it's time now for nhk "newsline." i'm keiko kitagawa in tokyo. authorities in japan's southern prefecture of okinawa are assessing the damage after a strong typhoon passed near the islands overnight. weather officials have lifted the highest level alerts for heavy rain, strong winds and high waves on the main island. evacuation advisories are still in place in some areas tuesday morning as typhoon chaba moves north away from okinawa's coasts. one of the smaller islands bore the brunt of the storm. more than 3,600 households are still out of power, and 116 residents remain in shelters.

authorities say there are no reports of casualties. one resident says windows were shattered and sliding doors went flying. typhoon chaba is expected to change course, moving eastward towards northern kyushu. with more on the typhoon and where it's headed next, our meteorologist robert speta joins us. >> this storm is not over yet by any means. yes, we are seeing the improving conditions across the southern japanese islands. that's some good news. but people across western areas of kyushu and southern areas of the korean witness want to keep a close eye on this. i want to talk about these wind gusts we were seeing out there in kumijima where the right front quadrant of this storm system blew right overhead. this storm did shift a little bit further towards the west than we previously anticipated. you can see that right front quadrant right there, and that's where we saw just shortly after

midnight a gust of 215 kilometers per hour. and really the lack of reports of any significant damage to buildings out here just shows how superb the infrastructure is on these islands out here. they are used to getting these typhoons. hopefully we don't get any reports of injuries. if we take a look at the forecast, this storm is going to continue to track off towards the north and eventually turn towards the northeast, following behind a stationary front that's lingering over japan at this time. we're still expecting typhoon conditions out there in western areas of kyushu. winds gusting up and over 100 kilometers per hour, possibly up to 150 kilometers per hour. you take a look at the forecast from the agency, some areas, 180 is possible. 150 mill meerlts of rain. still going to be watching this for some time to come through midweek. officials at japan's central bank released their latest survey on business sentiment on monday. one part shows how businesses

plan for their capital investment. ai uchida, what are the numbers telling us? >> you're talking about the bank of japan's tankan survey, and it is showing that businesses have solid plans for fixed investments, but we still don't know if they'll actually spend as planned with a worsening outlook for earnings. the tan can sees growth of 6.3% in domestic capital expenditures by large companies compared to the last fiscal year. but the stronger yen is weighing down on the corporate earnings outlook. major businesses predicted 9.2% drop year on year on pre-tax profits. that's down two percentage points from the last survey three months ago. if the yen stays strong, there could be a further drop in earnings. central bank officials say they expect a certain level of fixed investments for upgrading aging facilities and boosting production efficiency, but they say the economic trend will depend on whether businesses actually make all their planned

investments. let's check on markets now. wall street fell on continued banking worries despite stronger than expected data on u.s. manufacturing. the dow jones industrial average ended down a third of a percent. the tech heavy nasdaq falling just about 0.2% on the day. let's see what's happening here in tokyo this tuesday morning. we're going to go to ramin mellegard for that. he's at the tokyo stock exchange. good morning. tell us how tokyo markets are opening. >> good morning. the deutsche bank story continues to dampen sentiment. even as fundamental data in the u.s. shows the economy there expanding. we he had the manufacturing rise to 51.5 in september after having contracted in august. let's not forget that. also i have to add that slower auto sales in the u.s. may dampen sentiment. i'll keep track of those sectors. let's have a look at how the nikkei and broader topix are kicking off this tuesday, october 4th, and pretty positive so far. up 0.35% for the nikkei and just

over a quarter of a percent for the broader topix. the nikkei is also going to be supported by a stronger dollar after the manufacturing data in the u.s., but many will likely keep a close eye on the banking sector. german markets now were closed on monday for unity day, but deutsche bank's u.s. listed shares fell around 2% after rising last friday, again showing the volatility garnered by the issues facing the bank as it grapples with a huge fine from the u.s. justice department. now, here in japan, shares of kawasaki heavy industries will also be a big focus after it halved its forecast for the full year. operating profits citing losses in its vessels business. so we'll keep track of that sector as well. we're approaching earnings season here in japan. the u.s. due with a few big names this week. meanwhile auto sales in the u.s. for september slowed sluggish numbers for u.s. makers, but

toyota says sales rose 1.5%, and niz saun reported a 5% jump. truck sales boosted the underlying numbers for both those companies. car sales actually dropped off a touch. so we'll keep track of the auto sector and related sectors as well. >> sounds good, ramin. tell us about currencies because the dollar seems to be holding up. you know, where are some of the key levels now? >> exactly. it's a heavy data week in the u.s. of course the manufacturing data that i just mentioned supported the dollar. 101.89-90. the u.s. job numbers on friday is the big one of course. there's also the big focus on the british pound. prime minister may announced her intentions regarding the timing and conditions for brexit in a speech over the weekend, which sent ripples or waves around the global markets, forcing the british currency lower against most peers. let's get a quick look at indexes open across asia right now. seoul's kospi is trading higher. sydney is down 0.4%.

mainland china markets closed all this week for national day holidays. a big mix of data, geopolitical events and even weather. we have the typhoon approaching japan and hurricane matthew approaching the u.s. a lot for investors to take in. back to you, ai. >> thanks a lot for that update. ramin mellegard from the tokyo stock exchange. now, the exodus of young people from japan's country side is threatening rural communities. many people leave in search of job opportunities in big cities and regional centers, but as this next report shows, one entrepreneur is showing there are possibilities for people who are prepared to take a chance and go the other way. >> reporter: kozagawa town, a sleepy hamlet in western japan. half of the population is over 65. inside this old house is a young design company that's looking to shake things up. >> translator: i'm 22, and i'm

the web director. >> translator: i'm 21, in charge of project planning. >> translator: i'm the ceo and planner. >> reporter: the ceo is just 23. after graduating high school, he ran a cafe and worked for a design firm. his dream was to use the power of design to re-imagine and revitalize towns. so two years ago, he relocated to kozogawa. to entice young residents, the town offers financial support for startup businesses. >> translator: there's a saying that only outsiders, fools, and young people can change a place. i want to do that through design. >> reporter: his first job was to help revive sales for a local inn that was bleeding money. he started by redesigning the brochure, changing the focus from simplicity to luxury.

he also worked with the chef to overhaul the lunch menu. thanks in part to changes like these, business took off. in one year, the number of guests shot up by 400, and the inn was back in the black. >> translator: everything he said turned out to be right. i realized that fairly quickly, so i started to consult him on many things. now you could call him a teacher. >> reporter: his latest job is to find ways to promote venison, a request from the town of kozogawa. the biggest obstacle is the price. 100 grams costs more than $4. he noticed that packaging usually focuses on the wild quality of the meat. he's convinced a better approach would be to market it as a lean, healthy meat. that way, he says, women over 30

with the money to spend would disregard the cost. his design uses gold to convey a sense of affordable luxury. >> translator: we'd like to see more people like him come to kozogawa and start new businesses. it would be great if it leads to a revival of our town. >> translator: i want to be the kind of person who other people want to work with to create new things. i intend to stay here. >> reporter: for many, the dwindling communities in japan's countryside look like a dead end. but for those prepared to look a little closer, the decline represents a vast opportunity for reinvention and newfound prosperity. >> that's the latest in business for this hour. i'm going to leave you with another check on markets.

a japanese biologist has won this year's nobel prize for physiology or medicine. yoshinori ohsumi discovered how cells in the body break down and recycle themselves, a process known as autophagy. >> the nobel assembly at karolinska institute has today decided to award the 2016 nobel price in physiology or medicine to yoshinori ohsumi for his discoveries, a mechanism for autophagy. >> translator: i can't say anything other than that it's a great honor.

>> ohsumi made the discovery in the early '90s using baker's yeast to identify key genes. it was important because it helped scientists understand that problems in the process can lead to a range of diseases like cancer, parkinson's or alzheimer's. autophagy comes with greek words meaning self-eating. the process involves getting rid of defective proteins or recycling unnecessary ones to regenerate energy. >> thanks to the work of ohsumi and many others who followed in his footsteps, we now know that autophagy regulates important physiological functions of the cells and that the effects of autophagy are associated with many human diseases. >> ohsumi graduated from the university of tokyo in 1967 and later studied at the rockefeller university in new york. he was a professor at the national institute for basic

biology in aichi prefecture and is currently an honorary professor at the tokyo institute of technology. >> translator: when i was a child, it was my dream to get a nobel prize. but when i started my research, i wasn't setting out to win one. instead, i was focused on asking myself how cells act and on observing movement in yeast. i was interested in how active cells are. i chose to study this particular aspect of yeast because i wanted to do what nobody else was doing. if my research has contributed to a turning point in the study of autophagy, then i couldn't be happier.

but in biology, it's not possible to accomplish such results entirely on your own. i would like to thank all my students and the staff at my laboratory who have worked on this over the past 27 years. one thing i'd like to emphasize is that when i started this research, i didn't think the study would help shed light on cancers or longevity. i want people to understand that's how basic research works. i'd like to stress the importance of basic science.

>> one of his staff worked under ohsumi as an assistant professor for six years at the national institute for biology in aichi prefecture. >> translator: i'm extremely happy to hear the news. professor ohsumi's winning the nobel prize was a shared dream. i didn't expect that dream to come true so soon, so i'm really elated. >> sew summy's students at the tokyo institute of technology were overjoyed at the news. >> translator: i was hoping he would win the prize someday. so i'm really glad he was able to get it this year. >> translator: it's such an amazing experience to study with a nobel prize winner. i want to make the most of the time i can spend with him.

>> a total of 25 people born in japan have now been awarded nobel prizes. ohsumi is the fourth to win in the category of physiology or medicine. satoshi omura won the prize last year. the president of the international olympic committee says he'll consult with the tokyo olympic organizing committee on a proposal to cut costs for the 2020 games. >> the costs for construction in tokyo have been rising not only for olympic projects but for many different reasons, in particular because of the reconstruction which has to happen in japan because of fukushima. so we will discuss this in a constructive way with the organizing committee. >> tokyo governor yuriko koike

set up a panel to review costs. last week, it reported from the original to over 3 twill onyen. it proposed a money saving plan for three olympic venues, including moving the rowing and canoeing events outside the city. operators of japanese care homes for the elderly are exploring the possibility of hiring a vietnam staff amid a labor shortage. operators based in osaka prefecture visited a medical college in the vietnamese capital of hanoi on monday. students asked about the cost of becoming a certified care worker in japan as well as working conditions. under an economic partnership agreement in 2014, japan began to accept vietnamese students who hoped to become care takers. >> translator: there are many young people in vietnam.

i think it's a good idea to get assistance from them. >> japan's nursing industry is facing a serious labor shortage. the government estimates 300,000 caregivers will be needed by 2025, when all of the country's baby boomers will be 75 or older. a group of japanese lawmakers is calling for the building of a national center to promote manga and anime culture. they want the center completed before the 2020 games. the director of the popular anime series neogenesis stressed the potential benefits. >> translator: i'm concerned about the disappearance of old animated works and special effects images. i think they are treasures not only for us but also for future generations. i support having such material kept in a public facility.

>> lawmakers agreed they would like it built within walking distance of tokyo's akihabara district, popular with lovers of animated films and computer games. large numbers of seals live off the coast of russia's far east. recently environmental changes have been hurting the seal population. but thanks to the efforts of a local businessman, the seals are getting some help. nhk world reports. >> reporter: seals and sea lions are common visitors to the waters off sakhalin in the russian far east. they can often be seen in spring and summer. they migrate here in large herds in search of salmon and herring. but every year more and more baby seals are washing up on the shore in a dangerously weak state. in russia, northern sea lions are protected as they are in danger of extinction.

but seals are not. this facility was set up by a local man to help baby seals on the verge of death. so far this year, 21 of them have been rescued. alexander ivanov owns a local shipping business. for the last two years, he's been taking care of the baby seals using the hut that he borrows from a friend. each seal needs seven kilograms of food per day. ivanov pays for this out of his own pocket. >> translator: i don't give them names, or it would make releasing them too painful. as you can see, this one is way too small. >> reporter: the main reason why so many baby seals are in trouble is global warming. in the last 30 years, the ice

floes of sakhalin have shrunk by almost half. seals spend the first month of their lives on the ice, learning how to swim and catch fish. but if it melts before they have grown enough, they are unable to survive. ivanov and his friends built a pool to help the seals get used to swimming. >> translator: it looks happy to be back in the water again. >> reporter: recently researchers and veterinarians have begun supporting ivanov's rescue mission, providing the baby seals with extra nutrition. >> translator: he's giving a helping hand to these animals that have long been ignored. we're happy to get involved. >> reporter: today ivanov has

decided to release two of the seals into the sea. he wants the seals to re-adapt to nature quickly, so he keeps them in his care for as short a time as possible. the seal appears hesitant at first, but after about five minutes, it swims off to find a herd. >> translator: it's sad to see them go. more people are finally getting involved. but this is just the beginning. there's so much more to do. i want to expand this effort. >> reporter: this summer, ivanov has released 14 seals back to the sea. the local authorities have also begun studying plans for a seal sanctuary. nhk world, sakhalins. a dangerous hurricane

continues to approach jamaica, haiti and cuba today. thousands have taken shelter as the storm nears. robert speta joins us once again to talk about the conditions. >> yes. this is definitely a powerful hurricane out here, a category 4 on the saffir-simpson scale as it does track off here towards the north. and really the good news, this has started to pull a little bit further towards the east. so the hurricane warnings in jamaica have since been dropped. still tropical storm warnings in place there, but the think the coastlines off haiti and farther inland will be having some of the biggest impacts. this satellite imagery, this is infrared. but i want to show you incredible images coming from the international space station. we have a video just to show you here. let's go ahead and roll that of the storm and what it looks like from space here. you can just see it going overhead, and these are just some powerful images just to show you how intense this storm is. a clear and defined eye.

i am sure the astronauts up there definitely had a pretty spectacular view. but despite how amazing this looks from space, this is going to be a very dangerous storm here on the ground. winds sustained at 220 kilometers per hour. that's enough to down trees, knock out power, cause some damage to some of the infrastructure here. but i think one of the bigger issues as we look ahead is going to be the rainfall, especially for eastern cuba and the country of haiti out here. now, whenever we're talking about haiti, we actually are talking about that severe flood threat. we've already beenflooding but landslides. one of the big issues here is that the laws are much more lax as for as deforestation as compared to the dominican republic. you can see it on this image. this river is the border that separates these two countries, and just towards the west, a lot of trees have been cut down. that's why every time we're talking about a storm impacting haiti, we often see landslides, a direct result. there's not trees to hold that

soil in place on a lot of these hillsides, and i think that's going to be one of the big problems as we look ahead. now, in the long range, the east coast of u.s. also wants to keep a very close eye on this. it could be impacting you. a separate storm is blowing through the northern rockies bringing some snowfall for some areas at the higher elevations, about 20 to 30 centimeters expected. quick repack. our typhoon, typhoon chaba still tracking off towards the north. just towards the northwest of okinawa at this time. as we look into wednesday morning, it's going to be nearing kyushu and western honshu. look at tokyo today. partly cloudy with a high of 30 here on tuesday. here's the extended outlook.

toyota motor hopes that drivers will start taking along a small automated companion on their journeys. the car maker unveiled a robot that can speak to drivers and even urge them to drive safely. the device has a built in camera that recognizes human facial expressions. when a driver talks, the device responds and moves its face and hands. it urges their owners to drive safely if their brakes are applied suddenly. the robot can also help around

the home as long as it's a house sold by a toyota group company. the device can let people know when the bath is ready or warn them if doors or windows are unlocked. a smartphone is used to operate the device. >> translator: if we can have these closely beside our customers and make them smile and be happy, we'll see new and different possibilities on the horizon. >> the robot costs about $400 before tax. it will go on sale at some dealers in tokyo and a e chi prefecture during the current fiscal year that ends in march. and that wrapz up this edition of nhk "newsline." i'm keiko kitagawa in tokyo. thanks for joining us.

>> hi there and welcome to our highlights edition. here's a look at what's coming up on today's program -- motorized fun -- the latest in electrically powered recreational wheels. daring stunts -- a european pilot and his passion for aerobatic flying. generous dish -- restaurants worldwide are cooking up pasta for a good cause >> when it comes to recreational sports, the marketers never tire of reinventing the wheel. for example, with smart, electric features like -- these roller skates turned rocket skates. the name alone conjures up si