Here in Japan, it's a Thursday evening. I'm James Tengan in Tokyo.
Welcome to NHK Newsline.
LIFE SENTENCE SOUGHT FOR MAN ACCUSED OF KILLING EX-PM ABE
Japanese prosecutors have demanded life in prison for a man charged with fatally shooting former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo three years ago.
The prosecutors sought the penalty for Yamagami Tetsuya for murder and other charges on Thursday.
They called the crime serious and unprecedented in the country's post-war period.
They also said the defendant's early life had an extremely limited effect on the case.
Yamagami is accused of shooting Abe with a homemade gun, as the former leader gave an election campaign speech in the western city of Nara in 2022.
The 45-year-old defendant admitted to the charges against him when the trial opened in October.
Abe's widow, Akia, expressed her views through her lawyer before the prosecutors made their demand.
In her statement read out in court, she said she wants the defendant to squarely face what he has done and atone for his crimes.
During Yamagami's trial, his defense lawyers asked the court to consider what they described as his unfortunate early life in deciding his sentence.
His lawyers say Yamagami's mother made huge financial donations to a religious group widely known as the Unification Church.
They claim this caused their family considerable hardship.
POLICE: MANY DEEPFAKE PORN IMAGES MADE BY CLASSMATES
Japan's National Police Agency says a growing number of children are falling victim to deepfake pornography involving images made by generative AI and other technology.
More than half of the fake images were made by the victim's classmates or those who attended the same school.
The agency says there were 79 reports between January and September of deepfake pornography in which images of children under 18 were used.
That's an increase from the same period for the previous year.
High school students accounted for 25 of these cases, with 41 involving junior high school students. Another four targeted elementary school students.
Some children were coerced into paying money to keep the images private.
Female celebrities have also been victims of deepfake pornography .
The police agency is urging caution on its website. warning that the creation of fake images could be considered a crime or a serious human rights violation.
BUSINESS
Now for the latest in business stories, here's Gene Otani.
00:02:54 話者 2
James, thanks in our top business story this hour.
BOJ POLICYMAKERS DISCUSS HIKING RATES
The Bank of Japan kicks off its two-day policy meeting on Thursday.
Policymakers are considering raising interest rates to a level not seen in 30 years.
The benchmark rate has been kept at around 0.5% for six straight sessions, amid uncertainty over the impact of US tariff policy on Japan's economy.
Analysts expect the central bank to raise the policy rate to around 0.75%.
This would mark the highest level since September 1995.
The bank now says the tariff effects were not as far-reaching as expected.
It intends to base its policy decision on wage trends ahead of next spring's annual labor negotiations.
Policymakers are now more optimistic about wage hikes.
This view is based on labor unions' demands for the spring talks and a BOJ survey showing that many business leaders are backing pay increases.
The quarterly Tankan survey released earlier this week also showed steady business sentiment.
In financial markets, long-term interest rates have risen to nearly 2% amid speculation that the policy rate may continue to be hiked in phases.
The focus will also be on BOJ Governor Ueda Kazuo's outlook for future policy, to be revealed at a news conference following the two-day meeting.
JAPAN'S EXPORTS TO US RISE FOR FIRST TIME IN 8 MONTHS
Japan's exports to the United States rose for the first time in eight months in November.
This follows the Trump administration cutting import tariffs in mid-September.
Finance ministry figures show exports to the US rose nearly 9% from a year earlier to roughly 1.8 trillion yen or $11.6 billion.
Automobiles are the biggest export items to the US, though shipments climbed 1.5% in value terms for the first increase in eight months.
Shipments of pharmaceutical products doubled, but exports of semiconductor manufacturing equipment fell 28.5%.
Japan's total global exports in November rose about 6% year-on-year to more than 9.7 trillion yen, or $62 billion.
That was up for the third straight month. The country logged a trade surplus of about 322 billion yen, or $2 billion, the first in five months.
HONDA TO PAUSE OUTPUT AT JAPAN, CHINA PLANTS ON CHIP SHORTAGE
Honda Motor says it will halt operations at plants in Japan and China between late December and early January due to a semiconductor shortage.
The suspension will affect three factories in China for five days from December 29th.
They are operated by a joint venture with a Chinese automaker.
Honda will stop production at some plants in Japan on January 5 and the 6.
It will also reduce planned output at the factories for the three following days.
The shortage of chips also forced the company to pause operations in Mexico in October and November.
Semiconductor supplies have been interrupted by a dispute over control of a China-funded chipmaker based in the Netherlands.
Honda also reduced output in the United States and Canada.
The Japanese automaker expects the production disruptions will slash operating profit this fiscal year by 150 billion yen, or about $960 million.
It says that figure may increase.
JAPAN HOPES TO HARNESS POWER OF WAVES
Countries around the world are working to increase their reliance on renewable energy sources.
Japan aims to do so by developing a new method.
The goal is to harness the power of the ocean's waves.
00:06:49 話者 3
A new power generation system was put into practical use in October on this remote island in western Japan.
This device transforms kinetic energy from waves into usable electricity.
Even small waves near the shore are enough to generate power.
Wave power is less affected by time of day or weather than solar or wind systems, making it more consistent.
The movement of water pushes the floating frame up and down.
This makes gears turn and run the generator that creates electricity.
The batteries are kept here.
The developer says the system creates enough power every day for two households.
There are plans to use the electricity for freezers and other seafood processing facilities.
00:07:44 話者 1
On our island, there are a lot of places where electricity is essential, such as medical clinics. We hope to use the power at such locations.
00:07:53 話者 3
The firm that developed the system plans to start mass production and hopes to install 350 of them around Okinawa Prefecture and other areas by the end of fiscal 2027.
00:08:07 話者 4
Japan has the world's sixth longest coastline.
We have a very favorable environment to utilize wave power generation.
00:08:22 話者 3
Another company is working on something on a much larger scale.
00:08:28 話者 4
This will generate electricity in one day to power a hundred households.
00:08:33 話者 3
This is a model of a device that could eventually be tens of meters tall.
It would float offshore where waves are bigger.
00:08:42 話者 4
This generates power when it tilts and works regardless of where the waves come from.
00:08:48 話者 3
As the device tilts, a pendulum inside swings.
That movement is converted into electricity.
The developers are considering charging batteries at sea that would then be carried ashore by ship.
They're planning field tests as the next step of putting the system into practical use.
00:09:06 話者 4
We want to generate power using what Japan already has but is currently unused.
00:09:13 話者 3
We've discovered the potential of offshore wave power.
00:09:16 話者 4
The key is if we engineers and venture firms can realize that potential.
00:09:23 話者 3
There are challenges in this new field, such as transferring electricity from sea to land in an affordable way and securing locations on shore to set up devices.
Still, wave power has great potential to help Japan meet its renewable energy goals.
MARKETS
00:09:41 話者 2
All right, let's have a look at the markets.
♪
And that's a look at business news. James, I'm going to hand it back to you.
00:10:16 話者 1
Gene Otani from our business desk.
TRUMP TOUTS ECONOMIC RECORD IN NATIONAL ADDRESS
US President Donald Trump has highlighted what he calls his administration's achievements since returning to office in a televised address from the White House.
We have brought more positive change to Washington than any administration in American history.
Speaking to The Nation Wednesday night, Trump said his government had delivered sweeping change in less than a year.
Next month marks one year since he began his second term.
After 11 months, our border is secure, inflation has stopped, wages are up, prices are down, our nation is strong, America is respected, and our country is back stronger than ever before.
Trump also promised that Americans would begin to see the effects of what he described as the largest tax cuts in US history next year.
The president announced a payout of $1,776 for each of the roughly 1.45 million members of the US military, calling it a warrior dividend to honor the country's founding in 1776.
But dissatisfaction over the rising cost of living remains widespread.
This suggests Trump's focus on prices shows a growing concern for votes ahead of next year's midterm elections.
INTERNATIONAL CLAIMS COMMISSION FOR UKRAINE APPROVED
The European Union and 34 countries have approved a plan to create a body to handle compensation claims for damages in Ukraine caused by Russia's invasion.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke before the convention's signing.
00:12:00 話者 4
Every Russian war crime must have consequences for those who committed them.
00:12:09 話者 1
The leaders agreed to establish the International Claims Commission for Ukraine.
It will be based in The Hague and fall under the Council of Europe, the continent's leading human rights body.
The Commission will review, assess, and make decisions on claims for damages, losses, or injuries in connection with Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
It will also determine the amount of compensation awarded.
More than 80,000 claims have already been filed with a different body established by the Council in 2023.
FINNISH PM APOLOGIZES TO ASIAN COUNTRIES OVER RACIST GESTURE
Finland's prime minister has apologized to countries in Asia over a growing racism scandal involving members of parliaments.
The Finnish embassies in Japan, China and South Korea released a statement by Petteri Orpo on Wednesday in which he pledged to tackle racism.
The controversy arose earlier this month when the Miss Finland title holder was pictured pulling her eyelids back with a caption that read, Eating with a Chinese person.
After she was stripped of her crown last week, several members of the right-wing Finns party, a partner in the governing coalition, posted images of themselves making slanted eye faces in an apparent show of solidarity with the former Miss Finland.
Orupo's statement says that he sincerely apologizes for the offensive posts by some members of Parliament.
It adds that the posts do not reflect Finland's values of equality and inclusion.
ODEPO went on to say that the government takes racism seriously and is committed to combating the issue.
BRIDGING JAPAN AND THE WORLD: DONALD KEENE'S LEGACY
A Tokyo museum is honoring one of Japanese literature's greatest champions.
Donald King was an American-born scholar who devoted his life to Japan's stories.
NHK World's Yako Kento explains how that love for the art led to a longing for peace.
00:14:19 話者 4
From ancient texts to modern novels, Donald King loved them all.
As a teacher and translator,
He spent decades sharing Japanese works with the world.
Over the years, he gained the confidence of the country's greatest authors.
Nobel Laureate Kawabata Yasunari and nominees Tanizaki Junichiro and Mishima Yukio are among those who called keen friend.
Some letters to him are on display, including one from Mishima.
one of only three he's believed to have written before taking his own life.
00:15:02 話者 2
Thanks to you, Mr. Keen, I was able to be confident in my work.
My association with you was filled with joy.
He truly was a bridge between Japan and the world.
00:15:15 話者 4
He saw the charm that even we Japanese people didn't see, that foreign perspective maybe gave him a deeper understanding.
Born and raised in New York, Keen's fascination with Japan began as a university student.
When he found The Tale of Genji in a bookstore, King, who hated violence, found solace in the elegant 11th-century tale of cultural life.
But even he couldn't escape the looming shadow of war.
The attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 kicked off the Pacific War.
Knowing he wanted to pursue Japanese, King volunteered for the Navy Japanese Language School.
He was then sent to some of the Pacific's fiercest battlegrounds, including Attu Island and Okinawa.
There, he interpreted for prisoners and analyzed Japanese documents.
After the war, King was free to pursue his passion for literature.
He spent much of his time in Japan, burying himself in books.
His adopted son, Kiin Seiki, lived with him during his final years.
Every morning, we ate croissants together.
We thawed them, baked them, and ate them with papaya.
Kiin loved cooking and spent many evenings at the stove.
In those quiet moments, Seiki said his father would often reflect on his time at war.
He frequently said, War is foolish, something humanity can no longer tolerate.
He would say, We had to put an end to it.
I think he felt strongly after experiencing it himself.
Donald King died in 2019 at the age of 96.
In June, Seiki traveled to Hawaii, where King worked for part of the war, roughly halfway between Tokyo and New York.
It's where the conflict between Japan and the US both started and ended.
The weather is clear and blue, making it a perfect day for scattering ashes.
It was a fitting place to say goodbye.
Seiki said he hopes people remember his father as a man who always followed his passion.
His story shows that even in the darkest times, culture and literature can forge a path forward, thanks to the enduring resolve of one man who always sought peace.
Yako Kento, NHK World, Tokyo.
SOUTH KOREA FACES BRAIN DRAIN THREAT
00:18:58 話者 1
South Korea is dealing with a major exodus of its top minds in science and engineering.
It estimates that between 2013 and 2022, almost 100,000 of them left to work abroad.
More and more are considering doing the same.
In this next report, we dig into the issues and how the government hopes to turn the tide.
00:19:22 話者 5
PhD student Chan Hyun-soo researches stem cells at one of the country's top science and engineering universities.
He specializes in brain organoids developed from the cells.
00:19:36 話者 1
This can be used as a model to conduct various drug experiments and study how genes affect nerve cells.
00:19:45 話者 5
Chan says he dreams of inventing new technologies that could help treat diseases.
But he questions whether South Korea is the best place to pursue that.
He says he does not have much freedom to choose what he wants to research.
00:20:02 話者 4
Since government support is limited to certain fields, I wonder whether there are enough opportunities to try new things or make mistakes.
00:20:12 話者 5
A lack of job opportunities and career pathways after graduation are another major reason why young researchers are looking overseas.
Between 2016 and 2020, The country reportedly produced about 31,000 PhDs in science and engineering, but job openings for them numbered about half that.
And nearly 70 percent of scientists are unsatisfied with their salary.
Veteran physicist Lee Yeom-baek used to head the Korean Physical Society.
He says he's concerned that if the situation stays the same,
young researchers will not be able to continue their work in a stable manner.
00:21:04 話者 1
I think if our government authorities provided a little more continuity of support, younger people in these fields would be a little more enthusiastic about their research.
00:21:16 話者 5
Recently, South Korea approved a record-high R&D budget.
It aims to convince young, hopeful researchers to stay in the country and to allow them to tackle a bigger variety of topics.
We must create an environment that tolerates failure and allows for proper research and development.
00:21:39 話者 4
Only then can the nation prosper.
00:21:43 話者 5
The government also says it will provide long-term support for basic scientific research.
Chong Ching-ho heads a group representing science and technology scholars.
He stresses that brain drain is not a temporary problem, but a structural one.
00:22:04 話者 1
The issue cannot be solved overnight, but if science and technology develop in a sustainable manner, that will be the best way to prosper and move toward becoming a developed country.
I believe that ultimately an environment should be created where researchers are free to pursue their own work while also being supported to conduct research that the country needs.
00:22:28 話者 5
Chan knows that will take time, so he's left wrestling with the same question: wait for the future he wants at home, or try to find it somewhere else.
TRADITIONAL BAMBOO ALTAR IN HK SETS GUINNESS WORLD RECORD
00:22:42 話者 1
A massive bamboo altar built for a traditional festival in Hong Kong has set a Guinness World Record for being the largest of its kind.
The altar was set up in Kham Ting for a once-in-a-decade festival that began last week.
The structure uses around 30,000 bamboo poles.
It's more than 30 meters high and covers an area of about 3,900 square meters.
Construction took two months.
Traditional puppet plays, operas, and other performances are being staged inside the altar.
Bamboo has long been used in Hong Kong as a construction material due to its flexibility and strength.
Bamboo scaffolding was erected for renovation work at a high-rise residential complex that caught fire last month, claiming the lives of 160 people.
Experts point out that bamboo scaffolding itself is not flammable and was not responsible for the fire spreading.
But the Hong Kong government is considering switching to metal scaffolding.
WEATHER
Now for world weather, Western Europe is in for some stormy conditions while the eastern half of the continent remains calm.
Our meteorologist Yumi Hirano joins us with the details.
00:24:04 話者 6
An Atlantic storm is approaching the British Isles with wind gusts of over 150 kilometers per hour, while calm conditions are covering the Balkans.
But the combination of calm and dry weather is making air pollution worse.
Air quality in the capital of Bosnia has been deemed as hazardous by a Swiss air quality monitoring firm.
This comes after the city of about 350,000 people was covered in fog for many days.
To combat the issue, authorities have banned some vehicles from driving, as well as some construction work.
However, some experts say the problem is largely due to households burning wood and coal for heating during winter.
Unfortunately, the conditions are not expected to improve soon because a huge high pressure system is likely to cover central and eastern Europe, bringing calm and dry weather.
Meanwhile, in the British Isles and the Iberian Peninsula, isolated heavy rain and strong winds are expected.
A rain warning is in effect in southern UK on Thursday. Showers are likely in London and Lisbon, but sunny skies are expected in Athens with a high of 18.
Now, moving to Asia.
A high-pressure system is bringing calm weather to Japan and the Korean Peninsula, but a low-pressure system is expected to form near Taiwan by Friday, and the rain will expand to Japan over the weekend.
Showers are expected in Taipei and Hong Kong, but Tokyo will stay on the sunny side on Friday with a high of 11.
The temperature in Shanghai will be 20, which is almost 10 degrees higher than usual.
That's it for now. Have a nice day.
00:27:41 話者 1
For more news, feature stories, and information, visit our website and app.
I'm James Tangan. Bye for now.
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