hello and thank you for joining us on this edition of nhk "newsline." i'm raja pradhan in tokyo. police in japan's southern prefecture of okinawa have arrested an american who works on a u.s. military base. they say he admitted to strangling and stabbing a japanese woman who went missing three weeks ago. kenneth franklin shinzato is a civilian who works on kadena air base. police say information from the suspect led them to the body of rina shimabukuro, whose body was lying by the side of the road. police say the suspect confessed to attacking the woman and abandoning her body. sources close to the investigation say officers found the victim's blood stains in his car. residents have long complained

about crimes committed by base personnel. more than 70% of u.s. military facilities in japan are in the okinawa prefecture. >> translator: this is unforgivable. i am lost for words. >> translator: incidents like this will happen as long as we have the bases. >> japan's prime minister voiced his anger. >> translator: i demand that the u.s. respond in a strict manner to absolutely make sure similar incidents do not happen again. >> officials say the prime minister plans to discuss the matter with the governor of okinawa who will visit tokyo on monday. the head of the u.s. forces in okinawa visited the local government to apologize. lawrence nicholson said that, even though the suspect is not an employee of the u.s. he takes responsibility. >> we will continue to work to ensure that all americans, military and civilian, behave

themselves and live in accordance with the laws of japan while they are here in okinawa. >> okinawa governor said the incident is intolerable. he said it's shocking and causes anxiety in residents who live near the u.s. bases. >> translator: okinawa has repeatedly called for tougher discipline among u.s. personnel. and measures to prevent a recurrence of such incidents. i cannot help but feel indignation. as yet another one has occurred. >> onaga said the biggest issue concerning u.s. military bases is revising the status of forces agreement. he said he wants to urge the governments of japan and united states to revise the agreement. it covers the handling of crimes committed by military personnel and civilian employees of u.s. forces in japan. the incident could be a serious obstacle for the ongoing negotiation of where to relocate

the futenma air base. it's also not the first time an attack on a citizen of okinawa has strained relations in the prefecture. nhk world has the details. >> reporter: a change of command ceremony was held on friday for u.s. marines stationed in okinawa. >> i know everybody here knows congress holds us accountable to be most ready when the nation is least ready. that's in our dna. it's what we do. to be most ready. >> reporter: the murder and the arrest of the base employee as the only suspect was not mentioned. but that shows how sensitive the case is to the u.s. forces. governor onaga opposes relocating the u.s. marine

futenma air base within the prefecture. when he heard about the murder, he did not hide his outrage. >> translator: the fact this happened because of the presence of u.s. bases is extremely regrettable. >> reporter: the japanese government was quick to take action. foreign minister fumio kishida summoned u.s. ambassador caroline kennedy. >> translator: it's extremely regrettable that this brutal and heinous act took place. i'm lodging a strong protest on behalf of the japanese government. >> reporter: this is the u.s. military base where the suspect worked. kadena air base, the biggest u.s. airfield in the region and this is the main gate and you see not many u.s. military personnel are using this gate. the local people say whenever an incident like this happens, u.s. forces restricted the u.s. personnel to go off the base. for past incidents, the u.s. military has issued curfews and promised to tighten discipline.

but many people in okinawa question whether such measures actually work. in 1995, three u.s. servicemen gang raped a local japanese schoolgirl. the attacks spurred massive protests against u.s. military bases in okinawa. it led to the agreement when japan and the united states to relocate futenma air station and return the land. more than 20 years on, controversy continues over where the u.s. facility should be moved. meanwhile, crimes by u.s. soldiers in okinawa continues to happen. in march this year, a u.s. navy sailor was arrested for the alleged sexual assault of a japanese woman. the latest incident has citizens again taking to the streets in

protest. sources close to the japanese government say it could fuel even more protests against u.s. bases in okinawa. they say it could also lead to a shakeup of the japanese security alliance. u.s. president barack obama will be in japan next week for the group of 7 summit in ise-shima. he is also scheduled to visit the atomic bomb city of hiroshima. it is not clear whether the incident will have an effect on the visit. but many people in okinawa said it's clear that it will have an effect on the relocation of futenma air base. yoichiro tateiwa, nhk world, okinawa. the leaders of japan, the european union and four european countries are trying to accelerate talks on an economic partnership agreement. they're expected to adopt the statement next week reaffirming

their resolve. a meeting on the japan/eu economic partnership accord will take place on the sidelines of the group of seven summit in the ise-shima area of central japan. the leaders of japan, the eu, france, germany italy and britain will issue a joint statement at the meeting. nhk has learned that a draft of the statement is expected to reaffirm their determination to reach a broad agreement in economic partnership talks as early as possible this year. they're likely to agree that negotiators will increase their efforts during the next few months. japan is asking the eu to ease regulations on the transfer of data used in business activities. and there have been signs of progress on this matter. but the two sides are having difficult negotiations on japan's request for the elimination of 10% duties on passenger cars. the japanese government remains cautious about the eu's request for the removal of tariffs on farm products and processed foods.

world leaders, tackling global issues. at one of japan's most historical sites. an uncertain economic environment. rising terrorism threats. and climate change. the group of seven industrialized countries addressing challenges, finding solutions. and setting new goals. don't miss our special coverage, g7 ise-shima summit. right here on nhk "newsline." taiwan's first ever female president is promising to maintain peace and stability in relations with china. tsai ing-wen has given a carefully-worded address that appears to placate beijing while also protecting the island's democracy. nhk world's jung-sil kim reports from taipei. ♪ >> reporter: giant balloons floated through the sky as

people from different ethnic groups paraded through the streets of central taipei. organizers wanted to show a feeling of solidarity is finding the island together as it enters a new era. >> translator: i declare to the people of taiwan, i'm deeply committed to putting forward a wide range of reforms to create a better future. >> reporter: younger people are increasingly rejecting the prochina policies of the previous nationalist government. they identify as taiwanese, not chinese. it was these voters who helped force the nationalists from power in january's election, giving tsai's camp a strong grip on the legislature. >> translator: i hope taiwan will take its own steps internationally. taiwan is not part of china. we're independent. >> translator: we're facing a wide range of economic problems

which i'm sure she'll address, including social inequality. >> reporter: many of tsai's supporters hope she can keep china's influence in check. but leaders in beijing are pressing her to recognize that taiwan and the mainland belong together as one china, so right from the start, tsai has a tricky balancing act to manage. chinese leaders are already sending strong signals. they tried to stop taiwan from taking part at international gatherings. and taipei officials say beijing last month demanded kenya and malaysia extradite dozens of taiwanese to china. travel agents on the mainland say authorities there are also restricting the number of visitors to taiwan. experts say this is a clear sign that beijing is turning up the pressure on tsai. the new president made no mention of the one china policy as she began her term, but she

did appear willing to appease mainland leaders. >> translator: in 1992 the two sides met and arrived at some consensus. it was done in the spirit of mutual understanding and seeking common ground, while setting aside differences. i respect this historical fact. >> reporter: tsai also says she'll seek closer ties with the u.s. and japan. she can expect close scrutiny from beijing, as she goes down that path. jung-sil kim, nhk world, taipei. a senior u.s. official says u.s. president barack obama will speak about the many lives lost during world war ii when he visits hiroshima next week. obama will be the first sitting u.s. president to visit the site of the world's first atomic bomb attack. deputy national security advisor ben rhodes says obama will make

a brief visit to the peace memorial park and is likely to offer flowers. rhodes says the visit will be a chance for the president to reflect on the loss of life in hiroshima and nagasaki as well as many other places during the war. rhodes says he thinks obama will convey the message that world leader and citizens must recognize the toll wars take on people. he says hiroshima and nagasaki are symbols of the loss of innocent lives and the devastation caused by nuclear weapons. and he says that as the only country to have used nuclear weapons, the u.s. has a moral responsibility to lead efforts towards a nuclear-free world. egyptian authorities say they've found wreckage from a missing egyptair passenger jet in the mediterranean, the airbus a320 disappeared from radar three and a half hours after leaving paris for cairo. it was carrying 66 passengers and crew. air and naval forces from egypt and greece have been searching the area.

a spokesperson for egypt's military said they found debris from the plane and personal belongings 300 kilometers north of the egyptian city of alexandria. the greek defense minister said egyptian officials told them they've recovered part of a body, two seats and luggage. earlier in the day french investigators and a technical expert from airbus arrived in cairo to help look into the cause of the crash. we've been bringing a special series this week on the upcoming summer olympics in rio de janeiro in our final story of the five-day series, we look ahead of what lasting impact the games will have on brazilians. nhk world's kunihiro yamamoto reports. >> i'm at the world-famous

copacabana, where beach volleyball events will take place. the venue here will only be temporary. to preserve the look of the beach that already attracts millions of people from around the world. but officials have pledged the real system that the game will bring positive changes to the lives of the people. this junior high school is in one of rio's poverty-stricken neighborhoods. the students are being introduced to sports that they don't usually get a chance to play. badminton and golf are thought to be for the wealth think because they require expensive equipment. but the government is using the olympics as an opportunity to promote them. it's providing gear and instructions to about 90% of brazil's public schools. the most popular sport among students is hockey. the goalposts and scoring system are similar to soccer, the

national pastime. and this boy started playing two years ago. his stick-handling skills earned him a spot on the team. and it's something he wants to continue. >> translator: hockey is a sport with a lot of contact. it can become a little violent at times. through fair play i've learned it's not about rivalry, it's more about friendship. >> reporter: his mother says hockey has helped him come out of his shell. >> translator: since he got into hockey, he's changed a lot. he's acting more responsibly in his schoolwork and also helps more at home. >> reporter: but the government's budget for the program is limited. so the school improvises.

teachers and students make hockey sticks for smaller kids. plastic bottles and small bottles are transformed. >> translator: being creative in making sticks is interesting.o transformed. >> translator: being creative in making sticks is interestinl ar transformed. >> translator: being creative in making sticks is interestind ar transformed. >> translator: being creative in making sticks is interestinare transformed. >> translator: being creative in making sticks is interestinb ar transformed. >> translator: being creative in making sticks is interestinr ar transformed. >> translator: being creative in making stice stude aspiring spirit, equality, friendship and fair play. it's an education of values. >> reporter: people here believe sports can be a catalyst for changing the lives of the underprivileged. and they say the olympics will be the springboard to making that happen on a wider scale. kunihiro yamamoto, nhk world, rio de janeiro. in japan, two men are vying for the emperor's cup at the may

grand sumo tournament in tokyo. hakuho from mongolia and japanese champion kisenosato entered day 13 with a spotless record and locked horns on the highlight bout of the day. hakuho has fought now flawlessly and aims to achieve a new record with a 37th tournament victory. kisenosato wants to claim his very first championship. if he skeeds succeeds he's likely to be the first grand champion from japan in 18 years. that's why friday was so crucial. hakuho blasted off with a round-house slap and kisenosato finds his favorite grip and tries to get in the driver's seat. the ozeki gives hakuho a run for his money by taking him to the edge, but can't finish him off. it was the difference of technique he when hakuho pummeling kisenosato right when he loses his balance. kisenosato bites the dust for the first time.

>> well, it's too early to call the final results just yet. there's more nail-biting action coming ahead. so don't miss our next update on nhk "newsline." the may tournament will come to a close on sunday. japanese law enforcement authorities have seized what they believe is the country's biggest-ever haul of illegal stimulants with a street value of about $380 million. investigative sources say earlier this month officials searched a yacht they believed was from taiwan at a port in naha. they arrested six foreign nationals for possession of found to weigh about 600 kilograms, greater than the previous biggest drug bust of 564 kilograms in 1999. the captain of the yacht reportedly denies knowing about the drugs. investigators believe the six

suspects were planning to smuggle the stimulants into japan and sell them. the governor of tokyo says he'll ask legal experts to review records that show how a youth funds meant for political activities. masuzoe is facing allegations he may have used official funds for private purposes. >> translator: i'd like to express my deepest apology for causing concern and trouble with so many people, including the residents of tokyo. >> masuzoe used the funds to cover hotel costs during family trips. he said he held meetings at his hotel room, but has not disclosed who attended them. he also bought works of art, some of them through online auctions. he hasn't explained how he used them for political activities. >> translator: i will ask third-party experts to review expenditures of my political funds, i will make corrections if necessary and do my best to win back public trust.

>> masuzoe said he's ashamed for coming under suspicion. but he didn't give details about his spending. he stressed he'll do his utmost to fulfill his duties. there's a new sign of recovery coming to the area around the crippled fukushima daiichi plant. farmers planted rice for the first time since the 2011 nuclear accident. the seedlings were planted in a paddy in the town of naraha 20 kilometers south of the nuclear plant. in march government officials looked into safety and gave the green light for rice grown in the town to be shipped. farmers prepared the paddy with fertilizer with the aim of limiting radioactive substances from being absorbed by the plant. last year the government lifted the evacuation order for naraha, but so far less than 10% of the former population has returned. >> translator: i hope more people come back next year and return to farming.

>> the farmers plan to harvest the rice in october. they say they'll check it for radiation before shipment. one of japan's oldest and most covert traditional arts is being thrust into the spotlight. ninja, stealthy spies in feudal times are taking on a new duty in the central part of the country. and as nhk world's yamamoto reports, they also have a new look. >> reporter: a special mission for these ninjas helping boost tourism. one in particular stands out from the rest, chris o'neal from the united states. >> i was like this is awesome. i'm so excited. >> reporter: ninjas worked as spies in japan about 500 years ago. they would sneak into enemy camps and steal top-secret information.

in battle, they would defeat their enemies with weapons like throwing stars. the governor of aichi prefecture put out an audition call for ninja performers. they received more than 200 applicants, and the majority were foreigners. judges were looking for passion and technical talent. and they saw that in chris, who is a professional stuntman. and who travels around the world studying a variety of martial arts. they unanimously voted him in. >> translator: his mind-blowing physical abilities and his passion to get the job seemed greater than anyone else's. >> reporter: at a young age chris became enchanted with the idea of becoming a ninja. he spent his childhood being shuttled between foster homes. he says ninja cartoons gave him

comfort and courage. >> i trained in a martial arts before, when i was a kid. when i was younger i used it as a way to protect myself. so i fell in love with them. i just wanted to get stronger and stronger and stronger. and that was kind of initially inspired by watching these ninja cartoons. >> reporter: at the age of 16 chris decided to make a fresh start. he travelled to japan by himself where he saw his first ninja show. >> i really want to get up and show some moves, do some tricks. maybe that's the biggest change from wanting to be a real ninja to wanting to be someone who makes people happy and smile. >> reporter: realizing his dream is hard work. he practices eight hours a day to prepare for his first show. but he had some challenges. chris had trouble with his japanese lines.

♪ ♪ >> reporter: and he was out of step. >> translator: he can't communicate well. so although he thinks he's doing it right when he practices, he gets it wrong. i think he's really frustrated. >> reporter: nobody in the group speaks english. and in order to teach chris somebody stands next to him and slowly demonstrates a move one by one. >> ninja don't back down from challenges, we rise to a challenge and try to accomplish a mission. >> reporter: the first ninja performance arrives. >> reporter: chris says his lines perfectly. and the group moves in perfect sync.

>> translator: i think it's great that he loves ninja so much and comes to japan. >> translator: is the show was good. >> i hope to be an inspiration the same way ninja were an inspiration to me. >> reporter: for the next year, chris and his team will travel around the world, performing and giving workshops for tourism. and inspiration. miako yamamoto, nhk world. >> there's more to come here on nhk "newsline," but first here's the three-day outlook on the world's weather.

and before we go, the story behind japan's best-known dog has a heartwarming new chapter. hachiko, famous for canine loyalty has been reunited with its master's family after more than 90 years. the akita dog belonged to university professor hidesaburo ueno, a tokyo university professor. every day hachiko would greet

his master at tokyo's shibuya train station and continued to wait for a decade following his master's death in 1925. hachiko's ashes were buried near the professor's grave. this week the remains of the professor's late partner were moved to the same site. until now she was buried in a separate location. since the couple were not legally married. >> translator: i feel the love of family even hachi connects them even today.f married. >> translator: i feel the love of family even hachi connects them even todao married. >> translator: i feel the love of family even hachi connects them even toda married. >> translator: i feel the love of family even hachi connects them even todam married. >> translator: i feel the love of family even hachi connects them even todaa married. >> translator: i feel the love of family even hachi connects them even todal married. >> translator: i feel the love of family even hachi connects them even todal married. showed a deep affect hachiko's story has been the subject of many books and film, including a hollywood movie starring richard gere. that's all for now on this edition of nhk "newsline." i'm raja pradhan in tokyo, from all of us at nhk world, thanks for watching.

anchor: this week, "global 3000" goes to madagascar, where increasing deforestation is threatening the survival of lemurs. we meet people campaigning for artistic freedom in saudi arabia, one of the most authoritarian countries in the world. but first we go to chernobyl in ukraine, where 30 years since the nuclear disaster there, people are choosing to live in the "dead zone" around the power station. why? on april 26th, 1986, problems arose during a systems test of reactor 4 at chernobyl power station. the shift supervisor attempted