(upbeat music) - Hello and welcome to NHK world Japan preview 2022.

I'm Gil Lasakowa, and I'm joined by my co-host, Hiro Morita from Japan.

Tonight we'll take a look at some of the most popular shows on NHK world and what exciting programs you'll see next.

We even have some interviews with some of the stars of your favorite shows.

First, I'd like to introduce my co-host Hiro Morita, host of various sumo programs and an anchor of NHK world newsline.

Hiro, thank you so much for joining us.

- It's great to be here, Gil, and thanks for having me.

- The first show we'll preview tonight is Dining With The Chef.

It's a fan favorite.

I love the show.

But Hiro, what can you tell viewers about with the chef?

- Chef Rika Yukimasa and comedian Patrick Harlan from Colorado present their unique approaches to cooking delicious Japanese food.

You can learn how to make delicious dishes, from traditional to creative.

- Let's take a look at a clip from the show, and afterwards we have a quick interview with chef Rika and Patrick Harlan.

- Today we're making a hamburger with teriyaki chicken sandwiched between pan fried rice buns, chef Rika's original rice burger lunch plate.

- We're gonna start cooking Teriyaki chicken that goes inside the buns - Cut open the thick parts of the chicken to achieve a uniform thickness, and so it cooks evenly.

- And sprinkle a bit of oil.

Now I'm gonna place this from the chicken skin side.

- Skin side down.

(chicken sizzling) - And then turn the heat to low.

- Six minutes or seven minutes a side?

- Yes.

- Okay.

- You prepare this lid.

- Right?

- And have it like you push a little bit so the skin is completely on the surface of the pan.

- Here's our chef's tip.

Weighing the chicken down with the lid, slightly smaller than the frying pan, allows steam to release.

It makes the skin nice and crispy.

Cook over low heat for six minutes.

- The skin is cooked like this.

- Nice.

- Yes, very crispy.

- I love this part.

- Turn the chicken over and use paper towels to remove the rendered fat.

This makes the chicken healthier.

In the meantime, prepare the teriyaki sauce.

It uses equal parts sugar, soy sauce, sake, and mirin, an easy way to achieve authentic Japanese flavor.

- And pour this sauce.

- Oh, you poured it under the chicken, interesting.

- Reduce the teriyaki sauce over high heat and glaze the chicken.

Once the chicken is fully coated with the thickened sauce, remove and cut into one centimeter thick slices.

Return the chicken to the pan to glaze thoroughly.

Now the teriyaki chicken is ready.

- Now for the rice buns.

What are rice buns?

- Yeah, rice buns.

We're making sort of like yaki onigiri.

- Ah, which is sort of a sauteed onigiri rice ball.

- Here's our chef's tip.

Japanese packaged cooked rice is often available in supermarkets.

It's important to use Japanese sticky rice, if possible, to keep the buns from falling apart.

Rika is using a pack that is red to eat after microwaving at 500 watts for two minutes.

- Is this... - So what I do is, you know, it's very important to not to press the rice.

You just wanna form gently.

- And that's sesame oil, right?

- It's sesame oil.

- Well, first heat the pan over medium heat.

And then turn off to the low heat.

- Here's our chef's tip.

The key to making good yaki onigiri lies in controlling the heat.

Preheat the frying pan over medium heat, then reduce to low to make yaki onigiri that are crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside.

After cooking over low heat for four minutes, turn over and cook for three more minutes.

- Oh, and look, the outside is getting crispy.

- Okay, let's make the sauce.

- All right.

- Soy sauce.

- Okay.

- Drip sugar.

- Okay, just a pinch.

- That's it.

- Now I see we have a brush here.

In Japanese, we call this a hake, right?

Which is a little bit different from a brush, for some reason.

- If you don't have a brush, use a paper towel to coat the surface with the soy glaze sauce.

Applying the glaze after the surface is crisp keeps the onigiri from crumbling because the glaze doesn't seep in.

It also acts as a binding agent to hold the rice together.

Cook both sides of the rice buns before applying the glaze.

Spread on mayonnaise, add lettuce, and top with teriyaki chicken, then cover with another rice bun.

- Look at that.

A quick and easy teriyaki chicken burger with rice buns.

It's like a teriyaki rice bowl, but with the buns hardened so that they give you more fun texture to chew on.

And it has this wonderful sweetness of the meat and the sauce, but also the aromatic chicken skin.

And it all tastes so good on rice.

It's amazing.

- A delicious and unique meal awaits you.

Why not impress everyone?

- I am joined here today by chef Rika Yukimasa, and her co-host Patrick Harlan from Dining With The Chef on NHK world.

Can you both introduce yourself for us?

Rika, we'll start with you.

- I was actually living in the state for about four and a half years when I was between 18 to 22 to 23.

And I enjoyed living in America, now back to Tokyo and start cooking show.

- I actually grew up in Colorado, went to Rampart high school, go Rams!

And then went to Harvard university, got a degree in comparative religion.

And as all promising young Harvard grads do, I moved to Japan to become a comedian.

- Patrick, how did you get involved with chef Rika?

- Well, I was a comedian, an actor, sort of a multi talent as they call us here in Japan, and NHK called me up, said that we have a show called Dining With The Chef.

We have the chef already.

Would you mind doing the dining part?

(all chuckling) I love dining.

- Yes, yes, I'm a bit of a foodie myself.

So Rika, how about you?

What did you feel when you first met Patrick?

- Well, I thought he speaks better Japanese than I do.

- Not true.

- Yes, yes.

And he's, well, not only he knows about Japanese language, but I think he's a very, he's a connoisseur of Japanese culture and he loves to eat.

So not only he is a good diner, but he had become a great chef too.

- Aw, you're very kind.

- That's good to know.

So Patrick, what is it about Rika's cooking style that is unique?

- Well, when we think about Japanese cuisine, we think of sort of fine cuisine with really specific directions and steps that you must follow to a T or you'll destroy the whole thing.

At least that was my image.

Rika's cooking is super easy.

And during the process, she often makes mistakes.

- True, point taken.

- But she says, it's fine.

Just flip it over.

You can't see it.

Or just wait, it'll turn out fine in the end, and it does.

She makes all these exquisite Japanese dishes easy and fun.

In our show, I think if you watch it in English, you'll sort of be motivated to try things which you might have not have done with other shows.

You might have watched a show and said, wow, that's amazing.

I wanna go to that restaurant.

With our show you say, wow, that's really cool.

I'm gonna give it a shot.

That's Rika's magic.

- What do you think are important things in cooking Japanese food?

- Well, when it comes to Japanese food, everybody thinks it's very expensive and it's the kind of culinary you enjoy only at the restaurant.

But what I think it's important, is bring, kind of like bring back your memory at the restaurant and cook close, whatever close to that taste in your kitchen.

So first I only ask for the ingredients that's accessible at your local market or grocery store nearby, and I'll reduce the amount of process you have to be involved.

Then it, you know, everything becomes easier and you can dine, you can have your own Japanese restaurant at home.

- Rika, what would you say to American cooks out there at home about trying a cuisine that may not be familiar to them?

- I think first it's an enjoyable experiment just for the taste reasons, but I think that expands your experience to learn about different culture.

And behind food, you have different philosophy or different ideas.

And when you get access to those diversities of culture, I think your life gets more in-depth.

So it's not only about food.

It's about what's behind food.

- I would say that one of the things you can learn from our show is how to treat food with respect and a little extra attention.

And even if you're not making Japanese cuisine, those initial one or two extra steps will make your other cuisine so much better.

For example, here in Japan we have something called salt massage where you put salt on your hands and rub the meat.

Simple, kind of fun, kind of textual.

But if you do this to, for example, your Christmas Turkey or your roast chicken before you make it, it turns out so much better.

It's a Japanese trick which improves American food.

Just give it a shot to expand your horizons.

- Now Rika, what is a great Japanese dish to start out with?

- I think since, you know, fried chicken is very popular in America.

I want you to try my karage, which is a Japanese version of fried chicken.

It's not really heavily battered.

It's kind of crispy and healthier because you will intake less oil.

And so I think that is something that I've served before.

I've served various things, sushi and others, but karage has been one of the most popular dishes.

- That's good to know.

I've made karage and an air fryer just to keep it as grease-free as possible.

Patrick, how about you?

- Well, I love karage.

Even in the air fryer, in your oven toaster, whatever's good.

Also suage, which you just fry things with no batter at all, which is, it's like cheating, it's not even cooking.

But if I were gonna start out, I would probably give everyone my, or her teriyaki recipe.

It's just one equal portion of the traditional Japanese seasonings.

It takes about 10 minutes and you cannot go wrong.

I've made this while I'm like cooking five other things and writing on the computer and answering the phone and not paying any attention to the chicken.

And it just grows up into this beautiful, delicious dish on its own.

It's like children.

I don't pay any attention to them either.

(host laughing) - You're making me hungry, but Rika, what are some of the basics if you want to learn about and cook Japanese cuisine?

- I think the basics is just, as you mentioned, I always say three S and M. You have to know the specific ingredients we use for Japanese food, which is soy sauce, sugar, sake, mirin, three S and M. - It's not that S and M by the way.

- It's not that expensive.

And the reason I'm involving, I'm including sugar into this main important ingredients is, in Japan we don't eat big dessert after the meal.

We normally have a little portion of fruit.

By adding a little bit of sugar into your cooking, your brain, somehow it will be satisfied with and then get happier and you don't need cheesecake nor apple pie ala mode.

- Well, I don't know.

I might still need that cheesecake or ice cream, but how about you, Patrick?

- Well, it's interesting because if you want to pursue Japanese cuisine, there are a whole bunch of guidelines and rules and sort of mnemonic devices, which are great.

The three S and one M, which Rika hadn't just mentioned, is one way to remember it.

But there's also like the five preparation techniques, which are frying, steaming, baking, grilling.

And the last one is raw.

That's not a technique, you just put the food on the plate.

But there's also like the five colors.

So you can try to get red, yellow, green, black, and white on your plate to make it beautiful and more nutritious.

And there's also like the sashi suse so of seasonings.

There are all these different rules that you can remember if you want.

But for me, the very basic approach, the sheel momi.

Just do the whole massage.

It changes everything.

- Rika, what are some of the traditions in the Japanese culture surrounding the cuisine?

- Well, one of the unique traditions of Japanese culinary cuisine is we use different plates, different shapes, different sizes.

And we don't only have big like plate and smaller one.

And then even petite one, we would have, for example during winter time, we serve this small fish on this plate and it's deep green.

And then if we want to serve something during summer, we prepare this white plate.

So you have to change the plate according to the season.

- Right, thank you both, chef Rika and Patrick, for sharing your insights with our audience.

And I will continue to watch you on NHK world.

- Thank you so much.

- Thank you.

Thank you.

- See you someday at Sakura square, I guess.

- Yes.

- All right, that was Dining With The Chef and an interview with Rika and Patrick.

Always great to see them.

All right, our next feature is Cycle Around Japan.

Gil, what can you tell us about this show?

- You know, I'm not an avid cyclist, I admit.

So the first time I watched this show, I was surprised that the show is more about featuring cultural stories of Japan than the cycling itself.

Let's take a look at one of those stories now.

- Riding west from Iwatsky has brought Michael to the old town of Kawagoe.

(gentle music) - Hello.

Ah, look at that.

- Kawagoe has had a wooden clock tower since the 17th century.

The present one was rebuilt after a fire in the 1890s.

In the part of town called coito or little ado many traditional old buildings remain, including a large number of candy shops.

- Wow.

Wow, all kinds of sweets.

Oh, ah, this is the place I was looking for.

- This candy store has been making sweets since 1796.

(gentle cultural music) The most famous local specialty is known as sakuama candy.

- Wow, look at all these faces.

Then you can see the eyes and the nose and the mouth, very detailed.

(men speaking Japanese) - Suzuki Masatoshi is the eighth generation owner of this store.

- Okay, not a cycling cap, but it's a candy making cap.

(man speaking Japanese) - Suzuki will demonstrate his time honored techniques for making candy.

(men speaking Japanese) He keeps stirring the mixture of sugar, starch syrup, and water to prevent it scorching as the moisture boils away to leave solid candy.

(men speaking Japanese excitedly) - He has just 30 minutes before the candy becomes too hard to shape.

This work calls for both speed and strength.

Now he's building up the design.

There's still no way to see what it will be at this stage.

(men speaking Japanese) - Here we see the highest skill of the artisan as he rolls the candy thin while preserving the design inside.

It's a snowman!

A century ago, there were 70 candy makers here, but after the 1950s, many went out of business.

In the postwar economic boom, mass produced sweets wiped out demand for traditional candy.

Suzuki chose a company job in Tokyo rather than take over the family business.

When his grandfather died, however, he decided to return to Kawagoe.

(man speaking Japanese) Today Kashia Yokocho is thriving again as Kawagoe's newest tourist attraction.

- Cycle Around Japan was a dream come true for me, because 30 years ago when I cycled all around Japan by bicycle, I was like, they should make a TV show about this.

This country is so incredible by bicycle.

Somebody should make a TV show about cycling around Japan.

And then 22 years later, they made Cycle Around Japan.

And so I was very honored that they contacted me for the second episode that they did.

And so, so I was like, oh wow!

My dream has finally come true.

They're finally gonna do it.

The episode of Cycle Around Japan, I always learn about ancient culture.

But the one that I learned the most was the Nara episode.

So Nara, Japan, the culture there is so old there, there are lots of things that are 1,300 years old, 'cause that was kind of the peak of the Nara culture and when it really started to take off.

Visiting the Kofu.

So the Kofu are these ancient tombs.

It's kind of like a pyramid, but a Japanese style of pyramid.

And many of them are over a thousand years old.

So those Kofu are really, really interesting, and I learned a lot.

The best starting place from Tokyo a half hour by bullet train is right here.

So I think Odowara is one of the best places to start a bike tour in Japan because it's a half hour from Tokyo and the foot of the national park ocean, incredible ocean views, ocean seafood and Mount Fuji views.

Japanese people have a wonderful, active lifestyle as many Colorado people have a wonderful active lifestyle.

It's not just, it's not just spending one week, one hour a week at the gym.

It's about putting activity into your daily lifestyle.

So one piece of advice is to get a bicycle bag.

So in Japan, they sell these little bicycle bags for like 50 to 100 dollars that you wrap around your bicycle.

Then you can take it on any train.

And so even if you get lost, you can just put your bicycle in a bag and take it on the train and go to wherever you wanted to go or wherever your hotel reservation is.

The other point for cycling in Japan is don't be afraid.

You know, this is I think the safest country in the world.

You know, I've never had anything stolen from me in Japan.

I usually don't lock up my bike, but don't tell anybody that.

And it's just an incredibly safe country.

There are still more secret roads all over Japan, off the beaten path places.

And every time I do the show, you know, I've done more than 20 episodes.

And every time I do the show, I'm always surprised because I've done the whole country by bicycle.

I think I know the whole country, but every single episode, NHK is always able to find someplace I don't know.

And all these people who I didn't know existed.

And these ancient cultural bits that, you know, I wouldn't have discovered if it wasn't for the show.

And so there's so many more places like that all over Japan.

And so while I'm traveling, I keep finding places, oh, we should do this in the show!

We should go here in the show!

'Cause Japan just has so much to offer.

And so we could do the show for another 50 years and not run out of beautiful places to film in Japan.

My friends in Colorado, my friends around the world, welcome to Cycle Around Japan.

And I hope that you can enjoy these travels from my viewpoint.

You know, when I'm riding I don't think of I'm riding.

I think of I'm riding with everyone, you know, looking over my shoulder and experiencing what I'm experiencing.

So please come and join me for all of these adventures around what I think is the most beautiful country in the world.

- Next up is a show I think is so unique and important in our society today.

Hiro, what can you tell us about Zeroing In?

- In Zeroing In, many people are reinventing the way they live and work to stop climate change.

We show grassroots actions for a carbon neutral future in this program.

(exciting music) - Hello there and welcome to Zeroing In, carbon neutral 2050.

I'm Katherine Kobiashi in New York.

The breezes of autumn have blown in, turning trees into quilts of red and orange and gold.

The leaves fall, sweep along the pavement, then swirl upward.

We can't see what propels them, but we too feel its power as they catch the wind.

The host of the talk show climate one, Greg Dalton, usually joins us from San Francisco, but the winds of fate have brought him to us here in New York, welcome Greg.

- It's great to be with you Katherine.

- When we think of renewable energy, we often think of solar power, but we're hearing more and more about the power of wind these days.

Why is that?

- We're hearing more about wind these days 'cause it's entering a new phase of growth.

New wind energy grew 50% globally in 2020 here in the United States.

Wind is 8% of our electricity compared to only two and a half for solar.

So we're hearing more about wind 'cause it's growing, costs are coming down, and the US is entering the offshore wind market, joining Northern Europe and more recently China to use offshore wind and wind in general to decarbonize our global economy.

- And we'll be talking about wind farms a little bit later in the program.

We feel wind every day, but wind power is not something like sunlight that we can gather or collect on our rooftops with panels.

What might encourage some community or business to switch to wind power?

- Well, some companies in some communities are forming community choice aggregation, you know, getting into wind that way.

By and large wind is often accessed by large corporations who can go directly to a company to develop a big wind farm.

Say we want to buy this power for 20 or 30 years, and that that's the way it usually works.

- And in the past 10 years, the US has tripled its wind power generation.

Our partners at NJPBS show us how those projects get financed and how that might change.

- A bird's eye view provides a glimpse of the promise of power.

These blades are the building blocks of Aviator Wind, one of the largest wind farms in Texas.

191 turbines produce enough energy for about 185,000 homes.

People gather to add their names to the project.

Hollis Ferris is one of the 80 landowners who are providing their real estate for a piece of the proceeds.

- Well, I've always enjoyed the wind.

Where my house sits, I get wind coming from this direction and that direction.

I didn't think it'd ever make me any money.

- Ferris makes his living raising cattle and hosting hunts for game.

He won't say how much the turbines will add to his income, but it could reach six figures.

Among those signing the blades, a team from Facebook.

They've promised to buy about 40% of the energy produced.

They want to offset emissions from their data centers nearby.

- We've set a goal that, in 2020, Facebook, 100% of its operations will be supported by renewable energy projects.

And our interest is in making sure those renewable energy projects are in the same region or electrical grid where our consumption happens.

- McDonald's is buying another 40% of the power.

- It is a terrific evolution of our industry, where there are a lot of corporations like McDonald's and Facebook who understand that one of the best ways for them to mitigate their carbon emissions is for them to procure electricity from wind farms like aviator.

- 10 years ago, a similar project producing the same amount of energy would've required two to three times as many turbines.

And blades are 60% bigger.

So each turbine generates more electricity, driving down the price.

Congress introduced a subsidy in 1992 called the production tax credit.

The PTC gives producers uses a tax break during the first 10 years of a project.

Over the past decade, the program has helped push down the wholesale cost of wind energy by about 70%.

Lawmakers keep renewing the incentive, but producers and others fear at some point Congress may pull the plug.

Such projects help support the communities in which they are based.

Schools in this district used to rely on taxes paid by oil and gas companies.

- So this whole facility is brand new?

- All of it is brand new.

- Now, taxes paid by wind projects fund these facilities.

- I don't think anybody here ever even thought about that.

And so I think it's been, you know, a blessing to us.

I think it gives us a school, the facility that we have, and it's good for our kids.

- Over the next 25 years, Aviator Wind is expected to provide tax revenues of more than 30 million dollars.

Texans have relied on fossil fuels for more than a century.

But some look out over these plains and believe their future is in the wind.

- I'm joined now by Katherine Kobiashi from the NHK world show, Zeroing In.

Katherine, thank you for joining us.

- Hi Gil, thanks for having me.

Great to finally meet you.

- Absolutely.

Katherine, can you tell us a bit about your background and why this show is important to you?

- Well, I grew up in Vancouver, Canada, and I visited Tokyo frequently with my family and ended up living and working there as an anchor for NHK world's hourly news program, newsline.

And several years ago, I moved to New York where I recount the day's news from our bureau here and host a series called Zeroing In carbon neutral, 2050, as you just mentioned.

The stories we tell on Zeroing In resonate with me because we focus on actions we can take to reach carbon neutrality and avenues that might lead us to a cleaner future.

So I hear this often, that we've come to believe that only governments and corporations can lead large scale change, but we too can make choices that have a positive impact on climate change.

For example, we can save energy simply by switching from warm water to cold to do our laundry.

You know, it takes a lot of energy to heat water.

So if you do, for example, two loads per week using cold water will save more than seven kilowatts a week.

So really, our choices matter.

And I always hope the stories we share about people making such choices help make our world greener.

- I totally agree.

Talk about why it's important for Zeroing In to tell the stories that you're telling.

- The more we discuss climate change, I feel that the more people become aware, even invested in what's happening on and to our planet.

So climate change really, you know, as we know, affects people around the world.

So we may not see the effects right away, but someone like you or me is facing a drought, a flood, a landslide, and those are not distant dangers.

They affect us too.

You know, we know that our sea levels are rising.

Our oceans are becoming more acidic.

We're losing species every day and that's not some distant prospect.

This is happening now.

And scientists say it's a crisis for the creatures we share this planet with and for us.

And as we know, many of us live along or close to a coastline, some are experiencing what's known as sunny day flooding.

It looks like a nice day, but sea levels are rising at high tide and flooding streets, homes, communities.

We're hearing some residents of Alaska, for example, have seen sea levels rise so high that the water's threatened their neighborhoods and they're having to pick up and find somewhere else to live.

It's just really incredible hearing these stories, and people in Greenland, for example, have seen temperatures in summer rise to levels they couldn't have imagined a few years ago.

20 degrees Celsius, that's more than double the seasonal average, and that released enough water to cover the state of Florida five centimeters deep.

It's just really incredible stuff, and nobody's ready for tides rising that fast.

So leaning into these conversations can be really transformative.

And the stories we tell can inspire individuals in New York, in Tokyo, in wherever you live to make choices that drive change.

- You've been both in Japan and the United States.

You see both countries and their cultures.

What does the discussion around climate change look like in Japan versus the US?

- I've spoken with friends in the US and in Japan about the very real impacts of climate change that they're seeing.

Those in the US are seeing heavier rains, warmer temperatures.

Those in Japan are seeing more violent storms, more powerful typhoons.

These personal discussions are echoed in the stories we tell about warming surface temperatures, coastal flooding, all kinds of extreme weather.

People are looking for solutions.

They're looking to businesses, to organizations, to innovators who are coming up with models that are sustainable, and government officials are starting to take concrete steps to address the crisis.

We've learned that Japanese leaders have promised to go carbon neutral by 2050, and they're putting policies in place toward that goal.

For example, residents will soon have to be more mindful about how they use plastic.

We know that reducing plastic has been shown in other locales to produce changes that are dramatic.

So it's clear the consequences of climate change run deep.

And we're also hearing that white house officials have unveiled policies to overhaul the industrial sector and reduce global warming.

These policies really could help one of the thorniest problems in the drive to carbon zero, how to make steel, concrete, and other industrial products without so much waste.

Now, I didn't know this, but industry is responsible for more than 20% of global emissions.

But the people who lead that sector need to find ways now to limit that damage.

- So what have you learned about what we can do as citizens to help climate change?

It seems so daunting.

- You know, Gil, I think about this all the time.

What can I do?

How can I help?

Well, we learn every day in our work about things we as individuals can do.

Some of the easiest ways we can reduce our carbon footprint are by for example, saving energy at home, taking public transport, and consuming all the food we purchase.

Sounds simple, right?

But about a third, get this, about a third of all food in the US gets wasted.

That's not just when people go out to eat.

Much of that happens at home, really surprising to me, actually.

And it takes energy, right?

To produce food, to transport it, to prepare it for consumption.

That creates emissions.

And when that food is lost, obviously when all those efforts end up in the trash can, that's such a waste for the consumer and for the planet.

- What are some of the most compelling stories that Zeroing In has focused on?

- Well, we produce an episode on how climate change leads to rising seas, to more frequent and severe flooding along the coast, and scientists with the intergovernmental panel on climate change say extreme sea level events used to occur once in 100 years.

But get this, by the end of this century, such events could happen every year.

Three quarters of the world's population lives along the coast.

So I went out to see how some cities are adapting to climate change.

And I spoke to some city officials in Hoboken, New Jersey, which is just across the river from New York.

And they've seen the dangers that come with living along the coast.

So they've built parks, they're really pretty, that act as sponges to absorb all the water they can.

And when there's too much, the water flows into tanks underground.

They're huge tanks.

And these parks, they provide open spaces for the residents, but they also serve as a protection and create a waterfront that is more resilient.

And New Yorkers are also creating their own green spaces that are adaptable.

And they're building parks along their waterways that serve as refuges from the stresses of the city, while at the same time act as barriers against flooding.

And we also told a story, actually, this one was really fun for me as well.

We told the story of a municipal leader in one neighborhood in Tokyo who came up with a system to collect and store rainwater.

Now residents put the runoff to work.

For example, in gardens, in wastewater systems, even in an arena for sumo wrestling.

Gil, you were born in Tokyo.

Have you ever watched sumo wrestling?

- Oh yes.

Oh yes.

My mother still watches sumo.

- Well guess what?

The runoff water is used to flush the toilets there.

- Wow, that's really interesting, actually.

- Yeah, next time you go, if you do, you could think about that.

The system there, like so many solutions we see, has been shared elsewhere, multiplying the benefits.

- Do you have any issues or areas that you think will dominate the discussions around climate change in the next few years?

- Gil, that's really a great question.

We often hear about sustainability, actions we can take to limit the warming of the planet, but you know, more and more we're hearing about environmental regeneration.

The agriculture sector actually is one of the biggest emitters of CO2.

I spoke to a farmer recently who manages to reduce emissions by sequestering carbon in the ground as he grows his produce.

He really cares about the impact of chemical fertilizers, about managing water, about the health of the soil that nurtures the vegetables, the food we eat.

And you may remember the United Nations secretary general, Antonio Guterres.

He says the latest reports on the environment are a code red for humanity.

We really hope that viewers can learn how they can play a part in driving change.

And we hope we can engage them in the conversation about what is happening on the planet we live on.

- Well, thanks for joining us, Katherine.

I have to say, your programming is one of the few that consistently covers this issue and talks about climate.

So thank you so much.

- Thanks so much, Gil.

It was great to be with you.

- You know, it's great to see Katherine Kobiashi because she's a great friend of mine, too.

The team at Zeroing In does a great job following these important stories.

So Gil, what are we going to see next?

- Next I would like to introduce you to NHK world Japan's new program, NHK drama showcase.

I used to watch summer dramas with my mom on NHK, the Japanese programming.

Can you tell us what NHK's dramas look like now?

- Yeah, in fact NHK produces 50 to 60 drama series every year.

And NHK world Japan will present a selected drama series in English to people around the world, and filming is underway for a drama scheduled to be broadcast this summer.

We covered the production site, so let's stop.

- The stage is set for production of a new drama series from NHK.

(man speaking Japanese) The story takes place in Japan, in the near future.

Artificial intelligence selects a 17 year old boy to be the country's leader.

Together with his friends, he struggles to change society for the better.

It's a science fiction meets coming of age tale.

The algorithm found the most suitable person to be prime minister.

A young actor on his way up, Kamao Fuju has the leading role.

Kamao has appeared in numerous TV shows and movies since his debut in 2015.

As for the character... (man speaking Japanese) He says this role is one of the most challenging he's faced.

(man speaking Japanese) A talented cast probes the psychological dimensions of the characters.

The script gives the actors lots to inspire them.

Script writer Yoshi Darako has fans around the world thanks to her work on the anime, Violet Evergarden and Kaon.

The intent this time was to create a new type of drama, one that's infused with anime instincts.

(man speaking Japanese) The English version will be shown this summer on NHK world, Japan.

It's part of NHK drama showcase, a new initiative that brings the best of NHK dramas to a global audience.

(bell ringing) TV dramas made in Japan, from NHK to the world.

Watch what Japan is watching, tales of tradition take shape with people overcoming the challenges of modern life, together.

Immerse yourself in Japan's past, present, and future, on NHK drama showcase.

Kato Taku heads NHK's drama production department.

He's enthusiastic about the outreach.

(man speaking Japanese) - The program featured on NHK drama showcase next month is a dark comedy.

(triumphant music) - How to be likable in a crisis.

(man speaking Japanese) He's a PR person for an elite college.

He evades trouble with an affable smile.

(man speaking Japanese) He finds himself caught in a web of corruption that he can't talk his way out of.

And these guys complicate things.

(people speaking Japanese) - It's a microcosm of modern Japan, starring Matzuzaku Tori, a popular actor, along with respected character actors who deliver this outrageous black comedy.

(upbeat music) (man speaking Japanese) - Kato believes NHK's approach to drama has much to offer.

(man speaking Japanese) - How to be likable in a crisis is a strange title, right?

- Well, if you watch the drama, you will understand what I mean, so I hope you watch it.

The first episode will be aired next month in both subtitled and dubbed versions.

- Next month, you'll be starting a new show as well as a drama, right?

- Yes, and now there's also a show I'm on.

So let's have a look.

(upbeat music) - Hello and welcome to NHK newsline.

- All right, well, I'm going to let you introduce the next segment, as I know you are pretty familiar with it.

- Absolutely.

The next segment that takes a look at Grand Sumo highlights, where I'm a host.

Sumo is Japan's national sport, which boasts a history of 1500 years.

Let's take a look at a segment from the show and the interview with the 69th Yokosina grand champion, Hakuho.

He holds the all time record of winning 45 top division championships.

Grand Sumo is a traditional sport of Japan.

(exciting music) 600 professional rikishe fight it out with power and technique in tournaments held every other month.

- And a good leg trip to break Geoshoma's balance.

- The 42 best wrestlers are in the top division called Machinochi.

They all strive for wins in hopes of claiming the emperor's cup.

Grand Sumo highlights airs all top division belts for 15 days.

English live commentary is delivered by four announcers, including myself.

- On the merry-go-round they go.

Yishiura really in charge there, and with that strong left hand grip.

- Every day, each bout brings a different kind of drama.

(heroic music) Who will claim the emperor's cup?

Don't miss Grand Sumo highlights.

Yokosina grand champion, Hakuho.

(crowd cheering) His speed, techniques, and flexibility overwhelm his rivals.

He broke many of the biggest records in Japanese sumo, a sport with over 1,500 years of history.

(man excitedly speaking Japanese) In Grand Sumo, giants weighing more than 150 kilograms fight one on one.

Who'd have imagined a 62 kilogram Mongolian would become the top grand champion?

Tough traditional training.

His biggest rival standing in front of him.

- Yasashuri putting up a good fight, but Hako wins!

(crowd cheering) - The challenge on immortal record.

(crowd cheering) (announcer speaking distantly) - 60.

- The real face of the king of the ring.

- Grand Sumo!

- Hakuho talks about his love for sumo that made him the greatest of all time.

(man speaking Japanese) - We look back at the highlights of Yokuzuna Hakaho's 20 years of glory.

From NHK world Japan to you.

- I know Grand Sumo is always a favorite, and thank you, Hiro, for giving us such a great peek inside the show.

- Well thank you for having me, Gil.

I had a great time.

And thanks for introducing our wonderful programs to all our viewers.

Please keep watching NHK world Japan, and sayonara.

- Sayonara.

(man speaking Japanese) (gentle music)