accusations against assad. a u.n. commission says the syrian government has committed war crimes and crimes against humanity. bashar al assad has faced worldwide condemnation for how he's dealt with the conflict in his country. members of a united nations investigative commission are now adding to the mount of criticism against the syrian president. they say his government is committing war crimes and crimes against humanity. the u.n. human rights council ordered the report. commission members interviewed about 700 syrians over the course of six months.

they say residents told them forces loyal to assad have tortured and killed unarmed citizens. and they say senior military and government officials are involved. the commission's investigation blames government forces for killing more than 100 residents in one town in may. the report points out opposition forces have also committed war crimes, including murder and torture, but he says their violations and abuses have not been on the same scale. the commission will submit its report to the u.n. human rights council next month. president assad's all-out campaign to beat the opposition has cost him even more international support. leaders of the organization of islamic cooperation say they can't accept the attacks he's carried out on his own people, so they've suspended syria's membership. nhk world's reporter has the story.

>> reporter: leaders of the organization of islamic cooperation or oic spent two days discussing what to do about syria. saudi arabia hosted the emergency summit. it has led reports to isolate the regime. saudi leaders encouraged other oic members to suspend syria's membership. the oic's secretary-general says the group cannot condone the assad government's attacks on syrians and the destruction of cities. >> translator: this is a very strong message for the syrian regime telling them that the islamic world cannot accept a system that kills its people. the islamic world supports the political, peaceful solution and does not want any more bloodshed.

>> reporter: iranian president mahmoud ahmadinejad argued isolating the assad regime would not resolve the problem. his country has been a longtime ally of syria. but the leaders of saudi arabia, qatar and other nations rejected what he had to say and criticized assad. however, even though the majority of oic members want the syrian government to fall, they are not prepared to back outside military intervention. that's something members of the syrian opposition would support. but for now, they are happy with the oic's political decision. >> translator: we welcome this decision. it was a step to further isolate assad, even though it came a little bit late.

>> reporter: it came 17 months after this conflict began. president assad has used the full power of his military to try to crush the opposition. but antigovernment forces are still a threat to his leadership. now, as he faces more international isolation, his fight to hold on to power has just gotten tougher. sho beppu, nhk world, saudi arabia. police are holding five hong kong activists in okinawa for questioning. they were arrested on wednesday for illegally entering japanese territory. the group of 14 activists entered japanese waters by boat. okinawa police arrested five on uotsurijima, one of the senkaku islands. the japan coast guard captured the other nine aboard their boat. a coast guard ship brought five

of the activists to naha port and will bring the rest later. the activists claim they didn't need passports because they say the islands are chinese territo territory. nhk world's michitaka in beijing tells us about china's reaction to the incident in the east china sea. >> reporter: chinese newspapers have been giving wide coverage to the arrests. the communist party affiliated "global times" says in its editorial that the islands are chinese territory. it says china will not accept any legal procedure by japan and the arrested activists should be released without any conditions. protests were held in some major cities. in hong kong, pro and anti-china political parties have called for protests. demonstrators gathered in front

of the japanese consulate general in hong kong. they chanted slogans demanding the return of the activists and an apology from japan. in the southern city of ga guangzhou, more than 50 young people gathered outside a japanese consulate general. police officers stood guard at the entrance of the building. the chinese government is criticizing the arrests. but at the same time, it's believed there is concern that the anti-japanese sentiment will grow in china and affect economic ties if the row is prolonged. china's commerce ministry has called on japan to make sure that the arrests would not negatively affect bilateral economic relations. >> translator: china's economic

and trade relations with japan are expanding. the situation calls for in-depth dialogue from a broader perspective. >> reporter: china apparently wants to avoid any serious problem ahead of this fall's scheduled leadership change. chinese leaders are likely to seek a resolution of their own while maintaining a tough stance toward japan. mitch takei yamaka, nhk world, beijing. the japanese government may deport the hong kong activists as early as friday to avoid a negative impact on bilateral relations. now, a large-scale food expo is under way in hong kong showcasing japanese foods. the first day went by without a hitch, despite the rising tension between china and japan. hong kong is the largest importer of japanese farm produce and foods. 225 japanese firms and organizations are offering their

products at the expo. many hong kong companies were seen sampling japanese foods and in negotiations to make deals. anti-japan protests near the japanese consulate and elsewhere in hong kong appear to have little impact on the expo. >> translator: it's natural to support one own's country, but extreme action is not welcome. >> japan's agriculture and fisheries minister, akira gunji, was at the expo. he expressed his deep disappointment over the latest developments over the senkaku islands, but he said he hoped business would not be affected. >> translator: businesspeople on both sides became even closer after last year's disaster. they should show understanding for the other now that they have worked together in the belief their trade will grow. now, japan is also having problems with south korea.

south korean president lee myung-bak's recent visit to disputed islands sparked the tension. the worsening diplomatic ties are beginning to affect relations at various levels. a south korean city has frozen exchanges with its sister city in japan. >> translator: we also cannot tolerate visits to the war-related shrine in tokyo by japanese ministers on the anniversary of the end of world war ii. >> tang joining's mayor has canceled a plan to send a delegation next week to a firework display in daisan, akeya prefecture. junior high schools in the two cities have also suspended their student exchanges. the vice principal of a junior high school in daisan says the decision is regrettable. still, some exchanges of sports teams are continuing as scheduled. nearly 220 students and officials from japan were greeted by about 20 south korean

officials and students at injun airport. the students will stay for a week in the southern city of kunsan. they will play table tennis and soccer with other children. the students are visiting nara prefecture. the director of the ss association says they want the children to learn about each other's countries through sports. he says he wants adults to support these efforts. finding new ways to stay cool in summer is an annual tradition in japan. stores sell antisweat wipes, sprays and even jackets with built-in fans, but some people are going the simple route. they're modifying their wardrobe and changing what they eat. they're also restyling the one thing they carry with them at all times.

nhk world's takefumi tarui explains. >> reporter: summer's heat is blanketing tokyo. it's been warmer than usual this year. >> translator: it's so hot! i'm sweating! >> reporter: and so, people are doing what they can to stay cool, getting rid of their neck ties. >> translator: i used to get sweaty and i almost always had a ring of sweat around my neck. i feel more comfortable with this style. i still sweat, though. >> reporter: the japanese government has promoted a cool pink z campaign for a number of years. it encourages office workers to dress more casually and wear lighter clothing. people are also trying avoid heating up when they eat. a new company is telling consumers to use less hot water and add ice instead.

now, hairstylists are getting involved in the business of keeping cool. they're promoting a technique that focuses on thinning, not cutting. >> translator: i thin the hair from the bottom and reduce the volume. then more air can pass through the hair and you feel cooler. >> reporter: it sounds reasonable. still, perhaps it makes sense to put what he says to the test. the new method reduces the volume of hair so people can feel cooler without changing their hairstyle. i may not look that different, but i had this amount of haircut and i feel cooler. these special scissors are the key. the width of the teeth is thinner compared to previous models. they still do the job, but they

cut fewer hairs in the process. these stylists are planning to hold lectures to teach others their hair-thinning technique. they say people who want to beat the summer heat should simply use their head. tack nhk world, tokyo. now, the hot weather is also tough for animals. a tokyo zoo is helping them cool off in the scorching weather. the animals at the tama zoological park look exhausted as daytime temperatures topped 35 degrees celsius in some parts of tokyo. the zoo is using electric fans and sprinklers to cool its reindeer. visitors watched snow leopards beat the heat with some cool mist. a zookeeper says the animals seem to appreciate the help they're getting to cool down.

many people from fukushima feel people in the rest of the country don't understand the problems they face. they've lived in uncertainty since last year's nuclear accident. the survivors of another catastrophe are offering support across the generations. nhk world's maho arikawa has the story. >> reporter: 82-year-old masahito hirose survived the atomic bomb in nagasaki. he is one of the survivors corresponding with people in fukushima prefecture. >> good evening. tomorrow, doctors will examine my thyroid gland. i hope they won't find anything, but i'm still a bit worried.

>> dear yuko, you'll probably do fine tomorrow, but i also think that you, your friends and everyone in this country will have to continue dealing with radiation for a long time. >> reporter: yuko sato is a high school student. she lives in the city of fukushima, about 60 kilometers from the crippled nuclear plant. she met hirose last year during a field trip to nagasaki. the students were there to learn about the effects of the atomic bomb. hirose spoke to them about his experiences. yuko later sent him an e-mail, and they have stayed in touch ever since. >> translator: i don't think people outside fukushima can

understand what we went through after the nuclear accident, but i feel that despite the different circumstances, hirose and i share a similar pain. >> reporter: she says hirose's exposure to radiation makes it easier to share her anxieties with him. after exchanging more than 100 e-mails with yuko, hirose felt he wanted to do something for the children of fukushima. he visited her school in july. he was aware of the hardships the students were facing. he started by listening. >> translator: fukushima is known for growing delicious fruits, but people don't think it's safe to eat them anymore.

>> translator: i really wonder if i'll ever be able to marry. >> reporter: hirose understands the fear and frustration in those words. for decades, he faced all kinds of discrimination linked to his exposure to radiation. >> translator: i share your pain. i know you all never wanted it, but i want you to confront this situation. >> reporter: stay strong. easy enough to say, but this advice comes from experience. >> translator: i'm always thinking about what i can do to stand closer to the people of fukushima, but also without imposing my presence.

>> translator: our correspondence and your presence here today make me feel grateful. i realize that people far away from fukushima are helping us. >> translator: well, keep your chins up, okay? >> reporter: yuko will live under the shadow of radiation for years to come. but some words of encouragement are helping her to face the uncertain future. softly spoken, they are the words of a survivor. maho arakawa, nhk world, nagasaki. across southeast asia, traditional modes of transport are under threat. from hanoi to the bed track of

jakarta, drivers find themselves idle as car-buying consumers get wheels of their own. tricycle taxis once filled the streets of malaysia. now one historic island is on a drive to save them from extinction. nhk world's hironodi komota reports. >> reporter: the capital retains the ambiance of the period of the 18th century. this site once thrived as the spot between the east and the west. three-wheeled bike taxis are at risk. the driver sits behind the passengers, giving them a clear view of the sights. >> this is a new experience for me. this experience is very unforgettable.

>> reporter: but human-powered vehicles are not as populars they once were. until the 1970s, tricycles were an important mode of transportation nationwide, but as cars and motorbikes increased, the number of passengers drop off. at the peak, around 3,000 tricycles filled the streets. now that number has plunged to less than 300. 65-year-old mohammed has been driving a tricycle for more than 50 years. pedalling under the blazing sun is a tough job. despite his efforts, he only earns one-third of the income

ratio. also said the job is unstable. >> translator: i can't recommend my son to do the same job. successors keep dwindling in numbers. >> reporter: however, the government is stepping in to save the tricycle and promote it as a tourist attraction. since last december, sundays are designated as car-free days. automobiles and motorbikes are banned. pedestrians, bicycles and tricycles fill the streets. >> it's good because normal days they allow traffic, we cannot walk around and look at the beautiful buildings around this area. so, i think this will be continued. >> reporter: a new amusement park being built will also be tricycles a boost.

it is a means of transport for visitors. >> since we are actually already listed as the unesco heritage site, yes, definitely it would be something that we'd have to tackle. if we lose this, we are actually losing one of our living culture. >> reporter: the view from a slowly moving tricycle may be the best way to take in this town rich in heritage. that's why they are stepping up efforts to give people on the roond invite more tourists to hop on board. nhk world, iran. now, a potential typhoon is on its way to china. mai shoji from our weather team has more on that. mai? >> yes, we have been tracking a storm system. it is severe tropical storm

kytuk, now moving over the south china sea, steadily inching towards hainan and the guangdong province, possibly making landfall in the coast of guangdong province by friday noon local time. looks like it will be intensifying into a typhoon, i should say, any time soon by the time it makes landfall. so, due to the short time that this system will become a typhoon status, i think it's going to be the winds rather than the storm surge and the high waves, but high waves are still a primary threat, about five meters high anywhere along the coastal areas could be possible. so, do stay away from those coastal areas. and the drenches rain is also going to be one of the primary threats for the next 48 hours. this is what we're going to be looking at. about 250 millimeters of rain accumulation could be found in just 24 hours, about 200 millimeters also will be found

around jung jiang, so really, we do want to watch out for flooding, mud slides and landslides. as it moves inland towards hanoi, vietnam it looks like it will be downgrading to a tropical storm and then into a tropical depression, but still, we want to keep a close eye on this system. also, it is surging moisture towards the western seaboards of the philippines. things are not yet completely improved here due to the severe flooding that resulted from the ongoing torrential rain last week. and so, no rain is welcomed here, but looks like it will be continuing associated with some isolated thunderstorms. talking about isolated thunderstorms, things are going to be rough here in the island chain of japan, excluding hokkaido, though. rain will be tapering off. however, short-term heavy rain of about 50 to 80 millimeters just in the span of an hour will be possible across much of honshu region and also thunderstorms, severe ones,

could produce hailnd damaging gusts and tornadic activity cannot be ruled out. temperaturewise, we're looking at 31 in tokyo, just around average, but nothing around average here in chongqing, reaching up to 40 degrees, really hot there, well above average. it will be continuing until next week. moving over to the americas now. things are pretty rough here in manitoba and into ontario with some drenching rain, but across and along this cold front, in ahead of that system is where severe weather will be found. we cannot rule out the chances of tornadic activity as well as hail. that could be the size of a golf ball, stretching into northern texas, so that's going to be welcome rain, but still, short-term heavy rain could cause flash flooding, so that's going to be dangerous. in the wake of that, cold air is going to be continuing for the next couple days, just dropping those temperatures down. but behind that, that excessive heat warning posted up across the pacific northwest. things are really hot there.

portland looking at 38. that's about 12 degrees above average. denver, though, 26. and winnipeg reaching down to 19 degrees. here in the european continent, things are going to be pretty rough here in the british isles. on-and-off showers will be continuing and the gusts are going to be strong, but much across central portions and the west looking at clearer skies. paris we think 32, but madrid looking at a sizzling 39 degrees. here's our extended forecast.

. in and that's all for this hour. i'm shery ahn. thank you for watching.