Hello, welcome back to NHK Newsline. I'm Maria Sato in Tokyo.
Japan Marks 81 Years Since the End of WWII
People in Japan are marking 81 years since the end of World War II.
August 15 is when the public learned about the country's surrender.
More than 4,000 people, including bereaved families, attended Japan's national memorial ceremony for the war dead in Tokyo.
The service remembers the approximately 3.1 million people who died in the war.
Attendees held a moment of silence at noon.
Emperor Narushito and Empress Masako prayed for the souls of the dead.
00:01:00 話者 12/Narushito
Senchu-sengo no kunan o kongotomo katari tsugi, watashitachi mina de kokoro o awase, shorai ni watatte heiwa to hitobito no shiawase o kikyu shi tsuzukete iku koto o kokoro kara negai masu.
"It is my sincere hope that we continue passing down the memories of the hardships endured during and after the war and continue, in unity of spirit, to seek peace and happiness in the future,"
Koko ni, sengo no nagaki ni wataru heiwa na saigetsu ni omoi o itashitsutsu, kako o kaerimi, fukai hansei no ue ni tatte, futatabi senso no sanka ga kurikaesarenu koto o setsu ni negai, senjin ni chiri senka ni taoreta hitobito ni taishi, zenkokumin to tomo ni, kokoro kara aito no i o hyoshi, sekai no heiwa to waga kuni no isso no hatten o inori masu.
"Looking back on this long period of post-war peace, reflecting on our past and bearing deep remorse, I earnestly hope the ravages of war will never be seen again. Together with all our people, I now pay my heartfelt tribute to those who lost their lives, both on and off the battlefield. And I pray for world peace and for the continuing development of our country."
00:01:53 (Maria Sato)
Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae also spoke at the event.
00:02:00 話者 13/Takaichi Sanae
The peace and prosperity of our nation today has been built atop their precious lives and their suffering. That is something we must never forget.
Once again, I offer my deepest respect and gratitude.
As for the many whose remains have not yet returned home, they will not be forgotten.
Bringing them back as soon as possible is our nation's utmost responsibility.
00:02:37 (Maria Sato)
84-year-old Kanamori Takeshi from Gifu Prefecture represented the bereaved families.
His father died in combat on Luzon in the Philippines.
He remembers being carried on his mother's back as they fled the air raids.
00:02:53 話者 14/Kanamori Takeshi
Now, after many years of peace, we are gradually forgetting war and what happened in the past. Yet conflicts still continue across the world.
People are becoming victims and suffering, just as we did.
I sincerely hope for a lasting world peace as soon as possible.
00:03:15 (Maria Sato)
Over 60% of relatives attending the event were 70 or older.
But younger generations are also taking part.
They will be passing on the stories they've heard to future generations.
No Plans for Takaichi to Visit Yasukuni Shrine
Takaichi used to also mark the day with a visit to Yasukuni Shrine, but she hasn't been since becoming prime minister and sources say she has no plans to do so today.
The shrine honors Japan's war dead.
Those remembered include leaders convicted of war crimes after World War II.
Takaichi often visited before becoming prime minister, but has not been since she was elected leader of the main ruling Liberal Democratic Party.
Visits to Yasukuni have at times raised tensions with countries like China and South Korea.
It's believed Takaichi took into account the possible diplomatic repercussions of a visit.
She said in February, she aims to gain understanding from Japan's allies and neighboring countries.
She also said she wants an environment where those who lost their lives for their nations can be remembered.
Takaichi did send a cash offering made through LDP Secretary General Suzuki Shunichi.
She sent the offering as LDP party president, and it was made using her own personal funds. Other top officials also visited Yasukuni Shrine Saturday.
Defense Minister Koizumi Shinjiro stopped by, as he does every year, including in 2025, when he served as agriculture minister.
Children's Policy Minister Kikawada Hitoshi, Economic Security Minister Onoda Kimi, and the minister in charge of Japan's growth strategy, Kiuichi Minoru, also separately visited the shrine.
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UN Says 437 Civilians Killed in Ukraine in July
The UN says at least 437 civilians were killed in Ukraine last month.
That's the highest figure recorded except during the initial stages of Russia's invasion.
The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine also says the number of child deaths and injuries in July was over 180. The figure is the highest since April 2022.
It says decreasing access to information in Russian-occupied territory has made verification more difficult and that the actual civilian toll is likely much higher.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says his country's air defenses need support.
He wrote on social media that Ukraine has two and a half times fewer interceptors than it did in 2025, while Russia has doubled the number of ballistic missiles per month than they had before.
Zelenskyy added that his country will make it through the winter and save lives if the US sells Ukraine 5 percent of its PAC-3 interceptor missiles.
14 Dead After M7.7 Quake Off Indonesia
Indonesian authorities say at least 14 people have died following an earthquake off the eastern part of the country early Saturday morning.
The US Geological Survey says the 7.7 magnitude quake struck off Flores Island in eastern Indonesia. The quake's focus was estimated to have been 10 kilometers deep.
Authorities, police and military personnel are carrying out rescue operations.
Local weather authorities announced that tsunami waves of nearly one meter high were observed in waters off the central part of Flores Island and 54 centimeters in the southern part of the island of Sulawesi.
US Govt.'s 'Antisemitism' Lawsuit Against Harvard Dismissed
A US district court has dismissed a lawsuit filed by the Trump administration against Harvard University.
The suit accused the school of failing to protect Jewish students from harassment.
The government had argued that Harvard violated Jewish students' civil rights by failing to protect them in connection with demonstrations against Israel.
It demanded that the university return federal grants.
On Thursday, the court in Massachusetts, the state where Harvard is located, handed down the ruling in the lawsuit filed in March.
The judge said that while the incidents raised concerns, he described them as too isolated and episodic to plausibly prove institutionalized civil rights violations at Harvard.
Protests on campuses spread across the United States after fighting in the Gaza Strip intensified in 2023.
The administration has put pressure on universities to take action, including by freezing federal grants.
Some have agreed to return the grants, but Harvard indicated that it will not yield to pressure.
The New York Times said the ruling is a blow to the administration's efforts to force Harvard to make a deal.
Those were the headlines for this hour. This is NHK Newsline.
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