hello and welcome to nhk "newsline." i'm ross mihara in tokyo. >> chinese authorities have decided a former member of the top investigative body. party leaders had him investigated for corruption and stripped him on his membership. kung was the highest ranking member until november 2012. he exerted influence over the oil industry. he headed china's internal security apparatus. the first decision maker to face arrest. the state run news agency of

accused of disciplinary violations, including accepting bribes and leaking party and state secrets. xi jinping krou vowed to crackdown. citizens are frustrated with ram pant corruption and they fear they are losing their grip on power. >> executives at honda are recalling 135,000 cars in japan. they are concerned about defective air bags made by takata. honda representatives already promised to expand the recalls in the united states. they told lawmakers they would examine 3 million more cars. officials with the u.s. national holloway traffic safety administration told honda to expand the recalls last month. honda will recall the same models in japan as in the u.s. the firm has already filed 970,000 recalls in japan and it

will exam over 10 million cars around the world. workers at the u.s. space agency nasa are celebrating another giant leap. they test launched a craft that could carry people to mars and brought it safely back to earth. an unmanned version of a vessel called orion splashed down in the pacific. it travelled around the planet twice during a mission that lasted a little over four hours. nasa's staff will recover it and study how well it performed. orion blasted off from cape canaveral air force station in florida. it resembles the apollo modules that carried men to the moon. it hopes to take a crew to mars by the 2030s. president obama named the man he wants to lead the pentagon. he'll ask the senate to approve former deputy defense secretary ashtoncarter. >> with a record of service that

has spanned more than 30 years, as a public servient and adviser and scholar, he is rightly regarded as one of the nation's foremost security leaders. >> i accepted it because of the seriousness of the strategic challenges we face, but also the bright opportunities that exist for america if we can come together to grab hold of them. >> carter is 60 years old. he became an under secretary of defense in 2009. he got promoted to deputy secretary in 2011 and held that job until last december. he took a leading role in reducing the defense budget. obama announced last month that chuck hagel was stepping down. hagel has reportedly disagreed with him on how to handle the conflict in syria and the threat posed by the islamic state group. hagel is the first cabinet

member to resign following mid-term elections that dealt the democrats a heavy defeat. south africans are honoring the memory of a president who fought to end racial segregation. their holding events to mark one year since the death of nelson mandela. citizens gathered for a ceremony in the capital pretoria. mandela's widow urged them to carry on his legacy by working for harmony. >> we still have a long way to go. to overcome racial, ethnic, religious, gender divisions. >> south africans also heard from another leader who fought against apartheid, desmond tutu. he said mandela taught the world to not lose hope and urged everyone to follow his example.

mandela became president in 1994. citizens of all races voted together for the first time. still, many blacks remain poor. some say reconciliation with richer whites is a long way off. typhoon hagupit is moving to the central philippines and could make landfall on saturday night. roselyn debhavalya is following the story. >> in november last year super typhoon haiyan hit the philippines leaving 7,300 people either dead or missing. authorities are taking extra precautions for another strong typhoon. officials say torrential rain could trigger flooding and mudslides. they warn of possible storm surges in coastal area. people are rushing to evacuation centers with their belongings. residents are buying emergency

supplies of food, water and gasoline. the city became known as ground zero after it was devastated by typhoon haiyan a year ago. officials say about 2.5 million people are expected to evacuate in the central part of the country. >> we have been training people, we have been coming up with enough equipment. and we are -- we are ready for -- at any moment's notice. >> in the capital manila, military rescue teams are on standby with transport planes and ambulance helicopters. they are also preparing rescue equipment and medical supplies. thailand's king bhumibol adulyadej marked his 87th birthday on friday. well-wishers flocked to the palace in bangkok but the world's longest reigning monarch canceled an official ceremony on

the advice of his doctors. people wearing yellow shirts gathered near the palace and around the hospital where the king is staying. the color yellow is associated with the monarch. many people prayed for the king's health after being told they couldn't see him. >> translator: i pray for the king's health and that he'll have a long life. >> translator: i hope the king's birthday will give the thai people an opportunity to unite. >> the thai king is widely regarded as a unifying figure. the thai people are increasingly concerned about the monarch's health after he canceled the official ceremony for the first time since 2008. nhk world's soichiro tanizawa has this report. >> reporter: the ground around the royal palace are decorated for the celebration of the king's birthday. large photographs of the monarch are everywhere. king bhumibol adulyadej assumed

the throne in 1946. throughout his reign he has devoted himself to thailand's modernization. he interacted with ordinary people and advanced important infrastructure projects such as irrigation systems. they call him the father of the land. the king was hospitalized in october suffering from high fever. he has not left the hospital and he has also had his gallbladder removed. at this hospital where the king has been treated, hundreds of people visit every day to pray for his health. ahead of his birthday, more and more people come to offer prayers for the king. well-wishers from the countryside travel hundreds of miles by bus to get here. >> translator: every day all the monks in our temple chant and pray for the king's health to

recover. >> translator: we wish the king good health and a speedy recovery. may the king stay with us for forever. >> translator: long live the king! >> reporter: this man is one of the royal shoemakers. he has been in charge of repairing the king's shoes for over a decade. sometimes he also makes new pairs. shoes made and repaired are used in a poster to promote the sufficiency economy philosophy long advocated by the king. >> translator: the shoes are not expensive. they look well worn because he has used them for so long. i think the king has educated people about the sufficiency economy by showing himself reusing things like shoes. >> reporter: he keeps the old insoles worn by the king. he has made four new pairs of

shoes for the king's 87th birthday. he made the insoles extra thick to show his wish for the monarch's longevity. >> translator: i love the king. he has given us many things, so i try to repay his kindness by making shoes. it's nothing compared with what he has done for us. every morning before i start work, i offer a heartfelt prayer for his good health. >> king bhumibol's birthday is also an important day for the thai military. the leader of the coup in may, general prayut chan-o-cha has received a royal endorsement. the armed forces have been highly visible in this year's celebrations. nhk world has another report. >> reporter: the largest-ever military parade passed through bangkok on tuesday in honor of

the king. soldiers expressed their allegiance. ♪ a record number of soldiers also received buddhist ordination this week. pious buddhists believe the act will benefit the king's health. >> translator: on this auspicious occasion, we present our royal charity by mass ordination of 528 monks to honor the king. may the king live forever with happiness. >> reporter: the military has launched 13 coups since 1932.

every time it cited the need to defend the power of the monarch. the king also has made several interventions to settle political crises. western democracies have often criticized the dramatic events that influence thai politics, however many thai people believe the king has been a force for stability. the aging monarch's influence is such that some experts are concerned about how future uncertainty could affect thailand's democracy. >> the recent government has been made by the supremacy of the current king, but the next political order, there is no consensus yet. so this is a huge rift among the thai society. ♪ >> reporter: thais are in the mood to celebrate the world's longest-serving monarch but underlying social divisions remain unresolved, even after

the coup. nhk world, bangkok. in the 68 years since king bhumibol adulyadej took the throne, thailand has increased its presence in the global community as a key member of asean and a manufacturing hub in asia. but the nation has been haunted by political confusion. the thai people and the international community are awaiting to see if the country can attain political stability in a democratic context. that wraps up our bulletin. i'm roselyn debhavalya in bangkok. employers in the united states appear to be on a hiring spree. data showed they created over 300,000 jobs, that's the biggest jump in three years.

department of labor officials say the number of non-foreign jobs came in at 321,000. analysts had been expecting about 230,000. the number of new openings is the highest for any month since january 2012. employers created them in industries including retail, health care and manufacturing. the unemployment rate was unchanged at 5.8%. analysts say these numbers suggest the u.s. economy is on a solid recovery path. they're contrasting that with the more sluggish pickup in japan and europe. economists are studying the jobs data and estimating their impact on the federal reserve. they're trying to figure out when policymakers will raise interest rates. here's a view from sam coffin at ubs. >> that was a strong report. both the headline and payroll number. the work week remained extended, which indicates continuing labor demand and the likelihood of decent payroll gains in months ahead. average hourly earnings rose 0.4%, an acceleration, positive for consumer spending trends and

holiday sales, in all likelihood. i think there are other elements of the report that gets one's attention. first, 70% of industries were indicating hiring gains and that's a new high for this cycle. also, that extended work week, which is important for hours worked, for output and for labor incomes. the unemployment rate did fall flat on the month, 5.8%. the labor force expanded over 600,000 and the unemployment rate has fallen 0.1%. the question for the fed is whether or not they move mid next year or later next year. markets are pricing later next year and we're expecting the move later in june. this tilts them closer to the june hike than later. i don't think they overreact to one month's gain in wages.

they're obviously waiting for more signs of wage gains and persistence in hiring. i think this employment report and upper division did tlifr deliver those signs of per sistance in hiring and did ratify their changes in the last statement, which emphasized that labor resources were not being underutilized in the same extent. i think they wait and see. are payrolls continuing to those this moment. are wages showing this momentum? if nothing else, this report skews them to the june hike i think they've been planning for. >> here are the latest market figures.

every morning investors turn our attention to asia, the tokyo market leads the way and markets around the world follow, from the decisions that could change the course of an economy. >> to the companies at the forefront of change. >> up to the minute market reports. >> and analysis by specialists from around the world. >> get all of the latest business news and insight every day here on "newsline". people in taiwan are seeing a political shift. they have handed the ruling nationalist party a defeat in last week's local elections. many are wondering how leaders in china will react to the outcome. >> reporter: taking

responsibility for the crushing defeat, taiwan's president resigned as chairman for the ruling nationalist party. china's state-run tv broke into its newscast to report the resignation. residents of beijing are showing interests in the development across the strait. >> translator: relations will be influenced if the democratic progressive party takes power. >> translator: i think they care what benefits them, so the election outcome won't have much impact on their relations. >> reporter: 7 of 10 governors and mayors were of the ruling party. many candidates from the biggest opposition group, the democratic

progressive party, beat the incumbents. in 2008, the nationalist party defeated the democratic progressive party and returned to power. in his inaugural speech, president ma said the stable ties with china would be good for taiwan. >> translator: for both taiwan and china to reap benefits, economic and cultural relations should be fully restored. we're ready to open dialogue with the mainland. >> reporter: the nationalist party resumed talks with china. it signed a trade treaty to strengthen political and economic ties with the giant neighbor. in february, ministerial talks were held for the first time. some taiwan people were becoming weary of the pro-china policy.

in march, students protesting a trade deal with china, stormed parliament and occupied the building. the nationalist party failed to dispel this sentiment during the election campaign. a chinese expert studying taiwan policies says it is highly likely that there will be a change of administration in the presidential election of 2016. and he also says that the ties will be a greater concern. >> translator: china-taiwan relations improved a lot under ma. that's apparently a good thing for china. i think we need to analyze whether taiwan's pro-mainland stance is really to blame for the defeat this time. >> reporter: a researcher close to the government says taiwanese

became frus trited with i stagnate economy and said this was a cause of the nationalist party's defeat. >> translator: mainland china is the second biggest economy in the world and important for taiwan. everyone is eager to deepen economic ties with the mainland. no matter how much economic growth taiwan achieves, there is a need for it to emerge into the regional economy. cooperation with china is a must if taiwan is to take part in the global economy. >> reporter: with the outcome of the local elections bringing about a shift in taiwan's policy toward china, leaders in beijing are watching developments in taiwan closely. nhk world, beijing.

people around the world are celebrating international volunteer day. a japanese man is marking the occasion by turning chocolate into hope. he's using it to help underprivileged children find the path to sweet success. >> reporter: colorful chocolates roll off the production line. this factory in central japan produces sweet snacks. here, you can find treats that support disadvantaged children around the world. this 51-year-old started a charity organization called g plus spread this last june. he uses some of these chocolate delicacies to give back to those less fortunate.

>> translator: being kind to people and receiving kindness from others makes both people to feel good. i want the kindness passed on. >> translator: wakao used to manage the factory but now devotes himself to supporting children. he takes the sweets to local hotels and shops to ask for their cooperation by selling his chocolates and pies. >> translator: i fully support wakao's mission of supporting children through sweets. >> reporter: he realized the importance of volunteerism when he became involved in the activities of world vision japan, an npo providing financial support to children overseas. with his child sponsorship program, the organization invites people to become sponsors of underprivileged children. funds go to projects that benefit the entire community, such as digging wells and

building schools. the program aims to help establish a safe, peaceful environment for the children. wakao often receives letters from sponsored children. he personally sponsors five children in rwanda, mongolia and other countries. he also visited a school in ethiopia that was built from donations. >> translator: this girl wearing a pink shirt, i asked her what her dream was and she shyly told me she wanted to be a nurse. i realized by building schools, i'm giving her an opportunity to have a dream. that's what keeps me going. >> reporter: more and more people in wakao's community are joining his efforts. neighbors stop by to purchase treats and support his cause. >> translator: i feel very warmhearted if my purchase can give a little help to the children.

>> reporter: i'm at a high school near the factory. students here are lending their support to wakao's project. recently, a student who found wakao's activity inspiring took the sweets to a school festival. the students sold more than 200 boxes. >> translator: i'm honored. students can only do little things, but those who bought the products leave with a big smile on their faces. i think that's wonderful. >> reporter: wakao is donating a part of the organization's profits and money from supporters to build schools in asia and africa. the first school constructed with their contributions is to be completed in myanmar by the

end of january. wakao intends to help build more schools and promote the activity in japan. >> translator: we just got started, but i want to spread this idea further. we are building the first school with the hope that it will lead to others. we will continue to do our best. >> reporter: wakao believes little acts of kindness in a small community can actually make a big difference in other parts of the world. nhk world. here is the weekend weather forecast.

that's all we have for now on "newsline." i'm ross mihara in tokyo. thank you for watching and have a good day. óóññ

this week on "moyers & company" -- >> our democracy is flat lined because when you can show clearly there's no relationship between what the average voter cares about, only if it happens to coincide with what the economic elite care about, you've shown that we don't have a democracy anymore. >> when you talk about the corruption in congress, people are talking about the same thing that madison was talking about. this sense that our public servants are just serving themselves. they're running away with the resources of our country. >> announcer: funding is provided by anne gumowitz, encouraging the renewal of democracy. carnegie corporation of new york, supporting innovations in education, democratic engagement, and the advancement of international peace and security at carnegie.org. the ford foundation, working with visionaries on the front li