\s welcome to nhk world "newsline." japanese foreign ministry officials are demanding answers from russia following an incident in the air. defense ministry officials say two russian war planes violated the country's air space on thursday. they say it happened just before 3:00 p.m. southwest of rishiri island off hokkaido. air self defense force commander scrambled four fighter jets. the russian aircraft left japanese air space after about a minute. officials immediately launched a protest with the russian embassy

in tokyo. they are calling for an investigation. russian authorities say they will confirm the details. foreign ministry spokespersons say this is the first time in five years russian aircraft have violated japanese air space. february 7th is significant because that's the date in 1855 japanese and russian leaders signed a treaty recognizing the islands as part of japan. people in tokyo held an annual rally on thursday to call on russia to honor that agreement and return the territory. prime minnesout minister abe vop

working. he told vladimir putin that he wants to find a solution. a swift solution is needed. >> translator: the japanese government will press ahead with its basic policy of settling the territorial dispute and pushing to sign a peace treaty with russia. we will continue our efforts to make progress in negotiations. >> the prime minister said the japanese government and public must be united in dealing with this issue. the head of the all-japan judo federation wants to clear the air. he will brief officials on a scandal that's tarnished a sport that started in japan. coaches physically abused members of the women's national team.

15 team members filed a complaint with the japanese olympic committee. they said coaches engaged in violent behavior in training, such as slapping wrestlers in the face. the head coach and the director of technical development have resigned. uemura headed to paris, where he'll appear before the international judo federation. >> translator: it is my responsibility to explain what happened, because we have inconvenienced everyone in judo around the world. >> uemura says he wants to prevent the scandal from affecting tokyo's bid to host the 2020 olympics. >> judo has deep roots in japan and fans expect success. the head coach says he was under pressure to win. now people in the japanese sporting world are worried about what they could lose. nhk world reports.

>> reporter: this man took over as head coach as the national women's judo team in november 2008. people praised him for his enthusiastic and theoretical instruction. he trained wrestlers for the 2012 olympics, then led them to london. they won three medals, gold, silver, and bronze. but that was less than the team brought home from the 2008 summer games. he lost some of his shine. then the abuse allegations surfaced. he admitted he was lofty to women and was only trying to get the best out of them. >> translator: in judo, you compete at the olympic games to win medals. and i believe that is our

mission. i admit that i felt pressure to make the athletes strong in a short period of time. >> reporter: sports figures have criticized sonoda's win-at-all-costs attitude. >> translator: i imagined he felt a lot of pressure to win at the games, but his passion took a wrong turn. >> reporter: international judo federation spokespersons say sonoda's actions do not reflect the spirit and ferocity of their sport. they say judo should enhance physical and mental abilities. anything that goes against that principle has no place. the fact that modern judo was developed in japan is another reason the scandal is getting so much attention. but japanese government leaders are also worried about the widespread impact. >> translator: with tokyo campaigning to hold the 2020 olympic games, we want the japan olympic committee to deal with

this issue quickly before the international olympic committee visits tokyo next month for a survey. >> reporter: the athletes launched the complaint and are looking ahead to the 2020 games. in a statement, they said they are not satisfied with sonoda's resignation alone and want the joc to do more. >> translator: we strongly hope sporting culture in this country can change so japan can qualify to hold the olympic games in 2020. we hope all athletes can compete in a peaceful environment. >> reporter: the former head coach of japan's national judo team agrees. the 1984 gold medal winner said

in a statement that judo can educate people. he noted that when he coached the team, he tried to build supreme athletes, not just the strongest ones. he's urging judo coaches to go back to basics. ciaki ishikawa, nhk world, tokyo. japanese defense officials want to resume talks with the chinese to avoid maritime accidents. they say such discussions are necessary following an incident involving a chinese naval vessel. the crew locked its weapons radar on a japanese self defense force ship. the senior defense ministry official met with members of the ruling liberal democrat party. masanori nishi say they must have more safety nets. they say setting up emergency hotlines. the country's defense officials met three times in the last five years to discuss safety measures, but the talks stalled last year after japan's leaders nationalized the senkaku islands in the east china sea.

japan controls the islands, china and taiwan claims them. he said the crew directed its weapons radar at a japanese destroyer, but they did not train artillery at the ship, said it's not clear if the chinese crew had removed the safety device on the artillery. they are interesting in creating interest. >> translator: japan is trying to tarnish china's image. it doesn't work to improve the bilateral relationship. >> chinese foreign ministry spoke person was responding to a remark by japanese defense minister. he said the use of weapons radar could be considered a threat of force under the united nations charter. china's defense ministry and other agencies are investigating the incident. she again blamed japan for

months of strained ties over the islands in the east china sea. the issue is not china flexing its muscles but is really about continuous illegal activities by japanese vessels and planes in china's waters and airspace. populous, prosperous, pushing ahead. china's rise, grounded wealth, power, and problems. an income gap divides its people. pollution threatens their health. and disputed seas strain relations with its neighbors. find out about the challenges china faces on "newsline." authorities in the solomon islands are sending emergency teams and relief supplies to help residents in tthat have be hit by the disaster. an earthquake rattled the south pacific on wednesday sending tsunami racing ashore. six people are confirmed dead and four others missing.

>> reporter: this is the capital of the solomon islands. the ship is loading supplies which will be sent to the islands which was hard hit by tsunami. they are working as fast as they can. stocking the ship with food, utensils and plastic pans full of fresh water. the crew will then travel 600 kilometers to the hardest hit of the solomon islands. the journey will take more than 30 hours. the nearly one meter high tsunami swept away house after house. members of the international aid group world vision captured photos of the destruction. the images show only foundations are left in places. some houses are full of debris. solomon islands authorities say the power and water supply has been cut off. and they say telephone communication is still difficult.

along with supplies, they're planning to send relief workers to the area. people in this area are hoping the worst is over. but they remain on high alert. they've been shaken several times by magnitude 6 after shocks. nhk world, solomon islands. the operator of japan's damaged nuclear plant is being accused of trying to obstruct a government investigation into the accident at the facility. a diet panel released the more than 600-page report last year. it detailed what went wrong at the fukushima daiichi plant following the earthquake and tsunami. a former panel member submitted a document on thursday to the leaders of both chambers of diet. he wants them to investigate the matter. he says last february, that is, tokyo electric power company wouldn't let the panel access the buildings housing reactor one at fukushima.

he said tepco representatives told the panel it was covered by sheeting and pitch dark inside. he maintains they said entering would be dangerous. tanaka said that's why the panel abandoned the idea of an on-site examination. they reportedly showed the panel video depicting the interior of the reactor building. they explained the images were shot before the installation of the cover. but tanaka says that turned out to be false. he says the images were shot after the installation and he says the inside of the reactor building wasn't pitch dark, despite the cover. tanaka argues tepco's explanation constitutes a serious obstruction of the panel's business. he's demanding the diet look into these developments and conduct an on-site investigation. tepco spokespersons refute the allegation. they say the officials in charge made a mistake in dating the footage. from earthquakes to tsunami,

when it comes to disasters, people in japan know just how unforgiving nature can be. since 1997, just two years after the great earthquake, an annual exhibition of emergency equipment has featured hundreds of products to help save lives in a catastrophe. organizers expect this year's show to attract a record number of people. nhk world has the story. >> reporter: 226 companies and organizations are taking part in the event in yokohama. nearly two years have passed since the earthquake and tsunami hit northeastern japan. since then, designers have been turning out more and more life-saving products. one example is a moving shelter for fleeing from a tsunami. this huge object is actually an emergency shelter with an

engine. the shelter can hold as many as 25 people. it can move at a speed of ten kilometers an hour for up to 100 kilometers. >> translator: we've had many calls from people interested in bouts for escaping from tsunami. we developed this product to meet the demand. >> translator: other products are for people who lost their home. this jacket has 44 pockets that can hold almost everything needed in an emergency. including food, water, and blankets. arrange of back-up water and power supplies is also on

display. this device can purify two liters of water in just five minutes. there's also a portable solar panel with two wheels. it is small enough to carry around and set up anywhere and can charge 50 cell phones or light up a room for more than 24 hours. in the past, most businesses did exhibition work involved in public safety, but organizers say now more people from the private sector are coming to the show. managers are looking for ways to improve disaster preparedness and protect their employees. many remember the events of 2011 when companies struggled to provide food and shelter to their workers. >> translator: we're trying to be fully prepared for various types of disasters. we're here today to learn more

about what we can do. >> reporter: disasters teach us lessons. and there's plenty to learn in disaster-prone japan. events like this one, more people are learning how they can prepare themselves for the worst. iku tanaka, nhk world, okahama. thousands of people waiting to go home. tons of debris waiting for disposal. vast tracts of land awaiting to be restored. overcoming the challenges of japan's 2011 disaster won't be easy, but step-by-step, people are moving forward. find out how on "the road ahead" every wednesday at 1:00 p.m. japan time right here on ne

newsline. solar power is often seen as a shining example of renewable energy. but for manufacturers of solar panels, price competition is clouding the outlook. a japanese manufacturer is doing their entire production of solar panels in malaysia for the first time. we report. >> reporter: panasonic built this plant in malaysia at the cost of $480 million. the factory started shipping solar panels on the first day. output will eventually reach some 1.3 million units a year. demand for solar power is rising rapidly, especially in japan and europe. greater awareness of energy conservation is one factor. programs to facilitate trade in

solar and other renewable energy have also helped. but price competition is intensifying. china is the world's biggest maker of solar panels. chinese manufacturers have cut their prices aggressively, putting foreign rivals under pressure. price cutting is the major factor of solar panel industry. this factory in malaysia is expected to reduce the course of production by 20%. until now, panasonic produced the key component to solar cells in japan and assembled the panels overseas. by integrating production in one place, the company can reduce costs for transport and personnel. >> translator: price competition could continue to intensify. we'll keep improving productivity to stay ahead. and improve our performance.

>> reporter: solar cells are the critical component for generating solar energy. they contain valuable business secrets that manufacturers fiercely protect. panasonic's decision to shift production of solar cells overseas reflects the price competition the company must endure. nhk world, malaysia. people who work in japan's tourism trade are focusing on malaysia and other nations in the muslim world. 1.7 billion people live there. tourism officials are excited about the potential. so they've been tailoring trips to muslims to make them feel more welcome and comfortable. we show you the changes at one of japan's top ski resorts.

>> reporter: this family of seven is staying at the famous ski destination in nagano prefecture. they traveled here from malaysia. authorities of a local tourism association organized the trip. it's the first time they scheduled a vacation to this country. people from malaysia are used to high temperatures all year round. members of this family are on their first trip to japan and they're discovering snow for the first time. >> snow, it's so cold and exciting. it's really new. >> reporter: nagano hosted the 1998 winter olympics. the prefecture is home to japan's leading ski resorts. it attracted more than 20 million visitors annually at its peak two decades ago. but that number fell last year

to seven million. the domestic market for skiing has been going down hill for years. recently, visitors from china and taiwan have been staying away because their governments are locked in a territorial dispute with japan. so tourism officials are looking to muslim nations to help turn things around. they started by focusing on malaysia. they have student exchanges with the nation. businesses is doing what they can to accommodate muslim travelers. hotels have new menus that don't offer alcohol or pork. they're eager to keep the customers a taste of traditional japanese cuisine deplete with sushi rolls and other specialties. but this isn't the only area getting attention.

tour organizers created a program with enough space for a family. and they've placed stickers on the ceiling marking the direction of mecca. >> it's good to travel to japan mostly for food. i think things are quite smooth. we get to do what we're supposed to do daily like our prayers which are just fine. >> reporter: the family from malaysia appears to have enjoyed its visit to the snowy slopes. tour organizers are encouraged. >> translator: they were all such nice people and their kids had a lot of fun playing. muslim countries are completely untapped market. i hope we'll be able to attract many tourists from there.

>> reporter: officials from the local tourism association are taking this initiative on their own. they're traveling to malaysia next month to obtain a promotional event with other japanese tour operators. nhk world, nagano, japan. for those who plan to travel to the u.s. this weekend, they may be in for rough weather. meteorologist robert speta has the forecast. robert? . >> yeah, gene, across much of the u.s., specifically new england and to the northeast here. it's going to be a very rough go. there are several ingredients on the table. it is going to be horrible travel conditions. this is horrible weather here. we have first down here towards the south, this storm system continuing to push off here towards the east. that is going to be pulling in all this warm air, all of this moisture in from the gulf of mexico. meanwhile look off towards the north. this high pressure over portions of new england into quebec, that is just an arctic air mass that has been sitting here, even feeling for this system bringing

snowfall into portions of michigan and across the great lakes. while going into friday, this system down here towards the south is going to be working its way off here towards the north. then friday evening that is going to start to interact with the systems in and across portions of quebec and new england. as they come together it's going to create a strong nor'easter and that will create rough travel conditions. 40 centimeters of snowfall and isolated areas could see higher than that, especially into massachusetts. southern new england here. but not just that, it's these winds. 120 kilometers per hour. that's why we call this a nor'easter because it's bringing all this moist, windy air coming in off the coastline. very well creating whiteouts and that's going to be affecting travel. if you have any plans heading out here going into the weekend, you'll want to check in ahead of

time. even driving across the area, extending as far west as into toronto and down there towards cleveland, you very well could be seeing some delays. talking about the snowfall, here into japan we have this storm system pushing across. that is going to be bringing some heavy snow into northern japan, but out ahead of it, we have also seen a dramatic warmup actually. it's quite surprising, quite unusual for this time of year. i want to show you actually a video where the temperatures just dramatically warmed up due to this low-pressure system and all this southerly warm air flowing ahead of it. this is shown here on thursday morning, the southerly winds indicate that spring is actually approaching. this is actually the first event of the year quite like this. it typically takes place about a month from now, just showing this dramatic warmup in temperatures. in tokyo we saw temperatures going from freezing up into the teens. what goes up is coming right back down and that's going to be true with the temperatures here because as that system pushes off here towards the northeast, all these lines going from the northwest towards the southeast, that is that transport of this bitterly cold air setting up the

sea-effect snow machine but also dropping down the cold temperatures here. you'll be seeing windy conditions. a few areas very well could see 60 to 80 kilometer per hour winds, not to mention wind gusts and power outages could be likely. in northeastern china, that cold air mass keeping things calm here. towards the south it's going to mix in with a stationary boundary that's going to bring in a mix of wind, rain and snow. even about 5 to 10 centimeters could be falling there in shanghai. farther towards the south we're seeing rain showers expected here. temperatures remaining on the warm side, hong kong at 19, bangkok at 34. we're talking about a cooldown. in tokyo we got up to about 15 degrees. that's going to be dropping back into the single digits to start off the weekend. that's a look at your world weather. here's the extended forecast.

we're back in 30 minutes with more of the latest. i'm gene otani in tokyo. from all of us here at nhk world, thanks very much for joining us. have a great day wherever you are.

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