Hello, glad to have you with us on NHK Newsline. I'm Yamamoto Miki in Tokyo.
TRUMP POSTPONES ATTACKS, IRAN AGREES TO OPEN HORMUZ STRAIT
We start with major developments in the US-Iran conflict.
The two sides have now agreed to an immediate ceasefire, and US President Donald Trump announced he will suspend attacks on Iran.
This came just hours before his deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Earlier, Trump warned a whole civilization will die tonight if the passage remained closed.
Trump posted online that he agreed to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks.
He said the US received a 10-point proposal from Tehran and he sees it as a workable basis for negotiations.
Trump also said a two-week period will allow the agreement to be finalized and consummated.
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Arakchi responded on social media, saying if attacks are halted, Iran's forces will cease their defensive operations.
He also says ships will be able to safely navigate the Strait of Hormuz for two weeks by coordinating with the Iranian military.
PAKISTAN PM INVITES US, IRAN FOR TALKS ON APRIL 10
Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, who's been serving as a mediator, suggested the idea.
Sharif said in a social media post that Iran and the US, along with their allies, had agreed to an immediate ceasefire everywhere, including in Lebanon.
He said he has invited Washington and Tehran to hold talks to end the fighting in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, on Friday.
TRUMP POSTPONES ATTACKS, IRAN AGREES TO OPEN HORMUZ STRAIT
In a statement, Israel's prime minister's office said it supports Trump's decision to suspend strikes.
It said it was subject to Iran immediately opening the straits and stopping all attacks on the US, Israel and countries in the region.
Notably, it said that the ceasefire does not include Lebanon, hinting at continued attacks on the Iran-backed Shia Muslim group Hezbollah.
US-IRAN PAUSE LEAVES UNANSWERED QUESTIONS
Now, for more on this, I earlier spoke with our senior international correspondent, Ishii Yusaku. Yusaku, why did Trump back down from his threats to end Iran's civilization?
00:02:30 話者 2/Ishii Yusaku
I think there's a lot that's unclear about the ceasefire, but we still don't know exactly what both sides agreed on. But I think posing the conflict makes sense for Trump.
And one big reason is energy prices.
The market has been volatile since the conflict started, and that's because the Strait of Hormuz is so vital for global oil shipments, and this was impacting the world economy.
And gas prices in the US, too, climbed to an average of around $4 per gallon, and now, with this deal, oil prices are plunging.
And also, Americans were getting frustrated with this war, and the US midterm elections are coming up this fall.
The president has even seen backlash among his core supporters, the so-called MAGA base, and many said they voted for Trump to avoid foreign wars.
00:03:26 話者 1
Right.
00:03:27 話者 2
NHK recently sent a crew to a gathering of young Trump supporters in Washington, and some attendees told us they were concerned the conflict with Iran could spiral out of control.
00:03:40 話者 12
I voted for Trump in 2024 off the idea that he would, you know, tone down the wars.
I'm hoping if everything goes well, he knows that it needs to end at some point.
00:03:51 話者 13
I think we're spending an unbelievable amount of money, weapons, service members' lives. I find that to be super antithetical to America First.
00:04:00 話者 2
And if we look back at what happened in Venezuela earlier this year, Trump scored a coup de grace. He likely felt he'd get another quick win, but he did not.
Trump claims US was exceeded their goals and that killing many of its leaders represents regime change. But that might be a tough sell to American voters.
00:04:26 話者 1
And beyond the US, can we also guess that Trump could be trying to wrap up the conflict before he visits China?
00:04:34 話者 2
Right, and that's probably the case as well.
Trump actually had to postpone scheduled summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, and now it's set to happen in May.
Beijing and Tehran are not close allies, but they do have friendly relations, and China purchases much of its Iran's oil.
If Trump follows through with his threat to destroy Iran, it's hard to say how Xi would react.
00:05:02 話者 1
Right. Now, shifting gears to Iran, its leaders appear to be declaring victory.
What do you make of that?
00:05:10 話者 2
Well, Iran has certainly been devastated. Many of its political, military, and religious leaders have been killed, but it has not been toppled.
Despite facing sustained attacks from US and Israeli forces, Iran's military remains a threat and has been able to keep the Strait of Hormuz closed.
And its troops shot down a US fighter jet just days ago.
And now Tehran claims Washington is willing to discuss its 10-point peace proposal.
And some drafts include demands for complete US military withdrawal and acceptance of Iran's uranium enrichment.
And the last point could contradict Trump's main goal, preventing Tehran from ever being able to make a nuclear bomb.
And if Iranian leaders can make these kinds of demands, then they are far from being defeated at this point.
00:06:16 話者 1
Right. So what do we watch out for for the next two weeks?
00:06:21 話者 2
I think we'll have to see if this ceasefire is violated or not, especially between Iran and Israel.
It's been reported that Trump was advised against launching strikes on Iran, but followed through in alignment with his ally, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Israel has also launched military operation in Lebanon, vowing to crush Iran and its proxies.
And Netanyahu has made clear he wants to end the Iranian regime, and it's unclear if he'll abide by a deal that keeps it intact.
And as well, over the next two weeks, if the talks between the US and Iran seems to be stalling, we could see oil prices go back up the closer we get to the next deadline.
BUSINESS
00:07:20 話者 1
Now let's turn to Yuko Fukushima for business stories making headlines.
00:07:25 話者 3/Yuko Fukushima
Yeah, thanks, Miki.
NIKKEI 225 SURGES TO 3RD-HIGHEST GAIN ON RECORD
Well, Japanese stocks surged on Wednesday after the US announced a two-week ceasefire with Iran.
Tokyo's Niki225 index finished with its third largest gain of more than 2,800 points.
The benchmark soared nearly 5.4 percent to a one-month high of 56,308.
It jumped soon after the opening, and investors kept buying throughout the day.
The rally followed a sharp drop in WTI crude oil futures in New York overnight.
JAPAN PM: CRUDE OIL SUPPLY SECURED UNTIL EARLY 2027
Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae has reassured the public that the government should be able to secure enough crude oil to last beyond this year.
00:08:07 話者 4/Takaichi Sanae
Japan has enough oil reserves to meet eight months' demand.
We've got a clear idea now that alternative procurement and curbing the release of reserves will help secure supply into next year.
00:08:25 話者 3
Takaichi said on Tuesday that the government has been purchasing crude oil from the Middle East and the United States through routes other than the Strait of Hormuz.
She said that based on last year's figures, oil purchases from alternative sources in April are expected to account for more than 20 percent of the total.
The percentage is projected to exceed 50 percent in May.
Takaichi spoke with United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nakhian over the phone and asked the country to help Japan with stable oil supplies.
The UAE can ship oil from its eastern port without using the Strait of Hormuz.
JAPANESE FIRMS EYE CUTS TO NEW GRADUATE HIRES
Well, it's still a seller's market in Japan for new graduates who will be looking for jobs next spring.
But some major firms are planning to cut back on hiring, partly due to the introduction of AI.
Leading electronics firm Mitsubishi Electric aims to reduce the intake of new graduates by about 20 percent to around 750 people.
The company cites improved business efficiency due to AI and digitalization.
Central Japan Railway says it will lower recruiting by 30 percent to around 430 people.
And major machinery maker Kubota is looking at a cut of about 40 percent to 280.
The company says it has a sufficient number of employees due to active hiring over the past several years.
Kurita Takayoshi, a senior researcher at Indeed Recruit Partners, says some firms are cautiously hiring some new graduates.
00:10:07 話者 23/Kurita Takayoshi
Some companies are considering a balance between hiring new graduates and mid-career job seekers. Amid the rapid advancement in generative AI and other technologies.
00:10:19 話者 3
Kurita believes human resources in the future will be required to have the ability to set up their own challenges and verify them.
MARKETS
Now, let's see how the market figures are performing now.
♪
And that's what it is for this hour.
00:11:06 話者 1
Thank you, Yuko.
N.KOREA LAUNCHES BALLISTIC MISSILES HOURS APART
North Korea launched ballistic missiles twice in one day.
Pyongyang reportedly fired at least one missile eastward on Wednesday morning.
And hours later, it launched again. The Japanese government says projectiles fell outside of Japan's exclusive economic zone.
The chief cabinet secretary says that Japan is protesting the launches through diplomatic channels.
They follow yet another North Korean attempt Tuesday to get a missile into the air.
While the South Korean military says the North fired a projectile from around Pyongyang, a local media outlet says that launch failed.
ZELENSKYY: 4 KILLED IN RUSSIAN DRONE STRIKE ON BUS
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says four people have been killed by a Russian drone attack in eastern Ukraine.
The president said in a social media post on Tuesday, a drone struck a bus in Nikopol city and seven other people were hospitalized.
Zelenskyy said it seems absurd to block new sanctions on Moscow and attempt to weaken existing ones and trade with Russia when attacks on civilians continue daily.
Zelenskyy has expressed opposition to the United States easing sanctions on Russian crude oil amid the Middle East conflict.
Russia's defense ministry said on Tuesday the country's drones and missiles struck a range of targets in Ukraine.
They included energy and transportation infrastructure used by Kyiv's military, as well as storage facilities for unmanned vehicles and boats.
TAIWAN KMT LEADER STRESSES OPPOSITION TO TAIWAN INDEPENDENCE
The leader of Taiwan's largest opposition party has emphasized its opposition to Taiwan independence at the start of a six-day visit to China.
Cheng Li-wen, chair of the Kuomintang, or KMT, landed in Shanghai on Tuesday.
She was greeted by Sun Tao, head of the Taiwan Affairs Office of China's State Council.
The two then took a high-speed train to Nanjing in Jiangsu Province, where a welcome banquet was held.
In their speeches, both stressed they will uphold the 1992 consensus.
That's an agreement reportedly reached that year between the Chinese Communist Party and the then-ruling Kuomintang that both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one China.
00:13:32 話者 36/Cheng Li-wun/Kuomintang Chairperson
History has shown that as long as the 1992 consensus is adhered to and the separatist forces in Taiwan are opposed, exchanges and dialogues can be conducted across the Taiwan Strait.
00:13:46 話者 1
Chen's visit is the first to China by a KMT leader since 2016.
She is due to visit Shanghai and Beijing and is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping before leaving on Sunday.
JAPAN'S DIET PASSES RECORD BUDGET FOR FISCAL 2026
Japan's diet has passed a record budget for the 2026 fiscal year.
It totals over 122 trillion yen, or about 765 billion dollars.
This follows intense diet debate, which pushed back approval until after the start of the fiscal year, for the first time in over a decade.
An upper house plenary session held a final debate on Tuesday before taking a vote.
00:14:39 話者 47/Morimoto Shinji/Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan
In the lower house, the ruling parties led the committee in an authoritarian manner.
They repeated outrageous acts that cannot be overlooked, such as significantly reducing the amount of debate time.
We cannot accept this bill since the deliberation process was flawed.
00:14:55 話者 48/Hasegawa Gaku/Liberal Democratic Party of Japan
Changes in the Middle East directly and seriously affect people's lives and economic activities. The bill includes strategic costs.
It is expected to bring about changes in our country's resource procurement structure.
00:15:10 話者 1
The bill passed the upper chamber with support from the main ruling Liberal Democratic Party, its junior coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party, the Conservative Party of Japan, and others.
The last time budget approval was delayed until after the start of the new fiscal year was 2015.
The general account totals more than 122.3 trillion yen.
Social insurance expenditures increased to over 39 trillion yen.
This is due to the aging population and other factors.
Expenditures to strengthen defense capabilities totaled 8.98 trillion yen.
The government and the ruling bloc initially aimed to enact the budget before the new fiscal year, but the opposition demanded thorough debate.
Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae told reporters after the vote that while she had hoped for quicker approval, she was satisfied with the result.
00:16:15 話者 4/Takaichi Sanae
It's regrettable the budget bill couldn't be enacted by the end of the fiscal year.
But with the determination to ensure people's safety and build a strong economy, we asked the relevant people to support us.
And we also sincerely responded to the Diet deliberations.
As a result, we believe we were able to minimize the risk of disruptions to people's lives.
00:16:44 話者 1
Japan's imperial family has wrapped up a two-day trip to Fukushima Prefecture.
Their visit comes 15 years after a massive earthquake and tsunami struck the region, triggering a nuclear accident.
On Tuesday, Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako and their daughter Princess Aiko visited an educational facility in the town of Okuma.
They observed a class for sixth graders, smiling as they listened to a girl's presentation.
She talked about her interest in sewing and a stuffed toy she had made for the childcare center at the facility.
The family then spoke with residents who returned to Okuma after the evacuation, as well as those who moved there following the accident.
The emperor told one resident it must have been an incredibly difficult time.
Before returning to Tokyo, the family also visited a facility in Namie Town, where traditional crafts and sake are sold.
THIEVES LOOT TOKYO LUXURY GOODS SHOP
Police say thieves stole the brand items worth 70 to 80 million yen, or around 500-thousand dollars, from a second-hand luxury goods shop in downtown Tokyo.
Security camera footage shows three people wearing ski masks entering the shop at around 3:10 a.m.
They then smashed display cases with what appears to be a crowbar and put stolen items into a big bag.
Tokyo police say the three fled the scene in a white van about three minutes later.
The police say a security firm alerted them early on Wednesday that an alarm was sounding at the shop in Shibuya Ward.
They say at least 75 items were stolen, including high-end designer-brand bags, precious metals and watches.
TAKAICHI HOLDS CALL WITH IRANIAN PRESIDENT PEZESHKIAN
And now to a new development regarding the US-Iran conflict.
Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae has spoken with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian by phone. The call on Wednesday lasted about 25 minutes.
The two are believed to have exchanged opinions on ways to ease tensions.
and implement measures to ensure the safe navigation of the Strait of Hormuz.
And Takaichi has just spoken to reporters about the call.
00:19:10 話者 4
I firstly explained Japan's stance once again, including that the most important thing is the early de-escalation of the situation.
On top of that, I also said that we welcome the latest positive move, which is the announcement by the US and Iran.
And the priority is the actual realization of the de-escalation of the situation, including securing the safe navigation through the Strait of Homus going forward.
And I said that we hope that the final agreement will be reached at an early date through diplomacy.
Also, I stressed that the strait is an important area of the global logistics and the public asset of the international community.
I requested that securing the safe navigation of vessels of all countries, including those related to Japan, will be realized at an early date swiftly.
LIFE THRIVES IN THE GENKAI SEA
00:20:18 話者 1
The Genkai Sea, located south of the Sea of Japan, is fed by warped currents, making it a rich fishing ground.
Even in the cold month of February, it teems with a remarkable diversity of life.
NHK World's video journalist Tateoka Atsushi takes us on a journey through the early spring sea.
00:20:40 話者 8/Tateoka Atsushi
We head out to the Genkai Sea, off the coast of Fukuoka City.
The water temperature is around 13 degrees Celsius.
These are rockfish, known as a fish, that welcomes spring.
A flounder hides in the sand. A school of yellowtail swims by. Each about a meter long.
Seaweed is beginning to grow.
Pair of cuttlefish, each about 30 centimeters long, is drawn to the seaweed.
They will lay their eggs here.
Fishers use a cage to take advantage of this cuttlefish behavior.
They attach a holly branch, which attracts cuttlefish looking for prey to lay eggs.
A cuttlefish is in the cage. The gray balls are cuttlefish eggs.
A large red sea bream has approached the cage.
The cuttlefish crawls in. The red sea bream attacks one of the cuttlefish.
The cuttlefish season runs from February to May.
After the harvest, the branches covered in eggs are returned to the sea.
allowing new life to continue.
00:23:19 話者 5/Imabayashi Shuichi/Fisher
Spring is here.
00:23:21 話者 8
How many did you catch?
00:23:24 話者 5
I didn't count them.
00:23:28 話者 8
Maybe about 100.
00:23:31 話者 5
If about half the traps were full, that's not bad.
00:23:38 話者 8
The Genkai Sea in early spring there are life stripes, undaunted by the cold.
Tateoka Atsushi, NHK World.
00:23:52 話者 1
All right.
WEATHER
Let's check out the world weather with our meteorologist, Jonathan Oh.
So, Jonathan, it seems like spring warmth is picking up around Northeast Asia again.
What can you tell us?
00:24:05 話者 7/Jonathan Oh
Hello, we are starting to see temperatures trying to inch their way back up into some places like the 20s as they continue on this week.
High pressure is going to help bring those temperatures up in places like Japan and even areas back toward China also seeing temperatures in the 20s.
Now we are looking at the possibility of some rain around a stationary front that's developing around the Yangtze River Basin and that's going to bring the wet weather, but we're still talking about the possibility of seeing temperatures in the 20s continuing on through this week.
Now the moisture will be pushing eastward and into the Korean Peninsula as we go through Thursday and then into Friday across Japan.
So you'll need the umbrellas as we go forward throughout the next few days.
But for Thursday, Tokyo staying dry, 20 with sunnier skies during the early hours, then clouds pick up later on in the day.
Seoul looking at rain to Shanghai and Beijing as well.
But notice Shanghai topping off into the upper 20s as we go through Thursday.
Meanwhile, down to Southwest River, we got Myla and we got Waiianu.
Waiianu is weakening, but it still has a lot of momentum with it.
And so for those located in the North Island of New Zealand, you're going to see the impacts of this as we head into the weekend.
And Myla is spinning its wheel for just a bit, but we are expecting it as we go toward the weekend to eventually get itself together and move its way down to the south and west and setting its sights for the northern portions of Queensland.
So both locations need to be on the lookout for these storms.
Meanwhile, looking at what's happening across North America, we have a cold front and a couple of low purchases moving through the upper Midwest into the southern portions of Canada.
And so as that pushed on through showers and into the Rockies, but down toward the south, dry weather expected from Oklahoma City into Houston with highs in the mid-20s.
Still chilly on the north side of that front.
Winnipeg looking at some snow with a high of 1 as we go through Wednesday.
Quick note on Europe, cut off low stuck over the Iberian Peninsula, continue to bring some rain in the area and a couple of low pressures to the eastern side of Europe bringing plenty of wet weather and even some snow into places like Kyiv for Wednesday.
Hope you have a good day wherever you are.
♫～ 3-DAY FORECAST ～♫
00:27:35 話者 1
And that's all for this edition of NHK Newsline.
I'm Yamamoto Miki in Tokyo. Thank you for staying with us.
NHK World
00:28:01 話者 99
This is NHK World Japan English Radio Service. Here's a frequency notice.
The broadcast at 14 hours UTC for Southeast Asia is on 11.800 MHz. Once again.
The broadcast at 14 hours UTC for Southeast Asia is on 11.800 MHz.
For more details of our programs, please check our website at: nhk.jp/rj. nhk.jp/rj
We're always pleased to receive your comments and suggestions through our website.
checked.
0 件のコメント:
コメントを投稿