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00:00Welcome to New Zealand Tokyo. I'm Yama-san Marina.
00:15And I'm Raja Prada. Here are the headlines.
00:17A Hong Kong court holds its first session on a major robbery involving three Japanese men and one Chinese citizen.
00:25Unusually high amounts of snow are piling up in parts of northern Japan,
00:31and local officials have called in the Grand Self-Defense Force for help.
00:36And it's been a year since Thailand's landmark same-sex marriage law came into effect.
00:41We spoke to an activist who was a force for change.
00:46A Hong Kong court has held its first session on a street robbery of over 50 million yen, or about 330,000 US dollars.
00:56Three Japanese men and one Chinese citizen have been indicted for allegedly conspiring to rob a 51-year-old Japanese man last Friday at an entertainment district in Hong Kong.
01:07Hong Kong police say one of the accused, Suzuki Yusuke, transported roughly 190 million yen, about 1.2 million dollars in cash to Hong Kong along with the victim.
01:19They say Suzuki provided the schedule to the other members of the alleged robbery ring.
01:24Prosecutors say taxi security camera footage showed the victim resisting the robbers, with Suzuki making no effort to protect the cash.
01:33A full-fledged trial is expected to take place in April.
01:37Japanese police are looking into a possible link with a failed robbery attempt at a parking lot of Tokyo's Haneda Airport earlier the same day.
01:48Snow is piling up to unusually high levels in parts of northern Japan, breaking decades-old records in at least one area, Aomori Prefecture.
01:58That's right. The situation is so severe, officials there have called in the ground self-defense force.
02:05In Aomori Prefecture, it's just pile after pile.
02:09The Japan Meteorological Agency says more snow has been falling in areas along the Sea of Japan.
02:16As of 2 p.m. Monday, the city of Aomori had snow accumulation of about 1.7 meters.
02:25That's two and a half times the usual amount for this time of year.
02:29The situation was even more intense earlier this week.
02:33In just three hours on Sunday afternoon, 16 centimeters of snow fell in the city,
02:40for an accumulation of about 1.8 meters at one point, the highest level in 40 years.
02:47I've had to remove the snow from the roofs, but I don't know where to put all of it.
02:56There have been casualties due to accidents while cleaning snow.
03:00The prefecture has asked the GSDF to help the city deal with the record snowfall.
03:06Among other things, they'll help with snow removal for elderly residents who live alone.
03:13Snow is forecast to keep falling in areas on the Sea of Japan side through Tuesday.
03:19Traffic disruptions and avalanches are possible.
03:23There is also a risk of snow falling from roofs and power outages caused by snow on power lines and trees.
03:36U.S. President Donald Trump says his ships are just days away from Iran
03:44after the country's supreme leader warned an American attack could spark a regional conflict.
03:50Trump is ramping up pressure on Tehran.
03:53He recently deployed a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to the U.S. Central Command's area of responsibility.
03:59That includes the Middle East.
04:01He's demanding Iran accept a deal preventing it from possessing nuclear weapons.
04:06Trump spoke to reporters Sunday about the possibility of a U.S. attack.
04:11We have the biggest, most powerful ships in the world over there.
04:15Very close.
04:16A couple of days.
04:17And hopefully we'll make a deal.
04:19If we don't make a deal, then we'll find out whether or not he was right.
04:23There's a chance Special Envoy Steve Witkoff will sit down with senior Iranian officials this week.
04:29U.S. news outlet Axios says Turkey, Egypt and Qatar are arranging a meeting, likely in the Turkish capital, Ankara.
04:38Trump says Washington is also in talks with senior Cuban officials and he believes the two sides are going to make a deal.
04:49Well, Cuba's a failing nation. It has been for a long time, but now it doesn't have Venezuela to prop it up.
04:55So we're talking to the people from Cuba, the highest people in Cuba to see what happens.
05:02He has not said what kind of deal he's pursuing, but the Wall Street Journal reports the U.S. president is seeking regime change by the end of the year.
05:12Trump added that he also wants people who have fled to the U.S. to be able to return to Cuba.
05:19On Thursday, Trump said that Havana constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat to U.S. security.
05:28He also signed an executive order to impose tariffs on countries that supply oil to the Caribbean nation.
05:36But concerns are growing from a humanitarian perspective that Cuba's living conditions could deteriorate due to energy shortages.
05:47In other news, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says the next round of peace talks will take place this week.
05:54But negotiations have reached a hurdle over the issue of territory.
05:59Moscow, Kyiv and Washington held their first high-level peace talks in Abu Dhabi last month.
06:04Zelensky revealed the schedule for the second round of negotiations in a social media post.
06:09The meetings are set for this Wednesday and Thursday, also in Abu Dhabi.
06:14Zelensky wrote,
06:15Ukraine is ready for a substantive discussion.
06:18He added,
06:19We're interested in ensuring the outcome brings us closer to a real and dignified end to the war.
06:25The negotiations are expected to revolve around security guarantees for Ukraine and the issue of territory.
06:30But Ukraine and Russia are believed to remain far apart on the territorial issue.
06:35Moscow is calling for Ukrainian troops to withdraw from the eastern region of Donbas, a demand Kyiv finds hard to accept.
06:43In the run-up to the lower house election on February 8th, we'll have a three-day series of reports on the key issues as voters prepare to decide.
07:02Today, we focus on inflation.
07:03Japan's consumer prices rose by more than 3% last year, putting many households under pressure.
07:10The latest NHK opinion poll shows more than 40% of respondents say they'll consider what's being proposed to deal with high prices in the coming election.
07:18We went out to hear what consumers had to say and what sort of relief there may be for them.
07:24NHK World's Moritani Hinako put together this report.
07:33The prices of many items in this supermarket have been rising steadily over the past few years.
07:40The customers have taken note.
07:42My children are into sports and our food expenses have gone up quite a lot.
07:49Probably tens of thousands of yen a year.
07:53I buy less food than I used to and less clothing as well.
08:02The supermarket's president, Akiba Hiromichi, told us about the challenges he faces.
08:07Operating costs have increased in addition to purchase costs.
08:14So, sales prices are up significantly to a level where we can no longer manage it.
08:20The situation is indeed severe.
08:22Official data confirm what consumers know firsthand.
08:27Japan's inflation rate has been above 2% for nearly four years.
08:31On the other hand, real wages adjusted for inflation have been falling.
08:38Paychecks are not keeping up.
08:40Household budgets are getting tighter.
08:46One person feeling the squeeze is Endo Takashi.
08:50The 62-year-old works at a human resources firm.
08:54He has continued working there on contract beyond retirement age.
08:58To save money, he cooks his meals at home and prepares boxed lunches for work.
09:05Over the past couple of years, his total income has fallen.
09:10He has been unable to save as much as he had hoped.
09:13My salary has barely gone up, and prices have been rising for two or three years.
09:23So, my situation is really difficult.
09:26I have to be careful to buy fewer items than before.
09:29Spending around 3,000 yen, for instance, instead of 4,000 yen.
09:34Otherwise, there is no way I can make ends meet.
09:37Despite his circumstances, Endo says he wants to vote for a party with a balanced policy,
09:47focused not only on cutting the consumption tax, but on longer-term fiscal health.
09:52Looking at the big picture, cutting the consumption tax would reduce my burden, and that would be nice.
10:01But the savings would be gone in an instant.
10:04And I have to think about the future burden, which would be even greater.
10:07Kuga Naoko of NLI Research Institute acknowledges that the challenges facing non-regular workers,
10:17especially those living alone, are severe.
10:20She suggests voters need to consider both near-term and forward-looking measures
10:26for the well-being of their households.
10:28Policies should be planned with a medium- to long-term view,
10:35so they can result in sustainable wage growth, higher productivity, and a stronger economy.
10:41The makeup of households is becoming more diverse, so a single policy does not work for everyone.
10:47Instead, it would be better to introduce carefully tailored measures
10:50for the short, medium, and long-term, as well as for different types of households.
10:54Analysts say the inflation rate is likely to temporarily ease this year,
11:01but the underlying trend of rising prices is set to continue.
11:06How voters feel about that will play a significant role in the election.
11:13Next time, we'll focus on the debate surrounding the consumption tax
11:18which most parties want to reduce or abolish.
11:21But what are the implications for the economy?
11:24U.S. President Donald Trump has been calling for change at the Federal Reserve,
11:39but will the man he hopes to take over at the central bank really deliver what he wants?
11:44Inaka Marie from our business desk is here to fill us in.
11:47So, Marie, Trump has been hounding the Fed to cut rates, right,
11:51and attacking chair Jerome Powell every time he resists.
11:54So can we assume his pick to replace Powell will automatically be on board with his easy money agenda?
12:00The president seems to think so, but investors don't necessarily agree.
12:04Trump announced he'll nominate former Fed Governor Kevin Warsh to take the helm at the central bank.
12:11He's been singing Warsh's praises loud and clear.
12:15The president gushed on social media that Warsh could be one of the best chairs ever.
12:20He described him as the kind of person who'd never let you down.
12:25I would say that this was the perfect candidate. This was not a surprise or anything.
12:31This was the man that's most qualified. Top student, best schools, everything was like perfect.
12:37Warsh is 55 years old. He served as a special assistant for economic policy under President George W. Bush.
12:47In 2006, aged just 35, he became the youngest governor in Fed history.
12:53In that role, he was involved in the central bank's handling of the global financial crisis.
12:58Warsh is a graduate of Harvard Law School and has held senior positions at Morgan Stanley.
13:03His nomination will have to be approved by lawmakers before he can replace Jerome Powell, whose term ends in May.
13:12Warsh has recently expressed a more positive position on rate cuts.
13:17But he wouldn't be running a one-man show.
13:20He'd be part of a team of 12 that sets policy by majority votes.
13:25And it's unclear whether his views would get the required support from the other governors.
13:29Before Warsh's recent comments in favor of rate cuts, he actually made his name as a policy hawk.
13:37In other words, an advocate for higher rates.
13:40It seems he's failed to shake off that reputation with investors, who responded to the news of his nomination by piling into the dollar.
13:48The greenback rallied, and metals, seen as the safest place to park money in recent months, tumbled.
13:54In Japan, bullion dealer Tanaka Precious Metal Technologies said the retail price of gold was just over 26,000 yen, or about $168 per gram on Monday afternoon.
14:08That's down almost 14% from the record of 30,248 yen set last Thursday.
14:14The metal had been on a jaw-dropping run over the past year, as global volatility pushed anxious investors towards traditionally safe assets.
14:24Recent tensions over Greenland and Iran drove the price to dizzying new heights.
14:30But the tide shifted after Trump said he'll nominate Warsh to take over at the Fed.
14:34The news spurred dollar buying by investors who are skeptical that Warsh will automatically deliver the rate cuts Trump is demanding.
14:44Now to Japan's central bank.
14:47A summary from the BOJ's January meeting suggests policymakers are feeling a growing sense of urgency around rate hikes.
14:55One warned that the bank shouldn't wait too long to announce the next one.
14:58The central bank kept rates unchanged at that meeting, citing the need to monitor the effects of the increase it implemented in December.
15:07But policymakers expressed wariness of the weaker yen and warned of falling behind the curve in handling inflation.
15:15One said that given mounting price pressure, the bank should proceed with a rate hike without missing the appropriate timing.
15:22Another argued that it would be appropriate for the bank to raise the key rate at intervals of a few months.
15:29Policymakers also discussed the sharp rise in long-term interest rates.
15:34One said such exceptional circumstances warrant flexible responses, including purchases of government bonds by the central bank.
15:42Another said the BOJ should continue to examine whether lenders and borrowers have been able to adapt to the increases in long-term rates.
15:52Next, Japan's star continues to rise with overseas travelers, so much so that airlines are struggling to keep up.
16:02ANA Holdings is planning to meet the surge in demand with a 30% increase in international flights by fiscal 2030.
16:10The carrier says the plan involves boosting flights connecting Narita Airport near Tokyo with cities in North America and Asia.
16:18Narita is also making changes to handle the growth in inbound tourism.
16:24The airport operator is extending one of the existing two runways and adding a third.
16:29The work is scheduled for completion by March 2029.
16:33ANA says it will also expand the routes used by its low-cost carrier, mainly to and from Kansai International Airport in western Japan.
16:41At the same time, the company will trim its domestic operations by 1% by fiscal 2030.
16:49It says that's a response to Japan's dwindling population and an uncertain outlook for corporate demand.
16:56The airline says it will boost margins by using smaller aircraft.
17:00It will also collaborate with rival carrier Japan Airlines to share ground crews for fueling, maintenance and other work.
17:07Last, a check on the markets.
17:11The meltdown in precious metals hit sentiment in the Asia-Pacific.
17:15Major stock benchmarks mostly fell.
17:17Tokyo's Nikkei average jumped in the morning session as a weaker yen propped up exporters.
17:23But in the end, it joined its peers in the negative.
17:26Seoul's Kospi tumbled more than 5% from a record high.
17:30Indonesia's index was also hit hard.
17:33And that's the biz for this Monday.
17:35this Monday
17:59now let's go to Chorapan Sanarula in our Bangkok studio for stories making
18:03headlines across the Asia Pacific a militant group has staged coordinated
18:09attacks in Pakistan's southwestern province of Balochistan leaving 17
18:14security personnel and 31 civilians dead security forces say that later kill
18:19scores of fighters the assaults of military and police facilities took
18:24place Saturday in nine cities and towns they included Quetta the capital of
18:29Balochistan and Gwada facing the Arabian Sea the Balochistan Liberation Army claim
18:35responsibility the insurgent group seeks independence from Pakistan at 2 30 p.m.
18:44on Saturday BLA people broke the windows and doors and came inside they hit me in
18:50the eye and on the head they told us to take off our uniforms and leave so we
18:55took off our uniforms and we were thrown out of the bank the BLA has escalated
19:03its activities in recent years last March its fighters attacked a train carrying
19:08some 400 passengers and killed 25 people before and after the latest rates
19:13Pakistan's military and police launched counterterrorism operations killing over
19:18170 militants in three days of fighting India's government has unveiled the
19:25budget for the upcoming fiscal year with a focus on infrastructure and
19:28manufacturing it aims to sustain economic growth amid hefty US tariffs I present the
19:35budget for the year the budget presented by the finance minister on Sunday totals over 53
19:45trillion rupees or more than 580 billion dollars the government hiked capital
19:51spending to over 12 trillion rupees or about 133 billion dollars that's a nine
19:57percent increase from the previous fiscal year and an all-time high much of the
20:02spending is meant to speed up infrastructure development including
20:05major investments in railways and ports 400 billion rupees is allocated to support
20:11production of electronics components that's in line with Prime Minister
20:15Narendra Modi's make an India initiative to boost manufacturing Modi hailed the
20:20budget as a highway of immense opportunities that will strengthen the
20:24foundation of a bright future for India the new spending plan is also
20:28designed to help industries affected by steep US levies last August the Trump
20:34administration raised additional tariffs on imports from India to 50% citing the
20:39country's purchase of crude oil and petroleum products from Russia it's been a year
20:45since Thailand's landmark same-sex marriage law came into effect a leading
20:50force behind the legalization was activist and Chuma porn and to celebrate she's
20:55embarking on a new journey NHK World's Nakata Yoshiko has more
21:01it's the moment the couple have been dreaming of for so long let's hold hands and walk
21:14together let's cherish this until we cannot live life together anymore as we
21:20promised and says she wanted to make sure she had done all she could to get the
21:28same-sex marriage law properly implemented before planning her own
21:33wedding we wanted to see our family's acceptance and I think today is proof of
21:40that it's proved that acceptance can really happen and it should be an
21:44inspiration to other families because today both LGBT and lesbian people are
21:49here and co-founded Bangkok pride and organized pride parade to drum up
22:01support for equal marriage in June 2024 Parliament passed a bill with an
22:09overwhelming majority it guarantees same-sex couples the same rights as those in
22:15heterosexual unions including tax benefits and inheritance more than 26
22:22thousand LGBTQ couples registered their marriages across Thailand within the
22:28first year of legalization that's about 10 percent of all the marriages in the
22:34country the most important end goal of changing the law is for people to
22:41actually come out and use it right back then I was happy but now I feel proud
22:46truly proud to have been a part of this huge change to get here and not only had to
22:57fight the system she also had to go through her own struggle she grew up in a
23:04conservative family in rural southern Thailand she says she felt pain and
23:10loneliness from hiding her true self we went through a time when we hid from our
23:18families our parents didn't agree with us there were tears I want them to see as
23:23simply as two women who love each other and that we're very happy that's already
23:28meaningful to us while embracing her pain she continues to pour herself into
23:36working for truly inclusive society in January she organized a political event
23:45ahead of Thailand's election inviting party leaders and candidates the same-sex
23:54marriage bill has passed we still have many more political matters that parties
23:57must work on for us and says more is needed for gender equality including laws to let
24:06citizens to choose their gender identity regardless of the sex assigned at birth
24:13laws to allow same-sex couples to jointly adopt children are also still in the
24:19pipeline not doctor beyond just creating safe spaces where children and youth can grow up we
24:27believe those safe spaces are exactly what will empower them to stand up and create change
24:32themselves we need to make it crystal clear that being LGBTQ plus can actually generate so
24:38many positive things for the country and we have to keep talking about that non-stop
24:43and says the victory for same-sex marriage is just one step along the road toward a society
24:52where everyone feels proud to be who they are Nakata your school NHK World Bangkok
24:59that's up a bulletin I'm Chola Pansan of Rula in Bangkok
25:05let's take a look at weather forecast for cities around the world
25:19I'm Chola Pansan of Rula in Bangkok
25:20I'm Chola Pansan of Rula in Bangkok
25:21I'm Chola Pansan of Rula in Bangkok
25:22I'm Chola Pansan of Rula in Bangkok
25:23I'm Chola Pansan of Rula in Bangkok
25:24I'm Chola Pansan of Rula in Bangkok
25:25I'm Chola Pansan of Rula in Bangkok
25:26I'm Chola Pansan of Rula in Bangkok
25:27I'm Chola Pansan of Rula in Bangkok
25:28I'm Chola Pansan of Rula in Bangkok
25:29I'm Chola Pansan of Rula in Bangkok
25:30I'm Chola Pansan of Rula in Bangkok
25:31I'm Chola Pansan of Rula in Bangkok
25:32I'm Chola Pansan of Rula in Bangkok
25:33I'm Chola Pansan of Rula in Bangkok
27:05Participants born in the year of the horse, the Chinese zodiac signed for 2026 through small packs of beans to children. Such beans are said to bring good luck to those who eat them.
27:31Bye.
27:32Bye.
27:33Bye.
27:34Bye.
27:35Bye.
27:36And that's it for this edition of Newsroom Tokyo.
27:46I'm Raja Prada.
27:47And I'm Yamasa Marina.
27:48Thank you very much for watching.
27:50Please join us again tomorrow.
27:51.
27:52.
27:56No?
27:56No?
27:57No?
27:57Yeah?
27:58Are you green?
27:59No?
27:59No?
28:00No?
28:01No?
28:02Yeah.
28:02I can't wait her to see that.
28:04See you better in the Moro.
28:05No?
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