It's a Friday evening here in Japan.
I'm James Tengan in Tokyo. Welcome to NHK Newsline.
TOKYO POLICE SERGEANT DISMISSED FOR ALLEGED MISCONDUCT
Details are emerging about a Tokyo police sergeant who was arrested last year and is suspected of sex crimes.
He's now been dismissed for a slew of misconduct allegations and a warning.
Some viewers may find the information disturbing.
The 52-year-old sergeant worked at a police station in north Tokyo.
Last September, he was caught attempting to secretly film up the skirt of a high school girl at a station in neighboring Saitama Prefecture.
Police say during the investigation, they searched the man's hard drives and discovered illicit images.
They included secret recordings of people allegedly filmed by the suspect and explicit images of children apparently downloaded from the internet.
As well, police say the suspect possessed almost 500 photographs depicting the remains of nearly 20 dead women.
The photos had been collected during forensic investigations.
The sergeant previously served in a forensics unit.
Police have sent files on the case to prosecutors.
The former sergeant is suspected of theft, secretly filming people, and child pornography-related offenses, among other violations.
MEDIATOR: US, IRAN TALKS END WITH 'SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS'
The third round of high-level talks between the United States and Iran have wrapped up, with the mediator from Oman reporting significant progress.
The US government has yet to issue an official response.
The latest round of negotiations happened Thursday in Geneva.
Omani Foreign Minister Badu al-Busaidi said technical teams will be part of the next meeting slated for next week in Austria.
Despite the apparent progress, the Wall Street Journal says the two sides remain far apart on key issues.
The newspaper said US negotiators called on Iran to destroy its three main nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.
They also reportedly urged Iran to deliver all of its remaining enriched uranium to the US.
The paper said Iran rejected the idea of transferring its stockpiles abroad.
Multiple US media outlets have reported that US President Donald Trump was briefed Thursday on possible military options concerning Iran.
But Vice President J.D. Vance told the Washington Post there was no chance the US would enter a years-long war in the Middle East with no end in sight.
He insisted the administration prefers a diplomatic resolution, but added that depends on what the Iranians do and say.
BUSINESS
Now for the latest on the business and financial fronts with Gene Otani.
00:03:02 話者 2/Gene Otani
James, thanks. In our top business story this hour,
US OFFICIAL SAYS TARIFFS TO RISE TO 15% 'IN COMING DAYS'
the US trade representative says Washington is set to raise import tariffs to 15% from 10%, a move that could affect Japan and many other countries.
The levies replaced some of the previous tariffs imposed by the Trump administration, which were struck down by the Supreme Court last week.
The official Jameson Greer told Bloomberg TV on Wednesday that Trump will raise the rate for some countries in coming days.
The Supreme Court ruling covered tariffs imposed under an Emergency Powers Act.
The latest levies fall under Section 122 of the Trade Act, a separate law.
They will be in effect for 150 days.
Tokyo officials are concerned the move could impose a tariff on some imports from Japan that is higher than what was agreed in, a bilateral trade deal.
The officials are in talks with Washington to ensure that the trade deal remains in effect.
ANTHROPIC REJECTS PENTAGON'S DEMAND TO USE AI FOR MILITARY
US-based AI developer Anthropic has indicated it will not allow the Defense Department to use its technology without restrictions.
The Pentagon has been entering into contracts with generative AI developers in an effort to gain an edge on rival countries in the military use of AI.
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodi said in a statement on Thursday the company cannot accept the department's demands in good conscience.
The statement said using generative AI for mass domestic surveillance and fully autonomous weapons could undermine democratic values.
Defense Department spokesperson Sean Parnell posted a message on social media saying the Pentagon wants to use Anthropic's model for all lawful purposes.
He added that the department will not let any company dictate terms regarding how it makes operational decisions.
Media reports say the Trump administration has warned Anthropic that all government contracts will be cancelled if it does not accept the Pentagon's demand.
RAPIDUS PULLS IN INVESTMENTS TOTALING $1.7 BIL.
Japanese chipmaker Rapidas has raised over 260 billion yen or 1.7 billion dollars in investments from the government and private sector.
That's according to figures from the industry ministry.
It says as of Thursday, the state had invested around $640 million, while a total of about 30 private sector firms have put in about a billion dollars.
The largest single investor is the government, and it becomes the largest shareholder, but it will limit its voting rights to just 11.5%.
The ministry says that is to limit official interference and ensure an environment where quick management decisions are possible.
00:06:20 話者 3
Expectations in the private sector are rising.
This project is key to the kind of growth investment the government is promoting.
Its success is essential to the national interest.
00:06:34 話者 2
The government reportedly also holds a so-called golden share, giving it veto power over important decisions, that is, to prevent Rapidus technologies from being leaked outside Japan.
Total planned public support and investment is expected to come to about $18 billion.
The focus now is on whether Rapidus can use these sums to develop winning technologies and build a solid customer base.
BIZ PICKS
Next up is NHK World's John LaDue with BizPicks.
00:07:08 話者 4/John LaDue
Let's look at the business and economic stories we'll be tracking in the week ahead.
On Thursday, China's biggest political event, the National People's Congress, will kick off in Beijing. The focus will be on GDP growth targets and military spending.
JAPAN LABOR SHORTAGE PERSISTS DESPITE RISING WORKER NUMBERS
And in Japan, the results of a monthly survey on employment trends will be released on Tuesday.
This comes as the average working population in the country, including those looking for jobs, topped 70 million for the first time in 2025.
The figure has been on the rise, even though the total population has been shrinking.
Still, many firms feel it is difficult to find workers, and index tracking their sentiment indicates a labor shortage persists.
We'll look at what's behind this and discuss the outlook.
Hoshino Takuya, chief economist at Daiichi Life Research Institute, points to two main factors.
00:08:18 話者 13/Hoshino Takuya
Firstly, elderly people are a driving force behind the rise of the labor force population, but their working hours are generally not so long.
The number of workers is certainly growing, but the total labor activity isn't increasing so much.
Another point is businesses in the nursing care, tourism, restaurant, and construction sectors, where the labor shortage is particularly severe, mostly want younger workers.
But a greater proportion of people looking for work are elderly.
This is causing a mismatch between supply and demand.
00:08:49 話者 4
Hoshino estimates that the labor force population will remain on the rise for a while, but he expects the number to start falling in the 2030s due to the further declining birth rate and aging population.
He forecasts that the number will be around 63 million in 2050, down by about 7 million from last year.
Furthermore, people aged 60 or older are expected to account for more than 30% of the labor force.
He says that if productivity does not improve, Japan will face a shortage of about 10 million workers.
Hoshino thinks efforts by both the public and private sectors will be important to make the economy and society sustainable.
00:09:42 話者 3
To receive social benefits such as tax deductions, there are annual income thresholds.
Pension payments will fall if an elderly worker earns a certain amount.
This actually discourages seniors, as well as part-time employees, from working.
This system should be changed to encourage them to work more.
00:10:05 話者 4
Hoshino also says companies should adopt new technologies, as well as prepare to support a more diverse workforce.
00:10:16 話者 3
There are efforts to create an economy that can be maintained by fewer people with, for example, the help of artificial intelligence.
That includes an area called physical AI involving robots.
I think it is important to advance this framework.
00:10:35 話者 4
Hoshino thinks Japan's position as one of the world's fastest aging societies can make it a potential leader in tackling the labor shortage issue.
He says that, in turn, could lead to new business opportunities at home and abroad.
I'm John LaDue, and that wraps up Bizpicks.
00:10:54 話者 2
John, thanks.
NIKKEI 225 CLOSES AT RECORD HIGH FOR 3RD STRAIGHT DAY
The benchmark index of the Tokyo Stock Exchange set an all-time closing high on Friday for the third consecutive session.
Buying was driven by expectations for fresh investments under stable government leadership.
The Nikkei 225 gained 0.16% to close the week at 58,850.
It fell sharply at the open as many investors sold off semiconductor-related shares, but the index later rebounded as buying kicked in for a wide range of stocks, helping the benchmark end impossible territory.
And that's it for business news.
00:11:41 話者 1
Gene Otani from Our Business Desk.
CLINTONS BEGIN TESTIMONY
In other news, former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has begun giving testimony about her ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
Her husband, former President Bill Clinton, is scheduled to appear later in the week.
It's part of a government inquiry into their connection to the late financier who was accused of sexual abuse.
Members of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform held the closed-door hearing. It took place in the Clintons' home state of New York.
The committee is led by the Republican Party.
Hillary Clinton released a statement before the hearing saying she doesn't recall ever meeting Epstein.
She says Republicans are compelling her to testify to distract attention from President Trump.
Bill Clinton is set to give his own testimony on Friday.
He has previously acknowledged having ties with Epstein.
James Comer is the Republican lawmaker who chairs the committee.
He said ahead of the hearing that many questions remain.
00:12:46 話者 23
The purpose of the whole investigation is to try to understand many things about Epstein.
How did he accumulate so much wealth?
How was he able to surround himself with some of the most powerful men in the world?
00:13:01 話者 1
A US media outlet is reporting that the Justice Department has withheld some material on Epstein. It says the files are related to allegations that Trump sexually abused a minor.
Democratic lawmakers are demanding that the president, too, testify before the committee.
HK COURT JAILS FATHER OF US-BASED PRO-DEMOCRACY ACTIVIST
A Hong Kong court has sentenced the father of a US-based pro-democracy activist to eight months in prison.
Joaquin Sun was convicted of attempting to withdraw funds from his daughter's insurance policy.
The court said his action violated the territory's safeguarding national security ordinance.
The daughter, Anna Kwok, is wanted by Hong Kong authorities, who describe her as an absconder.
They accuse her of seeking foreign sanctions against the territory in breach of Hong Kong's national security law.
The court handed down the sentence on Thursday and described the offense as serious.
The defendant is a resident of Hong Kong, his lawyer argued there was no evidence that his client intended to send the money to his daughter.
She condemned the sentencing in a social media post, describing it as guilt by blood and transnational repression.
Anna Kwok, who's from Hong Kong, helps lead a Washington-based pro-democracy group.
Hong Kong media reported that her father is the first family member of an overseas-based pro-democracy advocate to be convicted of violating the National Security Ordinance.
Hong Kong authorities have issued large bounties for information leading to the arrest of pro-democracy activists who have fled abroad.
THE LASTING LEGACY OF ORDER 9066
A moment to remember a dark chapter in US history.
This February marks 84 years since the signing of the presidential order that led to the forced incarceration of Japanese-Americans during World War II.
One survivor is sharing more than just his story.
NHK World's Komiya Lisa shows us how he's trying to ensure what happened stays etched into our memory.
00:15:14 話者 5/Komiya Lisa
Mitsuo Yamamoto is reading out the names of some of the people who endured hardship during the war. He is 100 years old and a second-generation Japanese-American.
He was born in California. Here he is when he was just four.
A decade later, the now-defunct Imperial Japanese Military attacked Pearl Harbor.
Yamamoto says his life changed dramatically after that.
00:15:44 話者 6/Mitsuo Yamamoto
When I got on the bus, everybody stared at me like I did something wrong.
Nobody really said anything, but then they didn't have to say anything.
I mean, the look on their face and did it.
00:16:04 話者 5
On February 19, 1942, President Franklin Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066.
It granted the military authority to forcibly remove people deemed a threat to national security.
Yamamoto is one of the more than 125,000 people who were sent to the internment camps simply because of their Japanese ancestry.
Yamamoto was 16 when he and his family were sent to one.
He endured about three years of forced incarceration, including at Jerome Camp in Arkansas. They were among more than 8,000 people incarcerated there.
Yamamoto says the toilets and showers were communal with no partitions between them, offering no privacy.
00:16:51 話者 6
They had guard towers all over the place, and in fact, they're supposed to be guarding, guarding for you, and the guns were ported inside instead of pointing out, so something doesn't sound right.
00:17:11 話者 5
The war intensified discrimination against Japanese-Americans.
Yamamoto says he felt this firsthand when during a rare opportunity to leave the camp, he went to a diner.
00:17:23 話者 6
You know, we're looking at the menu, and we looked at the menu, and looked at the menu, and looked at the menu, and nobody come out.
We didn't get to eat lunch that day.
Canned food wasn't the greatest, but that night, it tasted real well.
00:17:50 話者 5
Yamamoto says no one should suffer discrimination and unjust treatment.
That's where this art form comes in. He makes wooden ornaments engraved with 9066, the same number of the executive order.
00:18:08 話者 6
I gave it to them, and they--
question what it is.
And if I tell them, then they say, oh, that's my way of trying to spread or keep it in everybody's mind.
00:18:26 話者 5
How long it's been?
And it seems to be working.
He gave them out to people at this museum after an event on the forced internment of Japanese Americans.
I think it's very important to keep the public and Americans informed about this happening in our history.
00:18:55 話者 6
It wasn't easy. Hopefully it never happened again. I don't wish it on nobody, you know.
INCARCERATION SURVIVORS' STORIES REMAIN RELEVANT
00:19:11 話者 1
Earlier, I spoke with Lisa about her report and why the stories of the survivors remain relevant today.
Let's begin with what happened to Japanese-Americans like Yamamoto after their incarceration.
Lisa, they may have been freed, but that didn't mean their struggles went away.
00:19:32 話者 5
Right, definitely not.
The government began allowing Japanese-Americans to leave the camp starting in January 1945, months before the war ended.
In Yamamoto's case, he went to Chicago, where he took a job making blocks of ice.
He says it was hard work, but on his days off, he went to watch baseball games or hang out with friends, enjoying things he couldn't while at camp.
Eventually, he quit his job to reunite with his parents who were still incarcerated.
They returned to California, where he worked mainly at farms until he got a job at a food manufacturer in 1949.
Yamamoto did not speak about the incarceration for a long time.
He says he had to work hard to make ends meet and had no time to look back at the past.
It was not until his retirement that he started to open up.
Now, as one of the few remaining survivors, he says he feels it's important that he pass on the story.
00:20:32 話者 1
Lisa, how have other Japanese-Americans confronted their incarceration?
00:20:38 話者 5
Many also chose not to speak right away, but some raised their voices, saying what happened to them was unjust.
Norman Mineta became a politician, serving as a cabinet secretary at one point.
He also became the driving force behind passing the Civil Liberties Act of 1988.
That provided a public apology and compensation to those who were incarcerated.
Fred Korematsu was another notable figure.
He was arrested for refusing to be incarcerated and argued in court that it was unconstitutional.
He was found guilty by the Supreme Court, but that rule was overturned about 40 years later.
Korematsu continued to fight for the civil rights of all Americans.
Civil rights have been back on the line in this country lately amid hardline stances toward immigrants.
Many Japanese-Americans see parallels to what happened to their families.
They say they hope people remember and learn from the hardships they endured and ensure no one suffers the same kind of mistreatment ever again.
BASEBALL LEGEND OH SADAHARU RECEIVES TAIWAN HONOR
00:21:57 話者 1
A legend of Japanese baseball has received one of Taiwan's highest honors.
Oh Sadaharu was recognized for his decades-long commitment to promoting the sport in both Japan and Taiwan.
Taiwan President Lai Ching-de bestowed the medal on Oh at the presidential office in Taipei.
Oh is known as baseball's global home run king, with a career total of 868.
Lai said Oh had made a steadfast contribution to promoting exchanges between Japan and Taiwan in professional baseball.
00:22:33 話者 21/Oh Sadaharu
I'm deeply honored to receive such a distinguished medal.
I feel very grateful to have played baseball.
00:22:42 話者 1
Oh expressed his hope both Japan and Taiwan would advance to the latter stages of the World Baseball Classic, which starts next month.
Lai added he's looking forward to the pool stage game between the two sides, and has no doubt it'll be an exciting match-up.
OKINAWA CELEBRATES 97-YEAR-OLDS IN TRADITIONAL EVENT
People in Japan's southwestern prefecture of Okinawa have recognized residents who turned 97 in the traditional annual events.
Three were honored at a Kajimaya festival in the Ohama district of Ishigaki City on Wednesday.
Kajimaya means pinwheel in the local dialect and represents a symbolic return to youthfulness.
Legend has it people return to childhood in their hearts when they reach 97, in the traditional Japanese way of counting age.
The three honorees wore costumes with gold embroidery and had their photos taken at a community center.
The longevity celebrations are held in various locations in Okinawa.
The festivities were led by people born in the year of the horse, the Chinese zodiac sign for 2026.
They performed dances and the martial art of stick fighting to pray for good health and prosperity.
00:24:03 話者 23
Every day I do calculations like addition, subtraction, and multiplication to stay healthy.
I feel a great joy.
WEATHER
00:24:13 話者 1
We now turn to weather. Well, it's raining in some parts here in Japan.
Our meteorologist Yumi Hirano has the details, as well as the weekend forecast.
00:24:23 話者 7/Yumi Hirano
We can see a couple of storm systems around Japan.
One is bringing widespread showers to Okinawa and western Japan, but it's expected to move away from the country by Saturday.
Another storm is likely to develop and approach Hokkaido, bringing blizzard conditions.
Snow is also expected in Sapporo on Saturday.
Sunny skies will return to Tokyo, Osaka and Fukuoka, but windy conditions are expected.
Calm and dry weather will finally arrive on Sunday across much of the country.
Moving to Europe. Warm air is covering the continent.
People in Germany enjoy the spring-like conditions.
People in Berlin were finally able to enjoy sunshine and warm weather after a long, cold, and rainy winter.
Many took the opportunity on Thursday to hit the outdoors and even get an ice cream.
As spring flowers started to bloom, even some animals couldn't resist the pleasant weather.
The weather department says although the return of cold weather should not be ruled out, warmer days are certainly coming.
A high-pressure system is expected to cover the southern half of Europe, creating warm and dry conditions.
But a frontal system is approaching from the west, bringing showers.
The combination of warm air and rainfall could lead to a risk of avalanches and flooding in snowy regions.
Showers are likely in Paris and Lisbon.
The temperature in Berlin will be 19, which is as warm as May.
The warmth is likely to continue over the weekend.
That's it for now. Have a nice weekend.
♫～ 3-DAY FORECAST ～♫
00:27:41 話者 1
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