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00:00Welcome to Newsroom Tokyo. I'm Yamasawa Rina.
00:15And I'm Raja Pradhan.
00:16Here are the headlines.
00:18Japanese Prime Minister Takahitsu Sanae speaks after the extraordinary diet session comes to a close.
00:23People on Cebu Island in the Philippines are still struggling after a massive earthquake and typhoon.
00:32And we look at metal organic frameworks, a Nobel Prize winning science that could transform Indonesia's energy industry.
00:42Takahitsu Sanae has wrapped up her first few months in office as Japan's Prime Minister.
00:47Speaking to reporters, she laid out her government's achievements and goals on the home front and regarding foreign policy.
00:56Takahitsu again addressed the remarks on Taiwan she made last month.
01:00She says describing a possible emergency situation there as something that could threaten Japan's survival did not mark a change in the government's stance.
01:09Takahitsu says her government will persistently explain this point to Beijing and the world at various levels.
01:17China is an important neighbor for Japan.
01:22It is necessary for us to build constructive and stable relations.
01:27On the other hand, there are security concerns between Japan and China, including economic security.
01:34We'd like to promote the strategic and mutually beneficial relationship in a comprehensive manner through candid dialogue.
01:42My remarks on a situation that threatens Japan's survival is not a change in the government's stance.
01:51Beijing reacted sharply to the initial remarks, including urging Chinese citizens to avoid travel to Japan.
01:58Takahitsu says Japan has always opened a dialogue with China and has never closed its door.
02:03She added, Japan will respond appropriately in line with its national interests.
02:09Takahitsu also hailed her government's supplementary budget bill, which passed on Tuesday.
02:13We were able to fulfill the promise we made to the people by passing the supplementary budget.
02:23In addition, the government was able to demonstrate its direction toward realizing a strong economy, strong diplomacy and security through this budget.
02:32A reporter asked Takahitsu whether she plans to dissolve the diet.
02:38She responded she has no time to consider a snap election, citing a plethora of tasks that lie ahead.
02:44They include tax revisions and compiling the budget bill for next fiscal year.
02:50Looking ahead at national spending, the government is planning to request more than $58 billion towards defense for the fiscal year starting next April.
03:01It's said to be Japan's biggest defense budget ever.
03:07It's part of plans to ramp up spending on coastal defense and counter-strike capabilities.
03:13Some of the funds also address realigning with the U.S. military, which is reorganizing the command of its Japan-based forces.
03:23Over a billion dollars earmarked for upgraded surface-to-ship missiles.
03:29They are being developed domestically and designed to strike targets from outside enemy range.
03:36Another roughly $1 billion is being allocated towards developing next-generation fighter jets.
03:44The defense ministry also plans to request spending on a drone-based coastal defense system named SHIELD.
03:51A decision on that program's cost is in the final stages.
03:57Japan's government is aiming to spend a total of more than $277 billion between 2023 and 2027.
04:08Lawmakers within the ruling coalition have been debating raising income tax to meet that target.
04:15Discussions are set to continue in the new year.
04:18Chinese President Xi Jinping has met Hong Kong's chief executive.
04:24He praised John Lee's government for upholding national sovereignty.
04:29The meeting took place Tuesday in Beijing.
04:32In the past year, you have performed your duties diligently, leading the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region with courage and commitment.
04:43You have actively advanced progress, firmly safeguarded national sovereignty, security and development interests.
04:53Xi said the Hong Kong government successfully held the Legislative Council election on December 7th.
05:00The electoral system for the council was overhauled four years ago under Beijing's leadership.
05:06Pro-democracy and anti-government figures were effectively excluded.
05:10Some voters in the latest election called for the government to be held accountable for a high-rise fire that left 160 people dead.
05:19But only pro-Beijing candidates ran.
05:22There were no significant differences in their campaign messages, and public interest was low.
05:30The stock market in Japan sold in 2025.
05:40But what investors are wondering now is if they can keep up the momentum into next year.
05:47Right.
05:47And Yuko Fukushima from our business desk joins us now for a deep dive into the market outlook.
05:52Yuko.
05:53Yeah, thanks, Raj.
05:53Well, before we get into what's in store for 2026, let's recap what happened this year.
05:59Well, Tokyo's benchmark Nikkei 225 began the year at just under 40,000 points.
06:04It lost some ground in April, mainly due to uncertainty surrounding Trump's U.S. tariff policies.
06:10But since then, the overall trend has been steadily upward.
06:14The index touched an all-time high at the beginning of November, surpassing 52,000 points.
06:20So the total gains this year have been around 20 percent.
06:25Well, equity economist Fujishiro Koichi says one reason was the boom in artificial intelligence
06:30stocks around the world, fueled by massive investments from U.S. tech firms.
06:35In terms of the AI industry, materials like chemicals, as well as semiconductor manufacturing equipment to make the chips, are indispensable.
06:49And many of these chip material firms and manufacturing equipment companies are major components of the Nikkei 225,
06:56as well as the broader Japanese index, the Topics.
06:59Fujishiro also explains the fact that inflation is back in Japan is a factor in pushing up stock prices.
07:11The consumer price index has been rising at a pace well above the Bank of Japan's 2 percent target for some time.
07:18From the point of view of companies, higher prices for their products mean higher profits, without a changing sales volume.
07:30From the point of view of stock investors, they see the company's sales rising.
07:34So companies that see profits rise because of inflation also tend to see their stock prices rise.
07:41So what can we expect for Japanese stocks in the year ahead?
07:51Well, it turns out many economists see the run-up continuing for some time.
07:56The Nikkei is now hovering around 50,000 points.
07:59Some see it going to around 60,000.
08:02That would be another 20 percent.
08:05Matsumoto Fumio, chief strategist at Okasan Securities, is one of those feeling upbeat.
08:09He says the main reason is the scale of the government's recent stimulus package.
08:17Tax cuts and higher spending are generally positive for stock markets.
08:21They put more money in the hands of individuals.
08:25In addition, the aim of the government's economic policy is to actively pressure the economy to generate higher inflation.
08:32This would put inflationary pressure on companies, leading to more capital spending that should improve productivity.
08:41Matsumoto is also optimistic about stocks related to AI.
08:47This year, stocks related to investment in AI equipment, including data centers, rose.
08:54So did stocks of companies involved in producing semiconductors for AI.
08:59In 2026, investors will probably buy stocks of companies that use AI to generate higher profits.
09:08I think these other types of AI-related companies will be more in focus in the coming year.
09:15But others are less sure Japanese stocks will be able to maintain their momentum.
09:19Fujishiro at Daiichi Life Research predicts the Nikkei will only get to around 54,000.
09:25The Nikkei index rose around 20 percent this year.
09:30If we take that into account in our forecast, I think the rise of Tokyo's main stock benchmark will be more gradual than in 2025.
09:39Stock prices are generally based on how investors predict companies will perform.
09:43This year, stocks rose more quickly than the business performance of companies.
09:48Based on that, I think prices next year will more closely reflect how firms actually do.
09:53Fujishiro is also more cautious about AI-related stocks.
10:00The worldwide stock boom was the biggest reason Japanese stocks rose so much this year.
10:05I don't think the AI stock boom will continue at this level for two years in a row.
10:09We should be cautious about that.
10:11I think investors are now assessing whether all the investment by the big techs will generate profits.
10:16And many of the experts do agree that one of the biggest risks to Japanese stocks will be the U.S. economy.
10:24They point to the recent weakness in the labor market.
10:26If the U.S. labor market loses its balance and unemployment rises, even temporarily, there is a possibility stocks could fall and Japanese stocks could go down with them.
10:40So, for these economists, not much comes to mind in terms of home-grown risks in Japan.
10:49But they warn that stock markets are highly susceptible to volatility and anything can happen.
10:56And after Wednesday, stock markets, well, here in Tokyo, the Nikkei added about a quarter of a percent.
11:00It seems some investors are waiting for the outcome of the Bank of Japan's monetary policy meeting that starts on Thursday.
11:07And one focus at the exchange was the debut of SBI Shinssei Bank.
11:11It was one of Japan's largest market debuts this year.
11:15The bank has its roots in the long-term credit bank of Japan, which failed in 1998 when the country was facing a financial crisis.
11:23The initial price was more than nine percent higher than the offering price.
11:27And to the rest of the region, the Shanghai Composite in China rose about 1.2 percent,
11:32led by artificial intelligence industry stocks and bought on government support for AI chip companies to reduce reliance on U.S. chips.
11:42And that's the biz for this Wednesday.
11:44Thank you very much for that, Yuko.
11:46Now to the latest on Sunday's mass shooting at Australia's Bondi Beach.
11:51Cholapan Sanalula in our Bangkok studio has the story and other news from the Asia-Pacific.
11:57Police say they have charged a suspect who allegedly was one of two men who opened fire at a Jewish holiday event in Sydney.
12:07The offenses include 15 counts of murder and an act of terrorism.
12:1224-year-old Navida Kram remains in hospital under heavy police guard.
12:16The other alleged gunman, Akram's father, was shot dead by police.
12:20Police say the men recently went to the Philippines, where Australian media have reported they may have had military-style training.
12:28But a senior Philippine official says they have no evidence of that as of now.
12:32The first funerals for the victims are being held and Australians are in mourning.
12:37Hundreds gathered in a Bondi synagogue to grieve for a rabbi who was gunned down.
12:41The leader of the state of New South Wales, which hosts Sydney, said that he will recall Parliament next week to pass reforms of gun laws.
13:11This comes amid public anger over how the suspects were able to get firearms.
13:16Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has pledged to eradicate anti-Semitism and enact legislative change.
13:23He's facing criticism that his government has not done enough to stop the spread of anti-Jewish sentiment since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict in 2023.
13:33Cambodia is claiming that Thailand's military conducted an airstrike several dozen kilometers inside its territory as border clashes between the countries stretched into their 10th day.
13:45The Cambodian government says the attack occurred near an evacuation camp on Monday in Siem Rea province.
13:51The province is where Angkor Wat, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is located.
13:57A Thai military spokesperson acknowledged the strikes but said they were all against military targets.
14:04The fighting along the border continued on Wednesday with more casualties reported.
14:09More than 30 people, including civilians, have been killed on both sides.
14:13And hundreds of thousands have been forced to evacuate since the fighting reignited.
14:17A massive earthquake that hit Cebu Island in the Philippines in September was followed two months later by a major typhoon.
14:26The back-to-back disasters left more than 270 people dead and missing.
14:31NHK World's Celarina del Mundo Monte gives an update on the double tragedy.
14:38Heavy typhoon rains in November triggered catastrophic flooding in rivers in central Cebu.
14:45The resulting torrents swept away numerous homes, damaging an estimated 50,000 dwellings across Cebu province.
14:56Helen Gimel has lived in Cebu for about 30 years.
15:02One morning, floodwaters inundated her home, sweeping away her husband who did not survive.
15:10When I swam that, and I also struggling, I do not remember my husband anymore.
15:16Very painful when I saw her there in the trunk.
15:21Mad reached the second floor of this home.
15:25Despite the damage, the resident says he will keep living there because he can't afford to move.
15:32I have no other place to go, so I have no choice but to live here.
15:40A Japanese NPO that supports residents says many disaster victims see little hope of getting their lives back on track.
15:49I think it's extremely difficult to go back to how things were.
15:57Since they have no money, it is very difficult for them to rent a new house or move to a new place.
16:06Meanwhile, the quake in September caused extensive damage to buildings and roads in the north of the island.
16:14Bugos City Hall was badly hit.
16:19Staff have had to set up computers and desks in an open space behind the building.
16:26After the quake, Bugos only public hospital treated people outdoors due to the damage.
16:35It has now completed inspections and is accepting patients and pregnant women, though cracks remain in the walls.
16:44Residents whose homes were destroyed are now living in tents they set up themselves.
16:51About 140 people from 60 households live here.
16:59I don't have any permanent accommodation, so I'm not sure what's ahead.
17:05With Christmas coming up, yet we are still here.
17:10Officials say recovery will be a long process.
17:14It might take time.
17:15They have to make sure that when they rebuild for infrastructure, that the earth is no longer shaking.
17:24Right now, there are still earthquakes.
17:26There are still aftershocks being felt.
17:29The victims continue to face days of uncertainty with no clear prospect yet of their lives returning to normal.
17:37A Japanese medical team is back on home soil after being deployed to Sri Lanka.
17:54The South Asian nation was recently hit by a cyclone that killed more than 600 people.
18:02The team comprised about 30 members who were sent to the badly hit western town of Chilao in early December.
18:11They touched down at Narita Airport near Tokyo on Tuesday.
18:15The Japan International Cooperation Agency says they treated more than 1,200 patients.
18:23Sri Lanka's ambassador to Japan expressed his gratitude.
18:26Compassion, dignity, and a sense of solidarity that words can barely express.
18:36Professor Kurosumi Taketo of Teikyo University was the team's deputy head.
18:42He says they conducted x-rays and blood tests to help their Sri Lankan counterparts as much as possible.
18:49Foreign Ministry official Iwase Kiichirou served as team leader.
18:55It was heartwarming to see distressed patients going home smiling after seeing a doctor.
19:01My team was able to meet the people's needs.
19:04The United Nations Development Programme said floodwaters covered about 20 percent of the country
19:11and affected 2.3 million people.
19:14There's a lot more space in the world than you think.
19:21The trick is to think small, very small.
19:24This year's Nobel Prize in Chemistry went to three scientists for developing metal organic frameworks, or MOFs.
19:32They include Japanese professor Kitagawa Susumu of Kyoto University.
19:37Now, MOFs are a big breakthrough on a molecular level.
19:40They're like tiny children's climbing frames.
19:43And in the spaces between, they can store chosen gases extremely efficiently.
19:48It's said just one gram of MOFs can have an internal surface area equivalent to a soccer field.
19:54And our next report is about how they can be used in the real world.
20:00Indonesia is the world's fourth most populous country.
20:04And keeping everyone supplied with gas is a constant challenge.
20:09Officials at a pioneering Japanese company want to help.
20:12They're collaborating with a government research institute near the capital, Jakarta.
20:25They're developing next-generation cylinders for home use.
20:29Indonesia has an abundance of natural gas reserves.
20:35But they're off-limits to most households,
20:38because severe land subsidence and other issues make it difficult to build pipelines.
20:44Gas must instead be transported in cylinders.
20:48But conventional types cannot store natural gas, which operates at higher pressures.
20:55So, Indonesia relies heavily on imports.
20:58The Japanese company is headquartered in Kobe.
21:05And it produces up to 20 tons of metal organic frameworks per year.
21:11Bringing new materials to market usually takes a long time.
21:15But we want to realize our plan as quickly as possible.
21:19The officials have high hopes for their cutting-edge cylinders.
21:22This is the high-pressure container inside.
21:26We fill it completely with MOFs, which absorb the gas.
21:31That's the key.
21:34MOFs can store natural gas much more efficiently.
21:39And for a country like Indonesia, that could be transformational.
21:43MOFs might spell the end of energy imports and pave the way to self-sufficiency.
21:51Indonesia currently relies on imported propane gas.
21:54But with these next-generation cylinders,
21:57households will be able to use environmentally friendly gas produced domestically.
22:02That's a huge advantage.
22:04The team started working with the Indonesian government two years ago.
22:08They're now confident about the safety of their methods,
22:11and real-world trials are set to start next year.
22:15They recently held a meeting to refine their plans.
22:19After we confirm the performance, we can go to the actual field.
22:25Then we can do the test in the actual CNG station or actual hospital.
22:33So we are going to launch this cubiton in Indonesia on 2027.
22:41The Indonesian government is optimistic, too.
22:48Building natural gas pipelines can be extremely expensive.
22:53But with these cylinders, gas could be transported even to remote areas using small vehicles.
22:59This could help us tackle energy security issues.
23:04We see this technology as a real breakthrough.
23:08MOFs are a Nobel Prize-winning science with huge potential.
23:13And for this team, Indonesia could be just the beginning.
23:17We must follow through on our plans to properly implement this project in the real world.
23:28We're currently taking that crucial first step.
23:32We believe this could expand the possibilities for MOFs,
23:37which are still in their infancy.
23:39MOFs are a Nobel Prize-winning science with huge potential.
24:09MOFs are a Nobel Prize-winning science with huge potential.
24:13We believe this could have been Hill-winning science with huge potential.
24:15And so, it is the same.
24:15We believe that the
24:23you can see the quality of this project.
24:28It's not easy to see,
24:30it creates genius and it's something like that.
24:33I can agree with this project.
24:34MOFs are a Nobel Prize-winning science.
24:36MOFs are a Nobel Prize-winning science with a prize-winning science.
24:38people in northern parts of japan have been dealing with harsh winter conditions
24:54our meteorologist jonathan no explains the forecast for there and elsewhere in our world
24:58weather report hello it still looks like the winter is a big part of the story in the northern
25:04areas of japan we have been dealing with this northwesterly flow that's spreading through
25:09hokkaido we have another push on moisture coming across the sea of japan that could add to the rain
25:15and the snow for the mountains of japan up toward the north so be on the lookout for that as we go
25:20throughout the day on thursday back toward the west high pressure is the big story so we're really
25:25not talking about much in terms of moisture though it looks like that for those over in mongolia
25:30we'll see a drive of moisture coming on through and limbaatar might be dealing with some snow coming
25:34up on thursday stays cold highs will be eight degrees below freezing beijing seoul shanghai all
25:41looking at partly cloudy to sunny skies here tokyo looking at partly cloudy skies as well with a high
25:46of 13 as we go through the day on thursday meanwhile a double trouble when it comes to snow across the
25:54northern portions of the united states one low that's moving across the border between canada and
25:58the united states toward the great lakes another one still being pumped by the atmospheric river
26:03and so as it continues to churn and bring all this moisture areas like washington state and into
26:08portions of british columbia dealing with major flooding problems and it doesn't look that we're
26:12going to be seeing much in terms of relief as we go forward for the foreseeable future in fact because
26:17we see this pattern continuing and we go through wednesday into thursday and another push of moisture
26:22coming in from the pacific and so that will continue to be of some concern thunderstorms possible
26:26as we go through wednesday into vancouver with a high of eight snow into winnipeg down toward the south
26:31looking at temperatures into the mid-teens in oklahoma city and denver i kind of probably forgot the fact
26:37that it's winter 20 for the high coming up with sunny skies coming up on wednesday across europe we have
26:44this low moving from the south and as that moves on through a bit of a messier pattern not exactly the
26:48most uh wet type of situation but still cloudy and cool single digit highs from berlin into vienna
26:55and warsaw as we go through today on wednesday hope you have a good day wherever you are
27:00so
27:01so
27:08so
27:10and that wraps up this edition of newsroom tokyo make sure you catch our program on our website at
27:16as well i'm roger prada and i'm yamasawa arena thank you very much for watching please join us again
27:23and that wraps up this edition of newsroom tokyo make sure you catch our program on our website as well i'm roger prada and i'm yamasawa arena thank you very much for watching please join us again tomorrow
27:34thank you
27:46you
27:50you
27:54you
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