hello there. welcome to "newsline." it is tuesday, february 9th. i'm catherine kobayashi in tokyo. markets are tumbling as investors dump stocks due to the u.s. dollar. let's go to ai uchida from the business desk. >> when the yen initially, it declined then the nikkei gained. the investors are feeling anxious over a weakening global economy, the oil oversupply, the inability of central banks to stimulate their economies. those fears are pushing investors toward the safety of things like the yen. and tokyo stock prices in turn are falling sharply. let's take a look at where they

are now. the nikkei average dropping 4.4%, 16,250 at the moment. tokyo stocks fall, the climgs that we saw in the u.s. and europe, banking and energy shares are among the major losers on the japanese boards as well as on global markets overnight. traders are flocking to the safe haven yen, and this is driving the japanese currency to its highest level against the dollar since november 2014. the dollar/yen pair is currently at 115.33 to 37. the euro, that gained about half a percent against the dollar. the common currency is now fetching $1.12. investors also putting their money into government bonds, and this is pushing the yield on the benchmark ten-year japanese government bond to yet another record low of 0.01%. let's take a look at other markets across the asia-pacific region.

australian shares are plummeting as well. that's down 2.2%. south korea's kospi, and many other markets in the region are closed for the lunar new year holiday. we'll keep track of market movements for you throughout the day. more than 7% in the last three months of 2015, a strong manufacturing sector. government officials said on monday that gross domestic product for the october-to-december period grew 7.3% from a year earlier. the manufacturing industry again posted double-digit growth at 12.6 12.6%. for the current fiscal year through march, officials predict growth of 7.6%. the government of prime minister no ren dra modi is under pressure to compile specific measures to boost the economy.

business leaders at hoeme and abroad, they want the tax code simplified among other things. analysts are watching to see if the draft budget for the new fiscal year due out later this month will include specific plans on economic reform. many asset management firms in japan have already stopped selling money market funds, or mmfs, since the bank of japan announced its negative interest rate policy. and they'll redeem mmf ahead of schedule. this is the first time an asset management firm has taken such a measure since the boj made its policy announcement. the officials say they'll implement the redemption next monday, a day before the negative interest rate policy takes effect. mmf are generally invested in relatively safe instruments rather than high-risk stocks. but the investment environment

for them has soured after the yields on japanese government bonds dipped to record lows following the central bank's announcement. the net assets of such funds at nikko asset management stood higher monday. a lot happening on the markets this morning. i'll leave you with a check. we'd like to bring your attention to southern taiwan now, where rescue crews are

holding out hope they'll find more survivors in the rubble of a collapsed building. the crucial 72-hour window has passed since saturday's powerful earthquake. 38 people have been confirmed dead. most of the victims were found under the 15-story condominium in the city of tienone. they believe more than 100 people could still be trapped and they started using heavy machinery to speed up the search. >> translator: the search is taking too long. i thought he would be saved soon, but now i'm getting worried. >> this woman is looking for her brother-in-law and says the cold nights are threatening his chance of survival. a japanese expert has been analyzing the way the building collapsed, and he says it's entirely likely its design and construction were defective. >> translator: unlike many other buildings, it looks like there are almost no reinforcing rods,

and the joints connecting pillars to the beams in many sections of the structure. >> he added that since the surrounding buildings are intact, it's clear the condominium was not strong enough. a hospital in northeastern japan is chipping in to help taiwan's earthquake victims. and that gesture is one that's being returned in kind. the hospital was swept away by the 2011 tsunami. and people from taiwan sent more than $18 million to help rebuild it. now the hospital is giving back. there's a donation box in the lobby, with a sign reading, send love to taiwan. >> translator: the support from taiwan encouraged us to keep going forward. so i want all the people affected by the quake to overcome their hardship.

>> other donation boxes have been set up around the town. a top japanese official has said the government will provide $1 million to taiwan for the quake. the money will help rescue and reconstruction efforts. chief cabinet secretary suga said the aid will go to taiwan's red cross and other organizations. suga offered his condolences to the families of the victims. he said japan stands ready to dispatch personnel to aid taiwan if requested. candidates hoping to be the next president of the philippines are kicking off their campaign. the president's term ends in june. three main contenders are entering the race. the president has backed his former interior secretary. the current vice president is also running. and the leader in the most

opinion polls is the independent senator grace poe. it's not clear if she'll be able to run. she tried to register her candidacy last year. the elections commission disqualified her, saying she failed to meet the requirements. poe is awaiting a final decision from the supreme court. the candidate scheduled to hold rallies on tuesday, launching the three-month race. citizens will cast their ballots in may. u.s. president barack obama is taking action to combat the spread of the zika virus. he's asking lawmakers to approve $1.8 billion in emergency funds. >> we believe what is the most effective way for us to move forward is to get congress to appropriate and provide the resources that our experts need to keep the american people safe. >> about 50 cases of the virus have been confirmed in u.s. travelers who have returned from abroad. obama wants the money to fight the disease at home and in latin

american countries suffering from larger outbreaks. the funds will be used to expand mosquito control programs and speed up work to develop a vaccine. white house officials say they want to fake action before the weather gets warmer, particularly in the southern u.s. that's when mosquito populations grow larger and become more active. scientists suspect a link between the zika virus and the serious birth defect called microcephaly. it would be used to help educate pregnant women and their partners. u.n. human rights investigators have released a grim report. they say thousands of syrians have died from torture while detained. they say the actions amount to extermination. the chair of the u.n. commission accused bashar al assad's government of crimes against humanity. >> prisoners are continually tortured and beaten, forced to live in unsanitary in cells with

little food or no care. many perish. >> investigators say anti-government forces and militant groups are also setting up detention facilities for torture and execution. the report comes after peace talks in the syrian and civil war suspended last week. they were halted before the opposition groups could direct negotiations. japan is getting ready to host the tokyo olympics in four years. the event is inspiring preparations far and wide, including a push to get more people speaking english, starting at a younger age. as nhk world has the report, that's opening up new business opportunities. >> i'm hungry. >> very good. >> reporter: this little boy is 7 years old but he's already started studying english. today he's come with his father to test out a new english

language learning program. >> translator: it was difficult. >> reporter: the program is offered by a leading japanese education firm. children can use it to learn grammar and vocabulary, anywhere, anytime. they can also practice speaking english with foreign instructors online. >> it's okay. we made it! >> reporter: the instructors are based in the philippines. so the company says it can charge students much less than other schools without sacrificing quality. the company launched the program last april. there was a fresh surge in english education sparked by the tokyo olympics. >> translator: the 2020 tokyo olympics will mark a new chapter in english education in japan.

i think people's interest in learning english will surge in the next few years. >> reporter: it's not just families that are tapping into the program. the kids on this soccer team in western japan are also using it to brush up their english skills. this is a former coach of japan's national soccer team. he now leads this team. he has the players log in for a lesson before practice. he says learning to speak english is vital for their future. >> translator: when i went on world tours, i always wished i could tell people what i was really thinking and feeling in english. even if our players don't become pros, they'll need english to be active globally. >> reporter: english education

is also growing at japan's public schools. lessons currently start in 5th grade. the government wants them to start in 3rd grade by 2020. some cities plan to start exposing kids to english when they're even younger. >> translator: we'll soon be working with feem from all over the world, so we want to make our students fluent in english. >> reporter: the tokyo olympics are giving language firms a fresh boost and giving kids skill that could help them well into the future. nhk world. north korea's latest rocket launch has japan considering tightening sanctions against pyongyang. its state media is praising the launch as successfully carrying its satellite into space. but world leaders, including japanese prime minister shinzo abe believes it was a missile test. >> translator: my government has decided to take its own measures

to seek a comprehensive resolution of pending issues, including the abduction of japanese nationals by north korean acts, the country's nuclear program and missile development. we will swiftly consider what we will do and take a firm and resolute stance against the nation. >> abe made the remark in front of the senior officials from the ruling party. he reiterated that sunday's launch was a direct and grave threat against japan's security. now, japanese officials have lifted the order for self-defense forces to be ready to shoot down north korean missiles. but they say they'll remain alert. believing the north may carry out other provocations. the officials say north korea is unlikely to launch more long-range ballistic missiles in the near future. pyongyang said the launch window has closed. but the officials say the north may still fire short-range

scuds, or mid-range no dong missiles. the latter could reach almost any location in japan. authorities from the u.s. and south korea plan to hold joint military exercises next month. pyongyang shot long-range missiles toward the japan sea last year after similar exercises. people are flocking to japan's largest chinatown to celebrate the lunar new year. and while it may be the year of the monkey, a lion was the focus of this parade. people lined the streets of yokohama south of tokyo to watch the performance. they say it takes away bad luck

and usher in good fortune. >> translator: i hope relations between japan and china become more cheerful and friendly through festivals like this. >> the celebration runs through february 22nd. hotels, shops and restaurants across japan are expecting an influx of tourists during the week-long holiday. we report on how businesses are cashing in on the opportunity. >> reporter: travelers, many from south korea, taiwan, and especially china. they are here to spend the lunar new year holiday. >> translator: i'm interested in japanese food. i want to eat all the good tasting dishes. >> translator: i want to buy cosmetics here because of their good quality. >> reporter: the airport is

coping with the surge. it's not the only place that is prepared. a lot of people around here are in the shopping districts of tokyo. businesses say tourists will be spending a lot. tour buses arrive to drop off chinese travelers. many are on a tight shopping schedule, but are taking advantage of the current economic conditions. >> translator: the exchange rate is good, and the chinese money is stronger than the japanese yen. a lot of people are taking advantage of that. >> reporter: last week's shopping spree made up almost 40% of this store's revenue. the number of businesses from china almost reached 5 million.

the largest on record. and twice as many as the year before. businesses are thinking of ways to cater to them. the duty-free luxury section of this department store opened last month. the majority of its staff speaks mandarin. to buy makeup for my friends back in china, mostly cosmetics. japanese cosmetics are cheap and are good quality. >> reporter: customers purchase their goods, and later receive them at the airport before they leave the country. in another neighborhood, department stores and electronics shops have set up an information desk for chinese tourists. they help them find the shops

they're looking for, and also advertise discounts. >> translator: i have my coupon. i'm all ready to go shopping. >> reporter: japanese officials say almost 400,000 visas were issued in china last month. almost a 50% increase since last year, despite the economic slowdown in china. so far it doesn't seem to be impacting spending by travelers, and shop owners in japan hope it stays that way. coffee might come to mind when you think about brazil. but the country used to be one of the world's largest producers of black tea. now a japanese brazilian woman has been working to revive that

industry. here's the report. >> reporter: it's this woman's 89th birthday and she's celebrating with her family. >> translator: thank you. and thanks to tea which brings me wonderful things. >> reporter: she was born and raised 200 kilometers from sao paulo. they began focusing on tea growing in the 1930s, and it became known as brazil's tea capital. their fertile soil contribute to the fine conditions for tea. by the golden years of the 1980s, the region produced 12,000 tons per year. most of it was shipped abroad. but then the brazilian currency

less in value, exports lost their edge. almost all the region's tea industry shut down. she was born to a tea farming family. she said she cried as she ran her hands over her dying tea bushes. >> tralator: i wondered what would happen to the town if there wasn't any more tea. >> reporter: two years ago, she began working day in and day out for six months on the plantation. she inspired other locals with hope for a tea revival. family members help, too. her daughter goes with her mother to the fields every day. >> translator: we're doing our best to keep it going. i feel i have the responsibility

to do that. >> reporter: in 2014, she launched her own brand of organic hand-picked tea, because of the rich aroma and flavor. tea lovers have noticed in brazil and abroad. in japan last year, organizers of a black tea festival invited her as a guest. tea producer is a big fan of her tea. he visited her last december, and taught her how to pick the finest leaves. >> translator: at her age, i think it's amazing. she's still so enthusiastic to learn and improve. >> reporter: now she's aiming to produce the highest quality black tea, and roll it by hand. >> translator: everyone who tries this tea says it's delicious. so i believe it holds some

promise. but in the end, all you can do is try your hardest, that's all i'm doing. >> reporter: her enthusiasm for growing tea gets stronger by the day. she's ready to pioneer the industry again. nhk world, brazil. time now for a check of the weather. people in parts of eastern canada and the united states are dealing with a blizzard. our meteorologist, robert speta, has been tracking the conditions for us and joins us with the latest. >> yes. this storm system definitely very potent. residents and travelers alike are impacted by this one. out on the highways we're seeing numerous closures, also at the airports, delays and cancellations, across parts of new england, nantucket just off of cape god, winds gusting up to 93 kilometers per hour here on your monday.

it's starting to shift around newfound land. blizzard conditions. it is a rough one out there. in fact, we do have video coming out of new england. first out of massachusetts, when we say blizzard, this is really what we're talking about here. not only the snowfall, because that's what a lot of people think about, but also the gusty winds. you get those together, by definition, that is what we're talking about with a blizzard here. white jo whiteout conditions, bitter windchills as well. highways and schools have been canceled across most of massachusetts. a lot of highways slowing down. in connecticut, a bus accident occurred out there. really, authorities are recommending to people, you want to stay indoors until this storm system passes, and even a little bit after that, and wait until some snow plows get them clear and more drivable. it's still going to be a slow day as far as flights. toward the west we have this storm system, but also another

one developing, low pressure center is now over towards michigan, drifting towards the east. that is ushering in this big cold wave behind it. we're going to be looking at snowfall as far south as georgia. atlanta might see some light accumulations out there. even farther to the north into washington, d.c. tennessee, over toward kentucky as well. and then you just have the bitter cold temperatures. win i beg, minus 19 for your high on tuesday. now, let's also talk about what's going on here towards the southwestern areas of the u.s. look at los angeles, 32 for your high here on tuesday, by the way. with windy conditions. you do have red flag warnings in effect. these are the santa ana winds that occur this time of year, just running through here. fire weather is definitely a big threat. palm springs, also san diego, temperatures very warm. almost summer-like out here. high 20s to low 30s. you think that's hot, let's look at the other side of the world down towards the south. doesn't look like much is going on in the satellite picture. clear skies are baking western

australia. along with some northerly winds coming in. so we have the hot air continuing to dominate. temperatures in perth, up to 44 there as we go ahead into your wednesday. do stay inside and try to stay cool if at all possible. that is just absolutely hot. let's talk about some more winter weather in fact. let's get back to the north here. across japan, we have a low pressure area pulling through the sea of japan. that's going to bring some snowfall across parts of hokkaido, into tohoku on tuesday into wednesday. tokyo remaining on the dry side. we have dry air advisories in place. it will stay that way through the next several days. by the end of the week, things will be changing up. we have another low that will develop back towards the west. for now, though, china, high pressure continuing to dominate. we are worried about haze across this area because of the stagnant air continuing to settling in. taipei with a high of 21. shanghai getting up to 16 here on your tuesday.

all right. here's your extended outlook. that's all for this edition of "newsline." i'm catherine kobayashi in tokyo. thanks for joining us. xxxx

>> euromax highlights. host: hi there and welcome to our highlights edition. two steps forward one step back. in a figurative sense that just about describes our top stories for today. zooming in. the time-lapse videos of geoff tompkinson staying afloat. european architects design living spaces on the water. and waltzing away. ballroom dancing is enjoying a renaissance. for the past 40 years geoff tompkinson has worked as a cameraman and photographer and during that time he's perfected a technique of timelapse photography that he calls hyperzoom. and in fact, it's a trick that's