NHK WORLD RADIO JAPAN - English News at 03:00 (JST), October 22

Akita Prefecture Flood Alert at Highest Level; Inundation Confirmed in Yurihonjo City

Flooding in the Kogashigawa river basin in Akita Prefecture has prompted the Japan Meteorological Agency to issue a Level 5 Flood Emergency Alert — the highest possible warning — for the area. Inundation has already been confirmed in Yurihonjo City, where rainfall totaled approximately 130 millimeters over the 24 hours to 8 p.m. Heavy rain is forecast to continue through Thursday, with ongoing risks of flooding and landslides.

At a press conference, JMA officials warned: "Flooding has already occurred and lives are at risk. Please follow evacuation orders and ensure your safety. As it is nighttime, pay close attention to conditions around you." Meteorological experts advised residents to move away from slopes in the event of a landslide and to move to upper floors if their area is flooded. People were also urged to avoid approaching drainage channels, carry emergency supplies, and move to a safe location.

US Stance on Ukraine Aid and Russia's Calculations

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a 45-minute phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after Zelensky publicly criticized the Pentagon for delays in delivering Patriot interceptor missiles. Rubio stated there is "no political directive to deliberately harm Ukraine," but acknowledged that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has not yet approved the weapons deliveries. On the failure to issue advance warnings before Russia's wave of attacks in the early hours of Monday, Rubio denied US involvement, calling it "a technical issue, not a US directive."

Zelensky also met with US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and strongly called for a trilateral summit among the United States, Russia, and Ukraine. Norwegian Prime Minister Støre and Finnish President Stubb were also present, with talks covering Ukraine's security and territorial issues. Witkoff is expected to visit St. Petersburg as early as Wednesday to meet with Russian leadership. President Trump has pressed Zelensky, saying, "Russia wants a deal. Zelensky should also show the will to end this war."

Fyodor Lukianov (フョードル・ルキヤノフ), a prominent Russian foreign policy analyst and Kremlin adviser, told NHK that Putin views his party's landslide victory in last month's parliamentary elections as public endorsement to continue military operations and will further harden his confrontational stance. On ultimate objectives, Lukianov said the goals may shift with battlefield developments, but stressed that full control of the Donbas is an absolute, non-negotiable condition — "the Supreme Commander himself may not know the precise endpoint; goals change as the battlefield changes" — while making clear there will be no compromise on the Donbas. He also said Putin views the Trump administration as an "indispensable partner" in negotiations. Russia has been deploying large numbers of new jet-propelled drones against Kyiv and other targets, and Putin himself has visited production facilities, signaling plans to increase output.

Three National Anthem Errors at Aichi-Nagoya Asian Para Games

Three national anthem errors occurred at the ongoing Asian Para Games in Aichi and Nagoya. At the medal ceremony for men's para-taekwondo 58 kg, Iran's national anthem was played for Taiwan's gold medallist. In the women's 52 kg event, Iran's anthem was played again — this time for Mongolia. Before the women's sitting volleyball match between China and Iran, South Korea's national anthem played for approximately five seconds in place of China's. Nagoya Mayor Hirozawa Ichiro (広沢一郎), vice-president of the organizing committee, issued an apology. The errors follow a similar incident at the recently held Asian Games, where North Korea's anthem was mistakenly played instead of South Korea's during men's hockey, raising questions about the effectiveness of measures to prevent recurrence.

Quad Summit to Be Held in the Philippines Next Month; Protests Over Indonesia Wildfires

Secretary of State Rubio announced that the Quad summit — bringing together the United States, India, Australia, and Japan — will be held in Manila next month on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit. It will be the first Quad leaders' meeting of Trump's second term. The original plan had been to hold the summit in India, but deteriorating US-India relations over India's continued purchases of Russian oil led to a change of venue. Rubio met Indian Foreign Minister Jaishankar in Mumbai, describing India as "the world's most populous democracy and an important partner," and expressed eagerness for energy cooperation and an early trade agreement. Additional US tariffs on India were raised to 50 percent last August but have since been lowered to 18 percent, with negotiations continuing.

In Indonesia, protests erupted across the country on Tuesday — the second anniversary of President Prabowo's inauguration — demanding stronger government action against months of severe wildfires. More than 280,000 respiratory infection cases have been reported over the past two months, and over 2,600 domestic flights have been cancelled.

Jaipur Veterinarian Provides Prosthetic Limbs to Cows Free of Charge

Dr. Tapish Mathur (タピシュ・マトゥール), a veterinarian in Jaipur, Rajasthan, has spent more than a decade making prosthetic limbs for cattle — most of them injured in traffic accidents. He learned the craft at a local prosthetics center and funds the approximately $50 cost of each limb through his own money and donations, providing them to farmers at no charge. He has made more than 600 limbs to date and receives orders from across India and abroad. When contacted by a farmer, he travels to the site to take a mold of the animal's leg, then crafts a precise plaster cast at his workshop. Even a one-millimeter deviation can cause misalignment, so the work demands exceptional skill. "The joy of seeing an animal stand and walk on its own legs is beyond words," Dr. Mathur says.