Welcome to NHK Newsline. I'm Yamaguchi Hiroaki in Tokyo.
China Holds Firing Exercise Inside Japan's EEZ
The Japanese defense ministry says a Chinese naval vessel conducted machine guns drills within Japan's exclusive economic zone.
The ministry says the exercise took place on Sunday near Japan's southernmost island.
The ministry says two missile destroyers and a supply ship from China's Navy, along with a Russian Navy frigate, were spotted about 330 kilometers southwest of Okinotorishima Island in the Pacific.
The Maritime Self-Defense Force says the four ships were sailing northeastward.
One of the four vessels, a Chinese missile destroyer, was later confirmed to have held the exercise about 180 kilometers southwest of the island within Japan's EEZ.
The crew of the Chinese destroyer had issued advance notice to vessels in surrounding waters regarding the exercise's location and duration.
Japanese officials also confirmed that the Russian frigate was in nearby waters at the time of the exercise.
00:01:19 話者 11/Kihara Minoru/Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary
We have contacted China through diplomatic channels to express concerns that the exercise could endanger vessels operating in nearby waters.
China and Russia carried out a joint flight of bombers last month, and their navies held a joint exercise earlier this month, indicating that they are strengthening their military coordination.
00:01:44 話者 1
Kihara added the government will make utmost efforts to continue monitoring activities in the area.
Philippines: China Coast Guard Injured Crew With Baton
Elsewhere, tensions are simmering between China and the Philippines at a disputed flashpoint in the South China Sea.
The Philippine military says Chinese coast guard personnel wielding a wooden baton has injured one of its service members.
Philippine officials released video footage of the incident.
They say a Chinese vessel with a crew of eight approached the Philippine Navy outpost at the Second Thomas Shoal on Monday.
The shoal is effectively controlled by the Philippines.
They say the Chinese crew began filming and Philippine forces dispatched rubber boats to drive the vessel away.
The Philippine military says China engaged in aggressive actions that endangers the lives of Philippine personnel and escalate its tensions.
Chinese authorities also released video footage.
The Chinese coast guard accuses the Philippines of distorting reality.
They say Philippine crew members ignored warnings, approached the Chinese vessel and attacked first with long poles and other equipment.
The foreign ministers of the two countries are scheduled for talks on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations meetings that began Tuesday.
GCAP Fighter Aircraft on Display at UK Show
The future of air combat is on display at one of the world's largest air shows, where next-generation fighter aircraft and autonomous drones are taking center stage.
More than 16-hundred exhibitors from around the world are showcasing their products at the Farnborough International Air Show that opened on Monday in southern England.
And it's a chance to see the fighter aircraft that Japan, Britain and Italy are developing together.
A model of the Global Combat Air Program fighter is on display alongside monitors explaining the aircraft's engine and sensors.
The CEO of the international joint venture Edgewing, which is developing the aircraft, told NHK they are ready to begin the detailed design of the aircraft, with a prototype to be delivered once that work is complete.
Edgewing is aiming to deliver the first operational jet by 2035.
If we continue to deliver at pace like we're doing, we're fully confident, yes.
The airshow also features autonomous drones designed to fly with fighter jets, carrying out surveillance and strikes.
US aircraft giant Boeing exhibited a missile-equipped autonomous vehicle capable of flying more than 35-hundred kilometers. The show runs until Friday.
Iran Conflict: Trump Warns Tehran 'Will Pay' for Troop Deaths
US President Donald Trump has lashed out at Iran after American service members were killed during ongoing attacks in recent days.
He warns that Tehran will pay many times over each time it kills a US soldier.
Trump issued the threat on social media. He says he passed on this directive to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and military leaders.
The US Central Command says it's launched a new round of strikes on Iran.
The attacks have been going on for 10 straight days.
And media reports say Washington is deploying more fighter jets to the Middle East.
Iran's Tasnim news agency carried a statement from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The IRGC claims that it's launched a series of attacks against US forces in the region.
It says it destroyed a drone hangar in Bahrain and a facility linked to US special operations forces at a military base in Kuwait.
The Wall Street Journal cites sources as saying that Qatari mediators have proposed a ten-day ceasefire to ease tensions.
But the paper says it's unclear whether either side is prepared to accept it.
A US official told NHK Trump is focused on holding Iran accountable for what Washington describes as violations of an agreement, continued activities in the Strait of Hormuz, and recent deaths of US troops.
The official added that talks between the two sides are continuing.
Officials Urge Caution as Japan Endures Extreme Heat
People across Japan are enduring intense summer heat with dangerously high temperatures affecting parts of the country.
With temperatures reaching as high as 40 degrees Celsius, officials are urging extreme caution against heatstroke.
(Japanese)
00:06:42 話者 1
Gujo City in Gifu Prefecture recorded a temperature of 40 degrees before 2 pm on Tuesday.
Nagoya in Aichi Prefecture hit 39.7 degrees, while Kyoto hit 38.2 degrees and Tokyo's Nerima Ward hit 37.5 degrees.
Heatstroke alerts have been issued for 42 of the country's 47 prefectures from the Tohoku region to Okinawa.
Officials are advising people to use air conditioners and consume adequate amounts of water and salt to prevent heatstroke.
They are also urging people to avoid long periods of outdoor activity.
Business
Now, let's turn to our Ramin Mellegard for what's happening in the world of business.
Ramin.
00:07:29 話者 3/Ramin Mellegard
Thank you very much indeed.
Nikkei 225 Rebounds on Buying of Chip Shares
Now, Tokyo's Nikkei 225 stock index rebounded sharply on Tuesday as investors bought back semiconductor-related shares.
The benchmark rose 3.3 percent to 66,232, gaining for the first time in three trading days.
It tumbled 4 percent on Friday, and Monday was a national holiday in Japan.
Now, chip and flash memory giant Kioxia Holdings surged 17 percent, more than making up for its 16 percent plunge on Friday.
The Nikkei's advance came as South Korea's tech-heavy KOSPI index gained 3.6 percent.
US to Impose New 50% Tariff on Range of Canadian Goods
The Trump administration has announced that it will slap an additional 50 percent tariff on a wide range of Canadian goods imported by the United States.
Now, it says the action is in response to Canada's discriminatory treatment of American exports, such as cars, alcohol and dairy products.
The White House said on Monday Trump signed proclamations to impose the tariffs under Section 338 of the Tariff Act, which was passed in 1930.
It said they will be charged on imports, including dairy products, wine and hockey sticks, and will take effect on August 19.
Section 338 empowers the president to impose duties on imports from countries deemed to have discriminated against US goods.
Bloomberg News cited officials as saying it is the first time that Section 338 has been invoked to levy tariffs.
Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney criticized the tariffs as the latest in a series of what he called unilateral US trade actions.
Carney said Canada is ready to engage with the US to address outstanding trade issues to the mutual benefit of the citizens of both countries.
He stressed his government will take all necessary actions to support Canadian workers, businesses and families.
Toyota's New CEO Talks Strategy to Boost Earnings
Toyota Motor's new president and CEO, Kon Kenta, says he is committed to raising earnings amid the intense competition in the global auto industry.
Kon took the helm of the automaker in April and gave his first group media interview on Saturday.
00:09:59 話者 24/Kon Kenta
I think the place where Toyota's value is created and where the company makes money is at its manufacturing sites.
It is my responsibility as leader to listen to the voices of the workers on the front lines and then implement improvements or what we call kaizen.
00:10:19 話者 3
Kon says Toyota is focused on reducing the types of parts and components it uses to improve development and production efficiency.
The company provides a full variety of vehicles to meet the needs of customers, including gasoline, hybrid and electric cars.
This has led to an increase in the number of parts used and challenges the space available in factories.
00:10:44 話者 24
The founding point of the Toyota production system is to cut costs by reducing inventory and the space needed for storage, we continue to build on such basic initiatives.
00:10:57 話者 3
Kon also touched on a robot- and A.I.-based factory the company plans to build in Toyota City in Aichi Prefecture.
00:11:08 話者 24
There are skills that can't be replaced by robots, but we also have skills that can be taught to robots. And AI may be able to teach humans and robots such skills.
We are discussing how to refine these elements in a factory.
00:11:28 話者 3
Kon said the new factory is designed to use robots and artificial intelligence to increase the value of the contribution from human workers.
Pressing Health Issue Spotlights Tropical Fruit
Now, obesity is a global health issue. The World Health Organization estimates that one in eight people are obese around the world.
Lately, it has become a problem in Malaysia as well, as economic growth has changed diets and lifestyles.
We look at how businesses are developing solutions from local produce.
00:12:01 話者 5/Narrator: Michael Rhys/Reporter: Tanizawa Soichiro
In Malaysia, over 20% of adults are obese.
The number of patients with diabetes and high blood pressure is rising rapidly.
The situation has made obesity a target for innovative companies.
This vegetarian restaurant in the capital, Kuala Lumpur, serves up plant-based burgers.
However, the main ingredient isn't soy. 60% is locally grown jackfruit.
The rest consists of wheat flour, mushrooms, palm oil and spices.
The company behind the item has been holding tasting events for the healthy plant-based meat.
00:12:47 話者 36
Now, initially I'd forgotten that it was not meat burger.
I mean, it tastes quite similar in terms of texture.
00:12:54 話者 5
The local start-up was founded 8 years ago. It has gained recognition domestically and has recently begun exporting to countries such as Japan, South Korea and India.
This farm has 6,000 trees and ships 250 tons of jackfruit annually.
When ripe, some fruits weigh over 10 kilograms.
They are packed with a fibrous sweet flesh.
Previously, damaged food was discarded and unripe fruit was unusable.
But by using them for plant-based meat, the grower has drastically reduced waste.
00:13:40 話者 37/Ahmad Syafik Jaafar/CEO and Co-founder, Nanka
We are also creating additional income for the farmers to not just wait until the fruit is ripe. They can already sell it to us at this age.
00:13:54 話者 5
In April, a Japanese startup hosted an event inviting large firms to explore health and environmentally conscious food products from Asia.
Small local companies joined to discuss and present new products and business plans.
They could receive prize money and financial support.
00:14:18 話者 34/Umino Satoshi/CEO and Founder, Sustainable Food Asia
Food is closely linked to various social issues.
And creating new industries is extremely important for solving global challenges.
00:14:30 話者 5
The event showcased some jackfruit-related products.
00:14:38 話者 33
Oh, it's sour.
00:14:42 話者 5
This is a prototype product developed jointly by a major Japanese company and a local research institute. They extracted this liquid from jackfruit leaves.
The company says it may lower blood sugar levels and help prevent diabetes.
The company is exploring making it into a health drink or seasoning.
00:15:07 話者 35/Kato Tsuyoshi/Marketing Manager, Rohto Pharmaceutical
Jackfruit is common throughout Southeast Asia. I hope we can effectively utilize local ingredients to create products that contribute to the region.
00:15:19 話者 5
Firms in Asia are addressing health issues with local produce, potentially unlocking solutions to global problems.
00:15:29 話者 3
And that is it for business news.
Japan's Diet Extending Current Session
00:15:32 話者 1
Next, Japan's diet session has been extended for eight days before breaking for a summer recess.
The ruling parties argued more time was needed to pass a bill related to establishing a secondary capital outside of Tokyo.
At the plenary session of the upper house on Friday, several bills were enacted one after another.
A revision was made to the Imperial House Law aimed at securing the number of imperial family members.
Revisions were also made to the Code of Criminal Procedure to reform Japan's retrial system.
And a law to penalize the act of damaging Japan's national flag was also put in place.
However, in order to secure passage of the remaining bills, the ruling parties asked the speakers of both Houses of the Diet to extend the session until July 25.
Now, the ruling parties wanted to prioritize a bill that would designate a certain prefecture as a secondary capital.
It would serve as an alternate center for government in the event a major disaster hits Tokyo.
Analysis: Japan's Diet Session Extended
Earlier, I spoke to NHK World's political correspondent, Igarashi Jun, for more on this story.
So, Jun, first take us through this secondary capital bill and why it was necessary to extend the diet session.
00:16:54 話者 7/Igarashi Jun
So the focus of the extended diet session will be on how deliberation on this bill will unfold.
This bill is a high priority for the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's coalition partner, Japan Innovation Party, whose headquarters is in Osaka.
The secondary capital was included in the coalition agreement between the LDP and JIP last October.
Proposed criteria for the location includes having a certain population size and level of economic activity.
But opposition parties have been criticizing the bill and say it was effectively designed with Osaka in mind from the outset.
They also say that details on the plan and budget remain half-baked.
In addition, opposition parties are demanding adequate deliberation time in the upper house.
00:17:49 話者 1
And looking at the bigger picture now, how would you assess the Diet debates over the last several months?
00:17:55 話者 7
Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae's LDP won a landslide victory in the lower house election back in February.
Backed by that political strength, the past five months have been an active period in which she has been able to pass numerous bills, many involved implementing policies she has long advocated for or regards as important.
Takaichi has stressed her intention to realize her key policies, even though they may divide public opinion.
For example, in May, legislation establishing a National Intelligence Bureau was enacted.
The government wanted to enhance Japan's intelligence gathering and analytical capabilities in light of changes in the international environment.
That has been one of Takeichi's signature policies.
Last week, a law to penalize the act of damaging Japan's national flag was passed.
This has also been one of Takeichi's long-standing policy positions.
These bills, however, drew concern from some opposition parties.
Regarding the establishment of a National Intelligence Bureau, critics raised concerns about the handling of personal information and the potential infringement of privacy rights.
As for the flag desecration law, even one senior member within the LDP questioned the legislation.
Former foreign minister Iwaya Takeshi argued that incidents involving the burning or tearing of the Japanese flag are rare, and that the purpose of the law is unclear.
But ultimately, Takaichi was able to pass some of these bills she has been so strongly championing.
Now, negotiations will continue between the ruling and opposition camps for this extended Diet session.
And it appears, when it comes to the secondary capital bill, political maneuvering is already underway.
♪
Tiny, Charming Fish Captures Hearts and Minds
00:20:11 話者 1
Ringht now, this tiny, charming fish inhabits a stretch of coast in Hyogo Prefecture in western Japan. Many divers come here hoping to catch a glimpse of it.
We managed to capture footage of this rare creature this spring.
00:20:28 話者 6
Takeno Beach is that a rich habitat for marine life is thriving. New life takes fruit all around.
Divers gather from all over the country. And their main target is...
00:20:47 話者 46
Colors like red, yellow, and yellow green. Aren't they tiny?
00:20:56 話者 6
Water depth. about seven meters. Looking closely, there it is.
It's only about one centimeter long. The round creature is not a good swimmer.
It uses its pelvic fins to attach itself to seaweed.
It's called the cherry blossom lumpfish, or Sakura dango-uo in Japanese.
because it appears in the spring blossom season.
It was registered as a new species in 2017.
Tanaka Yosuke is a veteran guide of these seas.
00:21:51 話者 47/Tanaka Yosuke
Every year I feel that spring has arrived when the sakura dango-uo will appear.
00:21:58 話者 6
The seaweed that the fish inhabits has been declining rapidly, and the fish population has halved in the last 10 years.
Tanaka is working with the local aquarium on artificial breeding to protect the cherry blossom lumpfish. Last year, the breeding program succeeded.
They released 100 of them back into the sea.
About a year later, Tanaka visited the area where the young fish were released.
Inside the hole, there are many eggs.
You can also see some that will hatch soon.
Near the seaweed are newborn fish. They're only 2 millimeters long.
The white markings on the head are called angel's halo by divers.
The halo disappears after about a month.
00:23:32 話者 47
I wonder if the fish born last year through artificial breeding have returned.
It makes me feel so happy. I want to continue to protect this rich ocean.
00:23:46 話者 6
The lovely cherry blossom lumpfish's ecology has yet to be fully understood, but it's a precious spring drama.
♪
World Weather
00:24:18 話者 1
Now, as we've been reporting, as the rainy season starts to wrap up in more places across Japan, the concern turns to the rising temperatures.
Our meteorologist Jonathan Oh has a look at the details in world weather.
00:24:31 話者 8/Jonathan Oh
Hello, we certainly saw a lot of temperatures rising across Japan as we went through Tuesday with three locations exceeding the 40 degree mark.
One of them is Tajimi where the high was 40.3 degrees.
And there are a couple of reasons why we have this happening.
The main instigator is the high pressure that's helping to lift and bring in some of the hot air.
And as a factor of that, the rainy season starts to wrap up as the front gets pushed up toward the north.
And so that's ushering in. What we see around this time of year, the drier pattern when it comes to the rain.
It's definitely more humid, but we're also seeing the temperatures picking up as well.
I mean, the Tokyo area wrapped up on the rainy season as we went through Monday.
Now, it looks like that we're going to be seeing temperatures continuing to be on the higher side, mid to upper 30s.
even in places like Tokyo as we go throughout later this week.
And so you want to make sure that you take the proper precautions, stay hydrated, get into shade, stay in air-conditioned areas as much as possible.
Now that front, the rainy season being pushed up to the north, bringing some rain into the Korean Peninsula. And eventually, some of the moisture will be pushing eastward.
So by the time we go into Friday, clouds increase in Sapporo and rain possible to Tokyo.
But until then, take it easy outdoors.
37 for the high coming up in the next couple days in Tokyo and Osaka.
Meanwhile, heat's also a big part of the story down toward the southern areas of Europe.
Here's a look at some video that's coming out of Greece, where that country was hit with its first heat wave of the season Monday.
After avoiding seeing temperatures that were impacting western parts of Europe, Reuters reported that the hot weather is now bringing dangerous conditions to those living in Greece.
In addition to concerns of water shortages, strong winds and dry weather have been leading to daily reports of forest wildfires, and authorities are advising people to stay indoors and avoid outdoor work during the hottest hours of the day.
Still seeing that pattern in place, still seeing the heat in place as well.
37 in Athens coming up on Tuesday, 35 in Rome and also 37 in Madrid for the day.
Hope you have a good day wherever you are.
♫～ 3-DAY FORECAST ～♫
00:27:40 話者 1
And that wraps up this edition of NHK Newsline. Thanks for watching.
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