Welcome back to NHK Newsline. I'm Kanako Sachno.
JAPAN'S OPPOSITION CRA CHOOSES OGAWA AS NEW LEADER
Members of Japan's main opposition party in the lower house, the Centrist Reform Alliance, have chosen Ogawa Junya as their new president.
This comes as the CRA's co-presidents decided to resign following significant losses in Sunday's election.
00:00:31 話者 Ogawa Junya
As the main opposition party in the lower house, our biggest goal is to lay out a clear vision for stability of people's lives and prospects for the future, delivering reassurance now and hope for tomorrow.
I'm confident through this process, public trust in our party and expectations for us will continue to grow. I take this on with determination.
00:00:58 話者 1
The party's lower house lawmakers voted on Friday afternoon.
Ogawa was elected after defeating the only other candidate.
The CRA was established in January, just before the election.
It was formed from lower house lawmakers who previously belonged to the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, or CDP, and Komeito.
They had aimed to be the largest force after the election, but instead ended up winning 49 seats, less than one-third of the 172 they held ahead of the vote.
Ogawa is in his eighth term.
He held key positions during his time in the CDP, including Secretary General.
On Sunday, Ogawa won his constituency against a former digital minister of the Liberal Democratic Party. Japan's special diet session is set to kick off next Wednesday.
NEW CRA LEADER AT THE HELM ... WITH PARTY IN TROUBLED WATERS
Earlier, I spoke with NHK World's political correspondent, Igarashi Jun, about what lies ahead for the opposition.
Jun, we know the CRA suffered really badly in the lower house election, but they also only formed recently. Why do they opt to elect a new leader so soon?
00:02:08 話者 3/Igarashi Jun
So the CRA failed to rally support.
One of the big factors may have been its lack of a fresh image.
Now, the LDP has been in power for a long time. But I think Takaichi, Japan's first female prime minister, has been able to create a really popular persona.
The CRA's initial leaders couldn't match it.
One of the former co-presidents, Noda Yoshihiko, had even served as prime minister from 2011 to 2012. He was in the now-defunct Democratic Party of Japan.
It's been a decade and a half since he was last in office.
He may have seemed more like a part of the old guard than Takaichi.
Speaking after this election, Noda said he and his co-president, Saito Titsuo, likely appeared outdated. He added that the CRA has many capable younger members as well.
And the CRA's new leader, Ogawa Junya, is 54 years old.
00:03:16 話者 1
Right. And what challenges lie ahead for him?
00:03:19 話者 3
Firstly, he has to rebuild the organization. What's interesting is that Ogawa is a former CDP member, and that's the group that did worse on Sunday.
Currently, 21 former CDP lawmakers hold seats, while the number held by former Komeito members is 28. He'll have to unite them all.
We should note that in the upper house, the CDP and Komeito still operate as a separate parliamentary groups.
So, we'll have to see if that separation continues and what impact it may have on the CRA long-term. As well, some within the party are questioning the CRA's name itself.
There's been a lot of discussion around how the CRA failed to promote itself to voters,
in the short time between its formation and election day.
Some want to start over with a fresh identity.
But of course, it has to do this under the LDP's two-thirds majority in the lower house.
The ruling bloc will control all of the committees there, meaning the CRA will have to fight hard to be heard.
N.KOREA'S KIM YO JONG RENEWS CALL ON DRONE FROM S.KOREA
00:04:45 話者 1
The sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has described as quite sensible behavior an acknowledgment by South Korea's unification minister that a drone flew into North Korea last month.
It's unusual for the North to make a favorable comment about actions by South Korea, which Pyongyang considers an enemy.
Kim Yo-jong released a statement on the issue through the state-run Korean Central News Agency on Friday.
She'd earlier called on the South Korean government to apologize and take preventive measures, condemning it for having encroached on North Korea's airspace.
On Tuesday, South Korean Unification Minister Chung Dong-yong announced that a drone had flown from the South Korean side and expressed regret over the incident.
South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported that Kim's statement is being seen as a positive development.
It comes as the South Korean government is seeking to resume dialogue with Pyongyang to ease military tensions.
But Kim also said South Korean authorities are required to take preventive measures to surely guarantee that such serious infringement of sovereignty never happens again.
She added, they should not seek to gloss over with such mere expression of regret the crisis they brought.
US TO HOST FIRST BOARD OF PEACE MEETING
US President Donald Trump is expected to unveil a multi-billion dollar reconstruction fund for Gaza next week.
That's when he chairs the first formal meeting of a new body overseeing the transitional governance of Gaza. Trump established the Board of Peace last month.
The White House says the first meeting will be held next Thursday in Washington.
A White House official told NHK that delegations from at least 20 countries, including many heads of state, are expected to attend.
Trump is expected to outline how participating nations would contribute to an international stabilisation force.
The force would be deployed to promote disarmament and maintain security in Gaza.
More than four months have passed since a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect. But Israeli forces have carried out intermittent attacks since then, claiming Hamas violated the agreement.
TRUMP: TALKS WITH IRAN WILL CONTINUE OVER NEXT MONTH
The US president says talks with Iran on Tehran's nuclear development will continue over the next month. But he warns it will be very traumatic for Iran if they don't make a deal.
00:07:10 話者 Donald Trump
We'll see if we can get a deal with them, and if we can't, we'll have to go to phase two.
Phase two will be very tough for them. I'm not looking for that.
00:07:19 話者 1
Talks between senior US and Iranian officials resumed on February 6.
They'd been suspended since last June after US forces struck nuclear facilities in Iran.
On Wednesday, Trump met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Israeli leader is believed to have asked the US to take a firm stance against Iran and its ballistic missile program.
On the same day, the Wall Street Journal reported the Pentagon had told a second aircraft carrier strike group to prepare to deploy to the Middle East.
It added the carrier would join the USS Abraham Lincoln, which is already in the region.
But the report quoted US officials as saying Trump had not yet given an official order to deploy. Trump is believed to be trying to ramp up military pressure on Iran, so it agrees on a deal with the US.
BUSINESS
Now let's see what's happening in the world of business.
Here's Gene Otani from the BizDesk.
00:08:21 話者 4/Gene Otani
Kanako, thanks at our top business story this hour.
PAYPAY SET TO LIST ON NASDAQ
Japan-based mobile payment app PayPay is preparing to list its shares on the US Nasdaq to reinforce its overseas operations.
The company is one of Japan's largest payment application providers.
PayPay filed documents with the US Securities and Exchange Commission on Thursday and says it expects to join the tech-heavy Nasdaq as early as March.
PayPay has grown to more than 72 million users as of the end of December since its 2018 launch.
The company also says it has signed a partnership with credit card provider Visa with the aim of starting cashless settlement services in the US.
JAPAN, US YET TO AGREE ON PROJECTS IN $550 BIL. INVESTMENT
Tokyo and Washington have yet to agree on the first US projects to be part of the multi-billion-dollar investment agreement between the two countries.
Japan's Economy Minister Akazawa Ryosei commented on the latest round of talks.
He met with US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick in Washington on Thursday.
00:09:35 話者 Akazawa Ryosei
We made progress through intensive discussions between myself and US Commerce Secretary Lutnick.
We had in-depth talks, but there are still some points to be worked out between the two sides.
00:09:48 話者 4
Akazawa says the discussions will continue in order to identify investment projects that are of benefit to both sides.
Last July, Tokyo and Washington agreed that Japan would invest 550 billion dollars in the US during negotiations over US tariffs.
A bilateral committee of government officials has been working out the details since then.
Akazawa indicated he hopes the initial projects will be identified before Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae is scheduled to meet US President Donald Trump next month.
NEW HOME PRICES EDGE LOWER IN 88% OF BIG CHINESE CITIES
New home prices fell in about 88 percent of major Chinese cities in January compared with a month earlier.
The figure suggests the government has further to go to turn around the property sector.
The National Bureau of Statistics said on Friday that the prices for new homes fell in 62 of 70 major cities. That's an increase of four compared with December.
Prices rose in only five cities and were flat in three.
Prices in Shanghai were unchanged. Guangzhou saw a drop of 0.6 percent. Shenzhen fell 0.4 percent. And Beijing registered a 0.3 percent decline.
Smaller cities saw a drop of 0.4 percent in home prices on average.
BIZ PICKS
Next, NHK World's John LaDue is here with BizPicks.
00:11:27 話者 2/John LaDue
Let's start with the business and economic stories we'll be tracking in the week ahead.
China's Lunar New Year holidays get underway starting Sunday.
The government estimates a record nine and a half billion trips will be taken during the 40-day Spring Festival holiday travel period.
REBOUND EXPECTED FOR JAPAN Q4 GDP
And on Monday, Japan's Cabinet Office will announce gross domestic product figures for the October to December quarter.
In the third quarter of last year, July to September, Japan's GDP fell by an annualized 2.3% from the previous period in real terms.
So, will the final quarter show any improvement?
That's the question we'll be exploring in this week's Biz Picks.
Private sector analysts expect GDP to show a rise in the fourth quarter, with forecasts ranging from 0.7% to 2.6%. That would be the first increase in two quarters.
Takeda Atsushi at Itochu Research Institute projects growth of 1.8%.
He says the negative impact of US tariff policies appears to have faded, supporting a pickup in exports and corporate investment.
00:12:43 話者 5/Takeda Atsushi
The main factors behind the return to positive growth are a rebound in exports and housing investment, both of which had fallen in the July to September period.
Exports have gained momentum after the United States cut tariffs on Japanese cars to nearly half their previous level in September.
This led to a sharp increase in auto shipments to the US.
As for capital investment, I imagine companies began pursuing plans now that uncertainty surrounding the Trump tariffs has eased somewhat.
00:13:17 話者 2
Takeda expects private consumption, which accounts for more than half of Japan's GDP, to inch up 0.1% from the previous quarter.
Despite a headwind from rising prices, services consumption is thought to have grown, supported by an increase in bonuses and higher stock prices.
Will the Japanese economy continue to expand?
The Economist says Japan is likely to stay in positive territory in the first three months of this year.
But exports are anticipated to slide again, becoming a drag on growth after a brief rebound.
00:13:57 話者 5
There are signs the US economy is losing. losing strength. That means a possible decrease or a slower pace of growth in Japan's exports to the country.
As for inbound tourism, a plunge in Chinese tourists is projected during the Lunar New Year holidays, which is usually the peak season for such visitors, following Beijing's call on its people to refrain from traveling to Japan.
00:14:26 話者 2
Takeda believes that private consumption and corporate capital spending will keep growing, potentially offsetting the drop in exports.
That wraps it up for this week's Biz Picks. I'm John Ladue.
00:14:39 話者 4
John, thanks.
MARKETS
All right. Let's have a look at the markets.
♪
That's it for business news.
THINKING OUTSIDE THE CHOX FOR VALENTINE'S DAY
00:15:30 話者 1
Valentine's Day is just hours away. Over the decades, it has become tradition in Japan for women to give chocolate to male partners, friends, and colleagues.
Then it's the men's turn the following month. But this year, many are opting for different takes on the sweets, or going after other treats entirely.
Our Moritani Hinako has more from a department store in Yokohama, south of Tokyo.
00:15:52 話者 6/Moritani Hinako
Many here are looking for last many gifts. There are a lot to choose from.
And not just chocolate bars. Let's take a look.
There are cookies, gummies, Japanese sweets, and many other treats.
In fact, this store has doubled the number of non-chocolate sweets compared to last year.
It's a countermeasure against rising prices.
00:16:17 話者 16
Cocoa beans are the raw material used to make chocolate.
Prices for them remain high. That's due to poor harvest in major producing regions like West Africa, as well as the weak yen.
00:16:31 話者 6
In Japan, chocolate prices jumped by more than 35% last year.
That's according to a Japanese government consumer price index.
So producers are getting creative.
This may look like chocolate, but it's actually a coffee tablet.
It's made with oil and ground coffee beans.
It was initially developed as edible coffee.
But thanks to its appearance and texture, it was introduced for the Valentine's sale season.
00:17:07 話者 12
It may be true that prices have gone up, but Valentine's Day is a major event.
We're trying to diversify our offerings and offer a wide range of baked goods, cookies, and other treats to meet the needs of a wide range of customers.
00:17:22 話者 6
Now, there's a twist in this story.
In recent years, more people are buying gifts for themselves.
00:17:32 話者 17
I bought some for my kids' friends, my relatives, my husband, my dad, and, of course, for myself. It cost around 30,000 yen.
00:17:44 話者 6
That's about $200 US. It may sound high, but the store conducted a survey last year.
And 30% of respondents said they plan to spend more than $65.
They also listed their top recipient as one sale.
We spoke with an expert familiar with consumer trends.
She says that amid rising prices, people are tending to avoid big purchases, such as cars and overseas tulips. But that does not extend to the smaller things in life.
00:18:24 話者 18
Everyone is looking for an excuse to indulge. In that sense, Valentine's Day is a great occasion. Everyone knows about it, and the atmosphere naturally encourages people to buy and give chocolate.
People start thinking, 'It's Valentine's, so maybe I'll buy some for myself, too.' I think it's a moment when the psychological barrier to buy chocolate is much lower.
00:18:48 話者 6
So it looks like as many people consider other gift options, they are seeing the value of a little self-love as well.
Moritani Hinako, NHK World.
UKRAINIAN DISQUALIFIED OVER HELMET HONORING DEAD
00:19:08 話者 1
A Ukrainian athlete has been banned from competing in a skeleton competition at the Milano-Kortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games for wearing a helmet that violates IOC rules.
Vladislav Heraskevych called the decision unfair.
He says he filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
00:19:27 話者 5
I was disqualified, but I still don't understand why.
00:19:32 話者 1
The helmet worn by Heraskevich bears the photos of athletes from his nation who lost their lives during the Russian invasion.
He argued there have been cases where various athletes were allowed to express their intentions in various ways at the Olympics.
The disqualification came just before the men's skeleton event began on Thursday.
The International Olympic Committee said the helmet was not compliant with its guidelines, adding it wasn't about the message, but where he wanted to express it.
The IOC said Heraskevich could wear a black armband during the competition instead.
The athlete's stance has been receiving support from Ukraine's president, as well as Ukrainians living in Italy.
JAPAN WINS TWO MORE BRONZE MEDALS
Staying at the Winter Games, Japan won two more bronze medals, this time in the moguls and snowboarding halfpipe.
Freestyle skier Horishima Ikumar took the bronze in the men's moguls for the second straight Olympics. In the final, he landed a cork 14-40, a trick involving four off-axis spins.
Horishima says he's happy to win a medal, but also a bit frustrated.
He adds his journey is not over yet, and that he'll work over the next four years to perform even better at the next games.
Snowboarder Ono Mitsuki picked up the bronze in the women's halfpipe. In her second Olympics, the 21-year-old delivered a triple rotation high into the air during the final.
So far, Japan has won 10 medals, two gold, two silver, and six bronze.
TAIWAN AI COMPANIES LOOKING TO JAPAN
As Taiwan focuses on fostering AI-related industries, it's looking to develop supply chains independent of China, and one country it's focusing on is Japan.
00:21:36 話者 7
At this meeting in Taipei in December, many Taiwanese AI companies showed interest in Japanese firms' technology.
00:21:45 話者 3
I want to find Japanese companies with high potential.
I'm interested in Japanese products. I'd definitely like to hear more about them.
00:21:54 話者 7
This company has been actively pursuing partnerships with Japanese firms since the beginning of last year.
It has developed a system that uses AI to analyze people's movements in pools and quickly detect if someone is drowning.
The company plans to collaborate with Japanese manufacturers to improve the accuracy of the system's camera analysis.
The firm says it received a partnership proposal from China, but refused over concerns about technology being transferred to the country.
00:22:31 話者 8
We worried that the technological advantages we've achieved could have been threatened.
After careful consideration, we decided to postpone expanding our business with China.
00:22:43 話者 7
The firm also sees risks in partnering with US companies due to strong uncertainty over the Trump administration's economic policy.
Amid this situation, it has begun focusing on Japanese companies.
00:23:01 話者 17
Japan is currently the most stable country, making it worth investing time and resources.
00:23:09 話者 7
Taiwanese companies are also looking at the Japanese market for AI expansion.
This consulting firm was established in Tokyo in September 2024.
With the backing of Taiwan authorities, it supports Taiwanese companies expanding into Japan.
The firm has received inquiries from Taiwanese AI companies and others seeking business partners in Japan.
In 2025, Taiwan invested around $320 million in a 10-year project that includes support for overseas expansion of AI companies and other initiatives.
00:24:04 話者 8
If Taiwan and Japan cooperate in the AI field, development will accelerate even further.
Japan is undoubtedly our most important partner.
00:24:15 話者 7
Collaboration between Japanese and Taiwanese companies is expected to lead to the development of new products and services.
Amid the rapid evolution of AI technology, such partnerships could help define how the two sides shape the next wave of innovation.
♪
WEATHER
00:24:41 話者 1
Now it's time for a look at the weather. Japan may experience spring-like warmth this weekend. Our meteorologist Yumi Hirano has the details.
00:24:50 話者 8/Yumi Hirano
Warm air is covering much of Japan over the weekend. It will be good weather for going out, but snowy regions should watch out for some disruptions.
After overhanging snow fell from the rooftop, parts of the ceiling at the shopping center in Otaru collapsed early this week.
Since early February, they're having more days above freezing, making the snow heavier.
The weight and impact of the snow caused about 6 meters by 2 meters of the roof to give way. No one was injured.
Not only falling snow, but also avalanche and flooding due to melting snow is going to be a major concern.
Sapporo will see 8 on Sunday, which is as warm as in April.
Niigata may have double digits over the weekend.
The high in Tokyo will be 14 on Saturday and 18 on Sunday, but colder weather is likely to return, with a high of only 10 on Tuesday.
In the bigger picture across Asia, warmer-than-usual conditions are also expected on Saturday, Seoul may see 12, and the high in Beijing will be 14, which is 10 degrees higher than average.
Now moving to Europe, a couple of low-pressure systems are causing wet weather.
One is moving from the Balkans to Turkey, with a risk of thundershowers and gusty winds.
Western France and parts of the Iberian Peninsula have already received heavy rain, but more showers are likely, so people there should watch out for additional flooding.
Showers are also expected in Paris, Lisbon and Madrid, but sunny skies are likely in Vienna and Athens.
That's it for now. Have a nice weekend.
♫～ 3-DAY FORECAST ～♫
00:27:41 話者 1
That wraps up this edition of NHK Newsline. I'm Kanako Sachno in Tokyo.
Thanks very much for joining us.
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