march 16th, i'm catherine kobayashi in tokyo. a counterterrorism raid in brussels left wounded and dead. other suspects believed to be at large. belgian investigators and their french counterparts were storming an apartment in the belgian capital on tuesday. one suspect fired shots. the prime minister said he was told three belgium officer received minor officers in the raid. no other details. local media quoted authorities as saying there was more than one gunman and one of them died after being shot by police.

media reports also said police are looking for the others who were on the run. many suspects to the paris attacks were arrested in belgium. one still on the run is thought to be hiding somewhere in the country. a group of people from okinawa about to find out if they're going to get state compensation. the group is suing the japanese government for failing to protect its citizens during the battle of okinawa years ago. they're set to deliver a ruling on claims from the battle. japan's largest ground battle was fought between japanese and u.s. forces in the closing days of world war ii. okinawa prefecture said out of the 200,000 people who died, about 120,000 of them were residents of okinawa. the district court will hand down a ruling on wednesday

afternoon. the lawsuit was filed in 2012. 79 civilian survivors in the batt battle. they say the government fulfilled its duty to protect its people. they're demanding $7.6 million in damages. myanmar has a new president. reports on the historic step in the political transition. >> reporter: she said she would be above the president. meaning would essentially act as her proxy. >> this is the compassion and love of the people. this is a victory for the people of this country. this is also the victory of sue chee. >> the new president was in

london and has been a trusted member of the inner cycle since the mid 1990s. but will sit in the same government. elected as one of two vice-presidents was nominated by the military, which holds 25 person seat in parliament. military intelligence and helps crack down on the democratic movement. is still on a u.s. sanction list. >> satisfying the people 100% will be difficult, if we can't solve two problems. the constitution and the fact that the military holds a quarter of the seats in parliament. we need to watch how much generosity and loyalty he gives for the development of the

country. >> the constitution bars anyone family members who are foreign citizens from becoming president. ancestor ship is british. the officials challenged. met three times with the chief, but discussions went nowhere. those efforts have generated resentment in the military. simmer between chee and the armed forces. the choice of hard line is a sign, say critics, that the military needs to check the new government from the inside. nhk world, myanmar. taiwan's president elect has picked a former finance minister as the island's new premiere. announced the appointment from her democratic progressive party. finance minister under the party's former president, and is

a senior member of the think tank. also being economic advisor. >> translator: we're determined to reveal to public trust in the government and will use our expertise to do so. >> she won the top job in january, ushering the first change of power in eight years. she'll take office in pmay. she'll decide on the cabinet next month. instability, she'll meet incumbent president to discuss a smooth transfer of power. major japanese companies are wrapping up their annual wage talks this week, executives are due to respond to demands from labor unions on wednesday. ai uchida joins us from the business desk. >> good morning, catherine. they're going to be getting raises again this year, just not as much as last year. that's because managers are

worried about the economic outlook, amid china's slow down. a downward trend on stock markets, in a stronger yen are adding to their concerns too. the auto industry is the trend-setter in these wage gh h negotiations. they've agreed to raise base pay. toyota and honda are $10 per month. nissan, full amount. about $27. hitachi and four other electronic makers have agreed to $13. major food maker is taking a different approach. managers want to promote a work/life balance among the employees, so they'll cut regular working hours while keeping the same base pay. another issue this year is a gap in compensation between permanent and temporary workers. restaurant chain operator has decided to raise the hourly wages of part-time and temporary

staff by 2 mers % average. it will affect 100,000 workers. japanese officials want to sit down with the south korean counterparts to deal with a trade issue. pneumatic pressure valves are hit one fair tariffs, a violation of world trade organization rules. south korea has duties of 8% that come into the country. the government officials say japanese made products are singled out, hit with additional tariffs, ranging from 12 to 23%. this has been taking place since august of last year. the japanese valves had a 70% share in 2014. the ministry officials say japanese business would incur more than $30 million of losses over the next five years if the practice continues. all right, let's check on

markets, u.s. stocks ended mixed, one day after the u.s. reserve with the policy statement, dow jones managed to close in the positive, up about 0.10%. the tech heavy nasdaq fell 0.50%. we're going to go to rami. what are you seeing over there? >> thank you very much. as you mentioned, the u.s. markets mixed, but european closed lower. investors cautious. not only about central bank, but we saw a slight dip in crude oil prices. a check of how the topics are actually kicking off. wednesday, march 16th and both indexes in the negative, the nikkei dipping below the 17,000 level. now, on tuesday, the nikkei fell after the bank of japan left policy unchanged. snapped three-days of gains.

they started investing yen, pushed down, doj's outlook at bloom me gloomy, rushing to buy safer assets, such as the yen. let's look at some of the key pairs here. dollar/yen, 113, it dipped below that level yesterday. u economic data didn't help either. u.s. retail sales fell 0.1%. concerns through the market, china's daily fixing was weaker than expected. that fueled worries of a depressation in the currencies. would a worries over crude oil prices, futures fell below 2%, again, one positive to look out for, may be due to apple, after

shares rose on a broker upgrade or assessment of stronger demand for iphones, so we should be looking out for japanese component makers here, and we'll see if there is any major price action in those as well. >> sounds good. we did cover currencies, how are bond markets reacting ahead of the fed meeting? >> exactly, bond markets really a guide there for a lot of investors. looking at the yield on the u.s. treasury ten year note, the reaction a little muted. however, inflation linked bonds, treasury inflation protected securities, tips, are very close to watch. the bond value does not erode with inflation. latest prices showed expectations of inflation has actually slipped a touch, and that's maybe a little bit of a concern for the fed as it tries to achieve its 2% inflation target. let's look at some indexes that are open across asia pacific right now.

kospi, trading in the positive. i'll have more in a couple of hours. but for now, that's all for me. back to you, ai. >> from the tokyo stock exchange. thank you. well, we eat a lot of seafood in this island nation, a favorite treat is japanese amber jack, now, foreign customers, foreign consumers, rather, rarely have a chance to sample the fish because of its short shelf life. as this next report shows, a new technology is making export easier. >> japanese amberjack hit super markets in january. >> translator: it doesn't have a strong smell. tastes great, and melts in the mouth. i'm buying it. >> the amberjack meat is fatty but didn't have the fishy odor

common for this variety. this company farms japanese amberjacks. the process and ships the fish too. the president also teaches at kinki university. he is studying ways to develop the domestic fisheries industry. the amount of farmed fish in japan has fallen by a quarter over the last decade. he thinks the key to revival is exporting overseas. >> translator: many people abroad are becoming wealthier, a big business opportunity, and i think it could help boost japan's fishery industry. >> he thinks japanese amberjacks will sell well overseas. amberjacks are frozen for export, but because they stay fresh for only a month, the foreign market has been limited.

enter p enter this professor, he developed a special sheet, a special coating on the sheet slows oxidation and preserves it. now it can be frozen for nearly six months. he also worked on improving the taste. he studied changes in the flavor of the fish, according to what they're fed. farmed amberjacks are usually fed fish powder made from s sardinse. it helps them grow fast, but a distinctive odor. >> i switched to soy bean powder. >> vegetable protein had only been used a supplement. increasing it reduced the fishy smell. he mixed about ten kinds of food, including tea and chicken powder to boost the flavor of the fish meat.

the end result was ham betterjacks tailored for the taste buds of overseas consumers. he brought the fish to a wholesaler in february. >> translator: it doesn't smell at all. it's great to keep it fresh. >> i want to discuss a business deal. >> we want to make amberjack the number one farmed fish. >> exports start this month to china, singapore and other asian countries. he hopes to use the technology to export other fish. eventually, foreign consumers may be able to enjoy a fu. that's the latest with business. i'll leave you with a check on markets.

japan's prime minister abe has expressed his intention to develop assistance of about $44 million to east this year. the president met in tokyo on tuesday. >> translator: i want to express my respect for east timor study efforts as the first independent state in the 21st century, while emerging from conflict. the two leaders released a joint statement after their meeting. the projects that will be

covered by the japanese fund include the construction of a building at a state run university in the capital dilly, and the development of two major ports. both leaders expressed serious concern over the situation in the south china sea, where china is stepping up its maritime activity. the statement says the leaders underscore the importance of the rule of law at sea. it also says that the two countries will advance cooperation in maritime security. north korea's state media reports that kim jong-un has ordered preparations for a test of a nuclear war head, and trial lodges several kinds of ballistic miss sills capable of carrying the weapon. the latest comments came as he supervised a different test for ballistic missile technology. state run tv reports that the test was to evaluate the heat

resistance and it was a success. south korea was quick to refute the claims. >> translator: what north korea announced today was their one-sided play. i immediately believe that the north hasn't acquired re-entry technology. >> japanese leaders reacted strongly to the news. >> translator: north korea has not shown any intention of abandoning its nuclear missile program, but kept up its provocative actions. we'll never tolerate such acts. >> the government spokesperson also said the north should comply with u.n. security council resolutions, which aim to stop the ballistic programs. an american filmmaker who is been focusing on the effects of nuclear weapons has been speaking about how the project changed his thinking. ari beezer, taught him that

there is no such thing as one truth, when it comes to war. >> i used to think japan started it, america ended it. it was that simple. i realized how complex and simplistic that way of thinking was. >> he has personal ties to the atomic bombings. his grandfather was the only person to fly on both planes that dropped the bombs in 1945. ari has been working to document the impact of the attacks, but he says he is not trying to justify or discuss the rights and wrongs of what happened. >> it's about learning from what happened and looking forward to our future and coming together as the countries that were at opposite sides and now we're good friends and work together and make sure the situation doesn't happen again. the world becomes uncertain day after day. >> he is now focusing on the nuclear accident. he has moved there to interview

people who had to leave their homes. i would say the effects of radiation, which we don't know about, because we don't have enough time, radiation in terms of nuclear weapons. >> he says he has learned it's important to use technology responsib responsibly, and work toward a world free from war. a medical doctor who specializes in cancer has started a project to improve communication with patients. he understands their perspective, because he is now one of them. nhk world reports. >> reporter: he has been diagnosed with stomach cancer. he has three decades of experience in treating cancer patients, and his deputy director of the red cross hospital in kawamzi.

last march, he was told if he didn't seek treatment, he would have only six months to live. >> translator: i'm not the typical patient. i understood the seriousness of the situation right away. >> he began chemotherapy. he lost his hair and his hands and feet went numb. experiencing the disease in that way led to a realization. it was that he was in a position to offer something to other patients that nobody else could, or would. >> translator: when someone who has a certain amount of knowledge about a disease develops the disease himself, he can provide information from first hand experience. i recognize my condition may get worst and i should talk to others while i can. >> so he is devoting his time to meeting with cancer patients and their families. >> translator: it is important for patients to try to learn more about the disease.

>> he believes that the more they know, the better quipped they'll be to select a course of treatment. >> translator: they shouldn't leave it all up to the doctor. patients should be able to understand what the disease is, it's general treatment, and the overall medical system. >> he also hopes that learning about cancer will give patients the courage to fight it. he is offering lectures for physicians and nurses too. urging them to choose their words wisely. >> translator: occasionally, staff members drop remarks why why don't you go out while you still can or you look better than i expected. a tiny comment like that can make a great impression than what was intended. >> he says medical personnel should pay more attention to communication to help patients through the hardships of the

disease and treatment. >> translator: we always do our best to listen to our patients, and understand their feelings. but i think we have to keep reminding ourselves to do more. >> he has create aid structure -- created a structure to help make that happen. last december, he set up a facility where medical personnel can talk informally. it's a place where doctors and nurses may be better able to draw out of patient's feelings, removed from the confines of the hospital.

>> by hearing the patients' day-to-day thought in detail, we might be in a better position to give them advice. staff members who take part also may become aware of things they hadn't considered before. >> he now sees the relationship from both perspectives. it's a partnership he intends to continue, as both a physician and a patient. nhk world. it is time for a check of the weather. people in southeastern areas of the u.s. dealing with severe flooding. robert speta has the latest. >> yes, it, really the rain has stopped, but the big problem, we saw the heavy rainfall, into the early part of the week and it does not magically disappear. it slowly drains out there into the gulf of mexico, the flooding

is still ongoing. eastern texas here, out of deweyville, the torrential precipitation has submerged hundreds of home, hundreds of people have had to evacuate. you can see the roofs of the few of the buildings, the floods have created major travel dis disruptions. i-10 was closed for several days and forcing travelers divert several hours. in total, five deaths have been reported from this storm system since late last week. definitely a very dangerous one, and the severe weather ongoing. not down here towards the south, but actually shifting off towards the north now, across parts of the great lakes here into the midwest. you're looking at severe thunderstorms and watches, still in effect on tuesday evening. one of the big threats now, you still have the warnings in

place, especially overnight hours, after dark, after they've gone to sleep and that adds to the vulnerability out here, and definitely the severity of it. it's going track off to the east, still bringing the threat t two centimeter. messy weather. meanwhile, back towards the west, dryer weather behind it. fire weather into parts of oklahoma, extends to houston. you have the thunderstorms in the forecast, especially along the coast al areas. let's look what's going on in australia. we have the latest tropical system. a tropical low at this point, it still does not have a name. biggest threat with this one, already is occurring is the rainfall. 103 millimeters reported there in the last 24 hours. this is going to continue to drift off towards the east.

it, it could become a category 1 cyclone on the as yaustralian c. but it's just going to be the rainfall. this is a slow moving storm system, as it slowly moves across the cape here, bring the precipitation out here to soft ea -- southern areas of the gulf. some locations, 1 to 200 millimeters of precipitation. ongoing system. eventually in the next week, this could reform as it moves off the coastline of queensland. ongoing we're going to be watching for several days now. eastern asia, really high pressure dominating most of the korean peninsula, morning hours, you may have noticed, rather chilli out there, that's because of the clear skies, all the heat that building up during the day on tuesday. just kind of went up into the atmosphere, but as we go ahead through the rest of your

wednesday, sunny skies previal, but warm back up. tokyo at 14, shanghai, getting up to 17 there on your wednesday. all right, i'll leave you with the extended outlook. and that is all for this edition of "newsline," i'm catherine kobayashi in tokyo. thanks for staying with us.

narrator: this week, "global 3000" is in ethiopia, where we're watching globalization at work. we're looking into why chinese companies are relocating production here. and we'll be finding out how farmers in cambodia are responding to climate change and how that affects the rare sarus crane. but first, we go to brazil. a country already reeling from political and economic crisis, brazil is now in the headlines because of a new health threat we know little about, the zika virus. the virus came with the "aedes aegypti" or "yellow fever mosquito." in 2007, on a little island in the pacific, over 100 people came down with zika. this was when virologists first really noticed it. in 2013, the next big outbreak