electoral campaigns wrap up in taiwan. two presidential hopefuls struggle to get an advantage. politicians are getting out the vote in races that could change relations with china. the campaign kicks off during the day and they vote january 14th. it will be held simultaneously with a presidential election for the first time ever. 113 seats are at stake in a single seat constituency and a proportional representation system. the results will be critical to taiwan's relationship with china. the governor nationalist party

is seeking ties on the taiwan strait, while the progressive party opposes that policy. while the nationalists won more than 70% of the seats, but the dpp has won 9 of the 13 by elections since then. in the presidential race incumbent ma ying-jeou of the nationalist party is neck and neck now taiwan's first female presidential candidate, tasi ing-wen of the progressive democratic party. iran successfully test fired missiles near the strait of hormuz. it wrapped up the ten-day exercises monday firing shore-to-sea missiles called qudar. the chief admiral said the strait of hormuz is completely under the control of iranian forces.

they conducted exercises under threat of sanctions from the united states and european union. they want them to halt the program. u.s. congress enacted bills authorizing new sanctions against iran. legislators want to block crude oil transactions with foreign countries. eu leaders are considering a ban on imports of iranian oil. prospect of sanctions already hit the economy. the currency plunged this month to the lowest level on record. commanders threaten to close the strait of hormuz if the sanctions are imposed. the closure would seriously affect the world economy since the strait is a key crude oil shipping route. the taliban insurgents enlisted people. a spokesperson for the taliban, the largest islamic extremist group told nhk representatives from the taliban in afghanistan

visited pakistan in november and december. they asked the pakistani taliban to shift its target from the police to the u.s. troops in afghanistan. the spokesperson said his group accepted the request and plans to send fighters to afghanistan in march. they agreed to set up a five member council. an update on a story closely followed in japan. the former senior member of japan's aum shinrikyo cult arrested over the weekend. makoto hirata reportedly told investigators he had stayed on the run because he had been accused of a crime he says he didn't commit. that was the 1995 shooting of the nation's top police official. sources on the investigation team tell nhk hirata denied any involvement in the attack, which seriously injured the national police agency chief. hirata was quoted as saying the

allegation made him too scared to surrender. police arrested the 46-year-old after he turned himself in on saturday. he's suspected of abducting and fatally drugging a notary in 1995. police sent him to prosecutors on monday. nhk sources say hirata admitted he drove the vehicle used to kidnap the 68-year-old notary, but he insisted he only learned of the man's death later. they also say the ex-cult member denied his surrender was intended to delay the execution of the aum founder shoko asahara. asahara, whose real name is chizuo matsumoto, is awaiting the death penalty for his involvement in a series of the cult's crimes, including the 1995 sarin gas attack on the tokyo subway system. a lawyer who spoke with hirata after his arrest says it appears the man is no longer under the cult's spell. >> translator: hirata believes matsumoto deserves to die. he no longer believes in aum's teachings. >> before hirata's capture, the last of the aum shinrikyo cases

wrapped up in november. 189 former cult members faced prosecution over a 16-year period. and that does include the leader, matsumoto. 12 people are facing the death penalty. for a little girl that lost her mom in the tsunami, it was like being in touch with her again. she received a letter her mother wrote three years ago after buying her a bag for first grade. it was part of a campaign by the manufacturer and was supposed to be delivered when her daughter was in third grade. >> this town was hit hard by the disaster. she's a third grader, lost her

mother to the tsunami. she's the youngest of three children. her mother took loving care of her daughter. three years ago, she bought her a school bag. these days, she carri good luck charm. it is a hair tie that she always wore. it was found in the wreckage of their home. >> translator: it was in my mom's pencil box. it makes me feel as if she's holding me, so i always have it with me, even when i take a bath. >> she lives with four family members in a home they rent from relatives. her sister is a third year junior high school student. she does all the cooking and

cleaning now. just after her mother died, she couldn't stop crying. she cries less now because she doesn't want to worry her mother up in heaven. she has also started to help her sister. her father says sometimes he thinks his daughter tries too hard to be strong. >> translator: she tries so hard to be tough with that tiny body. but when it becomes too much, she cries quietly. >> she heard through the school bag manufacturer that her mother had written her a letter. >> i circle this day because that's when the letter will come. it is like mom will be coming

back. >> when the company heard her mother died, they decided to deliver the letter in person. >> i hated waking up in the morning, but i was so happy you like school. do you help with the chores now? i will try to be the best mother i can, love mom. >> i wonder what you'll be doing

when this letter arrives. do you complain about helping with the chores, you always work hard and do your best. i am so grateful for all your help. >> these are such a treasure for us all. >> when i feel lost or sad, i will just look at this letter. it feels like she's here with me. >> that night, she wrote a letter to her mother in heaven. >> translator: dear mom. i am doing all right, but sometimes thinking of you, i feel like crying. i hope you are happy in heaven. i promise to study hard and help my sister with the chores. please keep watching over us from heaven. >> what a touching story there. in other news, the japanese government leaders hope to strengthen the relationship with

china. this year marks the 40th anniversary of the normalization of ties. they normalized relations in 1972 in beijing at a meeting between japan's prime minister at the tame cac way tanaka and chinese premier zhou enlai. current prime minister yoshihiko noda met the chinese president hu jintao in beijing late last month. they confirmed the two countries will work on strategic relations to mark this year's anniversary. japan will push for top-level official visits as well as cultural exchanges of about 5,000 young people between the two countries. it also wants to begin negotiations as soon as possible on free trade pacts with china and south korea. the japanese government says it will keep close contact with chinese leaders to try to maintain stability on the korean peninsula after the death of kim jong-il. but japan and china have several unresolved issues, including natural gas development in the east china sea.

china has not yet indicated when it will resume talks on the matter. china unilaterally suspended the talks after the 2010 collision of a chinese fishing boat with japanese patrol vessels near the disputed senkaku islands. it's a new year, and that means a new set of priorities for u.s. president barack obama as he tries to secure a second term in office. addressing the current situation in east asia is near the top of his to-do list. that means the obama administration will be relying heavily on its alliance with japan. u.s. officials are weighing the timing of a summit meeting between obama and japanese prime minister yoshihiko noda. they say they plan to invite noda to washington in the first half of 2012, perhaps in spring. the meeting is intended to strengthen bilateral ties in order to jointly cope with the changing situation in north korea following the death of kim jong-un.

the u.s. government needs stronger cooperation with japan so it can monitor the situation on the korean peninsula. it's also trying to resolve the issues surrounding north korea's nuclear development program. but some american officials say obama shouldn't meet one on one with noda until progress is made on the relocation of the u.s. marine corps futenma air station within okinawa prefecture. the futenma issue is expected to reach a critical juncture in the first half of this year because members of japan's central government are going to try to win the approval of local authorities in okinawa. president obama also faces some serious challenges ahead of november's presidential election. the u.s. economy is struggling and unemployment remains high. the latest data shows unemployment at 8.6%. the housing market remains sluggish and has failed to stimulate the u.s. economy. the federal reserve bank is keeping interest rates exceptionally low in order to provide enough cash flow. no president has been re-elected with an unemployment rate above 8% since the 1940s. obama also needs to reduce the

country's debt. he wants to increase tax revenue from high-income earners and cut spending on defense and health insurance. but he will need cooperation from the republican party, which also has its eye on the election. without cross-party support, the president will find it tough to implement effective economic policies. a traditional japanese product on the ropes is going modern to survive. two innovators, a businessman and artisan have brought their new product to a showroom of a tokyo department store, and as we see in this report, the customers are pretty dazzled. >> a huge tapestry adorns a tokyo department store. the tapestry is made of traditional pape

this work was designed to help people see its high quality craftsmanship. the project was organized by a washi paper wholesaler. >> the use of it is declining. we want people to look at this work, rediscover the value of this kind of paper. >> for the last 1500 years, this has been a hub for the craftsmanship. the city even has a shrine devoted to the god who legend has it passed on the divine skill of paper making. it is used with traditional products, like sliding doors and official documents.

this company has been in business for 19 generations, going back more than 500 years. he now works on interior furnishings for international customers. they are popular in places like europe and the u.s. >> we are offering suggestions for using the traditional method to make new interior furnishings with washi paper. >> he visits the city for the commission to the department store in tokyo. he specializes making paper for sliding doors. he doesn't need a pattern. he uses methods passed down through many generations. he says months can go by with no orders for traditional paper, his main source of income. as demand has been falling, he

accepted the commission to make tapestries. >> honestly, i would rather make sliding door paper. i want to pass on what i make to future generations. we have a responsibility to teach them the techniques. >> on this day, the department store is in the midst of changing decorations to herald new products. after the store closes, the craftsmen spend the whole night setting up the tapestry display.

he spent two weeks making this tapestry. it has the true spirit of autumn. >> translator: i like natural products. >> translator: it is fantastic. a lot of work went into it. sky up above there, maybe the stars. >> we have been around 1500 years because we have adapted to the changing times. it maybe an exaggeration to say it, but we're doing it on behalf of japan. i want to do all that i can. >> his innovation and sound business sense ensure a centuries old craft has a place in these modern times. >> well, he is developing new paper products for interior design. nuclear accident at fukushima daiichi prompted the japanese to turn their eyes

towards new energy. today we focus on small scale hydroelectric power plants. they don't need dams or large facilities and are eco friendly. we get a look at the first mini hide row project funded by private investors. >> here in toyama prefecture. a mini power plant is coming into operation this spring. it will be powered by river water flowing from the mountain range called the japan alps. he used to work for construction firm, but with public work projects dwindling, he saw an opportunity in this business and launched a power company. the plant located on the river will be classified as a small hydro power plant. it will produce 1,000 kill watts

of power. the rushing river water turns the wheel in the box which is directly linked to a generator. japan's geological features make it ideal for this electricity. the country's annual precipitation is more than twice the world average, and there are many fast flowing rivers. they estimate the power jep racial from small plants could equal 15 nuclear reactors in the future. but as he waited in the business, he was swamped how hard it was to raise funds. no bank would lend to him. eventually, an investment fund offered help. the fund specializes in renewable energy projects. it saw a surge of inquiries following the fukushima nuclear

accident in march. >> translator: it was as if everyone began seeing the energy problem on their own, and investments on this grew triple the pays as before the disaster. >> of the $40 million he needs for the project, 3.8 million comes from state subsidies. succeeded securing the rest of it through the fund, from more than 500 ordinary citizens. when the business gets going, they can expect a yield of 3 to 7%. >> translator: the money carries the sentiments of various people that invested in our project, so we must work hard to live up to their expectations. >> this man lives near the plant and is one of the investors. he grows rice and vegetables using water from the japan alps. he invested about $6400.

he has high hopes for the plant's launch. >> if small hydro power plants are built in more villages and towns, they could together generate as much power as conventional large scale plants. >> the investors are spread all over japan. even one month old baby has a stake. obviously she has no money of her own, but her grandfather made the investment on her behalf. >> translator: i used to assume we could generate as much power as we liked. but as a result of the nuclear disaster in fukushima, i changed my mind. >> he invested about $20,000 for

himself and his two grandchildren. he wrote a message on the share certificate envelope for his grandchildren to read when they grow up. >> translator: let's support natural energy so we can leave a safe world, free of nuclear power to our children and grandchildren. >> to a public solution with nuclear power, renewable energy looks increasingly appealing, and with new ways to invest, the number of private citizens supporting their own mini power plants could spread across japan. let's check in on the weather. another chilly one shaping up in tokyo. rachel is up next with the full weather picture. >> hi there.

indeed we will check out what's happening in eastern asia, starting in japan. things are stormy for the northeastern edge. it is quite a large system. now starting to pull away. as you can see, still gusts and snow on the eastern edge for our tuesday. as for the northwestern side, it is our usual winter pattern. lots of sea effect snows. somewhere else picking up significant amounts of snow, the korean peninsula, especially to the western edge, you will see that snow coming down in the next 24 to 48 hours. the rest of the north is looking fairly quiet, but temperatures are way below average. freezing cold air descending across much of northern china. i will show you those figures in a second. this is a mixture of rain to the south, turning to snow. lower lying areas is not going to be too significant, but upper elevations, snow will start to pile up. as for the philippines, a developing system is moving in,

and as it does so, it will bring significant amounts of rain. we have already seen in the past 24 hours more than 100 millimeters of rain, and that's just going to intensify as the system approaches. unfortunately, there's potential for flooding into the middle of the week. in the tropics, seeing those temperatures around the low 30s. manilla, bangkok. 20 in hong kong. a pair of 6s in shanghai. then we hit that frigid air, 0 in seoul and minus 19 here. thathigh. temperatures way below average at the moment. as we head to north america, the pacific system is lingering, clinging to the coast there. it is going to move further inland for bc. then we see showers just sticking around for washington state, clearing up for you in oregon later in the day. elsewhere, looking dry and quiet, but we will see

continuing significant lake effect snow, especially towards the eastern side of the lakes. so that's piling up here. the main story is going to be frigid temperatures. if you look at what's happening here, the purple descending to the south, in fact, it will be approaching the northern parts of florida peninsula. now, taking a look at what's happening here, we are at the freezing mark in washington, d.c. minus 2 in new york city. you saw 4 yesterday. it is a big jump, at least 6 degrees some places. minus 12 in toronto, minus 4 in chicago. look at what's happening here in the southwest. winter in the northeast, southwest is summer. 28 degrees for l.a. many major cities experiencing temperatures above 25 degrees. we head into europe now lastly. the major story here is another atlantic storm system. they just keep coming, what can i say. wet and windy. when i say windy, gusts 80

kilometers an hour in scotland with this system. wind warnings for parts of ireland, denmark, northern germany. it will be wet and wild across the british isles, through france, extending to poland and scandinavia as well. into the central mediterranean, a system is going to reboot. it is easing off into the balkans. minus 2 in moscow. 8 in berlin. 9 in vienna. 12 in london, 13 in paris. not too cold here, but it will be raining most of the week. here is your extended forecast.

thanchts wraps it up for this edition of "newsline." join us at the top of the next join us at the top of the next hour. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com