Hello, glad to have you with us on NHK Newsline. I'm Yamamoto Miki in Tokyo.
SHOOTERS KILL 15 AT SYDNEY'S BONDI BEACH
Australian police say a deadly shooting at Sydney's Bondi Beach left 16 people dead, including one of the two attackers. More than 40 others were injured.
Many people have laid flowers to mourn victims and stood in solidarity with the Jewish community on Tuesday.
00:00:34 話者 2
It's a sad day for our Jewish community.
It's a sad day for our Bondi community.
It's a sad day for our Australian community.
Heartbroken.
00:00:56 話者 1
The attack took place around 7 p.m. local time Sunday, when Jewish community members were celebrating the start of the Hanukkah Festival.
In footage obtained by Australian public broadcaster ABC, two men can be seen standing on a pedestrian bridge firing toward the crowds.
Another video shows a member of the public approaching one of the attackers and disarming him. He's being hailed as a hero who saved many lives.
Local police say a man and his son were behind the massacre and the 50-year-old father was shot dead.
The 24-year-old son is in custody at a hospital.
Police are investigating the attack as an act of terrorism targeting the Jewish community.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says he has asked his cabinet to discuss tougher gun laws, including limits on the number of guns individuals can own.
00:01:53 話者 3
We are stronger than the cowards who did this.
00:01:57 話者 2
And I want to conclude finally by saying that the government is prepared to take whatever action is necessary.
00:02:05 話者 1
Australia has seen a rise in anti-Semitic incidents since the Israel-Hamas conflict broke out in 2023. Hanukkah runs for eight days from Sunday.
Security in synagogues around the world has been stepped up.
JAPAN MEGA QUAKE ADVISORY ENDS BUT OFFICIALS SAY RISK REMAINS
A Japanese government advisory that a mega-quake is possible in northern and eastern Japan has ended.
It was issued following the magnitude 7.5 quake that struck the region on December 8.
The Cabinet Office and Japan Meteorological Agency reminded people to remain cautious during a press conference held after the advisory ended early on Tuesday.
The possibility of a major earthquake occurring has not disappeared.
It is essential to be prepared for earthquakes on a daily basis.
The advisory covered 182 municipalities spanning from Hokkaido to Chiba Prefecture.
It warned of the relatively high possibility that a strong tremor could occur either along the Japan Trench or the Chishima Trench.
A JMA official said seismic activity off the eastern coast of Aomori Prefecture is gradually decreasing, but there are still more tremors than was the case before December 8th.
He added that people carrying out restoration work should pay close attention to seismic activity, as well as winter weather conditions.
There have been cases where massive quakes have hit more than a week after an initial tremor.
In July, a magnitude 7.5 quake struck near Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula, followed by a magnitude 8.81 ten days later.
FIGHTING FIRES: EVERYONE HAS A ROLE TO PLAY
Turning now to a different kind of danger.
Two people are dead after an apartment fire in Sendai City late Monday night.
The cause is still unknown. But many of Japan's fire incidents happened during the dry, colder months as people try to stay warm.
For more on what we can all do to fight fires, NHK World's Yoshikawa Ryuichi joins us from a disaster prevention center in Tokyo.
00:04:24 話者 2
As you can imagine, the easiest way to put out a fire is to catch it before it gets too big.
Here at this facility, you can actually practice how to put it out.
And now, before I show you, there's three things we should remember about firefighting.
First, alert those around you.
In Japan, that means yelling, Kajida! which means there is a fire.
And second, find an escape route before you start.
That way, even if you can't put out the fire, you know your way out.
And last but not least, aim the fire extinguisher at the foot of the flames and not the top.
Now, I'm going to give it a try.
And here we have a few fire extinguishers lined up here.
And what we have up here is a monitor that will tell me if my voice is loud enough to alert those around me.
So let's give it a try.
Kazida! Kazida!
Yes.
Fire was extinguished.
Looks like I did it.
You know, earlier, I spoke with the head of this facility, and he says civilians knowing what to do will be the difference between a small fire and a major blaze.
00:06:10 話者 4
It's a big one. Even if you've called the fire department, they won't get there instantly.
And in just a few minutes, the flames will spread.
So by knowing how to put out a fire by yourself, you can protect your home and your neighborhood.
00:06:35 話者 2
But of course, he says, if the fire is out of your control, the evacuating then becomes your number one priority.
He said, if the flames reach the ceiling, then run.
But they hope that more people will try because it is key to put the fire out fast.
And that's in part because of how Japan is built.
Take last month's fire in Oita City, for example.
That blaze left one person dead and reduced over 180 buildings to the ash.
One reason it spread so quickly is because the area was full of wooden houses, many of them packed together.
The same could be said for thousands of neighborhoods, like Tokyo's Sumida Ward.
A local official showed me around one of its crammed residential areas.
And see how close the houses are and how narrow the street is.
It means large vehicles, like fire engines, cannot get through.
So the ward has taken matters into its own hands.
This firefighting initiative kicked off 40 years ago.
Since then, six of the 17 chosen roads have been expanded.
Officials have also been converting some land into parks.
They can act as buffer zones to prevent a fire from spreading and can be used as a base for firefighters.
00:08:17 話者 1
We haven't been able to expand all the roads we want to.
00:08:21 話者 2
And we still don't have enough of these kinds of spaces.
We need residents' support if we are to keep making progress.
Well, you may think this is only a problem for older buildings, but that's not the case.
According to the Forestry Agency, more than 90% of houses being built last year were made of wood.
And now they are more fire resistant, but that doesn't mean we can let our guard down.
Especially when Japan is full of temples and shrines and all the folk houses, and the risk increases when they are all crammed together.
And that's why everyone should know how to fight a fire.
Once a month, this facility here I am, the Ikebukuro Life Safety Learning Center, is holding an easy Japanese day.
And that way, foreign residents, for example, can learn the ropes.
As the temperature dips and more people crank up the heat, some fires are inevitable.
But good urban planning and being prepared can be the difference between a stressful situation and a catastrophe.
TRUMP SUES BBC, DEMANDS $10 BIL. IN DAMAGES
00:09:41 話者 1
US President Donald Trump has sued British public broadcaster BBC, accusing it of defamation as well as deceptive and unfair trade practices over the editing of one of his speeches.
He demanded at least $10 billion in damages.
00:09:58 話者 2
They're beautiful words.
00:10:01 話者 4
Talking about patriotism and all of the good things that I said, they didn't say that, but they put terrible words.
00:10:09 話者 1
The lawsuit said the BBC depiction of Trump was false, defamatory and malicious.
It added that the program was aired in a brazen attempt to interfere in and influence the outcome of the 2024 presidential election to President Trump's detriment.
At issue is the edit of the president's speech in Washington on January 6th, 2021, before the Capitol Hill riots erupted.
The edited speech was aired on a BBC documentary just before the US
presidential election last year.
The BBC has apologized to the president, admitting that the way the speech was edited did give the impression of a direct call for violent action.
ZELENSKYY: MAKING PROGRESS ON SECURITY GUARANTEES
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held two days of talks with US
negotiators in Berlin.
He says there's been enough dialogue on the territorial issue and his country and the US
seem to have different positions for now.
Zelenskyy met with US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and President Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner to discuss the US-drafted peace proposal.
My message on security guarantees is that before taking any steps on the battlefield, both the military and the civilian population must have a clear understanding of what the security guarantees will be.
When talking about security guarantees, he referred to NATO's Article 5, which handles the right of collective defense.
Zelenskyy adds that ceasefire monitoring should be a part of the security guarantees.
He also says he thinks the US side is trying to find consensus.
US officials say Washington suggested multiple solutions to bridge the gap on the territorial issue between Ukraine and Russia, but it's up to Kyiv.
Russian presidential aide Yuriy Ushakov says he thinks the Ukrainians and Europeans are unlikely to offer anything constructive to the documents.
He notes that Russia hasn't seen them.
He also says if there are relevant amendments, Moscow will have very strong objections, including on the territorial issue.
EUROPE PROPOSES MULTINATIONAL FORCE TO GUARANTEE SECURITY
Meanwhile, European leaders have proposed creating a multinational force to guarantee Ukraine's security once the ceasefire with Russia is in place.
The leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merth, released a joint statement in Berlin on Monday.
The statement says Europe would lead the multinational force with support from the United States.
It will be launched with contributions from countries within the framework of the Coalition of the Willing.
The statement calls for a legally binding commitment to take measures to restore security in case of a future armed attack.
It also asks for a US-led mechanism to monitor the ceasefire.
Ukraine would also receive support to sustain its armed forces at a peacetime level of 800-thousand troops to deter conflict and defend its territory.
The statement says decisions on territory are for the people of Ukraine once robust security guarantees are effectively in place.
BUSINESS
Now let's see what's happening in the world of business.
Here's Gene Otani from The Business, Gene.
00:13:52 話者 3
Miki, thanks. In our top business story this hour,
3% OF LAND ACQUISITIONS NEAR STRATEGIC AREAS BY FOREIGNERS
a government survey shows foreign nationals accounted for over 3% of land and real estate acquisitions near places deemed important for Japan's national security in fiscal 2024.
Japan designates land close to facilities such as Self-Defense Forces bases and nuclear power plants as monitored areas and special monitored areas.
Remote territorial islands are also on the list.
The government says nearly 114,000 plots of land and other real estate were acquired in such zones in the year that ended in March 2025.
Officials say almost 3,500 of the transactions, or 3.1%, were done by foreign nationals or businesses.
Nearly half, or close to 1,700, were made by Chinese citizens and companies.
The next most numerous were Taiwanese followed by South Koreans.
The government is allowed to issue orders or recommendations to stop the use of land or property if this is found to hinder the functions of a key facility.
But officials say they saw no such cases this time.
JAPAN TO TIGHTEN RULES ON PROPERTY BUYERS FROM OVERSEAS
Japan is moving to tighten its monitoring of real estate purchases by non-residents.
The decision reflects concerns.
Some buyers are acquiring property for investment purposes rather than for living in the country.
00:15:34 話者 1
Under the current rules, the government only requires overseas buyers making purchases for investment to file a report.
We will expand the requirement to include property purchased for residential purposes.
00:15:48 話者 3
Currently, the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act requires overseas buyers and businesses investing in real estate to report purchases to the government within 20 days.
The Ministry aims to revise the Act by April to include residential purchases.
The new reporting requirement would also apply to Japanese citizens living abroad.
Japan's biggest business lobby is urging the government to take a more strategic approach on how it attracts and nurtures foreign talent.
KEIDANREN URGES 'STRATEGIC APPROACH' ON FOREIGN TALENT
The Japan Business Federation, or Keidane, is putting forward its ideas on how the government should handle non-Japanese workers.
The group says Japan's policy is at a turning point and urges that guidelines be set on what types of foreign talent are targeted.
It also calls for sufficient controls on the number and quality of foreign workers.
Keidanren's proposal envisions closer cooperation between government and business to create a support system for workers coming from abroad.
The aim is to help foreign staff better understand Japan's culture and customs, as well as enable mutual respect for diverse ways of thinking.
Keidanren says this is needed to ensure they can continue to work in the country for the medium to long term.
Japan's car industry is a major pillar of the country's economy, but its automakers are facing global headwinds.
Decarbonization and US tariffs are hitting firms hard, including Mitsubishi Motors.
It experienced a loss mostly due to sagging overseas sales.
The company is now refocusing on the domestic market.
00:17:46 話者 4
We are improving our car's handling.
MITSUBISHI MOTORS CEO SEES ROAD TO PROFITS STARTING AT HOME
00:17:51 話者 5
President and CEO of Mitsubishi Motors, Kato Takao, is working on a plan to turn the automaker around.
The company recently posted its first net loss for a half year since fiscal 2020.
Kato points to disruption overseas as a primary cause.
00:18:13 話者 4
When political regulations are suddenly imposed, we have to change our policies as well, which makes overseas markets a bit more difficult.
00:18:22 話者 5
That's a problem for Mitsubishi. Eighty percent of its sales volume comes from abroad.
The firm's unit sales declined across many regions worldwide.
North America fell 12 percent ear-on-ear amid the Trump administration's tariffs.
ASEAN, the region with the highest volume, also saw a 10-percent decline.
In order to build a more stable revenue base, the firm is shifting gears to focus on the Japanese market.
The country already has the highest growth rate for sales volume.
00:18:57 話者 4
We're going to strengthen our presence in Japan, expand our footprint where our brand already has strong recognition.
00:19:07 話者 5
Mitsubishi is looking at expanding the appeal of its current lineup.
With Japan's population shrinking, domestic competition is fierce.
One option being explored is a reimagining of the minivan.
The vehicles have traditionally been targeted at families.
The firm is considering aiming for a new customer segment that prefers rugged durability.
The automaker believes that by expanding its target market, there is still room to increase sales at home.
The company is already leaning into its off-road heritage by reviving an SUV that competed in races and was popular in Japan.
It's part of an undertaking by Kato to reassist the firm's strength and get Mitsubishi back to profitability.
00:20:16 話者 4
We are going to actively seek new opportunities and take on challenges.
We're eager to bring out vehicles that showcase our unique strengths.
MARKETS
00:20:26 話者 3
All right, let's have a look at the markets.
♪
That's it for business news.
SHOGI OFFICIALS MAKE U-TURN ON PREGNANCY RULE
00:21:27 話者 1
A top female shogi player is creating a new buzz, but not for her exploits on the board.
The governing body of the Japanese strategy game will no longer ban pregnant women from competing in title matches around their due date.
Fukuma Kana, who holds six women's titles, asked the Japan Shogi Association on December 9 to review the rule, which they only introduced in April.
And on Tuesday, officials said they plan to scrap it.
The rule says pregnant players must be replaced if their due date falls within a certain period of any title matches in which they are scheduled to compete.
They also say match days will be adjusted as much as possible to fix any overlaps.
Still, the officials say players will be required to sit matches out if they are deemed unable to compete.
The association plans to establish a new committee for picking replacements.
HIROSHIMA IDENTIFIES A-BOMB VICTIM FROM HAIR
More than 80 years after Hiroshima's atomic bombing, discoveries are still being made there.
Officials say, for the first time, they've identified an A-bomb victim from hair preserved at the city's Peace Memorial Park.
Kazuyama Hatsue was 13 when the attack took place.
Her family never found her.
Recently, her relatives asked the city to conduct DNA analysis of an unidentified hair sample.
Researchers compared it with DNA taken from Hakui's younger sister and confirmed it was hers.
Her nephew says the news was emotionally overwhelming.
00:23:14 話者 4
I've heard there are other people seeking DNA analysis.
I hope as many remains as possible will be returned to their families.
00:23:28 話者 1
The park entombs the unclaimed remains of about 70,000 people, including hair and bones, which could lead to more discoveries.
WEATHER
And it is time now to check on the world weather with our meteorologist Jonathan Oh.
So Jonathan, people in the capital of Saudi Arabia had to deal with flooding on Monday.
How often does something like this occur there?
00:23:53 話者 4
Hello, we talk of the Middle East.
We do talk about rain from time to time, but we don't talk about so often is the flooding that takes place.
And I want to show you some video coming out of Saudi Arabia, where heavy rain poured into the streets of Riyadh Monday, leading to disruptions in daily routines.
It's not unusual to see rain during this time of year, but the force of the downpours flooded low lying areas and led to traffic delays.
The downpours brought cooler temperatures and a rare break from the capital's typically dry climate, so many residents reportedly
state indoors and universities shifted their lectures online as local authorities announced school closures as a preventative measure.
Now, we're going to be seeing things calming down and still staying cool as we go through the day as we see all that moisture moving to the north and east.
Riyadh seeing temperatures in the teens for highs here, 18 for the high.
The rain moves toward Doha and Dubai with highs in the mid to upper 20s as we go through the day on Wednesday.
We look at what's happening across East Asia, relatively calm across China and
Korean Peninsula.
We're seeing a northwesterly flow picking back up into the northern portions of Japan, which means the snow machine starts to crank back up.
And so we'll be seeing a lot of that taking place into Hokkaido as we go into the day on Wednesday.
Some showers trying to develop over the state of Japan as one.
That's going to try to move into the mountains and possibly create a little bit of snow as well.
Tokyo looking at 13 with partly cloudy skies, 7 is over, 6 in Beijing.
Ulanbatar still need to bundle up, a high of minus 7 with sunny skies as we go through the day on Wednesday.
Look at what's happening across North America.
We've been talking about the atmospheric river that's been pumping a bunch of moisture into the Pacific Northwest.
That focal point will shift toward the east, maybe talk about rain and some snow into the upper Rockies.
Elsewhere down toward the south, it's like, hello, there's like not much happening down there.
A little bit warmer, in fact, as we head today on Tuesday for the southern areas of the United States with highs in the mid-teens in Oklahoma City, Houston at 17, 18 in Denver as we go through Tuesday.
Hope you have a good day wherever you are.
♫～ 3-DAY FORECAST ～♫
PANDA FAREWELL FEVER HITS TOKYO'S UENO ZOO
00:26:31 話者 1
Before we go, anyone wanting to see the two giant pandas in Tokyo's Ueno Zoo will need to prepare for long lines.
The twins are the last remaining pandas in Japan, and both will return to China next month.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government on Monday said Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei will leave sometime between January 26 and 31.
Panda fans were lining up at the gates of the zoo more than one hour before it opened on Tuesday morning.
00:27:07 話者 5
As a panda fan, I'm really sad because there will be no pandas.
I hope they will come back again.
00:27:18 話者 1
The zoo is allowing about 48-hundred visitors a day to see the pandas.
The viewing time per person is limited to one minute to prevent congestion.
From Tuesday next week, online applications will be required for the panda queue.
The final viewing day is January 25.
And that's it for this edition of NHK Newsline at Yamamoto Miki in Tokyo.
Thank you for joining us.
0 件のコメント:
コメントを投稿