hello and welcome to nhk "newsline." i'm ross mihara in tokyo. international rescue teams in nepal are gradually reaching isolated villages cut off by last saturday's massive earthquake. more than 6,200 have been confirmed dead in nepal. over 100 more in countries nearby. more than 13,000 people were injured. nhk world's yuichi tabata has details. >> reporter: about 2.8 million people are living in tents or temporary structures, anything to protect them from the elements. many are struggling with the physical or mental health

problems. medical teams from japan's self-defense force has been examining survivors at the square in central kathmandu. the square has become a makeshift campsite. six days after the earthquake, many survivors are still too scared to stay indoors. people lined up to receive medical treatments. >> translator: it's been impossible to take my child to hospitals since the quake. but finally we saw a doctor. and i'm happy. >> translator: we're just the initial responders, so what we can do is limited. but the main team will arrive soon with full-scale facilities to treat people in need. >> reporter: other japanese response teams have reached the hardest-hit district. the helicopter was loaded with medicines and relief supply.

the teams are working in a village where the only clinic was flattened. more than 1,500 people died in the district. but protecting the houses of survivors is a priority. almost a week after the earthquake, reaching this desperate community is a race against time. >> that was nhk world's yuichi tabata reporting from kathmandu. children from a nepalese school in tokyo are pitching in to help earthquake survivors. students and teachers collected donations in front of a railway station. their school is the only one in japan that follows a nepalese curriculum. it stands in a part of tokyo that's home to about 1,000 nepalese. they are the area's biggest foreign community after chinese and south koreans.

a nepalese student launched the charity drive. >> translator: i never thought such a big earthquake would happen. i want to help because nepal is my country. >> the students plan to collect money for ten more days. they'll pass it on through the nepalese embassy. the head of the chinese navy has spoken about facilities his country is building in disputed waters he claims they're designed for public services and he says other countries will be able to use them. chinese defense officials say navy chief wu shengli held an video conference with his u.s. counterpart, jonathan greenert and wu explained why his country is building facilities in the south china sea. he said leaders want to improve services such as weather

forecasting and maritime search and rescue. he claimed they will not threaten freedom of navigation and u.s. and other countries will be welcome to use them for humanitarian purposes when conditions are right. china's building the facilities on top of several reefs in the spratly islands. those islands are also climbed by brunei, malaysia, the philippines, vietnam and taiwan. workers are believed to have started building runways that can be used by the chinese military. japanese lawmakers are urging the taiwanese officials to work on food safety. they don't want to see more regulations on imports from japan. taiwanese officials will increase nare regulations in the middle of the month. they plan to demand ser tiff cants of origin for all japanese imports. taiwan already bans food from five of japan's prefectures, including fukushima. officials imposed that rule after the nuclear accident in 2011. a group of japanese lawmakers told president ma the new

regulations are not based on scientific evidence. >> translator: we are urging taiwanese authorities to address the issue quickly and appropriately, so good relations would build between japan and taiwan and won't be hindered. >> taiwanese authorities have not said whether they'll rethink their plans. japan's foreign minister called for closer economic ties with cuba during his current visit to the country. fumio kishida met the president of the cuba/japan parliamentary friendship league on thursday. kishida is the first japanese foreign minister to visit the country. kishida told gutierrez he believes there are bright prospects for the relationship between their two countries. cuba is in the process of normalizing relations with the u.s. and japanese businesses have growing expectations that cuba will become an attractive investment destination.

gutierrez said he welcomed kishida's visit and expressed his intention to help strengthen ties. kishida is scheduled to meet cuban foreign minister and another minister in charge of cuba's international trade. kishida will leave the country on sunday. on sunday people in japan will have the opportunity to reflect on democracy and their government. they'll mark 68 years since their current constitution came into effect. and this year's anniversary comes as prime minster shinzo abe's efforts to amend it are gaining steam. a non-partisan group of lawmakers supporting constitutional change have gathered in tokyo. the group is headed by former japanese prime minister yasuhiro nakasone. >> translator: i hope debate on

this issue will be lively this year, as it marks the 70th anniversary of the end of world war ii. >> they adopted a resolution saying constitutional amendments now depend only on the will of the sovereign japanese people. not everyone agrees with the idea that it is time for some amendments. japanese communist party head voiced strong opposition. >> translator: let's make a people's movement that stretches across the country in order to block the attempt by the abe administration to destroy the constitution. >> prime minister abe has said that there's no denying that the post-war constitution was quickly drafted during the u.s.-led occupation. he says some articles are outdated and need to be changed. japan's constitution has not

been amended since it went into effect in 1947. results of an nhk poll suggest people who oppose amending war renouncing article 9 outnumber those who support a change for the second year in a row. nhk pollsters telephoned more than 2,500 people. aged 18 or older. 61% of them responded. article 9 of the constitution says the japanese people renounce the threat or use of force as a means of settling international disputes. asked if the article needs to be amended, 22% said yes. 38% said no. 34% said they were undecided. among those who favor amendment, 44% said they think the constitution should clearly state that japan can possess self-defense capabilities. 25% said an amendment is necessary so japan can participate in u.n.-led military activities. 15% said the article should be changed to state more clearly that the nation renounces any

form of military power. 8% said japan should be able to use force overseas. among opponents of a revision, 65% said article 9 is the most important provision in the pacifist constitution. 13% said an amendment would remove restraints on the use of force overseas. another 13% said it would be enough to change the way the article is interpreted. 6% said a revision would harm japan's international relations. last year the cabinet of prime minister abe decided to alter the long-held interpretation of the constitution so that the nation can exercise its right to collective self-defense. asked about this change, 22% expressed support. 30% were opposed. and 42% were undecided. asked if the government has sufficiently informed the public about the reasons for the change, 61% said it hasn't done enough.

far outnumbering the 32% who said the government has explained fully or to a certain degree. mcdonald's holdings japan has posted its biggest quarterly sales decline since it listed on the stock market in 2001. they are reeling from a string of food scandals. officials at the burger franchise say sales in the january-march period dropped 34% in yen terms from the year before. the company booked a net loss of over $120 million. mcdonald's has yet to recover from food safety scares in which foreign objects were found in its meals. the company also marked down the asset values of some of its poorly performing stores and its top executive says 131 restaurants will be closed. last year's consumption tax hike continues to cast a shadow over japan's economy.

new car sales in april fell for the fourth straight month. officials at auto industry organizations say nearly 320,000 vehicles were sold in japan last month, that's down 7.4% from the same month last year. excluding mini vehicles, new car sales rose 5% to a little above 198,000 units from a year earlier. that's the first rise in nine months. but overall sales were pulled down by sales of mini vehicles which dropped sharply by 22.5% to more than 120,000 units. the officials attribute the sharp decline to a tax increase for mini vehicles that kicked in last month. they also cite the backlash from last year's consumption tax hike. chinese leaders are tackling air pollution by encouraging citizens to buy electric vehicles. but the models they approved are

too expensive for the average buyer. people in regional towns and cities are opting for cheaper alternatives. the cars are slower but sales are booming. nhk world has more. >> reporter: last month in this province, it drew about 500 companies including car parts makers. in china various electric cars are being developed but one highly in demand are these electric cars. these compact cars cost $3,000. they are low speed electric cars. they can't go faster than 50 kilometers per hour but they are in big demand. on the other hand the electric cars the chinese government recommends must meet strict performance requirements. they include the ability to reach a speed of 80 kilometers per hour.

but cars of this caliber cost $30,000 or more. analysts say the market for low speed electric cars doubled last year with sales of 400,000 units, that's five times the market for the government standard electric vehicles. >> translator: there are so many low speed electric vehicle manufacturers. these cars are becoming a necessity for ordinary people. >> reporter: the government has not approved the use of low speed electric vehicles in major cities so they can't be driven there. but some regional governments are allowing them as part of a policy to promote new energy industries. the cars have a shorter range than standard electric cars but this seems to be enough for people living in suburbs and

rural areas where public transport is scarce. and the battery can be plugged in at home. >> translator: i'm old so i don't need a big car. this is enough for me. >> reporter: many low speed electric carmakers have started operating in shandong province as demand for this type of vehicle grows. the cars are low tech and can be made at low cost. their batteries are cheaper than lithium batteries. and labor costs at rural factories are also lower. this company was making motorcycles and three wheeled vehicles for use on farms. it started to produce low speed electric cars nine years ago. >> translator: we've been improving our products using our

experience making three-wheeled vehicles. our cars are stable and safe because we use disk brakes. >> reporter: the company is targeting seniors with an attractive compact model. they don't have the advanced technology and development budget to produce government standard vehicles. >> translator: we're focused on providing transportation for ordinary people at reasonable prices. we can fulfill everybody's dream of owning a car. >> reporter: but with no real rules governing the manufacture and use of low speed electric cars, safety is becoming an issue. in many areas people are driving them without a license and license plates. critics say the government should take practical steps to regulate these cars without hindering the development of the industry.

>> translator: the bottom line is that we need safety rules because these are cars. but if the government ignores the fact that this is now a major industry, they will be putting the cart before the horse. >> reporter: experts are watching closely to see how the industry adjusts to this demand for low coast, low emission vehicles. naoki makita nhk world. efforts to deal with contaminated water at the crippled fukushima daiichi nuclear plant has hit another snag. the operator of the plant discovered highly radioactive water could have leaked from a holding tank but says none of it has gotten past surrounding barriers. officials is the tokyo electric power company on friday

discovered a pool of water at the base of the tank. it was approximately 20 centimeters squared and beta ray emission from the surface of the water measured 70 millisieverts per hour. they placed sandbags around the pool and there's no sign it's getting bigger. the water has been treated to remove cesium but remains highly radioactive. officials believe the water in the pool came from one of the tanks. the tank with the suspected leak is an older model that has leaked before. its steel plates are bolted together rather than welded. tokyo electric plans to remove the remaining water in the tank for further treatment. high school students from hiroshima have traveled to the u.n. headquarters to deliver an important message. they are conveying pleas of survivors of the atomic bombings 70 years ago to eliminate nuclear weapons. they are hoping the message will sway delegates at a conference on disarmament.

chie yamagishi has the story from new york. >> reporter: this 17-year-old is from hiroshima. she's participating in the forum of the review conference. >> many survivors hope to save future generation from the same tragedy. >> reporter: she and three others represent a committee from their high school. the group has been advocating for the total elimination of nuclear weapons. members ask people who support their cause to sign petitions. she grew up in hiroshima but none of her relatives are an atomic bomb survivor. when she was a student in junior high, she found out the bomb killed more than 300 children at her school alone. >> translator: i learned that

the atomic bombing took away everything indiscriminately. i think it's really horrific. >> reporter: tokoyama wanted to learn more about what happened. so she joined the nuclear abolition committee. she meets survivors and listens to their stories. the group has spoken to about 40 people since 2011. and members posted videos of interviews on the website called hiroshima archive. [ speaking foreign language ] >> reporter: survivors are getting old. one died just a week before a scheduled interview. tokoyama feels time is running out.

>> translator: many survivors are old and sick. i know they have a lot of things in their hearts they can't express with words. i want to tell the world what they've conveyed to us. i feel that's my responsibility. >> reporter: after tokoyama and her group arrived in new york, they went to u.n. headquarters to give a presentation. tokoyama spoke about the survivors she's met. she called on the world to abolish nuclear weapons so future generations won't experience the same tragedy. >> many survivors say i'm happy to tell you about my experience. i hope the day will come when all nuclear weapons are abolished and the peaceful world will be realized. this will encourage us andto

abolish nuclear weapons. >> i'm very touched the survivors will pass away someday, but their spirit was passed to the young students. >> they are making good steps in working hard to get the word out and to help the world to remember what happened at hiroshima and nagasaki. >> translator: i'm happy to tell people how they feel and that we have the torch now. >> reporter: tokuyama is determined to carry on conveying the wishes of survivors everywhere she goes. she hopes to study international relations in university so she can make a difference and make the world a more peaceful place. chie yamagishi, nhk world, new york.

boxing fans around the world are getting ready for what's being called the fight of the century. floyd mayweather of the united states is an undefeated champion with five world titles under his belt. manny pacquiao of the philippines has won six. pacquiao fought his way out of poverty to become a global star. charmaine deogracias has the story. >> reporter: the two fighters spoke to more than 900 reporters to publicize their may 2nd match. the price is said to be at least $200 million, a record for a boxing event. pacaccio has a record, 56 wins and five losses with 38 knockouts. the 36-year-old boxer is a hero in the philippines. >> i hope this fight is going to

be not only to entertain people but to give an inspiration to all the people around the world. >> reporter: pacquiao's home island of mindanao is said to be one of the poorest parts of the country. some people here are excited about the fight. >> translator: i want to cheer pacquiao all the time. i can't do any work. >> reporter: pacquiao bought the gym where he used to train before his big fights. he made it free of charge for boys with similar backgrounds. vince is 16. he wanted to follow in pacquiao's footsteps. so he took up boxing four years ago. vince says he'll never forget something pacquiao did for his family. he asked pacquiao eight years ago to help his sick father. pacquiao paid the medical bills.

he even took care of the family's debts. >> translator: we will never forget that he has helped people like us. >> reporter: vince's father died six years ago. vince used to collect garbage on the streets. pacquiao's unyielding spirit inspired him. the boy thought he could support his family by boxing. he has been able to make some money by winning matches. >> translator: i want to become a champion like pacquiao. i want to help my family and other poor people. >> reporter: vince and other people all over the philippines will be cheering for pacquiao this weekend. they know how far he has come from his roots and they'll keep drawing inspiration from his success. charmaine deogracias, nhk world,

the philippines. here is the weekend weather forecast.

people are flocking to an exposition in milan to see and taste a global showcase of food. representatives of countries around the world are sharing their cuisine and their ideas about sustainable farming. japan has one of the largest pavilions. visitors can experience a cuisine unesco recognizes as part of the taste of japanese heritage. the entrance is decorated with sake barrels. >> i like the architecture of

the pavilion which is amazing. and i just want to see how it looks like. >> staff at the massachusetts institute of technology helped create this vision of a future supermarket. visitors can learn about the food by putting their hands near it. representatives of nepal are flying their national flag at half staff because of the earthquake back home. still one official said they're loobing ing-- looking forward to welcoming viz tor welcoming visitors. >> we want to show through this temple and there pavilion, that nepal is a very beautiful country. also a lot of potential for the agriculture production. >> the milan expo runs until the 31st. that's all we have this hour on "newsline." i'm ross mihara in tokyo. thank you for watching and have a good day.

>> hello and welcome to "global 3000," your weekly check on the global issues beyond the headlines. and here's what we have coming up for you right now. dreaming of the sea -- why landlocked bolivia still has its own navy.

ocean nightmare -- how tunisia tries to stave off an influx of foreign jellyfish. and upcycling -- how second-hand clothes become designer frocks in mozambique. now, states that don't see eye-to-eye with their neighbors are nothing unusual. but how do you get your neighbor back to the negotiation table over territory you lost more than 130 years ago?