>> political paralysis, opposition parties in japan team up to tie up the government. welcome to nhk world "newsline." japanese prime minister yoshihiko noda has taken another hit. upper house opposition parties have passed a censure motion against him. this means they've practically paralyzed the government. noda could be forced to quit or call a general election.

noda's opponents say he's incapable of handling domestic and foreign affairs. >> translator: prime minister yoshihiko noda keeps ignoring the people's voices. he bears a heavy responsibility. >> translator: we strongly call for soul searching and condemn those who submitted this motion, which is highly partisan and irrational. >> the motion is not legally binding, but it means the opposition will block all bills in the upper house. >> i insist prime minister noda dissolves the lower house as soon as possible and ensure sound political management. >> noda is expected to ignore calls to dissolve the lower house to make way for an election. but his time is limited. the government's money could start running out this autumn if it doesn't get help from the opposition. nhk senior political commentator came by the studio earlier to

give us some insight on what it means for japan. he's followed the prime minister for years. what prompted opposition party to submit this motion? >> they're blaming the government for escalating tensions in territorial disputes with south korea and china. they say noda's weakness allowed the south korean president to visit takeshima, the islands controlled by south korea and claimed by japan. and opposition members say that the same weakness allowed hong kong activists to land on one of the senkaku islands which are controlled by japan. opposition politicians say noda should have used diplomacy to prevent the landings. >> so how has the noda administration reacted? >> well, members of noda's own democratic party say that the motion will weaken the leadership of this country and send the wrong message diplomatically.

they also say that there are a lot of domestic issues to solve and opposition parties should be helping. >> how do you think this will affect the japanese people? >> well, opposition parties are refusing to join deliberations in the diet, and they control the upper house. so that effectively shuts down the workings of parliament. ministers want to introduce measures to help lower income earners cope with the consumption tax hike. they want to reform the electoral system so that there are a similar number of voters in each constituency. and they want to pass bills to enact the budget. if they can't, that can cripple public services. so a lot of japanese people are criticizing that those parties are just playing political games at the expense of people's lives. >> how will all of this affect prime minister noda?

>> you know, the censure is not binding, so the prime minister does not have to respond, but it gives the opposition grounds to boycott power. if the government cannot enact a budget, noda will be forced to resign or call a general election. remember, noda's public approval rating is reaching a record low. so he'll be keen to delay the election for as long as possible, but the motion makes it clear this time that prime minister noda will have to make a decision some time in fall. judge diplomats from japan and north korea have sat down and talked, something they haven't done in four years. japanese officials said they expressed their views on the issue that matters the most to them, the abductions of japanese

nationals by north korean agents in the 1970s and '80s. the foreign ministry officials metaphor three hours at the japanese embassy in beijing. they are trying to smooth the way for more talks. they didn't reveal many details. the japanese said they had what they called frank discussions about the abductions. north korean officials have said they considered the matter resolved. the two sides will meet again on thursday. so diplomats are back at the table, but they've taken a lot of turns getting there. the two countries held their first summit in 2002. the leader at the time admitted and apologized for the abductions which the north koreans long denied. five abductees were returned to japanese later. in 2005 the six parties in the talks on north korea's nuclear program adopted a statement the

country agreed to give up nuclear development. the following year diplomats from nuclear and japan talked the abductions and starting diplomatic ties. then a long range ballistic missile was launched. and conducted the country's first nuclear test. the japanese introduced economic sanctions including restrictions on importing goods. diplomats met again in 2008. the north koreans promised to reinvestigate the abduction cases. but after a leadership change in japan they said they would postpone the investigation, putting a chill on relations. in 2009 the north launched another long range ballistic missile. the u.n. security council condemned the launch and the north koreans said they would pull out of the six-party talks. then last december leader kim jong il died. his son, jim jong un, took over.

then there was discussion about repatriating japanese who died on the korean peninsula at the end of world war ii. they agreed to involve government officials in a separate round of talks leading to the meetings in beijing. mitt romney has dreamed for years of occupying the white house. delegates to the republican national convention have nominated mitt romney as their choice for president. now they are busy to reintroducing him to americans. >> the honorable mitt romney of the state of massachusetts has received 2,061 votes, more than a majority of those votes entitled to be cast at this convention. >> delegates chose the former massachusetts governor as the challenger to president barack obama. >> at every turn in his life,

this man i met at a high school dance has helped lift up others. this man will lift up america. >> the republicans approved their party platform. they say obama has failed to bring the country out of the worst economic slump since the great depression. the platform calls for a small government with less public spending. it pledges tax cuts on corporations and requires higher spending on the military. the party criticizes obama for cutting the defense budget as the u.s. faces increasing threats including nuclear developments in north korea and iran and china's military buildup. romney has worked for years towards the nomination, but many americans still wonder what he stands for. nhk world's matt field has more from tampa. >> reporter: mitt romney says he has the experience to lead something he says president barack obama has not led, an economic recovery. >> so to get this economy going

again with more jobs and more take-home pay. >> reporter: voters four years ago bought obama's promises of change. but republicans and democrats remain divided, and the jobless rate has stuck above 8%. >> people who did vote for him are just as disappointed as anyone else. >> i don't see any tax breaks coming my way. so it's been tough, a tough four years. >> reporter: romney rebuilt company after company as the chief executive of bain capital. and he led the organizing committee for the 2002 winter olympics in salt lake city. romney took over with the committee staggering under its debts. he turned things around to a surplus. he stresses that kind of expertise is essential to turn around the economy. >> it was really amazing. he didn't leave it for his staff.

he laid it all out, where things stood financially, where they were, where we are now, what they anticipated into the future. >> reporter: romney went on to become the governor of massachusetts. he contrasts his experience in politics and business with that of obama. still, many republicans have felt romney does not go far enough to the right. he helped calm those fears with his choice of a running mate. paul ryan is the chairman of the house of representatives budget committee, the chief architect of the republican plan for tax and spending cuts. >> i believe that my record of getting things done in congress will be very helpful complement to governor romney's executive and private sector success outside of washington. >> we're offering a positive governing agenda that will lead to economic growth, to widespread and shared prosperity and that will improve the lives of our fellow citizens.

>> reporter: romney's success in business has invited criticism for the millions he has earned. obama has earned success of his own in painting his opponent as a businessman who cuts jobs. romney will have several days to paint himself as a champion of economic recovery and a leader who can take back the presidency. matt field, nhk world, tampa, florida. public opinion polls suggest romney has some work to do. more than half of respondents don't think of him as a likable presidential candidate. abc news and "washington post" carried out the survey. 40% of respondents said romney is likable, 51% unlikable. that puts him ten points behind his rival. 50% of those surveyed viewed barack obama as likable. 47% say he is not. among women, only 34% said romney is likable. 51% of them said that of obama.

pollsters have been taking this survey since 1984. romney is the first presidential candidate labeled unlikable by more than half the respondents around the time of the party nomination. japanese consumers worried about nuclear power safety are seeking alternative energy sources. now two companies are teaming up to meet the growing demand. they are building a large scale solar power plant in western japan. the venture brings together sb energy a unit of telecom giant of soft bank. the solar plan will it is on 50 hectares. it is scheduled to be completed bin a year. the two firms signed an agreement in tokyo. the solar power facility will

generate 39.5 kilowatt hours of electricity per year. that's enough to power about 11,000 households. the plant will sell the electricity it generates to power companies. >> translator: all businesses have to work on increasing systems of renewable energy every where in japan. we're going to move the plan forward. >> representatives of the two firms say they are considering additional projects they expect demand for solar power to grow. honda motor is considering buying a motorcycle factory. it aims to capture growing demand and the emerging economy of southeast asia. sources say honda will set up an

office. the staff will continue duct a feasibility study. they will sell motorcycles made in c and thailand by year end. after the maker concludes an agreement with a local sales agent in myanmar. the country is said to be moving towards a full fledge democracy. suzuki too plans to build a car factory in myanmar while yamaha motor is to open an office. japanese fish farmers are voicing concerns over the government's plan to restrict domestic rearing of bluefin tuna. fisheries agencies met agency representatives in tokyo on wednesday and seeking an understanding of fish farmers about the regulations.

>> translator: japan has the largest tuna market, so the world thinks japan has a responsibility to conserve the natural resource. we have to take the lead in the global efforts and discussions. >> under the plan, tuna farmers would be banned from creating new cultivation facilities or expanding existing ones. tuna farming involves raising young fish caught in the ocean before they've had a chance to lay eggs. >> translator: i basically disagree. i think it's premature to implement restrictions. >> translator: we need some rules to manage the resource, not only to catch the fish. we have to decide how much we should conserve and consume. >> the number of bluefin tuna is declining in the wild, so more and more producers are raising them in captivity. the regulation is scheduled to take effect in september of next year.

>> here are the latest market figures. japan's ambassador to china has called for calm. ties between the countries have been strained in recent weeks. he's urging people to look at the relationship from a broad perspective. the u.s. spoke at a symposium of a meeting celebrating the anniversary of diplomatic ties.

>> sometimes we have different views or opinions. sometimes we cannot avoid disagreement or friction. however, we will continue to be neighbors as neither japan nor china can move to another place. we have to see to it that no single incident undermines our relations overall. >> japan/china relations remain sour over the senkaku islands in the east china sea. the ambassador himself was at the center of an incident on monday. two vehicles forced his car to stop on a beijing road. a man got out of one of the vehicles and ripped the japanese national flag off the car. the chairman of the china/japan friendship association condemned those responsible. >> translator: they are not patriots. it's not a patriotic act. it's an act that harms the nation. >> the former foreign minister said chinese authorities are conducting a thorough investigation.

many industries are facing a tough time in the current economic climate. not so for the gun makers. researchers say the value of annual authorized trade in small arms and ammunition has more than doubled in six years. a research institute in geneva, switzerland, has been running the numbers. it estimates the value of the small arms trade at $8.5 billion a year. the figure for 2006 was $4 billion. the report says the rise is due mainly to large scale military spending and prompted by the wars in iraq and afghanistan. it also points to increased purchases of small arms and ammunition by u.s. citizens. the report refers to the illegal arms trade. it says insurgents continue to obtain guns and other light weapons despite a 2001 u.n. action program to halt illicit shipments.

tradition can be a source of comfort in difficult times. that is certainly the case in northeastern japan where one custom is helping disaster survivors deal with a sweltering summer. we have a report on a cotton robe with the power to heal. >> reporter: japanese women love to wear the traditional kimono that's made of cotton and is a popular fashion during the hot season. it's more than just a robe. it's an expression of glamour and grace. a crowd of people wearing kimonos gathered to see fireworks earlier this month. some were wearing donated kimonos. a man working for a kimono

manufacturer in kyoto called out for the donation. people from across the country answered. they donated 3,000 in all. >> translator: we hope that wearing a kimono will allow the victims of last year's disaster to enjoy themselves a little bit and perhaps to forget even for just a short moment about their ordeal. >> reporter: one of the destinations was kamayishi. this woman leads the initiative to deliver kimonos to customers. she wears a kimono every day at her restaurant to work. >> translator: when i was distributed donated kimonos last year people weren't all that ready and expressed mixed feelings. i feel this year the reaction is

more positive. >> reporter: women and men, girls and boys, people of all ages lined up and searched through various patterns and colors. she even advised how to complete a style to make a woman pretty and elegant. >> translator: i'm glad i found one that fit me just right. >> translator: i didn't feel like wearing a kimono last year. everything got washed away so i didn't want to go out at all. this year, i will wear one along with my family. >> reporter: she survived the tsunami. she was trapped in a small restaurant she ran. the waves damaged it and her

apartment. now she's determined to help those who need help getting back on their feet. this woman had been looking for a kimono for a while. her eldest daughter struggled after the tsunami and moved to tokyo. she hadn't visited home in a year. her mother hoped wrapping herself in tradition would help bring a smile back to her face. she came back in time for the fireworks display and arrived at the venue with her father. she wore a kimono her mother picked out from the donation. >> translator: i feel really

happy. it was a challenge to wear a kimono today. now that i have, i want to keep trying other new things too. >> translator: i need to continue on with this. i want to see more people wearing kimonos and smiling. >> reporter: many here put on their kimono to honor their past. others would prefer to put the past behind them. all of them hope to find some solace in the rites of summer. clear weather here in tokyo but a very different situation in the u.s. meteorologist robert speta is here with the details. robert. >> a very dangerous storm along the mississippi and louisiana gulf coast.

this is hurricane isaac slowly work, its way off towards the north right now but that's the problem. it's moving very slowly and causing a significant storm surge near the coast lines upward was four meters in southeastern has been reported. heavy rains and gusty winds caused 300,000 residents without power on your wednesday and more rainfall will be occurring as the storm moves very slowly, it will continue to grab that moisture from the south, push it across mississippi into louisiana up to 500 millimeters on top of the heavy rain here is going to be expected throughout the next 72 hours as that storm system continues to move through and then on friday into saturday gradually working its way off to north. good news here, a very severe drought in this region and the rain will be welcomed. localized flash flooding to be occurring. still a rather strong hurricane on our hands here as this

continues to move across the gulf coast, across the southern u.s. temperature wise we'll look at oklahoma city with a high of 34. denver rather warm. does look like the dakotas getting up into the high 30s. to the east toronto and new york rather cool at 25 and 26 in the mid. your week. now into eastern asia we have been watching several tropical systems. bolevan affecting southeastern russia. it is going to bring some heavy rain showers as well as it begins to approach the korean peninsula up to 30 millimeters an hour and 150 millimeters totally in localized areas, up to 200 millimeters near the coast lines. this area is still recovering from bolevan so doesn't need any more on rainfall. thursday and friday this landfall occurring across south korea including seoul, heavy rain showers with that as well.

we've been seeing a high pressure right around eastern japan. keeping things clear and hot in tokyo. going through the end of the week, that high will work its way back towards the east and then all the moisture will push in from the west even around tokyo you could be seeing strong to severe thunderstorms as that moisture pushes in from the south for the weekend but temperatures will remain hot. tokyo, 34 on thursday. as well as towards the south, shanghai with a high of 32. taipei at 30. manila and bangkok low 30s as well. now europe a low pressure area moving across the british isles. a front pushing towards portions of spain, france and germany. severe weather is on tap here as this trough continues to linger here but just towards the east of that trough big high pressure. a ridge set in place here across central and eastern europe keeping things sunny and expecting a decent warm up. vienna with a high of 30 here on

your thursday. behind it, a cool down. london with a hive 19. paris 23. expected to get down to 18 on your friday. a little bit of a cool down here across portions of western europe. here's a look at your extended forecast. we'll be back with more updates in 30 minutes. i'm gene otani in tokyo.