hello and thank you for joining us on this edition of nhk "newsline." i'm rajan pradhan in tokyo. the u.n. security council has adoptsded a u.s. led resolution calling for all member states to refrain from nuclear explosive tests. it was adopted at the general assembly 20 years ago, but as yet to take affect. 14 members voted in favor of it. for the comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty or ctbt. egypt abstained. barack obama's administration submitted the draft before the opening of the u.n. general assembly. more than 30 countries,

including japan, cosponsored the draft. obama seeks to help bring in the treaty to help bring in a world without nuclear weapons. >> our action today can give people everywhere a world without nuclear weapons might actually be possible and that we're going do everything responsible in our capacity to be able to make that day a reality. the resolution calls on countries to sign and ratify the ctbt as early as possible and refrain from conducting explosive nuclear tests. a provision to make the resolution legally binding was dropped due to opposition by china and russia, both permanent members of the council. the executive secretary of the comprehensive test ban treaty organization spoke to nhk before the council held a vote. he said the new resolution will help the u.s. and china take concrete steps to ratify the agreement. >> they're talking about refraining from doing any

nuclear test explosion or any other explosion. that is very important. i think that aspect could lead into consensus and then constructive pressure as well on the two countries that are part of the security council and that are yet to ratify. >> he said it's important the international community stops north korea's nuclear tests and brings them to the negotiating table. he mentioned as an example a deal on iran's nuclear development agreed with world powers through dialogue. japanese prime minister shinzo abe has wrapped up his tour to the united states and cuba. in new york he addressed the u.n. general assembly and meth with other world leaders. in havana, he held rare talks with the president, describing the 400-year-old history. as a new page in a 400-year-old

friendship. >> translator: raul castro and i agreed to promote economic cooperation between our two countries. cuba has robust demand as its economy grows. and japan can provide high quality infrastructure in medical services and other areas. japan's public and private sectors will work together to expand investments in cuba. >> in his address to the u.n., abe put the main focus on north korea. he said pyongyang's fifth nuclear test earlier this month is totally unacceptable. he says pyongyang's nuclear and missile programs are created an unprecedented threat. >> translator: the international community must unite against the new level of threat from north korea. and take firm measures, which have never been taken before against pyongyang's clear provocations. i made this point clear at the u.n. general assembly.

at the same time, i asked for cooperation of the international community to resolve the issue of abductions of foreign nationals by north korea. the u.n. security council is facing a challenge of whether it can take effective measures against this grave threat and fulfill its responsibility for global peace and stability. japan, as a non-permanent member of the u.n. security council, is determined to play a leading role in dealing with this issue. >> abe reiterated his resolve to push forward with his economic policy dubbed abenomics. he said global business leaders are expecting japan to reform its economic structure. >> translator: the global economy is facing various risks

such as britain's exit from the eu and slowdown of emerging economies. we'll take all measures available to further accelerate abenomics to pull japan out of deflation as quickly as possible. those measures could include a supplementary budget and the trans-pacific partnership free trade deal. >> the prime minister said he'll use the next diet session which starts later this month to speed up his economic measures. earlier james tengen got a take on the news conference. >> abe stressed his resolve to play a key role in dealing with the north korean issue as this year's group of seven president and a member of the u.n. security council. and he didn't mince his words on the matter when he addressed the united nations general assembly. he urged the members of the u.n. security council to show an unmistakable attitude towards the threats posed by north korea.

he said the international community has to be tougher on the country because it's posing a higher threat to the world. and he tried to convince the council to adopt the resolution condemning north korea's nuclear test and missile launches. on the sidelines of the meeting, he talked to leaders of various countries and pushed for their unity on the matter. but it is still unclear whether the countries will be able to adopt a new resolution calling for tougher sanctions against the north. diplomatic sources say china is cautious about increasing pressure on pyongyang. >> now that the press conference is over and he will be making his way back to japan, let's talk about domestic issues. what will be awaiting him here? >> the next diet session starts next week. and that focus is in response to the emperor's apparent wish to abdicate. the 82-year-old emperor expressed concern that it may become difficult for him to carry out his duties as the symbol of the state, considering the gradual decline in his physical condition.

abe is expected to announce a plan for an expert panel to discuss the emperor's wish and there could be talk of a new bill to realize abdication. >> thank you very much for your insight. japan, china and south korea have agreed on increased cooperation through sports to make a success of upcoming olympic and paralympic games. ministers in charge of sports from the three nations met for the first time in pyeongchang, south korea, where the 2018 winter olympics will take place. the 2020 summer olympics will be held in tokyo and beijing will stage the winter games in 2022. the ministers signed a declaration that calls on the countries to work toward peaceful owe existence in east asia based on strengthening mutual understanding through sports exchanges. >> translator: we have various problems among the three countries.

but i believe that sports will be a big help in allowing our nations to overcome problems and promote friendship. >> the declaration calls for the sharing of their knowledge and experience in organizing olympics and paralympics. the countries will lead global efforts to prevent doping by athletes. the ministers agreed to hold their next meeting in tokyo in 2018. officials in okinawa launched a protest with the u.s. marine corps over a jet crash. >> translator: we want the u.s. military to prevent a recurrence, thoroughly investigate the cause, and report back as soon as possible. >> the vice governor visited the camp to deliver the protest. one day after a hearier jet went down in the pacific ocean off of

okinawa's main island. he called the u.s. military to halt all flights of the same aircraft until the cause of the crash is determined. a marine officer described the accident as regrettable. and promised a thorough investigation. the u.s. military said it will ground all harriers for an unspecified period. the planned relocation of tokyo's tsukiji market has continued to cause controversy. the governor will compile a report into decontaminating the proposed new site. the governor said the latest investigation conducted by her government was insufficient. she said further study is needed to draw up a new report. koike's announcement follows a recent revelation that the foundations of the main buildings at the new site were not filled with clean soil. this measure was advised by experts to help prevent ground contamination. >> translator: it's not clear who made the decision or when. it's also not clear why a different explanation was given on tokyo's website in the metropolitan assembly.

>> she added that her government is being put to the test and that the relocation issue is the biggest challenge in regaining the trust of the people. a japanese prototype fast breeder reactor was meant to be a centerpiece of the nuclear power industry. more than two decades and billions of dollars later, the government is looking at decommissioning the monju reactor and that's being met with mixed reaction. we have the details. >> translator: we'll conduct a drastic review of the monju reactor project, including the option of decommissioning it. >> reporter: the government's decision earlier this week, it's taking a serious look at decommissioning the reactor. it's long been plagued with problems, does come at a hefty price. for people who live near the reactor their opinions are mixed. >> translator: it's probably

best to decommission it than to keep spending money on something that's not working. >> translator: i think it's better to have monju for our local economy. >> translator: monju could have worked if it were properly managed but the operator can't do that. there's no choice but to shut it down. >> reporter: the monju was meant to play a key role in japan's nuclear fuel cycle. it's a fast breeder reactor that's designed to generate electricity while producing more fuel than it consumes. what's more, plutonium and spent fuel from conventional power plants could be used as fuel in the reactor. that was the theory anyways. the reality -- more than $10 billion has been spent on building and operating the prototype reactor. since trial operations started

in 1994, it's only been in operation for 250 days. trouble started right away. in 1995, a leak of sodium used to cool the reactor led to operations being halted. in 2010 they started a test run again and ran into another accident. a piece of equipment weighing over three tons fell into the reactor, putting an end to the test. last november, nuclear regulators said the operator was unfit, citing the discovery of 10,000 safety oversights. even with all the headaches, the local governor is against what the government is trying to do. >> translator: the decision is extremely irresponsible.

i have to say that the residents feel distrust. >> reporter: the governor doesn't think the government has fully studied the issue. he said he wonders whether the nuclear fuel cycle is possible without the monju reactor. what's more, decommissioning the monju is expected to cost $3 billion. meanwhile, the government is considering working with france on developing a new, more advanced bottom of t-- model of monju reactor. and the hope is that it will be far more successful than the current model. but they need to prove it is feasible. nhk world tokyo. japanese researchers said

they have cleared a major hurdle on the path to fulfilling the clinical promise of ips cells. they say they've succeeded in preventing them from becoming cancerous. the professor and his team want to use ips cells to treat patients with spinal cord injuries. the stem cells can be turned into any kind of tissue and have been called a medical breakthrough. but one of the challenges to clinical application has been their tendency to generate tumors. team members say they used a special solution to keep cells from proliferating. they then transplanted the stem cells into mice with spinal cord damage. they say, without the special solution, the number of cells increased roughly ten-fold. and generated tumors. but when the solution was applied, the cells did not proliferate and no tumors were produced. >> translator: i think we have succeeded in developing a method that makes ips cells safer and more effective to use. >> the team wants to start clinical trials as early as next year.

a major event focusing on international tourism has opened in tokyo. the name of the exhibition may be tourism expo japan, but the event is aimed at promoting traveling around the world. officials from more than 1200 businesses and organizations from 140 countries and territories have gathered at tokyo big cite. they are promoting the pristine environment of the himalayas. members of the delegation are handing out postcards on which visitors can write down their addresses in japan and the cards will be sent back to them from bhutan from the post. a representative from japan's quake-stricken kumamoto prefecture emphasize progress has been made in rebuilding and they are ready for tourists. messages of encouragement have been collected and will be delivered to the prefecture.

also on display are some of the latest technologies geared towards tourists. they include a smartphone app that can be used to translate information such as place names into various languages. the exhibition will run through sunday. competition in japan's low cost smart phone market is heating up as companies from outside the industry vie for a piece of the action. tokyo's main utility, tokyo gas, has begun marketing low cost phones. sources say it will tie up with smartphone service provider plus one marketing, which sells under the name free tell. the venture will use existing gas sales agents and meter readers to sell smart phones. this is expected to begin in november. plus one marketing will supply the phones and provide the service. tokyo gas has diversified into home electricity. the company is considering a special discount rate starting in april for customers who buy gas, power, and smart phone services combined.

competition in japan's low cost smartphone market has grown fierce with more than 220 companies now in the business. for toshiba, first came the billion dollar accounting fraud that shone some light on corporate governance in japan and housecleaning operation that removed the people responsible, and now the new managers at the electronics giant are trying to haul the company back from the brink with a very different approach. nhk world explains. >> reporter: this man took the helm at toshiba in june as part of a management shakeup. he is the first president to come from the medical division, which wasn't implicated in the accounting scandal. he has been making his way around toshiba's factories to meet employees face to face. >> translator: i want to talk to

the staff to cultivate a closer relationship. it might be time consuming but i think the ability to communicate directly with them will help in the long term. >> reporter: toshiba first admitted that something was wrong in april of 2015. an investigation conducted by a third party had uncovered irregularities in its bookkeeping. the firm eventually admitted that it had overstated operating profits by more than $2 billion. the blame lay largely with three former presidents who put intense pressure on staff to hit unrealistic targets no matter what. the only way for the people below them to comply was to report fake earnings. in the wake of the scandal, toshiba has set up training sessions for managers. the aim is to show them how the problem arose and what they can

do to ensure it doesn't happen again. one of the topics discussed is the pressure cooker workplace culture that spread under former management. >> translator: can we talk about three presidents? >> translator: there were times when i thought the budget was completely unrealistic, way higher than we could achieve. the company would demand profits of $1 billion when we projected half that. >> reporter: toshiba's corporate culture was once known for being free and open. but a succession of profit driven management teams gradually changed that. one manager visited factories and offices asking employees for their input. some of them didn't hold back. >> translator: i think it's a bad idea to set unrealistic goals.

>> translator: in general, i think the people who give orders and set goals don't understand the realities of the workplace. >> translator: i realize now that we don't really understand anything at all about our organization, its capabilities and its workplace environments. i was sure that if we gave people a platform, then young people would come forward and speak their minds. >> reporter: experts say the culture at japan's big corporations favors opinions that reinforce already established views. toshiba is determined to be different. the new leadership is setting out to create a workplace where everyone can speak openly and honestly. nana yamada, nhk world.

the indian government has inked a deal with france to buy fighter jets. the $8.8 billion agreement was signed friday in new delhi by the defense ministers from both countries. india's purchase of 36 fighter jets paves the way for the country to modernize its air force. the acquisition is part of a 150 billion military overhaul that india has launched to replace its obsolete soviet era arsenal. military equipment companies from around the world are promoting their products to india, which has become the world's biggest arms importer. in nepal the bodies of a

trekker and two guides have been recovered and flown to the capital, kathmandu. officials say the landslide swept away a group of trekkers on thursday near a village 160 kilometers northwest of kathmandu. officials are searching for the body of another nepal ease which appears to have been washed away by a river. 15 others were injured. the group was on a trail in the himalayas. the trekking season in nepal attracts thousands of tourists every year. it usually begins in september when the seasonal monsoons sub sides but heavy rains triggered the slides in the mountainous area. a southwest city is home to a treasure trove of buddhist cave paintings. and an artist has spent his whole life emulating these master pieces.

these buddhist temples were carved into sheer in over a millennium beginning in the fourth century. for many years the caves and the colorful murals they contained have something of a mystery. some of the techniques used to build and decorate them will be lost over time. but about 30 kilometers to the west, an artist is leading a project to revive this ancient art form. he was born here. he has made recreating the caves his life's work.

he began 20 years ago using his own money. his inspiration was his parents who dedicated their lives to preserving the paintings. >> translator: in ancient times, buddhist wall paintings were a means for people to pass along their art, civilization and knowledge. i want to pass on our thoughts and hopes to people living 1,000 years from now. >> reporter: he has drawn on all of his skills and talent to try to reproduce the ancient techniques. first, he prepares a canvas by carving out the rock, and then layering four types of clay onto the walls. but he says he's still mystified about many things about the original. for instance, reproducing

certain shades of color has been a challenge. mixing modern pigments hasn't worked. he recently obtained a mineral that he believes is almost the same as the one used long ago. it's from a mountainous area. on the right is a pigment commercially produced today. on the right is a pigment commercially produced today. on the left is a mineral found near the area. >> translator: the mineral red seems more rich than the commercially produced color. >> reporter: chang hopes to use findings like this to help come closer to recreating the masterpieces of the past. he's also trying to rekindle the kinds of artistic exchanges that flourished in the past by inviting artists from other parts of the world to join him. he offers advice as they practice methods used centuries ago.

>> translator: learning about painting techniques used by people in olden times is priceless. >> reporter: not all of the new works feature buddhist pictures. artists from hungary, they created this cave. and this mural of children is by an australian painter. >> translator: culture is the lubricant and stimulant between different nations and ethnic groups. understanding other cultures is the key to building trust, friendship, and cooperation. >> reporter: cave by cave, he and his helpers are keeping one legacy of the ancient world alive and creating a modern day crossroads for cultural and artistic exchange.

nhk world, dunhuang. and now here is a three-day outlook on the world's weather. ♪ that's all for now on this edition of nhk "newsline." i'm raja pradhan in tokyo. from all of us at nhk world, thanks for watching.

>> today, global 3000 goes to chile, where we meet some tiny frogs which biologists are completely mad about. but why are there numbers on the decline? and we had to nairobi, homes to thousands of street kids. while most people there ought to turn a blind eye, one person is taking a closer look. first, we had to the west bank where and israeli is supporting the palestians here in their battle for more rights. 1967, during the six-day war, israel took over palestinian territory. settlers poured into the west bank, establishing settlements closely linked to the state of israel.