welcome to nhk world "newsline." the protest stage in manila on friday involves scarborough shoal in the south china sea. the territory is claimed by both china and the philippines. the demonstrations come one month after china deployed vessels in the area. nhk world's kathleen ocampo reports from manila. >> china! >> back off! >> reporter: nearly 150 demonstrators gathered outside the chinese embassy in manila, voicing their criticism of recent actions by the chinese government. >> to take away something

without even taking consideration your neighbors, i guess that is not a proper way. >> reporter: the latest role began april 10th when chinese marine survey ships prevented a philippine navy vessel from seizing chinese fishing boats near the shoal. as the standoff continued china instructed authorities on may 2nd to step up checks on bananas and other food grown in the philippines. there's speculation the move is effectively a countermeasure on china's part. china accuses the philippine government of being behind the backlash on friday. >> translator: it was inappropriate for the philippines to incite its people to hold the rally. this will only complicate and worsen the situation.

>> reporter: the governments of both nations claim the shoal and are refusing to be the first to put out their boats. the standoff has virtually escalated to be a lateral confrontation intended to save face. with no breakthrough in sight, public frustration in the two nations is only growing. kathleen ocampo, nhk world, manila. a last minute political effort is under way in greece. the socialist party is trying to avoid another parliamentary election by forming a coalition government with a wide range of parties. the socialist pasok party is the latest to try its hand at forging a coalition. leader evangelos venizelos turned to the head of the democratic left party. the democratic left offered to cooperate on condition austerity

measures are gradually eased and the coalition is open to participation by a broader range of parties. meanwhile, the largest new democracy party has expressed its intention to join the coalition if the second largest radical left coalition and a large number of other parties participate. venizelos is expected to meet with the radical left coalition, which opposes austerity. but he could face difficulty in obtaining its cooperation in forming a coalition. investors have been fretting all week, the uncertainty has driven d the euro. and economists are wondering about greece's place in the european union. >> translator: i can't rule out the possibility that greece will leave the eurozone. if it does, it is likely to cause more problems for the greek economy. >> ikeda said the impact would be limited, compared to what investors have seen in greece over the last year. the value of greek government bonds held by financial institutions has decreased significantly. the number of greeks who are

jobless has underscores the pain of austerity measures. unemployment hit a record and the situation may get worse. the jobless numbers for february put unemployment at more than 21%. that's up 0.4% from a month earlier. the rate has surged 6.5 points over the past year. the situation is particularly serious for people under the age of 25 with one in two out of work. the spending cuts in the austerity package have pushed an increasing number of businesses into bankruptcy. >> translator: half the people in our circle are now without work, half. in one family there may be two or three people who are unemployed. in some cases more. >> members of a business association estimate that 60,000 greek firms went under in the past two years. they warn that another 60,000 are on the verge of failing. the u.n. security council has condemned twin bombings in damascus. suicide bombers killed 55 people in the attack in the syrian capital, they wounded more than 370 others.

two suicide car bombs exploded in close succession near a military intelligence building. government and opposition forces blamed each other for the bombings. the security council issued a statement strongly condemning the attack. >> the members of security council condemn in the strongest terms the terrorist attacks that occurred in damascus, syria, on 10 may causing numerous deaths and injuries. >> the statement called on all parties to stop fighting. council members stressed they support the mission of u.n. observers monitoring the cease-fire. secretary-general ban ki-moon said u.n. officials will do their utmost to bring an end to the violence. officials at the u.s. state department said the blame rests with the regime of president bashar al assad. they, too, strongly condemn the attacks. >> any and all violence that results in the indiscriminate killing and injury of civilians

is reprehensible and cannot be justified. >> nuland said the tactics in the attack are different than those used by opposition forces. she singled out potential third elements who seek to derail the transition process. she ed u.s. officials will seek the security council resolution, including an arms embargo if u.n. monitors fail to achieve their goal. russia's foreign ministry reiterated the country's opposition to foreign interference in syria. sergey lavrov says russia will not vote for a u.n. security council resolution to approve intervention. they say only syrian opposition and government forces can end the violence. after four years as russian prime minister, vladimir putin is back at the helm as president, he now faces some unusual new challenges. putin aims to strengthen the country through a program of modern economization with aims to use russia as a global super power. military parades and displays of modern weapons are a traditional

way for countries such as russia to demonstrate their strength. one such parade was held on wednesday at moscow's red square. over the past two decades russia's strength has been undermined by an enemy that is not so easy to target. since the collapse of the soviet union, unemployment and economic instability have undermined russia's birthrate. at the same time, alcoholism and heavy smoking have contributed to a shortened life expectancy. russia's population has declined ever since it peaked in 1993 with 148.6 million people. according to some projections, the country could lose some 40 million people by the year 2050. the government is well aware of the phenomenon, which it sees as a serious threat. nhk world's kazunori yoshimi has more from moscow.

>> reporter: vorkuta is a russian town just north of the arctic circle. at the end of the soviet era the population topped 110,000, but it's been declining ever since. >> translator: nobody wants to live here anymore. they're all disappearing. >> reporter: the streets are lined with deserted buildings. some 3,000 families used to live in this district. but now the number of households is down to 100. president vladimir putin has repeatedly stated that this issue triggers national security. >> translator: demographic decline is russia's most serious problem. we are facing a critical situation. the russian people need to

understand that. >> reporter: for several years the russian government has responded with a campaign to raise the birth rate. it set up a modern program in the western region. yuri and maria elikhova, a young couple, last year maria gave birth to nakita, her second child. the family was rewarded with a check from the government worth approximately $12,000. the checks go out every time a family gives birth to more than one child. the system was launched by the putin administration in 2006. yuri was also in for a big surprise.

a russian-made suv named the patriot. the car is among the prizes of a lottery run by the local government for families with a newborn child. as a farmer, yuri earns the equivalent of $375 per month. this will be his first car. >> translator: many families decide to have more children for economic reasons. this system really helps. >> translator: in any case, i want to have a third baby. >> reporter: every year russia spends nearly $1.4 billion on childbirth and educational subsidies. >> translator: we will build clinics for pregnant women all across the country.

>> reporter: this policy managed to push russia's birthrate from 1.2 births per woman in 2000 to 1.5 in 2009. the figure remains below the number needed to stabilize russia's demographic decline. the question now is whether putin's government can come up with additional measures to reverse the trend. kazunori yoshimi, nhk world, moscow. a japanese city that suffered in last year's tsunami has decided to relocate communities that were especially hard hit to safer areas.

the collective relocation in sendai city is the largest so far in a state sponsored program to help rebuild devastated communities. the plan covers about 1,700 households in two wards along the pacific coast. the city will offer plots in more than ten inland locations for people who want to rebuild their houses. the relocation will cost sendai an estimated $750 million. the money covers buying the land where the residents formerly lived and developing the inland sites. the city will submit the plan to the central government later this month for approval. city officials hope the relocation will be completed by the end of 2015. japan has decided to extend its peacekeeping mission in south sudan and dispatch a second group of self-defense forces. it's taking the action after receiving a report on military clashes in the area. >> translator: the report says the clashes are limited to a region on the border. we believe they won't affect japan's participation in

peacekeeping operations. >> some 330 ground self-defense force troops will be sent in stages by the end of june. they'll relieve a group that's been deployed since february. their mission will focus on building roads and other infrastructure. relatives of japanese abducted by north korean agents are in the united states looking for help. they've asked a key member of congress for further cooperation in resolving the issue. members of the association of families of victims kidnapped by north korea met ileana ros-lehtinen in washington, the chairperson of the foreign affairs committee of the house of representatives. the group says it told the republican lawmaker about an american man who was allegedly kidnapped by north korea. the man went missing in china's yunnan province in 2004. ros-lehtinen reportedly expressed strong interest in the

case and said she will discuss the matter in congress and with the state department. she also said she wants to tackle the abductions of japanese nationals and suggested that imposing more sanctions on north korea may be important in resolving the issue. >> translator: i want americans to see that the abduction issue matters to them as much as it does to people in japan, and that the two countries should jointly work to resolve the problem. economic growth in southeast asia has led to booming demand for high rise buildings. japanese construction companies with technical know how tested by natural disasters are setting foot into this growing market.

nhk world's yoshio arima reports from singapore. >> reporter: japanese designed high-rise buildings present a number of advantages. they are highly resistant to earthquakes. the construction period is relatively short and it requires less manpower. that is the message sent by 50 japanese companies, ranging from construction firms to steelworkers who hosted a two-day seminar in singapore to promote their building technologies. >> translator: construction of large facilities and high-rise buildings is booming in singapore and malaysia. asia, with its huge population, offers enormous market potential. >> reporter: the risk of major earthquake is smaller in southeast asia than in japan. this has led to a different approach to construction. internal steel structures that are normal in japan for high-rises are left out.

reinforced concrete is the favored option. this saves 20% to 30% on materials and labor. this 200-meter skyscraper lacks a steel frame, as do around 95% of singapore's high-rises. most projects entrusted to japanese companies so far have been built with reinforced concrete. different building materials are not the only obstacle. japanese face deep competition from chinese companies which have won several major contracts in recent years. >> translator: we'll promote our technologies that use steel frames. to gain a competitive edge we aim to highlight our technical know-how for projects involving unique designs or high-rises.

>> reporter: price competitiveness is a common issue for all japanese firms as they try to remarket shares in asia. in the construction field, the question is whether the technology used in japan will provide the key to unlocking the southeast asian market. yoshio arima, nhk world, singapore. china is now facing a range of serious environmental problems. and the world is watching to see how it is trying to tackle them. air and water pollution and global warming are large and complex issues. with china still enjoying robust economic growth, it is becoming increasingly important to encourage companies to adopt ecofriendly approaches.

nhk world susumu kojima has more. >> reporter: last month top business leaders and government officials gathered in the city of uhan. the aim, to encourage businesses to improve their environmental footprint. the meeting was organized by a nonprofit group set up by influential entrepreneurs in china. a group focuses on about 1,000 companies that generate annual profits in china of over $160 million. it screens environmental steps they are taking and honors prizes to 100 green companies that have the most outstanding records. >> there are chinese examples of companies who are, i think,

doing extremely well, and they have dreams and visions for their companies. >> reporter: one of this year's winner was the beijing-based real estate company that built the luxury hotel where the event was held. the hotel incorporates many energy saving ideas, such as using led lights. these lightbulbs use only a small amount of power of conventional bulbs. they also have a longer life. although they are 50 times the price of conventional bulbs, the company says using led lamps will help cut long-term operating expenses. >> translator: on average, we recoup on our energy saving investments in four years. it is wrong to think of energy saving as just an outlay. >> reporter: the same company built this giant shopping mall, which opened in beijing.

four years ago. the cerealing iling is mostly g. it is covered with shades to reduce the glare when necessary. the aim is to harness the sunlight to reduce power consumption to a minimum. the mall says the design has cut electricity expenses to $410,000 a year, 25% less than if the structure had a conventional roof. there are sensors installed throughout the mall to check the number of visitors. that data is used to adjust the air conditioning, to maintain an optimum temperature inside. but when it comes to building homes, things are different. the same real estate firm is now constructing a high end condominium building in uhan. once completed, the 900 units

will be sold. but there are no plans to fit them with energy saving features. there is just not enough interest among buyers. >> translator: it is up to the owners to decide on their own energy use. we're not in the position to control how much they consume. >> reporter: environmental -- unless companies can turn a profit. for organizers of the green company summit, the key factor they look for is how companies can become greener, while maintaining their profit margins. >> translator: to achieve growth while taking environmental steps, companies also need to sharpen their business edge. >> reporter: the challenge for china now is how to maintain its strong economic growth while tackling its environmental problems. as a first step, companies are

starting to come up with ecofriendly solutions that also make sense for the bottom line. susumu kojima, nhk world, beijing. >> all right. here is the latest market figures. all right. and now mai shoji with the weather forecast for here and elsewhere. >> as for here, gene, well, we

look like we're going to be having a sunny weekend ahead of us in metropolitan tokyo. and much of the country, except for northern japan. as we speak, we are seeing some snow in the northern region of hokkaido, especially towards the east. that's going to be tapering off, however, by sunday. so much of the country will be looking at some clear skies, so great weekend ahead of us. high pressure will be dominating the korean peninsula as well, however, very different story here in central china and that will be moving towards the eastern region hunan province is where deadly tornado and rainstorms have hit the region early this week. now, this looks like another rainstorm is redeveloping over the regions and bringing some heavy downpour, which could exceed as much as 250 millimeters in the next 24 hours in and around hunan province. this is where the ground is very, very saturated, still, so upping the risk of flooding, landslides and mud slides.

now, this rainstorm could be producing severe thunderstorms as well, damaging gusts and large hail. tornadoes cannot be ruled out from this system as well. so lots of things happening here in china for the weekend. over towards the north and eastern mongolia, very intense low pressure system will be ushering very cold air in the wake of this system, dropping the temperatures down. and strong winds could be generating some dust storms over northern china. you can see that ulan batur just 6 for saturday high. we're not talking about low temperatures, this is the high for ulan batur and you'll be seeing some white stuff piling up there as well. but keeping things warm in beijing at 25 degrees. just in the middle, in tokyo at 19. but staying in the mid-30s in the tropics. all right, let's move over to the americas. things are going to be clearing out here in eastern coasts as high pressure will be replacing the low that has brought torrential rain.

torrential rain still lies here in and around texas region. we have tornado watch across much of the eastern coast of texas and that is going to be moving towards louisiana. so as it gradually weakens, this system will be moving towards the gulf states. now, this could also bring some tornadic activity and hail, which could be large, as much as a baseball size. and gusts could reach as much as 110 kilometers per hour. all right, let's take a look at your temperatures. well, winnipeg, if you can remember, yesterday we saw 29 degrees for the high. and 16 for friday high. so that's a very bumpy ride there. new york and washington, d.c., a pair of 22s. moving over to europe now, couple of low pressure systems will be affecting the scandinavian peninsula, bringing unstable conditions. and the associated front stretches all the way towards the iberian peninsula, and as this descends this is when things are going to get very

cool and wet, unstable conditions there. and bringing the temperatures down. friday, we saw 29 in paris, dropping down to just 16 for the high on saturday. warsaw, looking at 28 to 17 degrees and then on sunday dropping down just to 13 degrees. so that's another roller coaster ride there too. here is your extended forecast.

we'll be back with more news in 30 minutes. i'm gene otani in tokyo.

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