hello, and welcome to nhk "newsline." i'm ross mihara in tokyo. tens of thousands of people have gathered in hiroshima to remember. they are looking back on this day in 1945. their city became the first on earth to be hit by an atomic bomb. they're paying tribute to those who died that day and those who have died since from the effects of the bombing. ♪ about 45,000 people crowded into peace memorial park. survivors, families of the victims, and visitors from around the world.

hiroshima mayor kazumi matsui placed a list of the victims in a cenotaph. it contains the names of about 6500 people who died over the past year. more than 290,000 people are now honored in the vault. representatives of 68 countries took part in the ceremony. u.s. ambassador caroline kennedy attended for the first time. she visited hiroshima with her uncle, senator ted kennedy when she was 20 years old. she said the trip made her want to work for a more peaceful world. the ceremony comes weeks after the japanese government changed its security policy. the cabinet reinterpreted the constitution to allow japan to exerseize its right to collective self-defense so it can help closely related country under attack. the participants observed a moment of silence at 8:15 a.m., the time the bomb was dropped.

[ bell ] >> translator: please, stop using the inhumane threat of this absolute evil to defend your countries. rather, apply all your resources to a new security system based on trust and dialogue. japan is the only a-bomb nation precisely because our security situation is increasingly severe. our government should accept the full weight of the fact that we've avoided war for 69 years thanks to the noble pasivism.

>> matsui says military force just gives rise to new cycles of hatred. he asked people to look beyond nationality, race and religion. two elementary school students read out their commitment to peace. each has heard their grandparents' stories about surviving the bombing. >> translator: let us talk and share opinions about peace, about the future. believing that many different thoughts will become a powerful driving force for peace. >> japanese prime minister shinzo abe addressed japan's unique place in history. >> translator: japan is the only country in the world that has suffered nuclear bomb attacks. as such, we have a responsibility to work for a world without nuclear weapons. we have a responsibility to tell

the world and generations to come about the inhumane nature of nuclear weapons. >> members of local choirs wrapped up the ceremony with a song sung every year expressing their hopes for a peaceful world. ♪ ♪ >> you probably noticed in the video that it's been raining in hiroshima. still, many people started gathering before dawn to pay their respects. the survivors of the bombing were among them. so were the families of those who died. >> translator: i came here to pass on the horrors of war and

memories of the bombing to my children generation. >> translator: i'm sad because i was left behind. i lost my beloved younger brother. >> when i look back at what happened, i just can't hold back my tears. i keep thinking why, why. >> translator: even today when i close my eyes, i remember that day. i have to share my experience about the suffering caused by the atomic bomb. >> nhk world's micki yamamoto is in peace memorial park. miki, tell us about the scene where you are. >> yes. the ceremony has concluded, and people from japan and abroad are streaming out, despite the rain.

some people attend events and rallies calling for a world free of war and nuclear weapons. and around the atomic bomb dome, locals and visitors continue to take time to pray. the explosion happened about 600 meters above this area. it wiped out much of the city in an instant. but the structure withstood the impact, and it's a physical reminder for people everywhere of the bomb's destructive force. the number of foreign people to hiroshima grows every year. we met some college students who flew in from the u.s. to attend the ceremony. >> reporter: these scholars and students from the rust on a pilgrimage to learn about the pass. they're visiting hiroshima and nagasaki to find out about the impact of the atomic bombings. the group went to a university to participate in a seminar on war with japanese students.

josh fetzer is a college student studying art. he wanted to know how the decision by leaders of his grandparents' generation affected people in japan. >> i'm a little nervous. i'm very excited though. i'm excited for what i'm going to learn, and i'm excited to hear about the different perspectives. i think from the sessions today i really expect to be challenged in what i've learned previously both about japan and about world war ii. >> reporter: the group also listened to an atomic bomb survivor. coco kondo spoke when she met a crewmember who dropped the bomb. >> i learned that when the war started, not only the one country, but both countries got hurt. and i could not speak english. but the only thing i could say,

i'm sorry, i'm sorry i don't know anything about you, but until this moment, i hated you. please forgive me. >> reporter: fetzer was surprised to learn that japanese students and even survivors don't blame americans for the bombings. rather, they blame war itself. >> there is really a necessary need for a sense of forgiveness, and how lessons that have been learned here in japan between japanese and american individuals could be brought to different conflicts. >> reporter: during the tour, the group visited the atomic bomb dome. fetzer had seen photos of the building which survived the blast. but seeing it up close was a different matter. >> the first thing i could think of what have we done, honestly. i can't imagine what would ever make someone think that this is okay. and to really see it in person

and to understand what this means to the people of japan, but also what this should mean for the united states and for the global community. >> reporter: professor peter has organized the visits for the past 20 years. >> americans like other people have done a lot of things to be proud of and a lot of things not to be proud of. i believe strongly that every country, every people have got to look at their past in an honest way. >> reporter: about 300 students have taken part in the tour since 1995. they describe it as a life-changing experience. it's giving them a chance to see history in a different light. organizers hope it will help prevent the world from experiencing what people in hiroshima and nagasaki did 69 years ago.

>> well, nearly 70 years on, people in hiroshima and elsewhere in the world want to make sure the memories of what happened will be passed down to future generations. for that reason, survivors attend talks to share their stories of what they endured. the day for people here to reflect on their history and discuss how to create a peaceful world. miki yamamoto, nhk world, hiroshima. >> and miki yamamoto will be covering the events in hiroshima throughout the day, so please stay with us here on "newsline." it's unusual to see heavy rain in hiroshima at this time of year. mai shoji has more from the weather desk. >> in hiroshima only, we have reports of about 200 residences have been told to evacuate. water levels of about six rivers have already burst its banks. that's due to a long frontal system into northern japan and the southwesterly flow of warm

and humid air is dumping really heavy amounts of rainfall, bucksful of rain, and it exceeded a thousand millimeters in some locations just in the first week of august, already a record indeed. and just about in the past 24 hours, about 25050 locations. unfortunately, we're likely to see more rain, about 100 to 150 millimeters in anywhere you see the color locations. and on top of, that we have another system coming in, a strong typhoon. lots to talk about here. more rain to come, and certainly another high risk of flooding, landslides and mud slides. more on that later in this program. lieers of israel and hamas have agreed to ceasefire to end

the fighting in the gaza strip. each time they started shooting again. but a 27-hour truce seems to be holding. israeli commanders say they have achieved their goal. they have destroyed all the tunnels used by hamas to attack israel. so the last of their ground forces have pulled out. residents of the territory have returned to the streets. but some palestinians wonder whether the fighting is done. >> translator: i hope the truce will last and the war ends. >> translator: i hope both sides will maintain the truce. >> u.n. secretary general ban ki-moon called on both sides to exercise restraint. authorities in gaza say more than 1,860 palestinians have died during the offensive. 64 israeli soldiers and three civilians have been killed.

the biggest ever outbreak of a highly fatal virus is affecting more of the people trying to stop its spread. foreign medical experts and aid workers in west africa are contracting ebola. the disease has killed nearly 900 people in guinea, liberia, and sierra leon. representatives of a spanish charity say a man in charge of a hospital in the liberian capital monrovia is among the latest to become infected. the spanish national is in quarantine and his condition is said to be serious. the hospital stopped accepting patients after its director died last week from ebola. he was from ghana. the virus has infected three americans. one died. the others have returned home for treatment. medical institutions in liberia are closing one after another. many health care workers have been staying home out of fear. authorities have set up checkpoints on roads leading to areas where ebola patients have

been found, and they've blocked off places where victims will be buried. but some communities are resisting the move. the virus remains contagious even in dead bodies. u.s. president barack obama wants to shift ties with africa beyond humanitarian aid. he is hosting leaders from 50 african countries at a summit in washington he said americans want to do more on the continent. >> we don't look to africa simply for its natural resources. we recognize africa for its greatest resource, which is its people and their talents and it's potential. >> obama said the manufacturing and retail sectors are growing rapidly. he said he wants africans buying more american problems, and americans buying more african products. chinese leaders have long seen the potential and have invested in oil, coal and other resource. president shi jing ping visited.

obama wants americans to catch up. he committed $3 billion to promoting u.s. exports. rescue teams in southwestern china are struggling to help survivors three days after an earthquake. the magnitude 6.5 earthquake hit yunnan province on sunday. at least 410 people were killed. more than 200,000 were forced from their homes. the earthquake cut off roads and bridges. that's prevented military personnel from reaching people who need their help. some survivors are receiving little food, water, and other supplies. representatives of the fire department and police have acknowledged that the rescue efforts have been slow. >> the severely affected areas are in the mountains. this is delaying the rescue efforts. >> regional authorities say rescuing survivors is their utmost priority.

a thai surrogate mother who gave birth to a baby with downs syndrome says she will raise the boy herself. she says he was rejected by his australian parents. the case has sparked controversy around the world. >> translator: i won't let my boy go. >> the woman gave birth to twins in december. she says she had been asked to abort the boy and refused. she said the biological parents didn't accept the boy, but took his healthy sister back to australia. payment for the delivery is reported to be about $12,000 u.s. >> translator: i'm poor, and i'm in debt. the money offered to me was quite a big amount for me. >> she named the boy gami, and she is taking care of him along with her two children. the australian couple released a comment to local media through a

friend. they say the doctor didn't mention downs syndrome, but said the boy had a heart ailment and would not live long. the couple says they had to leave thailand without him in the confusion of a military coup, and the surrogate mother is lying. and they are deeply hurt by that. the case has triggered debate across the world. >> it's an incredibly sad story. and i guess it illustrates some of the pitfalls involved in this particular business. >> commercial surrogacy is prohibited in australia. reporters say that's why as many as 300 couples turn to foreign countries a year. thailand is popular because it's inexpensive. a website has collected more than $200,000 u.s. dollars in u.s. donations for gami. >> translator: we are grateful for people who kindly help my family. thanks to them, we can live without worry even though my son

is sick. >> gami has a lung condition and is being treated at a hospital near bangkok. doctors say he will be able to leave in a few days. japanese aviation officials say they may know what caused a battery problem on a boeing 787 last year. they say cold winter temperatures likely led to the malfunction on the dreamliner plane, but they suspect other factors contributed as well. the pilot of an all nippon airways jet was forced to make an emergency landing after the battery system began smoking. a similar problem had already occurred on a japan airlines plane. executives at airlines worldwide temporarily grounded their dreamliner fleets. officials at japan's transport safety board began investigating. they compiled a draft report that says multiple factors may have triggered a battery short circuit and made the system overheat. they say winter cold likely caused liquids in the battery to

metallize, and they suspect there was a sudden surge in voltage. the japanese officials will consult u.s. investigators and battery parts makers before releasing their final report later this year. a young woman in northeastern japan is bucking tradition and taking up a centuries old craft. the disaster three years ago destroyed countless homes. people rebuilding can't find enough skilled artisans to make the flooring for traditional rooms. so the woman has taken over the family business, making tatami mats. >> reporter: a training school for would-be tatami makers. in september 2012, this school enrolled its first ever female student, kanai hayashi. her aim to follow in her father's footsteps. six months in and she is

learning how to replace the smooth top surface mat of the tatami. this is the most demanding job. >> it's much harder than i expected. i don't wear makeup now. and i have stopped thinking about fashion anymore. >> reporter: hayashi was studying in tokyo when the tsunami struck her hometown. she had planned a career in advertising. as local people began refurbishing their homes after the quake, there was big demand for new tatami mats. hayashi's father received a rush of orders. her father saichi was running the family business all on his own. she decided to study to work alongside him. >> translator: it came as a surprise, but a happy one. at first i was worried she wouldn't be able to do it.

>> reporter: in her second year, hayashi began actual on-the-job training, making and installing new tatami mats. >> translator: i keep on cutting my fingers. the more i do it, the more i cut them. as a girl, that makes me sad. but as a tatami maker, i'm kind of proud of it. >> reporter: slowly, hayashi was mastering her craft, and beginning to realize what her father's job entails. however, things did not work out quite as she expected. one day her father collapsed. he had suffered a stroke due to overwork. he was hospitalized and couldn't speak or work. now hayashi was even more focused on returning home to keep the family business going. >> i did panic when it happened. but now i'm doing everything possible to learn all i can about this work.

>> hayashi kanae. [ applause ] >> reporter: in april, she graduated from her course. >> translator: now i intend to go home and do all i can to repay my parents for all they have done for me. >> reporter: the morning after coming home and already have there is a job waiting for her. she has been asked to replace the tatami in this house. he had returned to his home after living in a temporary shelter. this is his ancestral abode so, he wants to keep it in good condition. having fresh tatami mats is important for him. these are the first tatami that hayashi installs after returning to her hometown. >> translator: this is wonderful.

>> translator: the place where people can really relax best is their home. that's why i want to make the best tatami mats i can. >> reporter: for 30 years, hayashi's father worked as a tatami maker. now it's her turn to carry on the business to maintain the traditional homes of her area. >> mai shoji joins us again with more on the weather in japan and around the world. >> we have been watching the very heavy downpours across western japan. now another tropical system moving our direction. and then as you can see, across the world we have lots of tropical systems to talk about. but let me first start off with this one that is heading over towards okinawa. this is a strong typhoon now. it was a very strong typhoon. so it did downgrade a little bit, but it could intensify again into a very strong status, packing gusts of about 200 kilometers per hour or even 216

by the time it reaches the southwestern islands of japan. so start to see the high waves about 7 meters or 10 meters by your thursday. and then by saturday, it looks like it will be moving into western locations where the flooding conditions not yet alleviated at all. so very bad news for the dumps of water. again, not only it is going to be directly affecting japan, but the surrounding countries will also see rainfall accumulation because the system is pretty slow. we already have reports of severe flooding in the mega city of the philippines. but again targeted with heavy torrents of rainfall. and not only that, we're feeling extreme heat across central locations of japan. heat advisories, 26temperaturesp to 35 or more. tokyo has seen the hottest day of the year so far. the conditions are very unstage in the atmosphere. heat warnings are posted across the southern half of china and

thunderstorm warnings even in southwestern areas where the epicenter of the big earthquake is. chongqing at 39. ly now let's head over to hawaii and talk about these two storm systems. you can clearly see that eye wall. it is a very strong hurricane. it's a category 2. it's name is iselle and moving towards the big island of hawaii. it is on a waekenning trend. it will be a tropical storm by the time it hits land masses. you're likely to see stormy conditions across the islands of hawaii, and another system chasing after it. this is julio. and this is likely to become a hurricane. now it is a tropical storm. but over the warm waters, it will be feeding the system. so it looks like it may be even tracking a similar direction. so we'll keep a very close eye. another tropical storm is bertha. but this is moving away, which is very good news. it's not really going to be affecting the land masses directly. maybe some rip currents. but it's more of the cold front

that is from the system. so thunderstorms will be widely spread across the great lakes region and into the northeast. midwest will also be very messy, hailstorms as well as very gusty conditions and dumps of heavy rain moving into chicago. southwestern monsoonal flow will be very active across the southwest, and the temperatures are as follows. i'll leave you now for the extended forecast.

that's all we have this hour on "newsline." thank you for watching and have a good day.

>> hello and welcome to "global 3000." more and more knowledge is being stored online. today, we look at the opportunities and risks of making the web our main reference point for all sorts of information. here is what we have coming up: media companies adjust to the internet age. pr offensive -- how wikipedia's entries are manipulated. and peru's precious potatoes, preserving the true gold of the incas.