>> hello and thank you for joining us. i'm raj pradhan in tokyo. rescuers saved four miner who is had been trapped underground for 36 days. they aired the rescue live. the men were trapped 200 meters below in a gypsum mine. they used a cable to lift them out. they lowered a camera. they used the bore hole to send down food, drink, and medicine. they dug a shaft about 70 centimeters wide. the mine lies in the province

and 13 are still missing. this is china's first rescue. they say it's the third in the world. the rescued miners were protecting their eyesight. they are now being treated in the hospital. >> chinese authorities are showing resolve to suppress the scent of party rule. a court jailed a prominent human rights lawyer and two activists for insighting subversion. the sentences were in the city and got a sentence of five years. he and the activist was charged five years ago. they have been calling for democratization. they said he did nothing wrong.

it is only awe thoer carianism. >> the two activists got sentences of 3 1/2 and 2 1/2 years. they kept staff from the members away from the courthouse. they took away several of his supporters. a u.s. government official said activity near a north korean missile site could mean they will conduct a test launch within a couple of weeks. they believe they are getting ready to test a ballistic missile and calling it a satellite launch. the official told nhk that satellite images show increased activity at the site. the location is in the northwest. the launch pad is covered and has been the case before missile

launches. researchers in the u.s. say the satellite images indicate north korea is in the early stages of preparing for a launch. the construction of the shelter 11 meters wide and 29 meters high at an engine test site appear to have been completed. this is large enough to house the first stage of a rocket. japanese officials are also on alert. >> we can't say they will not resort sort to a ballistic missile launch. >> they're issued an order to shoot down debris. they have not made an announcement regarding such an order. they do not want them to know how they are responding to the possible threat. the prime minister convened a meeting for the second day in a

row. the minsters agreed to take all precautions and work with the u.s., south korea and other countries to monitor developments. >> policy makers have decided to introduce negative interest rates. the boj's new rate held by financial institutions will be minus 1/10 of 1%. the aim is to boost lending. the decision was a close call. five members supported it while four were against. the policy makers have been grappling with the impact of lower crude prices and the economic slow down in china and sliding global markets. they will push back the date by achieving the inflation target to the first half of fiscal 2017. the boj governor explained the strategy to reporters.

>> so far we have taken quantitative and qualitative easing measures and now we decided to add measures on interest rates. that will allow us to conduct additional easing in three dimensions. >> he said falling crude oil prices in china are complicated to hit japan's inflation target. they said the new policy will limit the risks. earlier gene otani talked with the senior commentator on the boj decision. this is the first time this happened. how does it work? >> negative interest rates encourage commercial banks to lend more to stimulate investment. the japanese road requires the banks so they can surely return money to deposit.

the boj imposed a fee on deposits. it means banks will be penalized for keeping reserves. right now the central bank paid interest on the funds they keep there. with the introduction of the new policy, boj expects commercial banks to lend more money for private companies to avoid punishment. >> the big question is why now? why did the bank of japan policy makers decide to apply this policy? >> they approved the inflation tag. they have seen persistent crude oil prices. the officials cent saying the price is right so people should spend and invest money now. the idea was to inject the massive amounts of money in the markets. they have the prices and through

japan out of inflation. why do prices continue to fall? businesses might doubt the scenario. this is a very reason that boj introduced this unprecedented measure. >> do you think this will be affected? >> there a lot of answers. we can say further and export the profs. that was the owner. they might raise wages and put more money into investment. but many experts are skeptical about the effect of this extraordinary measure. they questioned if private companies really have a strong appetite for launch after they keep more money on hand. another question is the interest rates on the market and we have to think about what is really pushing down prices.

the causes of the fall in oil prices and china's throw down is not in control. there is a few that monetary easing by the boj alone will have an effect on prices. >> what's essential to boost the japanese economy? >> i think controversy by going ahead with additional easing. the boj shows strong resolution to end deflation and hit the inflation target. it is difficult to prop up the japanese economy further. the key lies with to what extent the companies agreed to raise wamgs in upcoming annual news agents and how confident companies can feel about the future. how much money they would have put into investment. >> the boj's move sent major ripples across the markets and the business reporter has the details from the tokyo stock

exchange. >> it was a roller coaster day. the nikkei soared nearly 600 points and the yen nose dived. you can tell how much the decision surprised the markets by adopting the negative rate policy. then later on we saw a pull back and stocks tumbled. they said investors calmed down, but they recouped the losses and ended at a two-week high. they ended at 17,518. that was broader by 2.9%. they posted the first weekly gain in four weeks. diving into the government bonds, the yield briefly broke below 0.1% and that's a record low. the decision really triggered a lot of volatility in markets, but most sectors reacted positively except for the

banking sector. they plunged 11% and mega banks financial groups were down as negative interest rates are viewed as unprofitable. the boj's decision sent a wave in currency as well during the trade. they were in the 118 yen range and that jumped to the mid-121 yen level after the boj's decision. however one currency dealer said at the resignation of form er revitalization effort. they surprised the market as he is the first governor to adopt a negative interest rate. reporting from the tokyo stock exchang exchange. >> also a fund decided to help out ailing electronics

manufacturers. they are in discussions behind closed doors. sharp is likely to pick the fund, the innovation network of japan. they have reportedly decided to go ahead with the investment of about $2.5 billion and acquire a majority stake. taiwan-based giant precision industry wants to invest about $5 billion to buy out sharp and take part in the management. they have been cautious for that plan and the japanese government wants to prevent the company's technology from leaving the company. the head of japanese air bag maker plans to resign. he is taking responsibility for one of the largest recalls in automotive history. the chairman and ceo has expressed intention to people close to the company. he is the grandson of the

founter and a major shareholder in the firm. reports of defective air bags led to the recall of up to 24 million vehicles in the united states and nearly 12 million in japan. in the u.s. and malaysia, they have been linked to the ruptures. company officials are negotiating with a domestic manufacturer of deplaters and hoping to speed up supply of parts. one of the municipalities is addressing accommodations for tourists. they are accepting applications to a program that will allow people and businesses to rent out apartments and homes to travelers. the current laws prohibit rentals of private homes and apartments. the program will exempt some areas from the restriction. that's one of the main entryways into japan. it's the first to open the application process.

applicants may get permission to begin in as little as two weeks. one company plans to start an online market place to rent the properties it manages. >> i think this program that will turn unused rooms into lodgings has a lot of potential in japan. i hope to help spread the system. >> officials say they receive said two applications and held nearly 60 consultations. last year japan welcomed nearly 20 million visitors from abroad. with that number likely to rise, municipal governments are working to increase accommodations for visitors. >> the operator of a nuclear plant has fired up one of the reactors. it's the third restart since the government introduced new tougher regulations following the 2011 fukushima accident. the power company has restarted

the number three reactor at the takahama plant. if all goes according to planned they will start generating electricity on minute. commercial operations could resume by late february. they are using mox fuel, a mixture of plutonium from spent nuclear fuel and uranium. it's the 50 time it has been used in about four years. they plan to restart the number four reactor as early as late february. >> world health organization officials have issued a stark warning about a mosquito-born virus linked to birth defects. zika is spreading and could infect as many as four million people. the who will hold an emergency meeting on monday. the director said there is

urgent need to find ways to stop the virus from spreading. >> we need to take actions now. whatever we can do in terms of vector control, environmental control. every member of the community can do something. >> brazil reported a steep increase in the birth of babies with abnormally small heads and brains. about 4,000 cases have been reported. while there is no direct connection between the condition and the virus, the who strongly suspects the two are linked. medical officials say there is no vaccine and developing one would take time. brazil is six months away from the opening of the olympic and paralympic games in rio dejaneiro. the president of the international olympic committee said they are working closely with the who. >> we will do everything to ensure the health of the athletes and the visitors. >> he added the ioc will be in

contact with the members to form a strategy on how to address the threat. >> japan's emperor and empress concluded one of the last stops on the five-day-trip to the philippines. they visited a memorial to honor the victims of world war ii. kathleen o campo in manila has more. >> the trip to the philippines attracted a lot of coverage. you are visiting the country to mark 60 years as the normalization of diplomatic ties. vurg the visit, much thought has been given to the fact and those who died in world war ii. on friday, the emperor and empress paid respects at the monument built in the japanese memorial gardens. earlier on a wednesday, they visited the tomb of the unknown soldier and paid tribute to filipinos who lost their lives in battle. the two sites were added at

their request. the philippines was under u.s. control from the late 19th century. japan invaded the country in 1941. towards the end of the war, the military moved to remain control. it was the scene of some of the fiercest fighting in the pacific war. there were a high number of filipinoos and over a half million japanese died. the banquet on wednesday, the emperor referred to the victims of the war.

>> it is last time they visited the philippines was 1962. it was memorable that it helped pave the way with ties between the two countries. it helped the journalist overcome feelings about world war ii offer consilliation. he is 84 years old. the former photojournalists keeps photographs at his home. one of the most memorable stories was the imperial couple's visit. the story in one of the photographs appeared on the front page of a local newspaper. >> it was something that changed

my mental attitude. >> more than a million filipinos were killed. they restored diplomatic relations 11 years after the war. strong anti-japanese sentiment remained in the country. he and another family member were killed by japanese troops. he remembers having mixed feelings when he was assigned to cover the visit. >> to me it is extremely distinguished honor. not all can cover the royal family. >> the couple were also gracious when they met local people. their warm smiles help ill

feelings towards japan. >> this place has a special meaning for him. the road was built by migrants and local people 100 years ago. it's also where he shot his favorite front page photograph. >> i was directing my comment at 15 feet. everybody was excited. and that was a very warm welcome. >> he said he said the people of the two countries should move forward together just as they had when they built the road. he has since committed himself to promoting good relations between japan and the philippines.

on this day he meets former soldiers who fought against japanese troops. many of them had a grudge against japan, but he sought to change that and kept inviting them to friendship events every year. >> as a christian,. >> he hoped to go to manila to see the couple in person. he decided to stay at home and watch them on television since his wife is ill. >> we are together against the relationship between japan and the philippines. it's very, very closely knitted. this will continue throughout many, many years. >> after more than five decades, people in the philippines have

again extended the warm welcome to the emperor and empress. they hope the friendship between two countries will continue to grow strongly. >> they shed fresh light on the people in both countries to remember the war. people in the philippines where the past is not forgotten view it favorably. it has been reported that the emperor has urge said young japanese not to forget the memories of the war. many people hope they will ensure the experiences will be passed from one generation to the next. >> young chinese seeking to enter the competitive job market

have to pass an entrance exam. they make things a bit easier for the kids. here's a report. >> these children are trying to experiment. the teacher hopes to encourage the students to understand how nature works. >> classes like this are increasingly popular and other cities along china. they have forms of education

that force creativity in children. >> only a few schools conduct specific experiments. i decided to have my son attend this school. >> through the learning process, they learn the signs and they have a lot of fun. we need to prepare our students with the quality for creativity and innovation. they have long focused. according to recent studies by beijing technology, more than 85% of children in china's elementary and junior high schools suffer from stress because of the amount of homework they are given.

80% said they are unable to assist their children and they need help. last april an 11-year-old boy committed suicide after becoming exhausted from studying too much. in november another teenager was found dead where he was doing homework. >> his company launched online tutoring to help opportunities with their homework. this software became an instant fit. 20 million students are using it to help with their studies. >> we had to undergo years of exams and students are going through the same or even worse. we are helping them do their

homework so they can go to bed once it's finished. >> educators are striving to come up with new services to help children learn. they hope that they will mark the beginning of fundamental changes through the system. nhk world, beijing. >> here's the three-day outlook for selected cities around the globe.

>> and that's all for now on this edition of "newsline." i'm raja pradhan from tokyo. from all of us, thanks for watching and have a good day, wherever you are.

host: worldwide, we waste about one third of the food we produce. i am not just talking about rich nations. hello, and welcome to "global 3000." we're about to explore why it's so difficult to stop the global waste of food, and here's what we have coming up. how proper storage and transport chains help cut down on food waste in rwanda. how a new app stops sell-by-dates from turning food into garbage. and why five countries open their borders to make more space for elephants. t