♪ hello there. welcome to nhk "newsline." it is thursday, september 8th, 9:00 a.m. i'm catherine kobayashi in tokyo. world leaders gathered in laos are gearing up for a third and final day of the summit of the association of southeast asianinati nations. provocations by north korea and maritime disputes with china. pyongyang launched three ballistic missiles monday that fell into the sea of japan. japanese prime minister shinzo abe and south korean president park geun-hye met on the sidelines of the asean meetings. >> translator: monday's missile launch by north korea is an

unacceptable outrage. japan will address the issue in cooperation with south korea as well as the u.n. security council. >> the leaders agreed to increase pressure on pyongyang, including possible further sanctions. and they say they'll promote defense cooperation with the u.s. abe and park also discussed their recent agreement over an issue that dates back to world war ii. >> translator: it is very significant that since we reached an agreement on the comfort women issue our relations have improved, and it has expanded our ability to address common challenges in those fields. >> abe said japan has contributed about $10 million to a south korean foundation aimed at supporting those women. and he reiterated his call for the removal of a statue that symbolizes the women from outside the japanese embassy in seoul. north korea's launch drew a quick reaction from the u.n. security council, but leaders in pyongyang are dismissing the

condemnation. they say they'll continue to develop their nuclear and missile programs. members of the security council issued a statement denouncing the north's repeated launches and they threatened to take further significant measures. a foreign ministry spokesperson released a statement through state-run korean news agency. it says the condemnation is an unacceptable infringement of north korea's dignity and right to self-defense. the news report also included a remark by leader kim jong-un. his statement says the year started with the country's first test of a hydrogen bomb, and it says the country must continue to expand its achievements in strengthening its nuclear capability. north korea rejected another security council statement last month that also denounced its missile launches. the leaders at the asean summit are finding regional maritime disputes hard to

ignore. some of the member nations have conflicting claims with beijing to the south china sea. there's rising concern even among those who don't over china's increasing assertiveness in the waters. as fransiska rinatta reports, that includes indonesia which had remained neutral. >> reporter: indonesia's natuna islands are in the south china sea. chinese fishing vessels frequently operate there. local fishermen are suffering as a result. >> translator: poaching cuts our income in half. >> translator: we flee immediately if we see a chinese ship. otherwise, our boat will be capsized. >> reporter: china claims most of the south china sea as its own. that includes parts of indonesia's exclusive economic zone of the natuna islands. indonesia has been targeting poaching ships. it's damaged or sunk more than

200 vessels from various countries. >> any fish that is still swimming in our corridor is indonesian fish. anybody fishing there without permit, we can sink them anytime. >> reporter: amid growing concerns over china's activities in the sea, the indonesian government gave nhk access to a meeting. >> translator: we need to strengthen our defense capabilities, including our navy, and step up maritime monitoring. >> reporter: maritime patrols around the natuna islands have been strengthened. a new monitoring facility with radar was installed in august. indonesia's armed forces also plan to send four war planes and three navy vessels or submarines to natuna.

this is natuna fishery center. indonesian government said they started to build this facility in order to protect indonesian territory in the south china sea. the government is also investing in development projects to strengthen the island's economy. and officials plan to resettle 6,000 people to natuna from around the country. housing is already being planned. >> translator: we won't hand over the islands to anybody. we won't allow the waters to be a place where foreign ships can steal our fish. >> reporter: as indonesia continues to challenge china's maritime advances, its policies could end up altering the dynamic of the south china sea disputes. fransiska renatta, nhk world,

natuna islands, indonesia. we take you to syria where government forces have been accused of using chlorine class in an air raid tuesday in an opposition held area in aleppo. the uk-based syrian observatory for human rights said more than 70 people suffered breathing difficulties. video footage from aleppo showed many people, including children, wheezing and being treated. >> the opposition says government forces have used chlorine gas which is banned by the chemical weapons convention. in a report released last month, the united nations and the organization for the prohibition of chemical weapons said they found syrian government troops were responsible for two chlorine gas attacks, one in

2014 and the other in 2015. the syrian government denies the allegation. officials in an advisory commission set up by the myanmar government have made their first exception of a rohingya muslim camp. they're trying to solve a conflict between buddhists and the minority rohingya. the panel is led by former u.n. secretary general kofi annan. the officials visited the camp in the western state of reakhine on wednesday. annan met with rohingya people and heard that they have no basic human rights and should be granted citizenship. he plans to compile measures within one year after talking to both rohingya and buddhists. >> translator: i hope annan's commission will eventually give us civic rights. >> but the panel is facing opposition. on tuesday, hundreds of buddhist protesters surrounded his motorcade.

they say annan sympathizes with the muslims. rohingya muslims have experienced discrimination in the state for decades. many have been confined to camps since 2012. a clash that year with buddhists left more than 80 people dead. last year, several thousand of them fled by boat to surrounding countries. the myanmar government formed a commission after facing international criticism. now let's shift gears and take a look at the latest business stories. japanese officials have announced a revision to gdp numbers. ai uchida joins us from our business desk. what kind of change are we talking about? >> a positive change. officials have just revised growth upward for the april to june quarter to to 0.7% annualized. the original reading was 0.2%. the economy grew faster than initially estimated. growth in corporate investment was not as bad as first thought.

again, japanese officials revising upward annualized growth for the april to june quarter from an initial reading of 0.2%. now they say it was 0.7%. meanwhile, over in the u.s., the federal reserve has released its latest report on the country's economy. the beige book says the economy expanded at a moderate pace in july and august based on surveys conducted by its 12 districts. the report says consumer spending was little changed from the previous survey in july. car sales edged down. it says it also says in most districts manufacturing activity rose slightly and labor market conditions remained tight. fed officials say the economy will continue its moderate expansion in the coming months. even so, they forecast inflation and wage increases will be modest. some financial market players expect the central bank will raise the key interest rate later this year.

well, wall street ended mixed as they looked for furtherer trading cues. the dow jones industrial average ended slightly lower. the nasdaq adding 0.15%. let's get all the details on what is happening here in tokyo this thursday morning. for that, we're going to ramin mellegard at the tokyo stock exchange. good morning. tell us what you're seeing at the open. >> very good morning, ai. the central bank and central bank action or inaction, if you will, will be a focus for investors, but today, of course, a lot of focus on the unveiling of apple's iphone 7 and its launch next week. so, of course, we're going to be tracking all the componentmakers in japan which go into a lot of the apple products. let's have a look at the opening levels. the nikkei and topix lower in the first few minutes of trading here for september 8th, down 0.2%. the topix down 0.32%.

just a reminder, the nikkei underperfomed the region yesterday on the news of the back of the news of the drop of the dollar. strong gains for the nikkei we've seen so far in september. >> ramin, it looks like market sentiment has been swayed by talks of further stimulus by the bank of japan. that looks like it's affecting currencies. >> exactly. again, central bank talk or comments really the focus for a lot of investors. dollar/yen 101.82-86. compared to 104 on monday. strategists say they expect the yen to perhaps remain strong ahead of the boj's policy decision on the 21st. let's not forget many are not expecting the federal reserve to make any moves at its meeting on the 21st before the u.s. elections in november which, of course, adds more focus on what the boj may do. the european central bank is due to deliver its latest policy

decision later today but most expect it to keep its measures largely unchanged. this also helps explain why the single currency has remained pretty flat moving within a tight range against major peers. here in japan, we'll be looking for share price naks componentmakers such as mirada manufacture, foster electric, toshiba and japan display, just among a few of the componentmakers here in japan which go into by apple. also on the tech front, sony unveiled its latest playstation 4 games console called the playstation 4 pro. it will track shares of sony and related shares as well. let's get a quick look, of course, for the asian indexes that are also open right now. seoul's kospi up 0.2%. australia's s&p/ask 200 up 0.8%. a slow start for the tokyo stocks. we'll see how that progresses.

>> thanks, ramin. we'll touch base with you in a few hours time. athletes and businesses are working hard to prepare for tokyo's 2020 olympic and paralympic games. some companies are using i.t. to drastically change the way spectators experience sporting events. they're redesigning stadium technology to make it smarter. take a look. >> reporter: at this japanese professional soccer game, many fans had their eyes glued to their smartphones before and after matches or during halftime. they're using a service designed for stadiums. it enables viewers to watch video of all the matches played this season. it also helps fans learn more about the players. another service here allows spectators in some sections to order food and have it delivered directly to their seats.

these services take advantage of a wifi system that's an integral part of overall smart stadium design. >> translator: the wifi is fast, and the original content is fun. >> translator: we can use the service to look up results from last year. >> reporter: omie ardija was one of the first teams to install the technology. club officials thought it would help the track's spectators. they worked with a major communications firm to put the plan into place. this month, they'll launch a service using multiple cameras that will let visitors watch replays from numerous angles. >> by the time the 2020 olympic games get under way, i think what we're doing at our stadium will be common at other stadiums, too.

if we can be pioneers, that will make us very happy. >> they are partners in the communication firm have started developing their own original content as well. it includes something called free viewing point image technology. when data from cameras installed in four corners of the stadium and distance measuring sensors are sensitized, an object can be seen from 360 degrees, even parts that the cameras couldn't see. currently, the cameras can only capture a four-square-meter area but the developers hope one day spectators will be able to view images from any point in the stadium. >> translator: people will be able to watch realistic looking things together. at that stage, spectators will find previewing video technology indispensable. >> reporter: as smart stadium technology catches on around the

world, businesses in japan will be working hard to improve their game. >> and that's the latest in business for this hour. i'll leave you with a check on markets. on to other stories we're following this hour -- japan's nuclear regulator has decided to start background checks on nuclear facility workers as part of its anti-terrorism measures. the international atomic energy agency urged countries to screen

nuclear plant workers following the 2001 terrorist attacks in the u.s. the nuclear regulation authority announced that a screening system will be launched next year. nuclear power plant operators will conduct the check. it will target employees who can access critical areas of the facilities. the workers will be asked to provide information about their medical history, including alcohol and drug addictions. they'll also be questioned about criminal records and possible links to terrorist groups. the utilities will share the information. >> translator: we have discussed the background check system for a long time. it is difficult to tell how effective the system is, but i believe the security situation will be improved by it. >> some experts are concerned that the system could violate workers' privacy while others say volunteering information is not enough. utilities and other operators will report the details of their screening plans to the nra by march next year.

japan's government has invested nearly $20 million in pakistan's efforts to prevent terrorism. it has donated state of the art scanners for airports in islamabad, karachi and lahore. >> i am sure that the international flights departing from pakistan will gain even more credibility and the pastors will definitely feel even more comfortable and secured. >> the equipment will be uses to scan luggage for explosives from multiple angles. conventional scanners only check bags from above. . a group of climb ers scaling the iconic mt. fuji have had a lucky escape.

they were forced to make a dash to safety after some boulders came crashing through their trail. a man who captured video of the incident last friday says he heard a rumbling sound, he looked up and saw the rocks one to three meters in diameter tumbling down the mountain. an expert on volcanoes said widening lava cracks around one of mt. fuji's craters triggered the fall. he estimates in the latest incident, the rocks fell as far as 1.5 kilometers. >> translator: it's quite rare for rocks of this size to fall on this part of the mountain. but in summer, minor rock falls happen everyday. >> many climbing routes close in mid-september. he says climbers should take precautions and wear helmets. summer in japan is peak season for mountain climbers and hundreds of thousands of them trek to nagano prefecture. but all of that is putting the natural environment under

stress. >> reporter: japan welcomes sightseers, especially in summer. climbing conditions are good. and the views of 3,000-meter mountains spectacular. >> translator: this is exactly what i wanted to see. it's therapeutic. >> mountain climbing unleashes my emotions. >> i don't want to go back down. >> reporter: for many of the climb eonce isn't enough. the environment entices them to come again and again. however, it's changing the landscape. the spread of invasive species is a major concern. for example, jerusalem artichokes, the yellow flowers, are not native to this area. they are making their way through the mountains of nagano. visitors may be bringing tit on

their shoes. >> the plant grows like crazy. >> toshiyasu aruga has been involved in mountaineering and rescue missions for some 30 years. in recent times, he's seen invasive species asserting themselves. >> translator: the native plants will probably die if their sunlight is blocked. these outside species grow rapidly and harm the ones that belong here. >> reporter: another change is the direct result of human activity. >> translator: these holes were all made by hiking poles. they stab at roots and push them further into the ground. the roots are exposed. eventually that will affect the trees. >> reporter: the mountain sides

are now pitted with evidence of sharp-pointed hiking poles. nagano prefecture is trying to make climbers mindful of their actions. they include an event with examples of how the environment may suffer. visitors are asked to sign a note to protect the environment that includes staying on the trails and not harming plants. >> translator: we've been encouraging visitors to cover the tips of their poles. >> translator: leaving them uncovered makes it easier to grip the ground, though, doesn't it? >> translator: but if they puncture the ground, even minor rainfall can cause trail erosions. the holes also damage plants growing along the trail. we encourage visitors who enjoy climbing these mountains to work

with us to protect the environment of the nagano region. >> reporter: the prefecture also hopes that visitors will pitch in to help maintain the trails, root out invasive species and keep the mountains in peak conditions. mia ohba, nhk world, nagano. it's time to get a check of the weather. people in tokyo are seeing gray skies outside their windows, but the weather seems to be holding up for now. our meteorologist robert speta joins us with the details. >> yes, across parts of japan, we have been seeing some torrential precipitation out here. now this is all due to a passing front and what's left of our tropical system. if you remember, we had malou that impacted okinawa and southern japanese islands. that low has merged up with this front. regardless of that, it's no longer a tropical storm. but the moisture did not go

away. in fact, some areas just north of tokyo, towards the west, we've seen some all-time record amounts of precipitation over a one-hour period. upwards of 90 millimeters. that is some incredible rain totals. i want to show you some video coming out of wakayama and yamanashi prefectures. there has been some delays on a few of the trains, especially coastal areas. and at the airports. no widespread cancellations or anything like that. this has been making for definitely a slow commute at the very least here on your thursday morning. but the good news, the storm has stayed down there toward the south. you're not seeing those incredibly strong winds along the coast. as far as the rain, that's still the big issue. there's a big reason for this. this low right here has moving in from the south. it's surging in that moisture but also warmer air. back toward the north, we're

getting into september so autumn is kind of trying to fight its way into the picture. that creates a little confliction of air mass. even off towards northern japan, you'll be expecting that. all that moisture is coming in from somewhere. that's across southeast china, towards taiwan and okinawa. you just have that moisture river pulling through bringing that threat of flooding out there in hong kong, taipei. you are looking at definitely some widespread scattered showers on your thursday. let's take a look here into the americas now. what we have what's left of newton. remember that was a hurricane that made landfall there across southern areas of the baja peninsula. cabo saw a little damage out of that. now pulling off towards the north. still a flash flood threat there into arizona and new mexico. about 40 to 50 millimeters expected out of this before it continues to weaken. where is all that moisture going

after that? back here towards the north, a passing cold front tailing it along. and that brings strong thunderstorms across the western great lakes. might even see some delays out there at the airports including chicago, detroit, some hail and the possibility of a tornado or two coming out of this. out ahead of it, though, classic case of some warm air across the eastern seaboard. six or seven degrees above your average out there. into d.c., 34. new york, 32. down to atlanta, 33 there for your high. here in new york, more on this later on. a potent cut-off low. just stubborn, staying in place across the balkan peninsula bringing foul weather. to the west, a cooldown. a front through the british isles. heat is surging in from the south. pairts, high of 27. berlin, 30 on thursday. all right. here's your extended outlook.

and that is all for this edition of nhk "newsline." i'm catherine kobayashi in tokyo. thanks very much for staying with us.

>> welcome to "in good shape." our topic six week advanced prosthetics that make life easier. ways to overcome the fear of dentists. and crucial first aid for cardiac arrest and broken bones. here's your host, dr. carsten lekutat. dr. lekutat: hello and welcome to "in good shape." in emergency situations many of my patients feel helpless and city don't know what to do. this is why we have a quick refresher course in first aid today.