In-depth News Features | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News

A fresh-faced, attractive young woman promotes a Japanese green tea that promises longevity and good health. The tea is real, but the model holding the bottle is not.

She was produced by generative artificial intelligence for a TV commercial in a trend that has Japanese artists worried about their livelihoods.

In the aftermath of World War Two, Soviet Union forces rounded up 570,000 Japanese soldiers and put them to work in concentration camps. They also captured an unknown number of Japanese civilians, among them Ahiko Tetsuro, a teenager at the time. He was eventually released, but due to a government designation, he couldn't go back to his homeland.

When he died in 2020, aged 89, he was the last Japanese person still living in Kazakhstan out of the many who were sent to toil in Soviet gulags. A new movie tells the story of his struggle.

Renting in London has never been more expensive. Soaring costs and a supply shortage means hundreds of thousands of people find themselves without a permanent roof over their heads. According to UK real estate company Rightmove, since 2020 rents have increased by 12.1 percent to an average of around £2,600 (US$3,200) per month. People on low and middle incomes are struggling, and for the unemployed, the situation is untenable.

As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes an ever more common feature of people's lives, governments are now discussing the technology as both an opportunity and a concern. The world's first AI Safety Summit, hosted by Britain in November, started a global conversation on how AI could be developed safely.

Japanese doctor Kuwayama Norihiko has long supported children in the Gaza Strip through his NPO, Frontline. He's now doubling his efforts to provide vital psychological care in light of Israel's relentless attacks.

The biggest question entering the New Year's Tournament was whether sumo’s alpha warrior would be able to battle back after sitting out three previous competitions with injuries. The winner of the previous tournament was set on toppling him and becoming king of the mountain himself. The first tournament of 2024 proved to be a competition for the ages, with possession of the Emperor’s Cup not decided until the final moment.

Sales figures suggest the swing to electric vehicles that is spreading across the globe has left Japan behind. Chinese EV maker BYD is hoping to change this, with new strategies for cars, dealerships, and personal service.

Japanese pianist Sumino Hayato left his native country where he had a successful career in search of his next step.

An alliance of human rights organizations is using open-source information to investigate alleged war crimes by Russia in Ukraine. Russian forces are suspected of having committed more than 48,290 atrocities, many of them attacks on civilians. Just a handful of cases have led to convictions so far. Prosecuting more will be a long and complicated process.

A group of dedicated supporters gathered in Tokyo last month at a concert to raise money and awareness for the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Myanmar. Three years have passed since a military coup brought an abrupt end to the fledgling democracy and caused widescale suffering.

Some people in Myanmar people feel their situation has been forgotten amid the conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine. Organizers of the January 20 Japan fundraiser hoped to address those concerns.