NHK WORLD RADIO JAPAN - English News at 04:30 (JST), October 25

Paris Suburb Shooting: One Dead, Five Wounded; Suspect Arrested

On Friday, a 39-year-old man opened fire indiscriminately from a moving vehicle in a residential neighborhood on the outskirts of Paris. According to AFP, one person was killed and five others were injured. The victims included a 12-year-old girl and residents of African descent. Authorities have arrested the suspect and are investigating whether the attack was motivated by racial or religious hatred and whether the perpetrator had any links to terrorist organizations. President Emmanuel Macron issued a statement on social media saying the nation stands with the victims, their families, and the people of the affected community.

Kim Jong Un Visits China via New Yalu River Bridge, Meets Premier Li Qiang

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (金正恩) visited Dandong, Liaoning Province, China on Saturday, according to multiple South Korean media outlets. He is reported to have crossed into China via the New Yalu River Bridge — which opened just last week — and was expected to return home the same day after meeting with Premier Li Qiang. It is Kim's first visit to China since he attended a military parade in Beijing in September last year and held a summit with President Xi Jinping. One stated purpose of the trip is to attend commemorations on Sunday marking the 76th anniversary of China's entry into the Korean War. Experts also note that the visit is intended to display the traditional bonds of China-DPRK friendship ahead of President Trump's planned trip to China for the APEC summit in November.

Magnitude-7.0 Earthquake Hits Tibet; 16 Killed, Over 12,000 Evacuated

A magnitude-7.0 earthquake struck Nagqu, Tibet Autonomous Region, at around 10:33 p.m. local time on Thursday night. The epicenter was 10 kilometers deep. Sixteen people were killed and 76 injured in the affected area, which sits at an elevation of approximately 4,800 meters above sea level. More than 12,000 residents were forced to evacuate and hundreds of buildings collapsed. President Xi Jinping ordered an all-out search and rescue operation. Tibet was also hit by a magnitude-6.8 earthquake in January last year, which killed more than 120 people.

Akita University Team Unveils Geothermal Heating and Cooling System in Tajikistan

As part of a project Akita University's research team has been developing since 2021, a geothermal heating and cooling system was installed this month at the National Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan. At a depth of roughly 100 meters underground, ground temperature remains stable at around 15 degrees Celsius year-round; the system uses that temperature differential for heating in winter and cooling in summer. Tajikistan currently relies on coal for winter heating, and researchers hope the installation will help reduce CO2 emissions. A demonstration for government officials was held on Friday, and installation at a hospital on the outskirts of the capital is also being planned. One researcher noted that if Tajikistan's citizens can learn to build these systems themselves, it will also create jobs.

Japan–Peru and Japan–Chile Summits Planned Alongside APEC

The Japanese government and Peru are coordinating a summit between Prime Minister Takaichi and President Fujimori. President Fujimori is expected to visit Japan after attending the APEC Leaders' Summit in China in mid-November; the two leaders plan to exchange views on stable energy supply and economic security. Fujimori, the eldest daughter of former President Alberto Fujimori — who died in 2024 — took office in July of this year, and the visit would be her first to Japan since assuming the presidency. Among Latin American nations, Peru has the longest diplomatic relationship with Japan, and Tokyo regards it as a strategic partner. Separately, arrangements are also underway for Chilean President José Antonio Kast to hold talks with Prime Minister Takaichi around the same period.

GMO Internet Hit by Massive Cyberattack, Urges Government to Deploy Active Cyber Defense

GMO Internet Group announced on Saturday that it had suffered a large-scale cyberattack and called on the government to deploy its active cyber defense capabilities. The company's cloud servers were targeted, and it was confirmed that foreign exchange transactions and other operations had been carried out without customers' knowledge. The company described the attack method as "extremely malicious and unprecedented" and argued that private firms are reaching the limits of what they can do alone against sophisticated criminal groups operating internationally. Active cyber defense refers to a strategy allowing police and the Self-Defense Forces to identify and neutralize attack sources; the relevant legislation came into force just this month.

Tropical Depression Champie Approaches Western Japan; Heavy Rain Expected Through Tuesday

Tropical Depression Champie is forecast to change course eastward on Sunday afternoon and approach western Japan. As of late Sunday night it was moving northward at 20 kilometers per hour over waters north of Okinawa Prefecture's Sakishima Islands, with maximum sustained winds of 90 km/h and gusts of up to 126 km/h. Rainfall totals could reach 100 millimeters over the 24 hours through Sunday evening. Power outages and water supply disruptions have already occurred on Haterumajima. A stationary front near the Japanese mainland is expected to intensify as the depression approaches, bringing heavy rain accompanied by thunder across wide areas of western and eastern Japan through Tuesday. Champie had already made a direct hit on Taiwan, killing one person and injuring more than 600 while forcing school closures in Taipei and other areas.