it's 10:00 p.m. in tokyo. welcome to "newsline." i'm michio kijima with the news at this hour. japan's nuclear power officials are trying to make sure they don't repeat a dangerous mistake. the utility company started construction on wednesday to protect its nuclear facility. it is following the order from the japanese government. see walls around nuclear plants must be at least 15 meters high. that's the height of the tsunami that flooded and disabled

fukushima daiichi power plant back in march. people working for hokuriku power company are building a reinforced concrete seawall at its nuclear facility in shika. the town is on the sea of japan coast, the wall will sit 11 meters above sea water, will be 4 meters high and 700 meters long. workers at hokuriku electric are preparing in case the tsunami surges over the wall. they will install a new drainage gate to minimize damage at the plant. power companies across japan are making preparations to better protect their facilities. workers will raise embankments or build new ones at 45 plants in all. that's 90% of the total. crews at the shimane power plant were the first to begin construction. they started building an embankment in july. it will be 15 meters above sea level when it is finished.

workers at the hamaoka power plant will start building a seawall next month, 18 meters above sea level. it's expected to be finished by december 2012. all of the new seawall construction is expected to be completed within the next three years at the latest. the accident at the power plant turned many people in this country against nuclear power. plans to start constructing new reactors are on hold. but nearly $900 million is still being held for municipalities slated to host nuclear plants. japan's board of audit says the reserve fund is unnecessary. the grants are part of a program that started 40 years ago. they're designed to help municipalities where nuclear power plants are to be built. the money can be used to build roads, social welfare and sports facilities. a board of audits survey shows about $1.6 billion are being held in reserve for 14 planned reactors across japan as of the end of march. construction has begun at only 3

of the 14 reactors. plans for the other 11 have been scrapped or delayed because of opposition from locals. the board of audit has found money in reserve for these 11 reactors totals about $864 million. the industry ministry says it will determine how to deal with the unused reserve funds after studying the results of an ongoing review of japan's basic energy policies. greece is facing social strife on top of a debt crisis. greek servants and other workers have gone on strike against the government, in its latest austerity measures. air traffic controllers went on strike grounding all flights. school teachers and others join them. partially suspending public services. many protesters holding banners marched in athens and filled central parts of the capital. >> translator: my bonus and salary have been reduced. i can't pay my taxes anymore. >> translator: we have no way

out. all greek people are angry. >> the government last month compiled an extra austerity package that includes a rise in fixed asset tax and a suspension of about 30,000 public servants. the measures are in exchange for receiving significant financial aid from the european union and the international monetary fund. some of the world's most unique cars are on display at the shanghai custom car show which kicked off on wednesday. crowds are well to do car enthusiasts have flocked to see the latest trends in customized automobiles. we have the report from shanghai. ♪ >> reporter: these cars have all been remodeled from the paint to the steering wheels. no expense spared to turn these vehicles into dream machines.

>> translator: i am so happy to see dream cars. they're so cool. >> translator: brands from many countries are on display. i saw my favorite wheels and parts. >> reporter: representatives from about 70 companies from seven countries and territories including the u.s. and japan are participating in this show. these firms either manufacture or sell automotive parts, such as steering wheels and passenger seats. a representative of the event said chinese people will soon have two or three cars per family. he says the custom car market is expected to grow as more and more people look for cars that are uniquely theirs. the exhibition features about 140 cars that have been remodeled based on the aesthetics of each company. many participants are exchanging information on converting their

car. china's new car sales exceeded 18 million units in 2010 overtaking the u.s. for two consecutive years as the world's number one auto market. the chinese market is attracting international players, including those from japan, germany and the u.s. as wealthy chinese consumers spend more money on their cars. >> translator: the chinese market is expanding with many wealthy customers. we want people to enjoy spending their money on our products. >> we see a very bright future going forward, and even if it's a small market now, we believe that it's going to just continue to gain speed and continue to be a larger place to do business. >> reporter: this custom show wraps up on friday. but organizers are already talking about holding another exhibition. it's yet another sign that rich people in china are getting even richer.

mari yamada, nhk world, shanghai. it has been a tough six months for tens of thousands of people in japan them lost their jobs after the march 11th earthquake and tsunami. they can't find work. and their benefits are running out. nhk world tells us why landing a job is proving so difficult. >> reporter: the remains of sendai complex. a constant reminder of the damage caused by the march 11th tsunami. most of it was destroyed. over 100 businesses here. among them, a cardboard factory.

this 44-year-old worked here, for a construction company. he operated the forklift and moved around rolls of paper. the factory shut down after the tsunami here. the transportation company was supposed to lay after workers. suzuki lost his job he held for 22 years. >> translator: at first i thought we would work again, but after six months, the factory hasn't even started its repairs. my former colleagues and i are anxious to work there again. that would be the best option for us. >> reporter: the plant -- the tsunami damage forced it to scale down its operations. the factory manager hopes to protect his own workforce, but

subcontract workers like suzuki could stay laid off. >> translator: building a new factory from scratch would cost about $92 million. without support from the government, it will be tough to rehire workers. >> reporter: suzuki cannot afford to wait. he and his wife, along with two daughters, live with his parents. they receive $2,100 per month in unemployment benefits, which is about half of his former salary. that has to cover school fees and the mortgage on the family home. a six-month moratorium on the monthly payments just ended. from there on, he will have to

hand more than half of his benefits payments straight to the bank. to make matters worse, suzuki will stop receiving his unemployment assistance at the end of march, 2012. >> translator: the home loan payments will make it difficult for us to afford food, lighting, heating, or school tuition. rega >> reporter: finding work is suzuki's top priority. he attended a job fair in the city of ishinomaki in miyagi prefecture. 43 companyies were there. but most came for the welfare and retail sectors. companies in manufacturing and marine processing industries were largely upset.

they're the mainstays of tohoku's economy. >> translator: no plant or manufacturer is taking part in the fair. >> reporter: about half of the jobs available are temporary. suzuki tried to find a position as a regular long-term factory employee, but he couldn't. >> translator: once my unemployment benefits run out, i'll have to look for work outside miyagi prefecture. but i heard that factories here are recovering little by little, so maybe jobs will come up. at least that's my hope for now. >> so chie, you told us about one man's story.

how are other survivors faring. >> many survivors can't find work. some people lost not only their jobs, but homes and family members. they have no clue how to get on with their lives. in iwate, miyagi and fukushima prefectures, nearly 70,000 survivors registered at local job placement centers at the end of august just like suzuki did. the labor ministry confirmed that nearly 25% of them have been placed on payrolls so far. >> what kind of measures are being taken to help people who are out of work? >> the government has extended the unemployment benefit payment period to up to 120 days for people throughout japan. those in the worst hit coastal areas are eligible for a longer extension, an extra 90 days. >> you suggested that temporary unemployment benefits are just a

temporary solution. what are other measures that could help people gain stable source of income? >> restoring damaged businesses is an essential part of creating more jobs in devastated parts of the northeast. smaller companies that have grouped together to support the recovery efforts are eligible for state subsidy to partially recover their repair costs. but given the vast number of companies affected by the disaster, the demand for assistance has already outpaced the eligible -- the available government funding. to speed up the recovery, more initiatives are necessary to help survivors find jobs and support companies as they try to rebuild. >> all right, chie, thanks. time to check on some of the stories we have gathered from broadcasters around asia. we begin tonight with this item sent by mcot thailand.

a thai student suspected of hacking the prime minister's twitter account surrendered to police on wednesday. the 22-year-old is from the southern province. he was accompanied by his mother at the time of his surrender. he told the police he was the sole hacker and did it impulsively. he could face two years in prison or a fine of about $1,300 or both for violating the cybercrime act. the malaysian government allowed the private sector to hire 1.3 million illegal immigrants who registered under an amnesty program. the home minister said in kuala lumpur on tuesday that the immigrants can seek jobs in the manufacturing, agriculture, construction and service sectors.

>> we are dealing with people who are very desperate, people who are willing to do anything. >> the government launched the amnesty program in august to deal with the large number of illegal immigrants. it is designed to help strengthen malaysia's security and reduce international crimes like drug smuggling and human trafficking. a three-day sino myanmar festival was held. the carnival ended on tuesday. the festival was attended by tens of thousands of chinese and myanmar tourists. the event featured floats showcasing myanmar's culture. an ox cart competition and a beauty contest are traditional sports. a match between the chinese team and myanmar team was very popular. >> translator: we were very happy to be in china to take part in this event.

we'll come every year in the future. >> the carnival is held to promote friendship between china and myanmar and deepen tourism and trade among the two countries. tonight in the third part of our series on refugees, we bring you the story of former boat people, they caught the world's attention following the vietnam war. more than 1 million people fled vietnam after the fall of saigon in 1975 using boats to escape the communist regime. indonesia was one of the most common destinations. families who immigrate to the u.s. have visited a former refugee camp in indonesia to explore their roots. nhk world has more. >> reporter: this island on the coast of sumatra was designated as a refugee center to process people who wanted to resettle.

in august, 25 former refugees visited the island. they are now living in the u.s. or australia. this man joined the tour from san francisco with his family. >> again, being what you call second generation, you know, i can only see from a distance. you know? from an observer. >> reporter: david was 5 years old when his family fled vietnam. they got separated and lost a family member in the refugee center. people escaped by boat and it took days, even months, to reach indonesia. many were raped by pirates, for those who survived, death and

mental problems were unavoidable in gala. 503 people died and were buried in gala. david and his parents are visiting the island for the first time after living in the u.s. for 51 years. david's father, mr. ho, was a high school teacher before he fought in the war. after the fall of saigon, he had no option but to flee. the main purpose of this tour is to visit their grandmother's grave. she died on the island. besides paying his respects to his grandmother, david also wants to learn more about his past. >> translator: i could finally come here after 31 years.

>> they gave up everything to -- to try to ensure a better life for themselves and especially their kids, which for me and my sister, and -- so, you know, this was part of the journey. he had to lose his mother along the way. >> reporter: this is the organizer of this tour. he traveled with 150 people when he made his first trip to gala in 2005. back in 2005, they erected a memorial to commemorate boat people's journey, but the vietnamese government accepted pressure, and the memorial was taken down not long after the trip. >> the other side is to commemorate those who perished

on the way to freedom. so you can see because of our love to brothers and sisters and parents and -- and our countrymen who lost their lives. we have a full right to remember them. >> reporter: david is beginning to realize that the boat people's history is an ongoing political struggle. >> i don't understand why, you know, this is something that occurred here, that acknowledged life and that the plight of a lot of people -- i don't understand what -- political motivation was -- >> reporter: david came to gala with the memories of his grandmother in his mind, but at the end of the day, he is living with a lot more than he had expected. >> it was a hard identity growing up as a kid.

right? but as you understand the history, you grasp it, you appreciate it, and it's who you are. you can't change history. >> reporter: for the whole family, and other former boat people, a refugee camp like gala island gave them a new start. preserving the camp means they can pass on their struggle and the legacy of their history. seeing the camp again reminds them how history defines their identity. for nhk world, jakarta. joining us now is the reporter with the latest. so what was your first impression of the ex-refugee camp? >> reporter: the last refugee left the island in 1996. since then, the local government

has maintained the camp. few changes were made to it, because the local government wanted to turn the island into a tourist site. the tunisian government sees it as a symbol of humanitarian efforts. gala island is the only facility of the kind left in the region. >> so how do you feel about the ex-refugees visiting the island? >> reporter: the vietnamese boat people had to leave their homes behind in order to escape the new regime. living on gala island creates a transition period where an old life ends and a new life begins. it helps form a new identity for each of them and for future generouses. >> thank you. in the fourth part of our series on thursday, we will focus on a former cambodian refugee woman who escaped the country's long conflict, and find out how she feels about her homeland today. please join us for the week-long special at 9:00 p.m. jst.

here are the latest market figures. up next is weather. >> hi there. welcome back. let's look at your weather conditions starting off with

asia. first let's talk about the tropical depression that is going to be heading towards northern vietnam thursday morning. it looks like it will be affecting for the next 72 hours, a few days, it will be lingering around a similar area and bringing torrential rain accumulating up to 200 millimeters or more in some areas, especially the coastal sides and hainan as well. so these areas are going to be affected with further flooding that may trigger as well as landslides and mud slides. in the southwest, monsoon is enhanced so much of these areas looking messy with hefty rain to come as well. here as well in the philippines, this area, the flood situation still remains not alleviated yet, the low pressure system will be moving in towards the similar area, so similar flooding there as well. now, this cold front and the low pressure system are well developed and will be moving away on thursday afternoon. so lots of rain to be passing through along this storm, maybe even some hail and gusts. and isolated thunderstorms as

well. in southwestern islands of japan, especially in kagoshima, the accumulation is up to 240 millimeters in okinawa islands, 215 or more. so that kind of amount of very hefty rain is going to be passing through, especially in the pacific side of japan. and a little bit of a short break here, but northern japan as northeastern china low pressure is going to be coming in towards those areas on another round of heavy rain to come. the korean peninsula looking very dry and sunny as well as mongolia and much of china here. the temperatures are as follows, beijing, 24. chongqing, 27, tokyo, 24 degrees. so a little warmer than today for our thursday high. here in north america, we have got a very potent low pressure system that will be moving along its way towards canadian maritimes, finally behind it is going to be very clear. dry and warm and breezy in much of these areas. the strong winds up to about 60 kilometers per hour, especially

in south dakota, combined with that dryness, it is going to be triggering fire weather. there are winter storm warnings posted up in sierra, nevada, and the cascades. the snow may accumulate up to 60 centimeterers in total from the storm, so very breezy snow as well as showery conditions in the lower elevations to come. and very cool weather as you can see all the way down into arizona. we can see that it is going to be very cold and wet. on the other side of the jet stream, though, warm and dry as apparent from this wednesday outlook. new york, 23 degrees. oklahoma city, 29. houston, hitting 31 degrees. on the other side of the jet stream, very cool. seattle at 13. vancouver at 14 degrees. here in europe, continental europe looking very pretty dry here and no clouds, but we have a disturbance in the british isles and scandinavia peninsula. norway, in the mountains, we may

see some snow. and the winds are going to be about up to 54 kilometers per hour, so windy and wet conditions will be prevailing here. the british isles looking very unstable as well. that system will be moving in towards the central continental europe in the next coming days. so looking very unstable. but as of now, still warm in vienna, 24. 25 in rome. and the iberian peninsula, summery weather in the low 30s. here is our extended forecasts.

that's our broadcast for this hour on "newsline." we'll be back with more news in half an hour. i'm michio kijima in tokyo. thank you for watching. bye-bye.