NHK WORLD News 🇯🇵

⁣Japan's highest temperatures top 40 for fourth day Japan remains in the grip of brutal heat, with Friday becoming the fourth consecutive day of temperatures in some areas exceeding 40 degrees Celsius. The central cities of Mino in Gifu Prefecture and Kuwana in Mie Prefecture had recorded 40.2 degrees by 2:30 p.m. Four-day periods of temperatures above 40 degrees previously hit in 2013 and 2025. Other cities approached that level Friday, with both Nagoya and Shimanto, Kochi Prefecture observing 39.7 degrees. Kyoto reached 38.8 degrees. Heatstroke alerts have been issued for 32 of the country's 47 prefectures, and the number of cases is surging. Residents of areas with soaring temperatures are urged to use air conditioners, frequently take water and salt, and avoid outdoor activities for long periods. Heavy rain is on the way, as moist air flows into a front and destabilizes atmospheric conditions in Kanto-Koshinetsu and Tohoku. Parts of Niigata Prefecture have already been issued Level 4 Urgent Warning for landslides. That is the second highest level in the Japan Meteorological Agency's scale. Rainfall from noon Friday to noon Saturday is forecast to reach 120 millimeters in Kanto and Niigata Prefecture and 100 millimeters in the Tohoku region, with the possibility of further downpours in Niigata and Tohoku. Weather officials are urging residents to be cautious of flooding, not only in rivers and low-lying areas, but also on roads and in underground facilities, as well as lightning and sudden wind gusts. Read Full Article HERE or click watch clip button if available #Japan,#Weather #More_to_read @NHKworld

⁣India's 'Cockroach' movement leaders hold talks with government Leaders of India's youth-led Cockroach Janta Party say the government has asked them to wait until Saturday for a response to their demands. The group has been calling for the resignation of the education minister. This follows violent clashes with security personnel on Monday. Public anger has been growing since the leak of a national medical exam paper earlier this year. The movement has escalated into the largest pressure campaign against Narendra Modi's administration in recent years. After days of crisis, the prime minister vowed on social media to discuss measures on Friday to expedite legislation to punish those involved in the exam leaks. Meanwhile, prominent activist Sonam Wangchuk says he has ended his 26-day hunger strike demanding education reforms. He says he made the decision following assurances from the government and political parties that the issue will be discussed in parliament. However, protest organizers say they will continue their activities until the education minister resigns. The protest site in New Delhi has drawn huge crowds. People across India have been using delivery apps to send food, water and other supplies in support of the demonstrators. Read Full Article HERE or click watch clip button if available #Asia,#India,#Bangkok_Live #More_to_read @NHKworld

⁣One year on, Thai-Cambodian border remains tense Friday marks one year since major cross-border clashes erupted between Thailand and Cambodia. Both countries agreed on a ceasefire in December, but tensions along the boundary persist. Thailand has continued its construction of fences in the area. The border remains effectively closed. On the Cambodian side, more than 20,000 people remain displaced, while foreign arrivals to Angkor Wat have fallen by more than 30 percent compared to the same period last year. The two countries signed a memorandum in 2001 on joint resource development in areas where maritime boundaries had yet to be determined. However, Thailand decided in May to withdraw from the deal. Cambodia responded by seeking conciliation under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Fighting has left around 100 civilians and soldiers dead on both sides. Read Full Article HERE or click watch clip button if available #Asia,#Security,#Thailand,#Cambodia,#Bangkok_Live #More_to_read @NHKworld

⁣Heavy rain and floods kill over 80 in India, Pakistan, Afghanistan Torrential rains and flooding have inundated India, Pakistan and Afghanistan, with the death toll exceeding 80. In India's northeastern state of Assam, floods have caused widespread damage to farmland and infrastructure. Local media reports say at least 47 people were killed after heavy rains hit the region. An official said another 70 to 80 remained missing on Thursday. Reuters quoted the state's disaster management authority on Wednesday saying heavy rains had impacted more than 650,000 people across 11 districts. In Pakistan, emergency workers in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province have been moving people to safety and recovering vehicles from inundated areas. In Afghanistan, the eastern province of Nuristan was especially hard hit. Disaster management authorities in Pakistan and Afghanistan say floods have killed at least 46 and injured more than 100 people over the past three days. Read Full Article HERE or click watch clip button if available #Asia,#Disasters,#Afghanistan,#Pakistan,#India,#Bangkok_Live #More_to_read @NHKworld

⁣Generative AI use in Japan exceeds 50% for first time A government survey has found that the ratio of people in Japan who have used generative AI programs topped 50 percent for the first time. The internal affairs ministry released this year's white paper on information and communication. The report says 58.8 percent of people in Japan used generative AI services in fiscal 2025 that ended in March. The figure is more than double that of the previous year. The figures are higher among younger people -- at nearly 92 percent for those aged from 15 to 19, and around 78 percent among those in their 20s. But only around 44 percent of people in their 50s and around 34 percent of those in their 60s use the technology. Japan lags behind other countries. The overall average of generative AI use stands at 93.6 percent for China and 75.6 percent for the United States and Germany. Among Japanese firms, roughly 69 percent said they actively use the technology, or use it in limited areas. The figure is up nearly 20 points from the previous fiscal year, but it remains lower than that of China and the US. The survey says many Japanese firms use the technology for creating minutes of meetings or writing emails. But businesses in the US and elsewhere cite research, product development and marketing as the purposes. The ministry says progressive business leaders abroad regard AI not just as a tool for efficiency but as a tool for innovations. The ministry expresses hope that top managers of Japanese companies will change their mindset for adopting AI. Read Full Article HERE or click watch clip button if available #Japan,#World,#Biz_Tech #More_to_read @NHKworld

⁣JR, expressway operator announce congestion forecasts during Bon holidays Operators of Shinkansen bullet trains and expressways have announced their congestion forecasts for the upcoming Bon holidays. Japan Railway companies said on Friday that congestion on Shinkansen trains outbound from Tokyo will likely peak on August 8, and inbound to the capital on August 16. They announced the number of bookings on Shinkansen for the Bon holidays from August 7 to 16, saying about 2.99 million seats, or about 37 percent of all seats available for booking, had been reserved as of Thursday. Expressway operators say traffic jams on outbound lanes are expected to peak on August 8 and August 13, while those on inbound lanes will likely peak on August 14 and 15. Read Full Article HERE or click watch clip button if available #Japan,#Tourism #More_to_read @NHKworld

⁣Ukraine's political crisis continues over dismissal of defense minister Former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has rejected President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's offers for other posts, saying he will not accept any position other than defense minister. Zelenskyy effectively dismissed Fedorov earlier this month. Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Zelenskyy said he offered Fedorov several positions, including deputy prime minister for military innovations. Fedorov turned down the offer in a statement, saying he will not accept any position other than defense minister. He said only Ukraine's president, defense minister and the commander-in-chief of the armed forces can actually shape the course of the war. Protests calling for Fedorov's reinstatement are being held daily in the capital Kyiv. One 32-year-old demonstrator said the positions that Fedorov has been offered are without much leverage. He said he will come and protest until Fedorov returns to his post. Ukrainian political analyst Volodymyr Fesenko said he believes dismissing Fedorov was a serious political mistake by the president. He said whether Ukraine achieves domestic political stabilization, or whether the conflict continues, will largely depend on Fedorov's decisions and future actions. Read Full Article HERE or click watch clip button if available #World,#Security,#War_in_Ukraine #More_to_read @NHKworld

⁣UN leadership candidates discuss reforms as selection process heats up The six candidates vying to become the next secretary-general of the United Nations held a debate on Thursday on reforming the world body and other issues. The candidates include Chile's former President Michelle Bachelet, Ecuador's former Foreign Minister Maria Fernanda Espinosa and International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi. Also in the running are UN Conference on Trade and Development Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan, Guyana's Ambassador to the UN Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, and former Senegalese President Macky Sall. The participants exchanged opinions on the dysfunctional Security Council and UN reforms, which have been facing difficulty due to pressure to cut spending. Delegates from member states, UN staff and others who heard the debate responded to a survey. UN sources say nearly 50 percent chose Rodrigues-Birkett as the candidate who was the most convincing. The Security Council will start closed-door voting from late July to narrow down the list of candidates. Diplomatic maneuvering is expected to intensify over the successor to outgoing Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who will step down at the end of this year after 10 years in office. Read Full Article HERE or click watch clip button if available #World #More_to_read @NHKworld

⁣Spain declares emergency over wildfires Wildfires are spreading in various parts of Europe. Spain has declared a national emergency for areas in and around Madrid. The Spanish interior ministry declared the emergency on Thursday in order to accelerate firefighting efforts. Wildfires have forced the evacuation of more than 10,000 people in the areas. A wildfire that started earlier this month in the country's south has killed 13 people, and another in a central province has devastated about 32,000 hectares since last week. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said in a social media post on Wednesday that so far this year massive wildfires have scorched over 100,000 hectares. Wildfires have also broken out in southwestern France, Italy and elsewhere in Europe. Experts say abundant vegetation growth following heavy spring rainfall has dried out in the summer's extreme heat, creating fuel for rapidly spreading fires. Read Full Article HERE or click watch clip button if available #World,#Europe,#Disasters #More_to_read @NHKworld

⁣Frozen food giant Nichirei: Operations now normal after cyberattack Japanese frozen food giant Nichirei has provided an update following a cyberattack earlier this month. The firm says all affected operations have returned to normal. The cyberattack started disrupting Nichirei's operations on July 13. The company worked with a security firm to tackle the problem. On Friday, Nichirei said all affected warehouse operations and frozen food deliveries have resumed. The situation was resolved relatively quickly compared to some other cyberattacks on Japanese firms. Sources say Nichirei had secure backup data. Beverage giant Asahi Group Holdings took more than four months to restore logistical operations after a cyberattack last year. Major online retailer Askul took about three months to get all e-commerce sites back up and running following a cyberattack, also last year. A hacker group has claimed responsibility for the attack on Nichirei, saying it stole internal data. The company has notified those potentially impacted. Read Full Article HERE or click watch clip button if available #Japan,#Security,#Biz_Tech #More_to_read @NHKworld

⁣India's 'Cockroach' protests show no sign of stopping Young people across India have been protesting against the government for seven weeks. The youth-led "Cockroach" movement sparked by alleged leaks in university entrance exams is showing no sign of stopping. In May, authorities scrapped entrance exam results for medical schools, citing suspected paper leaks. Applicants had to retake the test, triggering protests among young people. Demonstrators clashed on Monday with security forces in the capital New Delhi. About 60 people were injured and 70 protesters detained. The movement has spread to wider areas including Mumbai in the west and Kolkata in the east. The protests are organized by the Cockroach Janta Party, or CJP, which began as a satirical political movement in May when the country's chief justice compared unemployed young people to "cockroaches." Local media reports say the CJP held talks with government representatives on Friday in New Delhi for the first time. The group reportedly conveyed its demands, including the resignation of the education minister. Read Full Article HERE or click watch clip button if available #Asia,#India #More_to_read @NHKworld

⁣Burnham unveils 'No10 North' British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has started working from a new government base in Manchester called "No10 North." It is named after his 10 Downing Street office in London. Burnham said in Manchester on Friday: "Opportunity has not been evenly spread around the country, and not all places have felt that they're part of the national story. And that is what this government is going to work every single day to change." Burnham said "No10 North" is as much for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland as it is for England. The Prime Minister's Office said decisions about Britain's economic future will no longer be made exclusively in Westminster. The new base is about 260 kilometers north of the London office. Burnham is expected to work from there every week, and other ministers will work there on a regular basis. Burnham is a former mayor of Greater Manchester. Read Full Article HERE or click watch clip button if available #World,#Politics #More_to_read @NHKworld

⁣Japan passes bill for creating 'secondary capital' Japan's lawmakers have voted on a plan to ensure the government can still function if a major disaster struck Tokyo. They've passed a bill to establish a "secondary capital" by a slim margin. The legislation is to designate a prefecture as an alternative center for the government's operations if Tokyo were put out of action. The Diet's Upper House approved and enacted the bill on Friday night. Potential prefectures will be assessed on factors including population and economic size. And they will be required to set up special administrative areas like Tokyo's 23 wards. The bill was put to a vote at an Upper House plenary session. It was enacted by a narrow margin: 123 votes in favor, and 121 against. The legislation was backed by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and coalition partner the Japan Innovation Party, as well as Team Mirai and others. It was opposed by the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, the Democratic Party for the People, Komeito, Sanseito, the Japanese Communist Party, Reiwa Shinsengumi, the Social Democratic Party, the Conservative Party of Japan and others. An Upper House special committee also passed a related supplementary resolution for when the law comes into effect. It calls for utmost government arrangements to prevent local elections from overlapping with a referendum on special wards. Read Full Article HERE or click watch clip button if available #Japan,#Politics #highlights @NHKworld

⁣Iranian forces warn US troops in Middle East Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is urging residents near US bases across the Middle East to evacuate for their "own safety." The warning comes after the IRGC accused the US of attacking bridges and railways, saying the strikes caused civilian casualties. The IRGC issued the threat in a statement on Friday. It claims that US troops have, out of fear, left their bases and are operating from buildings in urban areas. It warns people to "stay at least 500 meters away" from the places where the troops are "secretly housed." US President Donald Trump spoke to reporters in Washington on Friday. He said he is still trying to decide whether to launch a large-scale attack on Iran. When asked what would be the tipping point for such a decision, he replied: "Well, I can't tell you that right now. We're talking to them. So you know, maybe there won't be a tipping point and maybe there will. We're ready to go. Look, we're locked and loaded. We're ready to go. But we're talking to them. So maybe there will be. Maybe there won't be a tipping point." He declined to answer questions about targeting Iranian civilian infrastructure. However, he has been threatening Tehran over attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, and he said US forces could strike bridges and power plants if it does not stop. Read Full Article HERE or click watch clip button if available #World,#Donald_Trump,#US,#Iran,#Middle_East #highlights @NHKworld

⁣Dairy farmers in central Japan concerned about impact of heat on their cows Dairy farmers in Fukui Prefecture, central Japan, are struggling to protect their cows from the impact of hot weather. Morikuni Yoshiyuki is a farmer in Fukui City who keeps about 80 Holstein cows. He said the heat wave has caused the temperature in his cowsheds to rise above 30 degrees Celsius on consecutive days. Morikuni noted some of his cows are losing their appetite and showing signs of fatigue. He expressed concern that this could affect milk production. On Friday morning, some cows were seen lying down or drinking water frequently while eating. Morikuni has 13 fans running around the clock and set up equipment to spray mist in a bid to lower the temperature in the sheds as much as possible. He said his electricity bill has nearly doubled due to the measures. He added that if this heat wave continues, milk production will drop. Morikuni noted that while cows suffer most from the heat, farmers are also struggling. Read Full Article HERE or click watch clip button if available #Japan,#Weather #highlights @NHKworld

⁣ICC prosecutor dismissed over alleged sexual misconduct The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Karim Khan, has been dismissed from the post for alleged sexual misconduct. Elected as chief prosecutor of the ICC in 2021, Khan led the requests for arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2023 and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in 2024. Khan was suspended in June over allegations raised in 2024 that he had non-consensual sexual contact with a junior ICC staff member by misusing his position. ICC member states voted to remove him by a majority at a meeting in New York on Friday. A lawyer for Khan told NHK that his dismissal was decided without giving him or his lawyers a chance to speak. He added the decision will be challenged through all available legal means. The move comes as the administration of US President Donald Trump increases pressure on the court over an arrest warrant for Netanyahu, among other issues. It is believed that the ICC needed to respond firmly to the alleged misconduct by Khan in order to restore the trust of the international community. Read Full Article HERE or click watch clip button if available #World,#US #highlights @NHKworld

⁣China FM calls on Russian counterpart not to allow Japan to 'rearm' Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has told his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov that Beijing and Moscow should never allow Japan to "rearm." The ministers met in Kyrgyzstan on Friday on the sidelines of the foreign ministers' meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. The Chinese foreign ministry said Wang called on Lavrov to strengthen strategic coordination, uphold the outcomes of World War Two and never allow Japan to "rearm." According to the ministry's announcement, Lavrov said Russia remains highly vigilant against and firmly opposes what he reportedly called "Japan's accelerated remilitarization and pursuit of nuclear weapons capability." Amid strained bilateral relations, China has used expressions like "remilitarization" and "new militarism" to criticize Japan's efforts to strengthen defense capabilities. Meanwhile, the Russian foreign ministry announced that discussions between the ministers covered relations with the United States and the situation surrounding Ukraine, making no mention of Japan. Read Full Article HERE or click watch clip button if available #World,#Russia,#China #highlights @NHKworld

⁣Taiwan's Kuomintang to cooperate with another opposition party in local polls The leader of Taiwan's largest opposition party, the Kuomintang, has expressed the aim to expand opposition forces by cooperating with another party in local elections in November. Cheng Li-wun spoke at the party's national congress in Taipei on Saturday. The local polls are held every four years. She mentioned her party's plan to coordinate with the second-largest opposition party, the Taiwan People's Party, in fielding candidates for the 22 county magistrates and city mayors. The Kuomintang currently holds 15 of these posts. Cheng noted the need for the opposition bloc to win more seats in the local polls and bring about a change of government in the presidential election in 2028. She told the delegates that they must prove to the whole world that only the Kuomintang can ensure peace in the Taiwan Strait and guarantee Taiwan's security. Her speech reiterated the party's stance to promote peaceful development through dialogue and exchanges with China, which is stepping up pressure on Taiwan's administration of President Lai Ching-te. Read Full Article HERE or click watch clip button if available #Asia,#China,#Taiwan #highlights @NHKworld

⁣Former MLB player Iguchi appointed as Japan team manager The Nippon Professional Baseball Organization has announced the appointment of Iguchi Tadahito as the new manager of Japan's national baseball team. Iguchi played professional baseball both in Japan and the United States. The selection of a successor to former manager Ibata Hirokazu had been underway after the national team was eliminated in the quarterfinals of the World Baseball Classic in March this year. The NPB revealed Iguchi's appointment on Saturday. He is the national team's first manager to have played in Major League Baseball. Iguchi spoke at a news conference in Tokyo about his ambitions for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Iguchi said he wants to lead his team to the top of the world by bringing out the talent of the best players to the fullest extent, and combining Japan's traditions and strength. While at university, Iguchi was a member of the national team at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. The team won a silver medal. Japan has yet to secure a spot for baseball in the Los Angeles Olympics. It will aim to book its berth in upcoming international competitions. Iguchi said he feels the weight of responsibility. He also said that in a short-term competition, individual strength alone is not enough to become number one in the world. He said he is convinced a team in which each member believes in each other, understands their role and fights for the group is a truly strong one. The NPB says it plans for Iguchi to manage the national team through the Los Angeles Olympics. Read Full Article HERE or click watch clip button if available #Japan,#Sports #highlights @NHKworld

⁣Japanese women top life expectancy for 41st straight year Data shows Japanese women in 2025 had the highest average life expectancy among countries that release such data, topping the list for the 41st straight year. Japan's health and welfare ministry says the average lifespan for Japanese women was 87.33 years, up by 0.2 years compared to the previous year. The figure for Japanese men was 81.35 years, up 0.25 years. Japanese men came in seventh place, behind countries such as Sweden, Switzerland and Italy. Compared to 2024, the percentage of deaths caused by cancer, COVID-19 and heart illnesses decreased, while the proportion of deaths from pneumonia and old age rose. Average life expectancies tended to become shorter due to the increase of deaths from the coronavirus. But last year, average lifespans for both men and women surpassed those from the previous year for the first time in two years. The ministry says that, although life expectancy remains below pre-pandemic levels, deaths from COVID-19 declined, and it believes their impact on life expectancy significantly decreased. The ministry says life expectancy for both men and women is among the highest in the world, reflecting the high standard of health and welfare services in Japan. Read Full Article HERE or click watch clip button if available #Japan #highlights @NHKworld