reclam lags of reefs in south shine sea. and chinese foreign wang yi. they leased a joint statement.

they take note of the serious concern expressed by some nations on the land reclamation projects. officials from the philippines call for the document to contain language denouncing china, but other countries valuing ties with china were strongly opposed. leaders in beijing are speeding up their maritime activities in the spratly islands including the construction of a 3,000-meter air strip and other facilities. the philippines, vietnam and other parties overlap their territorial claim there. now, a u.s. think tank released photos that show china could be preparing to build a second runway in the spratly islands. the center for strategic and international studies uploaded photos of the reef on its website. researchers at csis say the photos indicate that, as of june, about 4 million square meters of land have been reclaimed. they say chinese officials may be getting ready to construct another air strip.

the director of the csis asia maritime transparency initiative told nhk that the reef is the last shallow area where china is reclaiming. she says the piece of land almost as long as a runway on fiery cross reef is being prepared. japan's foreign minister has pushed his north korean counterpart to clarify the fate of japanese abducted to the north decades ago. fumio kishida peld their first talks of the year in malaysia. experts say ri is a close leader to kim jong-un. they opened a full scale investigation on the issue july last year but they postponed releasing a report. north korean agents kidnapped japanese nationals in the 1970s and '80s. the japanese government says at least 12 are still unaccounted for. families of abductees suspect

hundreds of others may also have been taken to the north. kishida expressed his disappointment with the lack of progress. he told ri it is extremely regrettable pyongyang hadn't issued any report on the investigation for more than a year. >> translator: we'll continue calling on north korea to come up with concrete measures as soon as possible. >> translator: i had a meeting with japan. we discussed how to implement the two issues that the governments have agreed on. >> ri declined to comment on the details of the talks. a panel of advisers to

japanese prime minister shinzo abe has submitted a report on the country's role in the world. it says japan has contributed to the international society as a peace loving nation based on deeper mores over a reckless war. abe will take the report into consideration before he issues a statement next week to mark the 70th year since the end of world war ii. the academics, business leaders and journalists have discussed what lessons japan should learn from the 20th century and how to use them in the 21st century. they say japan expanded its aggression against the continent in the early 1930s and deviated away from the post world war i shift which was towards self-determination, democratization and the outlying of war. they say japan lost sight of its global trends and caused much harm to various countries largely in asia through a reckless war. the experts say colonial rule became particularly harsh from the second half of the 1930s.

they say the responsibilities of the japanese government and military leaders from the 1930s and beyond are very serious. they say it is inaccurate to claim that japan fought to liberate asia as a matter of national policy. but the experts note there were dissenting views among them concerning the use of the word "aggression" partly because the definition of aggression has not been established under international law. the report says in the second half of the 20th century over deep remorse of the war, japan has been reborn as a country that is completely different than it was in first half of the century. former prime ministers tomiichi murayama and junichiro koizumi expressed their thoughts on the anniversaries of the war's end. the experts say it should continue dialogue with china and

south korea to achieve lasting reconciliation. they call for further cooperation with southeast asia facing with humility the bitter experiences people there went through. and they say japan must not halt its proactive contribution to peace including nonmilitary activities but should further embody it and meet the expectations of the international community. >> translator: based on this report, i'd like to draft a statement that will tell the world what we have learned from the war and what kind of path we will take 70 years after the war's end. >> an expert on international law says abe should make it clear that japan will maintain the stance expressed in the murayama statement. >> translator: the report clearly states, as agreed by many on the panel, that the war was unlawful aggression. that is worth noting.

>> a diplomatic historian says the choice of words is important, but that should not be the focus of the planned statement. >> translator: what is important is that people can feel they share historical perception with the government. i'll be watching that aspect. egyptian leaders are showcasing their expansion of the sue easy canal. they have made it easier for ships to pass through the major waterway in less time and they held a ceremony on thursday to celebrate their achievement. ♪ the suez canal was opened in 1869, linking the red sea to the

mediterranean. extension work involved a 72 kilometer strip of the 190 kilometer waterway allowing two-way traffic. officials say the work was completed in one year instead of three years in their initial plan. >> translator: egyptians have exerted all their powers for one year and promised a gift to the world. >> the egyptian government estimates by 2023 daily vessel numbers through the waterway will roughly double raising revenue from the traffic by 2.5 times. they expect the widening canal will be a stable source of revenue amid the sluggish domestic economy. an expanded panama canal will be opened in april. analysts say shipping companies will likely accelerate a review of their shipping routes by comparing time and cost. 12 countries wrapped up free trade talks in hawaii last week without reaching a deal. as for when the next meeting will take place, that's anyone's

guess. ramin mellegard from the business desk explains. >> thank you very much, catherine. japan's minister in charge of the transpacific partnership talks wanted to hold another meeting at the end of this month, but now he says that other countries are not likely to have a ministers gathering in august. amari came out of the meeting with prime minister shinzo abe to say the member countries may need time to cool down and make some mental adjustments. he conveyed the country's desire to hold working level meetings that would try to iron out the remaining issues. amari said abe urged him to do all he can to reach a broad agreement asking him to draw up a road map toward a definitely agreement. now, japanese car parts maker takata has been at the center of an extensive recall scandal. even though company executives are predicting higher sales and operating profit. the revised sales estimate to $5.8 billion for the business year that ends in march. that's up nearly 3% from the

initial projection in yen terms. the executives expect an operating profit of about $320 million, a more than 17% increase. the officials point to brisk sales of air bags and seat belts in the united states, but they made no revisions to net profit at $160 million. the officials say the cause of the airbag defect hasn't been pinpointed yet. and so a reasonable net profit estimate is impossible. still, takata is expected to shoulder huge costs related to its recalls. now, tax retailer laox says it's opening three more stores in japan. executives hope to tap more into the growing demand from international tourists. the executives say they'll set up the shops in the next two months as tenants in department stores in kobe, kyoto and fukuoka. it's part of a strategy to cut costs and attract more customers. laox also plans to more than triple the floor space of its

outlet in osaka department store. the shop has enjoyed brisk sales since it opened in march. foreign customers account for about 90% of all sales at laox. the company is a subsidiary of a chinese electronics retailer. now, employees in japan often spend hours creating manuels to train new workers. but an application in smartphone is changing the way workers learn the ropes. >> queues form in front of this bakery chain every day. it sells tarts fresh out of the oven. >> translator: i bought tarts here three days in a row. they are so good. >> reporter: part-time workers help the pastry chef run the shop. the bakery uses a training app installed in tablet computers to get the workers up to speed. the baking process is explained in this manual, illustrated with more than 300 pictures. baking tarts requires a lot of

experience. there are so many visual details that making a manual was considered impossible. but this application changed the game. a visual manual in an easy-to-see layout was created in about seven hours. >> translator: it was easier to learn because it comes with many pictures. it's better than just getting instructions. >> reporter: the bakery now wants to train its workers faster so it can expand. >> translator: we can't just depend on our pastry chefs if we are going to open more shops. the app allows us to share their skills. and that's crucial for our business. >> reporter: the manual app was developed by a business venture in tokyo. the president of the firm once worked for a consulting company. he saw a business opportunity when he noticed many firms

struggling to write manuals. >> translator: you can put marks on images. >> users of the app can manipulate photos with their fingers. the product has been a hit among business people. suzuki's firm now gets nearly 50 orders a month. >> translator: i saw that workers on site don't usually write manuals. with the working population falling, my business can help train workers. >> reporter: the manual is also changing how local farmers work. this man runs a farm in yamanashi city in japan. five years ago, his son incorporated the farm as a business. now he trains young rookies at the farm's vineyard.

the key to the training is the manual app. >> translator: traditionally farming skills have been handed down verbally. now with smartphones we can take pictures and pass on the skills to the younger generation. >> reporter: some businesses are also hoping to use the app with foreign trainees and workers who are struggling with japanese. they feel it can boost each individual's skills. that's all for business news. people who survived the bombs have endured a lifetime of health problems. they're entitled to receive government subsidies for their treatment, but for those living abroad, getting that help has been a long battle. the japanese government says around 4,200 atomic bomb survivors live outside japan.

nhk world has the story of one who spent decades fighting to secure benefits for himself and others like him. >> reporter: this 91-year-old visits a monument in hiroshima for victims of the atomic bomb. he's one of approximately 2400 atomic bomb survivors living in south korea. which is the largest number outside of japan. he has devoted himself to securing their rights. he prays for more than 30,000 koreans thought to have perished from the attack. >> translator: i came to pay tribute to the korean victims who died in such a regrettable way. >> reporter: kwak was

conscripted into the japanese military in 1944. near end of japan's colonial rule of the korean peninsula. he was training in hiroshima when the atomic bomb was dropped. he was only about two kilometers from ground zero. >> the blast burned my whole left arm. ten years later, keloid scars appeared, and the doctor said they were an after-effect. >> reporter: kwak suffered severe burns on his back, too. he later met a south korean man who had received survivor satisfaction in japan. he visited hiroshima in 1979 and

received his own certificate. but its value was purely symbolic. certified survivors would lose their right to benefits if they left the country. >> translator: we are all atomic bomb survivors, whether we are in japan or not. the idea that you lose your benefits once you leave the country is nonsense. >> reporter: kwak filed a lawsuit demanding equal rights for survivors outside japan. some citizens groups in japan offered to help. >> translator: we were brought to japan by force, made victims of the bombings, then ignored by the japanese government. we've been victimized three times over. >> reporter: kwak wants a suit.

the japanese government began providing the same benefits to survivors living abroad as they did to those in japan. these students from japan and south korea are studying relations between the two countries. they have come to hiroshima to hear from south korean survivors of the atomic bomb.

>> translator: neither i nor the people around me knew about the korean survivors. south koreans should memorialize the victims and survivors of the bombing as they do in hiroshima. >> translator: being younger, we have advantages. we often use social media. and through it, we can spread the experiences of the hibakusha. >> reporter: kwak has decided to share his experience with younger relation for the rest of his life. he hopes such a tragedy will never be repeated again. reporting for nhk world from hiroshima. organizers in rio de janeiro, brazil, are set to welcome the world in one year at the 2016 summer olympics. but they're in a race to finish venues and tackle major issues

like security. they're now facing an uphill battle trying to prove they'll be ready in time for the games. nhk world reports. >> reporter: people here are preparing for the real thing. the triathlon was held on sunday in rio de janeiro. trial events like this one are key to assuring the organizers will be successful. it gives them a chance to practice in venues and helping spectators. but nor now all the facilities built for the games are still not finished. they're building in the district where most events will be held. this means construction must be finished before that. crews are working around the clock to extend the subway line to the venues with the city center.

new bus lanes are also under construction. and it may come down to the wire. extended parts of the subway line are scheduled to open in june, just weeks before the start of the games. government officials oversee preparations for the olympics. it unifies all information for the federal, state and the city government on construction projects from venues to subways. officials at the organization monitor all data on olympics-related construction work in realtime. they are trying to prevent further delays by getting rid of any bureaucratic red tape. >> translator: the country, the state and the city working together will make the preparation and coordination process smoother. i think that we'll be ready when the games start.

>> reporter: a japanese council visiting rio is studying how to increase cooperation. >> translator: we haven't yet tried the system. we'd like to learn how it works and introduce the idea for the tokyo games. >> organizers in tokyo may learn from brazil on how to make the olympics in 2020 a success. but that will be down the road. right now people here are focused on attracting the various problems in making sure theent goes off without a hitch. reporting for nhk world, rio de janeiro. it is time for a check of the weather. people in taiwan are bracing for a typhoon heading their way. they are already feeling its effects. mai shoji joins us with the

detail. >> we have been monitoring this typhoon for some time now. it's starting to affect the islands of okinawa as well as taiwan with the bands pulling a lot of that rainfall. it's going to get worse. the numbers we are talking about are going to be 216 kilometers per hour gusts in the center of this system as it pulls near the east of taiwan, the water is quite warm. above 30 degrees. it could intensify further before making that impact on the whole of this island and then pulling into southeastern areas of china. so we're talking about 200 millimete millimeters which could damage some structures out there. and the waves on top of the storm surge is up to 12 meters high. as it pulls into taiwan, look at this digit. more than 600 millimeters can be found in localized areas just into saturday night in taiwan. especially on the eastern coast. we have very heavy warnings in place.

please stay away from those coastal locations. as it pulls into southeastern areas, it should be weakening but still dropping 220 millimeters or even more into saturday night in and around fujong. across japan the big topic is the heat. more than 1,000 people have been carried to the hospital just yesterday. and the digits are as followed. 2 t in tatebayashi again. even in south korea we are looking at these kinds of temperatures, almost surging into the 40s. we have images coming from there. after the daytime heating this is what happens. sudden bursts of showers in areas where the temperature reached 38 degrees on thursday. heavy rain affected the rest of northern konto. 76 millimeters of rain reported in one hour in one location. hokkaido is also seeing torrential rain. 100 millimeters per hour was reported. 72 millimeters fell in just three hours, which makes it a

record since the record began. if we can pull back we can still see this high pressure system predominant, which makes the temperatures rise. and then you are likely to see the sudden deterioration of weather. we do see a lot of patches of the weather -- the precipitation but that's going to be in a short span. tokyo again is going to reach more than 35 degrees. 36 is going to be in the forecast for friday. it's going to be a really hot day for us. and seoul reaching 34 again on our friday. let's look at the americas very quickly. we still have that scattered showers. some heavy rain could cause some flash flooding in the southwestern areas. conditions are very unstable due to this system pulling in. another area where you should be watching out for the sudden deterioration of weather is in the dakotas and into the great lakes region. we have one tornado reported in minnesota. and there could be isolated tornados that could be spawned across these locations. i know it's summer, and you do want to enjoy the sun and go

outside and enjoy the fun. however, there is going to be some frequent lightnings which you must be aware of. if you hear any thunder, go indoors immediately and take shelter. another topic is the heat advisories widely placed in here in the southern areas. especially oklahoma city. reaching 38 degrees. watch out for heat stroke. i leave you now with the extended forecast.

and that wraps up this edition of "newsline." i'm catherine kobayashi in tokyo. thanks very much for joining us.

stacey thunder: on this edition of native report, we learn about the history of the mahkato wacipi, we meet ramona kitto stately, a talented moccasin maker, and we continue our 10th anniversary celebration by honoring the memory of shakopee mdewakanton sioux community chairman, the late stanley r. crooks. we also learn something new about indian country and hear from our elders on this native report. narrator: production of native report is made possible by grants from the shakopee mdewakanton sioux community and the blandin foundation. [music playing]