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00:00Japanese prosecutors are demanding life imprisonment for the man on trial for killing former Prime
00:23Minister Abe Shinzo. A law takes effect in Japan aimed at reducing Apple and Google's
00:29dominance of the smartphone app market. As Myanmar prepares for a general election, the son of pro-democracy
00:37leader Aung San Suu Kyi tells us why the world should not recognize the results. Japanese prosecutors
00:46have demanded life in prison for the man charged with fatally shooting former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo
00:51three years ago. 45-year-old Yamagami Tetsuya has admitted to the charges against him, including
00:59murder. In their closing arguments on Thursday, prosecutors called the crime unprecedented in
01:05Japan's post-war history, and they said the defendant's early life had an extremely limited
01:10effect on the case. Yamagami is accused of shooting Abe with a homemade gun as the former leader gave an
01:17election campaign speech in the western city of Nara in 2022. Abe's widow, Akie, expressed her views
01:25through her lawyer before the prosecutors made their demand. In a statement read out in court,
01:31she said she wants the defendant to squarely face what he's done and atone for his crimes.
01:37During the trial, Yamagami's defense lawyers asked the court to consider what they described
01:42as his unfortunate early life in deciding his sentence. They say Yamagami's mother made huge
01:48financial donations to the religious group widely known as the Unification Church,
01:52causing the family considerable hardship. The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump
02:01has approved a massive arms sale package to Taiwan valued at more than $11 billion.
02:09The sale includes 82 high-mobility artillery rocket systems known as HIMARS and 428
02:18TACMAS surface-to-surface missiles that can be launched from them.
02:23The package also includes javelin shoulder-launched anti-armor missiles.
02:29A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department says the proposed sale is among the largest packages
02:35that it has approved for Taiwan since 2010.
02:39The U.S. says the sale will help improve Taiwan's ability to respond to current and future threats
02:47and will not affect the regional military balance.
02:52Taiwan's foreign ministry has expressed gratitude for the sale.
02:57In a statement Thursday, the ministry says Taiwan has an unwavering resolve to
03:03defend itself against China's frequent military activities in the region.
03:10Meanwhile, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson had condemned the move.
03:16Guo Jiakun says the arms sale gravely harms China's sovereignty, security and territorial integrity.
03:25And he says it will send a seriously wrong signal to Taiwan independent separatists.
03:31Finland's prime minister has apologized to countries in Asia
03:36over a growing racism scandal involving members of parliament.
03:41The Finnish embassies in Japan, China and South Korea
03:44released a statement on Wednesday by Petteri Orpo in which he pledged to tackle racism.
03:50The controversy arose earlier this month when the Miss Finland title holder
03:54was pictured pulling her eyelids back with a caption that read
03:58eating with a Chinese person.
04:00After she was stripped off her crown last week,
04:03several members of the right-wing Finns party posted images of themselves
04:07making similar gestures in an apparent show of solidarity.
04:11The party is a partner in the governing coalition.
04:15Orpo's statement sincerely apologizes for what he describes
04:18as the offensive posts by some members of parliament.
04:22It adds they do not reflect Finland's values of equality and inclusion.
04:26A new Japanese law has gone into effect that could loosen the dominance of tech giants
04:42over smartphone services.
04:44Yes, it aims to bring users greater choice for app stores.
04:48And Yuko Fukushima from our business desk is here to tell us
04:51what this could mean for consumers and businesses, right?
04:53That's right, Raja.
04:55Well, the Japan Fair Trade Commission says it wants to correct the market imbalance
05:00caused by the dominance of big tech companies, namely Apple and Google.
05:04They want users to have access to higher quality services at a reasonable price
05:08by encouraging new market entrants.
05:10As of Thursday, the tech giants are prohibited from blocking third-party app stores
05:15on iPhone and Android devices.
05:18This is based on a law passed in June last year.
05:22Apps on smartphones run on operating systems.
05:25Apple's iOS and Google's Android are effectively the only ones.
05:30According to a survey by major Japanese mobile service provider NTT Tokomo,
05:34just over 50 percent of people use Google's OS and 44 percent Apple's.
05:40The monopoly watchdog also aims to loosen their grip on web browsers and search engines.
05:46The firms will now be required to give first-time users multiple choices for default services.
05:53This also applies when people update their operating systems.
05:56Android's ecosystem is already open and interoperable,
06:01and it provides developers and users with a lot of flexibility and choice already.
06:06So for many of the law's obligations, we actually already comply today.
06:12There are some obligations where we are going to be making product changes.
06:17A key issue is how to achieve both improved convenience while assuring security
06:22amid concerns that insufficient services could undermine user protection.
06:26I talked to Matsuzawa Noboru, an expert,
06:29who has been closely following global developments in the restrictions of tech companies.
06:34He says it's unlikely the impact from the law will be seen right away.
06:41In Japan, there are no app stores that are big enough to compete,
06:46so I don't think the new law will have an immediate effect.
06:50There is only so much the government can do.
06:52It has now set up a space for fair competition and leveled the playing field.
07:00Japanese companies will need to do their part to be competitive.
07:05He points out Japan's app market is different from the U.S.,
07:08where there are large-scale providers that compete, like Epic Games.
07:13The firm offers a variety of games, including the massively popular Fortnite.
07:17Epic Games has taken matters into its own hands
07:20and sued both Apple and Google over access.
07:25In the U.S., there are no laws that regulate these kinds of things,
07:28so some companies are suing, and the verdict is big tech must allow downloading of apps
07:33on their smartphones that come from other app stores.
07:37Cases like these are effectively regulating the activities of tech companies there.
07:41Matsuzawa says Japan's smartphone law is more similar to moves made in the European Union,
07:47but he adds that the range of issues under restriction in the EU is larger than in Japan.
07:54Matsuzawa sees governments moving to restrict tech firms in Britain and Australia as well,
08:00but getting a global consensus on how to address tech firm monopolies is a challenge.
08:05The current U.S. administration says the digital act in Europe is too strict on tech giants.
08:13So when governments around the world try to agree on smartphone rules and actually implement them,
08:19I think they will tread carefully, taking into account their relationship with the U.S.
08:28But Matsuzawa says smartphone apps are only the tip of the iceberg.
08:32He says a rapid emergence of generative AI presents a big regulatory headache for governments.
08:41Artificial intelligence is developing so quickly.
08:44For example, the Google search engine has an AI app that allows people looking for information
08:50to get it without going to the website that actually contains that information.
08:55Everything is done inside the AI app.
08:58Furthermore, AI lets you shop without visiting the shop app.
09:03In a sense, it's starting to take the place of apps in the digital space.
09:10Japan has taken concrete steps to address monopolies on smartphone apps,
09:15but bigger challenges may be ahead as the digital space continues to evolve rapidly.
09:20And to the markets, well, in Tokyo, the Nikkei fell more than one percent to a three-week low.
09:25Investors again sold on worries the AI stock boom is overdone.
09:29They appear to be concerned about whether the massive investment in data centers to support the industry will pay off.
09:35Shares of SoftBank Group, a heavy investor in data centers, were sold.
09:39In the rest of Asia, the KOSPI in South Korea also fell here by more than one and a half percent.
09:44It was also weighed down by questions about AI's potential profitability.
09:49This included a report that a major investor backing Oracle withdrew its financial support
09:54for a U.S. data center the IT giant is planning.
09:58In addition, South Korea's currency, the won, fell to around a 16-year low.
10:02That also pulled the index down.
10:05That's the news for this Thursday.
10:14It's been nearly five years since Myanmar's military seized control of the country.
10:21In 2021, the FUNTA ignored the results of a landslide election,
10:26and its ongoing brutal crackdown has left thousands dead.
10:31At the time, the people of Myanmar voted pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi into power.
10:36But instead of taking office, she was taken prisoner and hasn't been seen in years.
10:41Now the military is pressing ahead with a general election, with voting to begin at the end of this month.
10:47But activists around the world are watching, and they haven't forgotten.
10:51From London to San Francisco, protests like these strive to strip power from the military leaders who took Myanmar by force.
11:01At the forefront of the movement is Kim Eris, Aung San Suu Kyi's youngest son.
11:08As part of his global push to raise awareness about the plight of Myanmar,
11:13Eris joined a protest in Tokyo last weekend.
11:17Burma cannot walk this path alone.
11:21Your leadership matters.
11:23Your pressure matters.
11:25Your actions can save lives.
11:29They're here to ask the world not to recognize the results of Myanmar's upcoming election.
11:33That's because the junta isn't allowing pro-democracy candidates to run for office,
11:38even though it claims the polls are part of the process for shifting to civilian rule.
11:44Eris lived here in Japan as a child with his mother.
11:48It's his first time back in about 40 years.
11:52But this visit isn't about nostalgia.
11:55I sat down with Eris ahead of the upcoming election.
11:58You've organized this worldwide demonstration just two weeks before the poll.
12:08Why now?
12:10Well, I want to make sure that the military are not legitimized
12:13and that the rest of the world realizes what a sham these elections are.
12:18And unfortunately, the world does not focus on Burma much.
12:24Fighting between the military and pro-democracy forces has been ongoing since the coup.
12:32A local human rights organization says over 7,600 people have been killed, including children.
12:41The military has arrested more than 30,000 people on political grounds.
12:47It's also intensifying airstrikes as Myanmar prepares to vote.
12:52A tactic that Eris calls an assault on Myanmar rights.
12:58When you consider that they are continually bombing the population leading up to the election,
13:06anybody even questioning the fairness of the elections can be put in prison for more than seven years.
13:16It's in no way free or fair.
13:19Eris first entered the public sphere in 1991 when he accepted the Nobel Peace Prize for his mother
13:28while she was under house arrest.
13:31He has avoided the spotlight ever since.
13:35But in recent years, he's emerged as a prominent figure in the fight for Myanmar's freedom
13:41and his mother's release.
13:44The military did not allow her to communicate with anybody.
13:49She has not even been allowed to see her legal counsel for over two years now.
13:54And I am one of the few people, if not the only person, who can speak out for her.
14:03I am in a unique position.
14:05And whilst I'm not a politician, I am her son.
14:09So if I don't do it, I can't expect anybody else to do it.
14:13His fight, by its very nature, goes against her wishes.
14:20Eris says his mother always hoped her children would stay out of Myanmar's politics.
14:25She never wanted me to follow in her own footsteps.
14:30She knows that it's a very difficult path.
14:34And I've never really wanted to either.
14:40I know that she'd be happy to know that I'm supporting the people of Burma now.
14:47But at the same time, she'd be desperately sad that I've had to stand up and do this.
14:53For nearly half a decade, Eris has had almost no information about Aung San Suu Kyi's well-being.
15:02Aside from a letter she sent last January, there's been only silence.
15:07She's 80 years old.
15:10I am extremely concerned that she has heart problems and that she is not receiving the necessary treatment.
15:18It's not Aung San Suu Kyi's first time as a political prisoner.
15:23The military released her from house arrest in 2010, just before a general election.
15:30That decision was seemingly part of a push to rehabilitate Myanmar's image on the world stage.
15:37But Aung San Suu Kyi has been a thorn in the military's side ever since.
15:43Eris says this time, her captors will likely think twice before granting her freedom.
15:49She was trying to bring about reform and that would have included financial reform, including investigating the military's finances.
16:04And that would mean they would eventually be brought to justice one way or another.
16:09So, they didn't want that.
16:15Despite the odds, he still fights for her freedom.
16:19Not only because she is his mother, but because of what she's taught the world about democracy.
16:25And he thinks the world would do well to remember that now.
16:29They seem to think that what's happening in Ukraine and in Gaza is more important than what is happening in Burma.
16:39But what is happening in Burma has a direct effect on the rest of the world.
16:43The scam centers, the human trafficking, the drugs that are flowing out of Burma now affect everybody everywhere.
16:50So, the world needs to sit up and pay attention and to do something to help.
16:57Aung San Suu Kyi's imprisonment and Myanmar's plight are still sending ripples around the globe.
17:03And while Eris says her release would benefit the rest of the world, he also just wants to know she is safe.
17:11And my mother's freedom is important internationally because she is one of the few people who takes practical steps towards peace and reconciliation.
17:22If I could at least see her move back to house arrest and have independent verification of her condition
17:30and be given her basic human right to communicate with her family and to know that she is receiving the care that she needs,
17:40then I think I would have done my job.
17:45We spoke about an hour during that interview, and he repeatedly said that he never intended to become a public figure.
17:54But because the situation in Myanmar is so bad, he decided that he didn't really have a choice and he had to get involved.
18:04And now there has been an update to this story since Eris and I spoke.
18:09After his appeal in Tokyo, the Myanmar military responded.
18:13While they didn't offer any proof, they said in a statement that Aung San Suu Kyi is in good health.
18:19Whether that's true or not, Eris has made it clear that these elections are not legitimate.
18:28They are an attempt to justify military rule, and the world should not ignore that.
18:34Right. Thank you very much for that interview, Rina.
18:37Now, the military is ramping up pressure on voters ahead of the election.
18:41Thira Thirako-san at our bureau in Bangkok has the details on that.
18:44Thira.
18:44The junta has accused more than 220 people of attempting to obstruct the election.
18:52The accused could face lengthy prison terms.
18:56Myanmar's state-run media said on Wednesday the authorities are processing the cases under a new election law enacted in July.
19:03The report did not include details on the accusations or say how many of the people had been arrested.
19:10Junta leaders have been using the law to tighten control over speech and actions critical of the voting process.
19:18The election is set to be held in three phases from later this month to January.
19:23Voting is suspended in some areas due to ongoing fighting.
19:27India has summoned Bangladesh's top envoy to express strong concerns over what it calls the deteriorating security environment around its embassy in Dhaka.
19:40Ties between the countries have been strained since former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled to India following her government's collapse last year.
19:50The Indian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday it had summoned the Bangladeshi High Commissioner to New Delhi.
19:59It also called on Bangladeshi's interim government to ensure the safety of Indian missions and posts in the country.
20:09Protesters had earlier gathered around the Indian embassy in Dhaka to call for Hasina's extradition.
20:15This prompted the Indian visa application center to suspend operations due to security concerns.
20:23Bangladesh has made repeated requests for Hasina's extradition since last year.
20:29Meanwhile, India has denounced a series of violent incidents against Hindu minorities in Muslim-majority Bangladesh.
20:37There are concerns the High Commissioner's summoning could worsen the situation.
20:42Turning to Thailand, where the government has recognized five cat breeds as national symbols.
20:50It says the designation celebrates the cat's place in Thai culture and will also help preserve their genetic heritage.
21:00The five breeds are the Supalak, Korat, Siamese, Koncha and Kao Mani.
21:06The government highlighted their distinctive traits and centuries-long presence in Thai society.
21:13It said the status will promote conservation efforts and help prevent possible foreign claims on the breeds.
21:19The ancient Thai cat conservation center west of Bangkok is home to about 130 native breed cats.
21:28The organization has been working to preserve and nurture Thai cats for more than 20 years.
21:33I hope the national recognition leads to more people becoming interested in Thai cats and their preservation.
21:44I also hope the younger generation becomes more familiar with Thai cat breeds and their history.
21:51The director says the breeds have different features and temperaments, but they have one thing in common.
22:01They have been captivating cat lovers at home and abroad for centuries.
22:07And that wraps up our bulletin. I'm Tra Chirakao-san in Bangkok.
22:10All right, thank you very much, Tra.
22:12Next, Japan's National Police Agency says a growing number of children are falling victim to deepfake pornography involving images made using generative AI and other technology.
22:24More than half of the fake images were created by the victim's classmates or students who attended the same school.
22:32The agency says there were 79 reports between January and September of deepfake pornography involving images of children under 18.
22:45That's an increase from the same period for the previous year.
22:50High school students accounted for 25 of these cases, while 41 involved junior high schoolers.
22:59Another four targeted elementary school students.
23:05Some children were coerced into paying money to keep their images private.
23:11Female celebrities have also been victims of deepfake pornography.
23:16The police agency warns that creating fake images could constitute a crime or serious human rights violation.
23:29They need unrukแ
23:44Infraged police agencies
23:46They need to make earthquakes
23:50But it will be taking place
23:52Let the people just try
24:59But the combination of calm and dry weather is making air pollution worse.
25:06Air quality in the capital of Bosnia has been deemed as hazardous by a Swiss air quality monitoring firm.
25:14This comes after the city of about 350,000 people was covered in fog for many days.
25:22To combat the issue, authorities have banned some vehicles from driving as well as some construction work.
25:29However, some experts say the problem is largely due to households burning wood and coal for heating during winter.
25:38Unfortunately, the conditions are not expected to improve soon because a huge high pressure system is likely to cover Central and Eastern Europe, bringing calm and dry weather.
25:50Meanwhile, in the British Isles and the Ibelian Peninsula, isolated heavy rain and strong winds are expected.
25:58A rain warning is in effect in southern UK on Thursday.
26:02Showers are likely in London and Westbourne, but sunny skies are expected in Athens with a high of 18.
26:09Now moving to Asia, a high pressure system is bringing calm weather to Japan and the Korean Peninsula, but a low pressure system is expected to form near Taiwan by Friday, and rain will expand to Japan over the weekend.
26:25Showers are expected in Taipei and Hong Kong, but Tokyo will stay on the sunny side on Friday with a high of 11.
26:34The temperature in Shanghai will be 20, which is almost 10 degrees higher than usual.
26:40That's it for now. Have a nice day.
27:25And that concludes this edition of Newsroom Tokyo.
27:38Don't forget, you can always catch our program on our website.
27:40I'm Raja Pradhan.
27:41And I'm Yamasawa Arena.
27:43Thank you very much for watching.
27:45Please join us again tomorrow.
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