Welcome to NHK Newsline. I'm Ramin Mellegard in Tokyo.
US–S.Korea Joint Drills Begin Amid Trump Call for Reduction
The United States and South Korea have kicked off an annual military exercise aimed at preparing for a contingency on the Korean Peninsula.
This comes even as US President Donald Trump says he has ordered the Pentagon to scale back joint drills with South Korea.
The Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise will run through August 27th in South Korea.
It will include drills to prepare for possible drone strikes and cyber attacks in view of North Korea's dispatch of troops to Russia.
South Korea's Yonhap News Agency says field maneuvers will be held on a smaller scale than last year.
The South Korean military says this is because it conducts exercises in a well-balanced manner year-round.
The military has been spreading out its drills since June of last year, when the administration of President Lee Jae-myung was inaugurated.
He seeks to hold dialogue with North Korea.
North Korea's foreign ministry issued a comment on Friday.
It said Pyongyang's stance is that it will reject any threat or challenge by exercising the right to self-defense.
North Korea has been reacting sharply to recent joint US-South Korean exercises.
It launched ballistic missiles during drills in March.
And what appears to have been ballistic missiles were also fired on August 6 and 12.
Meanwhile, Trump said in a social media post Sunday he had instructed Defense Secretary Pete Hexeth to substantially reduce the size of joint drills with South Korea.
He said he was not happy with US participation in them and said he had a very good relationship with Kim Jong-un of North Korea.
Iran Conflict : Two Sides Still at Odds as Talks Deadline Passes
The United States and Iran remain at odds as a deadline passes to conclude talks to end their fighting.
The two sides set out a 60-day timeline for the negotiations in their memorandum of understanding.
The document was signed in June.
US Vice President JD Vance said the period for talks began on June 18, meaning a final agreement should have been completed by Sunday at the latest.
The topics included ending a maritime blockade by the US and the resumption of vessel traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.
Also to be discussed were Iran's nuclear program and the lifting of sanctions.
But the two countries continued their attacks during the negotiation period.
Almost nothing stated in the document was implemented.
US President Donald Trump made reference to the memorandum, saying he thought it was over.
Now, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqi said there was no cease-fire that would need to be extended.
Tehran has listed six conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
The two sides remain apart over vessel traffic in the strait and show no sign of starting discussions on Iran's nuclear program.
Japan's Economy Grows for 3rd Straight Quarter
Preliminary data shows Japan's economy has grown for three straight quarters, but personal consumption fell.
The Cabinet Office released the figures on Monday.
GDP adjusted for inflation rose 0.3 percent between April and June.
That's 1.1 percent at an annualized rate.
Personal consumption, which accounts for about half of Japan's GDP, fell 0.02 percent.
There had been expectations of a rise on the back of real wage growth, increased automobile sales and demand for air conditioners.
Government spending rose by 1.6 percent.
Exports grew half a percent, and imports dropped by 1.5 percent, partially because of fewer oil shipments from the Middle East.
Death Toll Rises to 10 After Record Rain in Chiba
And communities in Chiba prefecture, east of Tokyo, are grappling with the aftermath of unprecedented rain. Authorities say 10 people have died.
The downpours began on Thursday evening.
In just half a day, Chiba City saw about three times as much rainfall than the average for the whole of August. Flooding has affected nearly 1,500 homes.
Prefectural officials say two residences have been destroyed.
They say 11 are assessed as being half damaged and 29 as partially damaged.
Officials in Chiba City say about 2,500 empty vehicles were found on Saturday and Sunday.
Most were left on roadsides. Work is underway to move those hampering traffic.
People were seen on Sunday bringing damaged furniture and possessions to a temporary
disposal site.
00:05:32 話者 12
All my hobby tools were submerged.I have no choice but to buy them again.
00:05:38 話者 1
They must now attempt to clean their homes and rebuild their lives.
Ex‑Cambridge Professor Accused of Plagiarism Found Dead
A former professor at the University of Cambridge has been found dead following weeks of accusations of plagiarism.
Media reports say police found Jason Arday dead at his home in London on Friday.
In 2023, he became the university's youngest ever black professor at the age of 37, having researched the impact of racial discrimination in education, among other subjects.
He resigned from his post on August 5 after allegations of plagiarism came to light, including his Ph.D. dissertation.
In a statement announcing his decision to resign, Arday referred to the impact of what he called relentless accusations, speculation and public commentary.
In an interview with a local media outlet before his resignation, Arday admitted he had made mistakes but denied academic fraud.
He also said there had been what he called a very well orchestrated and coordinated campaign that was racially motivated.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham called our day's death tragic and urged reflection.
00:07:06 話者 11/
It's a tragedy on so many levels, but particularly just for everybody who knew Jason, his family, obviously, his friends, we think of them today.
It's not a moment for any rushing to judgment.
It's a moment for reflection, I would say, reflecting on how things came to this.
Brazil Presidential Election Campaign Kicks Off
Campaigning for Brazil's presidential election kicked off on Sunday for a vote that will be held in October.
The country's left-wing leader, Luis Inacio Lula da Silva, is standing for reelection.
Right-wing Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, the eldest son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, is seen as his leading opponent.
Lula pledged in a speech to take steps to narrow the gaps in society, including measures to address poverty.
He vowed that the right wing will not govern Brazil as long as he is alive.
Bolsonaro says a change of leadership is needed because Lula has failed to meet the people's expectations. He said only he can restore Brazil's credibility in the world.
Now, the latest opinion poll shows Lula leading Bolsonaro by 7 percentage points.
The first vote is due to take place on October 4.
If no candidate wins a majority of votes, the top two will compete in a runoff.
And those are the top stories for this hour.
World Weather
♫～ 3-DAY FORECAST ～♫
And that is a wrap for this edition of NHK Newsline.
I'm Ramin Mellegard. Thank you very much for joining us.
checked.
Easy Japanese
00:10:09 話者 3
Hi there, it's time for NHK World Japan's Easy Japanese.
I'm Erico Kojima.
00:10:14 話者 4
And I'm Michael Reese.
Let's have fun learning Japanese together.
Now today we'll be bringing you lesson 25 on saying you're not feeling well.
The main character in our skit is Tam, a student from Vietnam who lives in Haru-san House.
She's been relaxing in the living room.
But something seems to be wrong.
00:10:40 話者 3
Listen to this kit for lesson 25.
00:10:47 話者 5
Tom-san, how are you?
Doge turn desu, ka?
Nodoga ita in desu.
Oh yeah, oh yeah.
So natakini wa, shoga hachimitsu yugai desu.
Kaitonga ima tsukutimasu.
00:11:13 話者 3
Now let's go over the skit line by line.
00:11:16 話者 4
Haru-san is on the living room table.
She's equipped with a sensor that detects problems, so her cheeks start to glow pale blue.
00:11:28 話者 3
Tam, you look pale.
What's wrong?
00:11:35 話者 4
Tam coughs and says, My throat hurts.
Haru-san says, Oya, oya.
00:11:44 話者 3
Oh dear.
00:11:46 話者 4
Haru-san gives her some advice.
00:11:52 話者 3
In times like these, ginger honey tea may help.
Miya says, Kaito is making you some now.
00:12:03 話者 4
Then Kaito brings Tam the ginger honey.
00:12:08 話者 5
Tea.
00:12:09 話者 3
All ready, Tam.
Here you go.
00:12:14 話者 4
Mia says to Tam, Take care.
00:12:20 話者 3
Now ginger honey tea is made by pouring hot water over grated ginger and honey.
It's set to work on sore throats and coughs.
00:12:28 話者 4
Poor Tam.
Let's hope she gets better soon.
Today's key phrase is my throat hurts.
If you learn this pattern, you'll be able to say what's wrong with you when you're not feeling well.
00:12:49 話者 3
First, look at the meaning of the key phrase.
is throat.
The ga that follows is a particle that indicates the part where you're feeling pain.
means it hurts.
Today's point is contained within itaindesu.
That is, ndesu.
When you want to explain to someone that you're not feeling well, you add ndesu to the end of the sentence.
Itaindesu is made-up of the i adjective itaii, which means hurt, followed by ndesu.
In today's kit, Tam used it to explain her condition to Haru-san.
00:13:34 話者 4
Now, listen and repeat.
00:13:42 話者 3
Okay, got it.
00:13:58 話者 4
Listen to a conversation about other health problems.
00:14:16 話者 3
Let's review the conversation.
00:14:20 話者 4
What's wrong?
00:14:22 話者 3
This is a phrase used to ask about someone's condition.
Do is an interrogative meaning how or what.
Try to memorize the whole phrase.
00:14:33 話者 6
Atama ga itai in desu.
00:14:35 話者 4
My head hurts.
00:14:37 話者 3
Atama means head.
Atama ga itai means my head hurts.
00:14:43 話者 6
Netsuga arun desu.
00:14:45 話者 4
I have a fever.
00:14:47 話者 3
Netsu means fever.
And aru is a verb meaning to have.
Netsuga aru means to have a fever.
As you can see in this case, not only adjectives, but verbs can also come before ndesu.
00:15:05 話者 4
Repeat the answer after listening to the conversation.
Now, what would you say if your stomach hurts?
Stomach is...
00:15:32 話者 5
Onaka.
Onaka.
00:15:35 話者 4
And hurts is...
00:15:37 話者 3
Itai.
Itai.
00:15:39 話者 4
Right.
Go ahead.
00:15:46 話者 3
Onakaga itai desu.
Onakaga itai desu.
How about if you were feeling sick from motion sickness?
Feeling sick is Kimochi gawarui.
Kimochi gawarui.
Now give it a try.
00:16:13 話者 6
Kimochi gawarui in desu.
Kimochi gawarui in desu.
00:16:23 話者 4
OK, now you can explain what's wrong when you're feeling sick.
Today's bonus phrase is this line by Mia.
She said it to Tam who was not feeling well.
Memorize it and make it yours.
00:16:43 話者 3
Odaishini means take care.
It's a phrase you use with someone who's ill or has been injured, hoping that person will get some rest and feel better soon.
00:16:54 話者 4
Listen to how various people say it.
Now it's your turn.
Listen and repeat.
00:17:14 話者 3
Now let's listen to today's skit one more time.
00:17:21 話者 5
Tama-san, kawoiroga warui desuyo?
Dojitan desu ka?
Nodoga ita in desu.
Oh yeah, oh yeah.
So natakini wa, shoga hachimitsuyu gai desuyo?
Kaitonga ima tsukutimasu.
Tama-san, dekitao?
Haitozo?
Odaizuni.
00:17:51 話者 4
Next up, Harusan's bag full of advice.
Today, what to do if you get sick in Japan?
00:18:01 話者 3
Michael, how about you?
What would you do if you got sick here?
00:18:06 話者 4
Well, it would depend really on the symptoms.
If it's not too serious, I'd probably buy something at the drugstore.
00:18:13 話者 3
When the symptoms are not too serious, drugstores are convenient.
If you describe your symptoms, such as my stomach hurts or I have a fever, the pharmacist will show you some over-the-counter medicines.
00:18:27 話者 4
What if you have to go see a doctor?
00:18:29 話者 3
Well, you should find a clinic or a hospital that has the right kind of doctors who can treat your symptoms.
After an examination, the doctor will give you a prescription.
You can take that to the drugstore to be filled.
The website of the Japan National Tourism Organization has a list of medical institutions that are prepared to accept international tourists, such as by offering information in various languages.
00:18:54 話者 4
To access the site, search for safe travels in Japan JNTO.
You might want to bookmark it for reference.
And you can also find nearby institutions by asking at the tourist information centers and hotel reception desks.
In case of emergencies, however, dial 119 on the phone and ask for an ambulance.
00:19:16 話者 3
Yes, that's 119.
Please remember that number, although I do hope you never need it.
We hope you enjoyed today's Easy Japanese.
00:19:36 話者 4
Please join us again.
Mount Takao
00:20:18 話者 7
Japan has various kinds of landmarks that fascinate visitors.
They range from cultural and historic locations to modern buildings created with cutting edge technologies.
The Backstory of Japanese Landmarks brings you the stories behind these amazing places.
In this episode of The Backstory of Japanese Landmarks, we feature Mount Takao.
Mount Takao has long been a popular hiking destination as it's perfect for day trips.
In recent years, many tourists from overseas have climbed its slopes as well.
One reason for its popularity is its easy access from central Tokyo, less than an hour's train ride away.
But Mount Takao has much more to offer.
At the foot of Mount Takao, people are dressed in various styles.
Some are wearing trekking shoes and backpacks ready to go hiking.
Others are dressed in a more casual style better suited for cities.
The reason?
Mount Takao has seven hiking trails.
One is a full ascent to the summit.
Another course includes a cable car and a Lyft ride and winds around the halfway point up the mountain.
Visitors can choose from several options depending on the season, the size of the group, who's climbing, and what they're in the mood for.
The cable car and lift route is not only fast, it's also exciting.
At one point, the cable car's ascent is at an angle of just over 31 degrees, the steepest in Japan.
Riders ooh and ah as the cable car climbs the steepest part.
Meanwhile, the two-seater chairlift leaves riders' legs dangling in the air, which means it can be a bit of a thrill for some.
But with the feel of the breeze, it makes for a great ride and many kids ride with their parents.
Just be aware that the cable car and the chairlift may not be running when there's bad weather, and visitors should check ahead.
The hiking courses offer various sites each season.
Come spring, there are canopies of cherry blossoms in full bloom, while violets cover the ground.
In the summer, visitors can splash around in rivers or explore what's upstream.
Gorgeous foliage of reds, yellows, and oranges welcome visitors in the fall.
On New Year's Day, many people flock to Mount Takao to enjoy the first sunrise of the year.
Mount Takao has long been associated with the strict practice of mountain asceticism called shugendo.
A traditional form of aesthetic training called suigyo involves standing under a waterfall to cleanse oneself.
Mount Takao has two waterfalls, jataki and biwataki, where this is practiced.
During the winter months, visitors can watch people training in the ice-cold water.
For those willing to give it a shot, Yakuoin Temple offers a Suigyo tryout experience at its dojo.
For hikers, Mount Takao offers gorgeous views.
From an observation deck midway up the mountain, they can see Tokyo and its vicinity, including the iconic Tokyo Tower and Yokohama Landmark Tower.
It's a spectacular view of the metropolis while being surrounded by the great outdoors.
When weather conditions are good, the summit of Mount Takao offers a view of Mount Fuji.
In fact, the top of Mount Takao has been selected as one of the 100 best places in the Kanto region to view Japan's most famous peak.
Thank you for tuning in to the back story of Japanese landmarks.
We hope you have a chance to visit these landmarks and see for yourself what makes them so special.
NHK World
00:25:01 話者 99
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