glad to have you with us on this edition of "newsline." i'm raja pradhan in tokyo. u.s. president barack obama and chinese president xi jinping have exchanged views on a range of issues that divided them. one challenge they agreed to tackle together is cybercrime. >> i raise our very serious concerns about growing cyberthreats to american companies and american citizens. i indicated it has to stop. we agreed neither the u.s. nor chinese government will conduct or knowingly support cyber-enabled theft of intellectual property.

>> translator: confrontation and friction are not the right choice for either country. we have agreed to strengthen our intelligence sharing on cybercrime. >> obama said the two governments will set up a scheme for ministerial level dialogue and he said officials will hold their first session this year. the presidents found less common ground on territorial issues. obama expressed concern about the increasingly assertive chinese presence in the east and south china seas. he said he stressed his belief in the need for freedom of navigation and overflight. he also said he raised serious concern about chinese land reclamation and construction of military facilities in the south china sea. president xi said his country has the right to uphold its territorial sovereignty and legitimate maritime rights and interests.

delegates at the united nations summit in new york have agreed unanimously on universal development goals to be achieved by 2030. the renowned pakistani advocate of girl's education, malala yousafzai, spoke at the opening of the summit. she said everyone should have access to school. >> promise to all children, children in pakistan, in india, in syria and across the world, promise them peace, promise them prosperity, promise them education. >> may i take it that the assembly wishes to adopt draft resolution a-70-l1? it is so decided. >> the new set of 17 goals delegates adopted are called sustainable development goals. they include ending poverty in all its forms everywhere and

stamping out hunger in the next 15 years. member states will also work harder to empower women and girls and take urgent action to combat climate change. the sustainable development goals follow the millennium development goals launched in 2000. one target was to reduce extreme poverty by half in 15 years, but more than 800 million people still live on little more than $1 a day. the summit continues through sunday. japanese lawmakers have virtually wrapped up this year's ordinary diet session. the term is officially set to end on sunday. prime minister shinzo abe says the security laws enacted last week will contribute to regional peace and stability. >> translator: the laws will ensure that the japan/u.s. security alliance will fully function in case japan faces dangers. the laws make the point clear to the world, prevent war and help

strengthen regional peace and stability. >> the laws will expand the role of the self-defense forces and allow the country to exercise its right to collective self-defense under certain conditions. abe says not a single japanese, including himself, wants war. he says it's irresponsible to e legislation and stir up baseless concerns. >> translator: many countries have expressed strong support for the laws, including the philippines and other southeast asian nations where battles occurred during world war ii. our former enemies, the u.s. and some european nations, also support the laws. my government will continue to provide a thorough explanation to gain more approval from the public. >> abe says he will do even more to improve ties with china, south korea, russia and other neighbors. the prime minister says he wants

to hold a three-way summit with china and south korea within a few months. he will leave for new york on saturday to attend the u.n. general assembly. executives at volkswagen have admitted installing equipment in diesels to dodge emissions regulations there. germany's transport minister says volkswagen did the same thing in europe. alexander dobrin says the company informed the german government about the rig testing in europe. he announced plans to conduct an investigation to determine the number of affected vehicles in europe. the company admitted that about 11 million of its vehicles around the world are installed with illegal software. germany's auto build magazine has come out with another disclosure. it sites road tests by a non-profit organization for the

bmw x3 diesel model. the group's results show the x3 emits nitrogen oxide at levels more than 11 times above europe's emissions limit. bmw has said it does not manipulate or rig any emission tests and observes the legal requirements in each country. german authorities plan to broaden their probe to cover cars manufactured by other automakers as well. authorities in the u.s. city of seattle are trying to figure out why a bus and an amphibious tour vehicle collided. they say two smaller vehicles were also involved in the crash. four people were killed and more than 50 others were taken to nearby hospitals. police told japanese diplomats that one of the victims is from japan. rescue crews say 15 people are seriously injured. a japanese student who spoke to us by phone said the group was heading to an orientation event.

>> he said the bus was almost full. he also said he was taken to a hospital and later released because his injuries were not serious. the bus was carrying employees and foreign students from north seattle college. authorities in saudi arabia are dealing with the aftermath of a deadly stampede near the holy city of mecca. more than 700 people were killed and 800 injured during the annual muslim pilgrimage known as the hajj. nhk world's takashi koga has more. >> reporter: saudi authorities say the stampede occurred in the western city of mina on thursday. people were trampled as crowds gathered to perform a stone-throwing ritual. >> we are investigating the

incident in order to determine the real cause of such incident. >> reporter: millions of people from around the world visit mecca for the hajj every year. a series of accidents have occurred at past pilgrimages and related events. in 1990, more than 1,400 people were killed in a stampede. two weeks ago in mecca, more than 100 people were killed when a large crane collapsed in bad weather onto a mosque. an iranian government official blames the latest disaster on poor crowd control. >> translator: saudi officials must be accountable in this regard. >> reporter: i'm in tokyo mosque. people gathered here for friday

prayer. most of them prayed for the pilgrims who died during hajj. the imam called for more prayers for victims of the disaster. >> translator: pilgrims head to mecca as if they are visiting allah's home. they gather at the holy city, leaving all their fortunes and family behind, so i am so sorry to hear the news. >> reporter: this man has performed the hajj twice and says the behavior by some pilgrims could have caused the catastrophe. >> translator: the saudi government must have taken enough safety measures after learning from past accidents.

but if pilgrims do not observe the rules, accidents can happen, as there are so many people there. >> reporter: saudi arabian authorities are trying to find out more details about the cause of the stampede. officials said they will do all they can to come up with safety measures to prevent a recurrence. tagashi koga, nhk world. the election campaign in myanmar is generating a lot of enthusiasm in the country and abroad. the november general election will be the first since the end of military rule and introduction of democratic reforms. nhk world's dhra dhirakaosal reports from myanmar's largest city. >> reporter: hello from yangon.

almost two weeks have passed since the official election. the country had been under military rule for half a century. since 2011, myanmar has been undergoing drastic changes with the introduction of democratic and economic reforms. now the people of myanmar are preparing to take part in their first free general election since 1990. i visited a suburb of yangon where the election battle is heating up ahead of the november 8th poll. aung san suu kyi is the leader of the opposition national league for democracy and the symbol of myanmar's pro-democracy movement. she is not only visiting her constituents but also those of other candidates. aung san suu kyi is making a stop here to campaign ahead of the election as locals gather in excitement. >> translator: with the people entrusting power in us, we're all the more determined to work

hard for them. >> the november vote will be the first free general election in 25 years. expectations are high among voters. >> if the nld, led by aung san suu kyi, wins the election, this country will make a change for the better. >> translator: i love aung san suu kyi. i'll be rooting for her, and i will vote for her. >> reporter: president thein sein of the ruling union solidarity and development party, has released a video stressing the reforms his party has introduced since the transition to civilian rule. they include greater freedom of the press. usdp candidates are busy on the campaign trail. the party is backed mainly by members of the former military regime. this candidate who is a businesswoman visited homes door-to-door calling for

support. >> translator: i am a candidate from this constituency running in the election. >> reporter: she's highlighted the reforms introduced by president thein sein and said no other parties are capable of achieving economic growth and social stability. >> translator: our party stands behind its past slogan to make this a peaceful, democratic and advanced country. we will continue to follow this path if we receive a fresh mandate from the public. >> reporter: campaign vehicles are noticeable on the streets of downtown yangon. people's interest in the election appears to be high. this factory has been printing election-related flyers. since the start of the campaign earlier this month, the factory has been operating at full capacity, supplying brochures for political parties and their candidates.

>> translator: a lot of people are interested in the 2015 general election. the election is crucial for transforming myanmar. >> reporter: the opposition nld is running an aggressive campaign and is reported to have the edge. but the race has just begun, and candidates from other parties are also hitting the campaign trail determined to get their message out. the upcoming free election has a special meaning for the people of myanmar. the country was under military rule for most of the years since independence. the opposition nld won the 1990 election with overwhelming support, but the military regime ignored the public will. over the years, the military government was consistent in cracking down on the pro-democracy movement. aung san suu kyi remained under house arrest for a total of 15 years.

she was still under house arrest when the last general election was held in 2010. aung san suu kyi and the nld are hoping for a change of government, but they're facing major challenges by the ruling party. nhk world's thi ha thwe reports on the nld's strategies. >> this is myanmar's largest city, yangon. a street vendor approached our car. he is selling 2016 calendars with photographs of aung san suu kyi. the banner says 2016 will be the pro-democracy leader's year. >> translator: the calendar has been selling well because our country will hold an election this year. of course, i'll vote for aung san suu kyi. >> reporter: [ inaudible ]. recent polls show the nld leading.

but a quarter of myanmar's parliament seats automatically go to members of the military. the ruling party only needs to win a little over 30,000 of the remaining seats to stay in power. aung san suu kyi has many new candidates from her support. from women and the young. she is calling for more democracy. zin mar is among the new crop of candidates, the founder of a woman's group and seen as a possible successor to aung san suu kyi. during military rule, the then 32-year-old was arrested for leading the students' movement. she was held in a solitary cell as a political prisoner for 11 years.

zin mar says it was her faith in democracy during those dark days that kept her alive. >> translator: my body may have been in jail but not my soul. this is the thought that got me through. but i learned from aung san suu kyi as she encouraged me and supported me as an activist. >> she says the key issue for the upcoming election is whether myanmar can completely discard the era of military rule. >> translator: it won't be easy to establish democracy. it will take time. the military regime will do its best to hold onto power. but i believe it is the people who give legitimacy to government. >> will the general election give myanmar true democracy? for better or worse, the

two-man campaign will define the future of the country. thi ha thwe, nhk world, yangon. >> it's only been four years since myanmar made the transition to civilian rule. the country's democratic foundations remain fragile. >> we all see this as the last chance for the people. this 2015 is very, very crucial. if we miss this opportunity, i think it's very difficult, you know, to totally, to find a real genuine democratic government for i don't know how long it will take. >> reporter: democratic and economic reforms are taking place in myanmar. this is giving people hope for a brighter future. the reforms are also seeing a greater acceptance for the country by members of the international community. it is hard to imagine that a reversal would be allowed at this point. the question now is what shape

the political force for change will take in the days following the general election. with the clock ticking towards election day on november 8th, nhk world will continue providing updates on this country in transition. i'm dhra dhirakaosal reporting from yangon. people in japan's northern most island of hokkaido are celebrating ten years since unesco awarded world heritage status to one of their most picturesque parks. they are flocking to the park for the unspoiled nature and variety of wildlife. it is home to brown bears, the largest can be over two and a half meters tall, and they are not always friendly to their visitors. >> reporter: this is a brown bear. it reigns over the ecosystem on land.

summer is the season for rearing bear cubs. this year shiritoko is celebrating the tenth year as a world national heritage site. august is the peak season for tourists. and what they are after is -- >> we're here for brown bears. >> brown bears. i just hope to come across with them. >> reporter: this photograph was taken in july. a brown bear had its front paws on a tourist's parked car and is shaking it. this dangerous situation sent shock waves through the local area.

summer is a season of hardship for brown bears. there aren't many salmon trout heading up the river and not many berries or nuts yet. brown bears appear frequently seeking food. more tourists want to catch a glimpse of the bears, so the distance between the two gets narrower each year. this year there have been many more sightings with many tourist spots closing down temporarily. the nature foundation is trying to protect the brown bear. the foundation says sightings this year up until july already exceed 800, a similar pace to 2012 two years ago, a record year. >> translator: we see more bears this year. brown bears may remain quite

active this year. we are concerned about that. >> many cars have stopped and there's a crowd forming. a brown bear. the foundation's agency has rushed to the scene. >> reporter: securing safety of tourists is an important mission. that was a flash bang. they succeeded in driving the bear away without anyone getting injured. but that evening, a brown bear appeared again. this time it's close to a

residential area. tourists cars are parked, too. and even when people draw near, the bear shows no sign of run away. flash bang shots again. to secure safety, bears have to be driven away. >> translator: the best way to find bears is to look for crowds of people because people gather around bears. that's because tourists who come here want to see the bears, and we cannot change that. >> reporter: the shiretoko nature foundation is worried a contingency may occur at any time. the foundation is making efforts to have tourists understand brown bears better. >> translator: hello, everyone.

welcome to shiretoko. this is a nature class for families visiting shiretoko. >> reporter: this day's class is about feeding the bears. >> translator: if we have leftover food in the lunch box and leave it behind, the wild animals will eat them. we have to be careful. >> bears don't understand words, but we can talk to people so we can educate them and give them information to influence their behavior to manage the situation well. at the end of the day, managing bears is about managing people. it's countermeasures for people. that's what i think. >> reporter: crowds of tourists come to shiretoko attracted by

its nature. can we maintain an appropriate distance with nature? that's the big question. and there's more to come here on "newsline." first, here's a three-day outlook on the world's weather.

from anime to video games and manga comics to colorful kimono, a japanese pop culture expo in jakarta has young people flocking through the doors. the anime festival asia kicked off friday in the indonesian capital. more than 130 major japanese toymakers and other firms are taking part. visitors shopped for character goods from popular anime series and video games. japanese singers got into action with anime theme songs. >> translator: ever since i visited japan, i've been in love with the pop culture. i especially love the anime. >> translator: pokemon is great. i love it.

my children are huge fans as well. >> it is an opportunity for japanese exports. that is why even the government is trying to look cool. it has set up its own booth. visitors here can try on traditional ukata cotton kimono featuring print designs inspired by native indonesian batiks. >> translator: indonesia has a large population and a developing economy. the country is very important in our plans to push the cool japan initiative through asia. >> organizers say they are expecting 60,000 visitors at the three-day event which runs until sunday. and that wraps up this edition of "newsline." i'm raja pradhan in tokyo. from all of us at nhk world, thanks for watch, and have a good day, wherever you are. óóññ

>> total eradication of the one deadly disease. it is an astounding fee, but humanity has managed it before. smallpox was first and it took the polio will follow. that, however, is now in jeopardy. find out why on this edition of global 3000. polio in pakistan, fear and mistrust putback nation teens at risk. loud and proud in egypt, women take to their scooters in a bid for freedom. and, sun, sea and sponges, zanzibar's inhabitants read an unusual harvest.