glad to have you with us on this edition of "newsline." i'm raja pradhan in tokyo. japanese prime minister shinzo abe's speech to the u.s. congress is not going over well with opposition parties back home. they remain divided on whether to support the use of the right to collective self-defense. abe told american lawmakers his nation is determined to enact new security legislation by this summer. this would include bills enabling japan to exercise the right to collective self-defense. governing parties have shown understanding of abe's pledge but opposition groups remain critical and plan to question the prime minister's stance in diet deliberations.

>> announcer: >> translator: japan's diet is not a subcontractor of the u.s. congress. >> edano said as a state representative, abe's remarks are inappropriate. japan innovation party leader eda says the prime minister is neglecting the public and the head of the japanese communist party secretariat says abe is disregarding japan's independence and sovereignty. the government and ruling parties hope to begin deliberations on related bills in the lower house plenary session scheduled for may 21st. they must first obtain cabinet approval and set up a special committee in the chamber. the japanese government decided on a 40-year safety limit for nuclear reactors following the accident in march twaechb. but officials at kansai electric power company want to continue running two of its oldest reactors for an additional 20 years. after careful inspections were completed, they decided to seek approval. the utility is the first to file an application with the nuclear

regulation authority for an operating extension. it covers the number one and number two reactors at the takahama plant in fukui prefecture, central japan. power companies that want to extend the operating limit must carefully examine reactors and other equipment for possible deterioration. officials said their inspections did not find any safety problems. for the extension to be granted the reactors must pass a screening process based on the new requirements. the application must be approved by july 2016 before the takahama reactors can go back online. the kansai electric officials plan to carry out a special indication of inspection of the number three reactor at its mihama plant which started operating 38 years ago.

the death toll from the earthquake has passed 6,200. a medical team is on the ground providing support to survivors. in nepal, 6,120 people have been confirmed death and 13,000 others are injured and at least 100 people have died in neighboring india, china and bangladesh. crews from the u.s. and nepal pulled two people out of the rubble on thursday. they saved a teenaged boy who was trapped under a collapsed seven-story hotel. >> translator: when i went down the stairs i became crushed under the rubble. i heard someone come to help me and felt the jolt. >> a this 24-year-old woman was rescued by searchers from israel and norway and other teams. she was then rushed to a hospital. nearly a dozen japanese medical personnel boarded a military

helicopter. they have been dispatched to helped survivors. >> translator: we want to get to work as soon as possible. to help people waiting for relief. >> they're treating the injured there. more than 1500 people have died in the region. the first group of japan self-defense force personnel plans to begin treating those taking shelter in a square in kathmandu. in other news, more and more americans are protesting what they see as racially motivated police violence. they're showing their outrage over the death of a black man injured in custody in baltimore. they demonstrated there and in new york. hundreds of people gathered in manhattan's union scare. some spilled into the street. reports say at least 60 got arrested. the protesters are angry about police treatment of a black man in baltimore named freddie gray. he suffered spinal injuries in custody in april and died.

>> i have been protesting since ferguson happened, and this incident in baltimore is devastating. and the thing is, is that i don't feel like this country is looking at things the right way. >> we have to do something. we can't just sit around and have everything happen the same way. we have to do something. >> police in baltimore arrested 18 people on the same day. they have been trying to contain violent protests. city leaders had declared a state of emergency. police officials say they're investigating freddie gray's death. they have not said whether they'll make their findings public. the people in charge of major league baseball took an unusual step to keep fans safe. they had the baltimore orioles play the chicago white sox without spectators. u.s. media say no other major league game has ever been played in an empty stadium. and in the world of biz,

japanese officials have released plenty of information about the japanese economy. >> nothing like starting a friday with plenty of data. we'll begin with the consumer price index. it's an important figure for japan. it's a leading gauge for inflation. officials at the internal affairs ministry say prices for daily goods and services rose for the 22nd month in a row. they say the index was up 2.2% from a year earlier and that it edged up from the previous month. however the consumption tax was hiked last april. with that factor removed the index would be up only 0.2%. the cpi doesn't factor in fresh food because those prices tend to be volatile. during that time consumers continued to keep a tight grip on their pursestrings. the officials say household spending was down 10.6% in yen terms from a year ago. the march figure marks the tenth straight month of decline.

that is the biggest drop since 2001. the officials say households with two or more members spent an average of $2,660 in march. they spent less on cars and gasoline compared to the same period a year earlier. but the employment situation improved. the ministry officials say the jobless rate was 3.4%. that is down 0.1% from the previous month. officials at the labor ministry say the ratio of job offers to people looking for work was unchanged from february at 1.15. there were 115 positions for every 100 job seekers. the average ratio for the last fiscal year was 1.11. that is the highest annual figure in 20 years. let's see how investors here are digesting all these figures and check on the markets.

and ramin mellegard joins us from the tokyo stock, exchange. how are markets reacting? >> a lot for investors to take in there as you went over some of the data. but impact from the u.s. markets which fell on thursday. but let's have a look at how friday morning stocks here in tokyo are reacting on may 1st. a negative start for the nikkei and the topics. the nikkei had its biggest one-day fall on thursday following the gdp data on wednesday. still a lot of analysts degree the disappointing gdp was due to transitory factors such as freezing weather and the drop in crude oil prices and weekly jobless claims which came out on thursday went some way to alleviate some of the concerns about u.s. growth as it hit a 15-year low. also a measure of labor costs

showed its biggest advance since the third quarter of 2014. so some positives there. here in japan, earnings in full swing after the markets closed yesterday. nomura holdings said profits rose 17% in the first quarter. and sony expects a turnaround this year due to major stream lining efforts. so again a little bit of a positive stance there. >> you mentioned the fall in u.s. weakly jobless claims. it seems to have swayed the dollar. what can you tell us there? >> we saw a little bit of a pop higher for the dollar or it paired some losses against the yen as hopes are rising about the momentum of the u.s. economy. 119.51. against the euro the impact was limited. the traders turned to the single currency on positive data out of the eurozone. trade may come to a screeching halt today.

most of the markets will be closed today. and markets here in japan will be closed for monday to wednesday next week for what is known as golden week. but key earnings coming out here in japan after the markets close today. we'll keep track of some of the major shares and sectors and the old expression that sell in may and go away may be on investor's minds especially after the record gains we have seen for the nikkei this year and the shanghai composite. that may be playing into investors' minds as well. right now the nikkei and the topix mildly in the negative. back to you. >> we'll talk to you in a few hours' time. business leaders everywhere are always trying to figure out what consumers want. in japan some companies are taking a high-tech approach and others have found that simple measures can gather valuable

marketing information. >> reporter: a major convenience store chain is using a pocket-sized tool to track customer behavior. [ speaking foreign language ] data collected through the membership card program is helping executives pinpoint customers' needs. this bread is one example. it's low in carbohydrates and calories. sot managers said it could should be discontinued. but staff members took a look at the membership card data. they found repeat buyers who were purchasing the bread again and again. >> translator: a high repeat rate means they are coming to our stores to buy this bread. without this product we'd lose these customers. >> reporter: executives made a

strategic about-face. instead of scraping the product they added more choices such as cakes and pizza. it became a hit with customers. some business people are taking a low-tech approach to gathering data. a marketing firm uses video cameras to find hidden needs. the company shows how to make kitchens user friendly for families with small children. the video shows the woman trying to keep her child from touching a hot pan while she carries him around. this is just the kind of potential need the video is meant to uncover. researchers at the company analyze the video together. >> translator: reaching up and down with a baby must be difficult. >> reporter: the marketing company has conducted more than

700 surveys like this one. they've used their findings to help develop a number of products. one study revealed that many people store kettles and pans on their stove tops. designers used this information to come up with a new stove. it has extra space, perfect for holding cookware. >> reporter: learning how an item is used helps us discover consumers' hidden needs and create new value. >> reporter: at a time when consumers are awash in material goods many japanese companies are finding it difficult to sell their products. business leaders are fine tuning their marketing strategies to gain a competitive edge. and that's the latest in business for this hour. i'll leave you with a check on markets.

delegates from japan, south korea and china pledged to further cooperate to fight air pollution during the next five years. ministers in charge of environmental affairs wrapped up a two-day meeting after adopting a joint action plan. the three countries are to set up a working group to discuss effective ways of dealing with fine particulate matter known as pm 2.5. they plan to share information on technology for observing and predicting harmful airborne particles. the group would also cooperate

on studying ways to measure and estimate pollutant emissions. members will hold meetings in china and south korea this year to discuss details of the plan. >> translator: i believe that setting up the working group shows that the three countries will work closely to cooperate on fighting air pollution. >> mochizuki said japan will work to find the source of pm 2.5 and contribute to measures to be taken by the three countries. japan is scheduled to host next year's meeting of environment ministers. japan's government has proposed le reducing japan's greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2030. many countries are drawing reduction targets so an agreement can be reached by the end of the year at a u.n. conference on global warming.

officials from the environment and industry ministries presented the target at a meeting of a government panel of experts. the government says to achieve the goal japan will have to cut carbon dioxide emissions from power plants and companies by almost 22%. it also factored in cuts and emissions of other greenhouse gases and the amount absorbed by forest and farmland. a panel member and economist welcomed the goal. she said the number is high and it's an ambitious target. >> translator: we'll be able to save energy dramatically. the target is set for energy conservation and we must spread it among people's lives. >> but another panel member and expert on environmental problems says she wants the figure to be higher in view of the long-term goal. >> translator: i believe more solar energy and wind power

could be introduced for the 2030 goal. it's important to draw up policies and actually implement them. >> the environment ministry says japan's reduction target is slightly higher than that of the european union. the government plans to coordinate with the parties on the target and seeks the public's views. japan's population dropped by 200,000 over the past 12 months. it's the fourth year in a row of decline. people in communities that are losing residents are looking for ways to attract newcomers especially those with families. prefectures have allocated $16 billion to the effort this year. and in one remote village in the country's southwest, residents are hoping the investment pays off. nhk world's aru suzuki reports. >> reporter: toshima consists of 12 large and small islands off the coast of kagoshima prefecture.

3,400 people used to live there but five years ago the population had fallen to 560. those who are left said today might be the last so they obtained funds from the national government to entice people to move there. all together toshima spent three times its local tax income on the project. about $1.7 million. isao was convinced they moved from tokyo and since have become parents to two children. a generous support plan helped them decide. the takeuchis live in a home with a large yard. the bridge on the property, the first two years are rent free. after that, it's about $45 a month.

they also rent the land they farm for even less, just $25 a year. in addition, people who move to the place for work receive a stipend of up to $85 a day. the program also provides $85 a month for each child up through middle school. >> translator: words cannot describe our feelings, but we are certainly thankful. by moving here, we can enjoy watching our children grow up day by day. >> reporter: since the support program started the population of the village has grown about 20%. the number of kids has increased too. last month the village opened its first children's daycare center. >> translator: we're happy to be

in the midst of a baby boom. >> reporter: other parts of the project however are under pressure. the village has postponed taking care of its pier and expanding its nursing home. it cannot affidavit to provide the stipend to newcomers indefinitely. the maximum period is five years. the takeuchi's package accounts for one-third of their current income. it turns -- runs out in august of next year. >> translator: i cannot say that i have no concerns, but there's no point in giving in to worry. >> the takeuchis have a plan for making up for some of the lost income. they are make clothes and japanese paper from the fibers of locally grown bananas.

the village would like to continue offering incentives to people to move there, even though it's dealing with a tough financial situation. >> translator: we had a sense of danger that the village would cease to exist if we didn't do something. we can't abandon the project now. >> reporter: one expert says the policy policies have positive effects. >> translator: the approach is more effective than conventional economic measures like factory inducements. localities with policies to increase births are acting wisely. >> reporter: communities around the country are moving forward with programs to build the population back up. their success will be judged on whether people settle in long-term and no longer need the subsidies to get by. aru suzuki nhk world, kagoshima.

people in southern chile have seen ashes spewing out one after another from a volcano. mai shoji has the details in the world weather report. >> yes, good morning, raja, you are absolutely right. we have been seeing humongous amounts of ash that are up in the sky and it keeps on erupting. we're talking about southern chile, the volcanic eruption that was taking place here last week. let's take a look at a video that came just yesterday, this is from yesterday after a surprise eruption sweeped the volcano call bouw -- continues to blow its top with its third largest one in eight days. ash was sent high into the air with this eruption but experts say it was less powerful than the previous, but no injuries reported, and 20-kilometer exclusion zone was enacted after

last week's eruption. about 1,500 more people were evacuated after the last one. the heavy rain and maybe possibly some snow could lead to mud floes or lahars after the pile up of this new ash. so we're not really seeing any relief to this. we do see that westerly flow quite strong and that's pulling a lot of that moisture from the sea, and we actually see heavy patches of rainfall that is going to be pulling up across this neighborhood once again, and some even snow that will be falling in the higher elevations so that combined could bring mud slides and it's going to be a very messy condition once again, and so not a lot of the residents will be back home just yet. we're looking at another storm system out here which is actually a severe tropical cyclone out here in northwestern australia in the southern hemisphere. we're not talking about winter kicking in, in this area, but we still have to talk about storm systems.

the water is not so warm anymore, so it's not going to be feeding the system. the name is quang. it's already packing gusts of 200 kilometers per hour so the stormy conditions will be starting from friday latter this day and it will be decreasing in its intensity into a category 1 before it reaches coral bay. not a lot of population here but coastal flooding will certainly become an issue, and the winds will be packing up as i mentioned. out here across the other side of this country we're also looking at some gusty conditions, about 90-kilometer-per-hour winds and localized areas could possibly see up to this -- 400 millimeters in northern new south wales and the southern areas here. and in brisbane, 150 millimeters of rain will be widely spread in

the region where we've already seen a lot of that ongoing rainfall so there is land that's really well saturated, very prone to flooding. out here across southern china that's another area we're looking at flooding concerns, 80 millimeters of additional across the yangtzee river valley and the rain will pull into southern kyushu sunday which is absolutely bad news because we have historical record amounts of rainfall recorded here in parts of southern kyushu. 543 millimeters of rainfall fell over the span of just 24 hours. there is about 30 homes inundated as we speak and 15 landslides that took place. showers will continue on here so there's going to be threat of landslides once again. the high pressure system will be predominant across much of the korean peninsula and japan and looking at sunny skies here in tokyo at 25 degrees and seoul reaching up to july-like temperatures at 27. i'll leave you now with your extended forecast.

and that's all for now on this edition of "newsline." i'm raja pradhan in tokyo. we'll be back with the latest at the top of the hour so do stay with us on nhk.

xnóx

>> hello, and welcome to "global 3000." ever heard it said that variety is the spice of life? well, in reality, it's much much more than that. species variety, or biodiversity, is fundamental to

both human survival and the future of the planet. find out just how that works on this week's show, where we also have these stories coming up. there one minute, gone the next. sinkholes and their terrifying impact makossa, anyone? young musicians look for their lucky break in cameroon.