-- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com welcome to "newsline." i'm michio kijima in tokyo with the news at this hour. u.s. jobs data released showing improvement. it's improved for the first time in four months. the u.s. labor department said the nonfarm payrolls added 117,000 jobs, the biggest monthly increase in three months. that's better than the market forecast of 80,000 jobs. at the same time the unemployment rate came in at 9.1%, which compares with 9.2% in june. market players were focusing on this data as recent indicators

suggested that the u.s. economy might be heading for another recession. on the currency market, the dollar briefly rose about 79 yen after release of data but later fell back to the 78 yen lavl. tonight the japanese government panel has updated its guidelines on compensation for people affected by the nuclear accident in fukushima. nearly five months into the disaster, full-scale payments are now likely to begin. the panel of experts finalized what they call interim guidelines at a meeting on friday. it had earlier released a set of rules on compensating evacuees and businesses affected by widespread fears of radiation. the new guidelines broaden the range of such businesses to include cattle farmers in 17 prefectures where rice straw with excessive levels of radioactive cesium was distributed as feed. also included are green tea producers in eight prefectures where tea leaves were contaminated by radioactive substances.

travel agents in fukushima have been eligible as well due to domestic tour cancellations. but agents in three neighboring prefectures have been added by the new rules. all agents dealing with foreign tourism will be compensated as well if the cancellation came after march 11th. exporters are to receive damages for merchandise produced or shipped but rejected or restricted by foreign governments due to radiation fears. tepco has already started paying provisional damages to people. but the resident comes plain the payments are too little, too late. the march 11th disaster has even cast a shadow on twof o japan's most popular theme parks. the operator of two disney amusement parks in japan says it posted its biggest quarterly sales decline because of the earthquake. oriental land said on friday that sales in the april-to-june period stood around $620 million, down 43% from a year ago.

the company had to close tokyo disneyland and tokyo disney sea for more than a month after a quake-triggered liquefaction damaged parking areas and rolling blackouts hampered operations. before the disaster the two theme parks were popular attractions for both domestic and foreign visitors. oriental land said the number of visitors fell significantly, even after the two facilities reopened, causing both sales and profits to decline. however, the number of visitors in july has recovered to the same level of last year. >> translator: i was worried about the sunken ground, but i'm surprised at the speed of recovery. >> in the oriental land an official says he wants to improve the balance sheet with cutting cost efforts. >> translator: i had expected the severe outcome because of closure of the parks after the march 11th earthquake. we want to boost our sales through various promotions.

today's "the road ahead" is about the business continuity plan. or bcp. a system of disaster preparedness. many businesses suffered in the march 11th quake and tsunami, but a company in one of the hardest hit areas was able to resume operations quickly. what made the difference? nhk world's sue sumako ka has the answer. >> reporter: the company in sendai, northeastern japan, disposes of and recycles industrial waste. concrete, plastic, and other waste is banned here. the march 11th disasters took a heavy toll on the company's main office and on an incinerator near the port. the company used to be standing here, but the tsunami swept the building and nothing is left.

the office building was moved a distance of 100 meters. the incinerator was destroyed by cars and a trailer truck that crashed into it. this man is in charge of disaster management at the company. >> translator: i felt the quake in my bones. a sensation i had never experienced before. i was at the main office then. so all i could do was worry about the incinerator and our employees. >> reporter: suzuki's company was prepared for a major disaster, thanks to the bcp. first they checked the safety of their employees. regular cell phone services didn't work because the system was overloaded. >> translator: we have two satellite phones. we prepared one for making calls

and another for receiving calls. >> reporter: he and his team used satellite phones which they had prepared in advance. they were able to quickly confirm the safety of all 67 employees. suzuki and his staff were able don tact their clients and resume business the next day. workers prepared the incinerator using the bcp stocks of parts that are not readily available. >> translator: because each part is handmade, they need at least two to three weeks lead time even in a normal situation. after the disasters, i suspect it would have taken three to six months to obtain them. >> reporter: the company drew up a bcp three years ago to prepare

for a major quake that experts had warned about. suzuki says the arrangement helped all the employees to act in an effective manner after the march 11th disaster. >> translator: each of our members was able to act so sufficiently without me or the president giving instructions. >> reporter: this hospital in the city treated many patients in the wake of the disasters. with it knocked out by the quake, the hospital had to use portable toilets and paper diapers. suzuki's company carried out the waste disposal. >> translator: from a hygienic standpoint we can't allow human waste to be left around the hospital, so their help was invaluable. they did an outstanding job.

>> reporter: the business forward from between disasters had a major impact on supply chains worldwide. this prompted members of the asia-pacific economic forum to hold an anti-disaster meeting in sendai focusing on the bcp. suzuki shared his experiences with delegates and experts from 18 economies, including japan and the united states. >> it very excellent. i think it's practical and effective for the disaster reduction and disaster relief efforts. >> translator: we want to learn more from the disaster experiences of other countries to improve our bcp. susumu kojima is covering the story in sendai.

susumu, how far has the economy and the disaster in the recovery zone recovered? >> here in sendai the traditional summer festival begins saturday and many people are expected to attend in the city center you do not get the impression that the tsunami and the quake actually hit this regio however, if you go to e coastal area in some parts there are still debris scattered around and local industries such as the fisheries and agriculture are struggling to recover from impact of the catastrophe. >> how can bcps contribute to reconstructing the region's economy? >> suzuki says the company's quick recovery would have been impossible without the bcp. as you have seen in the report, the hospital needed help from suzuki's company to function properly. the private firms can contribute to reconstruction of the region by resuming their operations. the sooner the better. in that sense, the bcp is not just about disaster preparedness for businesses but also for society as a whole.

>> how common is bcp in the apec region? >> well, according to the latest survey in the apec region, nearly 50% of major companies have one, but when it comes to small and medium-sized businesses, the figure drops to about 12%. an expert has this to say about the challenge. >> it is easy to know the cost of investment for bcp, but it is very difficult to know how much is a benefit of that investment. we definitely need the information or estimation about the value or benefit of the business continuity. >> for the region hit by the quake and tsunami, disaster preparedness is more important than ever. here in sendai, the city has already said it will reconstruct

itself as a disaster-resis tapt city. the promotion of bcp is certainly one of the key measures to achieve that goal and not only for japan but for asia as a whole. >> reporting from the nhk bureau in sendai, thanks. >> thank you. nuclear watch brings you insight and information on the impact of the fukushima die eethy crisis and the road ahead examines japan's efforts to recover and rebuld. don't miss "nuclear watch" and "the road ahead" on nooins. nasa has released footage of the last u.s. space shuttle "atlantis" being taken by a japanese astronaut.

the high-definition footage was shot by satoshi furukawa, a member of the station's current resident crew. in the eight-minute video, furukawa greets nasa astronauts as he boards the "atlantis" and enters its kitchen and toilet. how are you? how are you? >> very good, thank you. >> in the cockpit he shows a used flag that accompanied the first shuttle mission to space. he explained that the flag will be kept at the station until the next u.s. manned spacecraft takes it back home. the footage also includes a spectacular view from the shuttle cockpit showing the shadow of the space station's japanese module kibo with the blue earth behind it. the "atlantis" completed its mission in late july, marking the end of a 30-year space shuttle program.

next to our bureau in bangkok. patchari raksawong joins us with the latest on what's going on in the region. in a momentous day of political change here, thailand has witnessed the selection of its first female prime minister. yingluck shinawatra, the sister of thaksin shinawatra was chosen as premier by parliament on friday. the vote came a month after yingluck's party won a landslide victory in july's general election defeating the ruling democrat party by a margin of about 100 seats. yingluck was elected prime minister with support from her own party as well as other smaller parties expected to become coalition partners. >> translator: i need teamwork and cooperion. for me, i'm ready to work with every organization and every party for the sake of people. >> yingluck has stressed the need for reconciliation after years during which thailand suffered a serious and often violent rift between pro and

anti-thaksin groups but some opponents have expressed concern about the former businesswoman's lack of political experience. there are also questions about to what extent the deposed thaksin will exert influence on the new government or perhaps even return to the country. that event would be strongly resisted by anti-thaksin groups and risk reigniting political turmoil in thailand. i yingluck shinawatra's campaign was to raise the minimum wage was one important factor in her election victory last month. she pledged the daily minimum wage would be raised nationally to 300 bar, about $10 per day. both thai and foreign companies are paying close attention to whether the new prime minister will keep her election promise. nhk world reports.

>> reporter: as the policy aims to lessen the social divide, it gathered massive support from the poor class that elected her victory. >> translator: i agree with her policy because i want a higher salary. >> translator: i believe the new government will keep its promise. it has potential. >> reporter: some companies are showing strong opposition. according to a survey, conducted by the thai chamber of commerce targeting mainly small and medium companies, 64% of the companies say they would face bankruptcy if the minimum wage was raised in accordance with yingluck's campaign slate.

>> layoff of people will be most likely, and maybe some maybe even go out of business. so that -- it would put more burden on the workers. >> reporter: foreign companies which have started businesses in thailand, also seem concerned. nine years ago, this auto parts manufacturer started operating in thailand out of its 50 employees, half of them work for under 300 per day. if the policy is implemented, personnel costs will have to be raised by at least 20%. the president of the company has just launched a plan to build a new factory by investing about $2.5 million. >> translator: we're barely

profitable, so this new policy may put us into the red. >> translator: if this policy is implemented as promised, many companies are going to have to transfer their businesses to neighboring countries like vietnam and indonesia. >> reporter: although the political turmoil may have settled down with the elections for the time being, there are new worries that this policy may have an extensive negative impact on the economy. nhk world, bangkok. philippine president aquino has met the leader of the country's main muslim separatist group secretly in japan. the two sides talked about ways to revive their stagnating peace negotiations. according to the president's

office, aquino held talks with abrahim of the islamic liberation front at a hotel near tokyo's narita airport on thursday night. on the philippine island, the militant group has been in talks and peace talks that is, with manila after striking a cease-fire agreement eight years ago. however, the negotiations have made slow progress. details of the talks are unknown, but the president's office says both sides exchanged opinions on the peace negotiations and agreed to accelerate the process. for decades now, thai cuisine has been celebrated the world over for its distinctive aromas and flavors. recently a group of experts has given the country's cuisine a big thumb's up with the introduction of french dishes inspired by a famous spicy thai salad. nhk world has the details.

>> reporter: whether at lunch time or dinner time, this food shop is busy serving a huge number of patrons. all green papaya salad is the number one dish. they started this dish this season to show off the flavors of spicy chili, spicy fish sauce and sweet palm sugar. this is loved by locals as a favorite traditional dish. >> translator: it's good food that's reasonably priced, convenient, and quick to eat. >> reporter: but that's not all.

this globally famous dish has recently made its way into the kitchen of a group of international culinary experts. here at the branch of the renowned french cooking school, le cordon bleu the green papaya salad has inspired the creativity of numerous culinary artists. today, a chef shared his recipe for a new sonon appetizer with his students. the chef has the same ingredients as the traditional but uses totally different methods to prepare the dish. squeezing the essence of pureed papaya with a hint of lime and gelatin, the juice turns into jelly.

tomato paste, garlic, fish sauce, and shrimp powder are mixed in just the right amounts to recreate the complex flavor of somom. after the meticulous preparation of every component the dish is carefully assembled. the crumbled peanut to tomato and garlic mousse is then finished off with green papaya jelly and lime mousse. >> it's all about the balance of the flavor like the bitterness, the sweetness, the sourness. yeah, what's fun with the ingredients sometimes. >> reporter: this has inspired chefs to go even further. a cake with the flavor and crunchy texture of the thai salad, and a macaroon.

the unexpected encounter between thai and french cultures and cuisines has taken participants by surprise. >> very clever the way he designed the menu to put the sweet, salty and spicy together. the components work very well together. >> reporter: the initiative to adapt a thai dish into french cuisine seems to be off to a strong start. through these new creations, the chefs are hoping that the power of this will bring the power of thailand to the world. nhk world, bangkok. >> i had a chance to try the cake, and amazingly, it tastes very similar to that salad. and that's going to wrap up our bulletin. i'm patchari raksawong in bangkok.

hi there. let's take a look at your weather. let's first talk anti phoenix muifa. we have a video from the islands. let's take a look at this first. the strong winds up to about 60 kilometers an hourcy affecting the okinawa i land. waves up to 11 meters high. stormy weather will be continuing into tomorrow. you can see that the rain is horizontally falling and pulling trees from the concrete. what a picture. if we pull back into our progress of this system, this is a strong typhoon, which will be keeping its intensity. and as it reaches bow high, it may become a tropical severe storm. it will be weakening into next week, but still will be affecting taiwan and eastern coast of china with showers and

stormy weather into the weekend. and torrential rain has been already falling in okinawa islands. this is a picture of the next 48 hours, but in the past 24 hours in nago city and okinawa, we've already seen 290 millimeters in the past 24 hours and an additional of 300 millimeters will be seen in mainlands of -- main island of okinawa. in southern kyushu, we'll be seeing another additional of 200 millimeters possible in those areas. shanghai may be seeing 150. so warnings, advisories will be posted in much of these areas on your friday and saturday. so please do check your local advisories. this system is also pulling all the moisture up into japan, so tomorrow we'll be seeing scattered showers and also isolated thunderstorms popping up here and there. lighter showers in the korean peninsula as well as northern china, but the heavy rain will

be inland china. and where we really want that rain r rain, i guess we're not going to be getting here where the tell is 35 degrees and we want the rain to cool off those temperatures, but the typhoon doesn't want to be giving much of rain there. tokyo, we're looking at 31 degrees. heading over to north america now, let's start off talking about tropical storm emily. well, it used to be a tropical storm, now a remnant low. but still bringing lots of flooding situations as you can see here in the dominican republic, tropical storm emily has broken up after moving through the mountains of haiti and the dominican republic. now, as i mentioned, well, the tropical storm has downgraded itself, but still this remnant low is bringing torrential rain, especially to the bahamas in the next 24 hours. heading back to the bigger

picture in north america, along this front we'll be seeing scattered thundershowers. and here will be the severe weather. we may even see some tornadoes in much of the dakotas. and southwest monsoon will be picking up the moisture. so scattered showers all the way into the southwest. heat wave still prevails in oklahoma city, as we can see 43 degrees. very hot. atlanta at 34. and in europe we're looking at 28 degrees. vancouver at 22. now, here in europe, east side looks pretty dry and hot for you. lots of sunny spells for you. be but this is along where the front is where we're going to be seeing severe weather. thunderstorms in the alpine regions all the way from the southern scandinavian peninsula and heavy rain in norway as you can see there. but much of the scandinavian peninsula will be assing off with the terrain on your saturday. other the other side in the west british isles will be seeing the new system come in with showers.

france and germany will be seeing less wet weather as well. here are your temperatures. london at 20 degrees, paris with 21 with rain coming in. on the other side, moscow we're looking at 25, a comfortable temperature. and that's all for me. as we've been reporting, u.s. jobs data released earlier showed improvement in the country's em ploemt. the jobless rate improved for first time in four months. the u.s. labor department says nonfarm payrolls added 117,000 jobs, the biggest monthly income in three months. that's better than the market forecast of 84,000 jobs. and at the same time the unemployment rate came in at 9.1%, which compares with 9.2% in july. and that's our broadcast for this hour on "newsline." we'll be back with more news in half an hour. i'm michio kijima in tokyo. thank you for watching. bye-bye.