A shooting near the White House injured a juvenile as Secret Service agents exchanged fire.
Tensions rose over the US “Project Freedom” operation in the Strait of Hormuz as Iran denied ship transits.
Russia declared a two‑day Victory Day ceasefire, while Japan faced holiday congestion.
ホワイトハウス近くで銃撃が発生.。米国の「プロジェクト・フリーダム」で緊張。ロシア戦勝記念日で停戦を発表
00:00:09 話者 1/Yuko Fukushima
Glad to have you with us on NHK Newsline. I'm Yuko Fukushima.
Shooting Near White House Injures Juvenile
The US Secret Service says an armed man opened fire near a tourist landmark in the vicinity of the White House on Monday, hitting a bystander.
Agents spotted a suspicious individual near the Washington Monument.
The man reportedly fled when confronted, then started firing a weapon.
A person described as a juvenile was hit, but reportedly did not sustain life-threatening injuries. The suspect was also shot by the agents, whose condition is not known.
00:00:44 話者 11
And, I can tell you that every time, one, we're patrolling this area and every site we do, 24/7, part four.
Whether or not it was directed to the president or not, I don't know, but we will find out.
00:00:58 話者 12
Weapon recovered?
00:00:59 話者 11
Yes.
00:01:01 話者 1
President Donald Trump was at the time participating in an event at the White House about one kilometer from the shooting scene.
Last month, a man fired shots as he tried to enter a dinner party attended by the president at a hotel in the Capitol.
Hormuz Tensions Rise Over Project Freedom
The US president has been trying to ensure safe passage for ships through the Strait of Hormuz.
He said this week will mark the beginning of an operation called Project Freedom.
And the military says two ships have already gone through, but the Iranian side is deriding the claim as pure lies.
The US Central Command posted on social media that two merchant vessels transited the strait. It says guided missile destroyers are in the Persian Gulf to assist.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent described the project on Fox News Channel's America's Newsroom as an international humanitarian operation.
He says the ships carry not only energy, but also food and fertilizer.
And he says US forces will respond only if fired upon.
00:02:02 話者 21/Scott Bessent
We are not the provocateurs here, but if the Iranians want to escalate here, we are willing to escalate.
00:02:09 話者 1
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps denied that any ships have passed.
It released a statement saying that all vessels violating its rules will be stopped by force.
In Iran, state-run media says naval forces fired warning shots at US destroyers near the strait.
Officials in the United Arab Emirates say one of their tankers sailing through the strait was attacked. They put the blame on an Iranian drone strike.
And they say another drone attack on an oil facility injured three people.
Defense ministry officials say they spotted four Iranian cruise missiles and were able to intercept three.
Foreign ministry officials in South Korea have reported damage to a vessel operated by a Korean company.
They say an explosion and fire took place while anchored off the UAE coast.
They say no casualties have been confirmed and that they're investigating the cause.
Trump posted on social media that Iran has attacked so-called unrelated nations in response to Project Freedom. He says they include a South Korean cargo ship.
He says it's time for the Koreans to come and join the mission.
Russia Announces Victory Day Ceasefire
Russia has declared a unilateral two-day ceasefire with Ukraine to mark the May 9 anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.
The ceasefire is set for May 8 and 9. Russia's defense ministry said on Monday it follows a directive from President Vladimir Putin. The ministry says it expects Kyiv to follow suit.
With preparations underway for a ceremony in Moscow, the pause may be intended to protect the event from Ukrainian attacks.
The Kremlin said Putin told US President Trump in a phone call last month he was ready to declare a Victory Day ceasefire. Trump reportedly supported the idea.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday there had been no official appeal for a ceasefire from Moscow as claimed on Russian social media.
But he added that Ukraine will announce its own pause in the fighting starting at midnight on Tuesday.
Drone Hits Moscow High‑Rise Before Victory Day
As Russia prepares for its Victory Day celebration, the defense ministry says Ukraine has launched drone attacks into its territory, including Moscow.
The ministry says 117 drones were intercepted from Sunday night into Monday morning.
The mayor of Moscow says one drone hit a high-rise apartment building in the capital.
He said two others were intercepted and no injuries were reported.
Suspected Cruise Ship Hantavirus Outbreak Kills 3
The World Health Organization says a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean has a possible hantavirus outbreak.
It says six people have developed symptoms and that three of them have died.
The Netherlands-based cruise line says the three fatalities were all passengers.
Another passenger is in intensive care in South Africa and two crew members require urgent medical care.
The ship departed Argentina in March and is now anchored off the coast of Cabo Verde, an island nation near West Africa.
The WHO says humans become infected with hantavirus mainly through contact with rodent urine or droppings and can develop severe respiratory illness.
But the organization says there is low risk to the wider public.
Japan to Support Developing Nations Amid Mideast Tensions
Japan has pledged to work with the Asian Development Bank to support developing nations whose economies have been affected by tensions in the Middle East.
Finance Minister Katayama Satsuki joined the ADB's board meeting in the Central Asian country of Uzbekistan on Monday.
There are concerns in the region about how the crisis will impact energy supply and food security.
00:06:01 話者 3/Katayama Satsuki
Amid increasing global uncertainty, strengthening resilience has become an urgent challenge in the Asia and Pacific region.
00:06:13 話者 1
She said Japan will work with the ADB to provide financial aid to small and medium-sized companies as they cope with fuel shortages.
Investment in loans will also be offered to countries seeking to transform their energy infrastructure.
Katayama noted after the meeting that supply chains stretched through Asia, so helping the region benefits Japan significantly.
Japan Faces Heavy Holiday Travel Congestion
Returning vacationers are packing roads, railways and airports in Japan as the end of the country's spring holiday break approaches.
Traffic peaked on Tuesday, one day before the end of a string of national holidays.
00:06:52 話者 31
I visited my husband's parents' home in Nara. I could relax.
00:06:57 話者 32
It was fun.
00:06:59 話者 1
Shinkansen bullet train operators say Tokyo-bound Tokaido Shinkansen trains are almost fully baked for the day.
Some inbound services on the Tohoku, Joetsu and Hokuriku Shinkansen lines are also fully reserved.
At Tokyo's Haneda Airport, the arrival lobby was buzzing with travelers returning from abroad.
00:07:20 話者 33
It was fun to visit various places. The Korean cold noodles were delicious.
00:07:27 話者 1
Expressways are also congested, with traffic likely to be at peak levels through early Tuesday evening.
Expressway operators are advising drivers to check their websites for updates to avoid traffic jams.
Traditional Bullfighting Draws Crowds in Niigata
Spectators have gathered in Niigata Prefecture to watch the first traditional bullfights of the season. It's a tradition dating back centuries.
Two bulls face off, lock horns, and press against each other while their handlers shout encouragement.
36 animals took part in the tournament in Ojiya City on Sunday, with about 1,000 people watching. The city will hold tournaments every month through November.
To prevent the animals from getting hurt, a rebound finishes in a tie.
00:08:28 話者 41
This is my first time, and I'm enjoying it. They're so powerful. It's impressive to watch.
00:08:35 話者 42
The fights are amazing.
00:08:22 話者 1
Traditional bullfighting events are also held in the nearby city of Nagaoka and are designated an important and tangible full cultural property.
Those were the main stories for this hour. This is NHK Newsline.
♫～ 3-DAY FORECAST ～♫
And that is the news for this hour.
I'm Yuko Fukushima. Thanks for joining us and do stay with us on NHK World Japan.
checked.
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Easy Japanese
00:10:09 話者 4
Hi there! Welcome to Easy Japanese from NHK World Japan.
I'm Eriko Kojima.
00:10:15 話者 5
And I'm Michael Reese.
Let's have fun studying Japanese together.
00:10:19 話者 4
Today we bring you lesson 10 on asking how much something costs.
00:10:30 話者 5
The main character of our skit is Tam, a student from Vietnam.
She's come to an electronics store with her friend Ayaka.
Tam wants to get a hair dryer.
00:10:39 話者 2
Listen to the skit for lesson 10.
Let's go over the skit line by line.
00:11:17 話者 5
Tam is overwhelmed by the wide range of hair dryers on the shelf.
00:11:24 話者 4
So many hair dryers.
00:11:26 話者 5
Ayaka says.
00:11:29 話者 4
Amazing, don't you think?
00:11:32 話者 5
And she shows Tam different types of hair dryers.
00:11:37 話者 4
This one makes your hair silky smooth.
And this one makes your hair shine.
00:11:44 話者 2
Tam asks, How much is it?
00:11:51 話者 5
Ayaka looks at the price tag, but it only says that the dryer is on sale.
00:11:58 話者 4
The sign says it's on sale.
Let's ask the clerk.
00:12:04 話者 5
Tam gets the attention of a salesperson.
00:12:08 話者 4
Excuse me.
How much is this hair dryer?
The clerk replies, 9,900 yen.
00:12:19 話者 5
Tam is surprised and says.
00:12:24 話者 4
My, that's too expensive.
00:12:28 話者 5
Tam was able to ask about the price of the hair dryer, but unfortunately, it wasn't within her budget.
00:12:40 話者 4
Today's key phrase is, how much is this hair dryer?
Once you've learned this pattern, you'll be able to ask the price of anything.
Here's the meaning of the key phrase.
Kono means this.
Doraiya is hair dryer.
The wa that follows is a particle that shows the topic of the sentence.
Ikura is an interrogative meaning how much.
Today's point.
To ask the price of something, use the phrase How much.
00:13:22 話者 5
So all you have to do is indicate the item and ask
ikura desu ka.
00:13:26 話者 4
That's right.
And you can use one of the words that we previously learned for this, that, or that over there, kore, sore, are, to ask, for example, kore wa ikura desu ka?
How much is this?
When you know the name of the thing you're talking about, replace kore, sore, are with kono, sono, ano, and put the noun after it.
00:13:52 話者 5
Then the key phrase becomes how much is this hairdryer?
Listen and repeat out loud.
00:14:21 話者 4
Okay, now listen to another conversation in a shop.
A customer is asking the clerk about the price of an item.
Here's what the conversation means.
00:14:51 話者 5
Excuse me?
00:14:53 話者 4
How much is this rice cooker?
Sui hanki is a rice cooker.
00:15:02 話者 5
8,700 yen.
00:15:05 話者 4
En or yen is the unit of the Japanese currency.
00:15:10 話者 5
Listen and repeat.
00:15:14 話者 4
Ikura desu konosui hankiwa ikura desu konosui hankiwa ikura desu
How would you ask the price of earphones displayed on a high shelf?
If an item is far from both you and the sales clerk, use ano before the noun.
Earphones are pronounced as .
Go ahead.
Time to step up.
A price was part of the conversation in today's skit.
Previously, we learned how to count up to 10, or ju.
This time, we'll learn some bigger numbers.
First off, double digits.
To count in tens, like 20 and 30, just add 10 after each number from 2 to 9.
00:16:36 話者 5
So for 20, say 2 followed by 10 to make niju.
00:16:43 話者 4
That's right.
Counting in tens from 10 to 90 in Japanese, it's ju, niju, sanju, yonju, goju, rokuju, nanaju, hachiju, kyuju.
Now next, three-digit numbers.
One hundred is hyaku.
Just like before, add one hundred, hyaku, after each number from two to nine.
00:17:08 話者 5
So two hundred in Japanese is ni followed by hyaku.
That gets you ni-hyaku.
00:17:15 話者 4
That's right.
But the pronunciation can be a bit tricky.
Three hundred is pronounced san-byaku.
Six hundred becomes lo-pyaku.
and 800 is pronounced hapyaku.
On to thousands.
One thousand is sen.
Here, too, the pronunciation changes.
Three thousand becomes sanzen.
Eight thousand becomes hassem.
To express numbers, go from the largest to smallest denomination.
For example, 1,234 is pronounced sen-ni-haku-san-ju-yong.
Now, take a listen to today's skit once again.
00:18:01 話者 2
Taksan arimasune.
Sugoi desuo.
Korewa sarasara haiya.
Korewa tsiyangaderu taipu.
Ikura desu ka?
Seirutu kaitaru.
Kiitemiyo?
Sumimasen.
Kono doraiyawa ikura desu ka.
00:18:23 話者 4
Kyusen kyushakuen desu.
00:18:35 話者 5
Time now for Haru-san's bag full of advice.
Today we'll talk about bills and coins used in Japan.
00:18:44 話者 4
Japan has four kinds of paper money: 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, and 10,000 yen bills.
00:18:53 話者 5
And what's interesting is you don't see old and crumpled banknotes.
00:18:57 話者 4
That's because the Bank of Japan collects worn bills early on to be destroyed and replaced with fresh ones.
1,000 and 5,000 yen bills are taken out of circulation and replaced every year or two.
00:19:10 話者 5
Brand new bills have a role of their own, too, yes.
00:19:13 話者 4
Yes.
The proper etiquette when giving cash gifts for marriages and other celebrations is to insert crisp new bills in envelopes specifically used for that occasion.
00:19:24 話者 5
So they look and feel fresh.
00:19:25 話者 4
That's right.
As for coins, Japan has six types-- 1 yen, 5, 10, 50, 100, and 500.
Vending machines don't take 1 yen or 5 yen coins, so they stay in your pocket until you shop at a store.
Did you enjoy today's Easy Japanese?
00:19:52 話者 5
We hope so.
Join us again next time.
Tokyo Skytree
00:20:18 話者 6
Japan has various kinds of landmarks that fascinate visitors.
They range from cultural and historic locations to modern buildings created with cutting-edge technologies.
What led to their creation and what were the challenges involved?
The Backstory of Japanese Landmarks brings you the stories behind these amazing places.
In this episode of The Backstory of Japanese Landmarks,
We feature the world's tallest broadcast tower, Tokyo Skytree.
Tokyo Skytree is 634 meters tall.
Other landmarks such as the Tokyo Tower and Paris's Eiffel Tower have wide bases.
But Tokyo Skytree is slim and more like a spire.
Its color, named Skytree White, is based on the lightest shade of Japanese indigo blue.
The tower can be seen from a great distance, but when people first see it, some think its form is rather simple.
Tokyo Skytree was built using state-of-the-art Japanese technology.
But that's not all.
Traditional skills, respected and handed down over generations of craftspeople, also played a vital role in its construction.
The base of Tokyo Skytree is triangular in shape when seen from above.
This was designed to let people enter from the three sides of the surrounding areas.
Meanwhile, the two observation decks at the heights of 350 meters and 450 meters are round and offer a 360-degree panoramic view.
This means the cross-section of the tower's base is a triangle but becomes round toward the top.
Looking more carefully, Tokyo Skytree's outline is not made of straight lines.
The lines are actually slightly curved.
Depending where the tower is viewed from, some parts of the tower warp inwards, while other parts bulge outwards.
This comes from traditional Japanese architecture.
The inward warp is called sori, while the outward curve is called mukuri.
Tokyo Skytree's towering outline is a combination of sori and mukuri.
A particularly important feature of Tokyo Skytree is its earthquake resistance.
The tower's construction began in 2008.
Three years later, in 2011, a massive earthquake struck eastern Japan.
After overcoming a number of challenges posed by the disaster, the tower was completed in 2012.
Tokyo Skytree has an outer frame and an inner column.
The two are structurally detached.
During an earthquake, the column acts as a weight and moves in the opposite direction as the outer frame.
This reduces the impact of tremors.
This anti-seismic structure was inspired by a traditional Japanese structure, the five-story pagoda.
Five-story pagodas of Buddhist temples have a column at the center, similar to Tokyo Skytree.
Due to their excellent quake resistance, there are no records of any wooden pagodas collapsing in an earthquake in Japan's history.
Japan's oldest five-story pagoda is in Horyuji Temple in Nara, built more than 1,400 years ago.
The wisdom of ancient people lives on in today's advanced technologies.
Thank you for tuning in to the backstory 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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