Today's Close-Up - Season 5 / Year 2019

Skillful caregivers can expertly calm even the most difficult dementia patients. But what's their secret? Now, thanks to cutting-edge devices and artificial intelligence, we're getting some answers. A new science-based approach to caregiving is ensuring this expertise is being shared among facilities throughout Japan. It may eventually enable dementia patients to live at home longer and dramatically cut nursing costs.

Fake ads are increasingly prevalent on the Internet. They use unauthorized celebrity images and exaggerated endorsements to prey on consumers. And these days, they can even be found on reputable sites. What's behind the spread? As we try to track down the people responsible, we take a look at the dark side of online advertisements.

It's been more than 2 months since the former Chairman of Nissan and Renault, Carlos Ghosn, was arrested. As the power struggle inside the alliance takes shape, NHK television crews traveled to the Middle East to investigate whether Ghosn really misused a Nissan fund for private purposes.

"We've seen extraordinary change" - that's how the chairman of a leading motor manufacturer expressed the sense of crisis stemming from China's economic slowdown. Major Japanese companies have lowered their sales projections for the current business year. How serious is the situation? We visit a Japanese manufacturer in China to see what's going on.

A social credit system developed by China's biggest online retailer has taken the country by storm. 700 million people have reportedly received a ranking under Alibaba's Sesame Credit system. A higher score doesn't just guarantee better loan conditions, it has social consequences too. Critics warn that government involvement in such systems could herald a shift to a surveillance society. We ask experts about the potential benefits and risks.

Smartphones have become an essential part of everyday life. But overuse is said to lead to the deterioration of some brain functions. What are the symptoms of smartphone-induced brain fatigue? And are there any remedies? Our host, Shinichi Taketa, went on a "digital detox" and shared the results with an expert.

A video posted online by a part-time worker at a major sushi restaurant chain went viral after he was filmed throwing raw fish into the garbage and then putting it back on the cutting board. The company received lots of complaints and criticism and its stock price fell 7.6% at one point. Similar prank videos shot at other restaurants and convenience stores have also appeared online. What's behind the issue? We are joined by 2 experts, one speaking for the business community and the other for part-time workers.

It's been a year since wheelchair-bound genius physicist Stephen Hawking died. He left a parting gift in the form of a book, Brief Answers to the Big Questions. It's getting attention from people around the world. One question Hawking paid particular attention to is whether artificial intelligence will outsmart us. As he put it, "The advent of super-intelligent AI would be either the best or the worst thing ever to happen to humanity." We look back at Hawking's life to explore his thoughts about this and other big questions.

Japan generates 6.46 million tons of food waste a year. This figure is the highest in Asia and sixth in the world. How can we reduce this costly burden? An NHK director tried to survive solely on food waste for three weeks with the help of an app. The experience had interesting results for both his diet and pockets.

More than 70% of people in Japan die in hospital. With the inevitable rise in the death rate in the super-aging society, how can we ensure that people experience a more peaceful death? We hear from Myoyu Tamaoki, a nurse and Buddhist monk. She shares her experiences as a clinical chaplain in Japan and discusses the situation in Taiwan where the "quality of death" is ranked at the top in Asia.

Toxic parents meddle in their children's lives too much, or abuse them verbally or physically. The children lose self-confidence and suffer, even after becoming adults. How can people deal with the legacy of toxic parenting, and how can we avoid becoming such parents? NHK takes a close look at the complicated relationship between parents and children.

According to recent research, half of Japan's workforce is likely to be replaced by AI and robots by 2030. Not even highly-specialized professions like certified accountants and legal document experts are safe. Can we keep our jobs in the AI age? We take a look at several companies and a school that are focusing on developing those human skills that set us apart from machines.

A father on trial for raping his 19-year-old biological daughter was acquitted in March. Anger to the ruling has spread across Japan. It is because of a criterion called "inability to resist" in the Japanese penal code. The judge acknowledged that the daughter did not consent to have sex but decided she could have resisted it. We are joined by Jun Yamamoto, head of a support group for victims of sexual violence, who was also sexually abused by her father, and Keiko Miyata, a lawyer advocating the "inability to resist" criterion to discuss the issue.

Money spent on Internet ads in Japan is expected to surpass TV ad spending this year. Social networking services are the main battlefield for online advertising. The more followers, the more advertising money. But just how trustworthy are SNS influencers? NHK bought Instagram followers from brokers and tracked some account holders. We found that the glittering SNS world has a dark side.

In April, an 82-year-old resident at a nursing home in Tokyo died following an incident. A caregiver at the facility was later arrested for allegedly killing the man. The number of abuse cases at nursing homes in Japan has hit a record high. We take a look at the working environment of caregivers, and discuss how to prevent abuse and the steps to take to choose a reliable nursing home.

Our lives are inundated with plastic. One study says there will be more plastic waste in the sea than fish by 2050. Japan is the second largest producer per capita of plastic packaging waste. To find ways to reduce it, our program director tried to live without plastic for 3 weeks. What did he find out?

Organizers say 2 million people, more than a quarter of the population of Hong Kong, came out onto the streets on June 16 to protest. They were rallying against a bill that would allow criminal suspects to be handed over to authorities in mainland China. The series of protests eventually led to the effective scrapping of the bill. But anxiety over 'Chinaization' of the territory remains in the people of Hong Kong.

The Japanese government launched its "300,000 foreign students" plan to nurture highly skilled professionals. But behind the scenes, many of them are treated merely as a source of labor. And at one university in Tokyo, over 1,600 foreign students stopped showing up. We interviewed school employees and students to see what's really going on.

On July 11th, Japan's Hayabusa2 space probe made a second landing on the asteroid Ryugu some 280 million kilometers from Earth. It appears the probe has also succeeded in collecting "fresh" samples from the artificial crater it made in April. All's well that ends well. But a look behind-the-scenes shows the Hayabusa2 team fought an uphill battle to make this happen.

The Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The burial mounds, created some 1600 years ago, were made for members of the elite and some are even considered to be the burial sites of past Emperors and their families. Research has unveiled findings about who is really buried in the tombs and why they are preserved so well. The program digs into the mystery of Japan's ancient burial mounds.

The Tokyo Olympics are just 1 year away. The Games pose 2 challenges unique to the city: heat stroke due to hot and humid weather, and severe traffic congestion. What are some effective countermeasures? We conducted various trials to simulate how spectators will react to the heat, and we looked into the effects of a recent traffic test done by the Organizing Committee.

An elementary school student who understands Einstein's theory of relativity. A self-taught composer who writes a symphony in high school. They are the "gifted." There are supposedly 2.5 million living in Japan but unlike overseas, there is little support for them in the educational system. In fact, many of them end up leaving school. How can the gifted in Japan achieve their full potential? We look at some cases and talk to experts about possible ways forward.

"After 'Freedom of Expression?'" was an art exhibition held as part of Aichi Triennale 2019. It was cancelled just after opening. It had gathered controversial artworks from around the world, including "Statue of Peace" and a video depicting photographs of Emperor Showa in flames. The resulting storm of protests included serious threats, including one of arson. We look at the debate surrounding the closure and what constitutes freedom of expression.

A recent survey revealed that nearly half of the inpatients with dementia in Japan are physically restrained. The greying society and a labor shortage are behind the number. Medical staff say they dislike the practice but continue to use it for the sake of the patients' safety. Some hospitals, however, have succeeded in reducing the times they restrain patients and improving their conditions too. We take a look at the issue to uncover clues for restraint-free treatments.

On September 19, 3 former executives of Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) were found not guilty in a criminal case related to the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster. But new facts emerged during trial. An ex-TEPCO section chief said in testimony that company executives were given a report on the need for measures against a possible large-scale tsunami. And it was also revealed that another power company had already taken action. So why did TEPCO do nothing? We bring you exclusive interviews and a closer look at the testimony to find out.

Many of us rely on customer reviews when shopping online. We know they might not be completely accurate, but did you know fake reviews are being systematically mass-produced and traded internationally? NHK tracked down the reviewers, sellers, and brokers behind this troubling phenomenon and learned how they are undermining trust in the online community. We also have some tips to help you identify which reviews are real and which are fake.

In October last year, a research group at Japan's Kyushu University discovered the neurons that are key to the brain's perception of the taste of fat. This supports the notion of fat as the sixth sense of taste following sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami. If you are insensitive to the taste of fat, you are susceptible to lifestyle-related illnesses. In this edition of the program, we conduct a fat sensitivity taste test across age groups to see the relationship between tasting ability and health.

We welcome as our guest Akira Yoshino, a co-winner of the 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Yoshino greatly contributed to the development of lithium-ion batteries that are used in smartphones, personal computers, electric cars, and even on the International Space Station. He shares with us his struggles developing the batteries as well as his hopes for their future use in solving environmental problems.

If you are a job seeker, watch out. What you post on the internet is now collected and analyzed by artificial intelligence, scoring both your capability and character. NHK reports on an AI-based job matching service and examines the Rikunabi scandal where AI analysis of student job hunters was sold to third parties without their consent. Together with experts, we discuss how to deal with this phenomenon.

Polypharmacy is the practice of taking different types of medicines at once. Researchers have found that elderly people who are on 6 or more kinds of medication face an increased risk of unsteadiness and impaired consciousness. Some have even been mistakenly diagnosed with dementia. Others have been temporarily bedridden. And it's not just an issue affecting the elderly. Younger people who take medication and supplements together also need to be aware of the risks. What can we do to fight the dangers of polypharmacy?

Studies are fast overturning longstanding beliefs about nearsightedness. It has been revealed that as eyes deteriorate, the possibility of developing various diseases increases. But some of the studies also point to ways to prevent myopia. We look at a drug developed in Singapore that's the world's first proven to slow the progress of the condition, as well as an unusual plan implemented in Taiwan.

Sake, or Japanese traditional rice wine, is going global. And the keyword is "terroir." In the US and France, craft sakes made from local ingredients are proving popular. One former Dom Pérignon Cellar Master is developing a new sake with his own distinctive concept. We take a look at the latest trends in sake that are creating new fans around the world.

Half of the Japanese population develops cancer at some point with about one-third of the patients still at a working age. Most experience depression after being diagnosed and doctors say how they spend the initial period of emotional instability will greatly affect the outcome of treatment. NHK closely covered a couple in their 40's after the husband was told he had cancer. Their struggle shines a light on how to deal with the crisis.

In a recent program, we covered how widespread the use of physical restraint is in general hospitals in Japan and how reducing the practice can improve the conditions of patients. Right after the broadcast, medical workers and caregivers sent messages to NHK saying "You don't know the reality" and "Too idealistic." We brought some of them into our studio who, together with medical experts, discuss if the use of physical restraint can really be reduced.

Parental abuse in Japan has claimed the lives of about 50 children a year in the past few years. What's in the minds of abusive parents? We examined the counseling of parents over a five-month period to observe their struggle to change themselves and offer some hints to other parents in need.