welcome to nhk world "newsline". chinese president hu jintao is hoping to seek trust showing that stronger economic ties will create jobs in the united states. hu on his first official visit to the u.s. in five years spoke at a luncheon with corporate executives in washington on thursday.

>> hu stressed china has contributed to the u.s. economy and u.s. consumers by providing low-priced products. he said consumers saved $600 billion over the past ten years by buying chinese goods. the united states has faced massive trade deficits with china in recent years. >> i think they were addressed, but many of the issues have a great deal of work that remains to be done. >> during his visit, the u.s. and china have agreed on export deals worth $45 billion. they include china's purchase of 200 boeing aircraft over the next three years. but there is persistent criticism in the united states of china's policy of keeping the yuan's exchange rate low against the dollar in an attempt to boost chinese exports. critics say the policy has hurt the u.s. manufacturing sector. business people say they agree

china to allow u.s. companies to enter its market more freely. china has expressed concern about japan's new defense guidelines which call for tighter security around islands in the east china sea. the issue came up at a bilateral security meeting in beijing on thursday which involved japan's deputy foreign minister and chinese assistant foreign minister. the high-level talks were the first in in two years following a hiatus partly blamed on last year's incident between japanese patrol boats and a chinese trawler near the senkaku islands in the east china sea. the japanese side said there's no change in the country's principle of using force exclusively for defense and that the guideline adopted last month merely rebalanced the military deployment in japan. japan asked china to explain how its development of the j-20 stealth fighter is progressing. china said the fighter is in a trial phase and would not be a threat to neighboring countries.

the two sides agreed to discuss a liaison mechanism between their defense authorities to avoid more clashes in the east china sea. tensions are running high in tunisia one week after the fall of the president. the interim government has held its first cabinet meeting but protests continue. there's been widespread criticism over the inclusion of eight former cabinet members. the cabinet also agreed to recognize all banned religious parties and organizations. but after the cabinet meeting, demonstrations continued across the country. the protesters are demanding the ruling part officials step down. in the capital, one,000 people rallied. security troops fired warning

shots into the air to break up the crowds. a top russian defense ministry official has visited a japanese island seized by russians at the ends of world war ii. the action is seen that the russians are taking greater interest had in the islands. russian military sources said deputy defense minister bulgakov visited a miltry base on the island. last november, dmitry medvedev became the first russian leader to visit kunashiri, one of the islands held by russia and

claimed by japan. recently four high-rinking officials visited the island. can you brief us on the visits? >> yes. last year, the first russian official of the former soviet union was the first to set foot on the island. they visited the mining processing plant. the following month in december, the deputy prime minister and prime minister putin visited the islands. he is the third highest-ranking official to visit the islands. >> what's the difference between bulgakov and the two former -- two previous official visits? >> yes. the russian government said medvedev and the other official's visit were for infrastructure development on the island. however, bulgakov apparently

inspects the island to judge its strategic military occasion in the ocean. at the beginning of the war between japan and the united states in 1941, japan left the port on the island for pearl harbor. russian is asserting its military presence in the far eastern region, including it this disputed island. it has decided to build four missile and assault ships developed by france. russ russia's general said in june last year, that they will send ships to defend the korean islands, including the four disputed islands. >> what is the backgrounds of the series of visits by the russian officials? >> it's continue to affirm russian's presence in this

territory as a result of world war ii. it establishes them as a military foot hold. japan's political situation created an opportunity for russia. previous japanese administrations have had difficulty establishing a consistent diplomatic policy because the p.rime minister had changed almost every year. the japanese government is determined to apply this diplomatic strategy toward russia. they decided to dismiss the japanese ambassador to russia for having failed to obtain information on the russian presence in connection with the island. maehara also plans to visit moscow either in it february or march to hold talks with russian prime minister putin and foreign minister of russia.

>> keep us posted on this. thanks very much. car bombs have killed 45 people and injured 150 near the sacred shia city of karbala in central iraq. many of the victims are pilgrims. the explosions occurred on thursday at two checkpoints on the outskirts of the city. crowds of pilgrims are visiting karbala to take part in the annual religious festival of arbane next week. police say they believed the incidents targeted shia muslims. pilgrims headed for the festival were also targeted near baqubah on wednesday, causing many casualties. observers say the attacks were intended to provoke conflict between religious factions and hurt security efforts which may derail the new iraqi government

inaugurated in december. numerous donations for children at welfare facilities in japan have inspired lawmakers to call for more government support. beginning on christmas day, close to 1,000 donations under the name of a japanese manga hero started showing up at children's welfare facilities across japan. the donations include many school backpacks which elementary school first graders require when they start school in april. a group of diet members from governing and opposition parties met on thursday to discuss the matter. the group has been working for the prevention of child abuse. welfare ministry officials said the number of children in welfare facilities has been increasing and more than half of them had been mistreated. the lawmakers agreed to ask the government to do more to help these facilities increase staff and take measures to prevent parental abuse.

japan and singapore have agreed to jointly free up their air space. this came after this week's meeting on the so-called open skies deal for the two countries. the new accord will allow airlines from both nations to freely negotiate the use of niita airport. by spring of 2013 it will increase the number of landings and take-offs available. low cost carriers can launch operations at night. the new accord lifts restrictions on the number of flights at other airports, including those in western japan and central japan airport. this is a move expected to ease passenger transits and the unloading and loading of cargo. japan conducted similar open sky agreements with the u.s. and south korea last year and plans to engage in talks with other countries, including malaysia. nec is in talks with lenovo over a possible tie-up in personal computers to enhance its market standing. sources say the japanese

electronics firm and the chinese computermaker are considering setting up a joint venture this year to consolidate their development and production. they would also share materials to cut costs. nec plans to keep its brand even if the two sides agree to go ahead with the deal. sources say lenovo aims to expand its operations in japan through a partnership. the beijing-based computer maker boosted his presence in the global industry six years ago by buying the personal computer division of u.s. computer giant ibm. but in the japanese market it has lagged behind domesticmakers. meanwhile, nec is looking to raise its profitability. the firm has kept the top market share in japan for many years. but intense competition from u.s. and taiwanese makers has led to lower profit margins. theflt of carbon credits by hackers has forced the eu to suspend its trading system. it's raising doubts about the credibility of the emissions control mechanism. the eu said on thursday that it

will shut down its emissions trading scheme affecting about 20% of trading. the decision comes after a series of illegal entries to the system resulting in thefts of carbon emission rights worth about 28 million euro. rights have been stolen in five countries, including the czech republic and austria. eu's steam has preset ceilings on emissions. this allows companies that have cleared them to sell their excess rights to those that need to emit more. about 12,000 firms based in the eu take part in the market which boasts the world's largest trading volume of about $120 billion. newsline is taking a close look at china's booming economy. today we focus on how the country's rapidly growing economy is affecting people's livelihoods. china's consumer price index shows the up trend over the past several months. last december saw a 4.6% year on year increase. food products went up most at a hefty 9.6%.

china's central bank has raised interest rates twice since last fall. shifting to a tight money policy in an effort to curb inflation. while consumers wait for the measures to take effect, they are trying to cut their expenses wherever they can. nhk world's lisa komiya has the story from beijing. >> reporter: a fair held in beijing this month attracted many visitors. companies and farmers hoping to boost their sales gave discounts of nearly 50% or even more. at exhibitions like this are not new in china but with skyrocketing prices, consumers are finding the events more useful than they expected. >> translator: i am so happy. the prices are really cheap. ma jianmae is 38 and lives with her husband in beijing. she's one of the many people who are struggling to cope with soaring inflation. she tried to do most of her

shopping at fairs like these. >> translator: i have found that the products here are useful and cheap. i can cut back on expenses. prices are soaring everywhere, and people like me will shop anywhere as long as it's cheap. >> reporter: ma teaches yoga on weekdays. she doesn't earn much but it helps to support her family. she and her husband make 10,000 yuan or about $1,500 a month. an average income for a middle class family in beijing. ma used to enjoy shopping after her lessons. but nowadays, she goes straight home. she has a new routine among her chores. net surfing. she looks for information on

cheap exhibitions and bargains. this graph shows her family's monthly expenses. about $375 is spent on education fees for her son studying far away from home. $750 on an apartment loan and the rest on essentials. the last month, their daily expenses reached $450. a year-on-year increase of almost 30%. ma says inflation is to blame. >> translator: our income isn't increasing. and prices keep going up. it's getting harder and harder to live. ma and her husband used to dine out three times a week. but she cooks every day now. besides her home-cooked meal, the issue of the family's rising cost is also on the table.

ma fears that in the near future, their expenses will eat up their savings. >> translator: we will have to pay our loans. what should we do? >> translator: if you have a plan to help us, i'll stick to it. >> translator: okay. okay. >> reporter: the couple sold one of their two vehicles, saving $240 per month. while ma takes the wheel, her husband takes the bus. next came the apartment loan. on this day, ma visited a real estate agent. the couple has decided to move to the suburbs where rents are cheaper and the products are less expensive as well. >> translator: rent in the suburbs would be $150 a month. >> translator: are the apartments furnished? >> translator: yes.

>> reporter: ma and her husband sold their apartment for about $300,000, almost double the price they paid in 2008, thanks to the surge in property values. they are hoping their decision will ease their hardship. >> translator: people used to look for real estate in the city center, but recently, they've been searching for a place in the suburbs. unless the government implements a policy that will control inflation, the trend is sure to continue. >> china's economy is in good condition. but people like us are not benefiting from it. i want the government to reduce prices so our lives will be stable. >> reporter: the family struggled to maintain their standard of living is reaching a breaking point as the two bear

the cost that weigh heavily upon them. they wait and pray for a solution to their problems. lisa komiya, nhk world, beijing. here are the latest market figures. picture a concert pianist

and you'll probably imagine a musician with two hands working in tandem. but not all pieces were written for both hands. the early 20th century saw a boom in compositions for pianists who only had the use of their left hand and now one japanese performer is reviving this little known genre. ♪ >> reporter: last year, this pianist performed in a concert featuring pieces written for left-handed musicians. takeo tchinai plays with a hand disability that prevents him from making intricate movements. he has been playing with only his left hand for four years. ♪ but he uses techniques that make his music sound like it is performed with both hands.

for example, his skillful use of the foot pedals. ♪ by elongating certain notes with the pedals, it sounds like he's using all ten fingers. it is said that there are over 700 piano pieces for the left hand. tchinai has collected around 300 in visits to libraries and sheet music collectors abroad. last year, he set up a website that features performances of piano pieces for the left hand. he wants to teach as many people as possible how great these pieces are. tchinai studied at a music school in germany. he was on the road to becoming a professional performer but contracted an illness that causes hand muscles to tighten against his will.

then a german instructor told him about piano pieces for the left hand. >> translator: i could play music again with just my left hand. what's more, it was amazing music. it contained a whole world of its own. and it could be played on the piano, my favorite instrument. >> reporter: piano competitions for the left hand were written by people with a fashion for music, despite their affliction. russian composure alexander scriabin wrote this piece for left-handed pianists. the dexterity in his left hand had become impaired at the height of his training. this piece was borne out of his passion to continue creating music. many left-handed pieces were created for performers who had been wounded at war.

tchinai's performance encouraged others who had the same problem. >> reporter: yasuyo segawa wants to become a pianist. she takes lessons from tchinai for left-handed piano several times a month. five years ago, segawa lost control of her right hand. she also lost hope for a future as a pianist when doctors told her she would never fully heal. but hearing tchinai play piano at a convert last year gave her new hope. >> translator: i was stunned. i realized the music doesn't depend on which hands you can use. music is music.

>> reporter: musical pieces for the left hand have brought new vitality to many mu yousitions. today, this melody of hope is being passed on to aspiring young musicians. >> tchinai lectures at universities and performs concerts three times a month. his work has even inspired some students to compose new pieces for the left hand. here's the weather forecast. hi. welcome back to your world weather update. in east asia, we've been talking about all the snow across southern china. that is headed out today. should look a little bit drier for inland areas. coastal line here still looking at a little bit of remnant moisture. but that, too, will be pulling away today. instead that rain really spreads across areas like taiwan and the

southern islands of japan. so a wet picture for you but that doesn't look like it's going to be lasting for too much longer. meanwhile, japan, the rest of japan or northern areas, in particular, have been dealing with massive amounts of snowfall. here was the scene on thursday in northern japan. lots and lots and lots of snow has been hampering traffic conditions in particular. blowing snow has stopped trains and also made traveling quite difficult. workers have been quite busy getting that snow off the streets. now today in the morning hours, still a lit bit more snow continuing. but that should ease a little bit more as we head into the afternoon hours. however, that's not going to be lasting for too long. by saturday, that storm system is expected to pick up again. more snow will be headed your way. meanwhile, tokyo today coming in at 8. we've got 17 expected in taipei. and also the same in hong kong.

over towards the americas, north america looks at a pretty messy picture out towards the east. a couple of systems here spreading snow. a lot of snow, in fact. just these areas along the coastline looking at rain. everywhere else we will see snow spreading. heavy snows are going to be possible along the northeast coastline so major cities will need to watch out for that. also towards the west, too, plenty of snow spreading especially along the rockies. that will be a continuing picture throughout the day. now more moisture is going to be moving through the florida peninsula and in towards the caribbean as well. but it does stay dry out toward the southwest. still on the warm side. 26 in l.a. on the other hand, though, very chilly conditions in chicago. minus 13 for your high on friday. finally getting a look at europe here. still pretty messy in the italian peninsula. the low parked right over the area. still pushing in a lot of moisture. rainfall for areas of the south here. but northern italy, northern balkans and through eastern europe all will be looking at

snow as temperatures are dropping yet again. and that does follow the warm spell we did see over the past few weeks. and, in fact, with all that warmth we've been hearing of all the flooding in germany. that situation still continuing today. here's a look at some of the recent footage we've got. especially northern germany still looking at some very high water levels. and, in fact, some rivers reportedly still on the rising trend. this has been caused by all the recent snow melt as well as the rains following all the warmer temperatures. however, things are going to be looking a little bit cooler in the days to come. friday, zero for your high in berlin and only 1 in vienna and 9 degrees in rome. a lot more cooler air headed your way. that's a look at your weather for now. here is your three-day outlook.

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