Welcome back to NHK Newsline. Here's the latest we have for you at this hour.
PM TAKAICHI HOLDS FIRST NEWS CONFERENCE OF NEW YEAR
Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae has kicked off the new year with a news conference. Speaking on the situation in Venezuela, she says Japan has consistently emphasized the importance of restoring its democracy.
Takaichi spoke Monday after visiting Isejingu Shrine in Mie Prefecture.
00:00:38 話者 2
Our government will continue its diplomatic efforts to prioritize the safety of Japanese nationals, to restore democracy and stabilize the situation in Venezuela, while working closely with G7 members and nations in the region.
00:00:54 話者 1
She also discussed Japan's relations with China. They soured last November after she made a remark about a possible Taiwan emergency. Takaichi said she has always sought a mutually beneficial relationship based on common interests. She said she wants to build a constructive and stable relationship. She said that's been consistent since she took office. She said Tokyo will maintain communication with Beijing.
Takaichi also talked about her plan to revise three of Japan's major national security documents. She said the security environment is changing rapidly. She says talks within the government are already underway and they will work towards more concrete and realistic discussions. She hopes to get those revisions done within the year. Reporters also asked Takaichi about dissolving the lower house. She has not yet faced a national election as prime minister.
She continues to have high approval ratings. In her comments, she did not mention a potential snap election.
00:02:00 話者 2
I told the ministers to implement the 2025 fiscal supplementary budget as soon as possible. It is important for the people to feel the effects of my Cabinet's economic policies and our measures against rising prices.
I am working hard to tackle these challenges.
00:02:23 話者 1
Regarding the ruling coalition, Takaichi said political stability is key to advancing her economic strategies, security policies and diplomatic goals. She said her ruling Liberal Democratic Party has built a foundation with its junior coalition partner, Japan Innovation Party.
Meanwhile, she will continue to call on opposition parties, including the Democratic Party for the People, to cooperate.
TRUMP: US 'IN CHARGE' OF VENEZUELA
US President Donald Trump says the United States is now in charge of Venezuela. His comments come after US Special Forces captured President Nicolas Maduro and flew him to New York.
00:03:03 話者 3
We need total access. We need access to the oil and to other things.
in their country, that allow us to rebuild their country.
00:03:13 話者 1
Trump also had a warning for Venezuelan Vice President Delsey Rodriguez, who has been sworn in as acting president. He said the US will carry out a second strike if the new leaders don't behave. Rodriguez said on social media that Venezuela invites the US government to strengthen coexistence, and she said her people deserve peace and dialogue, not war.
US forces captured Maduro and his wife on Saturday. They were taken to a detention center in New York, where they are expected to stand trial for charges including drug trafficking. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Sunday that no country can play the role of an international police or an international judge. He is not alone in criticizing the military operation.
00:04:01 話者 3
There's no authority in international law to use military force to enter the territory of another nation to capture a de facto head of state or any other individual because they're facing criminal charges in your country.
00:04:17 話者 1
This expert in US politics says that Washington's actions set a poor example during unstable times.
00:04:27 話者 3
At a time when the war in Ukraine is entering a critical stage, this move will make it difficult to criticize Russia. And if China invades Taiwan in the future, it will not be possible to thwart that by telling them not to change the status quo. The argument that a country may use force to change the status quo of the regime, that sends a very bad message to the international community.
TRUMP REITERATES 'NEED' TO TAKE OVER GREENLAND
But Trump suggested Venezuela may not be the only country subject to intervention. He says the US needs Greenland. And he claimed the self-governing Danish territory is surrounded by Russian and Chinese ships.
Denmark's Prime Minister Meta Frederiksen said in a statement on Sunday that it makes absolutely no sense to talk about the US taking over Greenland. She pointed out that the Kingdom of Denmark is part of NATO and covered by the alliance's security guarantee. Frederiksen urged Washington to stop threatening a close ally whose people clearly say they are not for sale.
S.KOREA'S LEE IN CHINA TO MEET XI
Chinese President Xi Jinping is meeting South Korean President Lee Jae-myung in China on Monday. Analysts say Xi may call on Seoul to align itself with Beijing on the issues of Taiwan and history amid deteriorating relations between Japan and China.
Lee embarked on his four-day state visit to China on Sunday. His spokesperson said late last month that the summit is expected to build on the momentum toward fully restoring a strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries. Lee was asked about Seoul's stance on Taiwan during an interview with state-run China Central Television ahead of the trip. He said there's no change in South Korea's position to respect the one China policy.
China has been lashing out at Japan over remarks made by Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae during a diet session about a possible Taiwan emergency. Beijing is also taking up issues of history in criticizing Tokyo. In a phone call with South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun on Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said certain political forces in Japan are attempting to reverse the course of history. He expressed the belief that South Korea will adopt the correct stance.
N.KOREA TESTS MISSILES AHEAD OF CHINA-S.KOREA SUMMIT
Ahead of the summit, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un reportedly oversaw a launch drill for hypersonic missiles. State-run Korean Central Television says the military launched them from Pyongyang on Sunday and hit targets 1,000 kilometers off the country's east coast.
Kim reportedly commended personnel for demonstrating their readiness without regret, and he noted that the drill was aimed at advancing North Korea's nuclear war deterrent. South Korea appeared to confirm the report. Its military says the North fired multiple ballistic missiles. Media outlets in the South say the launch may have been timed to underscore Pyongyang's presence before Xi and Lee meet. It is possible the two leaders will discuss North Korea's denuclearization.
BUSINESS
Now let's see what's happening in the world of business. Here's Ramin Mellegard from the Biz Desk.
00:07:44 話者 3
Thank you very much indeed.
TSE OPENS 1ST TRADING DAY OF 2026 WITH PRAYERS, PRICE GAINS
Now, the Tokyo Stock Exchange marked the first trading day of 2026 with a traditional ceremony and prayers for a prosperous year ahead. Now, share prices heard the call and the benchmark Nikkei 225 index briefly regained the 52,000 level for the first time in two months.
TSE officials, along with traders, brokers, and others, attended the ceremony on Monday.
00:08:08 話者 9
We expect the market to rise as Japan moves toward a stronger economy. This should be backed by robust performance at Japanese companies, a recovery in private consumption, a rise in corporate investment, and the government's stimulus measures.
00:08:35 話者 3
Finance Minister Katayama Satsuki says this year will determine whether Japan can avoid a return to deflation. She adds the government has put in place measures to spur growth, and she hopes to have the backing of the stock market. Participants clap their hands to wish for active trading in the year ahead.
The Nikkei Index gained more than 10,000 points, or 26% in 2025, and ended the year with a record close above 50,000. Investors hope the momentum will continue, supported by a more broad-based economic revival. The Tokyo benchmark ended the day up almost 3% at 51,832. Monday's gains were led by semiconductor-related shares on expectations chips for AI will drive growth. Shares of exporting firms also rose as the yen weakened.
TUNA FETCHES RECORD $3.2 MIL. AT NEW YEAR AUCTION IN TOKYO
A bluefin tuna has fetched a record price of over $3 million in the first auction of the new year at Tokyo's Toyosu Wholesale Seafood Market. Raw and frozen tuna from waters around Japan and elsewhere in the world went under the hammer.
on Monday morning. Now, the highest price was set by a bluefin landed at the port of Oma and Aomori Prefecture in northeastern Japan. A sushi chain based in Tsukiji, Tokyo, bid 510 million yen, or about 3.2 million dollars.
00:10:15 話者 10
This is a lucky charm, so I hope people all over Japan can enjoy a bite of it and feel revitalized.
00:10:25 話者 3
The price is the highest since at least 1999, when comparable records became available. It far exceeds the previous high of 333 million yen, set in 2019.
TEPCO HEAD RENEWS VOW TO DECOMMISSION FUKUSHIMA NUCLEAR PLANT
The head of the operator of Japan's devastated Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant has vowed to complete decommissioning work. Three reactors at the plant suffered meltdown after the massive earthquake and tsunami almost 15 years ago.
Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings president, Kobayakawa Tomayaki, used his New Year address to urge plant workers to make progress with the task.
00:11:13 話者 11
Decommissioning the plant safely and steadily is a key prerequisite for Fukushima's recovery. We must achieve this goal no matter how difficult it is. Our mission is to fulfill our responsibility to the prefecture.
00:11:22 話者 3
Meanwhile, TEPCO is planning to bring a reactor back online at its Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Plant in Niigata Prefecture latest month. The company is aiming to improve its finances with its first reactor restart since the 2011 disaster.
JAPANESE TELECOM FIRMS PLANNING DEEPFAKE DETECTION APPS
Japanese telecom firms are developing technology to help people detect AI-generated voices used in telephone scams. NTT East has teamed up with a Tokyo-based startup to produce an app that analyzes voice frequency and background noise. It'll issue an alert for audio likely to have been generated by artificial intelligence. NTT East plans to roll out the app this year for corporate clients in the telecom and financial sectors.
00:12:16 話者 4
Generative AI is evolving at breakneck speed, making it hard to keep up. But we hope to ensure everyone can use telephone services safely and with peace of mind.
00:12:27 話者 3
NTT rival KDDI is aiming to provide a similar service. Last month, it acquired a stake in an American startup specializing in deepfake audio detection.
JAPAN'S INFLATION-HIT HOUSEHOLDS MAY SEE SOME RELIEF IN 2026
And the Japanese economy was a mixed picture in 2025. Exports saw profits climb on the back of a weaker yen, and stock investors benefited from soaring share prices. Now, at the same time, household spending was weak as wage gains for many failed to keep up with inflation. We asked an economist about his expectations for this year.
00:13:04 話者 1
With inflation at around 3% or more, efforts to combat rising prices were a top priority for Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae when she took office last year. Kanda Keiji, a senior economist at Daiwa Institute of Research, forecasts a significant slowing in price rises this year.
00:13:28 話者 5
I expect inflation to drop to around 1.6% in 2026,
The biggest reason is food prices will see significantly slower gains compared to last year. Prices are expected to continue to rise, but at a more moderate pace. Also, rice was a big factor in pushing up food prices last year, but rice production has already exceeded demand, so there will likely be downward pressure on prices in 2026, given the supply demand balance. The government is also taking steps to suppress energy prices,
So, we should see these policies having an impact on inflation.
00:14:05 話者 1
At the same time, Kanda sees a positive trend continuing on the wage front. He predicts spring wage negotiations will yield an average pay increase of more than 5 percent, as was the case in 2025.
00:14:25 話者 5
Companies in both the manufacturing and non-manufacturing sectors are turning out solid profits despite the headwind of Trump's tariffs. So I think companies have a certain level of funds to respond to calls for wage increases. In addition, the shortage of workers will continue. The lower inflation rate means the rise in the cost of living will slow down, so real wages are more likely to rise.
I think such an environment will encourage consumers to spend again.
00:14:59 話者 1
Another key policy of the Takaichi administration is implementing strategic fiscal spending to drive the economy. Kanda says while this could enhance the global competitiveness of some Japanese firms, he is skeptical about it contributing to Japan's economic expansion in a positive way.
00:15:22 話者 5
Proactive spending to support some industries may create inflation, and that inflation could make the nominal growth rate rise. But if the country's real growth rate does not rise, people would end up shouldering the burden in the form of an inflation tax. What's more, long-term interest rates would rise more than necessary. This would suppress the economy.
00:15:48 話者 1
With this in mind, Kanda expects Japan's economy to continue to recover moderately in 2026, and real GDP growth rate to be around 0.8%, but he also warns about some possible headwinds.
00:16:05 話者 5
In 2026, we need to be on the alert for the downside risks of reduced demand for exports, including from the US and China.
Also, a sharp depreciation of the yen could accelerate price hikes, and that might push down household spending.
00:16:24 話者 1
With expectations that price increases will slow, the question is whether a rise in consumer confidence will follow to support stable growth this year.
00:16:36 話者 3
Okay, that's it for Business News. I'm going to hand it back to you.
00:16:38 話者 1
Thank you, Ramin.
NEW YEAR, FAMILIAR CHALLENGES: 2026 OUTLOOK FOR ASIA-PACIFIC
We are just a few days into the new year and the global situation only seems to be growing more volatile. For a look at what's in store for Asia in 2026, earlier I spoke with NHK's General Bureau Chief for Asia, Mitamuna Taro, who's in Bangkok. So Taro, before we get into what's next, were there any surprises that stood out to you in this region over 2025?
00:17:09 話者 4
Well, I think we saw the resilience of the Asia-Pacific economies in response to Donald Trump's trade policies. There was much concern over the effect of a so-called Trump's tariff shock and whether countries could strike favorable deals. According to organizations like the IMF, the region has indeed withered a storm of trade instability.
Overall, many Asian nations were able to use policy measures and technology investment to avoid the crisis. Here's how an expert described it to me.
00:17:46 話者 2
Everybody expected that as a result of this major rise in tariffs, as a result of disruption to global trade, that the global economy would suffer and the Asian economies would suffer.
But what's amazing is how much Asia's growth has continued in a very turbulent year.
00:18:14 話者 1
Well, looking ahead to what could be another turbulent year, what key changes should we be watching for?
00:18:23 話者 4
Yes, we have elections happening in South and Southeast Asian countries that have been gripped by conflicts or protests.
Firstly, voting began late last month in Myanmar and is set to conclude later this month. This is the first election since the military took over in a coup in 2021, and the country is still fighting a civil war. The junta says it's returning Myanmar to civilian rule, yet a military-backed party is expected to win. Pro-democracy groups have been barred from running. They've called the election a sham.
Meanwhile, people in Thailand will be casting votes next month. This is coming on the heels of recent border clashes with Cambodia. There are also elections on the horizon in Nepal and Bangladesh. These are happening after both countries experience intense, useless protests against the governments. People are fed up with corruption, inequality, and social injustice. I traveled to Nepal last year in the wake of the so-called Gen Z protests.
The young Nepalese people I spoke with say they are still very politically active. Some were injured in last year's clashes. One of them told me if the next government fails to tackle corruption, he's ready to take to the streets again. Another expert I spoke with say we could see more this kind of thing happening elsewhere if young people feel they are being ignored.
00:20:05 話者 3
These Gen.Z protests that have only just begun, and 2026 is more than likely to see more of these, because these are not protests where people are angry with a certain crime that's taken place, or people are angry at simply prices of certain items at the grocery store going up.
These are protests by youth that feel the political, social, and economic design of their nations is no longer working for them.
00:20:46 話者 4
They are also concerned about growing unrest between nations.
We saw several conflicts last year, the Thai-Cambodia border clashes I mentioned, as well as four days of fighting between India and Pakistan.
With the situation in Gaza and Ukraine, and with what just happened in Venezuela, the threshold for violence could be lowering in Asia, too.
00:21:11 話者 1
Right. Well, let's talk about China and its intensifying rivalry with the United States.
How will Asian countries balance relations with these two powers this year?
00:21:24 話者 4
Very carefully. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, especially wants to keep both Washington and Beijing very close.
ASEAN rolled out the red carpet for Trump when he visited in October.
That gave the American first president a chance to assert his presence and desire for friendship in Asia.
00:21:45 話者 12
The United States is with you 100%, and we intend to be a strong partner and friend for many generations to come.
00:21:58 話者 4
But behind the scenes, many ASEAN leaders are likely hesitant to trust Trump after his tariff onslaught.
Then we have China, which is the bloc's biggest trading partner.
Strong ties with Xi Jinping offer economic benefits.
But some leaders are also worried about China's assertiveness and growing presence in the South China Sea.
This year's ASEAN summit will be in the Philippines.
We will likely see member states maneuvering to get the most out of the US and China, without letting either gain the advantage.
00:22:34 話者 1
Right. Well, turning to Japan-China relations, we saw a downturn after Takaichi made comments about Taiwan and the diet, and things haven't improved.
Now, how were some Asian countries reacting to this?
00:22:49 話者 4
For the most part, many seem to want to avoid getting involved.
But they are watching with concern. Many realize tension between two big economies like Japan and China will impact the entire region.
If things worsen, we may see some effort from third parties to call for Tokyo and Beijing to sort things out. Here's how one expert put it.
00:23:14 話者 2
I think the rest of Asia would also be happier if China and Japan could find ways and means of stabilizing their relationship, just as US and China have stabilized their relationship. And I believe it is in the interest of both countries to do so.
00:23:40 話者 4
But that does not mean stability will come easy.
We have to see where the year takes us, closer together or farther apart.
♪
WEATHER
00:24:52 話者 1
And it's time for a check on the weather with our meteorologist, Sayaka Mori.
So, we've been seeing snow piling up in quite a few places across Japan.
Sayaka, how are things looking for the next few days?
00:25:05 話者 2
Many people returned to work today in Japan, but it was a tough start for people in the northeast. We're talking about heavy snow and strong winds.
In parts of the north, we've got an additional 30 centimeters of snow.
Sukai, which is the snowiest spot of the nation, has about 2.7 meters of snow on the ground. That's 30% higher than usual.
And several places have over one meter of snow already.
Now, cold, dry air is changed to snow clouds thanks to the Sea of Japan side, Sea of Japan's moisture.
And we are looking at heavy snow from Hokkaido down to the Hokurik region.
It looks like an additional 70 centimeters of snow is still on the menu for Yamagata Prefecture and around area.
So watch out for avalanches and snow falling from the roofs.
Visibility could be very low as well.
The Sea of Japan is snowy, but the opposite side of the nation, including Tokyo, will remain dry.
That's the typical wintry weather for Tokyo, and it'll stay sunny into the next three days at least. Same goes for Osaka.
Niigata will see heavy snow persisting into Tuesday, and then you'll see a return of heavy snow starting on Wednesday night, and that will continue into Thursday.
Sapporo will see minus three for the high. That means it'll remain below freezing all day.
So, to bundle up.
Elsewhere in Asia, looking pretty chilly up to the north, minus 14 in Ulaanbaatar, the morning low could be below minus 20 degrees, so quite biting cold out there.
6 degrees in Beijing and winter is in full force and there's a beautiful snow and ice festival taking place in Harbin.
It's a real winter wonderland at the 27th annual Ice and Snow World in Harbin.
This year's theme is A Fairy Tale World.
The head of the program said that many of Harbin's classic urban structure were recreated using ice and snow, with the event using a record 400,000 cubic meters.
That's the largest amount ever used.
That's it for me. Have a nice day.
♫～ 3-DAY FORECAST ～♫
00:27:41 話者 1
That's all for this hour on NHK Newsline. We'll have more news for you soon.
Thanks for joining us.
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