Glad to have you with us on NHK Newsline.
I'm Yuko Fukushima. Let's get you the latest at this hour.
Nikkei 225 Soars to Record Levels
And we start with news from the stock markets.
Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 index has hit a new high.
And our business reporter Ishizaka Sae Christine Hall has more from the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
00:00:28 話者 2/Ishizaka Sae Christine Hall
Investors returned on Thursday following Japan's spring break.
Buying orders were driven by expectations that tensions may soon ease in the Middle East.
The Nikkei 225 surged above 63,000 for the first time.
At one point, it was up by more than 3,500 points.
That's the biggest intraday rise on record.
Investors in Tokyo also snapped up semiconductor-related shares after the Nasdaq index in New York hit a new high.
The Nikkei 225 ended the day at a record 62,833, up more than 5.5 percent.
The yen has also risen sharply during the spring break, fueling speculation Japanese authorities have again intervened in the foreign exchange markets.
The yen was trading around the lower 156 level against the dollar.
Tokyo stocks are hitting untold levels, but many investors are still trading with a degree of caution, not least because of rising crude oil prices.
I'm Ishizaka Sae Christine Hall from the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
US Treasury Secretary to Visit Japan
00:01:43 話者 1
Now, sources have told NHK that arrangements are being made for US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to visit Japan next week.
The sources say the Treasury Secretary's visit is being arranged for Monday to Wednesday.
He's expected to talk with Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae, Finance Minister Kotayama Satsuki and Bank of Japan Governor Ueda Kazuo.
High on the agenda will be the Iran's situation and its impact on financial markets, as well as the yen's continued weakness against the dollar.
The talks will also cover the two countries' fiscal and financial policies.
Bessent will likely fly to China afterwards to join the summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Trump's visit to China is scheduled for next Thursday to Friday.
Iran–US Talks Move Toward Possible Deal
The US president says major progress is being made toward a deal with Iran.
And media reports say other officials believe the two sides are getting close to signing one.
But leaders in Iran say it contains provisions that are unacceptable.
US news site Axios reported on the one-page document calling it a memorandum of understanding. It cites government officials briefed on the matter and others.
It says the plan has 14 points. They include an end to the fighting, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and limitations on Iran's nuclear program.
Sources say talks are continuing over how long Tehran will halt its uranium enrichment.
They say it would be a minimum of 12 years.
The Wall Street Journal says both sides are working with mediators.
It says discussions could possibly begin as early as next week in Pakistan.
00:03:23 話者 3/Trump
We've had very good talks over the last 24 hours, and it's very possible that we'll make a deal.
00:03:30 話者 1
Trump says that US forces can end their so-called legendary operation if Iran agrees to the deal. But he stepped up pressure by saying that if it refuses, attacks would restart.
He says they'd be at a much higher level in intensity.
Iran's Tasnim News Agency cited a source saying that Tehran has not yet issued an official response.
The source warns that threats are not effective and will make the situation worse.
An Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson says they've received the proposal and it's under review. He says they'll respond through Pakistani mediators.
NPT Draft Calls for Human Control of Nuclear Weapons
A draft of a final document to be adopted at a nuclear disarmament conference has been presented by the conference president.
It calls for maintaining human control over nuclear weapons in order to reduce risks posed by emerging technologies.
The review conference of the parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons began at UN headquarters on Monday last week.
The zero-draft outcome document urges parties to agree to measures that mitigate the risks related to nuclear weapons and emerging technologies.
It calls for the effective maintenance of human control over nuclear weapons at all times.
The document refers to the US and Israeli attacks on nuclear facilities in Iran.
It says the conference notes grave concerns.
The document also references North Korea.
The country has unilaterally declared its withdrawal from the treaty and pursued nuclear and missile programs. The document urges it to return to the treaty and fully comply.
A Japanese expert on nuclear disarmament suggests some wording is likely to be cut in the coming days.
He says the draft includes a wide range of issues for substantive negotiations, but he also says some of the contentious points will likely be viewed by some parties as lacking balance.
Russia–Ukraine Tensions Around Victory Day
Russian officials have declared an unilateral two-day ceasefire with Ukraine, and they are warning any attacks will be met with a response.
Moscow says the truce takes effect on Friday to mark the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany.
But Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has made what she called aggressive and threatening statements.
Zelenskyy said on Monday that Moscow has scaled back Saturday's Victory Day parade because they cannot afford military equipment and fear drones may buzz over Red Square.
Zakharova said Russian forces would conduct a retaliatory strike on Kyiv if Ukraine carries out what she described as terrorist plans.
Zelenskyy also said on social media that Moscow has responded to a Ukraine-proposed ceasefire with new strikes.
He said there had been 1,820 violations since Wednesday.
A Russian throne reportedly hit a kindergarten in Sumy, northeastern Ukraine.
Local authorities say the attack left two people dead and seven others injured.
Hantavirus Outbreak on Cruise Ship
The cruise ship, hit with hantavirus, is heading to Spain's Canary Islands.
The suspected outbreak has left three people dead.
And the World Health Organization says three others are being medically evacuated.
Media reports say some have arrived at an airport in the Netherlands.
The ship's operator says two are in serious condition.
The other one is asymptomatic, but was in close contact with one of those who died.
The ship was carrying about 150 people. The WHO says the first infections may have occurred before passengers boarded or on visits to islands along the route.
The WHO says hantavirus is usually spread by rodent exposure.
It says at this stage, the overall public health risk remains low.
The Japan Institute for Health Security says the incubation period is about two weeks and initial symptoms include fatigue and fever. It says serious cases can be fatal.
One Japanese expert says Honda virus is highly likely to cause serious illness.
00:07:49 話者 4/Kutsuna Satoshi/Professor, Osaka University
There is no effective cure at this time.
The main treatments focus on dealing with the symptoms, including the use of fever medicine and intravenous drips for dehydration.
00:08:06 話者 1
The ship left the West African island nation of Cabo Verde.
Spanish authorities say it will arrive at the Canary Islands within three days.
The Spanish health minister says all passengers and crew will undergo medical checks before being transferred to their home countries.
She said all those remaining on board are as symptomatic.
G7 Moves to Strengthen Rare Earth Supply Chains
G7 trade ministers have agreed to boost efforts to diversify supply chains for key minerals.
Japan's Akazawa Ryosei and Jamieson Greer from the US were among those who met in Paris.
The joint communique released after the meeting expresses grave concerns over what it calls economic coercion that's seen as a reference to China's export restrictions on critical minerals, including rare earth elements.
It says the G7 stands ready to take action where necessary.
After the meeting, Akazawa said it's an urgent task for the bloc to work with like-minded countries to develop alternative sources of supply and reduce dependence on specific nations.
00:09:08 話者 5/Akazawa Ryosei
Amid a rapidly changing international situation, I believe it was highly significant that we were able to identify areas in which the G7 can work together and demonstrate our solidarity.
00:09:19 話者 1
The communique vows to ensure that attempts or threats to weaponize economic dependencies will fail.
CNN Founder Ted Turner Dies at 87
CNN founder Ted Turner has died at the age of 87.
The media mogul created the 24-hour news cycle and revolutionized the way news was reported.
The Ohio-born businessman started his media career when he took over his father's advertising company. He then acquired a TV station in Atlanta.
In 1980, he created Cable News Network, or CNN.
It aired news from the United States and abroad around the clock by satellite.
00:09:57 話者 13/Ted Turner
We've always been very small, fighting against the big guys, and you know, you only live once.
00:10:02 話者 1
The network made a breakthrough during the Gulf War in 1991, taking advantage of the strength of live TV.
Correspondents broadcast rolling news coverage from the Iraqi capital of Baghdad.
Turner owned professional basketball and baseball teams and was widely known for his extravagant lifestyle and candid remarks.
After withdrawing from the front line of the media industry, he was involved in activities for the abolition of nuclear weapons and for environmental protection.
Turner suffered from dementia in his later years.
He died on Wednesday, surrounded by his family.
Kyoto Man Arrested in Son’s Murder Case
Japanese police have arrested a man for allegedly killing his 11-year-old son weeks after the boy's body was discovered in woodland in Kyoto Prefecture.
00:11:00 話者 26/Suzuki Yasunobu/Kyoto Prefectural Police
We identified the father as a suspect in a murder case and arrested him at 3.17 P.m. today.
00:11:09 話者 1
Police on Wednesday arrested 37-year-old Adachi Yuki on suspicion of strangling his son Yuki in a public restroom.
Investigators say the father has admitted to killing the boy by squeezing his throat with both hands.
Police believe the father was driving Yuki to school on the morning of March 23, but stopped at the public restroom.
The boy was found dead in a wooded area three weeks later.
The father was initially arrested on suspicion of abandoning the body.
According to investigative sources, the father told police that he got upset while talking with his son in his car.
Police say the father likely had a troubled relationship with his son, which may have led to the murder.
Bear Attacks Reported in Northern Japan
A woman has been found unconscious in northeastern Japan following several suspected bear attacks.
Police say the woman was found Thursday morning in a forest in Hachimantai City, Iwate Prefecture.
They say she had scars that appeared to have been caused by animal claws.
00:12:14 話者 4/Local resident
There are quite a few bears in this area, and wild boars too.
00:12:20 話者 1
Police are working to confirm whether the victim is a woman in her 60s who was reported missing on Wednesday after going to pick edible plants.
The victim was found a few 100 meters from the missing woman's car.
In nearby Yamagata prefecture, a man in his 70s was attacked by a bear while foraging in the mountains on Thursday morning.
Fire department officials say the man suffered injuries to his head and face, but is conscious and is being treated in hospital.
Local authorities are urging residents to be on the alert for bears.
SURVIVING A BEAR ATTACK Urban areas
00:13:00 話者 27
Japan had a spike in bear attacks last fall. Now bears are heading into urban areas again.
This bear doesn't run even in car lights. More bear attacks could be possible in the months ahead as their food supply drops in the summer. What can we do to protect ourselves?
If you inadvertently encounter a bear, do not turn your back and run away.
That could make the bear aggressive.
Slowly step backwards while facing the bear.
If an attack is imminent, lie face down on the ground and cover your head.
Be particularly cautious in the early morning hours, as bears are active around that time.
Stay safe.
00:13:58 話者 1
And those were the main stories for this hour. This is NHK Newsline.
♫～ 3-DAY FORECAST ～♫
And that is it for this hour on NHK Newsline. I'm Yuko Fukushima. Thanks for joining us.
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Easy Japanese
00:15:09 話者 5
Hi there.
Welcome to Easy Japanese from NHK World Japan.
I'm Eriko Kojima.
00:15:15 話者 6
And I'm Michael Reese.
Let's have fun studying Japanese together.
00:15:19 話者 5
Today we bring you lesson 10 on asking how much something costs.
00:15:30 話者 6
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.
00:15:39 話者 5
Listen to the skit for lesson 10.
Taksanarimasu ne.
Sugoi desho.
Goreba sarasara hair.
Goreba tiangader type.
Eh...
ikura desu ka.
Can you tell me?
Let's go over the skit line by line.
00:16:17 話者 6
Tam is overwhelmed by the wide range of hair dryers on the shelf.
00:16:24 話者 5
So many hair dryers.
00:16:26 話者 6
Ayaka says.
00:16:29 話者 5
Amazing, don't you think?
00:16:32 話者 6
And she shows Tam different types of hair dryers.
00:16:37 話者 5
This one makes your hair silky smooth.
And this one makes your hair shine.
Tam asks, How much is it?
00:16:51 話者 6
Ayaka looks at the price tag, but it only says that the dryer is on sale.
00:16:58 話者 5
The sign says it's on sale.
Let's ask the clerk.
00:17:04 話者 6
Tam gets the attention of a salesperson.
00:17:08 話者 5
Excuse me.
How much is this hairdryer?
00:17:14 話者 6
The clerk replies.
00:17:16 話者 5
9,900 yen.
00:17:19 話者 6
Tam is surprised and says.
00:17:24 話者 5
Oh my, that's too expensive.
00:17:28 話者 6
Tam was able to ask about the price of the hair dryer, but unfortunately, it wasn't within her budget.
00:17:40 話者 5
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.
00:18:22 話者 6
So all you have to do is indicate the item and ask Ikura desuka.
00:18:27 話者 5
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 i kura 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.
00:18:52 話者 6
Then the key phrase becomes, how much is this hairdryer?
Kono doraya wa ikura desu ka?
Listen and repeat out loud.
00:19:05 話者 5
Ikura desu ka?
Kono doraya wa ikura desu ka?
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.
00:19:51 話者 6
Excuse me?
How much is this rice cooker?
00:19:58 話者 5
Is a rice cooker.
8700
00:20:03 話者 6
yen.
00:20:05 話者 5
Yen, or yen, is the unit of the Japanese currency.
00:20:09 話者 6
Listen and repeat.
00:20:14 話者 5
Ikura desu konosui hanki wa ikura desu ka sumimasen konosui hanki wa ikura desu ka
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.
00:21:36 話者 6
So for 20, say 2 followed by 10 to make niju.
00:21:43 話者 5
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.
00:22:08 話者 6
So two hundred in Japanese is ni followed by hyaku.
That gets you ni-hyaku.
00:22:15 話者 5
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.
00:23:01 話者 4
Taksan arimasune.
Sugoi desuo.
Gorewa sarasara haiya.
00:23:08 話者 5
Gorewa tsiyangaderu type.
00:23:11 話者 4
Ikura desu ka.
00:23:13 話者 5
Seirutu koitaru.
00:23:15 話者 4
Kiitemiyo.
Sumimasen.
Kono doraiya wa ikura desu ka.
00:23:23 話者 5
Kyusen kyushaku in desu.
00:23:35 話者 6
Time now for Haru-san's bag full of advice.
Today we'll talk about bills and coins used in Japan.
00:23:44 話者 5
Japan has four kinds of paper money: 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, and 10,000 yen bills.
00:23:53 話者 6
And what's interesting is you don't see old and crumpled banknotes.
00:23:57 話者 5
That's because the Bank of Japan collects warm 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.
00:24:10 話者 6
Brand new bills have a role of their own, too, yes.
00:24:13 話者 5
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.
00:24:24 話者 6
So they look and feel fresh.
00:24:25 話者 5
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?
00:24:52 話者 6
We hope so.
Join us again next time.
NHK World
00:25:01 話者 99
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