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00:12Welcome to Newsroom Tokyo. I'm Yamasawa Rina and I'm Yoshikawa Ryuiichi. Here are the headlines.
00:19Concerns are growing as the conflict in the Middle East escalates with the U.S. promising
00:24that a big wave is still to come in Iran. Financial markets continue to react with
00:31stocks in Tokyo falling sharply for a second day. And we meet the Japanese para ice hockey star
00:39who's hoping to make a big impression at the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games.
00:48The conflict in the Middle East continues to intensify following last weekend's attacks
00:53by the U.S. and Israel. Iran's supreme leader has been killed, with hundreds more also dead.
01:00And airstrikes have been reported across the region, including the U.S. embassy in Saudi Arabia.
01:07U.S. President Donald Trump has hinted at an even larger attack against Iran,
01:13telling CNN what he called the big wave is coming soon.
01:19We're ensuring that the world's number one sponsor of terror can never obtain a nuclear weapon,
01:26never going to have a nuclear weapon. I said that from the beginning, they're never going to have
01:30a nuclear weapon.
01:33Trump justified the military operation by saying it was the last best chance to strike. He says it was
01:40initially projected to last four to five weeks, but that Washington has the capability to continue
01:47even longer if necessary. He also expressed condolences for U.S. service members who have
01:53been killed. Six have been confirmed dead so far. In an indication of the scale of the operation,
02:01U.S. Central Command says it struck more than 1,200 targets in Iran during the first 48 hours.
02:10And the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff says tens of thousands of pieces of ordinance have been
02:16dropped. The Israeli military says it targeted more than 600 sites, including those with ballistic
02:24missiles and air defense systems. The Iranian Red Crescent says more than 500 people have been
02:31killed across about 130 cities.
02:40Israel has also struck Lebanon. The Israeli military said Monday it had killed the intelligence chief of
02:48the Shia Muslim group Hezbollah. The group is supported by Iran. Israel also says it has attacked more than
02:56than 70 locations, including weapons storage facilities. Lebanon's state-run news agency quotes authorities as saying,
03:06Israel's attacks have killed more than 50 people and injured about 150.
03:13Tehran is hitting back. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says it has attacked 60 strategic targets
03:21and 500 U.S. and Israeli military sites. It says it has launched more than 700 drones and hundreds
03:30of missiles. Reuters reports Saudi Arabia's defense ministry says two drones damaged the U.S. embassy in the
03:39capital on Tuesday. CNN says the drones were suspected to have been Iranian and no injuries have been reported.
03:55The U.S. has urged its citizens in more than a dozen Middle Eastern countries and the Palestinian territories to
04:05evacuate immediately.
04:08For now, Tehran appears to be digging in. Iranian security chief Ali Larijani wrote on social media that his country
04:16won't negotiate with the U.S. and he says Iran didn't start the conflict.
04:22Following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, an interim leadership council has held several meetings so far.
04:30Reuters reports Khamenei was said to have nominated several people as his preferred successors.
04:39They include Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejei, head of the judiciary, and Ali Reza Arafi, deputy chairman of the Assembly of
04:50Experts.
04:51Foreign Minister Abbas Arachi has indicated the next leader will be decided within a few days.
04:59There's conflicting information about a key transport route in the region.
05:05According to Reuters, a senior Iranian military official says the Strait of Hormuz is closed and Tehran will fire on
05:13any ships trying to pass through.
05:16But U.S. Central Command has told the NHK the strait is still open.
05:22The widening conflict is threatening the safety of maritime transport.
05:27In Oman, authorities say an oil tanker off the northern coast was struck by a drone boat on Monday.
05:35One crew member was reportedly killed when a blast ripped through the engine room.
05:41Authorities have issued a warning to nearby ships.
05:44A British shipping agency also reports two projectiles struck a ship at a port in Bahrain, sparking a fire.
05:54Japan's government is calling on vessels not to enter the Persian Gulf and for those already there to anchor in
06:02safe places.
06:04Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has spoken with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Arachi.
06:10China's foreign ministry says the phone call on Monday was arranged at Iran's request.
06:19According to the Chinese ministry, Arachi told Wang the U.S. has violated all international laws and crossed Iran's red
06:27lines.
06:28He said his country has no choice but to defend itself with all its might.
06:35Wang said Beijing supports Iran in safeguarding its sovereignty, security, territorial integrity and national dignity.
06:43He added,
06:45China has urged the U.S. and Israel to halt military operations immediately.
06:51Officials say Wang also spoke on Monday with his counterparts in France and Oman, which has acted as a mediator
06:59between Washington and Tehran.
07:02Also on Monday, Russia's foreign ministry released a statement calling on all parties to resolve issues through political and diplomatic
07:11means.
07:12It said Russia is deeply concerned about the escalating conflict across the Middle East.
07:20And it accused the U.S. and Israel of seeking regime change in Iran through what it called unscrupulous methods,
07:29including killing the leadership of a sovereign state.
07:33The Japanese government says it will continue diplomatic efforts to quickly de-escalate the conflict.
07:42Speaking at the Diet Committee on Monday, Prime Minister Takahichi Sanae said her team is preparing for a concerted push
07:50to restore peace in the Middle East.
07:52On the same day, Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu spoke separately with the Israeli and Iranian ambassadors to Japan.
08:02In his meeting with Iranian envoy, he urged Tehran to stop actions that could destabilize the region.
08:13The American society of international law has expressed concern about the use of force by the United States and the
08:21explosion of violence across the Middle East.
08:24It said in a statement that Trump offered no evidence of an imminent threat from Iran and therefore no basis
08:33under international law for a preemptive strike.
08:39The statement released on Monday also mentioned the U.S. military operation in Venezuela in January.
08:46It said the Trump administration has once again demonstrated its disregard of for international law and has violated the U
08:56.N. charter prohibiting the unprovoked use of force.
09:00The society noted that U.S. law, at minimum, requires consulting Congress before armed forces are involved in such attacks.
09:11It said the administration apparently spent many weeks preparing for war, so it had no reason not to have sought
09:20Congress's consent.
09:21The statement concludes by urging all parties to respect international humanitarian law and the legal order.
09:30The non-profit and non-partisan society is based in Washington.
09:34It says its members include attorneys, academics and judges from more than 100 nations.
09:41The Trump administration insists it had intelligence suggesting Iran was preparing to launch preemptive attacks on U.S. military facilities.
09:52But legal professionals aren't alone in questioning whether military action was justified.
09:57I went to a news conference this afternoon by the Iranian ambassador to Japan, Paimon Seadat.
10:04He repeatedly stated that Iran had shown it was willing to negotiate and that it was the U.S. and
10:12Israel who chose aggression.
10:14And he said Iran will continue to defend itself and its people until the aggression stops.
10:21The question of whether or not the U.S. and Israeli attacks were justified isn't just academic.
10:27It could have a big impact on how the rest of the world responds to the conflict.
10:33But one thing is uncertain.
10:35The death toll will keep rising as long as the fighting continues.
10:50The Middle East conflict continues to reverberate across financial markets.
10:56Let's get Yanaka Marie from our business team to bring us up to date.
11:01So Marie, geopolitical tensions are hitting stocks hard and it wasn't a pretty sight on the Asian markets today.
11:08Right. It was especially rough for bourses that had been doing well.
11:13Let's start with Japan.
11:15The Nikkei average was up 17% for the year before the Iran strikes.
11:20But Tuesday brought a second day of heavy losses.
11:24Concerns about rising crude oil prices and fears of a prolonged conflict rattled investors.
11:31The Nikkei 225 fell more than 3% to close at 56,279.
11:37Investors offloaded shares largely across the board soon after the opening and kept selling all day.
11:45That was after news about comments by a senior official in Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
11:51He said the Strait of Hormuz is closed and warned that any vessel trying to pass through will be destroyed.
11:57It's a key waterway for oil shipments, especially for those going to Japan.
12:03Remarks from U.S. President Trump also hurt sentiment.
12:07Trump indicated the fighting in Iran may go on for some time.
12:11Higher crude oil prices are likely to weaken the global economy,
12:15so investors are in a risk-averse mood.
12:19The escalating conflict in the Middle East is also affecting currencies.
12:24It's driving jittery investors towards the safety of the dollar and hitting the yen as a result.
12:32Yen selling intensified in Tokyo trading on Tuesday.
12:35The Japanese currency weakened to the 157 yen range against the dollar.
12:41Finance Minister Katayama Satsuki said the government is watching the currency market very closely.
12:50We will coordinate closely and flexibly with overseas authorities to take all possible measures.
12:57Katayama noted the developments in the Middle East are causing a major shift in foreign exchange markets.
13:05Now we'll check on stock markets in the rest of the Asia-Pacific.
13:08As you can see, it's a gloomy mood.
13:11The gloomy mood was obvious across the region.
13:13Take a look at Seoul's cost rate.
13:16It plunged by 7.25%.
13:19That's despite huge jumps of 20% or even 30% from several defense-related stocks.
13:26Some investors were also booking profits.
13:29Before the conflict started, the index was up by a whopping 48% for the year.
13:36Next, we go to regional Japan,
13:38where shrinking communities are putting local rail lines under increasing financial strain.
13:44One operator is banking on a shift to a more curated experience to revive its fortunes.
13:51NHK World's Kokubun Miho has more.
13:55The South Hokkaido Railway, based in the city of Hakodate, began operation 10 years ago.
14:03Its Japanese name is Isaribi, for the lights used in night fishing.
14:09But the firm's financial situation has worsened year by year,
14:13hit by things like declining population along the line.
14:17In fiscal 2024, it marked its worst operating loss since opening.
14:24Harui Michihiro has been responsible for the railway's business strategy since the start.
14:31This year, the company's 10th anniversary,
14:35Harui is focusing on expanding special train services.
14:41The railway already operates a sightseeing train where riders can enjoy the scenery while feasting on local cuisine.
14:51The firm also operates a night train with lights dimmed to enjoy the night scape of Hakodate.
14:57Harui plans to further enhance these offerings by combining them with celebrations of the anniversary.
15:04One plan is for a special train aimed at local families with children.
15:13People seem to be showing interest in event trains, like sightseeing trains or nightscape trains,
15:19and the number of passengers is gradually increasing.
15:24His next plan is to attract more foreign customers.
15:30He's especially looking to Taiwanese tourists who make up the largest share of inbound visitors to Hakodate
15:38and can take direct flights to get there.
15:42Last November, Harui visited Taiwan for a promotional event and talks with local travel agencies.
15:52I had very productive discussions with travel agency staff about things like putting rail travel into tours
15:58or reserving trains to create a special experience.
16:04Initial results are encouraging.
16:06The company already has 18 reservations for groups of around 30 people each.
16:15We want to express our gratitude to the local community while also creating a sightseeing train
16:21that overseas visitors can enjoy.
16:24This year is truly one where we must consider our approach.
16:28We aim to lay solid groundwork for the future.
16:34Powered by gratitude to the local community for the past 10 years,
16:39Harui hopes to guide the railway forward on a new journey.
16:44Kokubun Miho, NHK World.
16:48And that's the biz for this Tuesday.
17:03And that's the biz for this Tuesday.
17:15Early unpublished works by a Japanese winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature have come to light.
17:22Two pieces written by the late Owe Kenzaburo in the 1950s are believed to be the cornerstones of his novels.
17:32University of Tokyo officials said on Monday that they were informed of the works last year
17:38by a relative of the owner of a house where Owe was living when he was a student at the
17:45university.
17:46The officials determined the pieces were Owe's by examining the handwriting in the manuscripts.
17:53One was written in 1955, making it the oldest of Owe's known works.
18:00It tells the story of a university student whose life is jeopardized
18:05when he learns a secret after harboring a female student.
18:10Another piece written in 1957 involves a 15-year-old boy whose legs are impaired.
18:17He escapes from his house using his wheelchair, then encounters various hardships.
18:24University officials say the works are significant to help understand Owe's creative process at an early stage.
18:34He was known to pursue the same themes in various works with different expressions,
18:38using different perspectives or context.
18:40It is a big finding that he was already following this process from the time he was 20 years old.
18:47Owe was born in 1935 and became a major figure in Japan's post-war literary scene.
18:53In 1994, he became the second Japanese person to win the Nobel Prize in Literature.
18:59He was also known as a peace activist.
19:02He wrote Hiroshima Notes, a book about the U.S. atomic bombing of that city.
19:08And he was a founding member of a group to protect Japan's war-renouncing constitution.
19:15Owe died in 2023 at the age of 88.
19:20Japan has decided to introduce two-tier entry fees to national museums
19:26for visitors from abroad and those from Japan.
19:29The move comes amid an increase in foreign travelers to the country.
19:35Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs has 12 national museums under its jurisdiction.
19:42Each currently charges the same admission fees regardless of nationality.
19:47But the agency plans to introduce dual pricing by March 2031
19:52to cover costs of explanations and audio guidance for exhibits in multiple languages.
19:59Each museum is to determine the timing as well as the amount of the new fees.
20:06A growing number of Japanese facilities are considering dual pricing based on overseas examples
20:12such as Paris' Louvre Museum, which introduced such a system in January.
20:18But hurdles remain, including a possible drop in the number of foreign visitors due to the change
20:24and deciding how to confirm if visitors are from overseas.
20:30The agency says dual pricing is needed to maintain and improve the quality of exhibits
20:36and that it will consider how to deal with potential impacts and challenges.
20:43The Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games kicks off on Friday.
20:49Over 600 athletes will compete in 79 events across six sports, including para ice hockey.
20:58A stick in each hand, players' rights less to maneuver around the rink, angling to score.
21:06Japan's national team missed out on a spot at the 2022 Games,
21:11but it's making its return this year with a new star player, 20-year-old Ito Itsuki.
21:18The young upstart is known for his top-class, fast-paced play.
21:22We look at the journey he's taken to his Paralympic debut.
21:30I'm expected to score points.
21:32When I have the puck, I want to give the crowd a thrill seeing how many opponents I can get
21:38past.
21:41Ito is known for his dribbling skills, giving rival players the slip as he heads for the goal.
21:50He began playing ice hockey at the age of five, with dreams of one day competing in the Olympics.
21:58But when he was eight years old, he suffered a spinal cord injury in a traffic accident.
22:04Unable to move his lower body, he had to stop playing ice hockey.
22:08But he couldn't leave the rink behind.
22:12That's when he discovered para ice hockey.
22:15One player made a particular impression.
22:18Kumagai Masaharu, now captain of the Japanese national team.
22:26I thought he was so cool and a really skilled player.
22:31Kumagai was the best in Japan.
22:33Kumagai says the young Ito didn't show much promise at first.
22:39I let him try riding the sled for the first time, but he kept falling off and couldn't stay upright.
22:48He was crying because he couldn't get back up.
22:52My initial impression was that it would be tough for him to make it into the national team.
23:01But Ito kept at it.
23:09He worked tirelessly on his upper body, building up his arm muscles and core.
23:16I feel like I was born to play ice hockey, so I have to keep fighting on with the body
23:21I have.
23:23He also traveled to the U.S. to play for a team there and further hone his skills.
23:29In the 2025 Paralympic qualification tournament, it was clear his efforts had paid off.
23:36Ito's expert dribbling saw him score multiple goals.
23:44Together with captain Kumagai, he led the Japan team to its first Paralympics since 2018.
23:51Ito was named best forward player of the tournament.
23:59That kid has steadily built up his skills and become a player who can compete on the world stage.
24:06I'm happy to see how he's raised his game.
24:09As Ito heads to his first ever Paralympic Games, he says he's determined to make a big impression.
24:17As a team, we meet challenges head-on, sometimes recklessly.
24:20We're pretty much unstoppable.
24:22I'm really looking forward to it.
24:24I get to compete in my first Paralympics at the age of 20.
24:28How cool is that?
24:30Ito and his teammates will face their first challenge when they play against the Czech Republic
24:35in the preliminary round on March 7th.
24:40I hope they do well in the games.
24:42Yeah, we should be totally looking forward to their games.
24:46Yes.
24:47And next, in central Japan's Miei Prefecture, children have been dressing up as traditional
24:53hinados to celebrate the March 3rd Hinamatsuri Festival, or Girls' Day.
25:00Many households traditionally put hinados on display ahead of the festival to pray for
25:06the health and happiness of young girls.
25:09Parents snapped photos of their children who posed on a platform designed to resemble the
25:15stands used for door displays.
25:23It was all too much for some of the children, while others embraced the spotlight.
25:33The venue near Isejingu Shrine also featured displays of antique hinados, including ones made
25:41with clamshells.
26:23The venue near Isejinguishaktr hinter her located on a platform and had seen as a
26:25Tell us yourself, if you can see a new one, you'll be able to see her on the platform.
26:27All that is a new one and a new one is a new one by the time.
26:28That's a new one by the time.
26:55Let's take a look at weather forecasts for cities around the world.
27:40And that's it for this edition.
27:41Of Newsroom Tokyo, you can catch this program on our website.
27:45I'm Yoshikara Ryuichi.
27:47And I'm Yamasawa Rina.
27:48Thank you very much for watching.
27:50Please join us again tomorrow.
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