Today's Close-Up

Generative Artificial Intelligence has begun impacting many aspects of our lives today. We can see content created by AI in advertising on the street, TV commercials, movies and more. While AI can create high-quality content that would pass for real, there are growing concerns about copyright. Voice actors, for example, are alarmed by videos on social media featuring their voices on songs they have never sung. How can we tackle such challenges, and will society be able to keep up with the technology as it grows and evolves?

Guests:
Anno Takahiro (Sci-fi writer / creator)
Fukui Kensaku (Lawyer, Japan / New York State, USA)

The Asaichi morning market in Ishikawa Prefecture's Wajima City was a bustling social and economic hub where roughly 200 businesses sold fresh seafood and locally produced crafts. Now the street lies in ruins, decimated by an inferno triggered by the New Year's Day earthquake. For locals and business owners, the loss has been incalculable. Although some have vowed to stay put in Wajima, many have been forced to evacuate to other parts of the prefecture, or even further afield. NHK spent a month with some of these residents, chronicling their struggles, and capturing their fears and hopes for the future of their home.

Guest: 
Tamba Fuminori (Professor, Ritsumeikan University)

Five-star luxury hotels have long been somewhat of a rarity in Japan. But more are popping up around the country as foreign-based operators look to cash in on a tourism boom. Japan's government is fully on board and aims to more than double the number of foreign visitors to 60 million by 2030. But the surge in tourism is causing side effects for domestic travelers and local communities. We speak to an expert about what can be done to ensure the hotel gold rush doesn't just benefit the affluent but also contributes to a brighter future in Japan.

Guest:
Sawayanagi Tomohiko (Specially Appointed Professor, Rikkyo University)

The Japanese stock market is enjoying a historical surge. On February 20, the Nikkei Stock Average edged up to just 92 points short of the all-time high, recorded on the last trading day of 1989. Is this a bubble or a valuation correction? We look at a range of factors with expert analysis to see what's really going on and why ordinary people are not necessarily feeling the benefit.

Guests:
Itami Hiroyuki (Professor Emeritus, Hitotsubashi University)
Kumagai Mitsumaru (Deputy Chairman, Daiwa Institute of Research)