Welcome to NHK Newsline. I'm Yoko Nishimura in Tokyo with the latest news.
EARTHQUAKE ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM HOKKAIDO TO CHIBA
We're learning more today about the extent of the damage from Monday's strong earthquake in northeastern Japan and how people there have been affected.
Officials have issued an advisory that a larger quake could occur in the region over the next week.
On Tuesday, a car was found stuck on a road that caved in near a railway crossing in Ishinomaki City in Miyagi Prefecture.
Police found a crack a few meters wide and a hole about one meter deep.
The police say no one was injured. It is believed that the earthquake broke underground pipes and leaking water caused a sinkhole, which led to the collapse.
The Japan Meteorological Agency says the magnitude 7.7 quake struck before 5 p.m.
off the coast of Sanriku on Monday.
In parts of Aomori Prefecture, it had an intensity of upper five on the Japanese scale of zero to seven.
10 to 80-centimeter tsunami waves were recorded in other areas of Hokkaido and Tohoku.
A tsunami warning and an advisory were issued and later lifted.
The JMA issued an advisory for disaster mitigation measures and urged residents to prepare for the possibility of another major seismic event in the days ahead.
The advisory covers 182 municipalities in the prefectures of Hokkaido, Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima, Ibaraki and Chiba.
People in those areas should follow the advisory until 5 p.m. next Monday.
It does not call for advance evacuation.
Officials urge people to keep emergency evacuation kits on hand, secure home furniture and confirm backup food, water and portable toilets.
In addition, they urge people to seek correct information and always refrain from spreading fake news.
Sekiya Naoya with the University of Tokyo says the advisory is not necessarily a prediction that a massive earthquake will happen.
But he said the likelihood of a major earthquake occurring is higher than usual.
00:02:41 話者 11/Sekiya Naoya
People should recheck where to evacuate to, the routes to get there, and how to evacuate as quickly as possible.
00:02:49 話者 1
Sekiya says in the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami, there were cases where people went to check on family members, which led them to getting caught in the tsunami themselves.
He says it is important that people discuss with their families in advance how to contact each other and where to meet after evacuating.
HOW SMALL CRACKS CLOSED SCHOOLS AFTER M7.7 QUAKE
For more on the situation, earlier I spoke with NHK World's Takeda Tomonari in Aomori Prefecture. Tomonari, many schools there are closed today, but can you tell us why?
00:03:25 話者 2/Takeda Tomonari
It's because of the damage done to this school lunch center.
This facility is in Hachinohe City. It prepares meals for about 8,700 children every day.
But as you can see, no one is cooking.
That's because cracks were found above the cooking and dishwashing areas.
Parts of drywall even fell to the floor.
As you can imagine, that's a big concern for safety and hygiene.
00:04:01 話者 3/Ozaki Masaru/School lunch center director
In addition to assessing the earthquake damage we've discovered, we need to see whether the cooking equipment and the machine for school lunches are working properly before we can resume production.
00:04:15 話者 2
Hachinohe City actually has three centers like this one, feeding 65 elementary and junior high schools, but two of them have been damaged.
Since it cannot guarantee food for every student, the city decided to close the schools instead. Right now, we still don't know when these facilities can reopen.
Officials are now considering what to do over the coming days, but it goes to show how even the smallest cracks can create big problems for our community.
00:04:59 話者 1
Absolutely. And how is the rest of Aomori faring?
00:05:05 話者 2
According to the prefecture, 39 non-residential buildings have been damaged.
That includes water leaks at the daycare centers, for example.
It will probably be a few days before everything is back up and running.
3 GSDF PERSONNEL DEAD AFTER EXPLOSION DURING TRAINING
00:05:28 話者 1
Three people are dead and one person is injured after an explosion at a Japan Ground Self-Defense Force training area in Oita Prefecture.
Japan's defense ministry says tank ammunition exploded during a drill.
Officials say the blast happened Tuesday morning at the GSDF's Hijudai training area in southwestern Japan.
The ministry says that four of its personnel were operating the force's most recent model of tank as part of a training exercise.
It says there has been no damage outside of the training area confirmed so far.
The GSDF is investigating the details of the explosion.
00:06:11 話者 3/Koizumi Shinjiro/Japanese Defense Minister
I offer my sincere condolences for the fallen personnel.
We will make every effort to determine the cause of the accident and to ensure safety.
00:06:23 話者 1
In addition to training, the Hijudai facility is also used for joint drills with the US military.
The websites of the surrounding municipalities say that shooting drills are scheduled to be held in the area on Tuesday.
JAPAN FACES SOARING MEASLES CASES
Measles cases are surging across Japan.
The number of infections this year has already surpassed last year's total.
The Japan Institute for Health Security says 56 cases were initially reported during the week through April 12.
There have been a total of 299 so far this year, topping last year's figure of 265.
Thirty patients are believed to have been infected while overseas, in countries including Indonesia and New Zealand.
Patients who have not traveled abroad are believed to have been infected by a virus brought into the country as the disease has been declared eliminated in Japan.
Measles is highly contagious and spreads through the air, as well as from droplets and physical contact.
Serious cases can be fatal. Symptoms include fever, coughing, and rash.
Japan's health ministry recommends that children be vaccinated.
The ministry is calling on travelers to check their vaccination records if they are heading to regions where the disease is spreading.
JAPAN EASES RULES ON TRANSFERS OF DEFENSE EQUIPMENT
Prime Minister Takaichi's government has eased restrictions on the overseas transfer of Japan's defense equipment. In principle, the policy shift now includes lethal weapons.
The government convened a Cabinet and National Security Council meeting on Tuesday.
Officials revised Japan's three principles on the overseas transfer of defense equipment and their implementation guidelines.
The rules previously restricted outbound shipments to five categories, including rescue and transportation. But those restrictions will now be abolished.
The change allows, in principle, for the transfer of lethal weapons, such as destroyers and missiles. Still, all cases will be subject to review by the National Security Council.
And they'll be limited to countries that have concluded relevant agreements with Japan.
Transfers to active combat nations are prohibited in principle.
The government will also strengthen Japan's monitoring framework for transferred weapons. Chief Cabinet Secretary Kihara Minoru spoke to reporters about the changes.
00:09:01 話者 13/Kihara Minoru
No country can protect itself alone. To maintain peace in one's country and the region, it is important to further promote the transfer of defense equipment and to strengthen the deterrence and response capabilities of allies and like-minded nations.
00:09:19 話者 1
Kihara also says the government maintains the basic principles Japan has built as a peaceful nation since the end of World War II.
A number of countries are reportedly interested in Japanese defense equipment.
Some are in Southeast Asia. The Philippine Navy is considering acquiring Abukuma-class destroyer escorts due for retirement from the Maritime Self-Defense Force.
Manila has increasingly been at odds with Beijing over territorial issues in the South China Sea.
MIXED SIGNALS ABOUT TALKS IN PAKISTAN
A US source has told NHK that American negotiators will soon fly to Islamabad for a second round of talks with Iran.
But it remains unclear if that actually happened, as Tehran says it won't participate in them.
A White House official tells NHK that Vice President JD Vance, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner will attend the negotiations.
The New York Times cites US officials as saying Vance is expected to leave for Pakistan on Tuesday.
Trump told Bloomberg that it's highly unlikely he would extend the two-week ceasefire if a deal isn't reached before it ends on Wednesday evening Washington time.
He added that the Strait of Hormuz would stay blockaded until an agreement is reached.
And he says if there's no deal, he expects the fighting to resume immediately afterward.
A spokesperson for Iran's foreign ministry suggested earlier that it won't take part in the second round of talks.
00:11:06 話者 14/Esmaeil Baghaei/Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson
At this moment, we do not have a plan regarding the next round for negotiations, and no decision has been made in this regard.
00:11:17 話者 1
Iran's Tasnim news agency, which is linked to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, reports that the US naval blockade is the main obstacle in the negotiations.
It adds that Iran is prepared for military confrontation and punishing America again.
Pakistan is mediating the talks and security is tightening around Islamabad.
Foreign Minister Issaq Dar held phone talks with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araqchi.
The Pakistani Foreign Ministry says DAR emphasized the importance of continued dialogue and engagement as soon as possible to resolve the situation.
US FORCES SEIZE IRANIAN-FLAGGED SHIP
In the meantime, the US continues to maintain its malakade of Iranian ports and coastal areas.
US Central Command says its forces have directed at least 27 vessels to turn around or return to an Iranian port.
They also seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman.
CENTCOM released this footage on Sunday.
Vacate your engine room. We're prepared to subject you to disabling fire.
CENTCOM says US forces seized the vessel the Tosca after it failed to comply with their warnings.
The Wall Street Journal reports that the ship is part of a fleet that often sails to China.
And it says that according to tracking data and shipping experts, the vessel has spent time in waters known for illicit ship-to-ship transfers.
Iran's state-run broadcaster aired a video released by the commander of the IRGC Aerospace Force.
He says Iran has been updating and replenishing missile and drone launch pads faster than before the war.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry says President Xi Jinping spoke on the phone with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
He said China calls for an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire.
Xi also said the Strait of Hormuz should remain open for ships to travel through, as it serves the common interests of the region and the international community.
BUSINESS
And now for our business stories, here's Yuko Fukushima.
00:13:30 話者 4/Yuko Fukushima
Yeah, thanks, Yoko.
US BEGINS PROCESSING IMPORT TARIFF REFUNDS AFTER COURT RULING
Well, US customs authorities say they have started to accept applications for tariff refunds from importers.
The announcement on Monday follows a court ruling that said that the Trump administration did not have the power to impose the tariffs.
The US Supreme Court made the ruling in February.
It said the administration overstepped its authority in using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, or IEPA, to introduce the levies.
The US Court of International Trade then ordered the administration to start the refunds.
PASM's authorities say refunds in principle will be issued within 60 to 90 days after applications are accepted.
Authorities say that as of March 4, the tariffs imposed under IEPA had generated about $166 billion.
Japanese-affiliated companies affected by the levies are expected to begin the application process.
CHINA'S EXPORTS OF RARE-EARTH MAGNETS TO JAPAN DROP 27%
Exports of rare earth magnets from China to Japan plunged by more than a quarter year-on-year last month after Beijing tightened controls on dual-use materials.
Magnets containing rare earths are used in a wide range of products, such as mortars for electric vehicles.
Chinese customs statistics released Monday show outbound shipments of rare earth magnets declined 1.6 percent in March from a year earlier to just over 5,200 tons.
Exports to Japan slumped 27 percent to 184 tons, dropping below 200 tons for the first time in nine months.
China tightened controls on Japan-bound exports of dual-use products in January.
That was followed in February by the imposition of a ban on exporting them to 20 Japanese entities.
Imports of the rare-earth element Samarium are set to begin from Malaysia, as Japan seeks to reduce its dependence on China.
China is a leading producer of samarium, which is used in components for aircraft and satellites.
But last month, Australia-based Linus Rare Earths achieved production of samarium at its Malaysian plant.
Japanese trading house Sojitz says it will soon begin importing the material.
00:15:45 話者 15/Uemura Kosuke/President & CEO, Sojitz
The biggest issue with rare earths is that supply sources can be subject to developments in China.
We think we can bridge that gap and meet the expectations of our Japanese customers.
00:15:58 話者 4
Sojutz has been working to strengthen procurement of rare earths from outside China with additional imports from Linus.
JAPAN'S MAJOR AIRLINES TO HIKE INTL. FUEL SURCHARGES IN MAY
Japan's two biggest airlines have brought forward an increase in fuel surcharges for international flights to May.
The companies previously said the hike would kick in from June, but now say the surge in crude oil prices have driven up fuel costs to an abnormally high level.
All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines review fuel surcharges every two months to reflect fluctuations in costs and currency exchange rates.
The May surcharge of the ANA's one-way flights to North America and Europe will jump more than 75% from April to 56,000 yen or $350.
JAL's surcharge will be the same, but is an increase of 93% from this month.
The fuel levy for routes to China and Taiwan will climb more than 56 percent for ANA and about 90 percent for JAL.
The surcharge will more than double for both airlines on flights to South Korea and Russia's Far East.
The new rates will be applied to tickets issued from May 1 to June 30.
Separately, Japanese carrier Fuji Dream Airlines says it will raise fuel surcharges on domestic flights in May to a record.
00:17:23 話者 3/Kaneko Yasushi/Japanese Transport Minister
The transport ministry will instruct airlines to thoroughly explain to their customers the reasons for the surcharge increases and future airfare hikes.
00:17:35 話者 4
Transport Minister Kaneko says he will monitor fuel demand and prices and take appropriate measures in cooperation with relevant ministries.
NEW CONDO PRICES IN TOKYO SURGE 80% IN 5 YEARS
The average price of new condominiums in Tokyo's 23 wards has jumped 80 percent over the five-year period through March 2026.
The Real Estate Economic Institute says the price reached a record of just shy of 138 million yen or 867 thousand dollars in fiscal 2025.
That's up from around 75 million yen in fiscal 2020.
The average price of a new condo unit across the capital and three neighboring prefectures also hit a record last fiscal year.
It rose 15 percent from a year earlier to almost 94 million yen, or 590,000 dollars.
Matsuda Tadashi, a senior researcher at the Real Estate Economic Institute, says the situation in the Middle East could help drive up condo prices if it's prolonged.
00:18:41 話者 16/Matsuda Tadashi
If this drags on, it's likely to affect the procurement of housing equipment and materials, potentially leading to construction delays or even preventing some projects from getting underway.
00:18:59 話者 4
But Matsuda also says that if condo prices continue to rise, even wealthy people may struggle to afford them, halting the upward trend.
COOL JAPAN TURNS HOT IN THAILAND ANIME BOOM
Well, the cool Japan soft power push made Japanese words like anime and manga part of the pop culture dictionary. But in Thailand, it's more than that.
Festivals, bookstores and colleges are embracing the genre and creating a booming market.
00:19:25 話者 5/Narrator
The Thai capital, Bangkok, played host to an anime festival from January through March.
Organized by a streaming company, attendance almost doubled from the prior year to about 140,000 people.
Limited edition Japanese anime merchandise was on sale.
And Thai fans took the opportunity to take photos with life-size cutouts of popular characters.
00:19:55 話者 24
The depiction really is completely different from anime in other countries.
The characters are excellent.
00:20:03 話者 5
Rujirat Vinitphol researches anime culture in both countries.
She says the genre has been embraced in Thailand because of similarities between the national characters of both countries.
00:20:17 話者 26/Rujirat Vinitphol/Associate Professor, Aoyama Gakuin University
Thailand and Japan are very similar in many ways, both culturally and philosophically.
We're moved by the same anime stories.
Japanese anime contains words and turns of phrase that really touch the heart.
00:20:38 話者 5
51-year-old Panyaporn Homrarun runs a Japanese anime and manga store in central Bangkok. She became a fan after watching a TV series in the 1980s.
The store now has 100,000 titles, from classics to latest releases and complete sets of popular series.
00:21:00 話者 27/Panyaporn Homrarun/Owner, Godang Nangsue
I think manga and anime are so relatable to children that they really leave a lasting impression on us.
In my case. I started collecting things I liked and sharing them with others.
And before I knew it, it had turned into a career.
00:21:17 話者 5
Professor Vinitphol says the popularity of anime received a boost from the recent rapid spread of streaming services on TV and mobile devices.
According to a survey in countries where anime is popular, Thailand had the highest level of respondents, 22%, who said they watch it every day.
00:21:41 話者 26
Thais are very active on social media, so when they find an anime they like, they spread the word far and wide.
The merchandise market is also growing, and I believe Thailand's anime market will continue to expand.
00:21:57 話者 5
Some fans are not content with just watching anime. They want to create it themselves.
A local technical college has 450 students enrolled in a multimedia program that offers an anime production course.
Students learn basic skills such as character design and 3D animation.
Some of the students say they hope to work in anime studios in Japan to acquire cutting-edge skills. Then they plan to return to Thailand to help develop the local industry.
00:22:35 話者 23/Aekachai Kietchalermporn/Assistant Dean, Faculty of Information Technology, Thai-Nichi Institute of Technology
Thailand lacks the infrastructure of Japan's anime industry.
00:22:39 話者 5
Our production techniques are still underdeveloped. However, our students can help build a foundation for Thailand to produce new anime and help shape this industry.
MARKETS
00:22:51 話者 4
And now let's check on currencies and stocks here in the region.
♪
And that's the biz for this hour.
♫～
WEATHER
00:24:04 話者 1
Now it's time to check out the world weather.
Flooding and landslides have hit New Zealand's capital.
Our meteorologist Yumi Hirano has the details.
00:24:36 話者 7/Yumi Hirano
An active storm has been bringing heavy rain and gusty winds to northern New Zealand.
Wellington experienced wind gusts of 96 kilometers per hour and received over 123 millimeters of rain, nearly twice the monthly average.
People were urged to evacuate on Monday.
Heavy rain on Monday caused severe flash flooding in the capital.
Muddy waters filled people's homes and caused many road closures.
The fire department responded to more than 150 calls for people that needed help in the middle of the night.
Many cars could be seen trapped on flooded roads, with some trees toppled over.
The storm is expected to move away from the country, but a moisture flow from the system will continue.
A heavy rain warning is still in effect along the eastern part of the North Island through Wednesday. Up to 110 millimeters of rain is possible, leading to more flooding.
Now moving to Asia.
A low-pressure system is causing stormy conditions in northern Japan.
Gusts of more than 100 kilometers per hour are possible in Tohoku.
Further west, a stationary front is bringing downforce to southern China.
Up to 110 millimeters of rain is expected in Jiangxi and Hunan provinces.
The rain is likely to reach western Japan by Wednesday night.
Showers are also expected in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Taipei.
Sunny skies are likely in Tokyo, but hazy conditions are possible due to yellow sand.
It's expected to cover the Korean Peninsula and Japan from Tuesday.
The sand is likely to persist, but may ease on Wednesday.
That's all for now. Have a nice day.
♫～ 3-DAY FORECAST ～♫
00:27:41 話者 1
And that's it for now on NHK Newsline. I'm Yoko Nishimura in Tokyo. Thanks for joining 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