hello, you're watching "newsline." i'm sher ahn. japan's self-defense forces are deploying interceptor missiles in case the rocket north korea plans to launch next month looks likely to fall on the country. launchers and radar equipment for intercepter missiles have arrived at a base near the coast in hiroshima prefecture western japan. troops will load them on ships bound for okinawa. japanese forces are deploying intercepter missiles in the tokyo area. they plan to position three aegis destroyers with

intercepters in sea of japan and waters around okinawa. defense minister officials asked troops to shoot down any part of the north korean rocket that looks likely to fall on japanese territory. japanese prime minister yoesh heekco noda and his cabinet approved a bill that would double the consumption tax to 10% by 2015. in doing so, noda put his job on the line. >> translator: i think the people understand the necessity in the consumption tax increase. we can work together to change the policy if we look at the big picture, not just at the politics of this. >> the legislation would increase the consumption tax in two stages. it would rise to 8% in april 2014, then 10% in october 2015. the bill would ease the burden on low-income earners by giving

them tax waivers and cash handouts. those in the main opposition party, the liberal democrats couldn't wait to step in with their complaints. they're demanding a general election before the diet votes on the bill. >> translator: dissolving the lower house in the general election will lead to resolving the problems we now face and discussion alone will be submitted to the diet. >> even members of the ruling party don't support the idea. some have already handed in their notices of resignation. for the first time in a year, residents of 3 out of the 11 municipalities near the crippled fukushima plant will be able to visit their homes freely. the easing of restrictions will begin next month. the prospect emerged on friday night as the government's nuclear disaster task force led by prime minister yoshihiko noda

decided to review the no entry areas of three municipalities. one will be split into two evacuation zones as a result of the review. there are about 300 residents whose homes are in the no entry zone. they'll be able to visit the area without permission from the central or local governments. work including radiation decontamination will begin ahead of their return. >> translator: we must return home as my child will start going to school next year. i hope the decontamination will make progress. >> this as temporary housing for people from tamura city, the city's no entry zone will be reclassified as an area where residents can prepare to eventually return home. >> translator: this is a step forward for the recovery and rebuilding. i'll work together with the residents to find ways to restore their area. >> the government has also decided to review the zoning of

minamisoma city, a part which is inside a no entry zone. the city will likely to split into three areas including one where there will be long term restriction on people moving back to live. minamisoma will no longer be part of the no entry zone from april 16th. the mayor of the city welcomed the decision but he also expressed concern about the slow pace of decontamination. >> translator: many residents still feel anxious especially about decontamination. the central government needs to provide a guideline. >> the zoning of the other eight municipal municipalties will be reviewed next month or later due to concerns an splitting the communities into two or more zones. residents are concerned about differences in compensation in the zones and dissatisfied with the government over its rebuilding plans.

the united states military is getting ready to base marines in australia. u.s. government officials say the first marines will arrive in the country next week. the officials say about 250 u.s. marines will arrive at an australian military base in the northern city of darwin. the u.s. government plans to boost the number of marines in australia to about 2,500 within 5 or 6 years. u.s. president barack obama said in november that the marines in darwin would counter china's growing military presence in the region. the u.s. and australian governments are also expanding military cooperation in other ways. australia will give u.s. ships greater access to a naval base in the western city of perth. the u.s. air force plans to step up its training in australian airspace. palestinians and israeli troops have fought during a day of palestinian protests.

israeli soldiers killed a protester in the gaza strip. more than 10,000 palestinians took to the streets in the west bank and gaz za strip. they were marking the anniversary of the killing of six arabs by israeli forces in 1976 during protests against israeli compensation of land. israeli soldiers shot and killed a palestinian man in gaza as protesters approached the border with israel. protesters in the outskirts of jerusalem burned tires and threw rocks at israeli troops. the soldiers retaliated with tear gas and rubber bullets. palestinian medical officials say more than 100 people were wounded. it's time now to check on some of the stories we've gathered from broadcasters around asia. we begin with this item sent by ddi india. a four day international arms show has opened in new delhi. about 560 firms from around 30

countries including russia, france, the united states, and israel are showing off their latest weapons, defense equipment, and technologies. india's defense ministry has been organizing the event since 1999, with a goal of promoting the country's indigenous defense industry and attracting foreign investment. india is the world's largest importer of weapons. it's expected to spend about $40 billion on defense equipment this year. senior asean officials have gathered for a conference to raise awareness about physically challenged people. a cambodian delegate says most disabled people in his country suffer from acute poverty, they also lack education and health care and suffer from gender inequality. according to the "world report" about 1 billion people, or about 15% of the global population, suffer from vary kinds of disabilities. and here is now your extended weather forecast.

indians who enjoy a drink rarely put japanese take at the

top of their list, but sake brewers are hoping to change that. they gave indians a chance to sample it in new delhi. japanese brewery staff serve sake to indian restaurant operators and government officials. one brewery offered a kind of sake that's considered the peak of the grower's craft. it also served a liquor made by plumbs in sake. >> sake is easy to drink, it doesn't hurt your throat, your tongue. >> translator: the indian market has great potential. i have high expectations here. >> and that's all for now. i'm sheri ahn. join us again at the top of the next hour. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com

♪ i'm taro the parakeet. i'm a girl. my owner did not know if i was a boy or girl when i was little. today we have been invited to a halloween party. my real voice sounds like this. [ tweets ] >> it's talking.

>> as young as i may look, i'm actually already 43, quite old, huh? we large-sized parakeets and parrots live very long. it's normal for us to live 30 to 70 years and some of us can live to be 100. but because of our longevity, we suffer separation from our owners. and many of us have been psychologically hurt. today, i would like you to hear some of our life stories.

>> let me introduce my family. these are the tomedas who look after me. this is yoshinori. he takes care of me now. his grandmother was my first owner so that makes him the third one. this is his wife, yuko. and this is their daughter, rika. that's right, she'll be my fourth owner some day. haven't you ever thought i was a nuisance staying so long?

>> translator: natural for taro to be here. isn't that so? >> that's right. we've been married for over 20 years and i think taro has been a link between the two of us. >> yoshinori's grandmother bought me at a pet shop over 40 years ago and brought me to this house. although she has already passed away, i can still remember how she always used to call out, "hey!" >> i've never actually heard my great grandmother's voice, but by hearing her imitate her, she kind of feels familiar to me. taro is like a living witness to our family history.

>> i love going out for a walk. this is a place that i love to visit. there are lots of fellow birds living here. this is the bird village in the prefecture. pet birds whose owners can't keep them anymore are sheltered here. there are 150 birds, 40 different kinds here. they all speak as their owners taught them.

please listen. >> now let me introduce you to the most versatile performer living here. shiro was brought here ten years ago when his elderly owner became ill.

>> good boy. >> every day shiro keeps singing the song that his owner taught him. it is impossible for us birds to forget our loving owners. this is cook, a 35-year-old male. he's good at doing backward rolls. a woman living alone used to take care of him. every day the woman would keep talking to cook from the moment she woke up until the moment she went to bed. the woman passed away in 2009 at the age of 87.

it's so agonizing when we pets have to stay by our owners' side when they pass away. i heard that cook jumped on to the photo of the deceased woman again and again. cook spent his life day in and day out together with his owner. just the two of them. sharing the food with the person in front of him must have been a life-long habit. >> thank you, but no. >> and this boy can be a little difficult at times. people find it hard to get loose from him once he gets hold of their hand. every bird seems to seek the warmth of human beings.

many people visit the bird village every day. the birds are trying to find suitable new owners among these visitors. >> sleepy, huh? you're half asleep. >> soushi, the man who founded the shelter is a dear friend to us birds. >> hello. hello, good girl. >> oh, that's good. >> translator: birds that have been hand raised feel safer with people. they consider themselves people.

i think the birds would feel more secure if a person becomes their foster parent. >> a new bird has come here from western japan. and believe it or not, this bird is also named taro, just like me. >> taro. >> taro. >> and you say we look alike? >> hey, what do you mean? the side of my face is green and your's is yellow. you have to admit, we're quite different. >> hmmm, no response.

he seems to be lacking spirit. i hear that taro won't eat at all. the staff members are worried. >> don't you want to eat this? >> maybe it was a little to sour for you. >> taro came to the bird village this summer. somebody asked them to come and get a bird that was critically ill. >> hello. >> oh, you have taken good care of him. >> that bird was taro.

taro had initially been taken in by an animal protection organization and then moved to different facilities and hospitals. but taro absolutely refused to eat. >> that's good. very good. >> birds can die if they don't eat for two or three days. the staff managed to keep taro alive by forcing down liquid food through a tube six times a day. this is no longer a matter of lack of appetite. poor taro. >> of course, he's ill, but i don't think that's the only problem.

i think that it's also a matter of his mental state. i guess owners who part with their pets can prepare themselves, but the pets just cannot grasp the situation. >> parting from an owner can sometimes even deprive a pet of their life. i wonder what happened between taro and his owner. taro's former owner was living in western japan. the owner from the bird village decided to visit the owner. this is emiko. she lived together with taro for 50 years until she parted with him last july. >> translator: brought a photo of taro.

>> oh, taro. i'm so sorry. >> taro came to live with his mom in the 1960s. her husband bought taro in a shopping district in osaka. he cost over 60,000 yen back then. >> taro was so charming. he suddenly started speaking and moving his wings and moving his neck like this. he hadn't been speaking at all for months, but he suddenly started to speak. when my husband said he would go out for a little while, he would say "take care." when my husband sang -- what is the name of that song? when he sang that song, taro would sing it in a hilarious way.

>> taro had caught onto everything that she said or sang. the two must have been very close. but taro and emiko's life changed when her husband passed away. emiko had a tough time after that. >> i started living with another man and i suffered from domestic violence. he just wrecked everything. and the police told me i should take refuge. that is when taro would say, mom, i'm scared.

>> emiko was shocked at taro's words that she had no choice but to part with him. >> i just didn't know what to do. when taro kept saying, mom, poor thing. mom, poor thing. >> oh, please do come and see taro when you're feeling better. >> is it all right? >> taro should be able to eat by then. >> seeing this photo makes it seem as if taro is here. >> this is taro now.

>> yum-yum. eat up. >> taro has gradually started eating again. he now does the exercises that he used to do with emiko. good on you, taro. get well again and hopefully you will be able to see your mom again some day. >> i have lived long enough to have experienced my share of ups and downs. now, finally, i would like to introduce my beloved person.

this is fumiko, yoshinori's mother. >> what a good girl. >> fumiko suffered a stroke 11 years ago. although she can't speak well and her limbs are paralyzed, she seems happy when i visit her. >> when i say, "hey," you say, "hey," too, don't you? you are always so cute. such a good girl. >> she took care of me for over 30 years.

when i was in heat, i used to bite her fingers so hard that i nearly broke her bones. and i remember how she used to go around apologizing when i squawked so loudly that everyone in the neighborhood could hear. mother, i put you through so much, but how do you feel about having lived with me for over 30 years? >> i'm glad you were with me. >> thank you! all that i can do for you is groom you like this, but please, take it as my gratitude. what? we're going home already? i thought we just got here. hey, take your hands off of me.

>> which one of you does taro prefer? >> definitely my mother. >> bye-bye. we'll come again. taro, bye-bye. >> bye. >> when we live a long life, we cannot expect to be able to stay together all the time. i understand that. fate brings birds and humans together under the same roof. i believe that the compassion that we birds and humans have for each other is everlasting.