interesting. i want to know what you think about the civil war and brain to brain connections. i will see you back here at 8:00 p.m. hello there. welcome to "newsline." it's friday, september 6th. i'm catherine kobayashi in tokyo. the group of 20 leaders are meeting in the russian city of st. petersburg and the crisis in syria is expected to dominate the talks. the two-day summit began on thursday. u.s. president barack obama, russia's vladimir putin and other leaders are discussing the global economy. but the meeting is being

overshadowed by the syria crisis. obama is trying to convince the g-20 to support a military campaign against syria. he says the syrian government attacked its own citizens with chemical weapons last month. obama has the backing of french president francois hollande, chinese president xi jinping and russian leader putin have already voiced their opposition to a military strike. obama has sought support from japan's prime minister, shinzo abe. the two met on the sidelines of the g-20 summit. the leaders have agreed to try to improve the situation in syria through close cooperation with the international community. abe said the use of chemical weapons is absolutely unforgivable in any situation. he said it is clear that the onus is on the syrian government and it does not care about worsening humanitarian conditions. abe commented on the request made by obama during a

conference call with obama on tuesday for japan to support military action against syria. >> translator: i certainly look forward to working closely with president obama to improve the situation on the ground. >> the japanese prime minister voiced his full understanding of obama's plan. he said the president has made a serious decision. >> the u.s./japan alliance is one of the cornerstones not just of japan's and america's security but also a cornerstone for peace and security around the world. >> abe said he would like to express his sincere respect to the u.s. for shouldering the huge responsibility of confronting inhumane behavior. russian leaders have enjoyed friendly relations for years with their allies in syria. russian officials say the foreign ministers from the two countries will meet on monday in moscow. sergey lavrov is expected to welcome wa lid al-moualem.

who also serves as deputy minister in the government of bashar al assad. they'll meet on the same day that member ps of the u.s. congress return from their summer recess. the lawmakers could vote as early as monday on a resolution approving military action. the japanese and russian leaders met ahead of the summit. shinzo abe and vladimir putin agreed their foreign and defense ministers would hold security talks in tokyo, something diplomats call a two plus two. >> translator: russia's foreign and defense ministers will visit japan early in november under prime minister abe's initiative. i believe it will strengthen the relationship and trust between the two countries. >> translator: it is great to have russian foreign minister

lav ron and the defense minister in japan on november 1st and 2nd realizing two plus two. >> abe and putin agreed their deputy foreign ministers would meet to discuss four russian-held islands off hokkaido. japan claims sovereignty over the islands and they've long been a source of friction. abe has other matters on his mind, particularly tokyo's bid to host the olympics and paralympics in 2020. he met with the leaders of argentina and brazil to ask for their support. abe held separate talks with argentine prt cristina fernandez de kirchner and brazil ja president dilma rousseff. he told fer nan says that he would make it to buenos aries in time for the international olympic committee. abe said he'll be the first sitting japanese leader to visit argentina since his grandfather noeb o o suki kishy visited.

she wishes japan every success with their bid and they want to strengthen the relationships between argentine and japanese. >> people from madrid and istanbul are trying to attract support of their own. they're trying to win the right to host the games. many people in tokyo are hopeful about their chances. others are expressing concern. more from nhk world's kuran kuranda tago. >> reporter: the tower on on a festive glow thursday night. instead of the usual white lights illuminated the tower's frame, the structure was lit up in the colors of the olympic games. they have shown their support for tokyo's bid. they say the city is the best choice for the 2020 olympic

games. on the ground of a nearby temple, the city's hopes are spelled out clearly. a rendition of japan's naegsal flag illuminate tokyo's olympic aspirations. >> we believe tokyo olympic 2020 will give us strong energies and powers to get over the disaster 3/11. >> translator: it's so beautiful. i hope our dream comes true and tokyo hosts the olympic games. >> reporter: tokyo was the first city in asia to host the olympic games in 1964. it was a historic event that offered japan a chance to showcase its recovery from world war ii. this time the slogan is again recovery, not from war but from the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

tokyo has made its case to the ioc. it says japan is in need of another dream to help build the future. this summer, teams of runners took part in a 1,000-kilometer relay marathon from areas hit by the 2011 tsunami in the northeast to tokyo. it was a last-minute push to build momentum for tokyo's bid. the last time tokyo tried to win the bid to host the olympics was four years ago, but only a little more than half the city's residents supported the idea of hosting the games. this time 70% of tokyoites are behind the bid. >> tokyo will deliver with

excellence, friendship and respect. >> reporter: but still some people are critical of pouring enormous amounts of money into the event. they point out that japan is facing a huge national debt. they also say the country is struggling to cope with the ongoing nuclear crisis in fukushima. >> translator: i think the money should be used to help fukushima instead. >> reporter: when tokyo last hosted the olympic games, it put a welcome spotlight on japan. now, supporters of the olympic bid are hoping that the spotlight will again be turned on the country as it continues to rebuild from the 2011 disaster. kurando tago, nhk world, tokyo.

an explosion took place near a convoy carrying egypt's interior minister mohammed ibrahim in eastern cairo. the government suspects it was an assassination attempt. he was on home to the interior ministry in the center of the capital. he was unharmed. the country's state-run media report the blast wounded 800 people including a child and police officers leading the convoy. ibrahim is a minister in charge of domestic security. he was involved in last month's forced eviction of supporters of deposed president mohamed morsi. 850 people died in the operation. ibrahim is strengthening the crackdown on morsi's power base, the muslim brotherhood. he has ordered the detention of many of its leaders. ♪

officials at the tokyo electric power company have warned of a potential new problem at the fukushima daiichi nuclear plant. they say radioactive water that leaked from a storage tank last moh mahaveergewith grouwate tepco says it collected samples of ground water from a monitoring well about ten meters om the faulty tank. tests showed water contained high levels of radioactive substances. last month, tepco discovered more than 300 tons of contaminated water had leaked from the tank. company officials said some of that water may have reached the sea. leakage of radioactive water from the fukushima plant is raising concerns around the world. people are worried about the safety of japanese food. nhk world has more. >> reporter: shortly after the accident imarc2011, radiation lels in more than 50% of fish caught off fukushima

exceeded the government's safety limit. this figure has dropped dramatically but still remains at 2%. the japanese governmenis restricting coastal fishing, measuring radiation levels in fish catches. it is also restricting shipment of fish caught off shore. nevertheless, safety concerns are growing abroad. south korea's ruling party has proposed a ban on all impos of japanese maritime product. following the accident, this professor has been studying ocean contamination off fukushima. he explains the reason for international distrust. >> translator: people around the

world see the japanese as trying to understate the impact of the fukushima accident. they think we just keep saying our food is safe without showing them any proof. and i see their point. >> reporter: kandu says it would be difficult to dispel international concern unless the government and tepco reveal not just radiation data but also the way it was collected. >> translator: radioactive substances still remain in the sedimentary soil under the sea. we still don't know how harmful it is. the situation is better than on the land, but the concerns of people in other countries are quite understandable. we need more transparency and research. once we obtain credible data, we must share them with other countries immediately. that's the only way we can

regain their trust. >> reporter: kanda says the extent of radioactive contamination in the ocean remains largely unknown. he says the japanese government has a responsibility to research every possible aspect of the situation. kanda believes the only way the japanese government can restore international confidence is to conduct a thoroughtudynd disclose the results to the world. >>many trist to japan say they love th food but for muslim visitors, following islamic dtary guidelines is not always easy. bit by bit restaurant managers are catching on. cooks at one hotel near tokyo have crafted a special menu with their own seasonings. more from nhk world tac ka

heeshy tack oak ka. >> reporter: the thriving onomies of southeast asia have given japan's service industry a new market -- muslim tourists. starting from july,he japanese government gives visa-free entry to visitors from malaysia, but a japanese holiday still presents a challenge. >> me and my family, we are concerned about halal food. once we eat, it's a sin for us. >> all the restaurants, they don'serve lal food, but how do we prepare this by bringing our food ourselves. >> reporter: islam prohibits believers from consuming alcohol or any components of pork. foods that are processed according to islamic practice are certified halal. a hotel operator in chiba city

near narita airport has decided to cater to muslim guests. the kitchen developed its own halal menu. it found halal suppliers of chicken and beef. utensils are kept free from any contact with alcohol or pork. these knives are for preparing halal foods only. seasonings must also meet the standard. saki and sweetened saki are indispensable to japanese cuisine. the chef successfully substituted them by mixing different kinds of sugar. the last and most difficult hurdle was soy sauce. the essential ingredient normally contains about 2%

alcoh alcohol. >> translator: soy sauce is the very basis of our cuisine. without it our food cannot be japanese. >> reporter: the hotel commissioned a soy sauce brewery to produce a special blend for muslims. the brewer evaporated away the alcohol with steam while trying to preserve the flavor. after much trial and error, the alcohol content was brought to the minimum. the product contained halal certification. >> translator: we were baffled at first as we had never attempted an alcohol-free product, but i think what we created is as authentic as our traditional soy sauce. >> reporter: the hotel held a tasting in july, inviting muslim residents of japan to try and all new halal menu.

it was the first time many were able to enjoy fully halal delicacies such as tempura and shabu shabu. >> to have it for muslims is really, really good. i think it will attract more tourists. >> translator: i want to expand our repertoire to more dishes that satisfy our customers. >> reporter: in addition to the special menu, the hotel provides floor mats for prayers, a result of their efforts, executives say, is an increase in bookings. reporting for nhk worl chiba. researchers at two japanese universities are testing an idea they hope will revolutionize the way we grow vegetables. they're developing what they say

are efficient sustainable factories that can fit anywhere from a parking lot to a home. >> reporter: researchers at chiba university are taking an interest in vegetable factories. they've devoted research to an indoor farm. they produced 3,000 heads of lettuce a day there. computers control all the lighting, nutrition and carbon dioxide. it makes production more stable and efficient. >> translator: we can produce vegetables about 100 times more efficiently than on an outdoor farm. that's an effective way for the future. >> reporter: the researchers are testing their ideas off campus, too. they've installed mini factories in people's homes. this one produces about ten types of produce including lettuce and mint.

the researchers worked with an electronics maker, a real estate developer and a hydroponics specialist to produce the appliances. the people behind the project have set up a website for trial users. they can upload information such as how well vegetables are growing or ideas for recipes. and they can take pictures from a built-in camera showing them to farming experts and asking for advice. >> translator: we're in the test phase right now, but we hope it will become a standard appliance. >> reporter: scientists at another university believe vegetable factories can have therapeutic value. in april, researchers at the university of tokyo set up a small factory in the grounds of a housing complex. they had retirees to look after the day-to-day production.

it grew leafy lettuce. workers varied the levels of light and nutrition. >> translator: growing vegetables energizes me. >> reporter: with minimal manual labor and temperatures kept at a cool 20 degrees celsius, it's a lot easier than tilling the fields. this man joined the project after retiring from a major electronics manufacturer. he says he wanted to try something new. he uses expertise from his old career, collecting and analyzing data to see how different conditions affect growth. >> translator: it's fun to grow vegetables and think about factors like carbon dioxide levels. >> reporter: when he returns home, he compiles the results and sends them to the univers y

university. >> translator: it's great to have somewhere i can put my skills to good use. >> reporter: universities and corporations are pouring time and money into developing these high-tech farming systems. they believe one day soon vegetable factories will be a common sight in city centers or even in our living rooms. time now to take a look at the market figures.

let's get an update on the weather now with mai shoji. mai, people in the uk are dealing with severe weather. what's the latest there? >> good morning, catherine. you're right, yes. we had a long frontal system that's pulling in and swinging by across the british isles. it is creating some severe weather and that includes foggy conditions as well. take a look at this video coming out from the uk. a multiple car pile-up occurred on a motorway in the english county of kent on early thursday morning. over 100 vehicles were involved in this crash. at least 60 people have been reportedly injured with 8 people in serious conditions. witnesses reported low visibility due to fog at the time of the accident. the passing cold front will be now aiming towards the western half of this continent. so it's going to be quite unstable across much of the west

and that includes wet and cooler weather with some gusty conditions as well as thunderstorms stretching from spain all the way up towards northwestern germany. and that's going to be continuing for your friday. looking pretty nice and fine out here, but it's quite unstable in the southern areas, especially italy and sicily with thunderstorms in store for you for most of the day. dipping down is this jet stream all the way to the south, so that's pulling a lot of cool air and unstable conditions across the russian region. here in moscow, 13 degrees is for your high. kiev, usually the average is around 21 degrees for this time of the year. down to just 12. but quite nice and fine across much of the heart of in continent. now to eastern continental asia, yesterday in metropolitan tokyo, we had numerous thunderstorms during this rush hour period, but a remnant low is moving away now and the cold front also pulled away. so we're looking at some fine weather. we have a rain band stretching

into south korea. this isn't going to be bringing heavy downpours but light showers will be continuing. that rain will be moving into japan on saturday and continuing on sunday. in china unstable conditions could trigger heavy downpours, short-time heavy downpours and also thunderstorms. but good news is the flooding peak has receded. here across southern years of china, especially guangdong province, we've been seeing showers. it looks like additional amounts of 100 meters could still be possible. hong kong at 28 degrees. you see a little sunshine there. tokyo down to 29, so a little of a cooloff. ulan bator heating up to 22 degrees. moving to north america, a system is pulling into the pacific northwest. that could create some severe weather, but generally speaking, quite calm across much of the interior here. we do have a tropical storm

system that just formed over water. it will be moving into the baja, california, in towards your weekend. and another system that we have been tracking, gabrielle, is now a tropical depression, but it will be bringing ongoing heavy downpours across the caribbeans. to the north of that quite cold and hot across the interior. that's going to be the outlook for your day today, but the heating is quite on the extreme side. las vegas is heating up to 39 on friday, phoenix at 42 degrees. so a lot of these above average temperatures, but on the other hand, meanwhile, the great lakes region is looking quite cold and the low temperatures during the morning and overnight hours could dip down to even freezing point at some locations. so do cover up your sensitive plants outdoors. i'll leave you now for the extended forecast.

and that is all for this edition of "newsline." i'm catherine kobayashi in tokyo. do stay with us. 

>> good evening. as president of the american bar association, it's my pleasure to welcome you today to this special law day program entitled constitutional equality for women in the united states. i'm especially pleased to be here because i have a vested interest in the topic. this is our 12th annual public program to commemorate law day and our fourth year connecting us here at the woodrow wilson