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00:00Welcome to Newsroom Tokyo. I'm Yamasawa Arena and I'm Yamaguchi Hiroaki. Here are the headlines.
00:18The U.S. president holds phone talks with his counterparts in China and Japan amid a diplomatic
00:24row between the two countries. An international conference on endangered species is considering
00:31stricter regulations on the ill trade as Japan urges other nations to oppose the move.
00:38And we have a report from Mexico where immigrants and asylum seekers have been left stranded by
00:44hardline U.S. border policies. A strong earthquake has struck western Japan. Air and ground travel
00:54were not disrupted and nuclear power plants in the region are reporting no abnormalities.
01:01Weather officials also say there is no threat of tsunami.
01:06The Japan Meteorological Agency says the magnitude 5.8 quake hit Kumamoto Prefecture at around 6pm.
01:16It had an intensity of upper 5 on the Japanese 7-point scale in the hardest hit area.
01:24The Nuclear Regulation Authority and electric power companies reported no issues at the
01:30Ikata Nuclear Power Plant in Ehime Prefecture, the Gengkai Nuclear Power Plant in Saga Prefecture,
01:38and the Sendai Nuclear Power Plant in Kagoshima Prefecture. They also said that no changes have been
01:45detected at monitoring posts that measure radiation levels in the surrounding areas at the plants.
01:52The region was hit by two powerful quakes in 2016 over a three-day period, causing extensive damage and leaving 276 people dead.
02:04U.S. President Donald Trump has held back-to-back phone talks with the leaders of China and Japan amid a diplomatic row between the countries.
02:15China's foreign ministry says President Xi Jinping used the conversation to stress his country's firm stance on the Taiwan issue.
02:23The ministry says Xi outlined Beijing's principled position on Taiwan, and said its return to China is an integral part of the post-war international order.
02:36Xi reportedly said China and the U.S. had fought shoulder-to-shoulder against fascism and militarism,
02:43and that it was important for them to jointly safeguard the victory of World War II.
02:47The ministry says Trump told Xi the U.S. understands the importance of the Taiwan issue to China.
02:55Trump posted online that they discussed various issues including Ukraine and Russia, fentanyl, and farm products.
03:02But he did not specifically mention whether Taiwan came up.
03:07He says they will visit each other's countries next year.
03:09On Tuesday, Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae said Xi, too, had spoken by phone with Trump following his conversation with Xi.
03:18President Trump briefed me on the recent state of relations between the U.S. and China, including the summit talks on the phone held last night.
03:33She says they exchanged opinions on a wide range of issues, including strengthening the Japan-U.S. alliance and the situation facing the Indo-Pacific region.
03:42Beijing has continued to turn up the pressure on Tokyo over Takaichi's comments from earlier this month.
03:49She told the Diet that a possible Taiwan emergency involving the use of force could be a survival-threatening situation for Japan.
03:59An opposition lawmaker pressed Takaichi's government to explain its current stance on how it would view a so-called Taiwan emergency involving the issue in the use of force.
04:12The government's response is that its stance has not changed.
04:18The statement came at a cabinet meeting Tuesday.
04:22It says the government comprehensively determines whether any given situation constitutes the threat to Japan's survival.
04:31It asks that it bases this on all available information and the specific circumstances of each individual case.
04:39The statement also says Takaichi has clearly and repeatedly explained that what she said does not change the Japanese government's existing position.
04:51It says peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait are important not only for Japan's security, but also for the stability of the international community.
05:02It adds Japan maintains that it expects the Taiwan issue to be resolved peacefully through dialogue.
05:12The row over Takaichi's Taiwan comments has reached the United Nations.
05:17Tokyo has sent a letter to the UN Secretary General in response to an earlier one from Beijing.
05:22Antonio Guterres received the letter last Friday from China's Permanent Representative to the UN.
05:30It refers to Takaichi's comments as, quote,
05:33The first time Japan has expressed ambitions to intervene militarily in the Taiwan question.
05:40The letter also says it was the first time Japan has issued a threat of force against China.
05:46On Monday, Japan's Permanent Representative Yamazaki Kazuyuki presented a letter of rebuttal to Guterres.
05:54It states that China's claims appear to be inconsistent with the facts and unsubstantiated.
06:00It goes on to say it is erroneous to assert that Japan would exercise the right of self-defense even in the absence of an armed attack.
06:09And it reiterates Japan's stance of expecting that issues concerning Taiwan will be resolved peacefully through dialogue.
06:17Japan is asking Guterres to circulate the letter to all UN member states as an official document of the General Assembly.
06:24For more on this, earlier, our colleague Takao Minori spoke with NHK World's Yoshida Mayu in Beijing.
06:37Mayu, China has taken its anger all the way to the United Nations.
06:41This issue doesn't look like it will be resolved anytime soon.
06:45Probably not, Minori.
06:49I think it will take some time to repair bilateral ties.
06:53And it's hard to see how all these developments at the UN will affect that.
06:57Right now, the prospects for dialogue are slim, especially between the two countries' leaders.
07:03And here in China, the media's criticism of Prime Minister Takaichi doesn't stop.
07:08State-run broadcasters continuously air stories attacking her.
07:12People's smartphones are flooded with Japan-related alerts.
07:16Social media networks carry a stream of illustrations and videos, too.
07:21Well, Mayu, China suggests more measures against Japan are on the table unless Takaichi retracts her remarks.
07:28Now, what does that entail?
07:30After all, hasn't it already spilled into areas far from politics?
07:35Yes, you're right.
07:36Events involving Japanese companies and concerts by Japanese artists are being postponed and cancelled one after another.
07:44This aligns with China's one-party system, where political position largely influences many other things.
07:50Clouds even loom over events that don't get shelved.
07:54A major soccer match kicks off on Tuesday in China between a Japanese club and a local team.
08:00But Japan's consulate is warning about potential trouble.
08:03What about on the individual level?
08:07Are people in China viewing Japan in a negative way right now?
08:14Well, public sentiment has certainly dived.
08:17But some people's views aren't as harsh as others.
08:21The Chinese government's attempt to discourage travel to Japan is one example.
08:26Group tours are being cancelled.
08:27But some individuals say they still plan to visit.
08:30Also, there are currently no major signs of Chinese people boycotting Japanese products like we've seen in the past.
08:39In fact, a Japanese restaurant I went to this weekend was packed.
08:43A Chinese acquaintance told me nowadays many people have been to Japan and they are starting to keep politics separate from their personal views.
08:51That said, this diplomatic storm is not over.
08:55The course of bilateral ties remain uncertain.
08:57With tensions rising between Tokyo and Beijing, what are the economic implications?
09:14We're joined by Yanaka Murray from our business team.
09:17So, Murray, how might the friction on the diplomatic side affect companies?
09:22Well, we asked an expert for you. Let's take a look.
09:54At the Group of 20 summit last weekend, Takai-chi reportedly had no contact with Chinese Premier Li Chang.
10:04I think the Taiwan issue is serious on a whole different level because China regards it as a core interest.
10:14For now, China is trying to discourage tourism and travel to Japan.
10:18If this extends to people-to-people exchanges in the business field, there will be an impact.
10:23And if the flow of money and information comes to a halt, it will be a major blow to business activities.
10:29Hirai thinks it's inevitable that the issue will be prolonged because there appears to be no good diplomatic opportunity to mend relations.
10:42From the Chinese point of view, there will be no change in their response unless Japan acts in a way that China wants.
10:52Hirai stressed that what's important now is to remain fully committed to trying to promote exchanges.
11:01Next, Japan has launched an initiative to cut wasteful government spending.
11:08A new office will review subsidies, tax breaks, and projects that may be less efficient in achieving policy goals.
11:16The office was set up in the Cabinet Secretariat on Tuesday.
11:21It will start by evaluating projects to be included in the fiscal 2026 budget.
11:28The scheme is widely seen as a Japanese version of America's Department of Government Efficiency.
11:34Doge was created by President Trump to cut public spending.
11:39But Finance Minister Katayama Satsuki, who will oversee the review,
11:44stressed that it differs from Doge in that it is not aimed at overhauling government organizations.
11:52As Prime Minister Takaiichi often says,
11:56in order to maintain the sustainability of Japan's finances,
12:00it is very important to show the public how we are constantly working on these things
12:05at the country's political and administrative centers.
12:09Katayama said people are very interested in seeing waste reduced,
12:13and may be asked to voice their opinions via social media.
12:19Also in Japan, energy giant IMPEX is joining the global race to decarbonize
12:25with a bet on what's called blue hydrogen.
12:28The firm has launched a test plant that produces the power source from natural gas
12:33without releasing carbon dioxide.
12:35The test facility is located in Niigata Prefecture.
12:41CO2 generated during the production process will be captured and stored in an underground reservoir
12:47to reduce emissions into the atmosphere.
12:50Hydrogen produced this way is called blue hydrogen.
12:54It's considered a non-polluting next-generation energy source
12:57because it doesn't emit CO2 when burned.
13:01IMPEX plans to use the hydrogen to generate electricity on-site and produce ammonia.
13:07The company says the project is the first in Japan to integrate the entire process
13:12from production to utilization of blue hydrogen.
13:15Now to the markets.
13:19Tokyo's Nikkei average managed to end in the positive,
13:23thanks to firms that announced strong earnings despite a near 10% plummet
13:28from index-heavyweight SoftBank Group.
13:30The firm is a major investor in chat GPT operator OpenAI.
13:36Its stock took a beating after the new version of Google's competing AI model Gemini received high praise.
13:42Now to a chat GPT challenger in China.
13:47Alibaba's app Gwen drew more than 10 million downloads,
13:51and that helped the firm's stock jump for a second day.
13:54The shares gained over 2% ahead of the firm's earnings report,
13:58when investors tend to be cautious.
14:00This helped to push up the hengseng in Hong Kong by 7 tenths of a percent.
14:06Also in China, the Shanghai Composite gained 9 tenths of a percent.
14:10That's after President Xi had a phone conversation with U.S. President Trump,
14:14who described the call as very good,
14:17and their country's relationship as extremely strong on social media.
14:22And that's the biz for this Tuesday.
14:27Delegates at an international conference on endangered species are discussing eels.
14:32They put forward a proposal to enact further regulations.
14:35Japan, a major consumer of eels, is urging other countries to oppose the plan.
14:44The conference began Monday in Uzbekistan.
14:48European eels are already subject to restrictions,
14:51with countries needing a permit to export them.
14:54In June, the European Union and others propose
14:58that the same restriction be applied to all species,
15:03including Japanese and American eels.
15:08Japan is against the proposal.
15:11Japanese eels are thoroughly controlled,
15:13and there is no threat of extinction,
15:15because a sufficient amount is secured as a resource.
15:18Japan's fisheries agency says about 70 percent of eels eaten in the country is imported.
15:28It says if trading Japanese eels were regulated,
15:32imports would stall and prices could surge.
15:36The proposal is expected to be put to a vote on Thursday,
15:40and would require at least a two-thirds majority of those present at the session.
15:45The proposal is prompting concern that the delicacy may become unaffordable for many diners.
15:56The city of Nagoya is known for hitsumabushi,
16:00or rice topped with grilled eel.
16:03At one restaurant, the dish commands prices of up to 5,000 yen, or around $30.
16:09This eel is grilled well and so delicious.
16:16If prices go up, I will probably come here less frequently.
16:20The restaurant mainly uses eel locally farmed in Aichi Prefecture.
16:27When needed, it also buys eel from China that meets its quality requirements.
16:31So regulations that push up the prices of imports could impact the restaurant's bottom line.
16:40Restaurant manager Nakanishi Masaki says he is bracing for a potential change.
16:46I had heard about the possibility of regulation.
16:54Now I need to think about how to prepare eel.
16:57Eel dishes are irreplaceable for Japanese people.
17:01I want to help preserve the culinary tradition.
17:06Nakanishi says he'd like to take steps to protect eel stocks
17:10while also keeping his customers satisfied.
17:13A growing number of countries are debating restrictions on youth access to social media.
17:21Rosalinda Bavalia in our Bangkok studio has more.
17:25Malaysia is the latest country to announce plans to bar children under 16 from social media.
17:32It says the measure is designed to protect young people from online harms.
17:36The government aims to implement the measure next year.
17:40Communications Minister Fabi Fatsi said on Sunday
17:43that children would be banned from creating accounts on social media platforms.
17:47He said one option under consideration is forcing people to submit a passport
17:52or other form of identification as part of the age verification process.
17:58Malaysia already requires big social media and messaging service providers
18:03to get a license as part of measures against online crime and other cyber problems.
18:09Licensed platforms must implement age verification and content safety measures.
18:15Malaysia's move follows a decision by Australia to deactivate social media accounts
18:20for children under 16 on December 10th.
18:24Businesses from across the world are touting their wares
18:28at an international trade fair in the Indian capital, New Delhi.
18:32They're eager to make inroads into one of the world's biggest consumer markets.
18:36The annual India International Trade Fair has already drawn more than 3,500 visitors.
18:43Eleven countries are represented at the government-organized event.
18:47One of them is Iran, currently the target of U.S.-led sanctions.
18:52The major saffron producer is using the event to showcase the spice along with other specialties.
18:57Another country taking part is Afghanistan, which is hoping to leverage improving relations
19:04between India and the Taliban interim government to build sales channels.
19:09Many Afghan booths are selling dried fruit, such as dates and walnuts.
19:15India's market is good. It's a large market for dried fruit as well.
19:19The event runs through Thursday.
19:23The death of legendary Bollywood actor Dharmendra Dale on Monday prompted an outpouring of tributes
19:30and condolences across India. He was 89.
19:34Dharmendra, who is known to his legion of fans, by his first name only, had been recently treated in hospital.
19:42Indian media say he was born in Punjab State in the country's northwest in 1935
19:47and acted in his first film in 1960.
19:51He would go on to star in more than 300 films over more than six decades,
19:57earning the moniker of Bollywood's He-Man along the way.
20:00Dharmendra was famous for his natural charm and versatility,
20:04a quality that made him equally at ease in action films and romance stories.
20:09One of his most popular roles was a lovable petty criminal in the 1975 classic Shole,
20:15widely regarded as one of India's greatest films.
20:20Dharmendra also had a career in politics, serving as a lawmaker in the Indian parliament from 2004 to 2009.
20:28Bollywood stars Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan and Amir Khan were among many who attended a crematorium in Mumbai to pay their respects.
20:38Prime Minister Narendra Modi also sent his condolences.
20:41He wrote that Dharmendra was an iconic film personality,
20:46a phenomenal actor who brought charm and depth to every role he played.
20:50And that wraps up our bulletin.
20:52I'm Rosalind Dabovalia in Bangkok.
20:54U.S. President Trump has pursued a hard-line immigration policy since taking office in January.
21:07And the effects are clear to see at the southern border with Mexico,
21:11where crossings, including those made illegally, have plummeted.
21:14Many immigrants and asylum seekers from Central and South America are now stranded on the other side of that border.
21:24There are thought to be tens or even hundreds of thousands of them currently living in Mexico.
21:29And the reality they face is far from easy.
21:37In Mexico City, shacks press up right beside a railway line.
21:47The people here had hoped to start new lives in the U.S., but they now find themselves in limbo.
21:53Some of these children's educations have also been put on hold.
22:01Mexico's authorities are now wrestling with how to support all those stranded in the country.
22:10This shelter was set up by the local government.
22:19Meals are provided three times a day.
22:21In principle, people can stay for up to three months.
22:26During that time, they must make a difficult decision,
22:30whether to find accommodation in Mexico or return to the country of origin.
22:3629-year-old Jasmilin Del Valle came here from Venezuela.
22:42She's staying in the shelter with her husband and two young children.
22:47Venezuela's economy has collapsed.
22:49Roughly 80% of its population is in monetary poverty.
22:55The security situation is also unstable.
22:58And one in four people have fled abroad.
23:03I left Venezuela for economic reasons.
23:07I wanted to give my children a better future.
23:13Del Valle spent five months traveling over land by bus and unfit
23:17before reaching Mexico.
23:19She then entered the U.S. illegally, but was detained by authorities and sent back.
23:26Her family now lives hand to mouth.
23:29Her husband makes a little money working as a car window washer and day laborer.
23:34With Trump back in the White House, she feels their future has been foreclosed.
23:39It's tough now that President Trump is in office.
23:45The moment he won the election, I gave up.
23:48We only brought enough money to get us this far.
23:51We can't return to Venezuela right away.
23:53We're facing an unprecedented situation.
24:00People are having to rethink their whole life plan
24:03and decide whether to return to their country of origin
24:06or settle permanently in Mexico.
24:12A non-profit organization providing assistance to people fleeing their countries
24:18says about 3,000 have suffered sexual abuse on their way to the U.S. border.
24:24And some have fallen victim to abduction and robbery.
24:27It highlights the need for the international community
24:30to come up with effective measures to protect society's most vulnerable members.
24:35Now it's time for a look at world weather with our meteorologist, Jonathan Oh.
24:52Hello.
24:53We had a system that moved across Japan as we went through Tuesday
24:57and helped to bring some wet weather in places like Tokyo.
25:01But a good portion of Japan is seeing some of that wet weather.
25:04Now as the low moves off toward the east, we'll see conditions drying up a bit.
25:10It looks like we'll see a chance of rain up into the north into Sapporo by Friday
25:14with some snow in the forecast heading into Saturday.
25:17But look at the temperatures here.
25:18Generally mid, maybe upper teens into Tokyo and Osaka.
25:22Low 20s as we go through the rest of this week.
25:24So it looks like we're going to be seeing temperatures
25:26that are going to be a little bit slightly on the warmer side
25:29with partly cloudy skies as a part of the forecast.
25:32Very different story though.
25:34Down toward the southern plains of the United States,
25:36we had a system that rolled on through, triggering a lot of strong thunderstorms.
25:40I wanted to show you some video coming out of Texas where, according to one local media source,
25:46more than 100 homes were damaged after severe storms hit the greater Houston area Monday.
25:51The National Weather Service confirmed at least one tornado in Harris County,
25:54and teams were scheduled to survey a possible second twister on Tuesday.
26:00In addition to tornado fears, thousands of residents had to deal with power outages.
26:04Now, not only was the greater Houston area impacted up into the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport area,
26:11according to a flight tracking site, more than 1,000 flights going in and out of that airport were delayed,
26:16and 100 flights canceled.
26:18Now, we're looking at the system pushing toward the east and impacting the southeastern portion of the United States,
26:23and so we'll still be looking out for some really unstable weather,
26:26extending from places like Mississippi up toward the Ohio River Valley.
26:29Another low toward the north in the Upper Plains, helping to bring in some really snowy weather,
26:33not only into north and south Dakota and Minnesota,
26:36but also into places like Winnipeg, looking at some snow with a high of 2 degrees below freezing as we go through Tuesday.
26:44Showers into Chicago, into Toronto, and Denver, Chile, with a high of only 8 for the day.
26:49Hope you have a good day wherever you are.
26:59Hope you have a good day.
27:29And that's it for this edition of Newsroom Tokyo.
27:38You can catch this program on our website.
27:40I'm Yamaguchi Hiroaki.
27:41And I'm Yamasawa Arena.
27:43Thank you very much for watching.
27:44Please join us again tomorrow.
27:46You're welcome.
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