hello and thank you for joining us on this edition of nhk "newsline." i'm raja pradhan in tokyo. military experts say north korea's nuclear attack capability is entering a new phase and could be becoming a real threat. the country conducted its fifth nuclear test on friday and said it was a missile warhead explosion. scientists claim they can now mount them onto ballistic missiles and mass-produce them. nhk world's yoshitaka hirauchi reports. >> reporter: north korea's state-run television announced the news with a statement it said was from the scientists involved. >> translator: we, the

scientists and technicians at the nuclear weapons laboratory, conducted a nuclear test at the northern testing site to determine the force of a newly developed warhead. it was carried out successfully. >> reporter: seismologists detected the test friday morning when they observed a magnitude 5.3 tremor. it was in the same place pyongyang has conducted four nuclear tests since 2006. they've happened every few years, but this time was only eight months after the last. it happened on the same day north korea was marking the 68th anniversary of its foundation. >> translator: i feel very proud after hearing the news. >> translator: our future is bright, and we have nothing to fear.

>> reporter: u.s. president barack obama spoke over the phone separately with the prime minister of japan and the president of south korea. he stressed commitment to his allies and promised to continue talks to ensure north korea's military actions are met with serious consequences. in a statement, south korea's park geun-hye called the nuclear test proof of pyongyang's recklessness and said it would only lead to further isolation. security experts point out two factors that would mean an increasing threat. one is the impact of the explosion. south korean officials said it appears to be the largest to date, with a force of about 10 kilotons. that's about two-thirds of the atomic bomb dropped on hiroshima in 1945. the other factor is the delivery method, on a warhead.

north korea has fired 21 missiles this year. three were launched this week and are believed to have fallen in japan's exclusive economic zone. experts say a warhead explosion test raises the threat, though it may take more time to miniaturize the explosive device and design it to endure heat and shock. >> translator: the obama administration has only a few months left. pyongyang might be pushing ahead with its nuclear development to strengthen its negotiating position before the next american president takes office. >> reporter: pyongyang's latest action is likely to further test the diplomatic skills of leaders in the region and around the globe. yoshitaka hirauchi, nhk world, tokyo. officials in tokyo addressed the situation on the north's latest nuclear test.

defense minister t held talks on friday with u.s. ambassador caroline kennedy. >> translator: we believe north korea's technology has improved. including the ballistic missiles. japan will work closely with other concerned countries to deal with the situation. >> in march, the u.n. security council imposed a set of sanctions on the north including a ban on exporting aviation fuel and inspection of all the cargo leaving and entering the country. in addition, japan has its own sanctions in place banning the entry of its citizens and ships. any money transfers of over $1,000 are also prohibited. and the list could get longer. >> translator: we are considering additional sanctions on north korea following the latest test. >> officials are coordinating with their international counterparts to find ways to increase pressure on pyongyang.

people in japan are concerned and angry about the test, especially those in the two cities that experienced nuclear attacks. hiroshima was the first to be bombed by the united states in 1945. >> translator: i feel very nervous. i can't understand what made them do it. sunao tsuboi is a representative of an a-bomb survivors association. he met with u.s. president barack obama in may. >> translator: we have to make north korea aware that it's pushing forward according to its own logic. >> people in the other city, nagasaki, are also frustrated. >> translator: it just makes me furious! we need more diplomatic action. >> the leader of nagasaki survivors says he is very disappointed. >> translator: based on our own

experiences, we have been campaigning for the past 70 years to ensure the tragedy is never repeated. china has been facing increasing pressure to help thwart pyongyang's nuclear ambitions. the country is north korea's neighbor and major ally. earlier ross mihara spoke with nhk world's daisuke azuma in beijing to find out how china is responding. >> daisuke, how are chinese authorities reacting to pyongyang's latest actions? >> foreign ministry officials here say china is resolutely opposed to north korea's latest nuclear tests. and they say they'll lodge a protest with the north's embassy but they haven't mentioned any further moves to rein in pyongyang. >> translator: china urges north korea to comply with u.n. security council resolutions and to stop taking any actions that will make the situation worse.

>> many in beijing are also upset with the timing of the pyongyang missile test earlier this week. the north fired three ballistic missiles monday, the same day that china was wrapping up the g20 summit. president xi jinping had told south korean officials he opposes their plan to deploy an american missile defense system but pyongyang's latest actions give seoul more reasons to ignore beijing's positions. following the launches, the u.n. security council with the approval of china's ambassador quickly condemned the north. it was a stark contrast from a month ago when china posed a similar security council statement. this indicates that beijing has started to harden its stance toward pyongyang. >> daisuke, what options do chinese officials have to persuade north korea to abandon its nuclear program? >> officials in beijing say

their influence on north korea is limited. on thursday, senior officials from pyongyang flew to beijing. kim sum has served as a liaison between the two countries. the purpose of his visit is unknown. there is expectation that he may have discussed the latest nuclear tests with chinese officials. experts here say pyongyang thinks beijing's hands are tied. they say chinese leaders are worried that the large influx of refugees from north korea might destabilize china and that pyongyang is taking advantage of the situation. u.s. president barack obama said he has urged xi to work with the united states to change pyongyang's behavior if china does not want american missile defense system to be deployed in south korea. xi says china will remain firm on its aim of denuclearizing the

korean peninsula. but with the options running out, china's leaders' ability to deal with north korea seems increasingly limited. north korea's latest nuclear test was at the top of an agenda at the emergency meeting of the comprehensive test ban treaty organization. ambassadors and other representatives from more than 100 countries, including japan, the united states and south korea, took part in a meeting. the latest observation data on the nuclear tests was reported as the gathering. >> the more tests that's done by the dprk the more they improve the technical capability with regard to developing nuclear weapon. it underscores the urgency and the necessity for the force of this treaty. >> the treaty was adopted at the united nations general assembly in 1996. but as the u.s. and some other countries have not ratified it, the pact has not come into effect.

a passenger train derailed in northwestern spain. at least four people have been killed and more than 40 others are injured. the derailment occurred on friday when the three-car train bound for neighboring portugal approaching a station in spain's galica region. the front car derailed. about 200 meters from the station. local authorities say the train was carrying 65 people. some passengers say it was picking up speed before the brakes were suddenly applied. the authorities are looking into the cause of the accident. in 2013, the derailment of a high-speed train in the same region killed 79 people and injured 140 others.

in other news, a shortage of child care facilities and workers has been a serious issue across japan. tokyo governor yuriko koike has now drawn up emergency measures. she says the aim is to secure care services for 5,000 more children by the end of next march. child care services represent a major challenge for tokyo. more than 8,400 children in the capital are on waiting lists for child care facilities. the highest number in the country. >> translator: not even mothers with full-time jobs have a better chance of finding vacancies. we just have to wait for one to come up so we can get back to work. >> koike announced the emergency plan on friday at a news conference. >> translator: i am committed to working quickly to make tokyo more friendly to parents raising children. >> the emergency measures include 11 projects in 3 areas. developing child care facilities, securing child care

workers, and supporting users of the care services. as regards securing personnel, the plan calls for making all child care workers eligible for rent subsidy. the current subsidy is restricted to those with up to just five years of service. child care workers have welcomed the announcement. >> translator: i would be quite relieved if the rent subsidy restriction is lifted, as rent has a big effect on our livelihood. >> koike will submit a supplementary budget of about $123 million to the metropolitan assembly which will convene at the end of this month. members of an advisory panel to japan's prime minister have discussed revisions to the nation's tax system. the panel is tasked withdrawing

up changes for next fiscal year. prime minister shinzo abe told the meeting the income tax system needs to be revised to match the changes in society. >> translator: everyone should be able to make the most of their abilities. >> one revision being considered is the spousal deduction for income tax. under the current taxation system, if one of a married couple's annual income is 1.03 million yen or less, equal to about $10,000, the partner is eligible for a 380,000 yen tax deduction. because of this, many women working part-time tend to limit the number of hours they work to keep their annual earnings below 1.03 million yen. this allows their husbands to remain eligible for the spousal deduction. but critics say the current system favors families with a single breadwinner and it fails to match the change in society where double-income families

have become a majority. the government panel plans to look into a new system that includes a tax deduction for couples, regardless of the earnings of either partner. the panel also plans to discuss stricter measures covering subsidiaries set up in tax havens which multinational firms use to evade taxes. next on to a check on the markets. stocks in tokyo were flat after europe's central bank decided not to expand its easing program. our business reporter giang nguyen reports from the tokyo stock exchange. >> tokyo markets lacked clear direction despite a weakening of the yen. the european central bank's decision was widely expected, but investors were still disappointed it didn't signal more easing down the line. the nikkei ended almost flat at 16,965. and the broader topix fell 0.16%. daily losses and gains canceled each other out during the week, and the nikkei 225 ended pretty much at the same level it was

last friday. shares of gamemakers nintendo and dena ended lower on profit-taking after double-digit gains of the previous day. the firms have jointly developed the new super mario run game that's coming to iphones in december. oil and gas field developers like inpex and japex locked solid gains after crude oil prices touched a two-week high overnight. north korea's nuclear test certainly didn't help sentiment, though the reaction in tokyo markets appeared to be muted. giang nguyen reporting from the tokyo stock exchange. here is a look at some of the other business stories we are following. a new japanese-made passenger plane has undergone test flights after the pilot was forced to abort a trip to the united states twice last month because of a glitch. the mitsubishi regional jet conducted a takeoff and landing test at an airport in japan. officials at mitsubishi aircraft

say they were checking the mrj's performance after replacing the monitoring sensor for the air-conditioning system. the mrj will depart for the u.s. later this month after further checkups. the jet is japan's first domestically made passenger aircraft in half a century. the operator of au mobile services kddi has announced a new discount plan for heavy data users. the firm has set the monthly charge for a new 20-gigabyte plan at 6,000 yen, about $60, that compares with the current rate of about $165. softbank announced a similar discount this week. major carriers are cutting prices in the face of the growing popularity of low-cost smartphone services. the prime ministers of malaysia and thailand have held

talks to discuss issues of cross border smuggling and terrorism. patchari raksawong has been following this story. >> the country's poorest border has been a conduit for various illegal activities. the two leaders discussed building a new stretch of fence along a part of the 650-kilometer frontier. malaysian prime minister najib razak has been in bangkok for a state visit. he met thailand's interim prime minister. improving security in thailand has gained added urgency since a recent flare-up of violence. bombs exploded in five locations -- in august bombs exploded in five locations in august including resort locations. thai police link the attacks to muslim separatists operating in the country's south. the malaysian side of the border is regarded as a safe haven. for militants. smugglers also move weapons, drugs and people across the border. thai police launched a full-scale crackdown on human trafficking in may last year after the discovery of a mass grave thought to contain the bodies of trafficking victims.

a new japan-backed university has opened in the vietnamese capital hanoi aiming to raise higher education standards. vietnam's economy has benefitted from a hard working labor force. literacy rates are high but higher education has been criticized as inadequate. the resulting lack of skilled professionals has become a problem for investors. the vietnam japan university's graduate school began accepting enrollments on friday. a ceremony in hanoi marked the opening long after vietnam asked japan to establish a center for world class higher education. the project has the support of japanese universities. an honorary professor of the university of tokyo is the principal. he called on students to widen their perspectives to help solve national and global problems. 72 new students signed up for 6 courses, including public policy

and business management. a student representing members of a course covering infrastructure said they would work hard to find solutions to issues such as traffic jams and air pollution. the university has professors from vietnam and japan. it plans to work with japanese companies to offer internships and training programs. auto rickshaws are as indian as spicy food or the taj mahal. thanks to cleaner engine technology, the three-wheeled vehicles have found a new lease on life and are being touted as an eco friendly transport solution for the modern mega-city. nhk world's yoshitomi aoyagi has more. >> reporter: some 90,000 old rickshaws swarm around the streets of the indian capital, new delhi. almost double the number a decade ago. >> translator: many people use them as they have more money to spare these days.

>> reporter: convenience isn't the only attraction. old rickshaws are eco friendly. these letters indicate the vehicle uses natural gas, less polluting than regular fuel. the world's worst air pollution. to fight it, a court order 14 years ago makes it mandatory for rickshaws to use natural gas. this particular model is an official vehicle of the mexican embassy. ambassador melba pria started using it in january to spread the message that rickshaws can be good for the environment. >> we live in a highly polluted city, and if you can do something against pollution or towards lesser pollution, why not? if i use my car, and i use my rickshaw, i contribute a third

of pollution, as if i was using my car. >> reporter: her decision was challenging for the embassy staff. >> translator: we needed to ensure the ambassador's safety. and this was the big concern in using rickshaws. we installed a seatbelt and prepared a fire extinguisher. >> reporter: of the staff, the ambassador was questioned by guards when she turned up at government meetings and hotels in the rickshaw. but now, everyone seems to recognize her. a japanese venture firm that manufactures and sells electric vehicles is moving into the field. it's producing electronic powered rickshaws that release zero emissions and run up to 100 kilometers on a single charge. they cost about 30% less than

the conventional rickshaw. it plans to put about 30,000 units on sale by the year end. >> translator: eco awareness and interest in electric rickshaws are on the rise in india. i want to make the best of the opportunity and capture the number one market share. vipin bought an electric rickshaw. he says his customers appreciate the minimum fare which is lower than in a conventional vehicle. with his earnings up, he's optimistic for the future. >> translator: thanks to the electric rickshaw, i can earn enough money to feed my family. it releases no pollutants, so it's good for my customers, too. >> reporter: the much-loved rickshaws are blazing a new trail of eco friendly city transport, reducing air

pollution on the streets of india. yoshitomi aoyagi, nhk world, new delhi. >> that wraps up our bulletin. i'm patchari raksawong in bangkok. japan's paralympians have been taking to the pool and the judo mat on day two of the rio games. paralympic judo is contested by the visually impaired. makoto hirose has represented japan at the last four games, but he says this one will be his last. he made it to the final of the 60-kilogram category. he lost by ippon, judo's equivalent of a knockout, and had to settle for silver. another veteran judoka satoshi fujimoto fought in the men's 66-kilogram category and bagged

-- and the 41-year-old bagged the bronze. his fifth medal since debuting at the 1996 games. swimmer takuya tsugawa raced in the men's 100-meter backstroke. a category for people with intellectual impairments. it's his second paralympics. he got off to a strong start and finished with a bronze. the city of rio de janeiro is accommodating many athletes and spectators for the paralympic games, including a team of japanese involved in the preparatory work for the 2020 paralympics in tokyo. nhk world's lilian migliorini followed them. >> reporter: this man and his colleagues are in rio de janeiro to learn how the city created a barrier-free environment for visitors. they're hoping to take ideas home to tokyo as they prepare for the 2020 games. this is the main maracana stadium. the japanese team members are checking how the stadium is

equipped with barrier-free facilities. they found the accessibility at new facilities like this was good. >> translator: if i went down to the beach, i'm not sure i'd be able to make it back here. >> reporter: in certain areas on the popular beaches, there were steps, bumps or gutters that would make the environment less accessible for people with disabilities. >> could you help me? >> yes, i can. >> reporter: even though it was lacking, he was impressed with something else. the local people's willingness to help. one woman started pushing a wheelchair on the long slope of a footbridge without even being asked. >> thank you very much. >> bye. so i am a person first, i am brazilian. we are. okay? >> reporter: he feels that's what mattered most. >> translator: as far as the facilities are concerned, tokyo

might be better, but in brazil, i feel that people don't have a mental barrier against disabilities. that's something we need to learn from them. >> reporter: the countdown to tokyo is on. kakiuchi and his team will be getting to work. they're hoping to make sure everyone is able to get around the city no matter who they are. lilian migliorini, nhk world, rio de janeiro. now, here's a three-day outlook for selected cities around the globe.

and that's all for now on this edition of nhk "newsline." i'm raja pradhan in tokyo and for all of us at nhk world, thanks for watching.

anchor: this week, global 3000 is on the west coast of india where an entire village is taking care of turtles. here, they are holy creatures - but above all, they need protection. we look at a gigantic building project in nigeria - which aims to protect the megacity of lagos from dangers caused by rising sea levels. but how will it work? but we start in berlin, where we meet a resistance fighter who's using non-violent means to combat the terror of so-called islamic state. non-violent resistance needs to have a message. and also symbols. these need to be simple. when they work well, they become a kind of brand, like the fist of the serbian organisation canvas. , it's aboumo