portrait of a crisis. tokyo electric power company releases additional video that shows the confusion at the heart of a nuclear disaster. welcome to nhk world "newsline." the operator of the fukushima daiichchpower plant has released more video of employees in the heat of the nuclear crisis. tokyo electric power company posted footage online of its teleconferences in the days after the accident last year. the pictures highlight uncertainty caused by company executives and government officials. tepco released six hours of video.

it was recorded over five days starting march 11th. the footage shows people at the plant, an offsite center, at the firm's head office in tokyo and other branch offices. one section shows the plant chief was unable to communicate with government officials. >> another part shows the confusion over how to open the valve and lower the pressure inside a reactor. >> tepco officials say they plan to release more video recorded in the month after the accident. japan's industry minister says the government will not allow a power company to start building a nuclear plant in

western japan. the decision comes three weeks after the government allowed work to resume on two plants already under construction. yukio edano referred to plans by chugoku electric power company to build a facility in yamaguchi prefecture. he said the government's new energy policy rules out the construction of nuclear plants. government leaders adopted the policy last month. they said they would try to end the reliance on nuclear power by the 2030s. all reactors in the country went offline one by one after the accident in fukushima. two at the ohi plant in western japan are running again. edano said other reactors could be restarted if the regulator confirms they're safe. officials at japan's nuclear regulation authority have participated in their first emergency drill. they launched the agency three weeks ago. the drill simulated a power blackout at a nuclear fuel reprocessing plant in rokkasho

in northeastern japan. a self-defense force plane flew an nra commissioner and members of the staff to the site. the official used the plant's emergency response center to communicate by video linked with the agency's headquarters in tokyo. they rehearsed measures to evacuate the village and ensure the safety of its residents. turkish commanders are mobilizing armored vehicles along the border with syria. they have been increasing their security since a syrian mortar attack on a border town. the turkish government's action follows a second straight of artillery strikes by its military. those forces were retaliating for a syrian mortar attack on on wednesday on the town of akcakale. the border attacks killed five civilians including a woman and her three children. prime minister recep tayyip erdogan says turkey would never want to start a war, but he said nobody should test turkey's determination to protect their borders.

the united nations security council has expressed concern about the situation along the border. it issued a statement denouncing the mortar attack. >> the members of the security council condemn in the strongest terms the shelling by the syrian armed forces. >> the statement says the shelling highlighted the impact the syrian crisis is having on regional peace and security. it called on turkey to exercise restraint to prevent the crisis from escalating. employment figures in the united states show improvements in september as the presidential campaign heats up in the country. the news could provide a boost to president barack obama. u.s. labor department officials say the u.s. jobless rate

dropped to 7.8% in september. the figure is the lowest since obama took office in january 2009. employers added 114,000 nonfarm jobs, matching the expectations of analysts. the nonfarm sector is considered particularly sensitive to economic trends. 44,000 jobs were added in the health care sector. manufacturing employment edged down, shedding 16,000 jobs. policymakers at japan's central bank unanimously decided to maintain current monetary policy. this comes after the rare attendance by the economic and fiscal policy minister. seiji maehara has been advocating aggressive monetary easing to get the economy out of deflation. after the two-day meeting through friday, the policymakers shared the view that personal spending remains steady as the jobs situation is improving. but they agreed that output and exports by manufacturers, one of the main drivers of the japanese

economy, are relatively weak due to a slowdown in the chinese and other economies. they also concur that companies are cautious about the business outlook. the policymakers implemented additional monetary measures in september. they included expanding to about $1 trillion the funds available to buy government bonds and other assets. they unanimously agreed to keep the monetary measures unchanged to wait and see their effects. maehara was the first cabinet minister in nine years to attend the boj policy meeting. >> translator: i have a sense of crisis about the continued strong yen and japan's inability to get out of deflation. i wanted to convey my view to the bank of japan by attending the meeting. >> he said the bank of japan's independence must be respected. maehara also said that he will continue to anticipate the central bank's actions for aggressive monetary easing to achieve the targeted rise in consumer price levels.

boj governor masaaki shirakawa was asked by a reporter whether he felt pressure from the government when maehara attended the meeting. shirakawa refrained from answering the question directly, but he said he believes it's important to have a cabinet minister seriously listen to discussions on monetary policy. he added the central bank will keep in close contact with the government to try to pull the country ow of deflation. the u.s. military is strengthening presence in the asia pacific region. it has announced that it's going to deploy two career strike -- carrier strike groups to the western pacific. this comes as the chinese navy increases its advance into the east china sea, the south china sea and the pacific ocean. so what's behind the u.s. decision? we'll have an analysis by our military affairs expert, but before that, let's look at the current situation in the region.

the strike groups will include two nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, the "uss george washington" is currently based in yoke sucha near tokyo, while the "uss john c. stennis" is based on the west coast. the two strike group include vessels equipped with the 'gis air defense system. the u.s. fleet says the two strike groups will provide a combat-ready force to protect and defend the collective maritime interests of the united states and its allies in the asia pacific region. the u.s. also plans to deploy new f-35 stealth fighter jets in the region. the f-35 is now in its final stage of development. it has an advanced network system to connect the aircraft with ground-based radar and aegis vessels which can provide integrated information to the pilots. earlier i spoke to nhk world's senior commentator hisashi tsuya. so, hisashi, is it unusual to have two aircraft carriers in this region at the same time?

>> no, it's not that unusual. u.s. navy policy says there should be a presence of two carriers in the region. but this is not always the case because of demands elsewhere, so "uss george washington" has its home base in japan. the "uss john c. stennis" is based on the u.s. west coast but is on its way to the persian gulf to join the fleet. it arrived in the western pacific in mid-september. >> so is there anything unusual about what's happening right now? >> yes. the fact that the u.s. navy made the announcement in the first place. usually, it doesn't announce details about ships' movements except for port visits. this could possibly be due to the dispute surrounding the senkaku islands. the show of force could be for the -- for both china and japan. the implicit message could be

for china to refrain from taking any provocative action and to give japan a sense of security. it remains unclear how long the "uss john stennis" will stay in the region before heading to the middle east. >> we talk about the ships now. is the u.s. plan to prioritize the f-35 fighter jet deployment in the asia pacific region linked to the senkaku dispute? >> no. there is no direct link. but i think there may be a bigger picture. on thursday evening, seven chinese naval ships passed through international waters between okinawa's main island and myoko island before entering the pacific ocean. china is stepping up its military buildup and increasing its maritime clout to counter the chinese moves. the u.s. forces are moving to implement a strategy of focusing

the deployment in the asian pacific region. the f-35 deployment is designed the f-35 deployment is designed to strengthen the u.s. forces capability. the plan was announced even though it isn't known when and where the f-35s will be deployed. again, the aim is to send a clear message to both japan and china. the u.s. wants -- the u.s. wants to deepen its alliance with japan, whose air self-defense force will be getting the same type of aircraft. >> nhk world senior commentator hisashi tsuya. the japanese government has decided to appoint chief cabinet secretary masato kitera as its new ambassador to china. kitera previously worked for the ministry. he served as deputy chief of the middle eastern and african affairs bureau and chief of the

international cooperation bureau. he will replace uichiro niwa, the first person from the private sector to serve as japan's top envoy to china. a senior diplomat, shinichi nishimiya, was nominated as successor, but he died of a sudden illness last month. the government was quick to find a replacement for post amid diplomatic tensions over territorial dispute involving a group of islands in the east china sea. japan, china, and the united states joined the forum for the first time. patchari raksawong has the details. >> the asean maritime forum is designed as a place to discuss security in the region seas and oceans, the third and final day of the forum has taken place in the philippine capital manila on

friday. japan used its first seat at the table to stress its position. the disputes should be settled peacefully. >> these efforts must be made through peaceful talks. we should firmly deny any idea justifying might is right. it is indispensable for everybody concerned to resolve disputes over territory in a peaceful manner based on international law. >> japan did not mention the country by name, but its comments were apparently aimed at china. the two nations are involved in a deepening confrontation over the senkaku islands. china and some asean countries also have competing claims to areas of the south china sea. participants at the meeting say china's delegate claimed it wants to solve territorial issues peacefully. he said china places high importance on discussions with asean countries. china seems to be trying to avoid adding to concern about its behavior among its neighbors. aung san suu kyi returned home on thursday after her 18-day visit to the united states. the trip was a chance for her to

seek i remember support for myanm myanmar's reforms and an end to sanctions. she also appealed directly to her compatriots living overseas to work for the prosperity of their home land. aung san suu kyi received a hero's welcome during her first visit to the united states since her release from house arrest in november 2010. >> she means so much to me. she is one of my all-time heroes and such an inspiration. >> she fought for what she believes in, and retelling her story, it's inspiring to young people. >> in washington, polarized by this year's political election, lawmakers from both sides of the political aisle came together. they presented her with their highest civilian award. >> this is one of the most moving days of my life. >> the united states imposed

strict economic sanctions on myanmar's military regime. in the past aung san suu kyi supported that policy, but has now thrown her weight behind the reforms of thein sein and is calling on the international communities to ease restrictions. >> i do support the easing of sanctions because i believe our people must start taking responsibility for their own destiny. >> aung san suu kyi's apeempbs appearances often attracted exiles from myanmar, including pro democracy activists and other who is fled a oppression in their homeland. she appealed for their continued support. >> she is very encouraging and

very, you know, inspiring. she invite all the compatriots to come and help very practically. >> aung san suu kyi spent a total of 15 years under house arrest. she's now free to travel the world as an icon of resistance against oppression. that makes her the ideal ambassador to unite people from all sides at home and abroad behind her country's reforms. a possible end to western sanctions is in sight, but foreign companies are already setting up shop in myanmar. they include firms from china, south korea, western nations and japan. a trade show for made-in-japan products is currently under way in yangon. 35 japanese businesses are showcasing products from electronics to household goods. the organizer expects 50,000 people to attend over four days.

flat-panel televisions and digital cameras are among the most popular items. >> translator: i love japanese products for their high performance. our car and air conditioners are also japanese made. >> many consumers in myanmar see japanese products as sophisticated and well made. companies at the show hope their positive brand image will lead to rising sales in this exciting market known as southeast asia's last frontier. bangkok's china town is home to one of the biggest communities of overseas chinese in the world. the area has stood near the banks of the jabria river for more than 200 years. food and architecture make it a big tourist attraction. but the community is under threat as bangkok tries to manage.

nhk world reports. >> reporter: the area was founded in the late 18th century in one of the oldest parts of bangkok. many of the buildings in chinatown have historical value. but parts of it are under threat. bangkok plans to extend its subway system to ease the traffic's congestion. many old buildings are slated for demolition. today, the demolition has already started. some of the locals are being forced to evict from their homes. they've been here for generations. this 68-year-old is being evicted from her shop house where she sells chinese wedding decorations. the family has been here for at least nine generations. her home is scheduled to be

demolished to make space for a new subway station. many of her neighbors have already moved, but she and her family are still here. she will lose the family business, making it harder to earn a living. >> translator: the first time i opened my eyes, i was already here. my ancestors lived here. it's not just sad, it's devastating for an entire family. the community is broken. i feel like my whole world has disappeared. >> reporter: several concerned parties attend a meeting to discuss the eviction plan. citizens groups, human rights representatives, the subway operator and construction company take part. community leaders urge the authorities to change their plan and keep the destruction of old buildings to a minimum.

after three hours, the parties remain deadlocked. there is no change to the existing plan. >> translator: this area needs to be protected because it's a national treasure. urbanization should go hand in hand with preservation of traditional lifestyles and culture. >> translator: we also have to take into consideration the area's traffic problems. a solution is needed. >> reporter: komkai has finished packing and is ready to move. the family has generations of history in this place. it's the day of the move festival, one of the biggest events in the chinese calendar. the festival is a precious chance for komkai to spend time with the neighbors.

>> translator: i feel both happy and sad at the same time because in the future, we might not get a chance to meet like this again. i really hope the chinese community can continue to get together wherever we go so we don't forget our traditions. >> reporter: this historical community will soon be separated. komkai prays for luck and good fortune as she prepares for new life away from chinatown. ra dhirakaosal, nhk world, bangkok. >> and that will wrap up our bulletin for today. i'm patchari raksawong in bangkok. an 11-year-old boy has discovered the remains of an exceptionally well-preserved mammoth in siberia. experts say this kind of discovery is a once-in-a-century event. the male mammoth was found on the taymyr peninsula in siberia. his remains date back to 30,000 years ago.

the animal is believed to have died at the age of 15 or 16. experts say the permafrost left the organs, bones, and flesh in an exceptional state of preservation. the find indicates that mammoths were able to survive harsh winter conditions by storing a massive amount of fat in their humps. a storm is hovering over the south china sea. for more on the weather forecast, here's mai shoji. mai? yes, gene, absolutely right. you have -- we have a storm over the south china sea which looks like it's going to be intensifying into a severe tropical storm in the next 24/48 before it makes landfall over southern vietnam. this system has the potential of -- capacity of bringing about 5 to 6 meters of very high waves. that will be moving in a westerly path in the later of this week, weekend, and into cambodia and thailand. now, this rainfall accumulation could be some staggering amounts.

it could be about 300 milliliters or even more, so coastal flooding, especially in the rural areas, including da nang, could possibly be seen. and the line is focused on cambodia and the thailand region due to the southwestern monsoonal flow being very active this year. so we really don't want anymore rain, but do really be aware of land slides and mud slides that this storm could create. another storm to look out for over the marianas. this is likely to be organized in the next 24 hours, so this is another storm to watch out for and keep a very close eye on. but across much of japan, early this morning things were really unstable. let me show you some footage coming out from niigata prefecture. this is near the niigata airport. we can see three waterspouts over the water. apparently moved about 20 minutes. this is a separate event, possibly a tornado hitting akita prefecture early this morning around 10:00 a.m., damaging houses here.

now, if we pull back, we can show you that this could actually happen again tomorrow in the next 24 hours due to upper disturbance. this is another separate event, but this front will be moving in towards the north and creating some isolated thunderstorms across the region in the afternoon, evening hours. so northern japan, central japan, people in these vicinities should be carrying umbrellas. do watch out for the sudden weather changes across the region. 26 in tokyo, but daytime will be some sunny events, so do enjoy that weather. seoul at 24, and beijing on your holiday, 24 degrees. and i know some of you are wondering what the outlook is going to be like for the formula one japanese grand prix in suzuka in the tokai region. well, saturday looks like a perfect day only after the qualifications on this day, a few showers will be seen.

and sunday yet again 3 to 4 degrees above-average temperatures. here, not so perfect, but it was a perfect day across much of the canadian prairies and the rockies. show you some pictures. children were actually having fun to create some snowmen. actually 20 to 30 centimeters of snow fell here, so really not a perfect day out if you are going to be driving across these regions. this is the hard freeze caused by the arctic blast coming from the north. that will be descending toward the texas region even on your saturday. that was your friday outlook, but northern rockies and across much of these regions you may see additional of 10 centimeters on top of what we just showed you. and then this cold front will be passing through these regions and sagging down towards the gulf states, and this is where some thunderstorm events could happen across your region on your saturday. things are going to be really dropping in temperatures. in dallas, you're looking at 29 for your friday. but on your saturday, that's going to be about midteens. same story will go here in the eastern coast, new york and washington, d.c. they'll be dropping in the midteens as well.

here's your extended forecast. ♪

some 80,000 fans of a world-famous south korean rapper danced late into the night at a free concert in seoul. >> "gangnam style"! >> the singer psy played his hit song "gangnam style." he performs a kind of horse riding dance during the number. it's become a worldwide phenomenon and gone viral on the internet. the song is number two on the u.s. billboard chart. if it reaches the top, it will be the first number-one song by an asian artist in about half a century. japan's kyu sakamoto hit number one in 1936 with his song known in english as "sukiyaki." we'll be back with more updates in 30 minutes.

i'm gene otani in tokyo. p