Ukraine expands attacks on Russian and Iranian-linked logistics routes.
Japan sees rising rents, BOJ policy decisions, and new tech in agriculture.
米国はイランへの攻撃を一時停止し、外交交渉の余地を探っている。
ウクライナはロシア・イラン関連の物流ルートへの攻撃を拡大。
日本では家賃上昇、日銀政策判断、新技術導入などの動きが続く。
Welcome to NHK Newsline. I'm Yamaguchi Hiroaki in Tokyo.
Iran Conflict: Us Pauses Attacks On Iran To Allow For Diplomatic Talks
The US ambassador to the United Nations says President Donald Trump has paused attacks on Iran to allow for talks with the country.
Ambassador Mike Waltz made the comment in an interview with Fox News Channel's Fox News Sunday. He said that Trump is giving the talks some space.
00:00:33 話者 12/Mike Waltz
He's giving it a little bit of room.
We've had both Amman and Iran and a number of our other negotiators engaged at every level, from the most senior levels all the way down to the technical level.
00:00:47 話者 1
The US military had announced its 13th consecutive day of strikes on Iran on Thursday, but made no such announcement on Friday.
There had been no reports of direct strikes by either side since then.
According to Reuters, senior Iranian officials have voiced skepticism over the halt in attacks and have called it a tactical pause rather than a genuine one.
The Turkish government-affiliated Anadoru news agency cites mediators from Pakistan and Qatar as having proposed a joint de-escalation plan.
It urges the US and Iran to return to their pre-July 9 positions as a first step to resume stalled talks to permanently end the conflict.
The news agency also quoted the sources as saying that both sides have communicated their consent for dialogue and diplomacy.
Meanwhile, other sources tell the news agency there are still concerns that either side could reignite hostilities.
Iran Conflict: Top Us Commander Reportedly Advises Halting Strikes
The top US military commander in the Middle East has reportedly recommended halting the airstrike campaign around the Strait of Hormuz.
A report Sunday by US news outlet Axios cites two sources as saying Admiral Brad Cooper gave his recommendation to the Pentagon, the Joint Chiefs and the White House.
The article says the US Central Command leader stressed that two weeks of strikes in the Strait of Hormuz area had significantly degraded Iran's ability to attack ships.
It says Cooper noted that designated targets had been mostly exhausted.
The article says Cooper mentioned a possible next step would be resuming major combat operations to finish the 20 percent of targets the US military designated, but did not strike.
Cooper reportedly said unless a decision was made to return to major combat operations, there would be no point in continuing the bombing campaign of the previous two weeks.
Axios said Cooper's recommendation and those from other advisers impacted President Donald Trump's decision on Friday to pause the US strikes against Iran.
On Sunday, Iran's state-run media reported Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Ismael Baghei says the Americans are exchanging messages.
War In Ukraine
Kyiv Claims Strikes On Ships Moving Cargo Between Russia, Iran
Ukraine says it has struck vessels in the Caspian Sea used to transfer cargo with military uses between Russia and Iran. Tehran has condemned Kyiv for the attack.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the strikes on Saturday.
He also said that Ukrainian forces hit a logistics facility in Yekaterinburg in central Russia.
Kyiv has been stepping up attacks meant to disrupt Russian supply chains and weaken its ability to sustain military operations.
Iran's foreign ministry slammed Ukraine for striking an Iranian commercial vessel, calling the act a violation of international law.
It says the attack killed one sailor and injured another.
Iran says that it has never intervened in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
It accused Kyiv of seeking to expand hostilities.
Meanwhile, Russia has continued its attacks.
Ukraine's state emergency service said on Sunday that Russian strikes killed two people, including a nine-year-old girl in Ukraine's north.
It also said one person was killed in the eastern region of Kharkiv and another in the southern region of Zaporizhzhia.
War In Ukraine
Expert: Ukraine Aiming To Force Russia To Stretch Resources
Ukraine's forces are also stepping up their attacks on the southern Ukrainian region of Crimea. Russia unilaterally annexed the territory in 2014.
A Ukrainian military expert says his country has been targeting sites in Crimea and on Russian soil.
He explains the aim is to force Moscow to stretch its resources by compelling it to protect wide swaths of land. Ivan Stupak spoke to NHK in an interview.
He acknowledged Russia has a vast advantage over Ukraine in troop numbers.
00:05:13 話者 23/Ivan Stupak/Ukrainian defense analyst
We have no ability to stop Russia on battlefront.
They have an incredibly great army, I mean, in terms from personnel, about 700,000 of Russian individuals right now on Ukrainian soil.
00:05:32 話者 1
Stupak noted Ukraine has been ramping up attacks on oil-related facilities and other targets within Russia's territory and elsewhere.
He pointed out the intention of the strategy is to undermine Moscow's ability to continue the fighting.
00:05:48 話者 23
Some of Ukrainian Western countries supplying Ukraine with extremely sophisticated intelligence information and it allows us to conduct precise strike.
00:06:03 話者 1
Stupak made it clear strike in Crimea is especially important as the region has many military and other facilities.
00:06:12 話者 23
The Kremlin, Putin and his officials, they are waiting for winter to destroy Ukrainian economy and to undermine Ukrainian morale.
So I think at least until next February, war will continue, unfortunately.
00:06:30 話者 1
Stupak predicts Russia's forces will resume intense assaults on energy-related infrastructure and other targets in Ukraine during the winter.
Suspect In Berlin Ramming Attack Killed By Police
Police in Germany have fatally shot a man suspected of driving a vehicle into a crowd in central Berlin on Saturday night, killing one person and injuring 29 others.
German police and media outlets report the vehicle rammed into a crowd near the capital's Brandenburg Gate.
The incident occurred not far from the Berlin Pride Festival, a major LGBTQ+ pride gathering.
Following the search, police said they located the suspect on Sunday and fatally shot him as he ran toward officers with what they called a stabbing weapon.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz visited the scene of the attack and offered flowers to the victims.
00:07:27 話者 34/Friedrich Merz
We will not allow this poison of terrorism, this poison that threatens our freedom to continue to spread throughout our society.
Regardless of any party political differences of opinion, we will defend the freedom of our society.
00:07:50 話者 1
The 21-year-old suspect had been under police surveillance for suspected connections with Islamist networks. Police are continuing their investigation into the case.
Business
Now let's turn to Yuko Fukushima for what's happening in the world of business.
Yuko.
00:08:07 話者 5/Yuko Fukushima
Thank you, Hiroaki.
Boj Expected To Consider Leaving Policy Rate On Hold
The Bank of Japan is set to hold a policy meeting later this week.
Experts say the bank will likely keep the rate unchanged this time to see how last month's hike is affecting households and businesses.
The BOJ's two-day meeting will start on Thursday.
In June, board members raised the policy rate by a quarter of a percentage point to around one percent.
Policymakers also plan to compile their latest outlook on the economy and prices.
Some POJ officials have indicated the country's growth rate for fiscal 2026 will likely be higher than previously forecast.
They say there has been strong demand in sectors related to AI.
They also say Japan's securing of alternative crude oil sources has eased the risk of disruptions to corporate activities stemming from the situation in the Middle East.
But some officials have expressed concerns about tensions flaring up in the region and point to rising crude oil futures.
They also say the historically weak yen, which is now in the 163 range against the dollar, could contribute to higher prices.
Tokyo Single-Use Condo Rent Hits Record High For 25th Month
A new survey shows that the average rent for single occupancy condominium units in Tokyo's 23 wars rose to a record high in June for the 25th month in a row.
Real estate information company At Home says rent for rooms up to 30 square meters stood at over 114,000 yen or about $700.
That's up more than 12% in yen terms from a year earlier and is the highest since the survey began in 2015.
At Home officials say rents normally drop in June following the peak moving season around April when Japan's new fiscal and school year starts.
But they say this year, landlords have continued to raise prices after the peak season due to higher costs.
Rice Planting Drone Takes Flight
Japan's shrinking population is bringing with it a decline in the number of rice farmers.
The situation is leading companies and governments to explore new ways to make rice growing more efficient, including the use of aerial drones.
HK World Serizawa Marina has more.
00:10:22 話者 6/Serizawa Marina
These machines are common sight across rice paddies in Japan.
They can plant seedlings that have been carefully nurtured in greenhouses.
While the method enables stable yields, it's time-consuming and labor-intensive.
A group in Akita Prefecture may be about to get a solution off the ground.
The collaboration between a local government, a university, and a company has developed a flying drone that sows rice seeds.
The 1.8 meter square craft can navigate autonomously.
One challenge was keeping the seeds in the device from bunching up.
00:11:11 話者 61
The seeds clogged easily, and whenever a blockade occurred, we had to land the drone, clear the clog, and then fly it again.
They install a rod that stirs the rice seeds inside the tank to prevent them from clumping together.
Another problem was even distribution.
The drone pushes out seeds with a spinning blade located inside.
Initially, the drone had a single dispensing outlet, but the centrifugal force of the blade caused the seeds to spread more in one direction.
So the engineers installed guison outlets in all directions to ensure even distribution.
The company has been working with a local government and a university to help farmers effectively use the device.
The result is that seed with the drone is only 3% lower than when planting seedlings with the traditional method.
Komatsu Nahoko wanted to try it to see if she could reduce her father's workload.
Today, she was able to finish rice planting in less than an hour.
00:12:33 話者 67/Komatsu Nahoko
It was very efficient. We needed fewer people, and it was done in such a short time.
00:12:44 話者 6
The national government is paying close attention to the use of drones.
00:12:52 話者 64/Abe Daiki/Japanese Agriculture Ministry official
I believe this technology could help save labor and reduce the number of workers needed, so I expect it to spread throughout Japan in the future.
00:13:03 話者 6
The manufacturer hopes this drone will be used in other parts of Asia as well, helping make time spent planting rice fly by.
Serizawa Marina NHK World.
Markets
00:13:19 話者 5
Now let's get you a check on the markets.
♪
And that wraps it up for a biz for this hour.
00:13:52 話者 1
Thanks, Yuko.
Ancient Japanese Capitals Join World Heritage List
Now, Japan has a new entry on UNESCO's World Heritage List.
The organization has officially recognized the importance of the ancient capitals Asuka and Fujiwara.
The United Nations Cultural Agency made the decision on Sunday in Busan, South Korea.
Japan nominated 19 archaeological sites in the western prefecture of Nara dating from the 6th to 8th centuries.
They include the remains of an imperial court and a burial mound called Takamatsuzuka Tomb.
The Cultural heritage sites are centered in the village of Asuka and extend into the cities of Kashihara and Sakurai.
This will be Japan's 27th entry on UNESCO's list of important cultural and natural sites.
Locals in Nara held public viewing events for the announcement.
00:14:55 話者 57
I'm really happy. People in Asuka Village have been working on this for a long time.
00:15:04 話者 53
I think this is a great opportunity to shine a spotlight on this area.
00:15:14 話者 1
UNESCO recognized the ancient capitals as marking the introduction of a centralized state system in Japan modeled after Chinese codified law.
It represents the significant political and cultural influence from China and Korea at the time.
Ancient Capitals Show Historical Intra-Asian Ties
Earlier, I spoke to NHK World's Kim Chan-ju in Busan, where the UNESCO World Heritage Committee session is being held.
So Chan-ju, what's the atmosphere like there?
00:15:44 話者 8/Kim Chan-ju
There has been a lot of energy here at the venue.
This is the first committee session to be hosted by South Korea since the country joined the World Heritage Convention 38 years ago.
The official exhibition pavilion is called K-Heritage House and it is attracting huge crowds.
It gives an overview of Korea's world heritage sites and cultures, including demonstrations of traditional crafts.
People here are even more excited after the expansion of the Kepa Tidal Flats heritage site was officially approved on Saturday.
The flats run along South Korea's southern and western coasts and are recognized for their biodiversity and ecological importance.
00:16:36 話者 1
Chan-ju, what has the reaction been there to the official recognition of the ancient Japanese capitals as World Heritage sites?
00:16:47 話者 8
People here have been celebrating it as proof of the historical exchange between Japan and South Korea.
Yesterday, a re-enactment of the departure of the Choson Tongsin Sa Procession was held here in Busan as a symbol of international friendship.
The Jojeon Tongshinsa were a series of Korean diplomatic missions to Japan during the Edo period.
And they are jointly inscribed by the two countries on UNESCO's Memory of the World Register.
I spoke earlier with Choi Jae-heon, chair of the Korean National Committee of ICOMOS.
He said the Asuka-Fujiwara ancient capitals would serve as a bridge between countries, enhancing mutual understanding and cooperation, which is one of the guiding principles of UNESCO's World Heritage Initiative.
00:17:46 話者 84/Choi Jae-heon
I believe it is extremely important for ordinary people to visit the site, recognize its status and realize that its importance is what the evidence there shows about the close exchanges between Korea, Japan and China since ancient times.
00:18:05 話者 8
Some South Korean media outlets say Japan needs to make a greater effort to inform locals and visitors about the historical influence from the Korean Peninsula as current leaflets and information boards at the sites lack such explanations.
For his part, Choi Jae-heon says he hopes that people can come to see culture not just as a source of personal pride, but as the product of fusion between people.
He believes that world heritage designations like this help people to cherish not only their own culture, but the cultures of others as well.
Okinawa Coffee Growers Brew Up New Techniques
00:18:53 話者 1
Okinawa is a well-known holiday spot, but there's another industry with growing potential, which is coffee.
The humid climate is challenging, so local farmers are learning from Taiwanese experts whose coffee has earned high praise.
00:19:09 話者 7/Narrator: Kitadai Hiroko/Reporters: Nakahora Takuto / Koyanagi Kazuhiro
This event in Okinawa promotes locally grown coffee, but large-scale production is proving difficult. Higa Eriko began producing coffee five years ago.
But there are difficulties in terms of quality and output compared to other areas around the world.
00:19:40 話者 71
These beans swelled and split open due to moisture.
00:19:49 話者 7
While most coffee-growing regions are located at high altitudes and in drier areas, Okinawa has low elevation and high rainfall.
So, Higa is focusing on coffee from nearby Taiwan, which has grown in popularity over the past decade.
At auction, it can go for about 40 US dollars per 100 grams, and its quality is recognized worldwide. Higa visited Taiwan to study cultivation techniques.
This specialist has worked with farms and cafes to improve quality and yield.
00:20:39 話者 74/Lin Che-hao/Coffee specialist
In Taiwan, the distance from farm to table is short and it's easy to visit the farms.
Okinawa has similar conditions.
00:20:50 話者 7
In April, she invited Taiwanese experts and farmers to Okinawa.
Here, the yeon per tree is less than half that of Taiwan.
Farmers are learning techniques to boost production even in Okinawa's humid climate.
00:21:10 話者 75/
Is it okay to cut this tree?
00:21:15 話者 7
Two of the four trunks are cut down and about half the branches are pruned.
00:21:23 話者 75
This lets the air circulate better.
00:21:27 話者 7
Pruning helps prevent disease and ensures that nutrients reach the fruit thoroughly.
00:21:37 話者 76
Are there any special methods for securing trees against typhoons in Taiwan?
00:21:41 話者 75
Staking is the correct way. If it falls over in the wind, don't prop it back up.
Just leave it as it is, new branches will grow.
00:21:56 話者 7
The Taiwanese style is to wait for new buds to emerge from the fallen tree.
00:22:05 話者 77/Okinawa coffee farmer
Not propping up a fallen tree was a valuable lesson.
00:22:10 話者 78/Okinawa coffee farmer
I want to put this into practice in Okinawa while observing Taiwanese methods.
00:22:21 話者 79/Higa Eriko/Coffee farmer
I'm deeply grateful to the farmers in Taiwan for teaching Okinawan farmers who are passionate about making great coffee.
00:22:33 話者 7
With the help of Taiwanese know-how, Okinawa's coffee farmers aim to attract tourists with palate-pleasing local brews.
Majestic Floats Paraded At Western Japan Festival
00:22:44 話者 1
In other news, colorful floats paraded through a city in Japan's western prefecture of Oita at a traditional summer festival.
The Hita Gion Festival began more than 300 years ago to ward off disease and disaster.
Floats paraded through a part of the city full of historic buildings.
Some depicted scenes from the traditional performing arts of Kabuki and Joruri.
00:23:13 話者 94
The white clouds in the blue sky and the landscape of the city matches perfectly with the floats. I was able to take wonderful photos.
00:23:23 話者 1
The back of one float was adorned with a textile measuring about 3 by 1.3 meters.
It featured embroidery depicting a golden carp climbing up a waterfall at sunrise.
It is a reproduction of a now-retired textile said to have been made in 1840.
00:23:43 話者 91/Iwasawa Koji/Float operator
The sun and the waterfall depicted on the new textile look clearer.
I hope the sight of the carp energizes people.
00:23:53 話者 1
The festival is inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List.
♪
World Weather
Now the weather.
Amid the hotter weather spreading across Japan, we also saw heavy rain and storms during the day Monday. Our meteorologist Jonathan Oh has a look at the details.
00:24:37 話者 2/Jonathan Oh
Hello, we have been seeing some of these clouds popping up over the past couple of days.
A little burst of clouds, a little burst of rain, and it's causing some problems in the ground as well.
For Monday, central and western portions of Japan saw some of the activity.
I want to show you some video to give you an idea of the scene on the ground.
It has been another day of unstable weather in parts of Japan.
The Japan Meteorological Agency reported over 80 millimeters of rainfall in just one hour in Kurobe City, Toyama Prefecture early Monday morning.
The torrential rain caused a landslide as well as inundation.
Heavy rain also suddenly hit Otsu City in Shiga Prefecture.
JMA said that it was the first time in three weeks that the city had reported significant rainfall.
So, we got a little bit of instability in place. We've got a stationary front that's off toward the east, a low coming out of the continent of the parts of Asia.
And so as that rolls on through, you might want to have the umbrellas nearby.
It's not going to bring a lot of relief in terms of the heat, especially for the western portions of Japan.
So you need to take those precautions as we go throughout the next few days.
So notice Fukuoka still in the mid 30s for the rest of the week.
Rain to Toyama, also Tokyo and seeing the rain ending and then hello heat, you're back again.
Sapporo looking at some rain coming up for Wednesday into Thursday.
Speaking of heat still taking place in the southern portions of Europe, we do have a front that's moving through the central portions of the continent and that's how we bring some rain and some thunderstorms as well as we go through Monday from Moscow through Warsaw, Vienna, Rome seeing rain, but 37 for the high, 37 also into Lisbon, 35 in Athens.
So we are definitely going to need to take those proper precautions as we go forward throughout the next few days.
He'd also part of the story into western portions of North America, especially the United States, but to the east, instability, rain and possibly strong thunderstorms into the upper Midwest as we go throughout the day on Monday.
Hope you have a good day wherever you are.
♫～ 3-DAY FORECAST ～♫
00:27:35 話者 1
And that concludes this edition of NHK Newsline. Thank you very much for staying with us.
cheked.
NHK World
00:28:01 話者 99
This is NHK World Japan English Radio Service. Here's a frequency notice.
The broadcast at 14 hours UTC for Southeast Asia is on 11.800 MHz. Once again.
The broadcast at 14 hours UTC for Southeast Asia is on 11.800 MHz.
For more details of our programs, please check our website at nhk.jp/rj. nhk.jp/rj
We're always pleased to receive your comments and suggestions through our website.
