stress test. the first results are in from new safety checks on some of japan's nuclear reactors. a small step towards building public faith. this is "newsline." i'm michio kijima in tokyo. kansai electric has become the first utility to hand in the results of safety tests of japan's idle nuclear reactors. it submitted the outcome of a first-stage stress test on a reactor at its ohi nuclear plant. the government mandated that a stress test be performed before

a restart can happen. kansai executives visited the nuclear and industrial safety agency on friday to deliver results on the ohi plant's number three reactor. >> translator: we'll continue to take security measures to utilize nuclear energy safely. when we have new requirements, we'd like to add them immediately. >> kansai electric executives say a computer simulation say the reactor can withstand an earthquake 1.8 times intensity and a tsunami four times the height of estimated maximums for the fukui prefecture. the 's the current status for country. japan has 54 nuclear reactors. in the wake of the nuclear accident at fukushima daiichi, 44 reactors, more than 80% of the reactors are idled for safety inspections. local officials are upset they didn't learn more from this first test. >> translator: the test is not

enough for a restart. we've been calling on the government to clarify the cause and other facts of the fukushima accident, and have them reflected in nuclear safety standards. >> translator: kansai electric have submitted the results of the stress test, but they won't give us any information to help us decide whether or not we can restart the reactor. >> it's still unclear whether or not these tests will lead to restarting the idle nuclear reactors. local governments and residents have to approve before any reactor can be turned back on. japan's atomic energy commission said it aims to start retrieving melted nuclear fuel rods from the fukushima daiichi nuclear power plant within ten years. the commission's expert panel presented a draft report on friday, outlining the timetable for scrapping the plant. the report says decommissioning will start with repairing the containment vessels of the number one, two, and three

reactors where meltdowns occurred. the commission also plans to start moving spent fuel rods from pools at the number one, two, three and four reactors to another pool in the plant within three years. the report projects that the decommissioning will take more than 30 years to complete. in 1979, three mile island accident, about 70% of the reactor's fuel rods melted. actual fuel retrieval began six years after the accident and lasted for five years. the work at the fukushima is expected to be a longer one. and more difficult. because the extent of the damage is more severe and workers will have to repair four reactors simultaneously. japan's prime minister, yoshihiko noda, is urging lawmakers to cooperate on a series of budgets-related bills that focus on reconstruction of areas hit by the march 11th disaster and measures to tackle the strong yen. in a speech on friday, noda touched on the third

supplementary draft budget submitted earlier today, worth 12 trillion yen, or about $160 billion. >> translator: what this diet must achieve is clear -- in order to significantly accelerate the reconstruction efforts in the disaster-affected areas, bring the nuclear power station accident to a conclusion, and rebuild the japanese economy, we must compile as soon as possible, a final draft of the third supplementary budget and its relevant legislation, and move to implement such legislation. this needs to be a joint effort by the government and all parliamentary groups. >> the budget came with related bills on tax increases to raise revenue. noda offered to cut his own salary as well as those of cabinet ministers to win public support on this issue. the prime minister also indicated he was open to dialogue on possible amendments. now, it's time for "the road

ahead." seven months after the march earthquake and tsunami, getting medical treatment can still be a problem. in one area for example, a hospital had no doctors. but finally one has arrived and he has an unusual background. here's a report on the challenges he faces trying to get the hospital back on its feet. >> reporter: on the first of october, 37-year-old dr. minoru kawashima was named director of moto hospital, a post that had gone vacant for nearly six months. >> translator: i'm just a simple doctor. please give me some tough guidance to help me fit into motiyoshi hospital. thank you, let's work hard together. >> reporter: this is kesennuma

city's hospital. the only hospital in the district which has a population of 10,000. after the earthquake, the hospital's ground floor was almost completely submerged. there was no running water and the electricity was off. shutting down the medical equipment and the computers, used to maintain clinical records. more than 250 patients came to the hospital each day. ten days after the earthquake, the hospital's director and one of its doctors left, citing health problems. after that, the hospital has been kept going with the help of doctors from all over the country. kau sheema was one of them. every week, he traveled the 200 kilometers from his workplace to help out.

>> translator: this hospital had all the necessary equipment, aff and patients. only the doctors were missing. i had no idea what was going on. i sensed the unusual nature of this facility. >> reporter: kawashima was once a professional boxer. during his time in the ring, he studied medicine and passed the national exam. he says that when he's in doubt, he accepted the post because he wanted to save the hospital. which is in a critical state. >> translator: when i can't decide whether to go left or right, i choose the way that looks harder. something had to be done. since there were no full-time doctors, i thought i might as well do the work. >> reporter: kawashima started seeing patients. about 70 patients come to the hospital each day.

kawashima asks them about their families and their diet. trying to determine what condition they're in. >> i'm happy i can see the same doctor. >> translator: it's reassuring to have a doctor like him. >> translator: it's my mission. i want to be the rear guard, provide support from behind the lines. >> reporter: director kawashima starts down a new path with his staff members. all of whom have overcome difficult times. as the hospital chief, he's determined to support the rebuilding of motoyoshi. >> dr. kawashima said he plans to increase the number of house calls and to make the hospital as accessible as possible for locals. "newsline" is the place to turn to for the latest on japan

post march 11th. we have two segments offering two unique perspectives on the fallout from the earthquake and tsunami. "nuclear watch" brings you insight and information on the impact of the fukushima daiichi nuclear crisis. and "the road ahead" examines japan's efforts to recover and rebuild. don't miss "nuclear watch" and "the road ahead" on "newsline." thailand's crisis is entering a crucial chapter. patchari raksawong joinings us from there with the latest. patchari? >> reporter: hello, michio. thailand's crisis is entering a crucial chapter. the rick of widespread flooding in the capital is expected to rise over the coming days as a spring tide pushes water levels even higher. nhk world has the report. >> reporter: bangkok residents are closely watching the banks of chao phraya river and its surrounding canals. massive amounts of floodwater is

descending on the city from the north combined with the rising tide have swollen the river to record levels. this hospital, where thailand's revered king has been receiving medical treatment is on the front line. dozens of soldiers piled up sandbags to protect the hospital from flooding. the economic impact is also starting to pinch. prices of staple foods in local markets have shot up. the cost of eggs has risen more than 10%, while broccoli and leeks have doubled. merchants blame the increases on shortages caused by inundated farms. >> translator: the shortage of supplies is worsening by the day. we are really afraid of what would happen to us. >> reporter: thailand's valuable

tourist trade is also hit hard. this famous road is unusually quiet. one store owner said there is less than half the usual number of visitors. more than 20 countries have urged their nationals to avoid bangkok including japan and the united states. at least 377 lost their lives nationwide, and more than 2.1 million have been affected. months after the crisis began, thys are holding their breath for a weekend that will be critical for their capital. for nhk world, bangkok. myanmar's pro-democracy icon says she senses a change in attitude in the country's government. an exclusive interview with nhk, aung san suu kyi says in the past few months e government

has been more willing to bridge its differences with pro-democracy parties. nhk world's jun kobayashi has more. >> i think the president is very desirous of positive change. >> reporter: myanmar held its first general election in 20 years last year. however, aung san suu kyi was effectively barred from participating in the ballot. more than 8% of the lawmakers turned out to be supporters of the former military government. the military maintained a strong influence over the country. however, in august, the president held his first meeting with aung san suu kyi in an effort to improve ties with the pro-democracy movement. >> the changes, we've got to make it strong.

this is our responsibility. this is our duty to try to make it as strong as possible. we prefer to emphasize what is positive and to help the process along. we also are cautious about saying that change has taken place. >> reporter: earlier this month, the government granted amnesty to more than 6,300 prisoners, including political detainees who were accused of criticizing the former military regime. the united states has suggested that it might limit its sanctions on myanmar if the government allows more political participation by opposition parties and moves closer towards democracy. even suu kyi says she will be willing to take part in the country's political framework, if the government asked her, but only on one condition.

>> such matters are very much things that have to be decided with the rest of the party. it's not something that i decide for myself. i think you have to be committed to the process of dialogue and even sometimes when it is, perhaps, not everything that you might wish for, you still have to continue and try to make it more meaningful and more substantial. >> reporter: suu kyi says she sees the change in the government's attitude as a golden opportunity for advance democracy in the country. jun kobayashi, nhk world, yangong. and that wraps up our bulletin. i'm patchari raksawong in bangkok. >> patchari showed how serious the situation is in the thai capital. and the floods are having the spillover here in japan. they forced many japanese companies to suspend plants in

thailand. now the japanese government is stepping in to help allows them local business s to bring in local employees to japan for the time being. the stoppage of plants in thailand has caused serious disruptions in supply chains. it's impact is felt both in japan and across southeast asia. >> translator: the japanese government has decided to allow companies to move their thai personnel to japan as an emergency and temporary measure. however, they must guarantee that all such employees will eventually return to thailand. >> chief cabinet secretary osamu fujimura said japanese companies need to transfer workers to keep production lines moving. the government still hasn't decided on the scale and terms of the relocation program. a spokesperson for the ministry of economy says some 30 japanese firms want to bring in thousands of thai workers to japan.

china has decide dodd wait for a while before deciding whether to invest more in a europe-area bailout fund. this week top european union leaders decided to boost the size of the facility and find financial resources outside europe. the chief of the european financial stability facility visited beijing on friday and asked for china's help in expanding the scope of the fund. he said after meeting chinese government officials, that no decision had been made. >> no conclusion, certainly today during our visit. what i know is that china must invest every month. because the current account has a surplus. >> chinese vice finance minister

noted at a separate news conference that his country is already investing in the fund. he said china wants to find more details about the plant to bolster the fund before making an investment decision. >> translator: we need to wait until there is more clarification on how the fund will be used, and how risks will be avoided. only then can we discuss whether we will invest. thousands of demonstrators have taken to the streets in the south korean capital, seoul, to protest against a free trade agreement with the united states. [ chanting ] >> around 3,000 farmers and union members from across south korea held rallies near the national assembly building on friday. they say an fta would only benefit large companies, while weakening farmers and small businesses. >> translator: south korea is an agricultural country relying on farming until now. this fta will kill south korean

farming. that's why i'm absolutely against it. >> later, demonstrators clashed with police forces as they marched towards parliament water cannons were used to prevent protesters were breaking intoed compound of the national assembly. south korea's governing party aims to rat fry the free trade agreement by the end of this month. but the opposition bloc demands more discussions, citing insufficient compensation for farmers. our correspondent in seoul says strong opposition to the fta could delay the ratification process. the u.s. and south korean defense chiefs have agreed to draw up a joint operational plan to counter potential military action by north korea. u.s. defense secretary, leon panetta and south korean defense minister, kim kwe gwan held talks on friday in seoul. kim said the two countries will complete a plan by the end of the year to respond more effectively to military provocation by north korea.

u.s. and south korean forces will strengthen joint exerces in the yellow sea. north korea shelled an island in the area, yeongpeong island last november. the u.s. warned about the dangers of north korea's capability. >> together we will insure a strong, effective alliance deterrence posture, including the united states's nuclear umbrella, so that pyongyang never misjudges our will and capability to respond decisively to nuclear aggression. >> panetta said cyber attacks could become part of the warfare in the future. and is coordinating a response to such attacks by north korea and other parties. hackers have hit japanese government and industrial targets in a series of cytacks. they may have stolen lawmakers' personal information and data from lower house computer servers. investigators from lower house task force say a lawmaker's pc

was first infected in late july by a trojan horse virus contained in an email. the virus is believed to have spread to four network servers and 28 pcs used by other politicians. investigators say the virus could have copied lawmakers' i.d.s and passwords. the task force plans to issue a final report on cyber security in early november. and here's a brief look at other news. gunmen have attacked a vehicle carrying government officials in kenya, leaving four people dead. thursday's incidents took place in northeastern kenya, near the border with somalia. local media say the militant somali islamist group, elshabab was likely behind the attack. kenya sent its troops into southern somalia on october 16 to attack the militants. the militants have vowed to retaliate. the u.n. security council has votesed unanimously to end its authorization of military action in libya next monday.

the decision on thursday comes one week after the death of libya's former leader, moammar gadhafi. the council authorized a no-fly zone and military action on march 17th. later on friday, nato is expected to confirm a decision to end operations in libya. the president of japan broadcasting cooperation has addressed a conference of public broadcasters in singapore, and described the coverage of the march 11 earthquake and tsunami. nhk president masumoto explained that news crews regularly train with helicopters and robotic cameras to prepare for covering a natural disaster or other emergency. he said they take the utmost care to provide timely, accurate information and keep the public well informed. he also said that the documenting a massive disaster is the duty of a public broadcaster. and nhk wants its coverage to be used around the world. have you heard of a fish

called iu? the fish smells like cucumber and its on japanese menus from summer through early fall. ♪ look at these iu. the fish is known as the queen of freshwater streams. japanese like iu for it's aromatic flesh. they've even used them as offerings at shinto shrines. here male fish gather around a spawning female. iu don't live very long, so this may be their last chance to father a new generation. mai shoji is up next with weather. >> hi and welcome back. let's talk about weather now. starting with asia.

we've got a trail of high pressure system that will be predominant in much of the eastern continental asia. as you can see, mongolia, northern china, we may see some showers in and around seoul in towards the weekend. and some showers building up towards the south and in towards the western parts of japan. but eastern and northern japan will be looking very clear and sunny out. we may see a chance of light showers in tokyo by sunday evening. nothing too significant, though. clearing up in this area as well. clearing up in much of northern indochina peninsula. but the northeast monsoonal flow still will be impacting the philippines as well as eastern seaboards of vietnam. clearing up in bangkok, which is very good news. but as i mentioned, the high tide is going to be peaking on saturday. so the water levels will be rising by 15 centimeters. a few scattered showers will still be just in and around southern thailand.

now here are your temperatures. tokyo, at 22 degrees for a saturday high. manila, 33. bangkok, we're looking at 34 degrees. only one digit in ulan bator at eight degrees. heading over to the americas, we've got this system, this is tropical storm rina, now moving at the speed of six kilometers per hour. it looks like it will be lingering around a similar area in towards the weekend. we have tropical storm warnings in the eastern tip of the yucatan peninsula and mexico. and rain will be accumulating as well as those dangerous storm surges, as well as swells to be aware of. not only is it bringing rain towards the yucatan peninsula. but this system is also surging moisture up towards the cold front. the low pressure system will be moving away, off the atlantic. but this cold front will be dragged in towards the florida peninsula. and as the moisture surges, the showers and the chance of thunderstorms will be here for our weekend. this is a potent system, it's a

wintry precipitation that will be seeing in new york. inner-city may see some impact in travel with the storm, snow, to be accumulating around new york. behind it, clear and very dry for you out here. the british columbia area will be seeing some very strong winds as well as heavy rain at times. houston, 18 degrees, that is ten degrees below yesterday's temperature. and oklahoma city at 15 degrees. new york, you're looking at ten degrees. on our friday high. here in europe well we had reports of flooding in italy. especially into tuscany area. that rain will be tapering off, fortunately for our weekend. we may even see some sunny spells here. but the rain is going to be continuously heavily falling in southwestern france, as well as eastern coast of spain. we will be seeing some on and off showers here in the british isles, as well as western norway and the winds will be picking

up, up to about 80 kilometers there. out towards the east, looking very clear and fine for you. then, at van at eight degrees with snow in turkey. kiev, eight degrees as well, rome 24. and lisbon, 21 degrees. 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.