schie na and south korea have agreed to work together to maintain peace and stability in the korean peninsula following the death of kim jong il. the two sides remain at odds over their policies regarding north korea. south korean president met with chinese premier in beijing on tuesday. they asked to urge the north to promote reform and open door

policy and join the international community. jointly released documents say the two countries want to take steps to resume the stalled six-party talks on north korea's nuclear program. the president stressed that north korea must halt its uranium erin jury chargement program. china's calling for early resumption of the multiparty negotiations. the president said during the meeting that early resumption of talks between the two koreas will be difficult. who reported citing north korea's strong discontent over the south korean's government failure to send representatives to the country. we have more on the differences between the two countries north korea policies. >> reporter: during the meetings china merely expressed itsz

basic stance on north korea. there was a disappointment to south korea which was hoping to earn china's full support for interkorea dialogue. but china cannot throw its weight behind only south korea. china and north korea are traditional alies who fought on the same side in the korea war. for china securing stability in north korea should be the top priority. >> the least thing china wants to see is the chaos in the after math in the passing away of chairman kim jong il. >> a newspaper ran an editorial calling on china to serve as a protector of north korea. to ensure our smooth power of transfer. the article was -- to earn the

people's understanding for financial aid to its impoverished neighbor. china considers south korea to be an important economic partner in the region. but it cannot turn its back on the north which is undergoing a crucial leadership change. >> you could call it the price of power in japan. this country has six prime ministers in five years. so perhaps it's no surprise its latest leader is this trouble. hoe took office a few months ago. polls suggest his approval rating is cut in half and herr wearing he might be forced to call a general election this year. first the numbers. our survey suggests 30% of respondents support his cabinet. it's half the approval rating he had when he took office last system.

the disapproval rating arose by seven points to 49%. looking at the people who disapprove of the cabinet, 45% said they have no confidence in his policies. another 27% said the cabinet lacks the ability to impment policies. part of the poll dealt with the plan to raise the consumption tax. 38% said they disapprove. 26% approve. the survey asks respondents if they want political change. 51% said yes. while 42% said, no. when nodda took office the public expected to have staying power. he seems to be quickly losing his support. why? >> more voters are criticizing noda's ruling can economic party for not keeping its campaign pledges that it made when it took power in 2009. the prime minister wants to

double japan's sales tax by 2015 to 10% from current 5%. the dp said it wouldn't do that. the public understands that social security costs are rising and reforms must be made. but tax payers don't want to shoulder the full burden. they want the noda administration to cut back on government costs. the d.p. promised to reduce the number of lawmakers and civil servants. but the biggest supporters, the labor unions are basically against that idea. >> what will next few moths look like for prime minister noda? >> noda's government cannot pass bills without -- the government is still divided. the ruling parties control the law house. noda's biggest challenge is getting approval for the legislation needed to enact the budget for the next fiscal year,

which begins april 1st. he also has to win support for the consumption tax hike. but, you know, opposing parties are almost determined not to cooperate with the unpopular prime minister. and if the bills are rejected, noda will almost certainly call a general election. >> when would that happen? >> noda could call a general election between march and june. his low approval rating they will probably lose the majority many the law house. it's unlikely that any party will be able to form a majority. so you know, we'll have another coalition in this country. the party with the most seats will most likely take the prime minister's job. >> all right. thanks. the international atomic energy agency has confirmed that iran has begun enriching uranium. it's necessary to produce nuclear weapons. the discovery the likely to

exacerbate tensions with the united states and europe union. spokespersons say the plant is in a bunker. inspectors say scientists are working to refine uranium to 20% purity. american researchers released images of the facility three years ago. the underground plant is well protected against possible military attacks from israel and other nations. iran's envoy to the ieaea said on state television that all nuclear facilities are running under the surveillance of the agency. u.s. leaders are strongly condemning iran. state department spokesperson brushed off teheran's position that the enrichment is for peaceful purposes. >> when you enrich to 20% there is no possible reason for that if you're talking about a peaceful program. so it generally tends to indicate that you are enriching to a level that takous to a

different kind of nuclear program. >> she said this is a further violation of the u.n. security council resolutions. they obligate the country to stop its enrichment program. she called on iran to cooperate with iaea inspections. the west has been increasing pressure on the iran and is now targeting the iranian government's main form of revenue, exports of crude oil. the united states enacted sanctions in attempts to make it difficult for iran to sell its oil. the european union is also set to impose a ban on purchase of iranian crude oil. in response, iran has threatened to block the strait of hormuz, a sea carrying oil from the mideast. earlier we spoke to an expert on the middle east from the institute of energy economics japan. we asked him what we can expect next as the tension continues. >> well, in the short-term i think the simple exchange of

harsh rhetoric would continue for a while. i don't think that any sort of military confrontation would follow within the coming month. still tension would rise. that would lead to higher oil prices. it's a probablity. it won't happen, it might happen, but it might happen, but it might not happen. certainly we'll have to pay morer for our oil. also the american sanctions, u.s. sanctions against the iranian central bank would ablige the japanese banks to terminate their exchange of currency with the central bank of iran, which means that all sorts of trade including oil would have to stop. >> i'm quite worried about this kind of a iran bashing that has been continuing ever since last fall. it's going to lead to a situation where i believe if a certain country like say for israel would want to launch a preemptive strike against iranian nuclear facilities then

i think under the circumstances or the environment is now say being hatched as though that iran is sort of a rogue state so it doesn't matter if any state would act on its own unilaterally and launch a military strike against iran. i'm very worried about the current situation in that sense. the people who run olympus believe current and former executives are responsible for covering up more than a billion dollars in losses. the japanese optical equipment maker filed suit against 19 managers. olympus filed a suit at tokyo district court. the company is seek up to $47 million in compensation for damages. the lawsuit came after a third

party panel of lawyers concluded an investigation into current and former board members. the panel named the former president, former auditor, and former vice president played key roles in hiding investment losses worth more than 100 billion yen at the time. the president has been criticized and five other directors for failing town cover the fraud. olympus spokesperson said current executives accused of fraud will resign at the next shareholder meeting scheduled for march or april. firefighters in tokyo will soon be better prepared to deal with nuclear emergencies. the city's fire department is introducing a new response unit. the crisis at the fukushima daiichi nuclear power plant prompted the move. the department currently has four special units for disaster response and rescue. one of them is trained to handle radio active and chemical substances.

those firefighters went to fukushima last march to measure radiation and help cool the damaged reactors. the unit's deployment left tokyo unprepared for a possible emergency. the department says forming a second unit will address that gap. about 60 new workers will be hired. the department formed its first radiation squad in 1996 a year after the great earthquake devastated the city of co-bay. if this new plant is approved, it would be the first time since then that extra personnel have been added. and in diplomatic news, australian prime minister thanksed japan for deciding to release three australia activists who illegally boarded a japanese patrol ship off the australian coast. the japanese government said it would not press charges. the activists boarded a ship some 40 kilometers off the west coast of australia on sunday.

the ship was escorting japan's research fleet. the activists belonged to a associated with the sea shepherd conservation society. the japanese government decided not to arrest them as they had not harmed crew members or damaged the vessel. in a statement gillard expressed gratitude and called the boarding unacceptable. she warned that similar acts could result in similar charges. she also said the best way to stop whaling is through court action. australia is seeking a ruling to stop japan's annual whale hunt. the australian government said it's sending a ship to pick up the three activists. north korea has announced it will offer special pardons to prisoners to mark the anniversary os of kim jong il. state run media says a supreme people's assembly decided on the pardons which will begin on february 1st.

the media said the amnesty will commemorate the centennial of the birth of kim jong un and the anniversary of kim jong il. the report did not mention what sorts of crimes would be pardoned or how many prisoners would be freed. it said those released from prison will be given jobs. propaganda has been stepped up since the death of kim jong il last month in a bid to present his son as a compassionate leader. next, we go to bangkok. pakistan has been hit by the deadliest bomb attack the country has seen in several months. a local government official told nhk that at least 35 people have been killed most of them civilians. about 70 were injured in tuesday's explosion in the country's northwestern khyber region. the tribal area is serves as the main supply route for nato forces in afghanistan. an official says the bomb was

probably debt natded by remote control. local media reported the victims were passengers on a nearby bus. >> i helped 15 people. many were dead or wounded. even cut in half. >> militants have carried out hundreds of bombings in pakistan since 2007. killing soldiers, policemen, government officials and also civilians. the acquittal of malaysian opposition leader ibrahim on monday has raised the political stakes ahead of elections expected to take place this year. anwar's victory gives his supporters a critical morale boost as their attempt to topple the administration of the prime minister. the vote will take place asthma lay sha tries to tackle a series of new challenges including the growing regional presence of the united states and china. we have a report from kuala

lumpur. >> reporter: anwar was once a star in the ruling party who served as deputy to the former prime minister. but he was dismissed after falling out over economic policy and he became leader of the opposition. since then, anwar has twice faced trial and charges including sodomy. charges that he ae news conference announced as politically motivated. the first time he was found guilty and went to jail for six years before his conviction was overturned. the most recent verdict handed down on monday was not guilty. the court said evidence needed by prosecutors was unreliable. after full roog, anwar addressed thousands of supporters outside a courthouse and demonstrated his resolve to make a political come back.

>> translator: the decision that i made prime minister is not the decision of the charge or the judiciary. it is the decision of the malaysian people. >> reporter: the victory will energize the opposition as it takes on the administration of the prime minister. malasia has been governed by a coalition led by the ruling united malaise organization since independence from britain in 1957. but the coalition suffered a major set back in the general election four years ago. the result reflected growing frustration among the public especially ethnic chinese about so-called policies that favor ethnic malaise. malasia is also in a difficult situation on the diplomatic front. its largest trading partner, the united states, has shifted its focus to asia.

china's influx in the region is also growing. decisions have to be made on how malasia should deal with territorial disputes in the south china sea and trade. anwar is ethnic ma lay, but popular among the urban middle class. he's said to be advocate of western style free economy. now his trial is over, attention will turn to the policies he chooses to dif risht his party from the ruling coalition as the country moves towards a crucial election. now to india. heavy snow in india continues to wreak havoc in the country's northern states severing a major highway for the fifth consecutive day. parts of cashmere are completely cut off from the rest of the

country. authorities are working around the clock to clear the national highway. >> translator: it's the worst snowfall in 25 years. so it's taking us longer to re-open the highway. >> hundreds of people remain stranded along the highway, which serves as a lifeline for villages in kash mere. many travelers were forced to take shelter at bus stops because they could not afford hotels. sections of the 300 kilometer highway have been reopened and authorities hope to resume normal operations after the weather clears. several states in northern india have seen severe disruptions to transport and communications. a local newspaper reported that the authorities have promised to transport nearly 2,000 stranded passengers once the highway re-opens. that's it for our bulletin today.

>> thanks. we have sumo up next. happy new year from me and it's a happy start to the new year's grand sumo tournament in tokyo. it's day three. time to highlight some of the action. rank and file fights the top early on is yet to open his 2012 account. a day one hiccup, but looked calm yesterday. a shoulder blast is ineffective and the ozeki wraps him up to win with relative ease. it's calm but dominant sumo. the return to the top ranks but looks out of his element. they seem to have the expectations of many fans in his debut as an ozeki.

the new ozeki looks large and in charge. newcomer was discovering how tough it is to fight the tough rankers in the first week. begins with his trademark thrust. he takes the licks while reaching for a solid grip. despite his efforts to sup-up set is ozeki, he can't stop him from getting a solid grip. good to see him winning if in the opening three days. he swoops in and tries a halfhearted pushing attempt. but hakuho presses forward and

pushes out. a perfect start for hakuho as usual. days two and three marked the first time since may 2009 tourney that all ozeki won their bouts on back-to-back days. and that's a good thing. will it continue on day four? join us to find out. >> before we move on, here's a look at a group of karate students engaged in frigid midwinter training. about 70 students plunged into the surf at the beach in japan. the students practiced the maneuvers for half an hour in chilly wind. the instructor said this type of rigorous training helps to prepare students for life's difficulties. rachel ferguson is up next with

weather. hello, again. it looks like winter weather conditions are going to significantly strengthen across parts of japan. starting to see more snow and another 60 centimeters is possible in the next 24 hours. and along the northwestern coast her place as well we are going to be seeing winter precipitation piling up. nice and dry for the pacific edge, but a blast of arctic air is going to reach down into central locations including tokyo we'll see the temperatures coming down certainly by a few degrees into wednesday and thursday as well. bringing tokyo's temperature down to about 6 degrees for the high on thursday. staying high and dry across much of the continent. we do see just a few showers popping up down towards the southwest into northern myanmar as well. it is going to be much, much more active to the south. central and southern portions of

the philippines as well as the ma lay peninsula and vietnam getting a lot of rain is the northeast monsoon is very active at the moment. we've got a couple of low pressure systems dotted down here towards the south. they're helping to enhance that flow. let's take a look at temperatures for wednesday. tokyo looking at 9. that's going to be falling into the next few days. seoul seeing that frigid air minus 3 on wednesday. and then at 17 in tie pie as well as hong kong. the low 30s for manila and bangkok. into north america, slow moving low pressure system in the southeast is going to continue to bring some heavy rain to the gulf states particularly and then it's going to be pushing up towards the northeast staying rain, wednesday, thursday when that system reaches you here in the northeast. first of all, it's going to be plodding through the southeast. that means the potential for flash floods also there could be a couple of strong thunderstorms in that as well.

out towards the north and the west we've got something else going on. this is going to be some light snow. heavier in the mountain 10 to 20 centimeters the temperature is the thing you're really going to be noticing here. let's take a look at tuesday's temperatures. this is your highway forecast for today. 6 in winnipeg. 10 degrees in denver. this is unseasonal warmth for the last several days. it is all about to change. let's fast forward to wednesday. minus 14 in winnipeg that's average for january. we have minus 16 in regina. not only is it going to be a very significant, very rapid drop in temperatures, but there's also the windchill to be concerned about because it is going to be very windy and any of that snow even though it is light could be buffetted about and that could impair your visibility. do take care if you're going to be in the region. all right. let's take a look now at europe.

across the north we've got a system that's really quite heavily impacting western norway. there's going to be snow here certainly and very, very windy. maybe into scotland some mountain snow mostly rain, though. northern ireland affected by that system. the rest of the british isles seeing sunshine as well on wednesday. generally fairly settled for the first time in a long time across much of the rest of the continent. staying cold many the balkans and this system here in turkey is going to be weakening off into the next couple of days. here's your temperatures fairly cool out towards the east. getting cooler in moscow minus 3 for your high and a few degrees above average out to the west. here's your extended forecast.

that's our broadcast for this hour kwchl "newsline" will

be back with more news in half an hour. thank you for watching. bye-bye.

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