hello there, welcome to nhk "newsline." we start with breaking news this hour. japanese defense forces personnel have found a boy near one of its buildings in hokkaido on friday morning. police are trying to confirm if she's the same one they have been searching for since saturday. his parents say they left him by a mountain as a disciplinary measure. when they went back for him, he was gone. police say the boy they found has no major injuries and seems fine. once again, personnel from the

japanese self-defense forces have found a boy near one of its buildings in hokkaido. police are trying to confirm if he's the same one they have been searching for since saturday. his parents say they left him by a mountain as a disciplinary measure. when they went back for him. he was gone. police say the boy they found has no major injuries and seems fine. we're still trying to find out more on this story, and we'll update you as more details come in. changing gears now. representatives from the world's major oil producing nations have been debating on whether to freeze or cap production. they couldn't come up with an agreement. we are joined from the business team. what was the issue here? >> it seems they couldn't come up with a number together. delegates from 13 members of the

organization of the petroleum exporting countries were meeting in vienna. much of the attention was focused on the outcome but they failed to come to any agreement. but iran objected to setting a collective quota. instead, it insisted on individual targets for members taking into account each country's situation. it's been increasing output after western sanctions on it were lifted and has recently had tense relations with a major oil producer, saudi arabia. >> iran still wants to produce their pre-sanction quota. so to come up with a number is very difficult to do. >> a meeting in december and another in april that included non-opec members also failed to agree. the discord could bring more

volatility in crude oil prices, which have been rising after sharp falls in the past year. just after opec's meeting to set a ceiling, benchmark futures fell at one stake and then they rebounded. u.s. share prices ended higher on thursday. the dow jones rising about quarter percent and the nasdaq rising about .4 of a percent. let's see what's happening in tokyo. we're going to go to ramin at the tokyo stock exchange. tell us what you're seeing over there. investigators they remain a little bit cautious. that's a bit of a head wind here. we saw the plunge in the nikkei on thursday.

today we're seeing a slight rebound. topix is also higher. just a reminder. yesterday the nikkei fell. its worse day in a month. it's down more than 12% so far this year. also we had next year's consumption tax will be postponed until 2019. crude fell below $49 a barrel.

>> the european central bank held a policy meeting on thursday, tell us what happened to currencies. >> exactly. bit of a focus on the euro there. let's have a look at some of the pairs there. euro/dollar 1.1148. in the u.s. suggested a robust pace of job hiring as a prelude to the may numbers which are due out layer todter today. seoul's kospi is trading higher. china markets open in an hour

and a half. many will be watching how some of the key indexes there trade. the shanghai composite has been a bit volatile this week as well. for now the nikkei and the positive. back to you. >> thank you. >> moody says the delay further calls into question the country's ability to meet its fiscal goals. mood's rates japanese government bonds at a1. that's the fifth highest grade. the tax hike decision together with a fiscal stimulus package will be a negative factor when it assesses those bonds. it says abe's administration will forego additional revenues around 1% of gdp per year by delaying the tax hike to october 2019. moody said the cost will prevent

japan from meeting its fiscal targets. it will change whether to decide the rating after it examines the policy statement which the cabinet decided on thursday. an ebola outbreak in west africa a few years ago showed the potential danger of a global pandemic. the risks are economic too. the wall bank says a severe outbreak could cost up to $570 billion a year to fight. that's 0.7% of global income. the world bank has launched a new financial tool to help the planet better prepare for the next large outbreak. >> nice to see you again. >> pandemics pose glow ball threats. president kim says a quick response is crucial. waiting for governments to act is often too late. >> if you look at just the ebola

outbreak. the estimated cost was $10 billion. our estimate is that if the pandemic facility had been this place, it would have released large sums of money much, much earlier. >> the world bank launched a new scheme last month. kim says it's all about creating an insurance system for poor countries. one that offers a speedy rate of combat. the bank has set up a fund on behalf of developing nations. it's expecting contributions from g7 and other donors and will issue a new type of bond to generate income. this money will be used to pay premiums to private insurance companies. pay outs are made if a pandemic reaches a critical stage based on scientific triggers. the facilities authorized the

release up to $500 million to affected countries and international agencies. kim says under this system the insurance industry will play a key role. he says the insurance share the same incentives as the world bank, preventing disease from sprep spreading. >> it's within their financial policy so they don't have to pay out. it's in their financial interest to find the ways of preparing the world better for the next pandemic. >> it's sort of refreshing given your background being a medical doctor. you speak so passionately about insurance and bond. >> this is all new for me over the last four years. what i keep saying to my own team is our job is to use the tricks that rich people use

every day to make themselves wealthy on behalf of poor people. >> kim says there need to be more costs. the fund is just the beginning. it will only help better health care in developing countries. he's confident the facility will mitigate the risks. >> we can actual lly lessen the force. we can lessen their actual impact of these pandemics. what we're hoping is that the pandemic facility will do just that. >> no one knows when or if the next pandemic might occur. insurance industries are coming on board because it makes business and moral sense to prepare the world. nhk world. >> that's the latest in business news. i'll leave you with a check on markets.

japanese citizens will go to the polls in a little over a month. the country's upper house election will happen july 10th. for the first time 18 and 19-year-olds will be able to vote. candidates are allowed to campaign for 18 days. the government added a day to avoid a clash with a world war ii anniversary. one issue will be prime minister shinzo abe's economic policy. he decided this week to delay a rise in the consumption tax. >> translator: abenomics is achieving results, although it's still a work in process. i'm sticking to my fundamental

position that we can't achieve sound government finances unless we revitalize the economy. >> translator: it's obvious that abenomics has reached its limits. my party would change the policy and make the economy grow and distribute the wealth. >> candidates will chase 121 seats and try to win support from the new pool of younger voters. the lower voting age means another 2.4 million people are on the electoral rolls. japanese foreign minister has launched a protest with china over its continued natural gas developments in the east china sea. the move comes as talks remained stalled on an agreement to jointly develop gas fields there. the ministry released aerial photos on its website showing 16 structures built by china. officials confirmed the construction of an additional facility is under way at one of the structures.

>> translator: it is utterly regrettable that beijing is unilaterally going ahead with development of gas fields in these waters, despite our repeated calls to stop. >> he said the government will take concrete steps to settle the issues, such as urging china to resume the talks as soon as possible. the bilateral talks are aimed at the joint development of natural gas fields in the east china sea. they've been stalled since 2010 when officials from both nations met only once to discuss the matter. japanese technology is about to play a key role for astronauts in space. rechargeable batteries developed in kyoto will power the international space station for the first time. the iff is currently powered by u.s.-made nickel hydrogen batteries. they store electricity generated by solar panels. the japanese units can save three times the energy and last

decade. it will take four trips to deliver the units needed to power the space station. the astronaut who is on the iff for months, he said the decision means a lot for japan's presence in space research. >> translator: all the equipment depends on electricity. from life support systems to toilets. it's meaningful that japanese technology is used for such a key function. i'm very proud of that. >> but the batteries have a history of trouble. three years ago they caused fires in boeing 787 planes. the maker stands by the products, saying there are no more safety problems. and officials with japan's space agency agree. they say the batteries have been used in more than 100 satellites and space cargo craft without any problems. the first shipment of the new batteries is scheduled later this year.

today's eye on asia starts in the philippines. the president-elect has made controversial comments about the killing of media. about 175 journalists have been killed there during the past 30 years. in front of the crowd of reporters tuesday, the tough talking president said that there is some justification for killing journalists. he made the remarks in response to a question about how his government would handle media murders. >> most of you are clean, but don't expect that all journalists are clean. they take sides. just because you are a

journalist, you are not exempted from assassination. if you are a son of a bitch. >> the comment grew fire from media groups, condemning the remark saying nothing justifies the murder of a journalist. >> some journalists in the philippines have been corrupted, but it's no justification that journalists should be killed in the philippines. >> new york based committee to protect journalists says the comments threaten to make the philippines into a killing field for journalists. reporters without boarders urged the philippine media to boycott the news conferences until he issues a normal public apology. he won the election in may by campaigning on crushing crime and poverty. he'll assume office june 30th.

the remains of australian troops killed in the vietnam war were returned to their homeland on thursday in a formal military ceremony. two aircraft carrying the 33 bodies landed at military airfield around 30 kilometers west of sydney. they were met by about 100 family members and veterans. >> everybody is just over the moon. they are so thankful this has happened. just to be able to put flowers on the grave without having to go three months to get clearance to go into a cemetery, just to be able to do that, it's just wonderful. i feel inside so peaceful that this is happening. >> the soldiers had been buried in malaysia and singapore for half a century. australian soldiers killed in world war i, world war ii and the korean war were buried where they fell in an interment policy that was scrapped in 1966 during

the vietnam engagement. >> it's important to all of us living in the service tradition today, more importantly to their families and they've got a place to go and see dad, granddad, or whatever the case may be as a unit, as all australians should. you know, to be buried overseas, or to be left overseas, i'm not saying that they weren't looked after. what i'm saying is their spirits need to come home, and they're home now. >> more than 60,000 australians served in vietnam between 1962 and 1972. over 500 were killed. in afghanistan, the taliban have stepped up their terror attacks on military and government targets. and the afghan military is fighting an uphill battle. in an effort to improve the

situation, the u.s.-led coalition is boosting its training of afghan forces to fight the taliban and its allies including al qaeda. nhk world's fumio sugaya has this report. >> reporter: the southern afghan city of kandahar was a taliban stronghold. it now plays a key role in military oppression and the distribution of goods for the afghan government. over the past years, taliban militants have been intensifying their offensive in southern afghanistan including kandahar and the neighboring helmand province. afghan troops have been driven out of some areas. the atmosphere in kandahar is tense, as security has been tightened to prevent taliban insurgents from entering the city. our crew obtained special permission to report from an afghan special forces base nearby the city. orders are issued from the base to military units across southern afghanistan. troops spend many hours training

every day. the elite special forces are taking on an increasingly important role in missions to destroy taliban targets. >> translator: we are getting weapons and training from u.s. troops. >> reporter: u.s. military officials take part in operational meetings at the base. u.s. military is focusing on southern afghanistan because a massive training camp for taliban and al qaeda fighters was spotted last autumn. the lack of intelligence by the afghan military on the camp shocked the u.s.

the close ties between taliban and al qaeda militants alarmed an afghan military commander. >> translator: there are many al qaeda training camps in southern afghanistan. taliban fighters are receiving training there. >> reporter: general john colson is the commander of international forces in afghanistan. he visited kandahar to meet local influential figures. >> translator: we want the international forces to support the afghan military to wipe out terrorists. >> and we in the international community will continue to give you our full support to accomplish that process, to accomplish that peace process. >> reporter: what strategy does the taliban have of a coup?

interviewed taliban members. >> translator: there are many arab and chechen members in afghanistan. they're beefing up training for taliban fighters. we will continue to fight under our new leader. >> reporter: the afghan military and the international forces are continuing intermittent fighting with taliban and al qaeda extremists in a bid to drive them out of southern afghanistan. fumio sugaya, nhk world. >> that wraps up eye on asia. the u.s. state of texas is getting hit by deadly floods after torrential floods. it seems more is on the way. robert speta explains. >> yes, actually for the past week now, we have been seeing just repeated cases of heavy rainfall out here. you can see on the satellite picture right now, we still have

this rotation with this area of low pressure pulling in that moisture from the gulf of mexico. and from may 27 towards june 2, you can see some of these rain totals well over 500 millimeters over total precipitation. very significant. i'll show you some images coming out of fort bend county, texas. this is a culmination of the rainfall and upstream where all this water is flowing from, it flows downstream and causes some of these rivers to flood. there has been a report of six casualties, and a military truck was flipped over in a river crossing. three people died and still people missing there, as well. so this is definitely still an ongoing situation. more rain is in the forecast by

the way. we just need an additional 100 millimeters here. towards houston, under a flood advisory because of all this rain and water having to flow downstream at some point. so this is a very serious situation for coastal areas, a state of disaster has been issued by the governor out there for many counties, especially there in southeast texas. we're looking at some rough weather towards the north and into the northern plains and western great lakes. some of that could become severe. along the eastern seaboard, still some thunderstorms out there. more specifically, remember bonnie made landfall las now it's reformed as a tropical depression off the coast of north carolina and virginia, bringing winds 30 to 40 kilometers per hour out there. but it looks like the good news is this is going to continue to move out to sea. shipping traffic is the ones that want to watch this the closest. here across japan, a fairly decent end to the workweek. it's been chilly, near record breaking lows in parts of hokkaido in your morning on friday. further out towards the south,

sunny skies out here. this is a sign of the rainy season. these are the hydrangeas about 200 different kinds of them blooming out here at the temple. and they are ranging from light blue to pink. absolutely beautiful. definitely a good thing to check out, especially today where the temperatures will push into the mid 20s, sunny skies. in the west, this is going to be developing and pulling off towards the northeast. definitely bringing sol scattered showers. tokyo should stay on the cloudy side. where this is coming from, the flood threats still rather dangerous, something to really watch out for. that's a look at your world weather. here's a look at your extended outlook.

wooeds we'd like to remind you of our breaking story. police are trying to confirm if he's the same one they've been searching for since saturday. he was found in hokkaido.

they ask the boy his name. he said yes. sdf member who found the boy said he looked hungry. he was given water and a rice ball. police say he has no major injuries and seems fine. the sdf says the place where they found him is about several kilometers away from where he went missing. his parents say they left him by a mountain as a disciplinary measure. when they went back for him, he was gone. there's still many questions unanswered. we'll continue to update you as we find out more. nhk "newsline" will be back at the top of the hour with the latest. i'm catherine kobayashi in tokyo. thanks for joining us.

records here. rita aspinwall (voiceover): on this edition of native report, we meet artist ben pease, and view his works of art that combine iconic celebrity images with crow influences. i've kind of appropriated native american regalias with the white weasel ermine skins here. ernie stevens (voiceover): learn about the historical significance of the buffalo for the crow nation in montana. rita aspinwall (voiceover): and we interview crow nation senator rudolph knute old crow, sr. as a nation, as you know-- that's probably why i'm wearing a hat. we're very horse oriented. we also learn about what we can do to lead healthier lives, and hear from our elders, on this native report. announcer: production of native report is made possible by grants from the shakopee mdewakanton sioux community, the blandin foundation, and the duluth superior area community foundation. [theme music]