thank you for joining us on "newsline." japan's govern he were governing coalition is discussing the future of the self-defense forces including how their role might be expanded. >> reporter: the debate over japan's right to collective self-defense is nearing what may be the final stage. the outcome could determine where and how the country's self-defense forces are deployed. the japanese constitution currently allows them to be

dispatched when the country is under threat. the ruling coalition is discussing whether the sdf should be allowed to go to the aid of sloeslyclosely related countries as well. prime minister abe wants to change the current security policy to allow for such collective self-defense. >> translator: we will protect people's lives and livelihoods. for that purpose, we will proceed with security legislation that allows this country to deal with any kind of situation. >> reporter: the cabinet decided last july to allow japan to exercise the right. the july decision limits such protection to u.s. forces. but the government and ldp are considering allowing the sdf to also help other countries, including australia. policy makers are discussing how to respond to what they call gray zone situations involving

infringements of sovereignty that do not amount to armed attacks. another major item on the at again da is whether to allow the sdf to swiftly provide logistical support to multi-national forces carrying out legitimate use of force based on a u.n. resolution. the government and ldp want to expand the range of sdf activities. >> translator: we want to create legislation that allows japan to respond to any situation within the framework of our current constitution. >> reporter: but this man argues some limits should be put in place. >> translator: before we can come to an agreement, we have to discuss everything as a package, from gray zone situations logistical activityies to international cooperation. >> reporter: this man is a security analyst and a former

navy captain with japan's self-defense force. he says japanese citizens have to stay alert to the changes policymakers are trying to make. >> the meaning of the fundamental change is we have to decide whether japan can exercise the right to self-defense, even in peace time or not. some misunderstood the exercise to the right to the self-defense in peace time. authority decided by japanese cabinet. but just japanese cabinet declare authority over this issue. we have to discuss inside japanese people. >> reporter: members of the ruling coalition plan to reach a broad agreement by the end of next month. the government aims to submit

draft legislation in may. fighting in eastern ukraine continues despite a peace deal and an impending cease-fire. at least 17 people have been killed. they accepted a truce worked out by the leaders of ooh kranlukraine, russia, germany and france. ukrainian army officials say eight soldiers were killed and over 30 injured a day after the peace deal. police in the region claim shelling by pro-russian activists killed two and injured ten. the pro-russian side said shelling killed seven people including three children and injured 15. analysts say both sides are trying to expand their areas of control before sunday when the cease-fire goes into affect. japanese leaders say they have no information on any of

the country's citizens who might be in areas controlled by islamic state militants. cabinet ministers replied to an inquiry from an opposition lawmaker. a japanese muslim woman has been out of contact since leaving for turkey in november. it neighbors syria. the ministers say officials met her twice in october to discourage her from entering syria. they also say the government tried to persuade kenji goto not to go to syria three times in october -- in september and october. the militants claimed they killed him and another japanese citizen. the ministers said they do not know of any terrorist organization in japan with links to the militant group. in other news militants have attacks a shia mosque in pakistan. they killed 19 people and wounded more than 40. hundreds of worshipers gathered for friday prayers.

the militants stormed into the building and launched a grenade attack and a suicide bombing. security forces killed the remaining members. the pakistani taliban claimed responsibility. they wanted revenge for the government's execution of one of their members. they warned they will launch more attacks. pakistani government leaders promised a crack down on militant groups. an attack on a school in december prompted them to reintroduce the death penalty. japanese who survived the atomic bombings in 1945 are planning a mission to the u.n. they have spent years urn ss urging governments to abolish nuclear weapons. they want to grasp what they see as the last big chance to share their message. group representatives say 50 members will go to the u.n. headquarter this april. they want to attract the attention of government leaders who will be reviewing the nuclear non-proliferation treaty. they plan to hold a photo exhibition about the bombings

and talk about their experiences. >> translator: this year marks the 70th anniversary of the bombings. it's a final turning point for us. but we will work with all our strength. >> fewer than 2 owe,000 atomic bomb survivors are alive. they have an average age of nearly 80. the number of reported sexual crimes in japan is increasing reaching over 9,000 cases per year. nurses and police officers are learning how to better handle cases of sexual crime. they are getting guidance from professionals from the united states. >> reporter: a group that works to develop human resources held a training seminar in tokyo on friday. about 100 nurses counselors and police officers who deal with sexual assault victims attended.

more and more people in japan are falling victim to sexual crimes. a japanese team is training professionals to support them. they invited experts from the united states to share their skills and knowledge. this doctor shared her experiences with the support group called the sexual assault response team or sart. she launched a group in minneapolis 38 years ago. >> all of the team members, the group of professionals who coordinate their efforts to provide victim-centered response to sexual assault. >> reporter: they says cooperation between nurses health workers and police led to more suspects being identified and helped victims return to society more quickly. she stresses the importance of training nurses and forensic

examiners to collect evidence. this man, a former police detective sergeant from the u.s. observed the participants in a mock interview of a possible victim. >> i don't know if i was assaulted. i don't remember much. >> understanding good victim interviewing for law enforcement is understanding the trauma that occurred with the victim. >> reporter: he says an interviewer needs to be careful with words and behavior to gain as much accurate information as possible with the least amount of trauma to the victim. >> by working together with medical, law enforcement, prosecutors and advocates, we were able to get more victims to come forward, more victims to report the crime of rape because it was going on anyway. >> reporter: the participants will continue training in the workshop covering topics such as suspect interviews and trial

testimony preparation. clashes between government troops and armed ethnic rebels in eastern myanmar have left 47 government soldiers dead. our bureau in bangkok is following the story. >> the battles are the latest instances of the fighting that has been bedevilled myanmar. they have been trying to strike peace agreements with the groups across the country. there is concern that the latest clashes may make this process even more difficult. myanmar state newspaper reported friday that the fighting occur

occurred in eastern myanmar. it said more than 13 clashes have occurred in the last several days leaving 47 government troops dead and 73 wounded. the extent of casualties on the other side is not known. the special region was set up based on a peace agreement signed in 1989 between the military government and the ethnic minority after years of armed struggle. according to local media, several thousand residents have evacuated into china following fierce fighting including air strikes. china is urging myanmar to restore peace and order along the border between the two countries. >> translator: china has provided necessary humanitarian assistance. i think these people will return to myanmar as soon as the situation calms down. we hope all sides in myanmar can work with china to calm the

situation. >> they hope to use the growth of the market of 600 million people as leverage for its own growth. it's indispensable for them togreementagreements. the prolonged drop in crude oil prices is affecting not only the economies of oil exporting countries but also the value of their curbrency against the dollar. indonesia has seen the value of its currency fall by 6% over the past six months. >> reporter: the decline is hurting major industries that form the backbone of the economy. had is indonesian traditional

ware. people here wear this as their everyday clothing. there are more than 1,800 workshops in the town. this man runs a workshop. 90% of the raw materials used to make this are imported including the cotton and dye. he has >> translator: this dye cost just over $4 a kilo around the middle of last year. now it has surged to double the price. >> reporter: six months ago, he had 20 employees. now, because of delays in paying wages, only two remain. >> translator: businesses relying on imports are affected by the weak currency. it will be difficult to keep my

shop open if this situation continues. >> reporter: the weak currency is affecting japanese firms operating in indonesia. about 1,700 scrapjapanese companies have entered the market. more than half of them make car components or electronic products. the weak currency has increased the cost of procuring materials from overseas. this creates a problem for the manufacturers when they deliver their products to the parent company. >> translator: it's very difficult for component manufacturers to raise product prices to cover rising costs due to the relationship with the parent company. although they are vulnerable to the effects of the weak currency, there's no way to raise prices. it's worse for small and

medium-size firms. >> reporter: officials at the central bank say they are willing to take action to stabilize the currency. >> we are always in the market. if during the turbulence we give supply in the market. >> reporter: with the association of southeast asian nations planning to lost an economic community, indonesia is attracting considerable attention as a promising destination. but experts are watching to see how the weak currency will affect the country's overall economy. >> that wraps up our bulletin. a group in germany is trying to ensure the horror of nazi concentration camps is remembered. they are honoring individual

victim 70 years on. they are trying to pass along lessons of the past amid growing anti-immigrant sentiment in europe. >> reporter: people in germany have taken to the streets to call for limits to the number of immigrants the country accepts. >> translator: i don't want any more muslims to come to germany. >> reporter: some fear the movement could lead to the expulsion of minority groups. even as anti-immigrant sentiment grows, there are people working to ensure tragedies of the past are not forgotten. in one project, copper plates with the names of the individuals killed by the nazis are being made. they are placed at sites like this where the victims once

lived. the goal is to give these people the dignity they deserve, if only in death. the project is funded by donations from german citizens. >> translator: children are taught at school that 6 million jewish people were murdered. but that's about all they know about the holocaust. tracing each and every victim's fate deepens our understanding. >> reporter: during world war ii more than 1 million jews were killed at the oush wits camp in southern poland. this nameplate is for klara who was killed at the age of 19. this man from berlin added her name to the list of those being

honored. he suspected that some of the nazi's victims had been taken from the homes in his neighborhood. after nearly one year of research, he found out about klara. he knew only her name at first, but he was eventually able to contact members of her family and learn what kind of life she led. she moved in with a relative to evade the naszis and spent three years in hiding. in november of 1941 she was exposed and soon after shot dead. her plaque has been completed. her nephew came from britain to see it being placed among the paving stones outside her former home. >> for me it will speak always hopefully as a message to other people not to have gone through what my family suffered.

>> reporter: he believes the spread of anti-minority sentiment makes it more important to preserve the tragic memory of what happened to people like klara. >> translator: growing distrust of refugees and other immigrants are a problem in present-day germany. i hope this project will help offset anti-immigrant sentiment. >> reporter: the nameplate has acquired presence among residents of berlin. it symbolizes the resolve of locals to remember a dark past and ensure that nothing similar ever happens again. government officials in china have been trying to find a way to solve the country's pollution problem. they made the environment a top priority by establishing new

targets for protection. one initiative promotes the use of biomass fuel. >> reporter: new solar panels cover an area near beijing. a company that makes the equipment says the location is blessed with clear skies with about 3,000 hours of sunshine a year. wind turbines appear on the skyline. this area produced about 5% of china's wind power. these clean energy facilities underscore the country's efforts to push its environmental policies. investment in china in clean energy in 2014 totaled $19 billion. putting it ahead of the united states and europe as the world's top investor. the initiatives include promoting a biomass pellet.

these are made of compressed saw dust and wood waste. this resource company burns the pellets in the operations, which receives state subsidies. it's in a room on withegion with a serious air pollution problem. this factory was built last year. another one is planned for this year. this factory is equipped with a boiler that only burns the wood pellets. the chinese government has designated this as a model factory in the hope other businesses will follow its example. >> translator: the combustion temperature is relatively hot at 3,900 to 4,800 degrees. the combustion rate is a high

90%. very little smoke is released into the air. >> reporter: a nearby factory manufactures the pellets, ensuring a stable supply. government inspectors make regular visits to ensure the pellets meet quality standards. a second factory is set to be completed this year with the aim of doubling production. >> translator: the plant operates around the clock. every month we produce between 4,500 and 5,000 tons. >> reporter: however domestic demand for the biomass fuel has not grown in line with expectations. most of the pellets produced in china are exported to the major markets of japan and south korea. one downside to the fuel is high cost. another is china's poor distribution infrastructure.

the country lacks the ability to move the pellets. factories located far from suppliers can face huge bills to have the fuel delivered. >> translator: the government is ignoring the issue how to procure the raw materials and leaving it all up to private businesses. this is one of the things that drives up production costs. sales hubs and networks are also uncoordinate uncoordinated. if the government doesn't create environmental policies that cover everything from production to distribution biomass will not be a useful tool in china's development. >> reporter: they arermal power plant owners continue to use coal. many factories do the same. the managers say the fines for polluting the air are lower than the cost of building the required facilities. china has long stressed economic

development. it is now having a hard time persuading people and businesses to shift the priorities toward protecting the environment. people in china traditionally celebrate the start of the new year with fireworks and firecrackers. beijing officials have limited sales this year in a bid to fight the air pollution. the items went on sale in the capital on friday ahead of the start of the new year february 19. city officials are limiting the sales period to 11 days that's half the usual length. it's expected to slash consumption and keep the air cleaner. air pollution worsens across china during the new year holidays due to thousands of fireworks. >> translator: i buy fireworks and firecrackers every year to celebrate the new year. it's a traditional thing. >> translator: sales are falling. beijing is covered with smog. environmental awareness among

people is growing. >> chinese media say 40% fewer fireworks and firecrackers have been shipped this year to stores in beijing. now over in new zealand workers are trying to save stranded whales. about 200 got stuck in shallows in an area called golden bay. rescuers rushed to refloat them as the tide rose. they say 25 have died. officials describe this part of the coast as a whale trap. they say this is the biggest stranding in over a decade. they are trying to figure out why it happened. next let's take a brief look at the marthket figures.

now here is a three-day weather outlook.

that's all for now on this edition of "newsline." from all of us at nhk world, thanks for watching and have a good day. wherever you are.

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she began her career in early television and then found success on the broadway stage but it was her film work that we all still know her for today from two classic films north by northwest and on the water front all the way up to superman returns she continues to work today at a vibrant 87 years old. hello i'm ernie manouse coming up on innerviews our conversation with academy award-winning actress eva marie

saint. ♪ ♪ in your opinion, what makes a classic film a classic? >> i think the