hello and thank you for joining us on this edition of nhk "newsline," i'm raja pradhan in tokyo. there's been a remarkable ending to a story in northern japan about a missing boy. after spending almost a week alone in a mountain forest, the 7-year-old has been found live and well and his parents have apologized for an attempt to punish their son that went horribly wrong. nhk world's moshe komata has more. >> reporter: this rice ball is yamato tanooka's first meal in nearly a week. his ordeal started last saturday after a family trip to a park in the town of shikabe. yamato's parents said he was misbehaving.

he had been throwing rocks at people, so they told him to get out of the car as punishment. when they came back minutes later, he was gone. hokkaido's forests are known as bear country. and yamato didn't have food or clothing for the elements. about 200 people searched for him day and night. he was found on friday in this barracks for japan's self-defense forces. it's about six kilometers from where he was last seen. yamato said the door was unlocked, and he slept between mats to stay warm. he had no food, but could get clean water from a tap. >> translator: a member who found the boy said he was hungry. the member gave him water and a rice ball. the member said the boy looked fine and was talking normally.

>> reporter: yamato was reunited with his parents at the hospital. >> reporter: a medical expert says the boy is lucky. it had been raining and at night, the temperature fell below six degrees. >> translator: the boy was found at a training facility, so he could take shelter and keep out of the rain and wind. and with the mats there, he could keep the cold off. the main reason he was able to survive for a week with just water was that he kept his body strength.

>> his parents could face charges if this had happened in north america or europe, but police sources tell nhk the parents returned to look for him. so it's unlikely they'll face criminal charges. moshe komata, nhk world. japanese officials have announced new measures to fight crime in the southern prefecture of okinawa. the move comes after a u.s. military contractor was arrested in connection with a woman's murder. >> the key point of the plan are to boost the patrol system and create a safe and secure environment. >> the measures compiled by senior police and ministry officials include a heavier police presence. about 100 more officers will be added to neighborhood stations and 20 more cars will patrol streets. subsidies will be offered to install security cameras and street lights.

the arrest of former u.s. marine kenneth franklin shinzato last month stirred outrage in okinawa. police say he admitted to strangling and stabbing a japanese woman. people in okinawa are also calling for a revision of a bilateral agreement on the status of american military personnel, called s.o.f.a. they say it grants unfair privileges. suga says the defense minister will discuss ways to improve the implementation of sofa with his u.s. counterpart. defense minister gen nakatani is expected to hold talks with ash carter in singapore on saturday on the sidelines of a security summit. a group of governors from japan's prefectures that host military bases has called for a revision of s.o.f.a. the head of the group and other members visited the defense and foreign ministries as well as the u.s. embassy in tokyo. the governors are seeking specific effective steps to prevent crimes. they also want a prompt revision of the bilateral agreement.

it defines the handling of crimes committed by american military and civilian personnel at u.s. bases. kikawada is parliamentary vice foreign minister. he reportedly told governors that government officials will handle each problem with the agreement as it arises. >> translator: crimes could occur in other prefectures hosting u.s. bases. the new countermeasures are not enough. >> okinawa vice governor ageda says crimes cannot be prevented unless the agreement is revised and the mindset of u.s. personnel change. a japanese bank has reported that nearly $1 million was withdrawn in december using credit cards which may have been forged. police are investigating a possible link to a similar case last month. officials from 7 bank told police about $919,000 was

withdrawn from its atms, the withdrawals will also took place on one day in december in locations across japan. the credit cards allegedly used information taken from a financial institution in el salvador. police believe allegedly forged credit cards were used in a similar case in may. 1700 atms nationwide were targeted then in less than three hours. the total amount withdrawn came to about $17 million. those credit cards apparently used information from a south african bank. in 2012 and 2013, around $40 million was withdrawn from atms using fake credit cards. more than 20 countries were hit, including japan. tokyo police identified suspects in connection with the withdrawal of about $8 million. some were put on an international wanted list. the credit cards in that case reportedly used information from banks in oman and elsewhere. police believe a large organized crime group is behind the alleged fraud.

south korean government officials have pledged more support for people suffering from lung damage after being exposed to toxins from sterilizers used in humidifiers. vice environment minister said the government will subsidize living expenses and offer support to family members caring for the victims. the government already covers the cost of medical treatment. he promised a new inquiry as to how the sterilizers affected human health and pledged to increase the number of hospitals that can certify victims from the current one to nine. chong says the government will do its best to ease the suffering of its victims. the south korean government says 95 people died after inhaling toxins released by the sterilizers, many more women and infants suffered lung damage. the sterilizers were sold between 2001 and 2011. earlier this week, prosecutors filed charges against four

people including two former heads of companies that made and sold the products. but the government is facing increasing criticism that its delayed response is to blame for causing the damage to spread. a leader of the tiananmen square protest of 1989 says the chinese government continues to suppress freedom and human rights. wang dan spent six years in prison and now lives in taiwan. he continues to support pro-democracy movements in china. wang spoke to reporters in tokyo ahead of the 27th anniversary of the military crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrations. he says that in china today, the leadership of the communist party, or ccp, is tightening control. >> it's really a dark age for china. if the city has a leader like xi jinping, more and more people will lose their hope for the ccp

>> wang added that if china's economy continues losing steam, people's frustration with the government will increase. a chinese foreign ministry spokesperson restated the government's position that its response in 1989 was appropriate. she said the country has made great economic and social strides since starting its open door economic reform policy about three decades ago. france is trying to revive peace talks between israelis and palestinians. it hosted an international conference in an attempt to restart discussions since april 2014. foreign ministers and officials from 28 countries and international organizations attended the gathering in paris. the israelis and palestinians were not invited. the participants wrapped up their meeting by issuing a statement. it said all delegates present reaffirm the need for a negotiated two-state solution in which palestine and israel can peacefully co-existent.

the participants agreed to come up with measures through working-level talks to move the peace process forward. they then plan to propose the measures by the end of the year at the earliest, at a meeting in which both israelis and palestinians are present. palestinians have welcomed the french initiative but israeli officials have said such a conference could hinder a dialogue for peace. delegates from the organization of the petroleum exporting countries have discussed whether to limit oil production but they weren't able to reach an agreement at their latest meeting. iran insisted on individual targets. the country has been increasing output since western sanctions were lifted. that has made relations with major oil producer saudi arabia tense. >> iran still wants to produce the pre-sanctioned quantity and also we have another country now missing from the market, libya.

so to come up with a number, it's very difficult to do. >> the meeting follows a disagreement at a gathering in december and another in april that included non-opec members. japan's transport ministry has launched an investigation at suzuki motor over its manipulation of fuel efficiency data. ministry officials have questioned the company's senior officials and people in charge of development. the investigators started work at company headquarters in shizuoka prefecture on friday. they they checked the content of the automaker's in-house report on the fabrication submitted to the ministry earlier in the week. suzuki admitted it failed to perform the required outdoor mileage tests for 26 models. instead, it submitted data from indoor tests. over 2 million vehicles are affected. the company's internal probe has

found that an auto development department started the wrongdoing in 2010. suzuki says it retested all models using the required methods and the results were better. the company says it will continue to sell the affected models. u.s. job growth in may was much weaker than expected and far less than the 160,000 jobs analysts had forecast. the data released on friday showed employers in the nonfarm sector added a mere 38,000. jobs last month. it's the smallest gain since september 2010. the unemployment rate was 4.7% an improvement of three-at the points of a percentage point from previous months. last week, federal reserve said reserve rates could be rates, at future policy board meetings. but this week's data could lower the chance of a rate hike at the

meeting in the middle of this month. japan is experiencing an unprecedented tourism boom. according to the japan tourism agency, visitors from abroad gave the country's economy a $30 billion shot in the arm last year. chinese tourists accounted for 40% of it and their spending sprees became famous. but now they tend to spend less and also differently. nhk world's nahoko yamada has more. >> reporter: business is slower at electronic shops in tokyo. just a year ago, the aisles were bustling with free-spending chinese tourists. they bought up rice cooker, digital cameras and other upscale products. but this year shoppers' tastes have changed. customers are looking for cheaper items such as water boilers and beauty products. >> translator: customers are spending 20% to 40% less on average than last year.

>> reporter: shoppers are also avoiding costly items at department stores. luxury goods like expensive watches are sitting unsold in the cases. along with this change in taste, there's also a change in the way chinese tourists shop. instead of snapping up things in a rush, they're now taking their time and enjoying the japanese shopping experience. yomi from shanghai wanted to know what she could do about the blemishes on her face. >> translator: this lotion will help heal the spots. >> reporter: the consultant explains the best way to apply the skin care products and makeup. the cosmetics shop says the more chinese customers are seeking consultations like yomi. >> translator: i'm quite amazed and happy with the service. >> reporter: it's been seven years since japan relaxed visa

rules for individual chinese tourists. now, many of the people arriving are return visitors and their spending habits are changing. today, more tourists are looking for experiences, ones that offer a taste of japan. >> translator: i just want to walk around like the locals and eat good food. >> translator: i want to go to a hot spring and a beauty salon. >> translator: i want to learn how to make sushi. >> reporter: another area seeing a boost is medical tourism. on her third visit from shanghai, she made an appointment with the doctor. >> translator: is anything worrying you? >> reporter: there's even an interpreter on hand. >> translator: i'm worried about my high blood pressure, also my

face has been turning red recently. >> reporter: her father died of heart disease, and now that she's pushing 60, she decided it was time to have her own heart checked out. over the course of a three-hour exam, she was given a battery of tests, including an mri, an echocardiogram. the bill came to about $900, but she felt it was worth it for the peace of mind. nothing serious was found. >> translator: i feel reassured, because the doctor was very attentive, and the test was detailed. >> reporter: the interest in japanese medical service has spawned a new industry. this startup, for example, made the arrangements for her clinic visit. the company says it sets up over hundreds such appointments for chinese tourists every month.

the service includes translating the test results into chinese and sending them to the customers. the company expects the number of clients to grow by 50% this year. >> translator: they usually choose to get a full checkup, so they end up spending about twice as much as an average japanese patient, so the medical clinics view them as good customers. >> reporter: the japanese government has set a target of 40 million foreign tourists a year by 2020. the key to achieving that ambitious goal is to keep visitors coming back for more. it's a challenge that many companies appear ready to take up. nahoko yamada, nhk world. a team of japanese scientists has begun a break-through study of myanmar's

plant and animal life, deep in the country's unexplored jungle. patchari raksawong in bangkok has the story. >> the research project is drawing the attention of academics as the jungle is thought to be a treasure trove of flora and fauna because it was practically inaccessible for decades under the former military regime. the researchers from the national museum of nature and science are conducting field work in the southern region. access to the area for non-military was strictly restricted until recently. years of conflict between ethnic minority insurgents and the government also prevented research. many parts of the area remained untouched for more than a century since the british colonial period. >> translator: we can expect to discover new species of not only plants, but also insects.

there's been almost no research carried out in the past. >> the study will last for five years and the researchers are hoping to catalog new plants and animals as they work to highlight the importance of untouched ecosystems. in singapore, asia's biggest security summit kicked off on friday, rising tensions in the south china sea are set to dominate the three-day dialogue. aiko doden has this report. >> reporter: the meeting is attracting more attention than in usual years as the situation in the south china sea is evolving. the annual dialogue offers a rare opportunity for defense ministers and military chiefs from the asia-pacific region to talk about security. more than 560 attendees will gather at the meeting. u.s. defense secretary ash carter, the deputy chief of the joint staff department of china's central military commission admiral su and

japanese defense minister gen nakatani are among them. the level of high attention reflects the shared understanding that security in the asia-pacific region matters to global security. china claims almost the entire maritime area as its own, while the philippines, vietnam and other southeast asian countries claim parts of it. beijing has built manmade islands and deployed advanced radar facilities and missile batteries in the disputed region. in may, a u.s. warship carried out the freedom of navigation operation near a disputed reef. the pentagon said it was to challenge the excessive maritime claims of some parties. it was the third operation in the last six months. the dialogue is the last chance for both camps to make their points ahead of an imminent landmark ruling. last year, the philippines brought a case to the permanent court of arbitration in the hague over china's claims of sovereignty over the south china sea.

>> i do not believe china is going to accept it. china may also ignore it, because as the chinese government stated many, many times, that china is a sovereign nation state, would not let international tribune to make any rulings on china's national sovereignty. >> america will also continue to protect freedom of the seas because it's a vital part of the rules-based order, but most importantly, we will do so because the freedom of the seas is in america's dna. >> reporter: the south china sea has become asia's biggest potential military flashpoint. attention is focused on how delegates will find ways to ease the tension through the current war of words. aiko doden, nhk world, singapore. vietnam and the united states are steadily improving

ties that have been dogged by decades of history, but relations weren't always so cordial. during the vietnam war, u.s. forces used a toxic chemical known as agent orange that's believed to have created health problems, with which many vietnamese people are still struggling. nhk world has more. >> reporter: a ceremony last month mapped completion of the first phase of the chemical cleanup project that started four years ago. >> translator: both countries learned from and cooperated with each other. it helped bring about this historic achievement. >> reporter: the vietnam war ended more than 40 years ago. the united states wants to show that ties between the two countries have improved. but behind the scenes, many people are still suffering from disabilities and health problems believed to stem from exposure

to agent orange. an estimated 80 million liters of the herbicide was sprayed across vietnam during the decade-long conflict. the vietnamese government says more than 3 million people still suffer from health problems caused by agent orange, but washington has yet to acknowledge the link. binwa air base used to be a u.s. military base that held a huge stockpile of agent orange. still today the area remains seriously contaminated. this sign explains how dioxin exposures from the environment to human bodies. local authorities advise farmers not to grow crops or raise livestock there.

phung van hue lives near the base with his family. his son has a serious brain disorder. he cannot speak and his limbs are paralyzed. hue was born and raised near the base. after the war, he ate fish from a pond and looked after livestock, unaware that the area was contaminated. >> translator: i learned about agent orange after i grew up. we had no information about the herbicide when i was small because we didn't have television or anything like that. >> reporter: his son can barely swallow. . it takes him nearly two hours to

eat a meal. his parents take turns giving him around-the-clock care. as a victim of agent orange, the son receives about $18 a month from the vietnamese government but this is far from enough. the parents want the u.s. government to admit that agent orange is behind the health problems and compensate the victims. >> translator: i want president obama to meet children like my son, who were affected by the herbicide. i want him to help them. >> reporter: four decades after the vietnam war ended, voices of the victims are being drowned out as the united states and vietnam move to improve ties. nguyen, nhk world, hanoi. >> that wraps up our bulletin. i'm patchari raksawong in bangkok.

emerging economies. powers still struggling with poverty. evolving citizens demanding democracy. the threat of violence. the push for peace. the shadow of conflict. get news and insight on southeast asia every weekday live from bangkok only on nhk "newsline." and now here's the three-day outlook on weather for selected cities around the globe.

that wraps up this edition of nhk "newsline," i'm raja pradhan in tokyo. from all of us at nhk world, thanks for watching.

for colombia to meet members of latin america's oldest rebel group. and for timbuktu in mali, badly dangered by so-called islamic state, life is returning to so-called oasis town. but first, we head to flint, where the town's drinking water is making people ill. it is contaminated with lead. lead is the worst environmental toxin of all, according to a global study, but it's still widely used in the manufacture of toys, jewelry, even candles. mining companies extract it, it can be released in the recycling of batteries. around 26 million people from mainly developing countries and emerging econo