it's the top of the hour in tokyo, and this is nhk "newsline." i'm ross mihara. a growing number of countries are considering ways to increase pressure on north korea following its claim of testing a hydrogen bomb. among them are members of the u.s. congress. they are expected to vote in the coming days on imposing heavier sanctions on pyongyang. house majority leader kevin mccarthy and chairman of the house foreign affairs committee ed royce called the obama administration's response weak and inadequate. they say the house will consider stronger legislation against threats to the u.s. the legislation would prohibit north korea from accessing hard currency.

it would also allow authorities to seize the u.s. assets of people involved in nuclear proliferation activities. democrat house minority leader nancy pelosi has expressed support for the legislation. she says it has the strong backing of both parties. meanwhile, members of the u.n. security council are negotiating to toughen sanctions. japan is urging leaders in china to engage more actively given their influence over the north korean government. sources say the u.s. government has begun closed door meetings with relevant countries over a draft resolution. officials at japan's foreign ministry say the draft includes tighter restrictions on financial transactions and trade. they say it includes new sanctions and steps to make existing ones more effective. the japanese officials say cooperation from china is essential to make the new resolution effective. foreign minister fumio kishida is arranging a telephone conference with his chinese

counterpart wang yi. they plan to work with the united states and south korea to solicit china's help. they are also urging other u.n. security council members to adopt a resolution swiftly. seoul has responded to north korea's claims by increasing troops and weapons near the border, and it's now broadcasting nonstop anti-pyongyang messages to the other side. defense ministry officials say they are using loudspeakers to air criticisms of the north korean leadership. >> they are also playing south korean news, music and appeals

for human rights. authorities have sealed off observation decks in other areas near the border to protect tourists. this is not the first time the south has broadcast propaganda across the demilitarized zone. over a decade ago, they were common. nhk world's kim chan-ju has this report. >> reporter: i'm close to an observatory that tourists regularly visit to the dmz. today, though, access beyond this point is restricted because of safety concerns over the resumption of broadcasts. in seoul, news of the resumption of propaganda broadcast is being greeted with mixed opinions. >> translator: if we show a weak attitude towards north korea, they will think they can do anything. i actively support the government's move. >> translator: i'm afraid the broadcast would cause problems if it lasts long. it will raise tensions, and citizens will become anxious. >> reporter: the south used to regularly blast anti-north

korean messages from loudspeakers across the demilitarized zone. but they were stopped because of a thaw in relations. last august, the administration of park geun-hye resumed propaganda broadcasts for the first time in 11 years. the move was in retaliation to land mine blasts that seriously injured two south korean soldiers. the north strongly protested the decision. it threatened military action against the south. and after an exchange of artillery fire across the border, seoul agreed to turn off the loudspeakers in an attempt to ease animosity. the agreement was dependent on the north's behavior. park's administration said this week's nuclear test is a reason to once again broadcast across the dmz. this expert on north korean nuclear issues thinks the north may retaliate by, again, firing artillery shells at the south's propaganda speakers.

>> it seems this south korean government is now braving the risk of this escalation in the belief that we should not let north korea's bad behavior go unpunished. >> reporter: he then gave the reasoning behind the south's decision to issue a firm response. >> nuclear capabilities in the hands of north korea is destabilizing the military powers on the peninsula. and also it instigates the north korean government to believe it can commit a conventional provocations with impunity. >> reporter: in his new year's speech, north korean leader kim jong-un mentioned improving inter-korean relations. the events of the past few days, though, are driving the countries further apart. >> that was nhk world's kim chan-ju.

with china's economic worries spilling over to markets around the world, investors have been seeking some bright signs for the global economy. they may have found it. the latest employment data shows the u.s. economy is enjoying solid growth. officials at the u.s. labor department say non-farm employers added 292,000 jobs last month. the figure is much higher than market expectations at about 200,000. hiring occurred in several industries led by professional and business services. officials revised the figures upward for october and november. the unemployment rate remained at 5.0% for the third straight month as more americans enter the workforce to look for jobs. some analysts say the u.s. jobs data may turn around recent global market moves if investors remain confident about the situation in the world's biggest economy. u.s. president barack obama is seeking to tighten gun

control by side-stepping a reluctant congress. the latest polls suggest a majority of americans support him, but they are skeptical about the effectiveness of his plan. obama spoke at a public meeting hosted by cnn. >> if we can combine gun safety with sensible background checks and some other steps, we're not going to eliminate gun violence, but we will lessen it. >> the broadcaster introduced its opinion polls on the issue. nearly 70% said they were in favor of the changes, but only 40% expect the measures will be effective in reducing the number of gun-related deaths. in a column in "the new york times," obama wrote that he would not campaign for, vote for or support any candidate who does not support gun reform, even those from his democratic party. military chiefs in iraq are claiming another victory in their fight against the islamic state group. they say an air strike seriously

wounded a senior member who serves as a spokesman. abu mohammad al adnani is believed to be a close aide to the islamic state group's leader. iraqi military officials say they hit him a few days ago in an air strike in the western province of anbar. they say he was taken to the islamic state stronghold of mosul for treatment. adnani has repeatedly urged muslims to join the group's war against the west. the u.s. government is offering a bounty of $5 million for him. opposition parties in poland are protesting what they see as a threat to the freedom of the media. they are protesting a law that gives the new conservative government more control over public broadcasters. european union leaders are also voicing concern. poland's president signed legislation that creates new powers. the treasury minister can now dismiss and replace the heads of public television and radio.

some directors in public tv have resigned. opposition lawmakers are accusing the government of putting pressure on the media. >> poland's ruling party has been expanding the government's authority since it won majorities in both houses of parliament in october. people in france have marked the one-year anniversary of the terrorist attack on the satirical magazine "charlie hebdo." memorial services were held in paris. but public concerns over terrorism remain high after police managed to ward off another terror attack. nhk world's tomoko kurabayashi has the details. >> reporter: police say a man tried to force his way into a police station in northern paris. they say he was carrying a knife and wearing a fake suicide belt

and was shouting, "god is great." police shot and killed the man. paris prosecutors have begun investigating the incident. the attack came one year after 17 people died when islamic extremists targeted the office of "charlie hebdo" and a supermarket in paris. the dead included three police officers. people gathered on thursday to mourn the victims. they laid flowers and lit candles. french president francois hollande visited the headquarters in paris and paid his respects in front of a cenotaph. >> translator: the actions of these terrorists are coordinated from abroad. they are trained, notably by islamic state, and it is this

organization that sponsors terror-related crimes, not only in france. that is why i say that we are at war. >> reporter: in november, the french capital was the site of another coordinated terrorist attack that left 130 people dead. the government declared a nationwide state of emergency immediately afterwards. it has since been extended until the end of february. >> translator: this crisis is spreading throughout the country. >> translator: i'm so scared. i'm afraid that more bad things will happen. >> reporter: an expert on french politics has expressed concern that the attacks have already added fuel to the anti-muslim sentiment in france. >> translator: more people now think that islamism and the issue of migrants should be

dealt with strictly. the entire country is drifting to the right. it seems that france is moving to boost security measures and toughen controls against migrants. >> reporter: professor yamada says there's a need to explore solutions from the viewpoint of social issues facing the muslim community. >> translator: no matter how hard they crack down on terrorists, potential terrorists could still be born unless the climate is transformed. a greater focus should be placed on the situation surrounding migrants and their frustrations. >> reporter: france now finds

itself at a crucial juncture, making anti-terrorism measures tougher to cope with islamic state militants while dealing with the issues facing migrants. tomoko kurabayashi, nhk world. at least ten people are dead and 15 injured after a bus crashed in india. cholaphansa narula in bangkok is following the story. >> the accident is the latest case in a country that has more traffic-related deaths than any other. in 2014 alone, nearly 140,000 people died on india's roads. the bus overturned in southern tamil nadu state as it was heading to a neighboring state. reuters says a preliminary investigation suggests the driver dozed off and lost control. in india, a person is killed in a road accident every four minutes. most deaths are blamed on

negligent driving, aging vehicles and poorly maintained roads. in another fatal accident, three people were killed and 35 were injured in a collision outside of bangkok. a truck carrying cattle slammed into the side of a passenger train at a crossing. the force of the impact derailed the train which was carrying about 400 people. the driver of the truck and a passenger died. one of the people on board the train was also killed. police say the truck apparently drove through a barrier at the crossing. children in some of the philippines' poorest communities are getting a taste of a nutritious japanese staple. they are benefiting from a push to ensure young people across the country get off to a healthy start. nhk world's kathleen ocampo reports on efforts to provide filipino youngsters with japanese-style tofu.

>> reporter: this manila suburb is dotted with low-income communities. this was built with donations from japan to give local youngsters access to education. they get tofu in their lunches every day like this tofu and pork tomato stew. >> translator: delicious. >> reporter: the kitchen uses japanese-style tofu which is more nutritious than local varieties that are high in preservatives and low in soy content. but finding the right person to make it wasn't easy. this is where they make the tofu. the smell of the soybeans fills the room. 38-year-old christopher used to work at the textile mill. but two years ago, he threw it in, deciding to learn to make tofu for the school instead. >> i want to make this nutrition.

i guess i want to make delicious tofu for the system. >> reporter: paas received help from a japanese engineer of tofu making machines. it recorded every step of the process, such as how long to keep the soybeans soaking in water. over the course of two years, he gradually improved his technique. >> translator: this turned out really well. it's delicious. >> reporter: paas sells his tofu to local families. he makes deliveries himself to keep costs low. it's less than a quarter the price of japanese tofu in markets. he gets orders for 100 pieces a week. this is a family of five with three children.

living on a tight budget, they used to consume mostly pork that was cheap but fatty. these days, they buy tofu from paas twice a week and eat it every day. >> translator: tofu is a substitute for meat. it's tasty and full of nutrition. my neighbors also buy his tofu. >> the family or the mother will say that your tofu is very delicious. so it is -- i am feeling happy. i hope so. i just want to spread this tofu factory. >> reporter: with every morsel of his tofu, paas is trying to improve the nutrition of underprivileged children. as they grow up, his efforts should have a big and lasting impact in the community. kathleen ocampo, nhk world, the philippines. >> and that wraps up our

bulletin. i'm cholaphansa narula in bangkok. the japanese government has unveiled the itinerary for the emperor and empress' visit to the philippines later this it will be the couple's first trip to the country in 54 years. officials from the imperial household agency say emperor akihito and empress michiko will leave tokyo on january 26th. they will attend a welcoming ceremony and meet president benigno aquino. the emperor will deliver a speech expressing hope for the further development of friendly relations between the two countries. later, the couple will visit the tomb of the unknown soldier to pay tribute to the philippine war dead. the emperor and empress will also visit a monument in caliraya. the monument was built by the japanese government for the victims of the war in the

pacific. the couple will visit a linguistic training facility for people who want to work as nurses and caregivers in japan. they will also meet people of japanese descent. the japanese and south korean governments reached a final settlement last month on the issue of those referred to as comfort women. but public opinion in south korea remains divided over the agreement. nhk world's shuhei ikehata reports from seoul. >> reporter: every wednesday, since 1992, members of civic groups supporting comfort women have been gathering in front of the japanese embassy in seoul. at the first rally this year, many opposed the bilateral agreement saying it fails to recognize japan's legal responsibilities. >> translator: what victims are demanding is an official apology and compensation from the japanese government. this agreement is invalid.

>> reporter: the response has been more positive in other circles. the korean national diplomatic academy hosted a seminar on tuesday. experts on japan/south korea relations called on support groups to accept the deal even if it isn't perfect. they argued that the victims are getting old and that bilateral relations need to move forward. >> translator: one way to obtain the understanding of people opposing the agreement may be to have japan's ambassador to south korea or other high-ranking officials read out abe's letter of apology in front of the victims. south korean officials including president park geun-hye and byung-se foreign minister should also meet the victims face-to-face and explain sincerely and candidly how the negotiations with japan unfolded and what the two sides have agreed to. >> reporter: a growing number of

people say president park should personally ask the surviving comfort women to accept the agreement. park geun-hye is south korea's first female president, and she has always placed considerable emphasis on the comfort women issue. the question now is whether she's willing to involve herself directly and risk a public backlash to make this thorny issue a problem of the past. shuhei ikehata, nhk world, seoul. through the generations, artisans in china's southern province of guangdong have passed down their techniques for making arts and crafts. but now the country's economic downturn is threatening to choke off this flow of traditional knowledge. nhk world's tomoki matsura has more. >> reporter: this basket of fruit. the entire piece is made of ceramic. here, a giant stone is a playground for children running

through grapevines. the people of guangdong have cherished such traditional crafts for centuries. >> translator: they are so intricate, we have to hand down our artifacts. >> reporter: these intricate sculptures are cut from ox bone. some of the larger ones can sell for millions of dollars. master craftsman su zhongyang works for more than 30 stores in the province. but sales have collapsed. they are down 90% from last year. su has been forced to close all but eight shops. he is also finding it difficult to hold on to apprentices. he once had as many as 60, but now, there are only about a third of them left.

>> translator: people stopped buying arts and crafts due to the economic slump. we've been hit hard. >> reporter: su now holds workshops for foreign students. he says families in china don't want their only child to enter this industry. they don't see much money in it. su is hoping these foreign students will help him promote the art of bone sculpting overseas. >> it's really cool. it's really beautiful things. >> translator: i got completely absorbed in it. it was fun. >> translator: i'm trying to preserve the skills behind china's traditional crafts. i hope the foreign students will tell their friends about our efforts.

>> reporter: tan is also struggling to keep his embroidery business alive. his masterpieces fetch thousands of dollars. ten artisans worked for an entire year to complete this peacock piece. tan uses threads of many different colors. here, subtle gradations of color bring this woman's face to life. but these works are too pricey for ordinary people. tan used to spend a month making a piece by hand so he turned to machine production. a machine can do the same thing in less than an hour. the works are cheap enough for almost anyone to afford. machine-made embroideries now

decorate hotel rooms, but tan isn't satisfied with the works because the machines can use only nine colors. >> translator: hand-crafted items are beautiful, but machine-made items are not. we need to combine the artisan's touch with modern technologies. >> reporter: as young people in china increasingly shy away from the apprenticeship system, master craftsmen must find a new method for passing on their skills. tomoki matsuda, nhk world, guangzhou. time now for the weekend weather forecast.

people in asia are celebrating the year of the monkey. but in the u.s., a judge handed down some unhappy news to one primate. he issued a legal opinion

stating that a monkey cannot hold copyright. in 2011, a british photographer set up a camera on the indonesian island of sulawesi, but it was a macaque that tripped the shutter. the resulting photograph was published by the photographer. last year a u.s.-based animal rights group filed a lawsuit on behalf of the monkey which the group calls naruto. the group wants naruto to be declared owner of the copyright and receive damages for infringement. the photographer claims he owns the copyright because he set up the camera and the tripod. the issue has generated considerable interest in the u.s. the animal rights group is considering its legal options. that's all we have this hour on "newsline." i'm ross mihara in tokyo. thank you for watching, and have a good day. x0

anchor: hello and welcome to global 3000. refugees have been making their way into the european union. what should be done with them after they have arrived? that has been the focus among governments and communities. it is an issue in africa. conflict and violence have driven many from their homes. these are the stories we have coming up for you. europe and refugees. young leaders see new opportunities for the continent. education gives new hope, online