hello and thank you for joining us on this edition of "newsline." i'm raja pradhan in tokyo. leaders from japan and france are building stronger security ties. they've agreed to have their countries work more closely to develop and share defense technologies. the foreign and defense ministers from both countries gathered for what they called a two plus two security meeting. japanese foreign minister fumio kishida called japan and france special partners. he said he wants them to cooperate further for the sake of world peace. french foreign minister laurent fabius says he sees opportunities in many areas. he gave examples including counterterrorism measures and defense equipment. fabius said people in france

stand in solidarity with the japanese and to want work more closely. the ministers agreed to have their countries develop defenses gear together and share technologies. they promise to limit transfers of equipment to other nations. >> translator: our agreement and specific ways to cooperate is a great result. >> translator: france and japan have established an exceptional partnership. >> the ministers said japan and france will jointly develop unmanned systems. examples they gave include underwater mine clearance devices. they also include robots that operate on land and can help in responding to natural disasters. the ministers also denounced acts of terrorism inflicted on their countries. they promised to work together to prevent european and japanese people from joining extremist groups, and they agreed to join hands to stop the flow of money to terrorist organizations.

members of a japanese defense think tank have been analyzing the strategies of leaders in china. they say the chinese are improving their armed forces through overseas activities, such as u.n. peacekeeping missions. the researchers work at the national institute for defense studies. they release an annual report showing how chinese forces are taking on more roles in more places. the researchers say leaders in beijing are engaging in military diplomacy. one example they give is china's involvement in the fight against piracy off somalia. another is the country's contribution to u.n. peacekeeping missions. the researchers say chinese leaders are trying to improve their country's image, get natural resources in africa and boost trade. they say international operations are also helping commanders improve their command and control systems, logistics and equipment. they point out the chinese are putting those improvements to use in exercises near japan.

environment ministry officials in japan have started a long-awaited and contentious project four years after the nuclear disaster in fukushima. they're overseeing the transfer of radioactive soil and debris to an intermediate storage site. the waste has been piling up as decontamination work continues. officials spent a considerable amount of time trying to find a suitable location because they had to negotiate with residents. the storage complex is located in an area between two towns near the damaged fukushima daiichi plant. construction only began last month. so the transfer has started before it's completed. in the first year, the environment ministry plans to transport 43,000 cubic meters of contaminated materials from across the prefecture. so far the government has only secured enough land to accommodate less than half of that. once completed, the 16 square

kilometer complex will hold up to 22 million cubic meters of waste, but the timeline is unclear because negotiations with land owners are ongoing and have been difficult. environmental ministry officials also need to start looking for a location to store the contaminated materials long term. they promise fukushima residents if the prefecture hosts the intermediate site for 30 years, the final disposal facility would be outside the prefecture. fears of radiation in freddie mac remain strong but it's not only local residents who are concerned. restrictions are still in place across the world barring the sale of products from the prefecture. an event has been held in tokyo for a personal emphasis on safety. >> reporter: after the nuclear accident in freddie mac, some countries banned imports of japanese food on fear of

radiation. ambassadors from many nations are here to see food from freddie mac fukushima is safe. it included edible wild plant tempura, grilled game fowl and locally produced sake. the governor told the gathering that his prefecture faces many obstacles, but he said he's determined that the word "fukushima" will once again be displayed with pride. organizers said authorities are thoroughly screening locally grown rice for radiation. they stress that food with radiation levels exceeding government standards would never be allowed on the market. >> i think it's important for

people to understand the real situation. >> translator: if taiwan and japan can reach a reliable understanding on the safety of food through further talks, it would be possible to lift the ongoing restrictions. >> reporter: officials from japan's foreign ministry say nine countries and regions still ban imports of products from fukushima's farms, forests and coastal waters. they include south korea, china, and taiwan. they say 59 other countries require certificates of radiation inspection. authorities in fukushima hope that by showcasing the prefecture's products and highlighting the safety measures "made in fukushima" will once again become a label that's associated with quality and trust. nhk world. the city of sendai in

northeastern japan will play host for the first time to the united nations conference on disaster risk reduction. the region was the epicenter of the 2011 earthquake and was hard hit by the tsunami. people will gather this weekend to discuss ways to prepare for future disasters. nhk world's mitsuko nishikawa reports. >> reporter: people here in sendai have been preparing for months for the united nations conference on disaster risk reduction. organizers say the city is a fitting venue for the conference. four years ago, the city's airport was engulfed by the tsunami. it was shut down but reopened one month later serving as a hub for the rescue operation. now it is welcoming representatives from around the world. residents say they're proud to host such a high profile event. >> translator: it's good that an international conference is being hosted in one of the disaster areas. >> translator: i want

representatives from around the world to understand people's suffering. aid to the suffering is the most important need. >> reporter: security is tight at the main venue near the city's center. police officers have been stationed around the building and access is heavily restricted. the conference will officially open on saturday where preparatory talks have already begun. the main purpose is for the delegates to share knowledge of natural disasters and to discuss ways to reduce risks posed by future disasters. >> i would hope that delegations will come with a very constructive mind, and that they're willing to work on a good outcome for the conference. people can have the firsthand experience, your experience, learn from your experience how you have tackled the situation after such a horrible disaster. >> these are the people who are

experiencing disasters frequently. so i think i can learn a lot from them. just to get experience on how they overcome the disasters from preparedness point to a recovery point. >> reporter: the conference will continue until wednesday. delegates will also visit coastal communities that were heavily damaged by the tsunami. they will get a firsthand perspective on the disaster by talking to survivors and visiting reconstruction projects. lawmakers in japan's lower house have given a nod to the nation's largest ever draft budget. the government wants to wheel out the $800 billion package for fiscal 2015 beginning in april. japan's political parties debated the budget at the lower house plenary session on friday. members of the ruling liberal democratic parties say it would solidify japan's economic recovery.

they insist there's no other way to spread the effects of prime minister shinzo abe's economic policies dubbed abenomics across the nation. but the main opposition democratic party disagreed. they said the budget will do nothing for economic revival or a fiscal rehabilitation. they claimed it will widen japan's wealth gap and add to the burdens of ordinary people. the draft budgets was approved later by a majority vote. deliberation moves to the upper house on monday. the head of the world bank has welcomed china's new asian infrastructure investment bank. he said it's good to have more institutions that'll fill the growing demand for infrastructure in emerging nations. world bank president jim yong kim attended a news conference in tokyo. >> we welcome it because of the extraordinary need for infrastructure. 1.4 billion people in the world don't have access to electricity. 2.5 billion people don't have

access to basic sanitation services. >> 27 other countries say they'll join the bank, including india and new zealand. britain this week became the first g-7 nation to show support. but the japanese government is staying cautious. officials say there's a lack of transparency in the new bank's operational framework. well this is the time of year when managers and workers in japan sit down to talk about wages. executives an japan's airlines say business are improving and they want to share the benefits. the airline is offering workers their first increase in monthly base pay in 14 years. managers at jal have proposed the wage increase of 2,000 yen or about $16.50. representatives of the airline's largest union had demanded a 1% increase in base pay in this year's wage negotiations. the offer from management doesn't match that target but union negotiators say they'll

accept it. jal filed for bankruptcy in 2010. the airline has been rebuilding itself through measures such as sharp cuts in personnel costs. managers at another japanese carrier all nippon airways have offered their first increase in seven years. it is about $8.25 per month. many japanese companies will present their responses to union wage demands on wednesday. executives at japanese firms are worried about rivals stealing their information and technical know-how. one high profile case saw research data on semiconductors made by toshiba stolen and provided to a south korean firm. japan's cabinet is taking steps to help companies better protect their intellectual property. the unfair competition prevention law currently imposes a maximum penalty of about $2.5 million on firms that illegally acquire leaked company secrets.

the cabinet has approved a draft bill to raise that to about $4.1 million. it also calls for a fine of about $8.2 million to be imposed when trade secrets are leaked and then illegally used overseas. the revision also allows authorities to seize earnings gained from data or technologies obtained through leaks. the leaders of iceland have decide not to seek membership in the european union. negotiations began after the global financial crisis in 2008, but they were suspended in 2013 when parties cautious about joining the eu took power. the latest decision apparently reflects concerns the country's main industry of fishing could

be subjected to quotas. the european economy has been hit hard by the credit crisis, but iceland's economy has recovered, weakening momentum toward eu membership. in other news, u.s. president barack obama has condemned the shooting of two police officers in the state of missouri. they were shot during a demonstration in ferguson after it was announced the police chief would resign. the officers were treated for serious injuries and have since been released from the hospital. tensions have been growing in ferguson since august when a white officer shot dead michael brown, an unarmed black teenager. obama said the incident should not detract from the greater issue and there's no excuse for criminal acts. brown's family says the shootings could derail the peaceful and non-violent movement to confront police brutality. india's prime minister narendra modi has met with

the new president of sri lanka. maithripala sirisena who just assumed his post in january. the previous administration relied heavily on china for aid but he has said he wants to pursue a more global foreign policy. modi is the first indian prime minister to visit sri lanka in 28 years. in talks with sirisena he offered z a $318 million credit line to improve sri lanka's railways. >> support and good wishes for the new journey of peace, reconciliation and progress. we stand with you in your efforts to build a future that accommodates the aspirations all of sections of society. >> sri lanka's former president had a policy of accepting huge assistance packages from china

to build infrastructure, but some objected to what they saw as an overreliance on this aid. president sirisena has indicated he would take a different approach. he said modi's visit has strengthened relations between the two countries to a higher level. china's strategy toward the region has been dubbed the string of pearls as it appears to encircle india through the construction of port facilities in sri lanka and other points. india is increasingly wary of china's increased activities in the indian ocean. modi's tour is believed to be part of an effort to limit china's influence in the region. before landing in sri lanka, he visited the island nations of the seychelles and mauritius. he promised india's corporation with authorities them on maritime security. and we apologize for calling modi india's president in earlier broadcasts. insurgents have attacked a police checkpoint in afghanistan southeast killing seven policemen.

the incident is the latest in a string of clashes this week. ap news agency quotes a provincial official as saying the attack took place on friday in ghazni province. they opened fire with machine guns and grenade launchers. three attackers were killed. the attack marked the third consecutive day of such incidents. on thursday up to 30 gunmen ambushed policemen in kunduz province killing seven officers and a police security post was a province killing seven police parwan province that left four policemen dead. more than 5,000 police officers were killed by insurgents in afghanistan last year. with foreign combat troops now out of the country, the taliban has been intensifying its attacks. concerns are mounting over the viability of afghanistan's security forces. atrocities of the khmer rouge are the focus of a special exhibition in the cambodian capital phnom penh. in the 1970s, more than 1.7 million people died through

forced labor, starvation, and murder in the country. museum staffer in the okinawa prefecture are lending their support to preserving memories of one of modern asia's darkest chapters. nhk world has the story. >> reporter: the exhibition has opened at the tuol sleng museum. the building was originally a high school. it was turned into a prison by pol pot regime. of all who enter here, only a handful emerged. over 15,000 people were tortured and executed. >> translator: the exhibition is a message reminding all human beings to study and understand the tragedy that took place in the compound of this museum. we must join together and think

and prevent its reoccurrence in cambodia, or any other country. >> reporter: the khmer rouge seized power 40 years ago. when pol pot's forces toppled the pro-u.s. government. the new regime imposed savage social reforms. the khmer rouge saw all of the citizens and intellectuals as enemies. such people were put into forced labor or slaughtered. the museum began accepting assistance six years ago from two similar facilities in japan including the okinawa prefecture peace memorial museum. okinawa has its share of tragic hit. in the closing days of world war ii, american and japanese troops fought vicious grand battles on the islands. there were more than 200,000 deaths including many civilians.

the cambodian staff received hints on staging the exhibit from japanese counterparts. they learned way to edit survivors interview videos, preserve materials, conduct research, and create displays. the current show is the fruit of this collaboration. in the corner of the former prison, visitors can watch videos of survivors' testimony about the brutality that took place here. also on display are statements by people who were tortured in making false confessions. these have been translated into english. the museum staff know they bear a heavy responsibility to hand down memories of one of the most chilling moments in modern

southeast asian history. museum staff hope young people is -- will take a lesson from the past. nhk world, phnom penh. emboldened citizens still demanding democracy. the threat of violence. the push for peace. the shadow of conflict. get news and insight on south and southeast asia every weekday live from bangkok only on nhk "newsline." people in japan have been surprised by a discovery deep in the ocean. the "musashi" was the largest battleship to sink during world war ii. and members of an exploration team say they've found it off the coast of the philippines. they streamed live video to the internet from an unmanned vehicle a thousand meters below the ocean's surface. nhk world has more. >> you can see that this propeller, the shaft is broken

on this propeller. >> so here's the starboard anchor. "musashi" has -- or she had two 15-ton anchors. so here, just coming into view is the chrysanthemum on the bow. it would have been painted gold and really stood out. >> reporter: the "musashi" was in the japanese imperial navy. it was sunk in october 1944 by u.s. forces as it was heading to the leyte gulf in the philippine sea. its wreckage remained undiscovered for over 70 years. the ship's war scars can be seen in the video footage. >> in addition to the torpedoes that hit and bombs that hit, some near misses also caused quite substantial damage, and that's what we're looking at here. >> reporter: a large opening

seen on the left side of the screen was the housing. >> now this is the base that the main 18-inch gun would sit in. >> reporter: a japanese expert says "musashi's" main cannons were the largest in the world at the time and verified the discovery. >> translator: this is "musashi." this year marks the 70th anniversary of the end of the war, which will pass from many people's memory. this discovery is not only about finding the ship, it also gives us an opportunity to remember the war. >> reporter: the exploration team led by microsoft co-founder paul allen has been searching for the ship for eight years. he said he hopes to work with the governments of the philippines and japan to continue research on the ship. ryo asami, nhk world. now in sports the new coach for japan's national soccer team

has arrived in tokyo with a promise. vahid halilhodzic said he'll lead the squad to knockout stage in the next world cup finals. he has replaced javier aguirre who was dismissed last month over allegations of match fixing. >> translator: the top target for the national team is to qualify for the world cup finals in russia. we're not only participating. we must secure at least a second round place in the tournament. >> the bosnia herzegovina coach spoke to the media shortly after arriving in japan. he said he brought many ideas and strategies with him to pass along to the players. >> translator: i'll give opportunities to as many of the players as possible. >> halilhodzic says he wants to

introduce his philosophy of persistence until victory to the team, but he'll have to do it quickly. the japanese squad will face off in friendly matches against tunisia and uzbekistan later this month. and now here's a look at the three-day outlook on weather.

before we go, an american entrepreneur is one step closer to his dream of leaving earth. scientists working for real estate tycoon robert bigelow have developed a prototype spacecraft that could be used as a hotel. the spacecraft looks compact, but it's designed to expand like a balloon with living quarters inside. the module is scheduled to be attached to the international space station in september.

robert bigelow joined nasa scientists to unveil the module. he spent millions of dollars and over two decades on the project. his hope is to make it possible for ordinary people to experience life in space. >> by our standards it's very small and it's a pathfinder spacecraft. but it's an important first step to understand that kind of spacecraft. >> nasa officials have welcomed the concept suggesting a willingness to make use of privately developed technology for other uses including possible missions to mars. they'll spend the next two years testing the safety and functions of the module. and that's all for now on this edition of "newsline." i'm raja pradhan in tokyo. and from all of us here at nhk world, thanks for joining us.

ññ later she joined with her eldest daughter wynonna to top the charts and they became one of the most successful music acts of all time. before she found success in the entertainment industry she was an abused mother of two working long hours struggling for pay for security for herself and her children and clinging to the dream that there would be better days ahead. many years later while the judds

were at the top of the game life threw her another curveball a diagnosis of hepatitis c. she was forced to retire from music but never gave up. i'm ernie manouse our interview with actress and motivational speaker naomi judd.