welcome to nhk world "newsline". i'm raja pradhan with the news from tokyo. the g7 finance chiefs are meeting in britain to grapple with an economic conundrum. they need to figure out how to rebuild their national finances while spending more to stimulate their economies. the finance ministers and central bank governors are talking near london. they guide economies that are recovering but slowly. analysts say they'll discuss how to nurse their government finances back to health while spending more to generate growth. most g7 leaders are key to spend. the germans are standing firm in their belief for a need of

austerity. japan's finance minister and bank of japan governor explain why they have been putting more money into circulation. the japanese say their only goal is to pull their economy out of deflation. the dollar surged past 101 yen. it reached its highest level in over four years. u.s. treasury secretary jack lew gave american tv viewers his take on the japanese policy. he said he accepts what the japanese leaders are doing as long as they're not devaluing the yen deliberately. he said he'll keep an eye on whether the japanese stick to rules agreed by the leaders of the g7 and g20. and the german finance minister sent a similar message. he said the leader of all g20 nations must keep their agreement. japanese government leaders

are looking to boost their companies by invisting esting i africa. prime minister abe plans to hold bilateral talks next month on the sidelines of the tokyo international conference on african development. analyst saz js say japanese min will strike their first deal with leaders of mozambique. that will help japanese firm invest in a country rich in natural resources such as coal and gas. japanese government leaders have set out their position on an issue that's put them under fire from neighbors. they say they'll follow the same line as their predecessors on japan's history of wartime aggression. the south korean president shared her concerns with u.s. president barack obama. she said she questions whether japanese leaders have a correct historical understanding of

their country's relationship with south korea. japanese ministers say their position is no different from that of their predecessors. they say they recognize that japan inflicted enormous damage and suffering on people in many countries, especially in asia. the ministers say they'll use diplomatic channels to ask the leaders of other countries to understand their position. as syria sends hezbollah weapons, hezbollah is returning the favor by offering soldiers. president bashar al assad's spokesperson has confirmed something many know to be true. members of hezbollah are operating in syria, working against the opposition. nhk world reports. >> reporter: he would not give exact numbers, but he did admit armed members of hezbollah are in syria.

>> translator: hezbollah is active in two locations. the first is the suburbs of damascus and the other is homs. one aim is to protect lebanese living in homs. rather than sending in fighters, they're providing military training to groups of volunteers made up of syrians and lebanese. >> reporter: he also emphasized that hezbollah is not president assad's only ally. the recent visit by the iranian foreign minister to damascus was meant to reassure the administration it has support. >> translator: iran has confirmed it will help the syrian government if israel tries to support the anti-government forces with air strikes. in case the attacks continue, or if their reckless actions

expand, iran will become involved as a main actor and the whole region will be engulfed in fire. >> reporter: syrian government officials have welcomed a new proposal by the top diplomats of the united states and russia. secretary of state john kerry and the foreign minister want to organize and international conference to talk about ending the civil war. but he says he does not expect progress. >> translator: as long as the military balance between the parties continues, there will be no room for political or diplomatic dialogue. whoever wins on the ground will decide the fate of the political negotiations. >> reporter: the syrian conflict has claimed more than 70,000

lives according to the united nations. both sides have been accused of using chemical weapons. as the war grinds on, neither side appears to be relenting. sho beppu, nhk world, beirut. the campaigning, ahead of pakistan's general election is over but the violence and terrorism that marred the lead up to saturday's vote is continuing. islamist militants are attacking parties and candidates, they say are cooperating with the u.s. reuters says two bombings on party offices on friday killed five people. the attacks happened in the south western city of quetta and northwestern city of pashwar. the taliban claimed responsibility. representatives vowed they would use suicide bombers against voters on polling day. election related violence killed more than 110 people since the beginning of april.

the campaign officially closed on thursday night. opinion polls show opposition parties have gained support by appealing to growing anti-u.s. sentiment among voters. pakistan is a nuclear armed nation with a population of 180 million. it's a power house that plays a major role in the u.s.-led war on terror and can influence the stability in neighboring afghanistan. the outcome of the vote is expected to have an impact beyond its borders. nhk reports from the pakistani capital islamabad. >> reporter: with the economy, domestic security, and the nation's very stability on the line, voters have some tough choices to make. despite a wave of bombings overshadowing the campaign, enthusiasm remains as strong as ever. today we look at the domestic implications of the vote. i took to the streets to ask ordinary people what they expect from this election.

ahead of saturday's historic election, the town is filled with colorful posters and banners. it will be the first ever transition from one civilian-he effected government to another in pakistan's history. across the nation, more than 4,600 candidates are competing for 342 seats in the lower house. most pakistanis are desperate for change. >> translator: i don't trust the current poli they have done nothing for us. i expect nothing from them anyway. >> we want to change pakistan. >> reporter: islamabad sometimes considered an artificial capital was long known as a dull city with little entertainment. now it has some of the tallest skyscrapers and even its first full-scale shopping mall.

the state of the art development opened earlier this year. well-known western brands dominate. but once outside the pristine mall, it's not difficult to see the issues the country faces. the economy is still weak, energy shortages have also been a headache. long queues to buy gasoline are routine, and widespread power cuts have plagued the country. many people have had enough. >> translator: i got here at 7:30, and it's 11:30 now. it looks like i've still got a long wait ahead. politicians just haven't addressed the energy supply issue at all. >> reporter: but the path toward change has been marked by violence. experts say finding a way to improve the security situation

is the election's biggest issue. >> that's the biggest challenge to me is extremism, terrorism. without peace you can't think of economy, you can't think of normal schooling, health care, when your schools will be destroyed, your hospitals will be destroyed. this country needs peace so that people are willing to invest, then there will be investment, only then cities will get more job opportunities. first and foremost this country needs to address this challenge. >> reporter: the need for security and a less violent pakistan is clear to all. but changing demographics are playing a major role in this election too. explosive population growth means around half the pakistani electorate is 35 or younger, and

that's why almost every party is going hard after the youth vote. nhk world has more. >> reporter: pakistan's economy has been sluggish for five years now under civilian rule. many young people in urban areas are unemployed. and the overall jobless rate in towns and cities stands at almost 9%. 24-year-old yasil shokar lives in islamabad. last year he obtained a masters degree in business administration. but so far he has failed to find a job. he sends out his resume to sometimes ten companies a day. but he's still waiting for a job offer. >> if i got a great e-mail after a month or two months, so i feel very disappointed. >> reporter: amid rising public discontent with the current government, shoukar is looking to the party led by former pakistani world cup winning cricket captain imran khan. >> he made a promise that he'll remove the nepotism.

so this will bring the opportunity and the improvement in that economic situation in pakistan. >> reporter: the movement for justice has set up a task force to attract young voters. it's using facebook and other social networks to provide information. task force members post photographs from khan's campaign rally. campaign workers say they are rallying support among young voters by directly listening to their concerns. the modern approach taken by the movement for justice has made the main governing pakistan people's party increasingly insecure. it's now struggling to win young votes too. at campaign rallies the people's

party has pakistani president asif ali zardari as its leader and figurehead. the 24-year-old is a graduate of oxford university in the uk. the largest opposition party, the pakistan muslim league, led by former prime minister nawaz sharif is also working hard to attract young pakistanis. sharif made a speech targeting young voters. >> translator: i'm saying to all youth, can you build pakistan with me? can you build it again from the beginning? for a new pakistan, can you start a revolution? >> reporter: and young people themselves have begun campaigns, calling on registered voters to take part in the upcoming election. a workshop by a nongovernment group drew many young people from throughout the country. the group says the event was aimed at reflecting the voices of young pakistanis in politics. voter turnout rates in recent elections have been in the low 40% range. many young pakistanis have never

cast a ballot before. at the end of the workshop, a mock poll was held. >> i learned a lot of things that before i do not know about how to vote, what is valuable everything that we know. >> reporter: attention is focused on whether young voters in pakistan can be a driving force in changing the country's politics. masaaki suda, nhk world, islamabad. >> reporter: mubarak aburke from nhk's islamabad bureau is here to give us some background. now, the campaign has demonstrated that voters want change more than ever. discontented young people are especially enthusiastic. what is your take on this? >> pakistan is seen as a feudal society. elders always have the strongest voice and it hasn't been easy for young people to speak about politics.

but now, passion for change among younger voters is spreading from urban areas to the countryside, young people are taking an interest. this is a huge departure from elections in the past, which were greatly influenced by communal and family guides. >> reporter: and how do you see the situation just before the polls open? >> it is still unclear. no party is expected to win a majority, and a coalition government is the most likely outcome. but of course, we don't know at this point which party will form

the new government. the biggest concern is political instability that would allow islamic militants to increase their influence. this election campaign was the biggest in pakistan's history. never before have so many party offices and election headquarters come under terrorist attack. clearly militant islamist groups are still a powerful influence in pakistan. news stories we hear from pakistan are negative, but the country's also potentially effective market with inexpensive and plentiful reserves of untapped natural resources. pakistan is a country with both opportunities and risks. the new government must do all it can to improve security. that eventually will reduce and increase opportunity. >> reporter: thank you, thank

you. and that was nhk world's mobarak verak. whoever takes power after the election, running a desparate pakistan will be no easy job. the world is watching closely to see what this nuclear arms state does next. the people of pakistan will make their choice at the ballot box on saturday, and we'll have all the latest news and results on "newsline." one of the most controversial trials in decades got under way this week in germany. the case centers on a 38-year-old woman who was a member of a neo-nazi group. she's accused of being involved in the murder of ten people between 2000 and 2007. most of the victims were of turkish descent. if found guilty, she could face life in prison. the case highlights germany's ongoing struggle with neo-naziism and its racist ideology. the movement is growing despite the country's efforts to learn from its past mistakes. >> reporter: demonstrators shouted at at rally in march.

many of the participants were dressed in black and are members of a neo-nazi group. parts of former east germany still suffer from chronic unemployment. the recent european debt crisis has only made matters worse, leading to mounting frustration. neo-nazi groups are gaining ground on the back of such resentment.

the number of neo-nazis in germany is thought to have doubled in the past decade to around 6,000. >> translator: many germans are without jobs and are living on the streets while foreigners are getting everything. it's not right. >> reporter: far right political parties with alleged links to neo-nazis are gaining support, mainly in former east germany. in a recent election, the far right national democratic party won as much as 15% of the votes in some districts. in this federal state's parliament, the extreme right is holding five seats. a party member is arguing against the entry of foreigners to germany. >> translator: statistics from the federal office of criminal investigation show that foreigners account for the biggest number of crimes. murder, robbery, fraud, and theft. most of the victims are germans. >> reporter: since the end of world war ii, germans have made all-out efforts not to repeat the mistakes of nazi germany. many people are alarmed by the rise of neo-nazis. a citizens group is trying to draw youth away from the movement. >> translator: we've got to create opportunities to talk to

young people before they get brainwashed and before it's too late. >> reporter: manuel bauer is from eastern germany. he used to be a neo-nazi. his parents lost their jobs when he was still young. as life got tougher, he was eventually drawn into a neo-nazi group at the age of 14. over a ten-year period, he took part in several attacks on foreigners. he was arrested on a number of occasions. >> translator: i was called pistol at the time. i earned that nickname for my violent behavior of beating up foreigners. >> reporter: he soon found that

his family and friends had deserted him and he began to experience mental instability. with the help of a citizens group, he was eventually able to sever ties with the neo-nazi group, but it wasn't easy. he has joined a campaign to raise public awareness about dangers of neo-naziism. he travels the country and talks about his experiences. >> translator: other members intimidated me when i tried to leave the group. in the end, they even threatened to kill me. i will continue to tell young people that there is a way to stay away from evil. that is the mission that i've been given for having committed crimes. >> reporter: germany has done its best to confront its nazi past head on, but neo-nazis are still winning followers among the disaffected. now it's up to everyone from regular citizens to government

officials to make sure that the ghost of naziism does not rise up and haunt the country again. ivo tuchel, nhk world, berlin. all around the world wind turbines are turning and churning out energy. but most systems have a major drawback. when the wind dies, so does the power. a japanese company is offering a solution with its new invention. >> translator: wind power was a

theme at this trade show in tokyo. some 170 exhibitors, mainly from asia and europe, showed off their protect. -- their product. this small generator was started by a company in south western japan. the wings are enough to turn the blades and produce power. >> translator: it generates power with a wind speed of 1 or 1.5 meters per second. that's a very big merit.

>> reporter: this man has spent nearly two decades working on small wind power generators. to solve the problem of dwindling winds, he developed a generator that's called a flywheel. it's a 120-kilogram steel disk. its momentum helps to keep the generator turning. >> translator: when the rotor blades rotate, they cause both the flywheel and generator to spin. even if the blades stop, the

flywheel keeps the generator going. >> reporter: but there was an obstacle. the solution was to re-engineer the blades. he developed a system that automatically adjusted to the wind. when the wind weakens, the angle changes so that more of them catch a breeze. >> translator: velocity changes as often as every second. despite this, hour generator's biggest advantage is delivering a stable power output. >> reporter: the small generator is attracting interest from emerging economies. last june researchers in indonesia began testing. the government wants to know if it's feasible for the remote islands where establishing a power grid is impractical. a single turbine can power about ten households. this has interested locals. most parts of indonesia don't usually receive strong winds. >> translator: small islands have been generating power from diesel fuel, but high costs and transport difficulties are a big obstacle. >> reporter: they are now promoting the generator to countries which face similar conditions as indonesia. one particular client is based in japan. >> translator: the small wind-powered generator is well suited to regions with no power infrastructure. >> translator: we're setting our sites on both foreign and domestic clients. we'll work harder to expand our market. >> reporter: japanese company manufactures generators overseas. they say by minimizing cost, they can catch a fresh breeze of business opportunities.

and next, let's take a brief look at the market figures. now, here's the three-day outlook on the world's weather.

and that wraps up this edition of "newsline." i'm raja pradhan in tokyo. thanks for watching. ????oví

want to feel cooler - or warmer - without running up your utility bill? you can reduce your bills with a flip of a switch on your ceiling fan. in summer, set your fan counter- clockwise. it stirs up the cool air that hangs near the floor in winter, just flip the switch again so your fan runs clockwise on low speed. this pushes the warm air down where you need it. and if you're buying, choose an energy-efficient fan. now that makes sense.

>> california's gold is produced in association with kcet los angeles and is seen statewide on california public television. this series is endorsed by... >> is it possible to drive a car and still have a clean environment? to refine a cleaner gasoline? to build a bridge from oil to renewable energy? could business go further and be a force for good? can 100,000 people in 100 countries come together to build a new brand of progress? we think so. bp is proud to bring you california's gold. beyond petroleum. bp. huell howser: ok, here's the