Great to have you with us. From our studio in Tokyo, this is NHK Newsline.
Japan Disaster Prevention Day Focuses on Megaquake Scenario
The Japanese government on Tuesday states the disaster prevention drill based on the scenario of a massive earthquake off the coast of northern Japan.
September 1 is Disaster Prevention Day in Japan.
It marks the 1923 Great Kanto earthquake, which left more than 100,000 people dead and missing in and around Tokyo.
Cabinet ministers and officials gathered at the prime minister's office.
This year's drill assumed that a magnitude 8.3 quake had occurred off the coast of Hokkaido, with major tsunami warnings issued along the Pacific coast.
They held video conferences with officials in Hokkaido and other local governments.
Hokkaido Governor Suzuki Naomichi briefed the ministers about major damage from the tremor and tsunami. He added that residents were isolated in some areas.
Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae then held a mock news conference to explain the government response.
(Japanese)
The Cabinet Office is calling on people to mark the day by being aware of risks in their communities and confirming what preparations are needed.
Cra Party Eyes New Path After Giving Up on Merger
Japan's largest opposition party in the lower house, the Centrist Reform Alliance, or CRA, plans to seek new options after abandoning plans for a merger with two allied parties.
Leaders of the CRA, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, or CDP, and Komeito gathered on Monday. They confirmed that their parties will not merge.
00:02:05 話者 12/Ogawa Junya/Centrist Reform Alliance President
I aim to explore a new framework that would allow the party members to regroup, expand centrist forces and seek a change of government.
00:02:18 話者 1
The CRA was formed in January by lower house members from the CDP and Komaeto ahead of a general election.
Members of the two parties in the upper house and regional assemblies did not join the new group.
A merger would have brought these members together under the CRA.
Now that it has been ruled out, some within the CRA say it's inevitable for the party to break up into former CDP and Komeito members.
They plan to explore new partnerships, including forming a joint group in the lower house and speed up coordination with an eye on the likely extraordinary diet session in the fall.
Japan Introduces New 30kph Speed Limit
Drivers across Japan are getting to grips with a new rule.
The speed limit on narrow roads in residential areas has been halved to 30 kilometers per hour.
(Japanese)
The rule applies on ordinary roads nationwide unless stated otherwise.
It's aimed at protecting children, the elderly and cyclists.
The previous speed limit of 60 kilometers per hour had a long run.
It was enacted in 1960.
Police say traffic accidents have declined in recent years, but not on roads narrower than 5.5 meters wide.
New Domestic Facility Opens at Tokyo's Haneda Airport
Tokyo's Haneda Airport has expanded its domestic terminal as it tries to keep up with surging demand. The North satellite opened Tuesday as an extension of Terminal 1.
The facility has six gates, serving Japan Airlines and Skymark Airlines, among other carriers.
The farthest gate is about a kilometer from the security check, though ten moving walkways will help with that trek.
00:04:19 話者 23
I wonder how people with small children manage to walk that distance.
I hope they can make it a little easier for everyone to use.
00:04:28 話者 1
And there's another change to address a spike in departure delays.
From Tuesday, passengers have to drop off checked luggage at least 30 minutes before departure. That's 10 minutes earlier than before.
Xi, Putin Meet on Sidelines of International Summit
The presidents of China and Russia held talks in Kyrgyzstan.
They met on the sidelines of an international summit led by their countries.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is taking place in the capital Bishkek.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin sat down on Monday.
China's foreign ministry says Xi expressed optimism about the future of bilateral ties.
Russia's presidential executive office quoted Putin as saying both countries have been exemplary at promoting a comprehensive partnership in today's challenging geopolitical environment.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also met Putin.
He reportedly said India backs all efforts to end the war in Ukraine.
And Putin reportedly responded by saying Russia is moving in that direction.
The summit is expected to wrap up on Tuesday.
Leaders from 17 countries, including Iran, were scheduled to take part.
Sco Summit Talks Set Stage for Xi's Planned US Visit
For more on what China is aiming to get out of these talks, NHK World's Yoshida Mayu has this report from Beijing.
00:06:12 話者 34/Yoshida Mayu
President Xi regards the talks with Putin and other SCO leaders as preparatory work for his upcoming meeting with the US President Donald Trump.
Xi is expected to visit the US for that later this month.
As Washington steps up economic pressure on Iran, Beijing is concerned that pressure could eventually extend to China, which is Iran's largest trading partner.
Xi appears to have discussed his views on the situation with Putin, whom he sees as a strategic partner.
More broadly, China wants to reshape the international order in ways that better serve its interests, away from a US-centric order to a more multipolar one.
Beijing places great importance on non-Western groups, partnerships, and coalitions, informal and otherwise.
The SCO is a prime example of this and so is the BRICS summit planned for later this month.
Ahead of the meeting with the US, China is believed to be trying to solidify its negotiating position by demonstrating that it is a major power with influence over Russia and countries in the Global South.
Yoshida Mayu, NHK World, Beijing.
Nepal-China Flood Toll Tops 1,000
00:07:32 話者 1
More than a thousand people have been confirmed dead from the flash flooding along the Nepal-China border. Rescue workers are still searching for more than 4,400 others.
Authorities in Nepal say 987 people were killed across the country in Wednesday's flooding and landslides.
Around 10,000 military and police personnel have been deployed in Nepal.
But search and rescue operations are slow as infrastructure is heavily damaged and there is a shortage of heavy machinery needed to clear debris.
Rescue efforts continue in the regions of Rasuwa and Nuwakot.
More than 900 people are trapped at hydroelectric power plants.
On the other side of the border, China's state-run media says 16 people were killed and more than 540 people remain missing.
Weather authorities expect intermittent rain to continue all week.
They warn that rivers could swell and overflow again.
New School Year Begins in War-Torn Ukraine
It's back to school in Ukraine this week.
But for some students in Kyiv, the new school year will start online.
Their classrooms are still being repaired after Russian attacks on the capital.
Missiles landed in the grounds of this school late last month.
They shattered hundreds of windows across two buildings.
The blast also damaged roofs and underground water pipes.
The school is welcoming 42 new students this year, but none will be starting the term in the classrooms.
Lessons will be online for the next two weeks as repair work goes on.
After that, parents and guardians will have a choice.
Their children can attend classes in underground shelters or transfer to another school nearby.
00:09:32 話者 43/Viktoria Reznikova/School principal
Considering the frequency of air raid alerts in recent days in Kyiv, I think that this is the best option for organizing education.
00:09:41 話者 1
Authorities in Kyiv said five other schools will implement similar measures, as their buildings still haven't been repaired.
Iran Conflict: Trump Vows to Hit Tehran Hard After Tensions Flare
Tensions are flaring between the US and Iran after they treated strikes for the first time in more than a month.
Concerns are growing that the fighting may escalate further, with US President Donald Trump vowing to hit them hard.
Trump told Fox News in a phone call that there will be a response to Iran's strikes on US bases in Jordan.
At the same time, he claimed the Iranians want to meet.
But he said he doesn't know if he can count on a deal with them.
Iranian media cited Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as saying a rogue supertanker was struck by naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz.
But US Central Command denies the IRGC's claims. It says no ships have hit mines.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent spoke about economic sanctions on Iran.
00:10:49 話者 55/Scott Bessent
They're taking them very seriously.
If you look back what the Iranian political leadership has said over the past 10 days, they're in shock at the state of their economy.
00:11:01 話者 1
He says Iran's leaders are lashing out kinetically because they're losing economically.
But he said that Iran's economy doesn't have to collapse.
The regime just has to come to their senses.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeskian met with Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif in Kyrgyzstan at a regional summit.
Iran's Tasnim news agency reports that Pezeskian is seeking a diplomatic solution.
He stresses that Tehran is ready to implement the memorandum of understanding with the US, but only on the condition that Washington follows through with its own commitments.
Business
Now let's see what's happening in the world of business.
Here's from Ramin Mellegard from our biz desk.
00:11:50 話者 5/Ramin Mellegard
Thank you very much indeed.
Katayama, Bessent Confirm 'Orderly' Yen Moves Essential
Japanese Finance Minister Katayama Satsuki says she and US Treasury Secretary Scott Besant agreed that orderly yen movements are vital for financial market stability.
The two met for talks in Asheville, North Carolina, where the United States is hosting a gathering of 20 finance chiefs.
It was their first face-to-face meeting since the two countries jointly intervened in the currency market a month ago to halt the yen's sharp slide.
00:12:27 話者 63/Katayama Satsuki
We confirmed that orderly movements in the yen dollar exchange rate are essential to the stability of global financial markets.
And that joint efforts between Japan and the United States will help achieve this shared objective.
00:12:44 話者 5
Bessent also met separately with Bank of Japan Governor Ueda Kazuo.
The undersecretary for international affairs at the US Treasury Department, Aaron Brown, gave NHK details of Bessent's remarks to Katayama and Ueda.
She said he conveyed to them that Japan needs to make clear to the market that it is moving toward higher interest rates and fiscal sustainability.
But in her comments to reporters, Katayama said monetary policy is a matter for the BOJ, and it was not discussed with Bessent.
She also said she stressed that Japan will strike a balance between a strong economy and fiscal sustainability.
Japan's 10-Year Bond Yield Hits Highest in Almost 30 Years
Market sources say Bessent's remarks to Katayama and Ueda triggered speculation the BOJ will raise interest rates soon.
Now, that drove the yield on Japan's benchmark long-term government bond to the highest in almost 30 years.
The 10-year bond yield reached 3% on Tuesday.
Brokerage firm Japan Bond Trading says that's a level not seen since October 1996.
Investors have been selling bonds on concern over the country's fiscal health.
The rise in US long-term interest rates is also accelerating selling of JGBs.
Sony Group, Others Sue Anthropic Over Songs Used to Train AI
35 companies, including the music publishing branch of Sony Group, have sued A.I. startup Anthropic in a US federal court for alleged theft of intellectual property.
They claim Anthropic unlawfully acquired an enormous number of copyrighted music and lyrics to train its claws AI models.
The plaintiffs, which also include music publishing branches of Warner Music Group, are demanding compensation of up to $150,000 per work infringed.
The lawsuit says Anthropic's actions inflict what it calls immense harm on music publishers and the songwriters they represent.
Anthropic says it disagrees with the publishers' claims and the company intends to defend itself robustly in court.
Japan Firms Turn to Overseas M&A to Tap AI Data Center Boom
Global construction of data centers is booming on the back of demand for AI-related services.
Japan's electronics makers see that as an opportunity to acquire overseas firms and expand their business in the sector. The opportunity does look compelling.
Japan's communications ministry expects the global data center market to grow more than 28% to $739 billion from 2026 to 2030.
Mitsubishi Electric is one company with plans to carve out a bigger piece of the market.
It announced plans to spend about 220 billion yen or $1.3 billion to buy PCI Energy Solutions of the US.
Data centers use massive amounts of electricity and the acquired company makes software that improves power consumption efficiency.
Electronic components manufacturer TDK is following a similar track.
It is poised to acquire US component maker fabricate labs to boost sales of cooling equipment for data centers.
And Hitachi announced the purchase of Canada's Canduct Group, a manufacturer of data center transformer components.
Naphtha Worries Prompt Industries to Rethink Rice
Now, the Middle East conflict has disrupted supplies of many key products, including NAFTA. The refined oil product is used to make everything from plastics to fibers.
But supply concerns are shifting attention onto a Japanese technology that substitutes something you would not expect, rice.
00:16:42 話者 6/Reporter: Higashi Yuya/Narrator: Marcus Pittman
This materials company was founded five years ago.
One of its products getting noticed is a simple garbage bag.
Some of the raw materials used to make it come from rice.
The company uses rice that is unsuitable for human consumption, including broken grains gathered from around the country and old government stocks.
It is then mixed with a resin derived from naphtha and infused with water and heat.
The result is this special plastic.
The company says up to 70% of the normal amount of naphtha can be replaced with rice.
The cost is higher than with conventional plastic, and that poses a challenge to expanding the market.
But naphtha prices are volatile, and the price gap has narrowed.
Meanwhile, demand for alternatives is growing as customers seek supply stability.
In Japan, local governments decide what kinds of garbage bags should be used.
The company says it is getting more and more inquiries.
00:17:55 話者 77/Okuda Shinji/COO, Rice Resin
With rice-based garbage bags, we can ensure a stable supply and the price gap has narrowed. Local governments are becoming interested.
00:18:07 話者 6
This long-established food maker also sees an opportunity.
The company holds the largest share of Japan's rice oil market.
Rice oil is made from this liquid, produced during the processing of rice bran.
It is not suitable for human consumption and would normally be discarded.
But the food maker had another idea.
00:18:34 話者 78
This material can't be eaten, but using certain chemical processes, it can be transformed into resin.
00:18:44 話者 6
The substance created from this oil is known as polyamide resin.
Ten years ago, the company succeeded in using it to develop ink.
Normally, ink contains pigments, resins derived from naphtha and solvents.
By replacing a portion of the resin with that from rice bran, it is possible to make ink and reduce the naphtha requirement.
The ink is already widely used.
The company is pitching it as a measure to cut down on the need for naphtha.
00:19:17 話者 79/Tsuno Yasuko/Director, Tsuno Group
Our company is pursuing the spirit of Mottai-Nai, the Japanese concept of avoiding waste.
We hope to create products with various benefits, whether environmental sustainability or a stable supply.
00:19:31 話者 6
This industry researcher says Japan should increase its use of biomaterials to reduce dependence on oil and diversify risks.
00:19:44 話者 76/Furuki Jiro/Senior Researcher, Mitsubishi Research Institute
Agricultural products, forest resources and waste are all things Japan has in abundance.
It's important that momentum builds and action spreads across the country towards sharing these resources and that related industries and technologies are developed.
Markets
00:20:03 話者 5
Okay, let's get a check of the markets.
♪
And that is it for Business News.
♫～
Picture Perfect Pets
00:21:03 話者 1
Most people now record moments with their pets on their smartphones.
But a photographer in Fukuoka, Western Japan, has opened the doors of its professional studio to families and pets to capture memories that will last. Here's the story.
00:21:23 話者 2/Reporter: Aoyagi Shoki/Narrator: Kojima Eriko
The subject of this photo shoot is Shinba.
But the golden retriever doesn't want to sit still.
Capturing a natural expression takes over an hour.
The family has had matching t-shirts made.
And the son returned home for the occasion.
00:21:49 話者 87
It's easy to take photos or videos with a smartphone, but a session like this is an excuse to get the whole family together.
00:21:58 話者 2
Photographer Yamada Kei will accept only three such sessions a day to ensure there is enough time.
00:22:05 話者 88/Yamada Kei
Getting together for a photo session creates a sense of unity.
The image not only records the family's appearance but also their memories.
I think my grandfather used this.
00:22:27 話者 2
The studio has been run by Yamada's family for over a century.
The COVID pandemic hurt business and Yamada says there is less demand for portraits, such as those commemorating a young person coming of age.
When the photographer got a dog of his own, he realized there was an untapped market.
He began offering pet portraits two years ago.
00:22:56 話者 88
Many people love their pets as if they were children.
They cherish them and see them as members of the family.
00:23:04 話者 2
A customer brings in his pet for the first time.
Taniguchi Ryohei has had family portraits done at the studio.
Now he wants to record special memories with his 14-year-old dog, Maru.
00:23:19 話者 89/Taniguchi Ryohei
We don't know how many more years he has left. I want to capture him while he's still healthy, so we can look back and remember how he was.
00:23:29 話者 2
He chooses a pose that captures the present moment of them being together.
But Maru quickly tires and Taniguchi holds him in his lap.
00:23:44 話者 88
What are his ears usually like?
00:23:46 話者 89
They stand up a little more.
00:23:48 話者 2
The photographer also captures Maru's everyday expression to use one day as a memorial portrait. Taniguchi has been with Maru since he was a six-month-old puppy.
00:24:03 話者 89
I want to display the photos around the house as part of our everyday lives.
It would be great to look at them and think Maru is still with us.
00:24:17 話者 88
I believe the value of physical photographs to record and preserve memories will never go away. A photograph properly cared for will last decades.
I strive to take shots that instantly bring back memories of the moment they were taken.
00:24:32 話者 2
Yamada says he will continue to welcome families and their beloved pets.
World Weather
00:24:41 話者 1
And now moving on to world weather.
Smoke from fires in Indonesia is crossing into other parts of Southeast Asia.
Our meteorologist Jonathan Oh has the details.
00:24:52 話者 9/Jonathan Oh
Hello, we are monitoring the fires that have been taking place down toward Indonesia.
What's happening is we're seeing the winds carrying up into places like the Philippines.
I want to show you some video coming out from Manila, where people there had to deal with air pollution as haze from Indonesian fires blanketed the Philippine capital Tuesday.
According to the Philippines Environmental Bureau, some areas reported the second highest air pollution level, while PM2.5 particle levels linked to lung and heart health risks were elevated across the region.
The agency urged people to wear masks and limit outdoor activities, and several local governments responded to the pollution by suspending classes.
Now, this is the visible satellite from the afternoon on Tuesday.
And around the brighter white spots where there are actual clouds, you may notice this little milky haze that's located over portions of Indonesia and into the Philippines.
Yeah, that's the wind and the smoke being carried by those winds up toward the north and east.
And that pattern continues partially driven by the fact that we have saw Dell drawing in this moisture also, but also we have the monsoonal pattern in place as well.
So as we look forward into the day,
We're looking at some more rain possibilities continuing, so be on the lookout for that.
Meanwhile, as we look at what's happening across Japan, it's been hot toward the west and it looks like the heat will be something we have to continue to monitor.
Now toward the northern portions of the country, we're seeing some rain in the forecast, so that would be the case as we go forward throughout the day on Wednesday, rain to Sapporo.
Now down toward the south, we're looking at highs to the 30s, 32 in Tokyo, 34 in Osaka, 35 in Fukuo as we go through the day on Wednesday.
Wrapping things up with a look at Europe. We're still seeing a lot of hot weather down toward the south as high pressure controls the weather.
To the north and east is where we're seeing some rain, and that's going to be the case as we go through Tuesday.
Hope you have a good day wherever you are.
♫～ 3-DAY FORECAST ～♫
00:27:36 話者 1
And that's all for this edition of NHK Newsline.
Thank you for watching and hope to join us again.
checked.
NHK World
00:28:01 話者 99
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