a very good day to you, welcome to nhk world "newsline" on this holiday monday here in japan. i'm ron madison in tokyo. dozens of people who once lived in the shadow of the fukushima diachi plant have had a drive today was a short-lived homecoming day of sorts. authorities allowed them to briefly enter the no-go zone. residents drove home to retrieve some of the belongings they left behind after the government evacuated the area in march.

227 people from 90 households went back in. it was the second opportunity for evacuees to go in. only two people were allowed into the no go zone. during the first tranth weaken back then. this time evacuees were able to use their own vehicles and took as many passengers as they could carry. >> translator: i brought back a heater, demidifier and a refrator. tnslato i i d the stuehich i dedicated to my ancestors. i won't be able to go back for a long time. >> after the visits, authorities tested the vehicles for radioactive contamination, trips home in private vehicles are expected to continue until late november. well we're hearing now that german industrial giant, siemens is withdrawing from the nuclear industry. this follows the german government's decision to phase out nuclear power.

siemens chief executive peter lesher revealed the plan in an interview with german weekly magazine, "der spiegel." he said the decision is the company's response to germany's pull-out from nuclear energy. he said the company will still make steam turbines. siemens becomes the first big nuclear equipment manufacturer to withdraw from the industry. the german government decided back in june to shut down all of the country's 17 reactors by the year 2022 in light fukushshshshshshshshima daiichio well nuclear energy experts in japan are discussing now how a lack of vigilance contributed to the accident at the fukushima daiichi power plant. the atomic energy society of japan is holding its first conference since the country's nuclear crisis began back in march. the four-day meeting opened on monday in a southwestern city of keato kyushu.

participants included university professors, researchers, as well as workers from the nuclear energy industry. professor ninokata of the tokyo institute of technology is leading the atomic energy society panel that's been investigating the fukushima accident. in the morning session, he called on his fellow experts to face the accident head-on and work hard to contain it. >> translator: we placed too much confidence in japan's nuclear power generation. and equated a nuclear safety level. >> in the afternoon, experts discussed the future of the nuclear energy community. one participant said the fukushima disaster occurred because experts did not address the safety risks they knew existed. and others said nuclear officials should create a culture that is more open to public dialogue. >> translator: we had many

opportunities to question nuclear safety, but we failed to do so. the atomic energy society shares responsibility for failing to correct the rigid views of the government and the nuclear industry. we'll do our best to improve the situation, such as decontamination and the handling of nuclear waste. well to yemen, security forces in the capital, sanaa opened fire on anti-government protesters sunday a 26 people we killed. the security forces used live ammunition to disperse the demonstrators, along with those who died, more than 200 others were wounded. the attack sparked gun battles in several districts. anti-government protesters are demanding the president resign. military deserters and members of tribal groups have joined the protest. st week, salei said he is open

0 to a deal. the president is in neighboring saudi arabia for medical treatment. attackers wounded him in a failed assassination attempt in june. months of unrest in yemen have claimed dozens of lives, fighting between antfy government troops and the president's forces in may killed more than 140 people. a magnitude 6.9 earthquake has killed 37 people in india, nepal and china and it took a a himalayan state on sunday. authorities said it caused buildings to collapse in sikkim. the full extent of the damage is not yet known. phone service is cut o and rain is preventing helicopters there from conducting aerial surveys. meanwhile, in neighboring nepal, at least six people have been killed. china's news agency reported.

rescuers are having a difficult time because mud and rocks are blocking key mountain roads there. more than 600,000 people live in sikkim state, hope to the kaye-producing darjeeling and other products. as we enter the second week of the september grand sumo tournament, the big names have started to face one another. so let's go to the highlight matches on day nine. kisenosato is on his longest undefeated streak in his top division career. but he's beaten baruto who he has a poor record against. kisenosato gets off to a strong start, he's the aggressor. looking to finish off baruto with a force-out. but he's unable to generate the final surge forward. instead it's the estonian who regroups and reloads with a right hand outside grip.

it it's, kisenosato loses his first match as well as a share of first place. so, hoakuho is back at his accustomed position as he steps on the doho as a sole leader, he's never come close to losing to the lone georgian, toinoshan. haho runs out tochinoshan in a hurry and it moves the lord of the ring one step closer to his 20th career championship. the loudest noise from the crowd came during the tokonoyama and gaganu match. because takonoyama is the lightest. he's less than half the weight of 199-kilogram gagamaru.

it's an overseas versus an oversized rikishi, as you would expect, takinoyama dances to the side to avoid a head-on collision but gagamaru is ready. he gives him a look as if to say, don't try that weak stuff again. the roly-poly gourgeon enjoying his best tournament ever. here's the updated leaderboard after nine days of sumo. >> to no one's surprise, hakuho is all alone in first place. kotoshogiku, kisenosato, and gagamaru have their eighth victory and are hoping to catch the yokozuna. the leader board will change on day ten, because kisenosato will meet in a sekewate showdown. we'll have that match and more here on nhk world. with rain in the cards with

for tokyo, thinks might finally start to cool door for the nation's capital. here's the check of a three-day forecast for a city near you. all right. that is going to do it for this

edition of "newsline," i'm ron madison in tokyo. thanks so much for joining us, we're back at the top of the next hour. ♪ a new day begins in kyoto, a city more than one thousand years old.

tomizo is the third generation owner of the shop, founded in 1893. wagashi sweets are handmade one by one. for their beautiful appearance, they are often called edible

jewels. the wagashi he is making is called the star festival. wagashi evolved from sweets that came from china about 800 years ago. it came to be offered with tea at tea ceremonies, and developed into something unique to japanese culture. back when sugar was a precious commodity, wagashi was a luxury

only the noble class could afford. it wasn't until the 17th century when the country became more stable it became widely available to commoners. and it was kyoto that played the central role in making wagashi what it is today, a sophisticated culture on its own. >> translator: the sweets we make here are not for everyday consumption. they are sweets for hospitality. to entertain people other than yourself. there are many confectioners working at the shop. his job is to make wagashi with his own hands and to closely

supervise what everybody is doing. the main ingredients for wagashi are sugar, beans, rice, potatoes, and japanese arrow root. the ingenius way of combining

them with a touch of seasonal feeling and even a narrative account for the infinite variation of wagashi. it's 9:00 a.m. three hours passed since they started maki wagashi. it is time to open the shop. >> translator: good morning. thank you very much. we've received a call about the 11th. please let us know when you have more details. yes. thank you. he is talking to one of his regular customers whose family has been coming to the shop r generations. their wagashi are basically ma to order. he carefully listens to each customer so he can create a wagashi that is just right for th. >> translator: our customers give us an order telling us what sort of eets ty uld li, th

behalf. >> he carefully considers what sort of wagashi would make each customer happy. for a customer who is planning to invite a guest from afar in the fall, he picked a wagashi in the shape of red chrysanthemum which symbolizes wishes for good health. the chrysanthemum petals are drawn one by one with a bamboo pallet.

what lies behind wagashi with beautifully contrasting red and white is an almost forgotten japanese custom wishing someone youth and longevity by presenting them with this. photographs have come from a magazine in tokyo. he willingly accts intervis to communicate the appeal of wagashi to as many people as

possible. tomizo is not happy with the white part. >> translator: should we switch it with another one? the wagashi he makes are like his children. he is strict with them in a loving way.

in the afternoon they start making this that they only make once a year tomizo was gosh tomizo the fact it is only available at a certain time of year is about the spirit that passes each passing day. every tiny wagashi represents wisdom.

they wish for happiness in the coming six months. it is said the triangular part represents ice to make people forget about the hot weather, and red beans sprinkled on top are for wardi o el irs. >> translator: wagashi in kyoto e ouseonor seanal feelings. they are about how we express the season through them. and it is even better if the wagashi are slightly ahead of

the season. >> you will never find it made here displayed on a shelf. they will only be delivered to each and every regular customer as a token of tomizo's gratitude.

no matter how busy he may be, he makes a point of coming home once in the afternoon. wagashi from his own shop await him there. away from the shop, he tastes the wagashi that his shop has made. he carefully checks whether the flavor is clearly defined and how compatible they are with tea. this is a routine tomizo follows daily. >> translator: i make a point of tasting everything we make. i can't get involved in every single process, so it's crucial that i take the time to taste everything so i can maintain the flavor it is known for.

this is fine. okay. good, this will do. from the corner of the kitchen, tomizo pulls out an iron bar. he uses it to brand the wagashi. oh, that's how it's going to be.

i see. branding gives each wagashi a face, so to speak. there are many branding irons at the shop, including those passed down from the founder. flowers, animals, letters and chacrs. they lie waiting to give each wagashi a face. tomizo always designs his brands himself. it used to be commonplace for a

confectioner to design his own brands, but few do so nowadays. tomizo believes it's an important role of a wagashi shop owner. >> translator: everyone used to do this. >> next year is the year of the rabbit, the brand design that will be used for the year's wagashi is completed. >> translator: we can't use the same ones all the time. a brand is the face of a wagashi. so i try to create new ones as much as possible. would you ask them to get those branding irons done in a hurry?

>> 5:00 p.m. the shop calls it a day. but tomizo's day is not over yet. he still needs to organize materials for the lecture he's supposed to give at a in a feways. >> translator: i am sure showing changes. >> he gives lectures on the history and culture of wagashi. he accepted these positions in spite of h busschele because he wanted young people to learn how to appreciate wagashi.

>> translator: sweets represent culture no matter where you go in the world. the older the culture, the more the people like sweets. that's particularly true of the wagashi in tokyo. they are definitely part of japanese culture >> what new wagashi will kyoto make next. his long day finally ends. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com