Hello. Welcome back to NHK Newsline. I'm Maria Sato in Tokyo.
Western Japan Likely to Get Heavy Rain
More wet weather is in store for western Japan.
A stationary seasonal front is expected to bring heavy rain through Monday.
Northern Kyushu will likely get extreme downpours.
The Japan Meteorological Agency says the front is fueled by warm, moist air from Tropical Storm Maysak. That storm is currently over mainland China.
Weather officials say bands of clouds formed over some parts of Kyushu on Sunday, bringing heavy precipitation.
The agency says the front is expected to hover over western Japan through Monday.
Officials are urging residents to stay on alert for flooding in low-lying areas, swollen rivers and landslides, as well as lightning strikes, tornadoes and gusty winds.
Micron Technology Starts Expansion of Hiroshima Plant
Micron Technology has started expansion work at its factory in Hiroshima Prefecture.
It's aimed at mass output for cutting-edge chips for generative AI and other uses.
The US semiconductor giant held a groundbreaking ceremony on Saturday.
Micron currently produces DRAM chips at the plant in Higashihiroshima City.
Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry says the firm will invest around 1.5 trillion yen, or about 9.3 billion dollars, on the expansion.
The ministry will provide about 3.3 billion dollars in subsidies.
Industry Minister Akasawa Ryosei spoke at the ceremony.
He said semiconductors are not only vital for green and digital transformations, but also important as strategic materials for economic security.
Akazawa also noted demand for the chips will surge in the age of AI.
00:02:07 話者 2/Akasawa Ryosei
It is extremely important to establish a domestic manufacturing base, including DRAM, and to ensure a stable supply system.
00:02:19 (Maria Sato)
Micron says construction of the plant's facilities will proceed in phases.
Installation of semiconductor manufacturing equipment is scheduled to begin in the second-half of 2028.
Shibuya Most Visited Tokyo Area by Foreign Tourists
One of the most visited destinations in Japan's capital for foreign tourists in 2025 is Shibuya. It's a trendy place that's popular among both older and younger generations.
A newly released Tokyo Metropolitan Government survey shows more than 60 percent of visitors cited Shibuya as a destination.
That makes it the top choice for the fourth consecutive year.
People in their 20s accounted for the largest share at around 30 percent, followed by those in their 30s at above 20 percent.
Tokyo's Ginza was the second most popular place to visit at around 54 percent, followed by the area surrounding Tokyo Station at just over 50 percent.
Asked about what they did during their visit, nearly 90 percent said they enjoyed Japanese cuisine.
Over 60 percent said they shopped for items such as food and daily goods.
As for their willingness to revisit Tokyo, almost half said they definitely wanted to do so.
And around 30 percent simply said they wanted to.
The survey is conducted every three months by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government at Haneda and Narita airports.
The answers came from about 16,000 respondents who visited Tokyo last year.
Japan's Hayabusa2 to Conduct Asteroid Flyby
Japan's Hayabusa-2 space probe is set to perform a flyby of an asteroid on Sunday evening.
The flyby is part of its extended mission that began in 2020 after one of its capsules containing samples from the Ryugu asteroid returned to Earth.
Since then, the probe has continued its space journey toward its next target asteroid, which is expected to reach in 2031.
The Hayabusa-2 will approach the asteroid Torifune on its way to its final destination and conduct a flyby at around 6:30 p.m. Japan time on Sunday.
During the maneuver, the spacecraft is expected to come within 800 meters of Torifune's center. The asteroid is estimated to measure several hundred meters across.
An onboard camera will capture images of Torihune while the probe travels at five kilometers per second. JAXA says the flyby will gather a range of scientific data.
The agency also aims to refine techniques for precise navigation of the probe to maneuver it close to high-speed asteroids.
JAXA says these advancements will contribute to planetary defense efforts, which will involve the use of probes to alter the trajectory of asteroids that may potentially collide with Earth.
N. Korea's Kim Oversees Weapons Tests of New Destroyer
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has overseen tests of a cruise missile and other weapons systems of a new naval destroyer.
State-run Korean Central Television reported that Kim observed the tests of the 5,000-ton warship Gangon on Friday.
The report said the tests were conducted to assess the ship's combat systems.
Video footage shows successive missile launches from the vessel.
Kim reportedly emphasized the need to speed up projects to maintain and expand North Korea's war deterrent and combat capabilities.
He also reportedly affirmed the North will demonstrate the political will and determination to have absolute power through more obvious actions.
Kim ordered the destroyer to be commissioned into active service within two months.
Last month, Pyongyang commissioned the Chaehyeon, a destroyer of the same class as the Gangon.
It plans to build 2 5,000-ton-class or larger warships, including 10,000-ton-class cruisers, annually over the next five years.
War in Ukraine
Zelenskyy Denies Russian Claim of Taking Key Stronghold
Russian President Vladimir Putin is vowing to press on with military operations in Ukraine.
This comes amid claims of capturing the strategically important city of Kostiantynivka in eastern Ukraine. But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is dismissing this.
In a social media post on Saturday, Zelenskyy said the claim is just another Moscow lie.
In a separate post, Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces had attacked oil and military facilities near Russia's second largest city, St. Petersburg.
He released footage appearing to show fire and smoke billowing from the site following a drone attack. Rather, a drone strike.
Zelenskyy said the target is situated more than 850 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.
He emphasized that the strike is an example of a successful result in his country's long-range attacks on targets deep inside Russia.
Hydrangeas in Full Bloom at Temple in Niigata Pref.
Visitors to a temple in Niigata Prefecture, central Japan, are enjoying the vibrant colors of the hydrangeas in full bloom.
Renggebuji Temple on Sado Island has 20 types of hydrangeas and a total of about 7,000 plants.
Staff say the flowers came into bloom about one week later than usual due to low temperatures at night and limited rain last month.
Tourists and families were seen walking around the compound and taking photos of the red, purple and light blue flowers.
00:08:25 話者 3
The rain today made the blossoms look all the more beautiful.
00:08:31 (Maria Sato)
The hydrangeas can be enjoyed until the middle of this month.
Those were the headlines for this hour. This is NHK Newsline.
♫～ 3-DAY FORECAST ～♫
And that's the latest we have for you at this hour on NHK Newsline.
I'm Maria Sato in Tokyo. Thank you for joining.
checked.
NHK World
00:10:01 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.
0 件のコメント:
コメントを投稿