hello there and welcome to "newsline." it's wednesday, august 19th. i'm catherine bayashi to serate explosions ane tw were carried out by the same group. they s thead similar features. national police chief somyot pumpanmuang said on tuesday the bombs were made from pipes and had almost the same power. he suggested the bombings were apparently intended to deal a blow to the military-led interim government. at least 20 people including foreigners died in monday's explosion in a busy area of the thai capital. 125 ot were wounded. another blast occurred in

bangkok on tuesday. an explosive device was thrown into the chao phraya river from a bridge. no one was injured. investigators are searching for a suspicious man who was caught on a surveillance camera near the site of monday's blast. chinese officials appear to be learning more about what may have caused a deadly warehouse blast in the city of tianjin. local media quotes a senior public security official as saying the building was storing more than 40 kinds of hazardous chemicals with a total volume of about 3,000 tons. the report says the chemicals included 800 tons of ammonium nitrate which can be used in explosives. there were also 500 tons of pa tass yum nitrate and 700 tons of sodium cyanide. authorities say the explosions killed 114 people and dozens are still missing. local media say authorities

detained ten people including the top official of a company that manages the warehouse. officials with japan's defense ministry are set to release a record-high budget. the decision comes as china increases its maritime activities in the waters around japan. defense ministry officials will seek a draft budget of $40 billion, that's up 2.2% from the current fiscal year. it covers the cost of purchasing 12 osprey transport aircraft and multipurpose helicopters for transport and rescue purposes. officials also want to buy 36 maneuver combat vex armed with artillery guns that can be easily transported by air. they'll also request funds for designing a system to monitor space in cooperation with the u.s. and they're seeking to increase the number of members

to deal with cyber attacks. the new bilateral guidelines adopted in april include measures to deal with new threats including those in space and cyber space. executives at a japanese electronicsmaker toshiba are trying to win back the trust of investors after a scandal over inflated profits. they say they'll boost corporate oversight. until now four people from outside toshiba have sat on the board. the company plans to increase that number to seven out of 11 members. toshiba will also re-examine its in-house audit committee. three of the five committee members were outside directors. toshiba plans to appoint all five from outside the firm. but some critics say in the recent scandal, the audit committee didn't have information on the accounting irregulariti irregularities. they say what matters is whether divisions can effectively check such problems. officials in japan are starting to see in troubles

signs from their top trading partner. they say exports to china in first six months of the year took a double digit dive. officials at the japan external trade organization say shipments brought in a little less than $70 billion. that's down almost 11% from the same period last year. officials say japan sold fewer cars and machinery to china and they say the weaker yen added to the pain by lowering the dollar denominated value of exports. trade officials say it was a similar story going in the other direction. they say imports from china tumbled by 13% to less than $80 billion. that's because japan bought fewer smartphone parts and notebook computers. an official at the trade organization says weak personal spending in china shows no signs of letting up. and that will damp demand of cars. among the survivors of the atomic bombings of hiroshima and

nagasaki are thousands of koreans and other foreigners. some are offered a subsidy from the japanese government but many living overseas are still not getting the care they deserve. nhk world reports. >> reporter: hapcheon, south korea, this town had the highest number of atomic bomb victims in the country. one of the survivors is this 72-year-old. he works for a group that supports south korean victims of the hiroshima and nagasaki attacks. more than 20,000 atomic bomb survivors are thought to have returned to south korean. about 3,000 hold atomic bomb survivors certificates, a document issued by the japanese government. certificate holders received

about $2400 a year. this pays for medical expenses in their home countries. but many foreign victims have not been approved. it's difficult to find witnesses or records to prove they were exposed to radiation. >> translator: it must be devastating to die without receiving the certificate. >> reporter: this is one survivor. she was 4 years old when h hiroshima was bombed. in 2010 she had cancer surgery. she had recently been suffering from acute pain in her hands and weight loss. >> translator: one day i noticed some yellow crusts. my hands were in acute pain and have swelled up like this many times. i went to the doctor and got an injection, but it didn't help.

>> reporter: she suspects it was caused by exposure to radiation and has considered applying for the certificate. but she can't prove she was a victim. she has almost no memory of the event, and all of her immediate family members have passed away. >> translator: my parents and older brother have passed away. because i'm on my own now, i can't do anything about it. >> reporter: this man was 22 when he was caught up in the bombing. he was wreck we decisi wreck wa work at the shipyard. he finally received his certificate last month. the blast left him with serious injuries. he didn't receive proper treatment, and he continued to suffer after returning to korea.

today he's bed ridden at the nursing home. his son looks after him. but he had trouble holding on to work because of disabilities. a leg injury and inflamed skin. his wife supported him and their five children with her meager earnings from farm work. >> translator: my father has suffered so much. he couldn't work because of his physical condition, and he probably still carries the bitterness in him. >> reporter: 70 years after the bombing, he was finally granted a certificate after his name was found listed on a payload in a japanese government archive. many survivors are not even aware they are eligible for

subsidies. and for those who are, time is running out. reporting for nhk world. japanese researchers say they've succeeded in generating an entire stomach from mouse embryonic stem cells. they say this is the first time all stomach tissue has been created from stem cells including ones that produce gastric acid. the group is led by akira kurisaki, a senior researcher at the national institute of advanced industrial science and technology. the researchers created lumps of cells by injecting a special time of protein into the mouse stem cells. they cultured the lumps in a gelatinous substance for two months. they say some of the lumps turned into balloon-like structures 2 to 3 millimeters in

diameter. the findings could lead to development of experimental drugs for stomach diseases and help identify the causes of such illnesses. with the new school term around the corner, officials at an npo are urging parents and teachers to pay extra attention to children who may be at risk of suicide. the npo supports children who refuse to go to school. many children who commit suicide do so immediately after the summer vacation. the move comes after japan's cabinet office published the results of a survey of more than 18,000 children who killed themselves between 1972 and 2013. the largest number or 131 of the children aged 18 and under committed suicide on september 1st, the date when many japanese schools reopen after the summer holiday. at a news conference the npo held tuesday a man who was bullied and stayed away from school talked about his experiences. >> translator: i clearly

remember i didn't want to go to school toward the end of the summer vacation. i want to tell children to think about their life first and foremost. >> members of the npo say parents and teachers shouldn't force their children to go to school. they say they should try to understand the children's reluctance to attend. indonesian rescue workers have found the wreckage of a missing passenger plane which disappeared on sunday. they've also recovered the bodies of all 54 people on board. the trigana air service flight was heading to oksibil. on tuesday rescuers found the wreckage in the mountains about ten kilometers from its destination at about 2,500 meters above sea level. they retrieved the remains of 49 passengers including five children and five crew members.

indonesia's state-run postal service says four of its workers were on board with $470,000 in cash. it was government aid for the poor in papua. the plane flew into rough weather. the country's national transportation safety committee will analyze the flight recorder for clues on the cause of the crash. wildfires are burning over wild areas. wide areas near lake baikol in russia. authorities are calling on local residents to protect themselves from the smoke. below average rainfall in siberia has led to the intermittent breakout of wildfires since early spring. the fires have already consumed 250,000 hectares of land in the area of buryatia. they're advising residents to wear masks when going out. helicopters have been deployed on a daily basis in the province

of irkutsk. they're urging authorities to do more to prevent wildfires. people in the philippines will soon be able to watch a popular nhk tv drama series in their local language. commercial broadcasting network tv-5 will start airing the 2013 season of amachan. it's about a school girl who becomes what's called a diver. she dives for marine products like sea urchins. she later becomes a member of a pop music group. the actress who plays the starring role sent a video message. she hopes people in the philippines will enjoy the series.

the series has been aired in ten countries and regions. it was submitted in local languages. more people in the philippines are becoming fans of japanese pop culture such as anime and manga. nhk officials say they hope "amachan" will help deepen their understanding of japan. the u.s. and cuba restored diplomatic relations last month. but cuba's long isolation didn't stop people in the caribbean nation from practicing japanese martial arts. one discipline that has a big following is ninjutsu. based on the ways of the ninja, the traditional stealth fighters of japan. more from nhk world's reporter.

>> reporter: cuban martial artists face off at this outdoor event held in april in havana. about 100 enthusiasts have gathered from around the country. cuba has many karate practitioners. kendo sword fighting is enjoying a boom. but there's one group that stands out. ninjas, practitioners of ninjitsu. damar has been a practicing ninja for 20 years. he's vice president of the cuban ninjitsu association. here he shows off the ninjitsu fighting techniques. he foils an attack with the slightest movement.

>> translator: our next goal is to get an expert from an established ninja family to come and help us refine our techniques. >> reporter: ninjutsu's popularity in cuba dates back to the time after relations with the u.s. broke down in 1961. hollywood movies could no longer be shown. many cinemas screened japanese action films instead. some cubans were captivated by the ninja's apparently superhuman skills and cunning techniques. there are now 14 training schools in cuba. and almost 200 practitioners. here at one of the largest facilities, about 50 students aged 8 to 56 train once a week. sabiron leads this group. he has the highest rank in cuba.

>> translator: this is my certificate from the cuban ninjutsu association. >> reporter: sabiron opened his training studio 12 years ago. he teaches ninjutsu for physical and mental discipline. he developed a training program based on mart wal arts movies. the strict regimen begins with the basics. students practice somersaults. so they can find their feet quickly in any situation. and, of course, no ninja can be without this, the throwing blade. most of their equipment is home made. here they practice ninja walking. every nerve in their bodies must be focused. ninja have to be ready for

anything. sabiran and the other ninjas are hoping the training environment will improve along with cuba's foreign relations. >> translator: we look forward to having exchanges with ninjas in japan and other parts of the world. >> reporter: inspired by the make-believe of japanese action movies, cuban ninjas are training hard in the real world. nhk world, havana. japanese wines have been getting increasing praise from around the world, and one person behind this is a young winemaker in central japan. she's combining local grapes with european technique to get

award winning results. >> she's the daughter of a fourth generation wine producer in yamanashi prefecture. wines from the region were previously not regarded as authentic fine wine, but with a lot of work, she's helped to change that. >> translator: our product was called second rate, and for a long time we didn't do anything about it. the producers didn't realize the true potential of their crop. so i decided to make grapes that were deeper and richer and which would mature over time. >> yamanashi prefecture is a major grape producer in japan. for years farmers there have grown a local species called koshu, mainly for eating. with extra care and effort,

mizawa has made it suitable for fine wine. >> translator: i was born into a family that really treasures koshu grapes. i grew up with them. for other winemakers, it's just another variety, one of many species of grape. but for me, it's truly precious. >> reporter: she studied authentic winemaking at bordeaux university in france. there she learned the methods of cultivation that are needed to make a bottle of fine wine. >> translator: i learned that winemaking techniques in japan are not as refined. in japan the focus is on the winery, but in france it's on the vineyard. >> reporter: after she returned

to japan, she was determined to change the method of growing koshu grapes. she planted the crops in a completely different way, with the shrines growing vertically. this gave them a higher sugar content, which is key to making good wine. she then selected the sweetest grapes by hand and only used those for cultivation. after laboring for five years, her efforts paid off. she grew a crop of the sweetest grapes yet. the grapes won a gold prize last year at one of the largest international wine contests in england. the drink is now gaining recognition among western wine lovers. >> translator: for a long time, i felt like i was failing. so i'm glad that i didn't give up. i managed to make something i'm

satisfied with. >> reporter: chefs and sommeliers say the drink goes well with japanese cuisine. she is now focusing on finding ideal food pairings for her wine. >> translator: japanese food embodies the delicate skill and effort of the chefs. koshu grapes are like that, too. they're very carefully grown. giving them a refined taste. i want to make wine that showcases japanese food culture, and i want to share it with the world. all right. it's time for a check of the weather. people in parts of northeastern

china are dealing with thunderstorms. mai shoji joins with us the latest. >> yes, katherine, that's exactly right. we're still talking about the thunderstorms across parts of northeastern china. and that includes the beiging and tianjin area where rescue efforts have been persisting. that is actually going to be persisting across similar locations with hailstorm warnings and advisories in place. there's still a risk of flooding and landslides. we have this constant rainfall that's been continuing across the chongqing area. you can actually see some snowfall in the very higher elevations out there. now, let's talk about the temperatures. we are looking at 31 degrees in seoul and 32 in at tokyo. another hot day and muggy for us on our wednesday. central japan looking quite nice, and the korean peninsula growing calm as well. but out towards hokkaido we're looking at thunderstorms that

will be flaring up especially in the afternoon hours. we're talking about storms. we are still monitoring the two typhoons. the two systems. one is actually going to be a violent typhoon status. that's the highest level of any kind of typhoon storms. 910 hectopascals. so people have to be aware of this system. the waves are going to be higher than ten meters. the goni is going to be pulling in towards taiwan, into norther week. it will possibly affect the southwestern islands of japan in the coming days. keep a very, very close eye on it. here across the americas, a similar picture here, the jetstream is meandering down the south carrying that autumnal cool area from the north clashing with the humid air of

the gulf of mexico and the collision will be moving towards the northeast making for a severe thunderstorm warning already in place in ontario. we're talking about 75 millimeters in total. that could cause flooding. a lot of precipitation across the east, but not at all in where we really want it. the relative low humidity is really down to the single digits across parts of the western locations and seattle hitting 31. all great recipe for the fire weather and the fire danger unfortunately will be continuing. i do want to take you down towards the southern hemisphere because this is a really different picture from that. we're looking at heavy snowfall in peru. take a look at this. people in peru are seeing heavy snowfall. it has once again slammed into the heart of the country's winter. this recent event was disastrous for mountain farmers where over 100 alpacas died. the recent snow has killed off crop s and grasslands.

300 alpaca farmers have called for support in the area. taking you back, i can tell you that it's going to last a little longer down to the south. we have level three warnings for rain, hail and snow in higher elevations. as far as the snow is concerned in places that we just saw, the temperatures will be marking below the negative degrees for the overnight, but showers on your friday, that's about all. i'll leave you for the extended forecast.

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

>> ready to be knocked off your perch? then we're all set for another edition of global 3000 where - in edition to a parrot-themed look at biodiversity in action - we have the following stories coming up: death of an island paradise: the devastating cost of indonesian tin mining beauty on a branch: harnessing the rejuvenating power of the argan tree and did i mention there would be parrots? stay watching!