-- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com welcome to "newsline." i'm michio kijima in tokyo with the news at this hour. prime minister yoshihiko noda has inspected three prefectures in western japan that were battered by record

rains caused by tropical storm talas. the torrential downpours can cause landslides and flooding leaving a total of 100 people dead or missing. noda's first leg of the inspection was the town of nachi-katsuura. he viewed the damage by helicopter on friday. he offered his condolences to the town's mayor who lost his daughter in the flooding and daughter in the flooding and whose wife is still missing. the prime minister then visited the town of kiho in mie prefecture where many were isolated bbecause of flooding. noda later inspected the city of gojo in nara prefecture. concern is rising that the pooled water may burst causing more damage downstream. >> translator: the inspection allowed me to see the damage was more serious than i imagined. >> he said compiling a third

supplementary budget is one option of dealing with the crisis or using the reserves from the second supplementary budget. he said that once he has a full understanding of the damage, he'll decide on what action to take. the japanese government's mandatory power-saving requirement is now over. the government imposed a 15% power cut back in july due to electricity shorts following the fukushima daiichi plant accident last spring. the requirement came to an end on friday night. that's sooner than originally planned due to falling temperatures and declining electricity demand. while the requirement is in effect, large users served by tokyo electric power company were loolly mandated to reduce their power consumption. to meet the target, businesses adjusted their work schedule. for instance, carmakers closed their plants on weekdays and operated on weekends instead. private homes were also asked to chip in.

in the end, though, the power suppliers did not have to resort to planned outage this summer. the industry ministry says the power-saving efforts by companies and private homes proved more than effective, but there are concerns about possible power shortages this winter. that's because a large number of nuclear power plants around japan are shut down for inspection. >> translator: we'll review the effectiveness of this summer's power-saving measures and study steps we should take in winter. we will try to avoid imping an electricity usage limit again. >> tokyo electric power company or tepco has begun stress test s on idle nuclear reactors. these tests were imposed as a condition before reactors are put back online. tepco began a test on friday at two of the reactors of the nuclear plant.

utility plans to assess their resistance to earthquakes and tsunamis through a series of computer simulations. the next step will be to obtain approval of local authorities, but so far opinions remain divided. >> translator: if the safety of the reactors is confirmed by the stress tests, there is no reason to keep the power station offline. >> the governor of niigata prefecture appears more reluctant. he says a proper assessment of the fukushima accident will be needed before the reactors can be restarted. the sixth month anniversary of this country's devastating earthquake, tsunami, and crisis is this sunday. for this week's "the road ahead" will show how the accident of the fukushima daiichi nuclear power plant is changing japan's energy policy. joining us now is our reporter. let's start off by talking about

how energy in this country is being generated. >> yes, michio. japan's reliance on nuclear power has been growing since the 1970s. and right now atomic energy accounts for about 30% of our total power generation. most of the rest comes from oil and coal and natural gas. here's a look at how nuclear energy has become a vital source in japan. >> reporter: japan is the only country in the world to have suffered from the atomic bombings by the united states. but after the u.s. announced it would use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, japan also launched its own research on nuclear power generation. in 1966, japan's first commercial nuclear reactor became operational as a resource for a country, nuclear power was seen as an ideal source of energy.

for a long time fossil fuel was the dominant source of energy in japan but the oil crisis in the 1970s triggered rapid construction of nuclear power plants. by 2009, the number of plants in japan reached 54. it has the third largest number in the world after the u.s. and france. however, nuclear energy suffered a big setback as a result of the accidents at three mile island in the u.s. in 1979 and at chernobyl in the former soviet union in 1986. meanwhile, as global concerns about climate change have increased in recent years, the demand for nuclear stations has expanded worldwide. people began to see nuclear energy as a way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. it was a great opportunity for the japanese government to promote japan's own nuclear technology. last year they decided to sell nuclear reactors to vietnam.

then the nuclear accident occurred. >> last year japan's energy plan called for nuclear power generation to be expanded. the goal was to make it the source of 50% of our total power supply by 2030, but following the fukushima daiichi accident, the japanese government decided to gradually decrease the country's dependence on nuclear energy. last month the diet passed a clean energy bill that guarantees above market rates for wind, solar and geothermal power. the law requires the utility companies to buy up those renewable sources. and similar so-called tariff legislation created a race to install solar panels in countries such as germany and spain. japan's new law has raised expectations that new business opportunities will soon arise here too. last year these seven turbines started spinning north of tokyo.

they generate 2,000 kilowatts each. enough electricity for about 7,000 households. it's japan's first offshore wind power venture, and it's about to get a lot bigger. offshore and floating wind power generation is a wise choice for japan because space here is limited. the people running the operation behind me are planning to add 100 more turbines to this wind farm over the next few years. their setup seems to be strong enough to sustain japan's seismic shifts. the earthquake and tsunami didn't damage these turbines. their foundations are solid, ilt deep into the bottom of the sea. the president of the company that runs this wind power project has been in the green energy business for 13 years. he believes the new tariff law on renewable resources will provide a boost.

>> translator: the law is certainly beneficial for renewable energy generators like us. i am already planning on building more offshore wind farms in the near future. >> reporter: japan's solar power related businesses are also getting busier. smart solar international is connected to a research center at the university of tokyo. they are essentially long bars housed in aluminum dishes that move to follow the sun. parabolic mirrors help to maximize the solar panel's exposure to sunlight. the new model generates a relatively continuous level of electricity from sun-up to sundown. it can produce a maximum of 1.5 times more power than conventional solar panels.

>> translator: in the beginning we wanted to promote solar power to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. japan is now facing an energy shortage. we want to start mass production so our technology will help solve these problems. >> reporter: solar international built its factory in oh saky city in miyagi prefecture, part of japan that was hit by the tsunami. the company is projecting its sales will reach $260 million by as early as 2015. >> companies in green energy businesses are hoping to benefit from japan's shift away from nuclear energy. just how big an opportunity are we talking about here? >> it looks like we have some problems to solve. some experts say that the new feed and tariff law is basic

ground rule and won't excaccelee the use of renewable energy all by itself. >> i think this is very good starting point for the development of the future of renewable energy sources in japan. so far compared to the european market, which has been already revitalized in the '90s, the japanese market is still not revitalized. >> the professor says deregulation would loosen the tight grip japan's nine regional companies have on the energy market, and they control both power generation and the power grid in eac region. he says these monopolies can harm the development of renewable energy. market and they control both power generation and the power grid in each region. he says these monopolies can

harm development of renewable energy. this is one big issue the new administration of prime noda will need to address if it really wants to secure a safe and stable power supply. >> thanks, mitsuko, appreciate it. sunday marks the tenth anniversary of the september 11th terrorist attacks. ahead of the day, about 100 people gather to light candles and pray for peace near ground zero in new york city. thursday's ceremony in manhattan began with a christian priest and muslim sharing the podium and calling for prayers for peace. the participants stood shoulder to shoulder and held candles as they remembered the nearly 3,000 victims of the attack on the world trade center. >> i think it's important to show our solidarity as we reflect on this tragic anniversary. >> quit blaming others for what's happened in the u.s. over

and over and over again. it was a very tragic event, but it can't go on and on and on. >> the civic group that organized the event plans to stage another rally on sunday. meanwhile, researchers have released over 100 audio files related to the hijacking of four planes on september 11th. they include on-board conversations and exchanges between plane crews and flight controllers as well as the voice of one of the hijackers. >> nobody move. everything will be okay. if you try to make any move, you will endanger yourself and the airplane. let's stay quiet. >> in another recording a female flight attendant called the airline's operation desk. >> somebody's stabbed in business class, and i think there's mace that we can't breathe. i don't know. i think we're getting hijacked. >> another file features an exchange between an air traffic controller in boston and an official at the north american airspace defense command.

the dialogue took place ten minutes before american airlines flight 11 crashed into the world trade center. >> we have a problem here. we have a hijacked aircraft headed towards new york. we need you guys to scramble some f-16s or something up there to help us out. >> is this real world or exercise? >> no, this is not an exercise and not a test. >> the 114 audio files were released on thursday by a research team at rochester university in the state of new jersey. new york mayor michael bloomberg says intelligence indicates terrorists could be planning an attack on the city. the announcement comes three days before the tenth anniversary of the september 11th attacks. in an emergency news conference on thursday bloomberg said information about the threat is uncorroborated and unspecific but comes from credible sources.

>> the nypd is deploying additional resources around the city and taking other steps to keep our city safe, but there is no reason for any of the rest of us to change anything in our daily routines. >> a senior official of the u.s. homeland security department told nhk that the information is specific and credible but unconfirmed. the officials said the government is investigating the threat. he noted that the intelligence obtained from the hideout from the slain al qaeda leader osama bin laden pointed to a possible terror plot to coincide with the september 11th anniversary. the u.s. media reported that two or three suspects may have entered the u.s. by air in august, aiming to carry out a bomb attack on a bridge or tunnel either in washington or new york at around the anniversary. a white house official said president barack obama was briefed on the threat on thursday and ordered the counterterrorism officials to investigate and further enhance security.

the march 11th disaster. the september 11th attacks. two anniversaries, one source for in-depth coverage. join nhk world for "japan: six months on" and "9/11: defining a decade." our programming continues all week. then on sunday, september 11th, we'll mark the anniversaries, 2:30 p.m. japan time for the 3/11 disaster and 9:40 p.m. for the 9/11 attacks. next we go to our bureau in bangkok. patchari raksawong has the latest with what's going on in the region. india has tightened security measures after a deadly blast. sharp criticism has been leveled at the government for failing to prevent the incident. the terror attack on the heart of the indian capital killed at least 12 people and wounded nearly 80 on wednesday.

indian police have detained at least three people including the owner of an internet cafe in the indian-administered state of kashmir on thursday. they have been questioned over an e-mail sent by a militant group, allegedly claiming responsibility for the bombing. meanwhile mourners and families of the victims attended funerals in new delhi for those killed in the explosion. the bombing is at least the third terror incident in india this year. the government has been sharply criticized for failing to prevent attacks on important facilities in the capital and the financial center of mumbai. as asian economies continue their rapid growth, the demand for one particular gourmet dish is also on the rise, but this delicacy is not just expensive to diners.

it has been criticized for its high cost to the marine environment as well. nhk world has more. >> reporter: in thailand's popular resort city of pattaya have gathered to do their first shark release project. the tank holds various types of sharks that have been rescued from restaurants, pet shops, and even fishermen to be returned to the wild. >> translator: welcome to our restaurant. >> shark is a fairly common food in thailand and other asian countries. in bangkok's chinatown, the demand for shark fin soup is strong. it is a renowned delicacy in

chinese cuisine. recently the dish has become increasingly popular among the emerging middle classes throughout asia. >> translator: our shark fin business is doing well. since ancient times shark fin soup has been known as the food of kings. it's believed to be good for health and longevity. >> but some people say that the appetite for the dish has caused the global shark population to plummet. according to conservation groups, up to 73 million sharks are killed every year, mostly for their fins. a third of all known shark species are believed to be threatened or nearly threatened with extinction. the situation can be seen clearly in the gulf of thailand. >> translator: i've been diving around pattaya for eight years. during that time, i've seen very few sharks. it's extremely rare to spot a shark.

>> after traveling through rough seas for more than an hour, the sharks were prepared for their return home. i'm offshore from pattaya beach, and a group of divers are releasing all sorts of small sharks back into the sea. one by one divers released 60 rescued sharks to the ocean. they quickly swam away. it is easy to believe that they are elated with the start of their new lives. >> the objective of the whole project is to bring awareness to not just divers and obviously the ocean can't sustain the amount of sharks we're taking out.

>> an expert points out that shark conservation is crucial for a sustainable marine eco-system. >> the sharks are on top of the scale, which is everything below it is prey for the sharks. so if we lose the sharks, then there will be big changes in what's below the sharks. >> 50 sharks have been given a chance to return to their natural habitat. it may seem like a minuscule effort, but local divers are hoping this small act will lead to big changes in their beloved waters and in people's minds. nhk world, pattaya. saving 60 is a good start and hopefully more will be saved. with that we wrap up our bulletin in bangkok. i'm patchari raksawong in

bangkok. >> thanks, patchari. the economy shrank. the japanese government said on friday that the economy declined by an annualized rate of 2 minnesota 1% in the quarter. that's down from the preliminary report of minus 1.3% given in august. the nation's economy posted a third straight quarter of declines. the largest factor was the decrease in cap pal spending as the march 11th disaster dam opinioned corporate sentiment. it came it to be 0.9d% compared to the rating of positive 2 pont 0%. but in the following quarter, economic growth is expected to pick up as quake-related reconstruction will have propped up demand. china's consumer prices in august rose 6.2% from a year ago, easing for the first time in two months.

the national bureau of statistics released the data on friday. the pace of advance marked a third straight raise but rose slightly by 0.3 percentage points from july. looking on, food prices continue to show a double-digit rise but fell 1.4 percentage points from the previous month. in particular, the price of pork fell more than 11 percentage points from the previous month. it has been rising over 50% in recent months. the august index is likely to be reflective of the chinese central bank's tightening measures. the bank has raised its key interest rate five times since october of last year, but looking ahead, experts in china have started to voice concerns over the country's economic growth as uncertainties in the global economic recovery continue. there's tough decisions to be made on whether further monetary tightening is necessary.

hi. welcome back. starting off with asia, we have a tropical storm that is approaching the southwestern islands of japan. it is actually near the amami island as of now and bringing up the waves to about 4 meters high. and as it approaches the island in korea, it looks like it's going to be downgrading into a tropical depression, but even if it downgrades, it will be bringing ample moisture toward this front that will be developing on saturday just over the sea of japan. it will be surging all that moisture and generating all those very heavy rain in south korea. it will accumulate up to about 100 millimeters in some areas. and western and eastern japan looking pretty dry and hot, but northern japan will be affected by this front as well. so we're going to be looking at very wet and unstable conditions, especially in hokkaido. here in north china we have that system that will be easing up on saturday, but by saturday night in toward sunday, another round of heavy rain to come from that other system coming in. so maybe chong chi may

accumulate up to 100 millimeters in the next couple of days. we're looking at temperatures here in tokyo at 33 degrees. another hot day. here in north america, let's take a look at this tropical storm maria. where is it heading toward now? well, by the time it reaches bahamas, it may become a hurricane. so it will be strengthening in the next couple of days as well as into the next week, early next week. it may become a hurricane. here we have a lot of tropical storm warnings posted out in the lesser antilles.hurricane. here we have a lot of tropical storm warnings posted out in the lesser antilles. and then by saturday night, it will be approaching puerto rico. and as it does so, lots of rain to come. around the lesser antilles, maybe an accumulation from the storm will be up to about 200 millimeters. and puerto rico, as you can see, is going to be targeted with that bucket of rain in the next 48 hours to come. tropical storm nate -- this is finally moving, but it is very slow -- it will become a hurricane late tonight or tomorrow.

tropical storm warnings and watches just around this area. it will maintain its intensity as a hurricane and make landfall in western mexico probably by late sunday. we'll definitely keep a very close eye on this. maybe the rainfall accumulation may be up to about 300 millimeters in some local areas. katia is what we have been tracking now. this is just over here. so eastern coast of united states will be still looking at swells to come. the low pressure system still sits is over here and will be lingering for the next couple of days so that risk of flooding and flash flooding is going to continue. and pennsylvania especially, a state of emergency has been declared. unfortunately that rain may be heavy again in some local areas. the south looking very dry and calm for you except for the four corners, may be popping up isolated thunderstorms. houston at 35. winnipeg looking at 32. heating up in central canada as you can see there. heading over to europe now, we have a well developed low pressure system that is sitting

above western russia. so windy conditions, stormy conditions to come for you. we have a system that is coming in toward the british isles, looking very messy here. and that will be moving into the scandinavian peninsula as well as in toward sunday. as you can see, much of the continent looking very sunny and dry out for you. it's going to be hot though. warming up on saturday compared to friday. temperatures for saturday will be significantly higher than what we expected for the highs for friday. so kiev looking at 20 degrees, and 30 degrees in paris. here's your extended forecast.

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.