine that's part of the problem.
00:11:11 話者 4
Exactly. That old mindset, men work, women raise their kids, is still going strong, especially among executives.
Many companies don't expect fathers to keep caring for their children after they leave.
00:11:30 話者 1
And we talk a lot about how Japan has a shrinking population.
How does this fit into that problem and how do we fix it?
00:11:37 話者 4
The thinking is, if men play a bigger role in childcare,
Then more couples may decide to have kids.
But to do that, experts say Japan has to first address its work culture.
This chart shows men's working hours in the G7 and South Korea and those countries' birth rates.
Nations with longer hours, like Japan and South Korea, tend to have lower rates.
One expert told me that is the problem.
00:12:14 話者 5
Men are expected to work long hours while also trying to help with chores or the kids.
As a result, they sacrifice their personal time, often cutting back on sleep.
If Japan's overtime pay rate were raised to around 50%, like in Europe and the US, then companies might hire more staff or invest in digitalization and AI, instead of relying on these men to work long hours. Those changes would benefit Japan as a whole.
00:12:40 話者 4
Those I spoke to say, they are hoping this moment will lead to a lasting change.
If men can happily balance work and parenting, then we will be building a more equitable future for everyone.
♪
25 DEAD AFTER ISRAEL LAUNCHES AIRSTRIKES ON GAZA
00:13:16 話者 1
Israel says it carried out aerial attacks across Gaza on Wednesday in response to gunfire that violated their fragile truce.
Authorities in the enclave say it left 25 people dead and 77 injured.
The Israeli military says its troops came under fire in the Gaza city of Khan Yunis.
Palestinian media say both Khan Yunis in the south and Gaza City in the north came under attack. The latest casualties add to concerns that last month's ceasefire is fraying.
Gaza's health authorities say at least 280 people have been killed since the truce took effect as Israeli forces continue their assaults on the strip.
HAMAS: ATTACKS 'A DANGEROUS ESCALATION'
Hamas condemned the latest attacks as a dangerous escalation
and accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of seeking to resume the genocide against Palestinian people.
Hamas denied firing at Israeli troops and called on the United States and mediators, including Qatar, to press Israel to honor the ceasefire terms.
LEBANON SAYS 13 DEAD AFTER ISRAELI STRIKE
The Israeli military has launched an airstrike in southern Lebanon, leaving 13 people dead.
The Israel Defence Forces said Tuesday it struck a compound Hamas was using to train fighters. The IDF said it used precision munitions to mitigate harm to civilians.
But Lebanon's health authorities claimed the strike was aimed at a Palestinian refugee camp.
Other recent Israeli airstrikes were aimed at Lebanon-based Shia Muslim group Hezbollah amid ongoing regional instability.
AXIOS: US, RUSSIA SECRETLY DISCUSS PEACE DEAL
Russian and Ukrainian forces continue to exchange airstrikes, even as talks are reportedly underway to end the fighting.
A US news site says officials from Washington and Moscow are secretly drafting a peace proposal.
Missile and drone attacks on a western Ukrainian city killed at least 25 people, including three children.
Officials say 73 others were injured after the strikes hit two residential buildings.
Meanwhile, Russia's Defense Ministry claims its air defenses shot down a Ukrainian missile attack.
It claims a city in western Russia was targeted by 4 long-range missiles that were made in America.
This all comes as news site Axios published details of secret talks between US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian Presidential Representative Kirill Dmitriev.
It cites officials as saying the proposal includes guarantees for Ukraine's security after a ceasefire.
Axios also reports the plan may require Ukraine to cede some of its eastern territory to Russia in exchange.
Dmitriev told Axios he sees a strong possibility of reaching a deal, but the article notes it's unclear how leaders in Ukraine and Europe will respond.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is making his own push for peace.
He held talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
00:16:27 話者 2
We spoke considerably about the situation with diplomacy and now many processes have become more active and we are trying to ensure that all activity is aimed specifically at peace, a just peace and guaranteed security.
00:16:41 話者 1
Media report Zelenskyyis expected to meet with US military officials in Kyiv after returning from Turkey.
UN COMMITTEE URGES IMMEDIATE RETURN OF ALL ABDUCTEES
A Human Rights Committee of the UN General Assembly has once again adopted a resolution urging North Korea to immediately return all abductees.
The European Union submitted the text. It was co-sponsored by more than 60 countries, including Japan and South Korea, and was approved on Wednesday for the 21st straight year.
The resolution says it condemns in the strongest terms the long-standing and ongoing
systematic, widespread and gross violations of human rights in and by North Korea.
00:17:23 話者 3
Considering the tremendous suffering that the victims and their families have endured over the years, there is no time to spare.
00:17:32 話者 1
Before the measure was approved, North Korea's ambassador to the UN left the chamber.
Kim Sung called the resolution a political plot intended to defame his country's dignity and undermine its sovereignty. China, Russia and Iran did not support the resolution.
Beijing said it opposes using human rights as a pretext to exert pressure on countries.
Japan says North Korean agents kidnapped at least 17 of its citizens in the 1970s and 80s.
Five were returned in 2002, but the other 12 remain unaccounted for.
BUSINESS
Now let's see what's happening in the world of business.
Here's Romain Melegard from the BizDesk.
00:18:13 話者 6
Thank you very much indeed.
NIKKEI 225 JUMPS AS NVIDIA EARNINGS DRIVE CHIP STOCKS RALLY
Tokyo's benchmark stock index rose sharply on Thursday as semiconductor shares rallied following strong results from US chip giant Nvidia.
The Nikkei 225 ended the day at 49,823, up 2.6% from Wednesday's close.
Nvidia's earnings reassured investors that demand for AI technology will continue.
The Nikkei surged more than 4% in the morning session, but gave up some of the gain as investors sold shares to lock in profits.
JAPAN'S STIMULUS PACKAGE COULD BE WORTH ¥21.3 TRIL.
The Japanese government is making final adjustments to compile an economic stimulus package worth about 21.3 trillion yen, or roughly $135 billion.
Sources say the overall figure will include expenditure of around $110 billion from the general account and tax reductions, mainly through the abolition of a provisional gasoline tax rate. Allocations from the special account will also be included.
The government plans to provide subsidies for electricity and gas charges so that the average household will receive about $45 in total between January and March next year.
To help consumers amid the rising cost of food.
Officials are also looking to secure around $13 billion to support municipalities.
The overall scale of the stimulus measures, together with spending by the private sector, is projected to reach about $270 billion.
The government will decide on the package as early as Friday.
NIIGATA GOVERNOR TO APPROVE RESTART OF TEPCO REACTOR
In a move that could reshape Japan's nuclear energy debate, the governor of Niigata Prefecture is poised to approve the restart of a reactor that's been offline for more than a decade. It would be Tokyo Electric Power Company's first reactor to restart since the Fukushima Daiichi accident of 2011.
Sources said Governor Hanazumi Hideo will announce on Friday that he'll greenlight the restart of the number six reactor at TEPCO's Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Plant.
He plans to take the issue to the prefectural assembly when its session begins.
In early December, Hanazumi has been weighing a request from the central government, studied local opinion surveys, and held discussions with mayors across the prefecture.
TEPCO's preparations to restart the reactor are already in their final stage.
It also outlined plans to use some of the revenue gained by the restart for projects in the prefecture, proposing to give around 100 billion yen, or about $637 million, over the next decade.
SURVEY FINDS FOREIGNERS OWN 3% OF NEW CONDO UNITS IN TOKYO
NHK has learned that a Japanese government survey found that roughly 3% of new condominium units in Tokyo were bought by owners with registered addresses outside Japan.
The government conducted its first survey on apartment ownership amid a surge in condo prices, especially in central Tokyo.
Foreign ownership of apartments put on sale in the first six months of 2025 increased compared to a year earlier, and the ratio is higher in central areas.
The government also looked at sales within one year of the initial purchase, regardless of where the owners were based.
The survey found they accounted for about 8% of transactions involving newly built condo units in the first half of 2024.
It showed short-term ownership is more common in central Tokyo or for large condos.
The government believes that the buying and selling of apartments for investment purposes that isn't tied to actual demand for housing is undesirable.
MARKETS
OK, let's get a check on the markets.
♪
And that is it for Business News.
JAPAN Sketch
♪
00:23:17 話者 3
We are actually on a photography tour. This is a very interesting place.
It's very beautiful. There's very nice pictures to be taken here.
WEATHER
00:23:39 話者 1
Now let's take a look at the world weather. Parts of Europe are bracing for severe cold.
Our meteorologist, Yumi Hirano, has the details.
00:23:47 話者 7
Winterly cold air has covered much of Europe this week.
People in parts of Germany woke up to see heavy snowfall. Germany is having an unusually early winter with frost and snowfall caused by a polar air outbreak.
In western Germany, there were major traffic problems on the highway heading south toward Frankfurt. On a well-known mountain in the Black Forest, children enjoyed the first snow in a winter wonderland.
More snow is possible in the southern parts of the country and eastern France, and another system is bringing severe weather to southern Italy and the Balkans.
Intense downpours have been reported, and the conditions are not expected to improve on Thursday. There is a risk of thundershowers, gusty winds, and even tornadoes.
Due to the cold air, the highs in many cities will stay in the single digits expected for in London and Berlin. Palis may not get warmer than six despite sunny skies.
Now moving to Japan, low pressure and frontal systems are expected to move across northern Japan with a risk of intense rain, gusty winds and lightning.
Wet weather is likely in Sapporo and Ningata, but sunny skies are expected in many cities, including Tokyo, Osaka, and Fukuoka.
Oita has been suffering from a large-scale fire, and the city will continue to have dry conditions.
In the bigger picture across Asia, clear skies are also expected to cover Seoul, Beijing, and Ulangbatow. Showers are likely in Taipei.
The high in Bangkok will be 29, which is cooler than usual.
That's all for now. Have a nice day.
♫～ 3-DAY FORECAST ～♫
PRAYING FOR SUCCESS IN BUSINESS IN HIROSHIMA
00:26:40 話者 1
Finally at this hour, people in the Japanese city of Hiroshima are heading to a shrine to pray for success in business.
They're taking part in an annual festival said to date back more than 400 years.
It's being held in and around the Ebisu shrine.
Visitors are buying lucky charms in the form of bamboo rakes known as Komazaraye.
The rakes are adorned with lucky symbols such as the god Ebisu and a magic mallet.
They cost from about $30 to more than $600.
One visitor was a schoolgirl. She came with her mother who runs a coffee shop.
00:27:21 話者 4
We bought one as a way to pray for a shop to be successful.
00:27:29 話者 1
Another visitor said he works in construction. He said he started buying the rakes three years ago and hopes for another busy year without any injuries.
And that wraps up this edition of NHK Newsline. I'm Kanako Sachno in Tokyo.
Thanks very much for joining us.
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