# NHK WORLD RADIO JAPAN - English News at 03:00 (JST), October 02

- Show: English News - NHK WORLD RADIO JAPAN
- Published: 2026-10-02
- Canonical: https://podc.club/en/episode/141016660_ea08b167f9fa.html
- Audio: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20261002030000_english_1.mp3
- Source: Edited from a machine transcript of the first 30 minutes of the episode. Not an official summary.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the creation of "Project Meridian," a military research initiative with Elon Musk as co-director, alongside a new Autonomous Warfare Command built around AI-guided drone operations. Back in Japan, a revised labor law that took effect October 1 now requires companies to protect employees from customer harassment, and Tokyo's Shinjuku ward unveiled plans to significantly tighten its short-term rental regulations.

## What this episode answers

### What role did US Defense Secretary Hegseth give Elon Musk?

Hegseth named Musk co-director of "Project Meridian," a study tasked with identifying the capabilities needed to maintain US military technological superiority, with completion required within 120 days of the project's establishment.

### What energy investments in the United States did South Korea commit to, and where do the two sides' accounts differ?

President Trump announced South Korean investment in Alaska's LNG pipeline, a gas-fired power plant in Texas, and eight nuclear reactors in the United States, but South Korea's government said the Alaska pipeline is "still under consideration and no final decision has been reached," a discrepancy South Korean media also noted.

### What did a Japanese lawyers' group demand in relation to the ICC sanctions?

The group collected roughly 174,600 online signatures and submitted a petition to Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Ozaki Masanao, urging the government to explicitly oppose the US sanctions and hold concrete talks aimed at reversing them, including the unfreezing of assets belonging to ICC President Akane Tomoko.

### What obligations does the customer harassment law that took effect October 1 place on companies?

Companies must publish a customer harassment policy, establish a consultation desk, ensure affected employees are not left to handle incidents alone, and provide psychological care; failure to comply may result in public disclosure of the company's name.

### What are the details of Shinjuku ward's planned short-term rental restrictions, and how will they affect operators?

Shinjuku ward plans to cut the maximum annual operating days from 180 to 120 and ban operations near residential areas and schools; more than half of the ward's roughly 4,000 properties — the most of any ward in Japan — could be forced to close, and at least one operator is weighing price increases or a shift to multi-week short-term leases.

## Article

## US Defense Secretary Announces Military Research with Musk and a New Autonomous Warfare Command

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that entrepreneur Elon Musk will co-lead a government study on "future warfare." The research team will examine the requirements needed to secure US military superiority. Hegseth simultaneously announced the creation of an "Autonomous Warfare Command" to conduct operations using drones and artificial intelligence, calling AI-guided drone warfare "the greatest battlefield revolution in a generation."

"Project Meridian" is designed to identify the capabilities necessary to maintain technological advantage. Musk and the founders of several US defense-technology startups will serve as co-directors, and the project is required to be completed within 120 days of its establishment.

## Gap in Perceptions Over South Korea's US Energy Investments

President Trump announced that South Korea would invest in Alaska's LNG pipeline, a gas-fired power plant in Texas, and eight nuclear reactors within the United States — describing it as the first installment of a $350 billion investment package agreed upon last year when Washington reduced additional tariffs on South Korea to 15 percent. South Korea's government, however, described the Alaska pipeline project as "still under consideration, with no final decision reached," and South Korean media flagged the divergence in the two sides' accounts.

## Japanese Lawyers' Group Petitions Over ICC Sanctions

Sanctions imposed by the Trump administration in August targeted ICC leadership, including ICC President Akane Tomoko, a Japanese national, and included the freezing of US-held assets. A Japanese lawyers' group collected approximately 174,600 online signatures and submitted a petition to Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Ozaki Masanao (尾崎正直), calling on the Japanese government to explicitly oppose the sanctions and open concrete talks aimed at having them reversed. Ozaki responded that "Japan has consistently supported the ICC and believes the rule of law is important," and pledged that the government would deal with the matter sincerely.

## Customer Harassment Protections Now Mandatory for Companies

A revised Comprehensive Labor Policy Promotion Act took effect October 1, obligating companies to take concrete steps to protect employees from harassment by customers and business partners. "Customer harassment" is defined as conduct that exceeds social norms, covering demands unrelated to a product or service, forcing employees to grovel, and intimidation through shouting. Under the law, companies must publish a formal policy, set up a consultation desk, ensure affected employees are never left to handle an incident alone, and offer psychological care. Companies that fail to comply may be publicly named as violators.

The article cited recent specific cases, including a customer forcing an inn employee to grovel at a ryokan in Nasu-Shiobara city, and a passenger shouting at bus operators in Nagoya. Professor Kiryu Masayuki (桐生正幸) of Toyo University emphasized the importance of building a coherent guideline framework and fostering cross-industry cooperation.

## Shinjuku's Tighter Short-Term Rental Rules Could Shutter More Than Half of Properties

Tokyo's Shinjuku ward — home to the largest number of short-term rental properties in Japan — has announced plans to tighten its regulations. The ward intends to cut the maximum annual operating days from 180 to 120 and prohibit operations in residential areas and near schools. More than half of the ward's roughly 4,000 properties could be forced to shut down.

Okubo Satoshi (大久保聡), who has run three short-term rentals in the ward for ten years with rates starting at ¥8,000 (about $50) per night, said he would consider raising prices or switching to multi-week or multi-month short-term leases if the rules become stricter. In neighboring Toshima ward (Ikebukuro), complaints have mounted about facilities operating as guesthouses without registering as short-term rentals, raising concerns about regulatory loopholes. Experts cautioned that stricter rules alone will not resolve the underlying problems. With Japan aiming to attract 60 million annual visitors by 2030, striking a balance between tourism and the daily lives of local residents remains a pressing challenge.

## Takeaways

- Defense Secretary Hegseth named Elon Musk co-director of the new "Project Meridian" military research initiative and announced the creation of an Autonomous Warfare Command centered on AI-guided drone operations.
- A revised labor law that took effect October 1 now legally obliges Japanese companies to protect employees from customer harassment, with non-compliant firms facing public disclosure of their name.
- Shinjuku ward's plan to cut short-term rental operating days from 180 to 120 per year and ban properties near homes and schools could force more than half of its roughly 4,000 listings — the most in Japan — to close.