welcome to nhk "newsline." i'm shery ahn. the credit agency downgraded spain and italy amid concerns the european debt problems will spread from greece to larger economies. they cut spain's rating from aa plus to aa minus, the lowest rating for spain among the three

big rating agencies. they cut italy's rating one notch to a plus. it cited the worsening crisis in the euro zone. they say cuts by rating agencies don't reflect the economic and fiscal situations. the head of japan's central bank says there are threats to the japanese economy. bank of japan governor spoke after a monetary policy meeting friday. >> translator: until recently, we had to focus on restoring the parts supply network that was hit hard by the march 11th earthquake and tsunami. now, we need to weigh downside risks, like falling share prices and the yen's appreciation to the japanese economy.

>> shirakawa said the bank of japan will watch movements in the yen very closely. he said if japanese companies move production overseas because the yen is so strong, they will find it very difficult to bring it back to japan. the u.s. job market grew more than expected in september, but unemployment is still over 9%. the u.s. labor department says there were 103,000 new nonfarm jobs. the market had expected only 60,000. there were 26,000 new jobs in construction, and there were 34,000 new jobs in information services after the end of a strike at a big telecommunications firm. 34,000 jobs were lost in the government sector and 13,000 were lost in manufacturing.

the unemployment rate stayed at 9.1%. president obama announced a job creation plan early last month. congress has yet to approve the plan, and the job market is showing no signs of a big improvement. and for an outlook on the u.s. job situation, we spoke with steven wieting, u.s. economist at citi. >> we continue to believe that the economy is growing below trend, that it's not declining and that employment is not declining either. but if we were to continue to get employment gains below 100,000 per month, we will continue to see upward pressure on unemployment. and lots of statistics on our u.s. labor market are very, very weak and are likely to remain so until we can get a real strong, above-trend period of economic growth, which we don't anticipate in the near-term at all. >> that was steven wieting, u.s. economist at citi.

japanese lawmakers will visit chernobyl next week to learn about the nuclear disaster that happened there 25 years ago. lawmakers are overseeing the recovery. they will go to vienna to discuss the fukushima nuclear disaster with officials at the international atomic energy agency. other japanese lawmakers plan to visit the three mile island nuclear plant in the united states. they plan to learn about the accident that happened there in 1979, and hold talks with officials from the u.s. nuclear regulatory commission. japan, china, and south korea are going to help each other deal with soaring food

prices and other pressing agricultural issues. the japanese, chinese, and south cory app agriculture officials agreed to have annual meetings next year. one of the main meetings they will discuss is how to deal with soaring food prices as demand grows in emerging economies. another is how to prevent spread of livestock diseases like avian flu. >> translator: we need to have frank discussions. i think discussing specific issues will bring results. >> a study has shown that unifying the two koreas could cost the south more than $2 trillion over the coming 30 years. the south korean government asked researchers to estimate how much it would have to pay

between now and 2040 if the north and south reunited. the estimates range from $700 billion to more than $2 trillion. south koreans in their 30s or 40s in 2030 will have to pay an average of nearing $16,000. the huge estimated cost reflects the economic gap between the two koreas. in 2009, the south had 37 times the gross national income of the north. south korea will use cost estimates when it considers how it would get the money to pay for union i have indication. the president already suggested a new tax. time to check on some of the stories we gathered from broadcasters around asia. we begin with this item from china. heavy rainfall caused by trorms

inundated low lying areas wednesday, disrupting traffic and prompting evacuations. rainfall in the provincial capital reached 333 millimeters in just 24 hours. over 24,000 residents were evacuated to temporary shelters, and provided with blankets and other basic goods. the local weather department forecasts more rain in the next two days. they think the hindu god is in the biggest festival in bangladesh. the five day event represents the victory of good over evil. they sing hymns and praise god. last day of the event. thousands joined a procession through the capital.

it ended with imergs of them into rivers, ponds and other bodies of water. cambodian government urged phones to be moved underground. the change designed to improve quality of services and make cities more beautiful. a senior government official made the comment during a seminar thursday. the official said the present day cable is fragile. they hope putting it would provide service that's safe, secure, sustainable. here is the extended weather forecas

that's all for this edition of "newsline." i'm shery ahn. i'm shery ahn. thanks for watching. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com ♪ a divorce notification. just file this sheet of paper and a husband and wife can go their separate ways. but -- some people unsatisfied with just a scrap of paper. they need closure in a ceremony.

this is a divorce ceremony. friends are invited to celebrate the couple's new separate lives. >> translator: congratulations, if that's the right thing to say. i never imagined that such a day would ever come when i attended your wedding, but getting divorced on good terms and celebrating is ideal, i guess. >> translator: well, too bad we ended up like this, but i hope that you will all stay friends with us. and thank you for coming. >> we took a look behind the scenes on a day when a couple makes a fresh start. in asakusa, downtown tokyo,

when we came across a group of people moving solemnly in silence. this 30-ish couple lives in tokyo. they're heading for their divorce ceremony. the divorce ceremony planner and the couple's friends walk behind. >> translator: i'd like to start over again if it were at all possible. i guess this will also be a ceremony for committing myself 100% to getting divorced. >> translator: at first, i wasn't so sure about getting divorced in front of our friends, but then again, i thought that maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea after all if we're going to have to let our friends know anyhow.

>> translator: now i'd like to begin the divorce ceremony. they got married in september 2004 and lived together as husband and wife for seven full years. but due to differences in their lifestyles, they decided to get divorced. although we'll be going our separate ways from today, we are to stay in touch as good friends and we intend to maintain a friendship with all of you, too. >> translator: i hope that our divorce won't ruin our friendship with you. and i hope you'll all continue to keep in touch with us. >> translator: now comes their last task together. >> we've reached the finale of the ceremony. the couple will smash the wedding rings they've been wearing for so long. the people attending the ceremony watch the climactic moment.

>> translator: now for the big moment. one, two, three. [ applause ] >> this was once the symbol of their eternal love. >> translator: the thought of the ring breaking helps you to snap out of it, i guess. makes you realize that it's all over. making a new start is a better way of putting it. now, let's toast to their new start. cheers. >> over 250,000 couples get

divorced every year in japan. divorce ceremonies, which began two years ago, are now held almost every weekend in tokyo. sent off by their friends, yet another couple took a step forward on separate paths. this man is a divorce ceremony planner. so far he's witnessed over 80 couples untying the knot. >> translator: when i heard that a friend from university was getting divorced, i told him how i'd always wondered why nobody ever held divorce ceremonies. and then he laughed saying that he couldn't imagine anyone wanting to do such a thing.

that started a long discussion. in the end, i asked him if i could do a divorce ceremony for him and his wife. and i guess that started it all. >> word of that ceremony gradually spread, and it eventually expanded into a business. >> translator: i think a divorce ceremony planner assists people in saying farewell. i'm someone who sends a couple off on their separate ways. the farewell part may suggest funerals to some. >> one woman decided to hold a divorce ceremony ten years after her divorce. >> translator: it seemed like the right time for me since it was ten years from the divorce and also i just turned 40.

i guess i felt like the timing was right for closure. >> 20 years ago this woman got married to a man she met at work, but later they got divorced. after having a hard time bringing up her child alone, she says that holding the divorce ceremony made her realize something. >> translator: it suddenly occurred to me that if you hide the fact that you've broken up, you have to do everything by yourself. push yourself to the limit, and then you have a breakdown. i think it would be a lot easier if everyone knew about your divorce, and if you have a divorce ceremony, it's like announcing your divorce to your friends and it's a relief.

>> this man hopes to overcome his wavering feelings about his divorce. he and his wife decided to get divorced because they were too busy at work and differences weakened the marriage. he decided to visit hiroki to prepare himself for the divorce. >> translator: i felt that i'd drag on with a half-hearted attitude unless i draw a clear line. i guess i wanted to be responsible for my own divorce. >> he pulled out some photos saying that he wanted to show

these photos of a happy memories in a slide show at the divorce ceremony. >> translator: this one was taken before we got married. >> and this one's from when your child was born, right? do you have some kind of image of how you want to show these? like what music you want? >> translator: you play music? >> translator: yes, it would be a little awkward if photos were shown in silence. sayonara, for instance. it's a popular number for background music. >> translator: yeah, i quite like that song. >> translator: somebody chose "sweetheart" although we broke up. >> translator: "sayonara" will

do. >> how will hiroki get his wishes into shape and produce the ideal divorce ceremony? hiroki beginning preparing the divorce ceremony. he works on the slide show giving up his holiday. he just hoped that the last day of marriage would become a lovely memory. he carefully considers the order of the photos and their captions. >> translator: no, this isn't the right one for the very end. beginning with that photo is not right either. it's trickier than you mention. i've given serious thought to

this. showing this photo at the end may work, but then again it would be bittersweet. it would be nice if they could recall the happiness that they felt for the time of their wedding. if they're going to hold a divorce ceremony and since they once loved each other, i really hope that they can become friends again. or keep building up a friendly relationship. i know that it may just sound like pretty word, but i really wish it from the bottom of my heart. >> hiroki also expresses his feelings toward the couple with this divorce ceremony dress. he had it specially designed for the last moment of the marriage. his thoughts are directed to the

special flower that he chose for the motif of the dress. >> translator: the divorce ceremony dress was yellow designed and this flower. it's a kind of daisy that symbolizes a good relationship for happy married life. i chose this flower because of its meaning. >> the first one to wear this divorce ceremony dress will be tomoharu's wife miki. it's the day before tomoharu and miki's divorce ceremony. >> translator: yeah, my ring finger feels odd like something's missing. >> he's no longer wearing his wedding ring. >> translator: what if i can't make myself smash my ring?

i'm starting to get worried. i'm not sure if i can do it. i had this feeling that i want to draw a clear line in some kind of way, but i'm not sure exactly how. so i guess that's why i decided to hold a divorce ceremony. i guess getting a divorce is a tough decision, especially when you have a child. that's one reason why i'm hesitant to decide.

>> it's the day of their divorce ceremony. miki has prepared herself for the divorce in her special dress. tomoharu, on the other hand, still didn't feel right about the divorce. >> translator: tomoharu and miki got married in september of 1998 and were blessed with two children. but unfortunately, as they gradually got busy with their work, differences in their lifestyles began to stand out, and they started to drift apart. they tried to work things out for their children, but they ended up choosing to get divorced. well, thank you very much for

taking the time to attend our divorce ceremony today. although we've chosen to split up, i hope that you'll stay friends with us and keep supporting us like before. >> translator: thank you for attending the ceremony today. i hope you'll all continue to be friends with us. >> translator: congratulations, if that's the right thing to say. i never imagined that such a day would ever come when i attended your wedding that getting divorced on good terms and celebrating is ideal. good luck in your new start. >> translator: now a last joint task for the couple.

please smash this wedding ring with this mallet. ready? one, two, three. [ applause ] >> their 13 years of life together ended instantly with the swing of the mallet. >> translator: ladies and gentlemen, we would now like to take a look back on their 13 years of marriage with a slide show.

♪ >> the photos from their album which hadn't been opened in years. memories, half forgotten. each of those happy moments came flooding back. ♪ >> translator: the photos that hiroki chose to show at the very

end after a lot of serious thinking was the one taken at their wedding. >> the slide show lasted for only two minutes, yet it was invaluable two minutes for the couple. they paused to sort out their feelings and accept reality. >> translator: all those happy memories just came flooding back all at once. and i remembered how happy i used to be. >> translator: that photo where we were holding hands? that sure made my heart flutter.

i think my heart skipped a beat, honestly. i mean, we haven't held hands in ages, probably for about ten years. it was almost electrifying. the ceremony made me feel that we need to talk things over properly. things that had completely slipped from my memory just suddenly came back. and i feel kind of confused. really mixed feelings. >> translator: on the count of three. >> perhaps divorce ceremonies give couples the opportunity to look back on the path that they followed together just one last time before they each make a es