Hello. A very warm welcome to NHK Newsline. I'm Yamamoto Miki in Tokyo.
Iran–US Negotiations Hit New Roadblock
Negotiations between the US and Iran have reportedly hit another hurdle.
Multiple media outlets say Tehran has put forward a new proposal, but it seems US President Donald Trump is not happy with their offer.
The Associated Press says Iran offered to end its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, but only if Washington lifted its blockade on Iranian ports.
As for Iran's nuclear program, the proposal suggested putting those negotiations off to a later date. That's not sitting well with Washington.
AP cited two anonymous regional officials Monday.
They said Iran's offer does not touch on America's core concern, nuclear weapons.
It's something Secretary of State Marco Rubio highlighted again in an interview on Fox News.
00:01:07 話者 2/Marco Rubio
Suffice it to say that the nuclear question is the reason why we're in this in the first place.
00:01:12 話者 1
More anonymous US officials spoke with the Wall Street Journal.
They said Trump's team is also skeptical of Iran's offer.
They say the fact that Tehran is not addressing the nuclear issue has Trump questioning if they are negotiating in good faith.
The US is expected to offer its response in the coming days.
Iran Strengthens Ties with Russia
Meanwhile, Tehran is moving to strengthen ties with Russia.
Iran's foreign minister visited President Vladimir Putin.
Abbas Arakchi met with the president in St. Petersburg Monday.
Iran's foreign ministry says he also briefed officials on efforts to end the conflict.
Arakchi claimed Washington has made unreasonable demands and frequently changed its stance, saying that is slowing progress.
Arakchi also said Washington has not reached any of its goals.
One expert says Iran could be looking for a mediator to replace Pakistan.
00:02:17 話者 3/Tanaka Koichiro/Professor, Keio University
I believe Tehran is still considering which country to choose as a moderator.
It is totally at odds with the US over its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, and it is not sure if Pakistan is accurately conveying its wishes to the US negotiators.
NPT Review Conference Opens with Heated Exchanges
00:02:39 話者 1
Delegates have gathered at the UN headquarters in New York to review a crucial treaty on nuclear disarmament.
But recent tensions are looming over the meeting, such as the conflict in the Middle East.
The Review Conference on the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, or NPT, started on Monday.
And the UN Secretary-General warned about the dangers of the growing number of nuclear weapons.
00:03:06 話者 11/Antonio Guterres/UN Secretary-General
Some governments are openly mulling the acquisition of these horrific weapons.
Have we forgotten that a nuclear war cannot be won and must not be fought?
00:03:18 話者 1
At the outset, the US delegate objected to Iran being selected as one of the vice presidents of the conference, and the Iranian delegate criticized the US.
00:03:30 話者 13/US delegate
It is indisputable that Iran has long demonstrated its contempt for the non-proliferation commitments of the NPT.
It is indisputable that Iran has refused to cooperate with the IAEA to resolve the glaring questions about its program.
00:03:48 話者 14/Iranian delegate
It is indefensible that the United States, as the only state ever have used nuclear weapons, and the one that continues to expand and modernize its nuclear arsenal in blatant disregard of its Article VI obligation, seeks to position itself as an arbitrator of the compliance.
00:04:12 話者 1
191 member states adhere to the treaty.
It requires the five nuclear powers, the US, Russia, Britain, France, and China, to negotiate a nuclear arms reduction, and it bans others from developing or possessing them.
The conference will last until late May.
Atomic Bomb Survivors Appeal for Nuclear Abolition
NHK World's Ebizuka Megumi is in New York and has more details on the conference.
00:04:39 話者 4/Ebizuka Megumi
The conference got off to a tribunal start on its opening day.
Not only did the United States and Iran engage in a heated exchange, but Ukraine and Russia also strongly criticized each other.
Amid these tense circumstances, atomic bomb survivors from Hiroshima and Nagasaki are also on site.
They are holding an exhibition at the venue to convey the realities of the atomic bombings.
Because Japan is the only country to have suffered atomic attacks in war, they want to highlight the grave threat nuclear arms can pose.
The UN Secretary-General also referred to the survivors during his speech.
He said, They survived the worst of humanity to show people the best of it, and their message to the world could not be more timely and urgent.
Delegates at the two previous NPT review conferences failed to adopt the final document, so there are growing calls to avoid the third consecutive failure to reach a consensus.
But divisions are deepening, and there are increasing doubts about wager the international community can unite in moving forward on nuclear disarmament.
Ebizuka Megumi, NHK World, New York.
Atomic Bomb Survivors Hold Exhibition in New York
00:06:00 話者 1
As Megumi just told us, survivors are using the sidelines of the conference to visually display the horrors of atomic weapons.
Nobel Peace Prize-winning survivors' group Nihon Hidankyo organized the event.
Secretary-General Hamasumi Jiro was in his mother's womb when the atomic bomb exploded over Hiroshima in 1945.
00:06:30 話者 25/Hamasumi Jiro
We hope to convey our wishes with everyone, so that no one ever has to endure the pain and hardship we have faced.
00:06:45 話者 1
One visitor praised the work of the survivors who are also known as hibakusha.
00:06:50 話者 26
It really is heartbreaking to see. But what is nice to see is the hibakusha here, giving their perspective and telling us and demanding us that we need to put an end to the possession of nuclear weapons.
00:07:11 話者 1
More than 50 items are on display.
One photo shows a boy at a crematory, likely in Nagasaki, with a younger child on his back. This is the fifth time the exhibition has been held.
King Charles Begins State Visit to the United States
Britain's King Charles and his wife, Queen Camilla, are now in the United States for a four-day state visit.
This is the king's first visit to the US since he ascended the throne four years ago.
US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump welcomed the British royal couple at the White House.
The US will celebrate the 250th anniversary of its Declaration of Independence from Britain in July.
This visit is expected to celebrate the historic connections and current ties between the two nations.
Trump has expressed dissatisfaction with what he called a lack of British cooperation in the military operation against Iran.
The country initially refused to allow the US military to use its bases in the conflict.
British public broadcaster BBC recently asked Trump in a telephone interview whether the visit could help repair the relationship. He replied, Absolutely, the answer is yes.
King Charles is scheduled to address Congress on Tuesday.
It'll be the first time for a British monarch to do so since Queen Elizabeth II in 1991.
Attempted Assassination Charge Filed in Washington Incident
The man suspected of opening fire at a Washington press dinner last weekend has appeared in court and he's been charged with attempting to assassinate President Trump.
Cole Thomas Allen from California faces two other charges.
They are transporting a firearm and ammunition over state lines with intent to commit a felony and using it during a crime of violence.
The 31-year-old was arrested after firing gunshots as he tried to enter the White House Correspondents' Dinner.
The black-tie event was being held at a hotel in the Capitol on Saturday night.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche says if he is convicted for attempting to assassinate the president, he could serve a life-in sentence.
00:09:38 話者 32/Todd Blanche/Acting Attorney General
Violence has no place in civic life. It cannot and will not be used to disrupt democratic institutions or intimidate those who serve them and it certainly cannot continue to be used against the President of the United States.
00:09:55 話者 1
The US attorney for the District of Columbia says he will face more charges.
She says Allen was carrying a shotgun, a handgun and three knives at the time.
She also says that a pre-written e-mail stated that targets were government officials, prioritizing them from the highest ranking to the lowest.
The White House spokesperson says this was the third major assassination attempt against Trump, and she says she believes there were no problems with security at the venue.
00:10:28 話者 33/Karoline Leavitt/White House Press Secretary
The Secret Service did their jobs well.
They communicated with one another to remove the president and the vice president to safety as quickly as they could, and obviously to neutralize the shooter as well.
00:10:39 話者 1
She also indicates they will review whether any improvements are needed in protecting the president and other officials.
Zelenskyy Calls for Continued Air Defense Support
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is calling for continued international support for his country's air defense systems.
He says Russia launched a major attack last week, deploying about 1,900 drones.
In a social media post on Monday, Zelenskyy added that the strikes involved nearly 1,400 guided aerial bombs and about 60 missiles of various types.
Zelenskyy emphasized how timely recent contributions from partners have been.
He cited the EU's approval of a support package worth 90 billion euros, or about $105 billion.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine's air defense systems boast a drone interception rate of over 90 percent, stressing the need to ensure this figure continues to rise.
Ukrainian media reported that the country's top military commander, Oleksandr Syrsky, says Russian offensives have intensified along virtually the entire front.
But he says Russia is suffering losses that outpace its ability to replenish units.
Japan–China Tensions Over Maritime Security
Global maritime concerns are largely focused on the Middle East, but Japan says that's no reason to neglect the Indo-Pacific, where China attempts to upend the status quo.
The United Nations Security Council convened on Monday for a session about maritime security, mainly in the Strait of Hormuz.
But Japan's state minister for foreign affairs expressed serious concerns about the East and South China Seas.
00:12:26 話者 41/Kunimitsu Ayano/Japanese State Minister for Foreign Affairs
We literally reiterate our strong opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force and the coalitions.
00:12:40 話者 1
China's deputy UN ambassador hit back.
00:12:46 話者 42/Sun Lei/Chinese Deputy Ambassador to UN
It is Japan that recently sent Self-Defense Force vessels to flex their muscles and provoke tensions in the Taiwan Strait.
00:12:53 話者 1
Officials in Japan recently said Beijing wants to build a structure on the Chinese side of the median line between the two countries in the East China Sea.
The officials also launched a protest against any unilateral activities related to the development of gas fields in the area.
Hiroshima Factory Explosion Injures Multiple Workers
Firefighters in western Japan have managed to put out a fire after an explosion at a pharmaceutical company factory. Multiple people are said to have been injured.
Firefighters say a call came in shortly before noon on Tuesday, reporting that a blast had occurred at the facility in Miyoshi City, Hiroshima Prefecture.
Five people were reportedly hurt and taken to hospital, with two suffering severe injuries.
The fire was put out about three hours after the call.
Police and firefighters are probing the cause.
BUSINESS
Now, let's go to Ramin Mellegard for business stories making headlines. Ramin.
00:13:59 話者 6/Ramin Mellegard
Thank you very much indeed.
BOJ Keeps Policy Rate; Inflation Outlook Revised
Now, the Bank of Japan has decided to keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged amid uncertainty over the situation in the Middle East.
The central bank said after its two-day policy meeting that ended on Tuesday, it will continue to target a short-term rate of around 0.75%.
It's the third time in a row that the BOJ has kept monetary policy unchanged following a rate hike in December.
The decision was widely expected as the Iran conflict has driven up prices of crude oil and petroleum products such as NAFTA.
There are concerns that disruptions in raw materials supplies could drag on the economy.
Now, six of the nine board members supported the action, while three voted against and proposed a rate hike.
BOJ Governor Ueda Kazuo said he needs to take seriously the fact that three policymakers opposed maintaining the rate.
He added that he and the others are concerned about upside risks for prices, but it's not urgent enough to immediately respond with a rate hike.
BOJ FORECAST: PRICES UP, GROWTH DOWN
The BOJ also announced its outlook for economic activity and prices.
It said the rise in crude oil prices will push up prices mainly of energy and goods.
The bank said its median forecast for consumer prices, excluding fresh food, for this fiscal year is 2.8%, a jump from January's projection of 1.9%.
Its outlook for next fiscal year is now at 2.3%, up from 2% in the previous forecast.
Meanwhile, the central bank downgraded its projection for economic growth for the current and next fiscal year.
Its median forecast for fiscal 2026 is at 0.5% in real terms, downgraded from the January outlook of 1%.
The bank's projection for growth in fiscal 2027 is now 0.7%, down from 0.8% in January.
But it said growth is likely to rise moderately from that year onward since the negative effects of high oil prices are likely to wane.
00:16:21 話者 55/Ueda Kazuo/Bank of Japan Governor
Underlying inflation is approaching 2%, and businesses' wage and price-setting moves are active.
Considering these, it is necessary to pay close attention to the risk of a significant rise in prices in order to prevent a negative impact on the economy.
EXPERT: BOJ HOLDS POLICY RATE, SIGNALS MORE HAWKISH STANCE
00:16:44 話者 6
Now, for more, we ask Kato Izuru, chief economist at Totan Research, for his take.
He notes that the hold itself was as expected, but the BOJ appears more worried than anticipated about inflation pressures linked to the Iran conflict.
00:17:05 話者 7/Kato Izuru
The outlook report indicates that the BOJ is very concerned about upside risks in prices.
Three board members opposed the governor's proposal to maintain the rate and called for a rate hike.
I believe chances of raising the rate at the next policy meeting in June are quite high unless the Middle East situation becomes very chaotic.
I think that there are underlying concerns among policymakers that if the BOJ fails to raise the rate, it would fall behind in inflation control.
00:17:38 話者 6
Kato says the BOJ's signals in the report make market players aware that the bank plans to gradually raise rates.
He says that by doing so, the bank wants to prevent further depreciation of the yen.
00:17:56 話者 7
If the BOJ had not emphasized the upside risks in prices in the report, market players would likely have taken that as a factor for a weaker yen.
The spring holiday period is about to begin in Japan, so there are quite high risks that investors might sell the yen in overseas markets while the Tokyo market is closed.
If it happens, the rate of rises in crude oil prices could be even higher in yen terms.
I think that preventing the yen's depreciation was part of the BOJ's intention.
00:18:34 話者 6
There is still uncertainty over whether a June rate hike might actually be decided, but that could change depending on the situation in the Middle East.
Japan Secures Alternative Oil Supply Routes
Japan's industry ministry says it expects to secure about 60% of crude oil for May from alternate sources using routes other than the Strait of Hormuz.
The figure is based on crude oil procured in 2025.
Japan's government plans to meet domestic demand by combining these alternative supplies, which will include an increase in imports from the US with oil from national stockpiles.
Now, for May, the ministry says that by adding 20 days worth of oil newly released from the national stockpiles, Japan will be able to cover its domestic demand.
Crude oil from the US is less viscous than that from the Middle East.
But the ministry says facilities in Japan can handle the US oil by combining the two types of oil.
Meanwhile, the disruptive distribution of petroleum-derived products, such as medical supplies, remains a challenge for the government.
Industries are worried and calling for the government to take steps to ensure a stable supply.
Nikkei 225 Falls After Record High
Okay, Tokyo's benchmark stock index retreated on Tuesday from an all-time high above 60,000, marked the day before.
The dip was largely due to speculation that the Bank of Japan's next rate hike could come sooner than expected since three policymakers opposed maintaining the key rate unchanged.
The Nikkei 225 fell 1% to finish at 59,917.
Investors unloaded semiconductor and electronic parts-related shares that have been driving force for the recent rally amid the AI boom.
Trading will resume on Thursday in Japan after a national holiday.
MARKETS
OK, let's get a check on some of the other markets.
♪
And that is it for Business News.
I'm going to hand it back to you.
00:21:12 話者 1
All right, Ramin. Thank you very much.
Leather Craftsman Finds New Purpose After Illness
A man in Shimane Prefecture in western Japan was forced to change his life path after being diagnosed with a rare disease.
But now he's making crafts by hand, born from his personal experience.
In our next report, we spotlight the thoughts behind his works.
00:21:34 話者 8/Reporter: Ishihara Natsuki/Narrator: Shimizu Risa
At a Japanese inn, boutique manager Uchida Naruhiko welcomes customers.
All the leather goods sold here have been handmade by Uchida himself.
Starting in March, a very special product was added to the lineup.
00:21:50 話者 5/Uchida Naruhiko
This is the cup holder that won an honorable mention in last year's design contest for leather. It can be folded up to be carried easily.
00:21:59 話者 8
It's been 12 years since Uchida began making leather goods.
However, the path to reach this point wasn't easy.
Born into a family that runs a traditional Japanese inn, Uchida went to a culinary school, aiming to become a chef there.
Later, while working his way up in the kitchen.
00:22:22 話者 5
I started to drop my chopsticks and knives.
I felt something was wrong with my body, so I went to the doctor.
00:22:31 話者 8
He was told he had a rare neurological disease.
He had developed paralysis in his right hand, and his finger strength had weakened.
00:22:41 話者 5
It happened just as I was starting to be entrusted with more responsibilities, so I was filled with frustration.
00:22:49 話者 8
After a stay in hospital and two years of tough rehabilitation, Uchida was able to return to work. This time, not as a chef, but as the manager of the inn's newly opened boutique.
That's when Uchida decided to make handmade crafts, starting with beaded jewelry as part of his ongoing rehabilitation.
He eventually began creating leather goods that complement the inn's blend of Japanese and Western traditional styles.
Uchida sews all his works by hand.
The fine finger movements that were difficult at first now come naturally.
And the cup holder is a creation born from his personal experience.
00:23:40 話者 5
I've always loved coffee and often went to coffee shops, but I found it really hard to hold cuts that didn't have handles.
I had the idea of creating a cup holder with a grip to make it easier for me to use them.
That led to the birth of this product.
00:23:58 話者 8
Not only are they sold in the boutique, but they are available for customers to use in the Inn's lounge.
00:24:08 話者 5
I'd be happy if I could offer even a little encouragement to those thinking of trying something new, or who are dealing with a similar illness.
00:24:17 話者 8
Uchida continues to discover new possibilities in the very challenges he faces, and hopes others will find joy in the little things that fill their daily lives.
Global Weather Updates
00:24:30 話者 1
And it's time for a check on the world weather with our meteorologist Jonathan Oh.
So Jonathan, southern parts of China are dealing with seasonal heavy rain and flooding.
What's the latest?
00:24:43 話者 9/Jonathan Oh
Hello.
Around this time of year, we talk about the heavy rainfall that develops in the southern areas of China.
And it's a problem because it is just such a high amount of water that causes problems all over the area.
Here's a look at some video coming out from the region to give you an idea of the situation.
A powerful rainstorm battered a coastal city in southern China Monday, ending streets and disrupting traffic.
Footage shows many vehicles stuck in flooded areas while police were deployed to guide congested traffic.
According to the fire Department, over 100 rescuers have been dispatched to assist in evacuations.
Officials issued a rainstorm warning for the region Monday, and it's been in effect on Tuesday as well.
We'll continue to monitor the front that's going to be draped around the area, and we will see a load trying to develop from that and pushing toward the east.
So western areas of Japan will pick up on the rain as we go through the day on Wednesday, and that will continue to spread to the north and east.
And so eventually Tokyo will see the chance for some rain later on.
So, looking the forecast for Wednesday, cloudy skies in Tokyo with a high of 24, Seoul at 20, rain from Shanghai into Hong Kong, highs in the mid-20s from Taipei into Hong Kong as we go through the day.
Meanwhile, speaking of some rain, strong severe thunderstorms along a cold front extending from the Great Lakes down toward the Deep South.
There have been two tornado reports associated with this front, and it looks like we're still looking at the possibility of severe thunderstorms along this particular system.
So make sure you're weather aware as we go through the day on Tuesday.
Rain expected from Toronto into Washington, D.C., Atlanta topping off in the mid-20s.
Oklahoma City also looking at some rain for the day.
Wrapping things up with a look at Europe.
High pressure, the big story across most of the continent, but back toward the east.
It's a spring snowstorm happening in the western areas of Russia and that will continue to be something we'll be looking out for as we go through the day on Tuesday.
Even some strong winds along with the snow, high of three in Moscow, but highs in the low twenties from Paris to Vienna as we go through the day.
Hope you have a good day wherever you are.
♫～ 3-DAY FORECAST ～♫
00:27:40 話者 1
And that's NHK Newsline for this hour.
I'm Yamamoto Miki in Tokyo. Thank you for watching.
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