It's a Friday evening here in Japan. I'm James Tengan in Tokyo. Welcome to Newsline.
JMA Issues Then Cancels Earthquake Warning
The Japan Meteorological Agency has cancelled an emergency earthquake warning that was issued midday on Friday.
The agency initially issued the warning around 12:40 p.m., saying a strong earthquake had been detected.
It was estimated to affect numerous regions across northern and central Japan.
But, around 12:48 p.m., the JMA announced that it was canceling the warning.
The agency said an earthquake did occur near the Kamchatka Peninsula, but in Hokkaido's Hakodate City, it registered an intensity of 1 on the Japanese seismic scale of 0 to 7. Not strong enough to cause widespread shaking in Japan.
The JMA also says that there is no risk of tsunami.
The agency is currently investigating what happened.
00:01:08 話者 11
Attention, please. The emergency brakes have been applied.
00:01:14 話者 1
The Japan Railway Company said it temporarily halted Tokaido Shinkansen service between Shin-Yokohama and Toyahashi stations when the alert was triggered.
but it says services resumed at 12:55 p.m.
JMA Apologizes for Error
The JMA later apologized for incorrectly issuing the warning.
00:01:35 話者 12/Ebita Ayataka/Japan Meteorological Agency
We issued an earthquake early warning that overstated the expected severity of the shaking because we overestimated the earthquake's magnitude.
We sincerely apologize for the significant inconvenience and concern this has caused.
00:01:52 話者 1
Asked by a reporter about the possibility of a cyber attack, the official said there was no information indicating this had occurred.
Teen Kills 3 Children and Teacher at Oregon Elementary School
Three children and a teacher were killed when a 16-year-old opened fire at an elementary school in the US state of Oregon.
Police in the city of Bend said the children who died were aged 5, 8 and 11, while a 7-year-old child and another teacher were in critical condition.
Police said they received reports that someone had entered the school and opened fire on Thursday afternoon.
They believe the shooter gained access after firing at a locked door.
The local police chief said the suspect was shot dead at the scene by a person he described as a community member.
More than 400 children attend the school.
Police are investigating if there were any links between the suspect and the school.
Bend has a population of about 100,000. And is located about 280 kilometers southeast of Portland, Oregon's largest city.
Iran Conflict: Singapore-Flagged Vessel Sunk in Strait of Hormuz
Commercial shipping crews in the Middle East have been coming under increasing attack.
Now Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says another has been hit.
It says the ship struck a mine in the Strait of Hormuz and sank.
The IRGC says the vessel was trying to use an unauthorized route through the strait.
It says it was carrying more than 2,500 containers.
The ship was flagged out of Singapore and the Singaporean Maritime Authority confirms it was sunk. It says all 21 crew members were able to escape to safety.
Iran claims control over the strait, but the US continues to blockade Iranian ports.
A British maritime agency says more than 20 vessels have been hit in the first 13 days of October. That's more than the total from all of last month.
Reuters cites Iranian officials as saying they want to keep oil prices high.
It says they're hoping to influence the midterm elections in the US next month.
Tensions between the two sides show no signs of easing.
CNN says the US military may be getting ready to deploy one of its most powerful weapons.
It says a bomb known as the Massive Ordnance Air Blast would target nuclear and energy facilities. The weapon is commonly referred to as the mother of all bombs.
It's said to be the most powerful non-nuclear weapon in the US arsenal.
It was first used in combat in Afghanistan about 10 years ago against Islamic State targets.
Trump Cancels Plan to Air Execution
US President Donald Trump says he will cancel the Pentagon's plan to live stream the execution of a man convicted of a mass shooting at a military base.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said earlier this month that the execution would be made public and the Pentagon would live stream it.
Nidal Hassan is a former military doctor who was sentenced to death for killing 13 people.
Trump wrote on social media on Thursday that publicly airing the state-sanctioned killing might have been a strong deterrent for the world to witness how America deals with terrorists and scum.
But he also wrote many very good and well-meaning people would rather not watch him die.
The plan drew criticism from victims' families as well as Republican and Democratic lawmakers.
A family member of one victim told the media he didn't want the act to be live streamed.
He said his younger brother's death would become part of a show.
Even within the Trump administration, Vice President JD Vance said he would not watch it.
Hassan was convicted of murder and other crimes following the killings in 2009 at a base in the southern US state of Texas.
The Trump administration has decided to execute the doctor by firing squad at the same base in December.
Record High Foreign Residents in Japan
The number of foreign residents in Japan has hit a record high.
The latest government data shows the figure rose to about 4.28 million at the end of June.
The Immigration Services Agency released its data on Friday.
It says the total number of foreign residents in the country had climbed by about 155,600 since the end of December.
By category, permanent residents topped the list at about 961,300.
They were followed by engineers, specialists in humanities and international services at about 516,200.
And by country of origin, about 941,000 were from China and about 693,800 from Vietnam.
South Korea and the Philippines were also high on the list.
This record number of foreigners comes at a time when Japan is grappling with a declining population.
That reality means foreign workers are vital for industries facing labor shortages.
As a result, a highly coveted resident status called the Specified Skilled Worker 2 has seen a dramatic surge this year.
With that status, workers can stay in Japan longer and family members can also join them.
NHK World's Murata Riho spoke to one family who moved to Japan under that program and overcame the challenges that came with it.
Language Challenges for Foreign Worker Families
00:07:31 話者 2/Reporting Murata Riho/NHK WORLD
This food processing company in Tokyo employs around 480 foreign workers, which is more than 80 percent of its total workforce.
Myo Thu Aung is originally from Myanmar.
He is in Japan under a specified skilled worker 2 resident status.
At his job, he oversees a four-member team responsible for checking a number of products.
He first arrived seven years ago as a technical intern trainee to support his family financially.
But as instability continues in Myanmar, he's hoping Japan can be a permanent home for him and his family.
00:08:19 話者 23/Myo Thu Aung
There are more job opportunities here than in Myanmar.
That's why I want to raise my children in Japan, and stay here in the future.
00:08:37 話者 2
In order to make his dream a reality, Myo studied hard for the resident status exam, which is completely in Japanese.
He successfully passed it on his first try and was then able to bring his wife and two children to Japan last October.
But his excitement was not without some doubts.
Myo had concerns about the move, like how to navigate the school systems and whether his family would adjust to life in Japan. A sentiment is 14-year-old son, Thwin Htoo San, also shared.
00:09:27 話者 24/Thwin Htoo San
I was a little nervous at first. I didn't have any friends here. I thought I'd be lonely.
00:09:38 話者 2
Luckily, Myo's company provides support to the family with school matters.
Its staff even visits the school and communicates with the teachers about any concerns related to his kids.
Myo's company says helping his worker children adjust is an important responsibility and one every business hiring foreign workers should take on.
00:10:04 話者 25/Okabe Eiichi/CEO, Yamawo
If children cannot understand Japanese and become isolated at school, they may not want to attend. But if they don't know Japanese, that could lead to a cycle of poverty.
And we must prevent that from happening.
If the families are unhealthy or unhappy, those workers are unlikely to work to their full potential.
00:10:30 話者 2
Meanwhile, Thwin has now made friends and even joined his school's soccer team.
His language skills have improved but still remain a challenge, especially when it comes to his studies.
00:10:48 話者 24
I've had difficulties with school tests because I can't read the questions.
00:10:59 話者 2
His father's company connected the family with a Japanese language class run by a nonprofit organization. Thwin goes to the class once a week.
Around 40 children currently attend this class, and the number continues to grow.
But the program's coordinator says educational support for foreign children is still insufficient.
00:11:24 話者 26/Hosoe Tatsuo/Tachikawa Multicultural Center
When it comes to people working for small and medium-sized companies that employ only one or two foreign workers, we often have no contact with their children.
We need to constantly think about how we can build connections with those children and reach out to them.
00:11:40 話者 2
Myo says seeing his children thrive here motivates him to work even harder.
00:11:48 話者 23
I hope my children will find their own dreams here in Japan.
I want them to grow up valuing both Japan and Myanmar and possibly serve as a bridge between the two countries one day.
Japan Sees Surge in Highly Skilled Foreign Workers
00:12:07 話者 1
NHK World's Murata Riho joins me in studio now for more on this story.
Riho, you spent some time with Myo and his family.
Let's start with the resident status that brought them all here.
How hard is it to get?
00:12:19 話者 2
Obtaining this resident status is far from easy.
Applicants must first gain experience in a supervisory role at their workplace in Japan.
And then they must pass an exam conducted completely in Japanese.
This tests the skills required in their field. This is the most difficult part.
The language can be very technical.
Because of these hurdles, the number of candidates was not expected to rise so rapidly.
But in reality, we've seen a dramatic surge this year.
By the end of June, there were more than 18,000 workers with that status.
That number increased by more than 10,000 in just six months.
00:13:04 話者 1
So what issues are likely to emerge as the number of people with this status increases?
00:13:10 話者 2
One of the biggest motivations for applicants is the opportunity to bring their families to Japan.
Family members, however, often arrived with little or no Japanese language ability.
Japan had already faced a similar challenge about two decades ago.
Following changing to immigration policies, the country accepted many people of Japanese descent from South America, along with their families.
At that time, some children struggled to adapt to school, dropped out, and were unable to fully participate in Japanese society.
In certain cases, poverty became entrenched and was passed on from one generation to the next.
Years later, Japan shifted focus to temporary workers and only allowed them to stay in the country for a few years without their families.
But now, as more foreign workers and their families settle in the country, experts say it is crucial to avoid past issues.
00:14:18 話者 27/Manjome Masao/Professor, Tokai Univerity
Foreign nationals are no longer being accepted solely as temporary workers, but also as residents and members of society.
This means that Japan's policies will need to shift when it comes to supporting accompanying family members and children, and when it comes to enabling foreign workers to build and sustain their careers over the long term.
00:14:47 話者 1
Riho, what are the key challenges when it comes to supporting these families.
00:14:58 話者 2
As we saw in the report, more companies are beginning to provide support not just for foreign workers but also for their family members.
At the same time, if such support is left solely to individual companies or local governments, the level of assistance is likely to vary from place to place.
In the end, a holistic approach to supporting these families could help them better integrate into the local communities.
00:15:26 話者 1
Yo, thanks for that report. That was NHK World's Murata Riho.
Business
Up next is the latest from our biz desk with Ramin Mellegard.
00:15:38 話者 5/Ramin Mellegard
Thank you very much indeed.
EU to Set Quota on Chinese Hybrid Car Imports
Now the European Union is set to drastically cut the number of imported Chinese hybrid cars from December.
The move is part of stepped up efforts to protect local industries from Chinese competition.
EU leaders are meeting in Brussels for a two-day summit from Thursday.
The bloc's massive trade deficit with China is a major topic.
The European Commission has agreed with China to limit imports of Chinese hybrid and plug in hybrid vehicles for four years.
The EU is projected to import about 800,000 such vehicles this year.
But under the plan, the number will be slashed by more than half to 350,000 in the first year of the cap. It will be increased by 6% annually from the second year.
Now, the EU in 2024 introduced additional tariffs of up to 35.3% on cheap electric vehicles from China.
But the bloc has seen a surge in its imports of hybrid and other cars that are not subject to the duties.
IEA to Speed Up Oil Stocks Release of 100 Mil. Barrels
The International Energy Agency says it will accelerate the release of the remaining 100 million barrels of oil reserves it committed to.
The move is in response to higher fuel prices.
The IEA issued a statement after its governing board met on Thursday.
It says the oil distribution includes over 20 million barrels of diesel.
In March, the group's member countries came up with a collective action plan to release 400 million barrels in response to the Strait of Hormuz crisis.
The IEA says about 330 million barrels have already been released.
It also says the total amount will exceed the planned volume as some members released more than initially pledged.
The Group of Seven Nations announced earlier this month a release of 100 million barrels of oil and diesel through the IEA in response to soaring energy prices.
Trial Sales of Japanese Rice Start in Germany
Japanese rice is being sold at a department store in the German capital of Berlin.
The move comes as Tokyo takes aim at Europe as a key destination for rice exports following the United States.
The trial sale of small packets of Japan produced rice started on Monday in Germany which has one of Europe's larger populations and economies.
A special section was set up at the department store where the 300 gram packets of rice attracted shoppers. Six different brands of rice are on sale.
They come from areas ranging from Hokkaido to Kumamoto in southwestern Japan.
00:18:43 話者 31
I expected the rice to taste neutral, but it had a strong flavor of its own. I liked it.
00:18:54 話者 5
And the event was sponsored by the Japan External Trade Organization's Berlin office.
A Jetro official said the organization wants to tell German consumers more about Japanese rice.
This includes showing them that it's produced in many different parts of Japan and that each has a different taste and texture.
US Holiday Spending Expected to Rise
US consumers are expected to spend more this holiday shopping season.
The National Retail Federation believes sales will rise 4.2% from last year, with high-income shoppers driving most of that growth.
It says retail sales in November and December could top $1 trillion.
One official says in some sectors, the top 10% of spenders account for as much as 70% of sales and adds that lower income households may be a little bit more challenged due to higher gas prices. Some shoppers in New York are sounding cautious.
00:19:58 話者 45
If the things that I want to get them have increased in price, I'm probably going to flex a little bit on the budget.
00:20:03 話者 46
My husband just retired.
Some of our income is a little uncertain yet, so we're taking it easy.
00:20:10 話者 5
Tech giant Adobe predicts that online shopping sales could hit a record $275 billion during this period. That's a 6.7 percent jump from last year.
Adobe says consumers tend to take advantage of holiday deals to buy gifts or the latest gadgets. But this year it expects many to use big discounts to stock up on essentials.
Observers will be keeping tabs on consumer spending as inflation hasn't gone away.
G20 Finance Chiefs End Meeting Without Adopting Statement
Finance ministers and central bank governors of the Group of 20 major economies wrapped up their meeting in Bangkok on Thursday.
They concluded their talks without adopting a joint statement.
Participants reportedly voiced concerns over the risk that inflation and rising interest rates could pull down the global economy.
Their concern stems from factors such as high crude oil prices.
They also reportedly pointed out the possible negative impact that sophisticated AI models could have on the financial system if they are misused.
Japanese Finance Minister Katayama Satsuki attended the meeting.
She reaffirmed the G20's view that excessive fluctuation in the currency market would adversely affect the economy.
She reportedly went on to note the need to closely monitor financial markets.
Markets
Okay, let's have a look at the markets.
♪
That's it for Biz News.
00:22:14 話者 1
Ramin, thanks.
Japan's Actors Union Issues New Rules to Tackle Unauthorized AI
One of Japan's top voice actors says more needs to be done to protect their work from AI.
A group representing actors has released new guidelines in a bid to tackle the issue.
Nozawa Masako is best known as the voice of Son Goku, the hero of the popular Dragon Ball anime.
In an interview with NHK, she watched an AI generated video built off her voice.
(japanese)
The Japan Actors Union says it's a rampant issue and on Thursday it released guidelines for recreating someone's voice using AI.
They say actors and their management must be consulted before their work is fed into AI.
If the goal is to recreate their voices for other languages, then approval must be given for each language.
As for the deceased, it says their wills will be respected and their families must consent.
The union also outlined what will happen to those who violate these rules.
It says it will immediately stop the distribution of unauthorized AI versions.
And it will also seek compensation.
How much would depend on sales figures from when the unauthorized AI use began?
Nozawa is vice-chair of the union.
She hopes the next generation of voice actors won't be dissuaded by AI.
(japanese)
She said she hopes everyone will follow the new rules so humans and AI can coexist.
♪
World Weather
Sunny weather is expected for Japan while rain is spreading across the northern portions of China. Our meteorologist Jonathan Oh has a look at details in world weather.
00:24:48 話者 6
Hello, we saw another fair weather day across Japan as we saw a lot of sunshine.
It looks like that it's going to be on the drier side for the weekend as well as high pressure conditions to control the weather pattern.
We have to go over toward the west into China where it looks like that development along the Yangon River Basin will be spreading up toward the north and east as a place like Beijing really picking up on some wet weather as we head into Saturday and that rain will then eventually spread eastward as well.
Tokyo looking at dry weather coming up with a high of 25 degrees again on Saturday same thing in solar as well Beijing plenty of rainfall the forecast high of 17 as we go throughout the day.
Now we're going to keep an eye on what's happening down to the south across the western Pacific we've got Champa which is going to expect to become stronger and really impacting the Mariana Islands especially around Guam and the storm is expected to get stronger and it's a very slow mover that's the concern here is the fact that can bring a lot of additional rain rainfall.
This is a three-day forecast and it looks like it's going to slowly move toward the west and as it does so, it will bring that copious amounts of rain along with those intense winds as well.
So make those preparations now as the storm moves toward the west because as we get closer towards Saturday and especially into Sunday, that's when the storm will be right on top of you and you wouldn't have any time to really deal with that storm at that point. So make those preparations now.
Looking at what's happening across North America we have still a low pressure system up to the north with the cold front attached to that moving toward the east behind that cold front we're talking about much cooler weather daytime highs as far south as Oklahoma dropping down into the mid-teens so it's going to be a lot cooler and even as we go into the weekend the southeastern portion of the United States also picking up on some cooler weather as well.
But in the meantime some rain to the northeastern United States as that low pressure pushed on from Toronto to New York, make sure that you have your umbrellas nearby.
Hope you have a good day wherever you are.
♫～ 3-Day Forecast ～♫
00:27:45 話者 1
For all of us on NHK Newsline, I'm James Tengan in Tokyo. Thanks for watching.
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