Hello and welcome to NHK Newsline and Yoshio Gaswara. U.S. and Russian officials have met in Turkey to discuss normalizing the operations of their country's embassies. Both sides said Ukraine was not an item on the agenda. Russia's state-run TASS news agency said the diplomats held talks at the Russian consulate general in Istanbul on Thursday. The meeting reportedly lasted for more than five hours. The officials are said to have agreed to make it easier for diplomats to travel and obtain visas.
Tass also said that the officials discussed the need to resume direct flights between their countries. The Russian side reportedly said it wants its diplomatic property, which the US had confiscated, to be returned. Russian diplomatic sources previously told NHK that the latest talks would focus exclusively on bilateral diplomatic relations and Ukraine would not be on the agenda. U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce also told reporters after the meeting that Ukraine was not discussed.
US President Donald Trump has once again complained about the Japan-US security treaty. Speaking to reporters at the White House on Thursday, the president suggested that almost all other countries took advantage of the United States when deals were made in the past. He acknowledged the relationship with Japan is good, but voiced dissatisfaction with the bilateral security treaty.
We defend them, but they don't have to defend us. I said, that doesn't sound too good. But we have a deal, a defense deal. We pay hundreds of billions of dollars to defend them. Trump incorrectly claimed that Tokyo doesn't pay anything. Trump frequently called the bilateral security treaty unfair during his first term and made similar complaints last month.
Japan's chief cabinet secretary told reporters in Tokyo that the Japan-US alliance is the basic pillar of the country's foreign and security policies. The government is fully confident that the United States will fulfill its obligations under the Japan-US Security Treaty by using all types of capabilities, including nuclear. Hayashi said Japan will take the initiative in enhancing its defense capabilities and closely coordinate with Washington to further strengthen the alliance.
Six people have been killed after a helicopter crashed into waters just outside Manhattan. NHK World's Inoue Yuki was near the scene earlier and filed this report. The helicopter went down in the Hudson River near the coast of New Jersey which is across the water from where I am in Manhattan. You can see local authorities continuing their inspections around the area. It was sunny in the morning but as I came here it was raining with strong cold winds.
Fire department authorities were reportedly notified just after 3 p.m. local time. ABC says three children were among those who died and that they were tourists from Spain. The helicopter reportedly split up in midair. Eyewitnesses told ABC they saw the rotor come off. Helicopters carrying tourists and business passengers are a common sight in the skies above Manhattan. There have been some fatal crashes in the past. Authorities have launched an investigation into what caused this one.
The UN says more than 500,000 people have been left without access to life-saving health care two weeks after a devastating earthquake struck central Myanmar. The magnitude 7.7 quake occurred on March 28th. Myanmar's military, which grabbed power in a 2021 coup, said the disaster has left 3,649 dead and 5,018 others injured. It also said 145 remain unaccounted for.
UNICEF said the latest reports indicate continuing damage to infrastructure, including 193 health care facilities. It also noted that health workers are reporting critical shortages of medical supplies. A representative of the UN Development Program in Myanmar said that families are living on the streets in temperatures that can reach 40 degrees Celsius. Very high risk of waterborne diseases with the urban water pipe systems broken, water storage facilities damaged.
And sanitation is now becoming a big issue as people who have been forced out of their homes are resorting to open defecation. He said the disaster has been compounded by intense rainfall, which started earlier than expected last week in Mandalay. He warned that reports of cholera, hepatitis and typhoid are surfacing. He added the world's attention and sustained commitment will be crucial in helping the people of Myanmar recover.
Now let's see what's happening in the world of business. Here's Gino Tani from The Biz Death. Yoshi, thanks. In our top business story this hour, Japanese markets are showing more volatility on Friday as they absorb the latest tit-for-tat announcements by the U.S. and China. Investors have dumped shares right across the board. Tokyo's benchmark Nikkei 225 briefly dived by more than 1,900 points, or about 5.7 percent.
It was a sharp retreat from Thursday when the index surged by 9.1 percent. That was the second biggest single-day point gain ever. Japanese currency is appreciating against the dollar. At one stage, it climbed to the upper 142 yen range. It's the first time in about six months that it's reached that level. analysts say investors are selling the dollar on concerns that the U.S.-China fight could hurt the American economy.
The Japanese government is preparing to negotiate with the Trump administration amid the growing uncertainty surrounding U.S. tariffs. Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru has appointed the economic revitalization minister to spearhead the strategy, Ishiba told. Akazawa Ryosei to look for ways to cooperate with the U.S. that will benefit both countries. Ishiba met ministers of his cabinet at the prime minister's office on Friday. He told them that Trump's tariffs can be seen as a national crisis.
発電の申し上げにもかかわらず Despite a series of approaches from Japan, a reciprocal tariff of 10% has been implemented in addition to extra tariffs on automotive parts and other items. This could have a major impact on all industries in Japan. The prime minister added that the situation remains unpredictable despite a 90-day suspension of higher tariffs.
I request the Economic Revitalization Minister to make a comprehensive adjustment for us to implement the necessary support, such as financial measures, based on the impact on domestic industry. Ichiba said an all-hands-on-deck response is imperative to tackle the situation. The U.S. president's tariff policy has been the talk of the world. It was also on the minds of many attending a Japanese sake tasting event in New York.
The Joy of Sake Gathering was held in Manhattan on Thursday. It featured over 500 varieties of rice wine from both sides of the Atlantic. A U.S. nonprofit organized the event. Japanese breweries have been voicing their concerns about the impact of Donald Trump's so-called reciprocal tariffs on their sales in the U.S. A representative from Inigata Prefecture Brewer said that New York is one of its most important markets for its brand.
We're worried that prices could go up by as much as 50%, and if we take the economic situation into account, customers are unlikely to buy our products anymore. One visitor from New York reacted to the possibility of higher prices for Japanese sake. I'm sad. Sad as heck, right? I think it's ridiculous, and I hope they're not, and I hope we can continue to get excellent sake in America. Some Japanese brewers produce sake in the U.S. This firm says it's not worried about the...
But it still sees challenges ahead. Asahi Shizou from Yamaguchi Prefecture began brewing sake in New York. Two years ago, amid the growing popularity of Japanese rice wine, today rice produced in the southern state of Arkansas accounts for 60% of the grain used for the Dasai Blue brand made in New York.
Company chairman Sakurai Hiroshi said production costs rise in a country with high wages. He added that his firm... took a risk when they started U.S. production as they had to adapt to local laws and culture. A Japanese telecom triad has launched a service with Starlink that allows customers to communicate in areas outside regular cell phone coverage. KDDI says its AU cell phones... are connected directly to the Starlink satellite network run by U.S. aerospace company SpaceX.
The service started on Thursday. KDDI says AU customers can send and receive text messages, share their location data, and receive earthquake alerts no matter where they are. That includes in the mountains, at sea, and other places not covered by conventional base stations. We can provide an experience of connecting people anywhere they can see the sky, and a sense of reassurance that they can be connected in times of natural disasters or other emergencies.
The Japanese telecom has been using Starlink's network when its regular infrastructure has been under repair. It says the new service is the first of its kind in Japan to be available to the public. Other Japanese telecoms are also working on building new infrastructure in the atmosphere and space. NTT Docomo and SoftBank are developing a system named HAPS, which uses unmanned aircraft.
Next, NHK World's John Ledoux is here with BizPix for a look at the upcoming business and economic stories we'll be tracking. Let's get you what's on the economic calendar for next week. On Wednesday, we'll have China's January through March. Beijing is aiming for around 5% GDP growth this year, but the terrafore with the U.S. hangs heavy over the economy. And on Sunday, Japan's first World Expo in 20 years opens in Osaka.
This week looks at the economic impact of the six-month-long event. The exposition spotlights breakthrough technologies, fresh ideas, and sustainable solutions from around the globe. countries and regions will take part. Japan's industry ministry gave the estimate last year on the economic benefits of the expo. It said the event will generate nearly 3 trillion yen or about 20 billion dollars.
This assumes the fare will bring in 28.2 million visitors. But ticket sales were only about 8.7 million as of April 2nd. So the question is, can it be achieved? Matsuhito, a senior economist at Japan Research Institute is optimistic. I think the economic impact of 2.9 trillion yen is achievable. It can largely be divided into three elements.
Effects of construction investment are emerging. Expenditures for the expo's operations and events will almost likely to be spent as planned. So the focal point is consumption by visitors, and visitors begin to relate their experiences at the vid. you through social media and other means, I think that will encourage more people to come. Wakabayashi notes that the expo is getting a boost from Japan's ongoing tourism boom. The country saw a record more than...
36.8 million foreign visitors last year. He says the real test is whether the demand stimulus from Osaka 2025 can lead to something sustainable. What's more significant than the short-term benefits is whether Japan will succeed in efforts contributing to the country's growth in the long run, even though it is difficult to calculate their value.
of the event is growth in fields related to life science. One advanced medical technology that is likely to attract attention is an artificial beating heart made of IPS cells. is expected to be used to treat patients with serious heart diseases in the future. The Osaka Healthcare Pavilion will feature exhibits from more than 400 small and emerging local businesses rotating on a wall. weekly basis this is expected to give them opportunities to form ties with their global peers
Japan has been a leading country in life science technology, especially its research and development. But when it comes to producing business results in this area, Japanese firms... lag a little behind Western pharmaceutical giants and medical equipment makers. I hope Japan will promote its technology overseas using the expo and rise to the top in the life science sector.
Now, during the Expo, there will also be a number of large-scale international exhibitions and matching events for startups at various locations in Osaka. That's seen as a great opportunity. for Japanese businesses. I'm John Ledoux, and that wraps it up for this week's Biz Picks. John, thanks. Let's have a look at the markets. And that's it for business news. And for more details on those stories, please visit the NHK World Japan website.
The United States has been stepping up pressure on Iran ahead of talks on its nuclear program this weekend in Oman. And Tehran is pushing back, saying it may stop cooperating with the International Atomic Energy Agency. If it requires military, we're going to have military. Israel will obviously be very much involved in that. He'll be the leader of that. But nobody leads us. We do what we want to do. Trump says he won't allow Iran to have nuclear weapons.
An advisor to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned in a social media post that his country may take action to deter any military attack. He says steps could include expelling IAEA inspectors or moving enriched uranium to safe and undisclosed locations. The Iranian president stressed that the nuclear program is for peaceful purposes. We have not been, are not and will not be pursuing a nuclear bomb.
He says the supreme leader would welcome American investment in Iran, hinting this could happen if Washington lifts sanctions. The western Japanese city of Hiroshima will mark the 80th anniversary of the world's first atomic bombing in August. NHK has learned that the city is likely to broaden its announcement of plans for the ceremony to all countries and regions, including Russia and Palestine.
The ceremony traditionally takes place on August 6th, the date when the atomic bomb went off over the city shortly before the end of World War II. Until last year, Hiroshima had invited the ambassadors of all countries recognized by Japan and leaders of nations that had not signed or joined a UN Treaty on Nuclear Weapons to the observance. But for three successive years through 2024, Russia, which continues its invasion of Ukraine, was left off the list along with its ally Belarus.
Palestine also wasn't invited because Japan has not recognized it as a country. The sources said Hiroshima wants to use the occasion to boost the awareness of the inhumanity of nuclear weapons and highlight the need to rid the world of such arms. The Japanese concept of Mieruka emphasizes the use of visual tools to enhance communication in business and is known overseas as visual management.
Now, the concept has inspired the development of a system to visualize spoken language using advanced voice recognition technology, and it's gaining popularity in and out of the workplace. This automotive parts manufacturer is located in Aichi Prefecture. Inside workers are constantly operating all sorts of machines and tools. To ensure clear communication, meetings inside the factory make use of a unique voice recognition system.
It's able to recognize and isolate the sound of a human voice and then use transcription and translation software to display what is being said in multiple languages. This allows all employees to quickly and accurately share information, leading to safer and more efficient operations. The voice recognition system can also be run on smartphones and help employees with hearing impairments.
to communicate with their coworkers. The trouble started when you inserted the component? The system displays exactly what the speaker is saying. Rather than just communicating verbally, I think it's very important to be able to convey and exchange information visually. Since it helps to improve comprehension, I think implementing 見えるか
or visual management, is really important in our industry. We developed this system in-house because we couldn't find one that could be used in a noisy factory environment where many different sounds are all happening at once. This speech recognition system can distinguish between different sounds by the unique structure of their waveforms.
After the AI has been trained to identify the differences between them, it's able to recognize and isolate the sound of a human voice, even in an environment where all sorts of sounds are being produced simultaneously. While the technology was originally developed for in-house use, the companies also made a smartphone app available for the general public. To date, it's surpassed 1.4 million downloads. We met with a woman who first started using the app two years ago.
progressive hearing loss, she says that without assistance, she must often ask people to repeat themselves so she can try to lip read or have them write. more enjoyable all right place your hands above your head and stretch upward In addition to providing accurate speech-to-text, the app can also display emoji and animated graphics that represent sounds the microphone picks up, like laughter or music.
to see their facial expressions but with the addition of graphics I think this technology will help convey feelings and emotions. Many users also say the app has helped to expand the range of activities they feel comfortable trying. When music is playing, the app produces a range of related emoji, like people clapping or cheering, which really adds to the experience. Before I had this app, I often gave up on trying new things because of my hearing...
But now I'm way more proactive and often say let's. Since emoji or pictograms are recognizable almost anywhere, we want to figure out ways to express various sounds with easy-to-understand graphics so we can make our technology available to the rest of the world. The system was originally developed as a means of communicating in a busy factory environment, but as it helps overcome hearing issues as well as language barriers, for some people it's becoming an invaluable tool in everyday life.
Heavy rain and strong winds are expected in parts of Asia this weekend. Our meteorologist Tietzi Monare has the details. Hi there, many parts of northeast Asia are going to be facing some turbulent weather come this weekend. Starting off across northeastern China, there will be lots of dead, strong winds. are being reported or forecast for the next couple of days. And a storm system is going to be moving across China into South Korea, bringing heavy rainfall.
strong winds and possibilities of lightning. And then once it's done there, the same storm system will move in towards Japan. So do expect a bit of a rain day on Sunday after a lovely and calm Saturday. Temperature wise, it's going to be quite chilly for Ulaanbaatar, at least for Saturday. Then it will be a big jump into the double digits by Sunday later on into.
at the weekend temperatures are going to get into the lower 20s if you're going to be in beijing expect those winds but also temperatures are going to be quite cool so maybe between friday saturday you might need a coat but then later on into the week you will be just fine without it. For those in Australia, just expect a lot of showers towards Northern Territory. Some of it could be moving in towards Queensland, especially that far northern part with maximums of about...
29, maybe even touching on 13. But for now, just expect the upper 20s. Europe is slightly different here. Dry weather is going to be persisting from France through Germany. And then as you go all the way towards the Balkan, there is a low pressure and a front there. That's leading to some wintry precipitation. So a bit of sleet, some snowfall.
and single digits in terms of temperatures, so it's going to be a little bit of a tricky one there. You can see similar weather across the Iberian Peninsula, but not as cold as what they're experiencing on the other side. Lisbon 20, Madrid around 17 degrees. Some showers here and there, so having an umbrella or a raincoat with you could be helpful. But you're not going to need any of that if you're in London. Sunny skies coming your way for Friday, possibly into Saturday.
If you want to go out for a picnic or maybe to any sporting event, that could be a good suggestion for you along those paths. The African continent, well, two stories here. The far north, eastern corner, slightly cooler. But then temperatures just pick up as you move towards the west. Places such as Naime goes to 41 degrees. That's all for the weather. Take care. That's all for this edition of NHK Newsline. I'm Yoshi Russell War in Tokyo.