hello there. glad you could join us on another edition of "newsline." it's wednesday, october 13th, in tokyo. i'm catherine kobayashi. in copiapo, chile it is 11:00 p.m. tuesday night. the rescue operation for 33 chilean miners trapped 700 meters underground for more than two months is to start soon. an unmanned capsule has been sent underground to test the operation. the 33 men will be pulled up to the surface one by one in the special capsule.

only 54 centimeters wide, about the width of their shoulders. the device includes an oxygen supply and telephone. a rescue worker will first go down to the shelter to check on the miners' physical condition. the first miner will then be put in the capsule. four or five rescue workers will descend into the shelter to help the miners during the operation. four experienced miners will be pulled out first because they are expected to be able to cope with unforeseen situations. miners with health problems will be next, followed by the physically fit. chilean president sebastian pinera, who is now at the site, we can see him now in the live footage coming out of san jose mine, the president has expressed gratitude for other countries' support for the operation. he said chile has made maximum effort to rescue the miners, drawing on help from many countries. here on the right of the screen we can see chilean president

sebastian pinera speaking to rescue workers and officials. the rescue is soon to begin. we're keeping a close watch on live footage out of san jose mine near copiapo, chile. the rescue capsule and pulley system that will be used to manually hoist up the miners is currently being tested to ensure its safety. officials are taking every precaution to make sure the rescue is done safely. chilean president sebastian pinera, who you can see on the screen on the right, said the first miner to be lifted will be 31-year-old florenceio avalos. it's said that a siren will sound when a miner reaches the surface. one miner is expected to be rescued each hour. medical experts and personnel are on hand to treat the miners above ground. family and friends, officials, and journalists are waiting to hear the first siren and hoping to see the face of the first miner lifted to the surface.

now, three shafts have been drilled at the mine. on saturday one of them reached a tunnel about 250 meters from the chamber where the miners are located. the ascent to the servant will be as fast as one meter per second and take about 15 minutes. about two days will be needed to rescue all the men. miners who are confirmed healthy will be reunited with their families. they will then be airlifted to a hospital in the city of copiapo, about 50 kilometers away. the president said the first miner to be rescued will be 31-year-old florenceio avalos. now let's take a look at what hands since the chilean mine collapsed in august. 17 days after the accident occurred the miners were discovered alive. >> reporter: on august 22nd the miners sent a note to the surface tied to a drill used by rescuers. it said everyone was alive and well. the whole nation rejoiced at the news because the worst had been feared. the emergency shelter where the

miners safely evacuated to is located 700 meters underground. although it has a ventilation hole the temperature is around 35 degrees celsius, and humidity is extremely high. it was initially believed that the rescue effort would take about four months to complete. the chilean government initially drilled a narrow shaft to deliver oxygen, water and food to the miners. a video phone was also installed so that the trapped workers could talk with their families on the surface. three rescue shafts were being drilled simultaneously using large oil well equipment. the rescue team has also developed a special capsule to bring the miners up to the surface one by one. it was named phoenix in the hope of a successful rescue. on september 17th, phase one of the rescue plan was completed when a 30-centimeter-wide shaft

reached a tunnel connected to the shelter. the next day was chile's 200th anniversary of independence from spanish rule. the trapped miners and their relatives were able to celebrate the anniversary together. on saturday the initial 30-centimeter shaft was successfully widened to 70 centimeters. north korea has reportedly shown willingness to resume the six-party talks on its nuclear program that have been stalled for nearly two years. the north korean envoy to the talks, kim kye gwan met his counterpart and the chairman of the talks woou dawei in beijing on tuesday. after the meeting wu told reporters that they had a frank in-depth discussion. north korea is speeding up

preparations for a power succession from its leader, kim jong il, to his son and heir apparent, kim jong un. political analysts say the envoy's visit to china may indicate that the north wants to avoid confrontation with the united states and other countries to create an environment for a smooth transfer of power. a top north korean envoy has criticized naoto kan's aims toward the country in the prime minister's policy speech. song il ho, in charge of normalizing ties with japan, referred to kan's policy speech to the diet on october 1st. song's comment was made during an interview with japan's kyoto news agency in pyongyang on tuesday. kan said in the speech he aims for a comprehensive settlement for issues concerning north korea, including the abduction of japanese citizens and the north's nuclear and missile development. song said the current government led by democratic party -- by the democratic party is adopting the same policy towards north korea as the

previous administrations led by the liberal democratic party. the envoy reiterated north korea's stance that the abduction issue was settled with the 2002 pyongyang declaration signed between the two countries. now, north korea staged a military parade on sunday in central pyongyang to mark the 65th anniversary of the founding of the ruling workers' party of korea. north korean leader kim jong-il's third son, kim jong un, who was recently chosen to succeed his father, was in the reviewing platform for the massive parade at kim ill sung square. the north welcomed western media to broadcast live coverage of this event, something that is rarely permitted. earlier, nhk world gave us some insights. >> first of all, what can you tell us looking at the footage of this parade? >> a few things, actually. first, north korea was trying to show that the transition of power from kim jong il to his

son, kim jong un, has been proceeding successfully. in 2012 north korea aims to build a great, prosperous, and powerful nation. kim jong il, however, is still dealing with the aftereffects of a stroke that hit him two years ago. so he seems to be trying to accelerate succession. also noteworthy is that the chinese guest stood side by side with kim jong il and his son. he is a member of a chinese communist party's politboro standing committee. this implies kim jong un now controls the -- and china approves this succession. the third thing is he appeared to send some sort of signal to the united states. it may delay a decision to let american tv stations such as cnn and fox tv, which is a critic of the north, cover the parade. during the event, new types of

missiles were shown off. one of the new missiles appeared to be the saddam. which could reach ground where a u.s. military base is located. there is speculation north korea intends to intimidate the united states by showing its newest weapons through the western media. on the other hand, by inviting the media to the event, the north is showing it is ready to resume dialogue with the united states. >> so how are other countries reacting to this parade? >> even in china, north korea's strongest ally, there has been criticism of the succession. on the internet, some people criticize the north for using china to prop up its dictatorship. the chinese government is so nervous about this issue that it is blocking any online searches related to kim jong un. south korean president lee myung-bak said on monday that north korea should address the nuclear issue to make progress on dialogue between the south and the north. the united states has not made

any official comment. but the u.s. think tank institute for science and international security released a satellite photo which shows excavation work going on where there used to be a cooling tower that the north demolished in 2008 as part of a program to disable its nuclear facilities. it warns that north korea is moving forward with its uranium enriched program, a development that would enhance the country's ability to produce nuclear weapons. japan, south korea and the united states are all watching kim jong il's health and this process of succession carefully. one thing to note is kim jong un lacks experience in administration, so the possibility of infighting in north korea cannot be ruled out. >> yeah, that is a thing to watch out for. okay. thank you very much. >> hiroki yajima speaking to our yoko fukushima.

we're watching this story very carefully. the rescue operation for 33 chillman miners trapped 700 meters underground for more than two months is to start very soon. an unmanned capsule has been sent underground to test the operation. currently, we are looking at live foot aage. we are seeing an official -- it appears to be an official, a medical expert entering the capsule. he would be lowered down first to reach the shelter of the 33 miners. the 33 miners have been trapped underground for about two months. the temperature underground is said to be about 30 degrees celsius, 30 to 35 degrees celsius. the medical expert is entering the capsule now. he will be going down first to the miners are trapped. then the miners will be pulled up to the surface one by one. that's the plan. in the special capsule called the phoenix. this capsule is about 54 centimeters wide, about the

width of their shoulders. the device includes an oxygen supply and telephone. now, this rescue worker will go down to the shelter to check on the miners' physical condition. the first miner will then be put in the capsule. the president, chilean president sebastian pinera, said the first miner to be lifted will be 31-year-old florenceio avalos. it said that a siren will sound when a miner reaches the surface. one miner is expected to be rescued each hour. medical experts and personnel are on hand to treat the miners above ground. now, the capsule door has been closed. the rescue official is inside the capsule. we can see the official getting ready to be lowered down. we hear that there is a harness inside the capsule. i assume he will be getting ready to put that harness on. we see him standing inside the capsule. a light is also installed inside the capsule.

and a communication device so that the person inside the rescue device can communicate with people above ground. moments away. currently moments away until this capsule will be lowered to the ground -- or to the shelter where the miners are. officials are checking to make sure that the capsule is closed properly. we see that they are struggling with the door currently. they're locking the door. and then this rescue official will be lowered into the shelter. 700 meters underground. chilean president sebastian pinera, who is now at the site, expressed gratitude for other countries' support for the operation. he said chile has made maximum effort to rescue the miners, drawing on help from many countries. now, this tunnel is about 620 meters long. the ascent to the surface will be as fast as one meter per second and take about 15

minutes. about two days will be needed to rescue all the men. miners who are confirmed healthy will be reunited with their families. they will then be airlifted to a hospital in the city of copiapo, about 50 kilometers away. the president said the first miner to be rescued will be 31-year-old florenci avalos. we are still looking at live footage coming out of copiapo, chile. it is currently almost quarter past 11:00 p.m. in chile, in copiapo, chile. the temperature we hear is 3 degrees celsius. so quite cold. we also hear that the miners will be wearing green overalls as they make their ascent. also, they may be wearing sunglasses to protect their eyes as their eyes may be sensitive to the bright lights above ground. we're still waiting for the rescue official to be lowered into the ground. it seems that they're taking time to close the capsule door.

we're keeping a close eye on this footage currently. this is live footage coming out of san jose mine near copiapo, chile. the rescue capsule and pulley system that will be used to manually hoist up the miners has been tested to ensure its safety. officials are taking every precaution to make sure the rescue is done safely. chilean president sebastian pinera said the first miner to be lifted will be 31-year-old florencio avalos. the official appears to have opened the capsule door. it looks like the door has been opened once again. and that first medic that was to be lowered, he seems to be checking the interior of the capsule. the capsule painted blue, white, and red to represent the colors of the chilean national flag. family and friends are waiting

to heart first siren and hoping to see the face of the first miner to be lifted to the surface. the rescue official to be lowered down to the shelter 700 meters underground to where the miners are is currently checking to make sure that the capsule is safe. safe to be lowered down into the tunnel. the tunnel is 620 meters long. about 54 meters wide. the width of a person's shoulders. the trip will take 15 minutes one way. officials had said that about two days will be needed to rescue all of the men. miners who are confirmed healthy will be reunited with their families. it appears to be -- it appears that the officials are checking the oxygen masks. there have been oxygen masks and tanks installed inside the capsule. the first medic to be lowered down into the shelter where the 33 miners have been trapped for

almost two months, he is getting ready to make the descent. it seems that the harness is being placed over his shoulders currently. we can see that they're preparing for his descent. it can be -- it can be assumed that this capsule will be lowered shortly after the safety is confirmed. the officials are discussing -- discussing what to do next. 620 meters is the length of the tunnel. the length that this medical expert will be lowered. the tunnel's about 54 -- rather, the capsule is about 54 meters

in width. about the width of a person's shoulders. they're still discussing what to do next. and we are hoping that he will be safely lowered into the shelter where the 33 miners have been trapped for about 68 days. the temperatures below, underground, is said to be over 30 degrees celsius. the door has been closed now. the capsule door. the phoenix capsule door has been closed once again. and he will be soon hopefully lowered into the ground, into the tunnel. 700 meters underground to where the 33 miners are. and once he checks the health of the miners, they'll be lifted up one by one. it's expected that four veteran miners will be the first to ascend. if anything should not go cording to plan, these four should have the experience to handle the situation.

we hear applause. we hear applause. it seems that the capsule is ready to go down. this is the medical expert, the rescue official to be lowered down first. he will see the miners underground, where they have been for two months. he will check their health and the safety of the capsule. and four veteran miners will be first to ascend. we are seeing live footage coming out of san jose mine, copiapo. near copiapo, chile. the phoenix capsule is being lowered into the ground currently. and the official is now in the ground, in the tunnel. he will be taking about a 15-minute journey down, 620 meters, and then further down to the miners. the pulley system is now moving, lowering the medical official. so within the hour we hope, we expect that within the hour the first miner will be lifted to

safety. officials are taking every precaution to make sure that the rescue is done safely. chilean president sebastian pinera said the first miner to be lifted will be 31-year-old florencio avalos. it's said that a siren will sound when a miner reaches the surface. we are waiting, we are hoping for that first siren within the next hour. medical experts and personnel are on hand to treat the miners above ground. once the miners are confirmed to be healthy, they will be reunited with their families. they will then be air lifted to a hospital in the city of copiapo, about 50 kilometers away. the first miner to be rescued, florencio avalos, we are hoping that everything goes without a hitch. i'd like to mention again that this trip has been tested. there has been test runs conducted before this medical

official was lowered. we saw they were conducting test runs of the pulley system and the capsule. about 45 seconds ago, about a minute ago, the official was lowered into the ground. the trip takes about 15 to 20 minutes down, where the miners are. 33 miners are trapped underground for about two months. they have been trapped underground for about two months. 68 days, to be exact. the temperature underground is above 30 degrees celsius. and they will be lifted one by one. one each hour is expected to be lifted to the ground. currently the temperature in chile, in copiapo, chile, is said to be about 3 degrees celsius. so a big contrast with what the miners are used to. they're wearing green overalls. and hopefully, that will keep them warm when they reach the surface. medical experts are on hand to make sure that they are okay

once they're outside. then they will be reunited with their families and then airlifted to a hospital in the city of copiapo, about 50 kilometers away. now, after the four veteran miners ascend, ten miners who are feeling ill or weak will be next to head to the surface. the remaining 19 will then follow. we are watching live coverage from san jose mine. now, it has been more than two months since the 33 miners were trapped 700 meters underground. an escape shaft reached the miners' underground chamber on october 9th. after days of preparation, a rescue operation of unprecedented scale has finally begun. nhk world's noburo yakashima is at the site. >> reporter: they've finished installing the winch for the capsule. the miners' family have gathered at the site with their loved

ones, who have been trapped for two months. a steel capsule four meters tall pulls the miners out one by one. four or five rescue workers will check the miners' condition. the first man to resurface will be the experienced miners who are knowledgeable about the working of mine. they are considered to be the best prepared for any emergencies during the rescue. those in weak condition will be brought up next. the ride to the top takes about 15 minutes. once above ground, the miner will receive first aid before being reunited with their family and flown to a nearby hospital by helicopter. as catherine said, it will take around 48 hours to rescue all the miners, and the men's safety will be the top priority in the

rescue organization. noburu yakashima, from the site of the miner rescue. we will get you update as they come in. now let's take a look at the extended weather forecast. ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ all right. we're still keeping a close eye, of course, on the live footage out of san jose mine near

copiapo, chile. it's currently 11:25, 26 p.m. tuesday night. this live footage shows the president of chile, sebastian pinera, shaking hands with officials and rescue workers. only moments ago a medical expert was lowered down into the ground. hopefully to reach the 33 miners trapped underground, trapped 700 meters underground. it's expected that four veteran miners will be the first to ascend. if anything should not go according to plan, these four should have the experience to handle the situation. ten miners who are feeling ill or weak will be the next to head to the surface. the remaining 19 will then follow. chilean president sebastian pinera still speaking to the officials near the pulley system that's being used to lift the

miners. one miner is expected to be reached every hour. medical experts and personnel are on hand to treat the miners above ground. now, miners who are confirmed healthy will be reunited with their families. they will then be airlifted to a hospital in the city of copiapo, about 50 kilometers away. the phoenix capsule is about 54 centimeters wide, 4 meters tall. a light, communication device, and an oxygen supply are installed inside. we are still waiting to hear from the miners. it's said that a siren will be sounded when a miner reaches the surface. family and friends, officials, and journalists are waiting to hear the first siren and hoping to see the face of the first miner lifted to the surface. and we will keep you up to date as details come in. please stay with us. chilean president sebastian pinera there still speaking to officials. we'll be back. @