will be to nhk world news line. guns, tanks and bombs for months now, but the weapons fuels their country's civil war could fuel over the week. the united nations says president bas shar al assaad has agreed to a fees fire during a

religion holloway day. zplts the syrian grovt has agreed to a temporary cease fire during the muslim holiday. >> the muslim holiday begins friday and runs through monday. bragimi says assaad is on board and most rebel leaders he's contacted also told him they would observe a truce. president assaad said earlier this year, he would end his military operation against opposition forces. but both sides are still fighting for control of the country. the people at japan's new nuclear regulator are --

recommended expanding the evacuation radius from 10 to 30 kilometers. they would set up temporary shelters nearby for those unable to make it the evacuation centers. analysts at japan's nuclear regul regularator have also unveiled suggestions.

they say meltdowns at a handful of the country's 16 nuclear facilities could result in radiation spreading beyond their recommended 30 kilometer evacuation zone. the projections are based on a number of conditions, including whether records for the past year. they show accidents at 12 plants could contaminate areas within the 30 kilometer radius to such an extent people would have to leave for at least seven days. the situation is more worrisome at the four remaining plants. according to the authority, accidents at those plants could spread radiation beyond the 30-kilometer evacuation zone. municipal leaders are expected to reference these new projections when they revise their emergency evacuation plans. nhk asked an atomic energy expert on the meaning of the projection. >> translator: to prevent a

disaster, it's important to prepare for the worst case scenario. the projection is meaningful because it gives us a picture of what's likely to happen. japan's two biggest cable television companies plan to integrate their businesses by autumn next year. the group called for tighter discipline and a row view on how american troops are educated on human rights. they also sought faster efforts to realine and downside efforts on u.s. bases in okinawa.

>> the armed forces agreement is at least what the people hope for. i hope the government takes our voices into account. >> okinawa police say there's been 100 cases of rape or attempted rape between 1972 amend 2011. 1972 was when the prefecture converted over to japanese rule. massive protests follow the crime. after the latest incident, a rally is being planned for later this month in the city. the two suspects were stationed there. okinawa city officials are announces plans to -- they say they're expecting about 1,500 participants.

facebook executives announced they're in the red for the second straight quarter. business expansion costs have competed their projected growth. the social network's officials said revenues for the july to september period topped $1.2 billion. that's up over 30% from the same period last year. the surge in advertisement revenue was a contributing factor. but the firm spent more than research and development, payroll, and expanding operations, bringing it a net loss of $59 million. the number of facebook users hit 1 billion in september. but the site still hasn't turned a profit since going public in may. chief executive mark zuckerberg said the firm aims to launch new services for smartphones and tablets to boost revenues. some 60% of facebook members use mobile devices to access their accounts. mobile users now have more ways to access their facebook.

apple has unveiled a smaller version of the ipad to fend off its competitors. >> this is ipad mini. media from across the globe converged on the california product launch. the ipad mini's screen measures 7.9 inches. that's about 20% smaller than the one of their full-size tablet. and it weighs half as much. the least expensive model sells for almost $330. about $200 less than the original. apple plans to release the new device next friday in u.s., europe, and in japan. >> we told you earlier this year that you would see some incredible innovation. >> the firm now has a 70% share in the global market it created with the ipad two years ago. ipad's late co-founder steve

jobs was reluctant to develop a smaller version. he was concerned customers wouldn't be interested. but executives launched one anyway, citing the stiff competition from small tablets. meanwhile amazon is adding fuel to the competition if japan. the firm says its kindle ereaders and tablets will debut in the country. the u.s. online retailer announced on wednesday that the ereaders will hit the japanese market next month and the kindle fire tablets in december. the ereaders will cost 8,480 yen or about $106. amazon will introduce a system that lets users buy ebooks online through the tablets of other makers. amazon's top executive told nhk that the firm aims to gain market share by making its device different from its competitors. >> we don't try to make money when we sell the hardware. we have an ongoing relationship with the customer. when they buy content, ebooks, and games, and apps, and music,

and so on, we make money then. >> one of japan's business leaders is urging the japanese and chinese governments once again to improve their ties through calm dialogue and diplomatic efforts. japan business federation chairman said on wednesday that the recent conflict over the senkaku islands in the east china sea made bilateral ties worse and it's starting to have a serious effect on business activities and the economy. >> translator: what i think is regrettable is the lack of communication between japan and china up to this point. i would like to strongly ask both governments to quickly restore the economy through calm dialogue and diplomatic efforts. >> since the japanese government nationalized the senkaku islands in september, he has been warning that deteriorating

relation between the world's second and third largest economies will have a major impact on global activity. china's economy has slowed for the fourth quarter in a row. >> reporter: this shopping district is located in the heart of beijing. >> translator: they say consumption is expanding, but i don't think the overall economy is that good.

>> translator: our company made a lot of money last year but not this year, our managers are telling us to cut the costs down. >> reporter: the city on the coastal region is home to factories making clothes for overseas market. surprisingly business is booming in this town. rows and rows of sewing machines are on sale at the secondhand machinery store. they came from nearby factories. clothes makers are going bankrupt in increasing numbers with declining exports as a result of the euro debt crisis. >> so many are coming under d that's why we're getting so many of these secondhand sewing machine. >> reporter: at this trade fair, some 25,000 companies are trying topo moat exports, but european

crisis is casting a dark shadow. this company makes lights for large 4-wheel drive vehicles. exports accounted for 95% of the product s it manufactured. but it has shown a sharp decline. >> translator: we are seeing a particularly sharp drop in east europe from. the way our orders are falling, our exports in the future are going to show a precipitous decline. >> reporter: and now there's another reason for worry. since last month, the relations between japan and china have been worsening because of a territorial dispute in the east china sea. the dispute could affect the bicultural ties. one china's major business

leaders said some -- it also warns that both country also face a heavy price to pay as a result of the dispute. a mid a spreading campaign to boycott chinese products--toyota motors says plants 50% from a year earlier. this plant is hurting most of its production lines this week. workers are become increasingly concerned about their- >> i can't make ends meet if they cut the working hours, i need to look for another job. >> other makers have been unable to make up for the throwdown in japanese -- this situation could like old parts makers and also consumer spending.

many inside as well as outside china are wonderering how china can stimulate it's economy amidst the domestic and external troubles. here are the latest market figures. people have responded to japan's disaster and its aft aftermath in many ways.

media report on it, academics study it, artists base works on it. one filmmaker picked up his camera soon after last year's earthquake and tsunami and headed to the northeast. he wanted to forge ties with survivors. so he called his documentary katawara which means "on your side" in japanese. nhk world has the story. >> reporter: katawara has no narration and no dramatic story development. the camera just travels through japan's northeast and documents the aftermath of the disaster. showing people goi about their daily lives, capturing the changing of the seasons. shin icihbai directed the film. he spent decades making documentaries featuring people who face challenges. he focuses on the preciousness

of human life and the importance of individuals. the march 2011 disaster was the subject he couldn't ignore. >> translator: i felt like i had no choice. i had to go to the disaster areas. i needed to make mental notes. >> reporter: ise's team went to the prefecture four days after the disaster to check on their friends. the tsunami had slammed the channel. the friend and his family were safe. ise decided to film there, but he hesitated when he saw the extent of the devastation.

>> translator: i asked myself if it was the right thing to do, to aim a camera at survivors in such a situation. one survivor yelled, "what's so fun about filming somebody's misfortune"? >> reporter: but ise was determined to document the struggle of survivors. so he kept filming, and he captured many moments. announcers at a radio station reading the names of the deceased on the month anniversary of the disaster.

>> survivors honoring the loved ones they lost. with prayer. and by lighting lanterns to welcome spirits during the annual bonn festival, a time when japanese believe the souls of the deceased return to their families. ise also filmed survivors who went on the water to float paper lanterns bearing messages for the victims. each light represented the soul of the dead. >> translator: ordinary people are always forgotten, as if they didn't exist.

i want to really focus on those people, one by one. making films with this kind of focus to me means not forgetting the victims and the disaster. >> reporter: the message is not lost from his audience. >> translator: i want to continue to have one part of my daily life that connects me with the disaster. >> translator: i don't know what i can do, but the film made me determined to live my own life to the fullest and do what i can to help others. >> translator: movies are powerful because they encourage audiences to concentrate on the story, to responder during the course of the screening. i'm not sure if it was three years, five years, or ten years, but i'll dedicate myself to conveying the memory of the disaster. >> reporter: he hopes it will play in theaters across japan.

but he's also aiming for the film to light up screen audiences. he wants people around the world to remember japan's disaster and to reflect on the preciousness of life and loved ones. nhk world, tokyo. creators and producers in japan's entertainment industry are on the lookout for new audiences, domestic demand has hit a ceiling. so they're joining forces to attract more foreign buyers and fans. >> reporter: animation. music. and much more. japan's entertainment industry generates billions of dollars and has a strong international reputation. but government officials believe

it could do even better and help make up for falling domestic demand. they are putting a spotlight on a wide range of content created every year and hoping representatives of foreign companies will open up their textbooks. the business of show business, music, movie, and animation. people from all over the world. they are here to see what japan has to offer. participants of this event are trying to negotiate this traditional rite for japanese music and animation. >> maybe we can be the first. >> sure. >> we've acquired a lot of content for this show. it's been very successful for our company. we're very pleased. >> reporter: japan's entertainment industry is the second largest in the world,

after the united states. it made about $160 billion in 2007. but sales have dropped to around $150 billion since then. animation sales fell below $2 billion last year from their peak of 2.8 billion in 2005. domestic cd sales are also down, reflecting the shift to digital down loads. people in the industry hope foreign markets will give them a boost. they are trying to generate interest around the world, but especially in asia's rising economies. >> asia has been influenced by many major markets, and japan is a major market. >> translator: i'm proud of japanese content. we'd like to spread this great content around the world without

worrying about the segmentation within our industry. we hope to increase global profits. >> reporter: japan's sluggish economy, along with its aging progression, is having an impact across the board. creators in the company's entertainment industry are trying to tap into new markets, not just to direct sales, but to guarantee their survival. there's a tropical storm swirling near the philippines. meteorologist robert speta joins us with that. >> we are continuing to watch our storm here. this is tropical storm son-tinh moving off towards the west, bringing some very heavy rain showers. already in northern mindanao,

you've seen reports of up to 70 millimeters in the past 24 hours. and upwards of 200 millimeters expect there had in the next 72 hours. even in southern mindanao, you've seen some families been displaced due to flash floodings here. as the storm continues to track across the region, southern luzon seeing that heavy rainfall and in manila, you could be expecting urban flooding. especially some landslides could be expected through the next 72 hours as the storm continues to track off towards the northwest. once it re-emerges into the south china sea it could intensify to a severe tropical storm before moving off towards vietnam. definitely still want to watch it there as it could bring some heavy rainfall and gusty winds for you in the coming days. so still have plenty of time to watch that. now, across the rest of asia, chain yeah, korea, fair weather is in place today. high pressure dominating much of the region. we do have this low pressure area pushing out of northeastern china. could see some brief rain

showers over there. but for the most part, much of japan seeing this autumn weather. i want to show you a video coming out north of tokyo, one of the better weather scenarios here. the autumn leaves are starting to change colors. combineded with the rather warm and above temperatures, we have been seeing thus far, visit fors enjoyed the contrast of the red foliage of the blue sky. it's also in japan where deer fall in love. this is why the deer and the color of the leaves express the real feelings of japan and the fall season out here. manilla coming by these hours on thursday.

now over towards the americas, let's switch gears and talk about our tropical storm, tropical storm sandy here, moving across jamaica now. moving across cuba, already some hurricane warnings are in effect as the storm warnings are going to continue to intensify. flooding has been a major risk here. mud slides remembered, jamaica here, you're still recovering from the earthquake so you still want to watch this very closely, definitely there's going to be a very dangerous risk here, even long the east coast of florida, rip currents and beach erosion is going to be a major factor here and look at that with those heavy rain showers pushing into miami during the next 72 hours. we have a winter storm system moving across the western great lakes, this is going to be sparking up some severe weather, talking about thunderstorms, lightning, hail and even a tornado or two could be seen out of this, as it continues to rush out there towards the east. it's going to be a rough one

indeed. temperatures out ahead of it, though, are warm. atlanta, 26, winnipeg on the other hand, rather cold there on your wednesday, only a high of 5, here's a look at your extended forecast.

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

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