It's a Wednesday evening here in Japan.
I'm James Tengan in Tokyo. Welcome to NHK Newsline.
IRAN CONFLICT
TRUMP EXTENDS CEASEFIRE WITH TEHRAN
US President Donald Trump says he's extending the deadline for the ceasefire with Iran.
He made the sudden announcement on Tuesday after telling the media he wanted to stick with the original Wednesday deadline.
The White House then said that Vice President JD Vance will hold off on traveling to Pakistan for peace talks.
Trump says that he'll extend the ceasefire until the Iranian leaders and representatives can come up with a unified proposal.
He also says he's directed his military to continue its blockade of the region.
Trump says Pakistan's prime minister and army chief asked him to hold off on attacking Iran.
But Iran's Tasnim News Agency, which is linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, reports that Iran did not request an extension.
The agency also says Trump's announcement means he knows he will not achieve anything through war, so he considers this the best possible way to get himself out of the situation.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif thanked Trump for accepting the request to not attack Iran.
Sharif says that he hopes both sides will continue to observe the ceasefire and reach a comprehensive peace deal during a second round of talks in Islamabad.
During an interview with CNBC, Trump touched on the recent seizure of an Iranian flagship by US forces. He suggested the ship's cargo may have been a gift from China.
Reuters cited maritime security sources as saying the ship, the Tuska, was likely to have carried what Washington deems dual-use items.
That is, items with both industrial and military uses.
Reuters sources did not give specifics about what items were on board.
But US Central Command's list of dual-use goods includes metals, pipes, electronic components, and more.
The Reuters report says satellite data shows the Tuska stopped at China's southern Gaolan port in late March.
It loaded containers there, and then stopped in Malaysia in mid-April, where it loaded more containers.
CANDIDATES FOR NEXT UN CHIEF BEGIN PITCHES
Four people vying to become the next United Nations secretary-general have begun pitching their policies.
Two candidates spoke to representatives of member countries and non-governmental organizations at the U.N. headquarters in New York on Tuesday.
Former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet said, Our world and the order, based on international law that sustains it, is under strain as never before.
She also stressed human dignity must remain at the center of U.N. action, and emphasized a focus on human rights.
Meanwhile, International Atomic Energy Agency Chief Rafael Grossi expressed his intention to place more importance on security.
He questioned whether development is possible in places where war, death, and destruction are taking place.
He also said the UN secretary-general election will be held at a time when there are enormous doubts about the institution.
On Wednesday, the two other candidates will speak.
They are UN Conference on Trade and Development Secretary-General Rebecca Grinspan and Senegal's former president Macky Sall.
Current Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' second term is set to expire at the end of this year. His successor is due to be appointed in the fall of this year.
The permanent members of the Security Council have great influence in the election process.
That's because the council's recommendation is necessary before the General Assembly appoints a new UN chief. It's also possible that more people will join the race.
NEXT UN LEADER MUST OVERCOME CRISES
For more NHK World, Sugimoto Yuki, who has been covering this issue, has this report from New York.
00:04:09 話者 2/Sugimoto Yuki
The United Nations is facing a crisis as it is preparing to select a new leader to navigate an uncertain future.
The process to choose the next Secretary-General has begun amid severe global instability.
The UN has been unable to stop a series of conflicts in places such as Ukraine and the Middle East.
That failure has raised questions about the credibility of the Security Council.
And pressure from the member states to reduce its budget and personnel has tanked morale within the UN ranks. But there is no alternative to the UN.
It's the only place where countries, even those in conflict, sit down together.
It's where they discuss common problems to find shared solutions.
The United Nations' three main pillars are peace and security, respect for human rights, and sustainable development.
Each of the candidates has expressed that they respect those pillars.
but they also prioritize them differently.
The UN's founding purpose is to prevent scourge of war.
The question is, to what extent should it focus on human rights and development to achieve that goal?
Whoever is appointed the next Secretary-General must be a strong leader with an unwavering sense of morality.
And that's what each member of the UN will be watching for in the days ahead.
Sugimoto Yuki, NHK World, New York.
RESEARCHERS: TSUNAMI REACHED NORTHEAST JAPAN COAST QUICKLY
00:05:59 話者 1
The strong earthquake off the coast of northeastern Japan on Monday sent tsunami to multiple areas of Hokkaido and Tohoku.
A research team says the tsunami reached some areas of Iwate Prefecture in as little as 20 minutes.
The team at Tohoku University's International Research Institute of Disaster Science, led by Associate Professor Anawat Suppasri, simulated how the tsunami waves traveled after the magnitude 7.7 quake.
00:06:32 話者 3/Anawat Suppasri/Associate Professor, Tohoku University, IRIDeS
When we look at the distance between the epicenter and the coasts of Hokkaido and Sanriku, the closest landfall is the Sanriku coast of Iwate Prefecture.
For example, the port of Miyako.
00:06:47 話者 1
In the research team's tsunami simulation, the red color indicates a rise in the sea level, creating a surging wave, and the blue color indicates a receding wave.
The sea level above the epicenter rose immediately after the earthquake.
Around 20 minutes later, the resulting tsunami reached the Sandiku coast, including Miyako port in Iwate Prefecture.
The largest tsunami recorded after this quake, 80 centimeters, struck Iwate's Kuji port about 30 minutes after the quake occurred.
The Japan Meteorological Agency has issued an alert for a potential mega-quake near northeastern Japan.
The alert covers 182 municipalities in coastal areas of the prefectures of Hokkaido, Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima, Ibaraki, and Chiba.
People in those areas should follow the advisory until next Monday.
It does not call for advance evacuation.
FAKE POSTS ABOUT SANRIKU QUAKE SPREAD ONLINE
Monday's quake caused damage to buildings and roads across several prefectures, but what came after the event could lead to a different kind of damage.
While many posts online about the quake contained accurate information, others did not.
Fake videos began to circulate right after Monday's tsunami warning went out.
This post was widely shared on X immediately after the earthquake.
It claimed that a tsunami warning had been issued, and included footage of a tsunami, but the video was actually from the Great East Japan earthquake in 2011.
The post was viewed 1.9 million times.
Another post shared with the caption, Tsunami observed was in fact a video created using generative AI.
It's just the latest case of disinformation spreading on social media following a seismic event.
ANALYSIS: HOW TO SPOT, AND AVOID, FAKE DISASTER POSTS
Earlier I spoke with NHK World's Okatani Hiroki, who has been tracking posts like these online this week.
We know social media can be useful during disasters for quickly learning about conditions on the ground.
But you've been digging into such posts, and such information comes with a catch, doesn't it?
00:09:07 話者 4/Okatani Hiroki
Yes, it certainly does. During disasters, you want to know right away what has happened and what will happen next. And your anxiety tends to increase.
But some people take advantage of those emotions and post false information or misleading videos to attract attention.
And as you mentioned, in addition to misusing footage from past disasters,
These are now highly realistic videos made with generative AI, and that make it increasingly difficult to tell what is real.
00:09:40 話者 1
Indeed, it seems like a form of exploitation, you know, when people are at their most vulnerable.
00:09:46 話者 4
That's absolutely true. Japan... Japan has earthquake often, and there are bad actors out there who try to take advantage of that.
One example we see is people making unfounded predictions about when earthquake will happen. These accounts often post these predictions constantly.
That, of course, means it is guaranteed that one day these predictions will come true, even though there is no scientific basis behind them.
There is one account on Next that makes forecasts almost every day.
It made claims about another possible earthquake in the same area of the one that hit Monday. But seismic activity is very likely off the coast of Saint-Rico right now.
So it is misleading for this account to claim they have any special knowledge or insight and imply they have any authority.
In reality, Japan Meteorological Agency warns that it is impossible to predict the exact date, location, and strength of an earthquake with modern science.
And anybody doing so should be ignored.
00:10:58 話者 1
So clearly, people need to be careful about this kind of information, especially when they feel anxious.
00:11:04 話者 4
That's right. And it has the potential to be dangerous financially, too.
We've seen spam posts on Next this week, piggybacking on searches by using keywords related to the disaster.
These posts link to a messaging app called Line, where people are then encouraged to make investments and buy stocks, which is, of course, a recipe for becoming a victim of fraud. Sometimes these posts can appear every few seconds.
And NHK confirmed over 15,000 of them.
published by more than 2,500 accounts as of lunchtime Tuesday.
And they are very common, so you have to be careful.
00:11:47 話者 1
Hiroki, tell us more about what precautions people can take, especially when they're online looking for accurate disaster information.
00:11:55 話者 4
Yeah, you know, so it's really easy to get drown in by shocking or emotionally charged content about natural disaster.
But it is good practice to check the accounts that posting these photos and videos, and just take a look at the kind of post these accounts usually make.
And if the source is unclear or suspicious, it is important not to casually share the post or like it.
You should instead check information from public agencies or reliable news organizations.
It is especially important to be vigilant in the coming days, since parts of Japan are under seismic advisory right now.
So being prepared for that is critical, but it is equally critical not to be misled by false information.
BUSINESS
00:12:58 話者 1
Here to walk us through the latest in business and finance is Yuko Fukushima.
00:13:02 話者 3/Yuko Fukushima
Yeah, thanks, James.
NIKKEI 225 SETS RECORD INTRADAY, CLOSING HIGHS
Well, there's some movements in the markets as Japan's Nikkei 225 stock index at a new intraday and closing highs on Wednesday after US President Donald Trump announced he would extend the deadline for a ceasefire with Iran.
The benchmark ended the day up 4 times of a percent at 59,585, the highest ever close.
It hit an all-time high in morning trading as Trump's announcement removed some uncertainty about whether negotiations to end the conflict will continue.
Buy orders for some semiconductor-related stocks also supported the index in the afternoon session.
Market analysts say solid demand for AI and chips drove up related shares, but they say many investors remain cautious about the outlook for US-Iran talks.
JAPAN POSTS TRADE SURPLUS FOR 2ND STRAIGHT MONTH IN MARCH
Japan posted a trade surplus for the second straight month in March.
Exports of electronic parts and non-ferrous metals increased.
The finance ministry says the surplus stood at 667 billion yen or 4.2 billion dollars.
That's up almost 26 percent from a year earlier.
The value of exports increased about 12 percent.
Imports rose nearly 11 percent.
Crude oil imports climbed 2.4 percent in volume year-on-year despite the Iran conflict.
The ministry says tankers left the Middle East before the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The value of exports to the Middle East fell almost 46 percent.
This is largely due to a significant slide in auto shipments.
All exports to Iran basically stopped.
TOKYO STUDIO APARTMENT RENTS HIT RECORD HIGH FOR 22ND MONTH
A private sector survey has found that studio apartment rents in central Tokyo surged in March to hit a record high for a 22nd straight month.
The survey by real estate information company At Home shows the average studio rent in the capital's 23 wards rose 13% year-on-year to almost 112,000 yen.
That's about $700 for a unit, measuring up to 30 square meters.
It's the highest in yen terms since the survey began in 2015.
The average rent for family units of 50 to 70 square meters climbed almost 6 percent to over 250,000 yen, or nearly $1,600.
At home, officials say landlords face increasing costs and took the opportunity to raise rents as many people moved before April, the start of Japan's fiscal year.
PRUDENTIAL LIFE EXTENDS JAPAN SALES HALT OVER FUND SCANDAL
Japan's Prudential Life Insurance says it will extend a suspension of policy sales by another six months as it continues to overhaul its governance structure.
The unit of US-based Prudential Financial halted sales in February for three months.
Following revelations, employees had misappropriated customer funds.
The company said in January that employees had improperly received 3.1 billion yen, or about $20 million, from customers.
The firm on Wednesday said it extended the halt in sales because it needs more time to restructure operations and ensure compliance rules are followed.
Prudential also said a hotline desk it set up for claims related to the scandal has handled about 700 inquiries from clients.
MARKETS
And now to a check on the markets here in the region.
♪
And that is it for Biz for this Hour.
JAPANESE LAWMAKERS VISIT YASUKUNI SHRINE FOR SPRING FESTIVAL
00:17:09 話者 1
More than 120 Japanese lawmakers have visited Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine for its annual spring festival. The shrine honors Japan's war dead.
Those remembered include leaders convicted of war crimes after World War II.
Its three-day seasonal festival opened on Tuesday.
Among those who visited was the minister in charge of Japan's growth strategy, Kiuchi Minoru.
This is the first time a cabinet minister has visited the shrine since Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae formed her first cabinet last October.
Several state ministers from Takaichi's cabinet also visited.
Senior officials from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party also showed up.
They included the LDP's Policy Research Council chairperson, Kobayashi Takayuki.
and General Counsel Chairperson Arimura Haruko.
Meanwhile, Takaichi made a private cash offering.
A cross-party lawmakers group of 126 lawmakers also jointly attended.
The group said nearly double the number of members visited the shrine this time, compared to last year's Autumn Festival, which counted 64.
The group included lawmakers from the LDP and Japan Innovation Party,
as well as the Democratic Party for the People and Sanseito.
Sanseito President Kamiya Sohei was among those paying their respects.
The group is headed by former LDP Diet Affairs Committee Chairperson Aisawa Ichiro.
He said the visit allowed him to reflect on the fact that the peace and stability Japan currently enjoys was largely thanks to the people who gave their lives for the country.
DEFENSE MINISTER SPEAKS ON WEAPONS TRANSFER RULE CHANGES
Japanese Defence Minister Koizumi Shinjiro has given an exclusive interview to NHK following government policy changes on overseas transfers of defence equipment.
The policy shift now allows, in principle, for the transfer of lethal weapons, something that was previously restricted. The Minister sat down with NHK on Tuesday.
00:19:21 話者 5/Koizumi Shinjiro
We are being helped by countries around the world, but we cannot meet their requests.
Under these conditions, it is doubtful whether we can build a relationship with other nations where we can support each other during contingencies.
The security environment has become severe, and it is necessary to make changes to protect ourselves.
00:19:46 話者 1
At a Cabinet and National Security Council meeting, officials revised Japan's three principles on the overseas transfer of defense equipment and guidelines on their implementation.
The rules previously restricted outbound shipments to five categories, including rescue and transportation. But those restrictions will now be abolished.
In principle, the change now allows for the transfer of lethal weapons such as destroyers and missiles.
All cases will still be subject to review by the National Security Council, and they'll be limited to countries that have relevant agreements in place with Japan.
Transfers to nations at war are prohibited in principle.
The government will also strengthen Japan's monitoring framework for transferred weapons.
A number of countries are reportedly interested in obtaining defense equipment from Japan, including some in Southeast Asia.
Koizumi plans to visit the Philippines in May and start talks with his counterpart.
He said that he wants to actively engage in top-level diplomacy and promote a role for Japanese technology.
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.
A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson expressed serious concern about Japan's policy shift.
00:21:22 話者 11/Guo Jiakun/Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson
Japan's recent dangerous moves in the military and security fields defy its self-proclaimed dedication to peace and adherence to the exclusively defense-oriented policy.
00:21:33 話者 1
The South Korean Foreign Ministry said it is desirable for Japan's defense and security policies to uphold the spirit of its pacifist constitution.
while also contributing to peace and stability in the region.
Three opposition parties, the Centrist Reform Alliance, the Constitutional Democratic Party, and Komeito, raised concerns about the changes.
They called for requiring the Diet to be notified in advance of transfers above a certain monetary threshold.
But under the revised three principles, Diet members will only be notified afterward.
00:22:12 話者 15/Shina Takeshi/Centrist Reform Alliance Secretary-General
It must be ensured that the Diet can apply the brakes if needed.
If weapons and defense equipment are allowed to be exported without limit at the government's discretion, and without Diet involvement, it could undermine the very foundation of Japan as a peace-oriented nation.
00:22:33 話者 1
The Japanese Communist Party strongly criticized the move.
00:22:38 話者 16/Tamura Tomoko/Japanese Communist Party Chairperson
It must never be allowed that lives are taken by lethal weapons exported from Japan.
We strongly protest this outrageous move, which would transform Japan into a nation of merchants of death.
We call for the withdrawal of the total lifting of the ban on army exports.
00:22:58 話者 1
The defense minister said there are measures in place to deal with those concerns.
00:23:06 話者 5
In the end, we will require advance confirmation that the recipient properly complies with the United Nations Charter.
00:23:18 話者 1
Koizumi said exports will not be allowed if there is any unauthorized use or transfer to a third party. He said that in such cases, Japan will cut off its transfers of supplies.
WEATHER
Let's now see what's happening in weather. A couple of storms have been affecting Japan.
Our meteorologist, Yumi Hirano, has the details.
00:23:47 話者 6/Yumi Hirano
People in northern Japan have been experiencing stormy conditions.
Hachinohe in Aomori Prefecture had a gust of 110 kilometers per hour on Wednesday.
But storm systems are expected to move away from the country, and conditions may improve gradually on Thursday.
However, another storm is approaching western and eastern Japan.
Intense rain is expected along the Pacific side, especially in Kyushu and Shikoku.
In Kanto, including Tokyo, the rain may peak around the evening commute.
In the bigger picture across Asia, the same system is also stretching along southern China.
Up to 130 millimeters of rain is possible in Jiangxi and Guangdong provinces by Thursday afternoon, leading to potential flooding.
Showers are also likely in Hong Kong, Taipei, and Tokyo, but sunny skies are expected in Beijing with a high of 24.
Scorching conditions will continue in Bangkok with a high of 39.
This month is one of the hottest times of the year in Thailand.
Moving to Europe, back-to-back storms have been affecting the Balkans this week.
The next storm is expected to bring isolated thundershowers, lightning, large hail, and even heavy mountain snow.
Another storm is over the Atlantic, bringing stormy conditions to Western Europe.
Strong southerly winds are also bringing warmer-than-usual temperatures.
The highs will be 20 in Paris, 21 in Lisbon, and 24 in Madrid.
The temperatures are expected to increase further into the weekend.
That's it for now. Have a nice day.
♫～ 3-DAY FORECAST ～♫
SEA TURTLES RELEASED INTO NATURE IN SOUTHWESTERN JAPAN
00:26:35 話者 1
Children in southwestern Japan got an opportunity to watch sea turtles swim into the ocean for the first time.
The reptiles had been under human care since immediately after hatching.
Amami-Oshima Island is a major spawning site in Japan.
The children and their parents gathered at a local beach to witness three loggerhead sea turtles' introduction to the ocean.
The turtles hatched at a nearby beach four years ago, but got trapped in the sand.
They were rescued and kept at a local aquarium.
Caretakers decided the turtles had grown up enough to be released into nature.
An aquarium official said he's relieved that the turtles went safely back into the sea.
Given the population is declining, he wants to think about what humans can do to protect them.
And a heartfelt bon voyage to all of them.
More to come here on NHK World Japan, so stay with us.
NHK World
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