hello there. welcome to nhk "newsline." it's wednesday, june 22nd, 9:00 a.m. in tokyo. political candidates and party officials across japan are filing paper work. they are launching their campaigns for election in the upper house of the diet. half of the 242 upper house seats are at stake every three years. they're divided between electoral districts and reputation system. prime minister abe said his ruling block aims to win a majority of seats contested this

time. that's 61 of 121 seats up for grabs. needs the support of more than two-thirds of the chamber of the diet. his ruling coalition has the number in the lower house the number includes seats that are not being contested this time. lawmakers have redrawn districts in an effort to correct voting miss -- disparities. now the official campaign will continue for 18 days until

saturday, july 9th, day before the vote. nhk newsline will bring you lead up along with results and analysis. officials from the u.s. and south korea also confirmed the failure of the first test. they say it's likely both were medium range ballistic missiles. the lawn mp tounch. the missile appeared to have fallen into the sea of japan. there's still no word on the second one. defense officials from japan, south yee akorea and the u.s. h been on alert. japanese defense minister says there's no immediate danger to

japan. >> officials with the defense ministry and selves defense forces are doing theirity most to gather information and monitor the situation for further analysis. if there's any information we should make public in the future, we will do so. >> he said the government remains on full alert. pyongyang made four attempts in the past couple months. but south korean and u.s. military officials say all the attempts failed. time to take a look at the business news. u.s. chair has commented on the impact the british referendum could have on the u.s. economy and the glow ball market. good morning. what did janet yellen say? >> good morning. she was testifying before the senate banking committee.

yellen said britain's split would lead to uncertainty that could trigger market instability. >> uk vote to exit the european union could have significant economic repercussions. we don't flow what wiknow what and we'll have to watch carefully. >> she said a brexit could probably not send the u.s. economy back into a recession but could result in disruptions in financial markets as inves r investors scramble to avert risks. even so, the pace of job gains slowed in may. yellen said the fed sees the trend as temporary but will be watching the job market carefully. market players paid full attention to yellen's comments.

they are on edge as the british referendum is one day away. over on wall street as well the industrial average gaining a n tenth of a percent. let's see what's happening in tokyo. ramin is standing by. tell us what you're seeing so far. >> very good morning to you. you talked about the uk referendum. markets really on a cautious tone ahead of that on the eve of the uk referendum with the latest polls showing both camps are pretty much neck and neck and markets, however, do seem to be discounting a leave vote as we have seen stocks rising and also the dollar rising. let's have a look at how the nikkei and topix are kicking

off. a stronger dollar may help today as it's edged higher after the fed. now, she offered some words of optimism on the u.s. economy reignited the prospects of another rate rise as early as this summer according to analysts. here at home, the big news will be focusing on the resignation of softbank's president and former google executive. it sold its entire stake in finished game maker super cell to china's ten cent holdings as up to $10 billion worth of

shares in allibaba, the chinese online shopping mall. >> we'll be following that softbank story a little later on the show. i also want to ask you about currencies. we did see the dollar jump from those 22-month lows against the yen. what's happening now? >> we did see that coming off the lows. let's get a look at some of the other asian markets that are open now. back to you. >> thanks a lot for that update. we'll talk to you in a few hours

time. softbank group says its president and coo will step down. he had been viewed as a likely is successor to chairman and ceo. softbank announced that arora will step down and will become an advisor as of july 1st. 58-year-old son said he hoped to hand over the reins to arora been his 60th birthday but he feels he needs more time. he needs another 5 to 10 years at the helm and this is not the time to keep arora waiting.

japan wastes six million tons of food every year. consumers are responsible for about half that. producers and distributors play a role too. they have to dispose of food that hasn't been shipped or sold by a certain time. so companies are coming up with new ways to keep perfectly good food out of trash can. >> translator: these product will be thrown out. >> reporter: executives are testing a new system aimed at cutting down on wastes. they've teamed up with a weather

consulting firm to create business forecasts based on weather data. >> translator: we send information like there every day so the company can predict demand for tofu. >> reporter: the data includes a special index which projects consumers appetite for tofu. it analyze temperature and past sales results. it indicates whether demand is likely to rise or fall on the following day. thanks to the system, the company wasted 30% less tofu last fiscal year compared to a year earlier. >> translator: there were limitations to how much we could do on our own. with this data we hope reduce waste to the absolute minimum. >> reporter: a new appliance is designed to make consumers more conscience about wasting food. this refrigerator helps keep track of the freshness of food

stored inside. >> beef. >> reporter: the user makes an audio recording while stocking the fridge. the appliance is equipped with a database with over 1500 kinds of foo food. it uses the information to inform the user when products are getting old. the smart phone app makes it possible to check the fridge's contests away from home. that cuts down on purchases of things already on hand. >> translator: we hope our technology helps consumers who want to avoid wasting food. >> reporter: a website provides another tool. >> the price goes from 22,000

yen to 3,960. >> reporter: it offers discounts of up to 90% on food that's about to expire. >> translator: i know that food waste is a big problem in japan. i thought by using this service i might be able to help solve the problem. new technologies and surfaces are raising people's awareness about a problem born of plenty. >> that is the latest in business news for this hour. i'm going to leave you now with a check on markets.

a man with a knife has attacked women at a shopping mall in hokkaido, northern japan, killing one and injuring three. police say the man in his 30s randomly stabbed the women at the mall in kushiro city before security guards seized him on tuesday. the woman who died was in her 60s. she'd been stabbed in the back. the other three in their 40s to 70s are being treated at a hospital. >> the man reportedly told police that he stabbed people because he wanted the death penalty.

the president of tokyo electric power company has admitted to a cover up. he said tepco did conceal reactor meltdowns immediately after the march 2011 earthquake and tsunami. >> translator: it is natural for the public to interpret the decision as a cover-up. we deeply apologize. >> meltdowns occurred at three reactors following the disaster but tepco only admitted to this two months after the accident. a recent inquiry has found that company officials could have

determined the reactors were in meltdown as soon as three days after the disaster if they had followed their own inhouse manual. hirose will take a one-month paycut of 10%. last week a panel reported that the company president at the time had instructed officials not to use the word "meltdown." the report said he was following instructions from the prime minister's office. naoto kan was prime minister at the time. he has denied the accusation. indonesia has vowed to step up patrols in exclusive waters following a series of skirmishing with boats from china. >> three confrontations have been reported so far this year in the rich fishing grounds of the natuna islands in a corner of the south china sea. >> translator: poaching by chinese fishermen is increasing this year. china uses fishing boats to establish its presence in the area. >> the indonesian navy said it seized a chinese fishing boat on friday in its exclusive economic zone. it said it fired warning shots at several boats that were fishing illegally.

several fishermen were detained. china's foreign ministry responded sharply. it said an indonesian vessel fired on the fishing boat injuring one person in what it called traditional chinese fishing grounds. >> translator: we launch a strong protest over such excessive use of force. we urge indonesia not to take action that can complicate and expand the conflict or affect regional peace and stability. >> the indonesian navy defended its actions on tuesday saying it they were appropriate. it said the fleeing ship ignored its warnings and no one was wounded. indonesian naval officials pledged to beef up patrols near the area, which is where the natunaize are located. china has said it does not dispute indonesia's sovereignty over the islands but its claim of jurisdiction over almost the entire south china sea, does include waters that are close by. yoga enthusiasts across india have marked the second

international day of yoga. the event is the brainchild of prime minister narendra modi who believes yoga can boost india's global image. modi joined 30,000 other yoga practitioners in a northern city of chandigarh. he first proposed the annual event in a speech to the united nations general assembly in 2014. >> translator: this is not a religious ritual. yoga gives you the power to calm the mind, strengthen the body. brings uniformity in society on a universal scale. this is science from outside our world. it belongs to his world. >> modi claims to do yoga every morning. similar events were held across india where the practice originated some 5,000 years ago. >> yoga is very important for us for meditation, for stamina, all things can be released by doing yoga, itself. it's natural therapy.

>> modi has called yoga soft power. he apparently believes international yoga day can make people around the world interested in indian culture and boost yoga tourism. tourists from other parts of asia have been flocking to japan in recent years. singaporeans are especially frequent visitors. now a new destination lets them soak up japanese culture without getting on a plane. nhk world's derek cai reports. >> one, two, three. congratulations. >> reporter: the first spa with an authentic japanese style public bath has just opened in singapore.

a local company that runs japanese restaurants is behind the venture. >> singapore is hot all year round. you would think taking a hot bath is the last thing on everybody's mind. however, singapore just opened a japanese bath house boasting a variety of baths of different temperatures. >> reporter: the spa features 11 pools and 6 different types of baths. it also has a sauna. a local company that runs japanese restaurants is behind the venture. the entrance fee is about $30 u.s. even though it's not cheap, many people like to come here after work. singapore is a tropical country, and people usually take showers but awareness of japanese style baths is growing. that's because japan has become a major travel destination. one in ten singaporeans visited the country last year. the spa offers quality service and a way to experience japanese culture at home. >> okay. so this is how you stye an obi. >> reporter: with a range of yukata robes and obi belts to wear, singaporeans an relax in a traditional japanese atmosphere. >> i don't have to travel all the way to japan. i can do it here. >> translator: if people know about japanese style service more and more, it will be a great business opportunity.

>> reporter: more and more singaporeans have been visiting japan. they're acquiring a taste for all things japanese and that's creating new opportunities here at home. derek cai, nhk world, singapore. do think about the hopes and dreams of your children and grand children. they know their chances to work, to travel, to build a sort of open and successful society they want to live in rests on this out come. >> cameron made the appeal in front of his downing street residence on tuesday as

campaigning entered the final stretch. justice secretary is a long time ally of cameron, but a leading campaigner in the league bloc. >> people should vote to have confidence in themselves, in this country and its potential to be an even better place in the future. >> by voting to leave, british people will be detaching themselves from the sinking ship that's the eu's company. support for brexit is higher among older people. a poll released on monday showed 44% of the respondents want britain to leave the eu. 9% said they're undecided. officials of the international olympic committee have backed a decision to ban russian track and field athletes from the rio de janeiro olympics for systematic doping.

at a meeting in the swiss city of lausanne, ioc president thomas bach said they fully support the ban that the international association of athletics federation or iaaf imposed last week. >> the summit confirmed the respect and the approval and support for the decision having been taken by iaaf last friday. >> the participants in the meeting also agreed russian non track and field athletes and kenyan athletes can only go to rio if they are cleared by reliable tests taken outside their home countries. >> each athlete coming from these two countries will have to declare eligible by the respective international federation. >> bach said the special measure is being introduced because of the unsatisfactory record of the anti-doping bodies in the two countries. bach announced that the ioc will

refuse to issue olympic certificates to athletes who have been involved in doping and the sanction would apply to their coaches, doctors and team officials. we take you to southwestern japan where heavy rain continues. robert speta joins us with the latest weather conditions. >> yes. the rain is still ongoing. we are a heart of this rainy season. i know back on tuesday we actually had the storm blow through. you can see where that convex is now, streaming towards the east of japan, but back toward the west is another round of rainfall. you've seen in nagasaki prefecture 135 millimeters of total rainfall.

needless to say, yes, we had a massive earthquake in april. even this morning we had a smaller one out here. that's making the ground quite unstable, so the landslide risk is still there. a load, and there's that extreme threat across much of kumamoto, nagasaki, and you could be see landslides here once again on wednesday, because not only the group is loose, but we have more rain on top of what we've inact the avstexcted in northern kyand to the northewe coueep to00 millimeters out there. tokyo probably going to be seeing a passing shower or two, heading into the late morning into the early morning hours, but i think the worst of it will be through the overnight heading into thursday morning, if you are in the tokyo area, but overall nothing compared to what we're seeing back toward of west. if we follow this front into center and eastern china, it has been dominating out here as well. since saturday some of these areas have seen 5 to 600

millimeters of total precipitation. you can see exactly where our rainy season is stretching from kyushu. i do want to show you some video out of southern china, first call of in -- you can see since last saturday, at least 22 people have been killed, and 20 other people are still missing, according to local officials. eight of the deaths actually occurred when people became trapped in a flooded mine there. in hunan province, a dam broke forcing about 18,500 people to

evacuate their homes, at least 10,000 homes have been collapsed or damaged out here due to the severe flooding, could be one of the first billion dollar disasters of 2016. it's still ongoing. the next 24 hours we're still expecting along that same line where we're seeing that heavy rainfall, the additional 120 to 150 millimeters of precipitation, and extending back towards the east. and also towards western japan. this is definitely something we're catching. taking your attention towards the americas, we are watching that severe weather threat basically across the great lakes to the southwest. a chance of tornadoes -- that's right, they're combined with the chance of large ahead, including those of you heading into chicago. i'll leave you now with your

extended outlook. that is all for this edition of nhk "newsline." i'm catherine kobayashi in tokyo. thanks for staying with us. xnóx

23this week, global 3000 is dedicated to people in need around the world. it's an alarming state of affairs which urgently requires more support, more collaboration, more money. we go to nepal where a year after the earthquake a 12-year-old boy talks about his family's daily life. we visit a border town in turkey where a hundred thousand syrians have sought refuge. but they are not safe from the war here either. and we meet some app designers whose ideas are encouraging others to give money for those in need. according to the u.n., worldwide human suffering is greater today than at any other point since the end of the second world war.