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00:12Welcome to Newsroom Tokyo. I'm Kumei Ayako and I'm Yoshikara Ryuiichi. Here are the headlines.
00:19A chance to remember and reflect on lessons learned as Kumamoto marks 10 years since a pair of massive earthquakes
00:26devastated the region.
00:28Media reports claim Iran used a Chinese commercial satellite to collect data on U.S. military bases across the Middle
00:36East.
00:38Myanmar's new president says the country is making a transition back to civilian rule, but veterans of an earlier pro
00:45-democracy movement aren't convinced.
00:50Pakistani officials were in Tehran as part of continued efforts to mediate between the U.S. and Iran.
00:58Pakistan hosted talks between the two sides last weekend, but they failed to reach a deal.
01:04Now pressure is mounting before a temporary ceasefire ends next week.
01:11Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Arachi was at the airport to welcome the Pakistani delegation, including Army Chief Asim Munir.
01:20Iran's state-run media says the visitors bring a new message from the U.S. side and are aiming to
01:27arrange a second round of talks.
01:30In an interview aired Wednesday on Fox Business Network's Mornings with Maria, U.S. President Donald Trump said he thinks
01:39the conflict is coming to an end.
01:58Bloomberg cited a source as saying the U.S. and Iran are considering extending the two-week ceasefire.
02:05But the White House press secretary denied reports Washington had submitted an official request.
02:14I saw some reporting, again bad reporting this morning, that we had formally requested an extension of the ceasefire.
02:20That is not true at this moment.
02:23Levitt says fresh talks would likely be held in Islamabad again, saying Pakistan is the only mediator in the negotiations.
02:32CNN has cited sources as saying U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance is again expected to lead the potential
02:40talks.
02:42The Financial Times says its investigation has found Iran recently used a commercial satellite launched by a Chinese farm to
02:51collect data on U.S. military bases across the Middle East.
02:56The British newspaper said on Wednesday that leaked Iranian military documents show its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps acquired the satellite
03:05in late 2024.
03:08The report said the satellite can capture imagery at roughly half-meter resolution.
03:14This allows analysts to identify aircraft and monitor activity at military bases.
03:23The paper said the Chinese system is much more precise than Iran's most advanced military satellite.
03:31The analysis of time-stamped coordinates, satellite imagery and orbital data suggests Iranian military commanders used the Chinese satellite to
03:41monitor and collect images of U.S. military bases in the Middle East in March,
03:46around the time Iran conducted drone and missile strikes on those targets.
03:51The Chinese foreign ministry responded to inquiries about the Financial Times' investigation by calling the report untrue.
04:02NATO defense ministers have pledged fresh aid for drones and air defense systems for Ukraine.
04:10NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte met on Wednesday with defense ministers from Germany, the U.K., and the Ukraine.
04:18He stressed the need for continued support of Kyiv amid ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
04:25We cannot lose focus on Ukraine, even with the many pressing security challenges we face.
04:32U.K. Defense Secretary John Healy announced a biggest-ever shipment of drones, more than 120,000, this year alone.
04:42The package will reportedly include both attack and reconnaissance drones.
04:48We remember our duty to Ukraine.
04:51We recognize that Russian aggression is growing.
04:54And we remain committed to our mission.
04:57German defense minister Boris Pistorius says Berlin will provide funding for the procurement of long-range drones.
05:06That package will be worth 300 million euros, or about 354 million dollars.
05:13Meanwhile, Russia appears to be looking further afield to replenish the ranks of its depleted army.
05:20Following reports of troops from North Korea and Africa joining the war effort, news site Axios says fighters from Cuba
05:28are taking part.
05:30It cites a State Department document that puts their numbers between 1,000 and 5,000,
05:37which would make them one of the largest groups of foreigners on Russia's side.
05:42The document says they are also providing diplomatic and political support.
05:47While noting that no public records indicate the Cuban government sent the fighters,
05:53it points to signs that officials knowingly tolerated, enabled or facilitated them.
06:02An update on the case of the 11-year-old boy, whose body was found in Kyoto prefecture this week.
06:08Investigative sources tell NHK the father has admitted to killing his son.
06:13The case has been referred to prosecutors.
06:19Police arrested 37-year-old Adachi Yuki early Thursday on suspicion of abandoning the boy's remains.
06:26The child went missing in late March and was found dead in a wooded area Monday.
06:32Authorities say the body may have been moved several times.
06:36They say the father is currently their only suspect.
06:41Kyoto police set up a special headquarters for the investigation on Thursday.
06:46They say the arrest comes after a thorough probe, which included reviewing security camera footage.
06:55Police say an autopsy shows the boy Adachi Yuki died around the time he disappeared.
07:02Officials say there were no obvious injuries, such as a stab wound or cuts, and no major tears in his
07:09clothing.
07:19Now, let's go to business news.
07:21The group of seven nations have been discussing the state of the global economy and financial markets.
07:28Yuichi, tell us more.
07:29Yes. G7 finance chiefs say economic fallout from the Middle East conflict has thrown up serious risks for global growth.
07:38They're calling for quick de-escalation.
07:42G7 finance ministers and central bank governors met in Washington on Wednesday.
07:47Japanese finance minister Katayama Satsuki and Bank of Japan governor Ueda Kazuo represented Japan.
07:54U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Besant did not attend the meeting.
07:59The finance chiefs are worried that rising energy costs could drag down global economic growth.
08:06They say this makes it hard to form an outlook.
08:09The group agreed that tensions need to be eased as soon as possible.
08:16Everyone understands that if the situation continues for a long time, it will cause unbearable damage to the global economy
08:24in ways that can't be known.
08:27Katayama said Japan plans to offer financial support to Asian countries that rely heavily on crude oil from the Middle
08:34East.
08:35In financial markets, meanwhile, investors are placing bets again.
08:39Appetite for risk is growing amid renewed optimism about ceasefire negotiations.
08:45On Thursday, Tokyo's Nikkei 225 roared to an all-time high finish.
08:50The stock index closed above 59,000.
08:54The benchmark extended its winning streak to a third day at 59,518, up nearly 2.4 percent.
09:04Analysts say reports that the United States and Iran may extend their ceasefire for two weeks caused traders to breathe
09:12a sigh of relief about crude oil supplies.
09:16The Nikkei's last record close came on February 27th.
09:20That was the day before the U.S. and Israel began attacking Iran.
09:23The index then went on an extended roller coaster ride.
09:27But the trend turned upward at the start of this month.
09:32Now, China has reported GDP results for the first quarter of 2026.
09:38Officials say the economy grew and inflation adjusted 5 percent compared to the same period last year.
09:45The National Bureau of Statistics released gross domestic product data on Thursday for the January-March period.
09:53Growth exceeded the 4.5 percent posted in the previous three months, putting it on track to meet the government's
10:01annual target of between 4.5 and 5 percent.
10:05But the outlook is clouded by a prolonged real estate slump.
10:10Higher energy costs due to the Iran conflict are another drag on the economy.
10:17And back to Japan now, where the number of foreign visitors set a record high for the month of March.
10:24That's despite fewer arrivals from China and the Middle East.
10:30The Japan National Tourism Organization released the data.
10:34It reported more than 3.61 million visitors from overseas, 3.5 percent more than in March last year.
10:43The number from China plunged around 56 percent to below 292,000, a fourth straight month of decline.
10:53Relations between the two countries remain chilly.
10:56Travelers from the Middle East slumped by over 30 percent amid the conflict in that region.
11:01But those declines were offset by increases in visitors from elsewhere in the world.
11:07Travelers from South Korea were up 15 percent to almost 800,000, while those from Taiwan jumped by about 25
11:17percent.
11:18The number of visitors from the United States rose by almost 10 percent, while those from the United Kingdom increased
11:25nearly 21 percent.
11:36Thursday marks 10 years since the second of two massive earthquakes hit Japan's southwestern prefecture of Kumamoto.
11:44Much of the damage has now been restored as the focus shifts to keeping memories alive and passing down lessons
11:54learned.
12:01People across the prefecture and its 45 municipalities held a joint memorial service for the first time since the disasters.
12:12The tremors killed 278 people, including those who died from disaster-related causes.
12:21The earthquake should never be forgotten.
12:23We will pass on our memories to the next generation so they can prepare for disasters like these, because we
12:30never know when they will occur.
12:33Communities gathered to reflect and honor those lost.
12:36The family of a university student, believed to have been swept away by a massive landslide, offered prayers near the
12:44site.
12:49I haven't been able to see my son, whose presence I had taken for granted for more than 10 years.
12:59People across the prefecture paid their respects, including at the site of a collapsed apartment building.
13:06Three university students and one resident died there.
13:11The second tremor struck the town of Mashiki on April 16, 2016, just two days after the first jolt hit.
13:20Both quakes had an intensity of seven, the maximum on Japan's seismic scale.
13:26It was the first time in Japan's recorded history that an earthquake that strong happened twice in the same area.
13:34The second quake caused houses to collapse in Mashiki and triggered massive landslides in the Aso region.
13:43More than 198,000 homes were damaged across Kumamoto.
13:50The earthquakes highlighted the risks that faced evacuees in the wake of disasters.
13:56In the two months afterwards, 51 people were hospitalized with deep vein thrombosis, also known as economy class syndrome.
14:06Of those, 42 had been sleeping in their cars.
14:11Experts say that spending prolonged periods in crammed vehicles can increase the chance of developing the condition,
14:18as well as strokes and heart attacks.
14:21It's one of the factors that contribute to disaster-related death.
14:28After the earthquake, evacuation shelters were so inundated that people sometimes spilled out into the hallways.
14:38Many evacuees chose instead to take refuge in their cars.
14:42In a survey by Kumamoto Prefecture, 68% of respondents said they had done so.
14:48And it wasn't just because the shelters were crowded, people gave various reasons.
14:54Ongoing aftershocks, concerns about privacy, having children or family members with disabilities, and having pets.
15:09For Tominaga Mayumi, going to an evacuation shelter was out of the question.
15:15Her 89-year-old mother, Misau, was bedridden and requiring nursing care.
15:22After the first quake on April 14th, she and her mother took refuge in her car.
15:32I was sitting in the driver's seat, and my mother was sitting like this.
15:37I slowly reclined the seat, and she slept around here.
15:43Otsuka Kazunori was in charge of managing evacuation shelters in Kumamoto City at the time.
15:50He says that back then, the city didn't know how to support people like Misau.
15:57Many people were sleeping in their cars after the quake, but the city totally failed to get a handle on
16:03the situation.
16:05Looking back, I regret that the city didn't do more to support those people.
16:14After evacuating, Misau's health took a turn for the worse.
16:19But as the aftershocks continued, her daughter couldn't take her to a hospital.
16:26I could see my mother was in pain, but there was nothing I could do about it.
16:32Misau's breathing gradually weakened.
16:34By the time her daughter was able to get her to hospital two days later, it was too late.
16:40Her death was officially recognized as being disaster-related.
16:47I hadn't expected she would die so soon.
16:50I constantly think about how living in a car definitely shortened my mother's life.
16:56I noticed so much.
17:06Otsuka retired from his job at City Hall two years ago and established a start-up with the aim of
17:13making in-vehicle evacuations safer.
17:15He thinks the biggest issue was that the city wasn't adequately keeping track of residents' health.
17:22So he collaborated with a university professor to develop an in-vehicle evacuation support system.
17:31Here's how it works.
17:33People living in their cars scan a QR code at their evacuation site
17:38to register the number of people in the vehicle, their ages and their condition.
17:44Authorities can then monitor them and identify those who need immediate attention.
17:51Otsuka says the system should be rolled out nationwide,
17:55so municipal governments everywhere can use it.
18:01Ten years on, I can talk about the risks that stemmed from the earthquakes
18:06and what Kumamoto has done to improve its disaster readiness since then.
18:11Sharing such stories around the country would be one way of showing appreciation
18:17for all the support we received after the quakes.
18:21Thank you so much for joining us.
20:02But I can assure Australians, the government and industry are working very closely together
20:07to manage the impacts of this fire and to ensure ongoing fuel security for Australians.
20:14The minister said the losses will be covered by imports.
20:18This comes at a time when Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is traveling abroad to secure energy
20:23agreements.
20:24He held talks with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Thursday.
20:27The two committed to open and stable trade flows between their countries, including of essential
20:33energy supplies.
20:35Anwar said he received assurances from the state energy firm that it would give Australia priority
20:40when providing its excess fuel supply.
20:43Malaysia is Australia's third largest provider of gasoline and diesel.
20:48Vietnam's top leader, Toh Lam, has met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.
20:53It was Lam's first foreign visit since he was elected state president last week.
20:58Lam also serves as General Secretary of the country's Communist Party.
21:02This marks a departure from political tradition in Vietnam, where the two top posts are usually
21:08held by different people.
21:09She said Lam's visit at the earliest opportunity shows the importance he's placing on China-Vietnam
21:15relations, a priority China shares.
21:20No matter how the international landscape evolves, China will always regard Vietnam as important
21:27to neighborhood diplomacy.
21:30Xi reportedly told Lam their countries should work together to oppose unilateralism and protectionism
21:37and safeguard the global free trade system.
21:40Vietnam's government says Lam called on China to maximally open its market to Vietnamese goods.
21:46It also says Lam proposed cooperation to ensure strategic energy supplies, which Xi agreed to.
21:52China and Vietnam remain in a territorial dispute in the South China Sea, but the countries are
21:58still deepening cooperation, mainly on the economic front.
22:02A new administration has been formed in Myanmar following its first general election since
22:07the coup five years ago.
22:09The president, Min Ong Lai, says the country is now on its way towards democracy.
22:13The former military chief says the new government will work with the people to overcome the many
22:18challenges it faces.
22:19But the leaders of the country's early pro-democracy movement say the election is meaningless.
22:25NSK World's Shiro Uzu Yasuhiro has more.
22:32In 1988, massive student-led protests against military rule spread nationwide, demanding democracy.
22:42The army cracked down on the demonstrations and thousands or even tens of thousands are believed
22:49to have been killed.
22:51That year also saw the emergence of Aung San Suu Kyi, her rise marked a pivotal point in Myanmar's
22:59pro-democracy movement.
23:01Its participants are now known as the 88th generation.
23:07Moti Zong was one of the leaders of the cause.
23:22Moti Zong was forced into exile in the United States, having been sentenced to life in prison
23:30under the military regime.
23:32He has spent the last 25 years away from home.
23:37In an interview from the U.S., he condemned the military for causing the public major hardship.
23:45Moti Zong is a first-street right now.
23:47No government, no international community, no service provided by the government, no service,
23:55civil service, totally disaster.
23:58Moti Zong says he remains in contact with over 100 organizations in and outside of Myanmar.
24:07But he has had no information about Aung San Suu Kyi since she was detained following the
24:13coup five years ago.
24:15We don't know what is happening.
24:17She's very, very old.
24:18And the whole country is not happy about she was detained.
24:24Another 88th generation member is Matida, who is a qualified physician and a writer.
24:37In January, she visited Tokyo to give a talk on the importance of democracy.
24:45She was once arrested for resisting military rule alongside Aung San Suu Kyi and spent six
24:53years in prison.
24:56Matida says one of her biggest worries is what appears to be a psychological shift among the
25:02people.
25:03For having a future of any country, we do need a collective dream and collective activities
25:11to contribute for the benefit of the country.
25:14But right now, because of this absurdity and atrocities imposed by the military regime,
25:19people started thinking of the individual exit strategy.
25:23There is not yet a collective dream in the society, so it's very hard.
25:29Although unable to return to their home country, that hasn't stopped the leaders of the 88th
25:36generation continuing to push for change in Myanmar.
25:41Shiro's Yasuhiro NHK World.
25:45That's up for Bulletin.
25:47I'm Cholophan San, a ruler in Bangkok.
25:48I'm Cholophan San, a ruler in Bangkok.
26:26Let's take a look at weather forecast for cities around the world.
27:03I'm Cholophan San, a ruler in Bangkok.
27:04I'm Cholophan San, a ruler in Bangkok.
27:04I'm Cholophan San.
27:04I'm Cholophan San.
27:04I'm Cholophan San.
27:05I'm Cholophan San.
27:06I'm Cholophan San.
27:07I'm Cholophan San.
27:08I'm Cholophan San.
27:08I'm Cholophan San.
27:08I'm Cholophan San.
27:09I'm Cholophan San.
27:17I'm Cholophan San.
27:37and that's it for this edition of newsroom tokyo you can catch this program on our website
27:42I'måå·éäž and I'm Kumei Ayako thank you for watching please join us again tomorrow
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