Thank you for joining us. From our studio in Tokyo, this is NHK Newsline.
Typhoon Surigae Brings Storm Surges to Okinawa
Weather officials in Japan are urging people in the southern island regions to remain on alert for high waves and strong winds caused by a powerful typhoon.
The Japan Meteorological Agency says Typhoon Surigei was moving northeast off Okinawa prefecture's Minami Daitojima Island as of 3 p.m. Monday, local time.
It has categorized the typhoon as very strong.
Strong winds are blowing across the prefecture.
Gusts of more than a hundred kilometers per hour were recorded Monday morning on Kita Daitojima Island.
Meanwhile, an autumn rain front is creating unstable atmospheric conditions in wide areas from the west to the north of Japan.
The JMA is calling on people in the northern Kyushu region to be alert for mudslides and flooding in low-lying areas.
2 New Pandas Arrive in US From China
The United States has received two new giant pandas from China.
The pair have arrived at a zoo in the southern US state of Georgia.
They are a male named Pingping and a female named Fu Shuang.
Both were raised in Shandu in the Chinese province of Sichuan.
CNN reported that the pair arrived at Zoo Atlanta on Sunday.
Footage shows them being transported from the airport in a decorated courier truck.
Panda loans to the US first began after President Richard Nixon visited China in 1972 and have been regarded as a symbol of bilateral friendship since.
Their arrival follows a recent state visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to the US
At a welcome ceremony, Xi referred to the pandas as an envoy of friendship.
A total of six pandas are now on loan to the US. In contrast, Japan has no pandas for the first time since 1972 after a pair at Tokyo's Ueno Zoo returned to China in January.
5 Arrested Near UK Air Base Used by US to Attack Iran
British police say they have arrested five men near an air force base in the country's southwest, currently being used by US forces to launch strikes on Iran.
Authorities say the men are suspected of breaking the country's explosives and terrorism laws.
Police said on Sunday that they detained the man near the Royal Air Force Fairford base earlier in the day.
They say they made the arrests after they received information that three suspicious vehicles were heading to the base.
Local media are reporting that authorities are investigating the possible involvement of Iran or another state in the case.
The British government agreed earlier this year to allow the United States to use its bases to launch strikes on Iranian missile bases and other sites used to attack ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
UK media are reporting that Iran has warned it will target all bases used for military actions against it.
00:03:34 話者 2
We had them under investigation. They were looking to do big damage to our port.
And working with the British worked out great.
00:03:46 話者 1
British Prime Minister Andy Burnon said in a social media post on Sunday that the safety and security of the public is his government's first priority.
He pledged to take every step necessary to protect communities and keep the country safe.
Election Poll in Israel Shows Close Race
With Israel's general election just about a month away, an opinion survey recently conducted there has shown that ruling and opposition blocs are neck and neck.
The poll also says neither side is expected to secure a majority.
Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu spoke at a rally of his right-wing Likud party in mid-September.
he's seeking to stay in office.
Netanyahu touted what he considers to be achievements of military operations in the Gaza Strip, Iran, Lebanon and elsewhere after the surprise attack by the Islamic group Hamas three years ago.
But opposition forces have been stepping up pressure on him, holding him accountable for his alleged failure to prevent the attack.
Last week's survey by an Israeli TV broadcaster says Likud could see its parliamentary seats reduced by more than a third compared to the pre-election level.
The poll outcome also indicated that the opposition Yashar party could emerge as the largest force.
Analysis: Israel Could Vote in New Prime Minister
Earlier I spoke to NHK World senior commentator Shimazaki Hiroshi who has been following the story.
Hiroshi, those polls suggest Netanyahu is now facing stiff competition.
What is driving that?
00:05:36 話者 3
This is the first election since the Hamas attack.
1,200 people died and hundreds more were taken hostage.
It's been called the greatest massacre against Jews since the Holocaust.
So, understandably, it's been at the core of the country's political decision-making ever since.
Of course, the result of those decisions has been war, most notably the ongoing conflicts in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran.
And Netanyahu has generated a certain level of praise among supporters for these wars.
00:06:18 話者 2
We struck terrorist leaders one after another. We saved the state of Israel from destruction.
00:06:29 話者 3
But in spite of that praise, some voters believe he should have been able to prevent the Hamas attack in the first place or, at the very least, totally eliminate threats to Israel in the last three years.
00:06:45 話者 1
And so who is taking the advantage of the criticism plaguing Netanyahu right now?
00:06:50 話者 3
Well, Gadi Eisenkot is leading the Yashar party.
and is gaining support from voters who think security is a top priority.
He was the country's top military officer for several years, and also recently lost his son and two nephews in the Israeli operation in Kaza, which is gaining him sympathy among voters.
00:07:17 話者 4
Israel's security, its survival, its prosperity, this is my life's mission.
00:07:25 話者 3
Eisenkot thinks Netanyahu is at fault for the October 7th attack and wants to set up an official state inquiry into how it happened.
He is presenting the Yashar party as a more secure alternative for Israel going forward.
00:07:43 話者 1
Netanyahu has pursued aggressive military tactics for the last three years, is Isencot's policy more moderate?
00:07:53 話者 3
It doesn't appear so.
There is no major difference in their positions.
Both say their goal is to destroy Hamas and Lebanon's Hezbollah.
Isencot is also pessimistic about a peace plan that would allow Israel and Palestine to coexist.
But he criticized Netanyahu's war in the Gaza Strip, saying it lacks strategy and says a solid national security plan is necessary.
As fighting with Hamas continues, Israel's public opinion is leaning more and more to the right.
So this election is between Netanyahu or any other leader taking a similarly hardline stance.
00:08:40 話者 1
And we still don't know where this election might be heading.
00:08:44 話者 3
So opinion polls from local media show Eisenkot's party has a slight lead, but it's not significant at this point.
However, it's more or less certain that neither party will clinch enough seats to form a majority.
00:09:01 話者 1
And whether Netanyahu remains in power or not, how will that affect the wider situation in the Middle East?
00:09:08 話者 3
Well, Netanyahu has led Israel in total for about 19 years.
If he remains in office, that could mean the status quo for Israel's foreign relations.
He is not the most popular leader on the world stage right now.
Just a few days ago, delegates to the UN even walked out on his speech.
And there is criticism over alleged war crimes within the international community.
Eisenkot meanwhile would be brand new to the job.
He has criticized Israel's diplomatic isolation and has also suggested Israel should cooperate more with the US
and Arab nations.
So if he becomes prime minister, it's possible Israel's foreign policy could begin to shift.
00:10:02 話者 1
And what should we be watching for the next month or so until the Election Day?
00:10:08 話者 3
The conflicts in Gaza and Iran could affect voting behavior.
Observers say Netanyahu may decide to ramp up attacks in the run-up to the vote, so it's still a very unpredictable situation.
Business
00:10:41 話者 1
Now let's see what's happening in the world of business.
Here's Ramin Mellegard from our BizDesk.
00:10:46 話者 5/Ramin Mellegard
Thank you very much indeed.
KDDI, Japan Post Test Drones for Disaster Scenarios
Now, Japanese telecom giant KDDI and Japan Post are testing drones to assess disaster damage and check delivery routes to affected communities.
The companies launched the week-long trial on Monday from the rooftop of a post office in Ishikawa Prefecture.
The drone is equipped with AI that ensures it can detect and avoid obstacles.
Now, the firms say they also plan to use the device to monitor school routes on a regular basis.
KDDI says the fact that there are post offices in every municipality of Japan offers a unique advantage.
00:11:31 話者 2
Post offices are close to local communities and we believe they could also play an important role as drone ports.
00:11:41 話者 5
The firms plan to gradually roll out drone bases at post offices across Japan starting next fiscal year.
They are also aiming to eventually use drones to make deliveries.
Minutes: BOJ Officials Discussed Faster Rate Hikes in July
And the Bank of Japan raised its key interest rate by a quarter percentage point to around 1.25 percent in September.
The bank had left the rate unchanged at its meeting in July.
But the just-released minutes of those discussions show board members were saying the pace of rate hikes could be accelerated amid soaring prices.
Now, one member said the market seems to expect a rate increase every six months.
but the pace could be faster due to upside price risks.
Another said Japan's economy and people's daily lives would face a significant blow if such risks materialized.
The official said this would compel the bank to later make rapid and substantial rate increases.
The member added that the bank needed to accelerate the pace of adjustment to the degree of monetary accommodation.
Now, after the September meeting, Governor Ueda Kazuo said the bank plans to continue with rate hikes to stabilize inflation at about 2%.
Tokyo Rail Firms Report Online Security Breaches
The railway operators in Tokyo have reported breaches of their online systems.
Both say there's been no impact on their train services.
Tokyo Metro says on unauthorized access, the server may have resulted in the leak of about 59,000 e-mail addresses of members of its loyalty program.
The subway network operator says there was a glitch in its e-mail delivery system on September 20.
Five days later, it established there had been illegal access from overseas.
Now, the company is still investigating whether other data was compromised.
It has apologized for the breach and is urging people to be on the alert for suspicious emails bearing the company's name.
Now another rail operator, KO Corporation, reported on Saturday that a ransomware attack has disabled part of its sales system.
The company is checking whether the breach compromised any data.
Markets
Okay, let's have a look at the markets.
♪
And that's it for Business News.
00:14:55 話者 1
Thank you Ramin.
Top Boxer Balances Life as Nursery Teacher
Kyohara Kazuki from Saga Prefecture, southwestern Japan balances a double life.
He's a full-time nursery teacher and a professional boxer.
While preparing for the Japanese championship match, he knocks out all of his responsibilities in rolls with the punches.
00:15:17 話者 7
Kyohara Kazuki is one of Japan's leading boxers.
The 29-year-old is ranked number two in the super middleweight division.
He starts the day by taking his son to nursery school.
After dropping off his child in a class for one-year-olds, he puts on an instructor's apron himself.
It's time for teacher Kazuki to clock in.
Today's activity is water play, a favorite among the children.
Teacher Kazuki is very popular with the kids.
00:16:05 話者 4
Unlike in boxing, kids don't have any killer instinct, so I just can't dodge them.
00:16:17 話者 7
As the children nap peacefully, there is no rest for him.
He fills out communication notebooks for each child so parents know how their kids' day went.
00:16:35 話者 8
Whether in childcare or boxing, I think he gives 120 percent of his energy.
00:16:43 話者 7
After work, Kyohana travels 90 minutes from his hometown to a gym.
He has followed this routine for years.
He sweats through his final training session before the big match.
Kyohara gives his own to the children during the day and boxing at night.
What motivates him?
00:17:11 話者 4
I want to give the children dreams and hope and I want to push myself too.
I have this mysterious confidence that I can pursue both and it ties all my feelings together.
00:17:22 話者 7
The fateful day has finally arrived.
Kyohana faces the Japan title match in Tokyo.
The bell rings and he goes on the offensive, throwing punches aggressively.
In the sixth round, the moment arrives.
He lands a straight right hand and wins by KO.
00:18:12 話者 4
I hope the children see me working hard and feel inspired to pursue all kinds of dreams.
00:18:20 話者 7
Having reached the top ranks in Japan, Kyohara now sets his sights broader to the world stage.
Sizzling Japan Summers Push Farmers Into AI Robot Age
00:18:36 話者 1
Farming is hard work, and the intense summer heat waves in Japan are making it even tougher.
But a new generation of workers is moving into the fields, AI-driven robots and drones.
They shrug off the heat and can help combat pests.
00:18:53 話者 7
Farmers in Fukuya City in Saitama Prefecture battle insects that attack the green onion crop in summer.
The vegetable is a staple of Japan's cuisine.
00:19:05 話者 2
You can see where the insects have been feeding.
00:19:10 話者 7
Farmers spray the crop with pesticides, but it takes two workers to handle the 110-meter hose, which weighs 30 kilograms.
00:19:20 話者 2
When I spray pesticides in this heat, I'm drenched in sweat.
It's tough work.
It's the job I like the least.
00:19:29 話者 7
That grueling work can now be delegated to an AI-driven pesticide spraying robot developed by a startup.
00:19:37 話者 2
It recognizes green areas as onion plants.
00:19:41 話者 7
The AI uses camera images to guide the robot through the field without damaging the crop.
It can be operated away from the heat, and the company says one robot can do the work of two people for about the same cost.
00:20:01 話者 2
When it's hot, work efficiency inevitably declines.
At the same time, pests and disease can reduce yields.
If we can address those challenges, we can help increase production.
00:20:17 話者 7
But it's not only farmers that are hit by the heat in the fields.
Bees are struggling too.
At this so-called smart farming facility, researchers are developing robotic pollination technology.
Bees help pollinate plants, but researchers say rising temperatures slow their activities.
Less pollination means reduced fruit and vegetable harvests.
This four-legged robot and drone work as a team to replace heat-stressed bees.
In a tomato pollination experiment, the AI-led robotic dog locates flowers ready for pollination and identifies their exact positions.
00:21:07 話者 2
The red box shows the flowers we've identified.
00:21:12 話者 7
Next comes the drone.
It uses the directions from its team member to approach the targeted flowers.
00:21:22 話者 2
There's a sensor here.
When it touches a flower, it reacts and makes this part vibrate.
00:21:30 話者 7
By vibrating the flowers, the drone mimics the role of bees in pollinating the plants.
In the latest test, the researchers say about 80% of the tomato flowers produced fruit.
matching the rate achieved by bees.
They hope to have the system ready for the fields in the next few years.
00:21:52 話者 2
Traditional methods are becoming less effective under changing environmental conditions.
With food production at stake, we have to make this work.
00:22:04 話者 7
To address these growing agricultural challenges, Japan aims to introduce smart farming technologies on half of the nation's farmland by 2030.
00:23:17 話者 1
To check out more of our latest news please access NHK World Japan's website.
World Weather
Now, moving on to world weather, as we have been reporting, we're seeing heavy rain continue to impact many parts of Japan.
Our meteorologist Jonathan Oh has a look at the situation.
00:23:44 話者 9/Jonathan Oh
Hello, we have continued to keep an eye out on our rainy weather pattern that's been impacting a good portion of Japan not just for Monday but for days and looks like they were continuing to talk about as we head toward Tuesday.
Main reason we have that frontal boundary that just doesn't want to go anywhere that has led to seeing
some heavier rainfall in short periods time places like Kudae seeing 68 millimeters of rainfall in just one hour from Monday and then down to the south we have that typhoon that is bringing gusts of over 117 kilometers per hour reported at the Kita Daito Airport now this is what we are expecting as we head toward Tuesday we still have that seasonal front just kind of lingering and just continues to stay around so we'll continue to see the rain associated with that
Up towards the north we have a low pressure system that's another push of moisture coming out of continental Asia and as it does so it's been bringing some heavy rain to places like Hokkaido and looks like we'll be dealing with the chance for some rain once again as we go forward into Tuesday so pretty much keep an eye out for the possibility of heavy rainfall with these two systems and hopefully things will start to calm down after that.
Now I mentioned that Taipoonsurigae continues to move toward the north and east kind of interacting with a couple of factors here but still looking at the possibility of getting
so close to the Pacific side of Japan so we'll have to keep an eye on this as we go throughout the next few days.
Looking at the forecast here, rain on Tuesday from Sapporo into Fukuoka.
But notice we'll have some rain place like Tokyo for a couple more days after that but some sunny icons or at least partly cloudy skies may be popping back into the picture which is welcome news after seeing such a long period of some rainfall so looks like that we may be seeing a drying pattern going forward.
Look at what's happening in Southeast Asia.
We've talked about some very heavy rainfall impacting places in like Thailand as well.
And it looks like that we'll still see this rain pattern continuing as we go forward into places like Myanmar as well as we go forward into the next couple of days.
00:25:44 話者 10
Please stay safe wherever you are.
♫～ 3-Day Forecast ～♫
Sake Fans Sip, Savor at Northeast Japan Tasting Event
00:26:16 話者 1
And one more story.
Sake fans in the northeastern Japanese prefecture of Akita recently had a chance to sip and savor varieties made from famed local rice and water.
Tasters were able to choose from more than 80 varieties of sake made by 27 local brewers at the Akita City event on Saturday.
The sake was served in small cups so people could try a wide assortment.
They savored the differences in taste and aroma, asking brewery workers about their products.
Many people wanted to taste Kikusui Shizo sake made by a brewery in Noshiro City.
The long-established sake maker had temporarily halted production due to financial difficulties, but resumed this year with the support of local businesses.
A man in his 50s who was originally from Akita said the event was a rare treat for him.
00:27:16 話者 2
It's hard to try a lot of different Akita sakes, so I look forward to this event once a year.
00:27:23 話者 1
The tasting was organized by the Akita Sake Brewers Association.
A senior association official said he hoped the event would remind people of the quality of sake made from Akita rice, Akita water and by the hands of Akita people.
And that concludes this edition of NHK Newsline.
Thank you very much for staying with us.
NHK World
00:28:01 話者 99
This is NHK World Japan English radio service.
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