. glad to have you with us on this edition of nhk "newsline." i'm raja pradhan in tokyo. u.s. president-elect donald trump has met japan's prime minister shinzo abe in new york. it was his first face-to-face meeting with a foreign leader since winning the election. media reports suggest that trump made a safe diplomatic debut trying to dispel the concerns of a key u.s. ally about his policies. trump posted a photo on facebook smiling with abe. he commented it was a pleasure to have abe stop by his home and begin a great friendship. trump indicated that he places importance on relations between the u.s. and japan. "the washington post" says the president-elect was trying to

reassure world leaders about his diplomatic policies. the "financial times" reported on the meeting in an article with the title "japan's abe calls trump a leader i can trust." many people in japan have expressed concerns over remarks made by trump as the republican candidate during the presidential election campaign. trump said he would withdraw the united states from the trans-pacific partnership free trade pact. he also argued that japan should bear more of the costs of keeping u.s. forces in the country. the abe/trump meeting has drawn rnational attention, including in easas. a chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said his country welcomes any two countries developing normal ties, but he added a bilateral relationship should not harm the interests of a third country. >> translator: countries should respect the security concerns of other countries in the region and do what is beneficial for regional peace and stability. >> south korea's yonhap news agency said abe and trump are believed to have discussed the

costs of keeping u.s. forces in japan and north korea's nuclear program. it questioned whether seoul is coping well with the transition of power in the u. what kind of foreign policies president-elect trump will lay out. to gain some insight we sat down with a former u.s. ambassador to japan for an exclusive interview. >> thank you very much. honored to see you, sir. >> reporter: michael armacost served as u.s. ambassador to japan from 1989 to 1993 under president george h.w. bush. his time as a senior government official spanned more than two decades. >> once you inherit the office, even as president-elect, your words take on additional meaning for people outside the country. and so i think there is a more conciliatory tone. he has been providing reassurances to allies.

he's been calling a lot of allies. i think that is designed to quell worries or anxieties or apprehensions that were generated by the campaign. that's what you would expect. >> reporter: one concern a lot of japanese have about trump is his stance on defense costs. while campaigning in the spring, trump said japan needs to pay more for hosting u.s. forces. he even mentioned the country should bear 100% of the cost. armacost says once trump gets briefed on the fact that japan is increasing its defense spending, he will take a different approach. >> i think as president-elect trump is better informed about the host nation support japan already supplies and the direction of policy that mr. abe has undertaken, he will take that into account. >> reporter: trump has said he wants to dump the trans-pacific partnership, but armacost says instead of scrapping it, trump

may attempt to renegotiate. >> i think he is a transactional kind of a person. he is a pragmatist. he's a smart guy. he's got a lot of confidence in his negotiating abilities, so i think rather than being a protectionist who doesn't like trade or wants to terminate agreements, i think he feels he could do a better job of advancing or protecting american interests in negotiating those deals. i don't think he will walk away from trade. i think to some extent, he'll look for opportunities to improve the terms of trade through some renegotiating efforts. >> reporter: when it comes to trump's policies for the asia-pacific region, armacost says he will reserve judgment until trump appoints another four or five top officials. then, he says, we will all have a better sense of what to expect. kazuaki hirama, nhk world. as trump prepares to take the helm of the next u.s. administration, he announced on

friday his choices for three key administration posts. trump named former defense intelligence agency director michael flynn as his national security advisor. the retired lieutenant general supported trump during the election campaign and served as his advisor on diplomacy and national security. the president-elect offered the job of central intelligence agency director to representative mike pompeo and the post of attorney general to alabama senator jeff sessions. during the campaign, sessions advised trump on policies such as measures to stem illegal immigration. members of the asia pacific economic cooperation forum have reaffirmed their stance against protectionism. they adopted a joint statement noting the need to more effectively spread the benefits of free trade to the wider public. ministers from 21 apec member nations and territories wrapped up their meeting on friday in

the peruvian capital, lima. the statement calls on leader to do more for small and midsized businesses and workers who aren't feeling the benefit of free trade. it calls for efforts to bring in to force the trans pacific partnership and it highlights in the regional comprehensive partnership which includes china. delegates to the u.n. climate talks in morocco have renewed their commitment to implementing the paris agreement. participants in the conference known as cop22 adopted the marrakesh action proclamation on thursday. the document says that global temperatures are rising at an alarming and unprecedented pace, and responding to the phenomenon is a matter of urgent priority. it called for the highest political commitment to combat climate change. it also reaffirms the goal for developed countries to provide $100 billion to help developing nations deal with global warming. u.s. president-elect trump indicated during his campaign he would withdraw from the agreement.

he called global warming a hoax. thursday's proclamation is widely viewed as an attempt to urge trump to honor the u.s. commitment and work to tackle climate change. >> japan's top environmental official says it's important to send a strong message about protecting the paris agreement. >> translator: all the participants will make the world understand the issues for those who are skeptical about global warming. >> yamamoto met with china's special representative on the sidelines of the climate conference. they agreed to continue cooperation in fighting climate change. u.s. government officials have told the u.n. security council they're proposing an arms embargo and other sanctions on south sudan. the say the move seeks to curb

the violence between government and opposition forces. the security council held a meeting on thursday to hear the latest situation on south sudan from a u.n. mission there and discuss the council's response. the u.s. ambassador said that the south sudanese government continues to block peace keepers from conducting basic operations. they include routine patrols that are necessary to even have a chance of protecting civilians. she said the united states will put forward a proposal to impose an arms embargo on south sudan and target sanctions on individuals that are the biggest spoilers to achieve the lasting peace in the country. france, britain and other countries support the arms embargo while russia and china do not. two chinese astronauts have returned to earth after completing the country's longest manned space mission.

spacecraft shenzhou-11 lifted off on october 17th and docked with an experimental space laboratory. they carried out scientific experiments during the 30-day mission including raising silkworms and growing lettuce. they landed in inner mongolia on friday. a chief of china's manned space engineering office indicated the country now has the ability to operate manned space flights on its own. >> translator: we have to be a major power in this field to further space development and bridging the gap with the rest of the world. >> china is planning to build its own permanently manned space station by around 2022 in an attempt to rival the international space station which is shared by countries including the u.s., japan and russia. embattled south korean president park geun-hye is back

attending to state affairs, but she's still facing calls to resign over a corruption scandal. park met on friday with new ambassadors preparing to take up their posts abroad. it was her first official public appearance in eight days. a spokesperson for the presidential office said park still plans to attend a try lateral summit scheduled for later this year. on sunday, prosecutors plan to indict her friend, choi soon-sil and two former aides over the scandal. they are urging park to agree to be questioned before they file the indictment. the president's lawyer refused. this has further fueled public anger. the latest opinion polls show park's approval rate remains at a record low of just 5%. in other news from other parts of asia, the body of former philippine president ferdinand marcos was buried friday at the national heros' cemetery despite opposition to giving him the honor. our bureau in bangkok has the details.

>> the glorificati the body of the former president >> the burial had the support of the current president and the ceremony was shrouded in secrecy. the remains were flown in an air force helicopter from his hometown in the northern philippines to manila. only relatives and close associates attended the funeral, including the dictator's widow, imelda. marcos ruled the philippines with an iron hand for two decades until the mid-1980s. thousands of rebels and political foes were allegedly killed under his regime. those close to him amassed huge fortunes. marcos was ousted in a revolt in 198 of. what to do with his body was an emotional and divisive issue.

in august, president duterte announced his decision. >> translator: i will allow marcos to be buried at the heroes' cemetery. the law states that presidents and soldiers can be buried there. forget the others qualified to be buried there for now. marcos was a president. in fact, i voted for him during his first term. >> tension was high friday as both supporters and protestors gathered and chanted outside the cemetery. >> translator: ever since i was young, i've known that former president marcos was good and that he launched many programs that helped a lot of filipinos. i haven't seen that sort of care from presidents other than marcos. >> this entire thing is not for

the healing of the nation but merely to leverage the name of the marcos family. this is for the self-interest of the marcos name, but not for the filipino people. >> last week the philippine supreme court ruled that the body could be intered at the cemetery. victims of human rights abuses during the marcos era have been calling on duterte to reconsider. in meeian mar, building professionals have discussed what to do about the country's asbestos problem. they exchanged ideas on how to prevent exposure to the toxic construction material, which can cause cancer and other serious illnesses. about 40 engineers and other experts took part in friday's symposium in yangon. one of the participants was a japanese scientist. he's urging myanmar to impose a comprehensive ban on asbestos.

>> we have to start with setting up this kind of regulation to avoid, prevent exposure to asbestos. >> asbestos was used for almost all structures in the country built between the 1960s and the 1980s to make them resistant to water and fire. all buildings are being demolished or renovated as the country's economic growth picks up speed. but few construction sites take care to prevent asbestos from scattering. >> to save time, they remove all the roof very quickly, crushing and maybe throw away and also just like a scrap. it is very dangerous and without having any control for that kind of work. >> scientists have long known that inhaling asbestos can be fatal. but myanmar has yet to write laws regulating the use of the material. christians account for more than 90% of the philippines' population, but people living on

remote islands still hold on to local super stigss. nhk world visited one island said to have people with magical powers. >> reporter: the philippines is made up of more than 7,000 islands. some are large and well known. others, smaller and mysterious. one island in particular is shrouded in suspicion. since ancient times, mere mention of its name has evoked fears. people on the streets of manila have heard the rumors. >> i don't think it's safe or not. >> why? >> because of that. that magic. >> translator: people say shamans live there. >> reporter: they're talking about this island about 600 kilometers south of manila and home to some 90,000 people. we went there to look for the shamans.

people at the port told us to head for the mountains. we rented a car and drove about 40 minutes to a remote village. a man inside a house was performing what looked like a ritual. excuse me, are you shaman? >> yeah. >> reporter: about 100 people on the island are believed to practice shamanism. locals visit them for healing. shamans use secret folk remedies and herbs. people treated leave a donation of about $5. i visited a shaman hoping to find out the truth. she uses simple tools for one treatment. just a bottle of water and a

stone. she said the blackstone in the bottle has magical powers. the treatment is called boro-boro after the bubbling sound when the shaman blows through the straw. >> this one gets from your back. your back has many problems. >> reporter: the water turned murky after she rubbed the bottle across my back. she said it was toxins drawn out of my body. suspicious, i asked if the stone wasn't dirty. the treatment took about ten minutes. whether or not it worked, i did feel a change in my body.

shamans' homes are busy places. local people come to talk about their problems and receive advice. >> translator: they even know if i've fallen out with a friend. >> translator: for local people, they're very important. >> translator: i heal people with my faith. i'm glad they trust me. >> reporter: outsiders have feared the shamans for generations. but local people convinced of their magical powers believe they are a source of good. nhk world, the philippines. >> that wraps up our bulletin. i'm cholaphansa narula in bangkok.

tokyo governor yuriko koike says the relocation of the city's famous tsukiji market will take at least one more year. the move was originally scheduled for this month. >> translator: if the overall safety is confirmed and negotiations with wholesalers are complete, we expect the move to take place in the winter of 2017 or spring of 2018. >> koike says if metropolitan government officials decide the site needs another environmental assessment, it will take an extra year. the governor postponed the relocation of tokyo's iconic food market in late august. there were environmental concerns because of a gas plant that once occupied the new site.

it then emerged metropolitan officials did not take proper measures to contain contamination, and the timetable had been up in the air. a panel from the cultural affairs agency has released a list of structures they want designated as tangible cultural properties. the 177 structures were selected from among valuable properties that have stood for 50 years or more. among the recommendations are structures reflecting japan's early economic development. one of them is a 95 meter long bridge on the kominato railway line in chiba prefecture near tokyo. the 40 kilometer line opened in 1925 and is still running. it's popular with railroad fans. the bridge is built in a style of railroad construction common before world war ii. another recommendation is the tateishi misaki lighthouse in fukui prefecture, central japan.

the eight meter tall lighthouse was put up in 1881. it was reportedly the first lighthouse to be designed and built by japanese engineers. prime minister abe has been making it a priority to change japan's working environment in an effort to boost the economy. it's estimated there are more than 2 million elderly people who are eager and capable but don't have jobs. businesses and local governments are rolling out measures to tap this potential demographic, but they have run into some tough challenges. nhk world reports. ♪ >> reporter: seats are full and the band is in full swing. but this is no ordinary jazz concert. it's a job fair focused on the elderly hosted by the local government. nearly 200 people turned out to find jobs. most people here are in their 60s. they're seeking work for a variety of reasons. some want to stay active. others want to make a contribution to society. but many say they need the money.

>> translator: i have to work because i'm not old enough to get a pension. i don't have much savings either. >> translator: i want extra cash on hand to help me spend a richer life. >> reporter: this man spent decades working as a restaurant manager as a luxury hotel. last year, he started looking for a way to re-enter the workforce. it's become his daily rue tone to visit the job support center. he sees many openings for housecleaners and security guards, but that's not what he is after. >> translator: there are many jobs, but they're not the ones i want. >> reporter: many seniors are looking for white collar jobs but few companies are offering those kinds of positions to the elderly. one staffing agency is working on a solution for this mismatch.

this man is the ceo of the agency. he is trying to create jobs for people aged 55 or older. tokyo, and he made a suggestion to the managers. seniors tend to be early risers. so why not hire them to handle data entry in the early morning? he calls it a win/win solution. regular workers won't have to work late just to type in data, and seniors get a white dollar job, just what many of them are searching for. >> translator: so many of the firms have no experience hiring seniors. we want to come up with successful examples so that more companies will be willing to hire more. >> reporter: this customer support call center recently started hiring seniors. it only used to employee younger people, but a staffing agency urged the firm to take a different perspective.

it pointed out that many phone calls actually come from elderly people and that seniors may be a better fit to handle these inquiries. >> translator: we realize that seniors have high communication skills and are quick to catch customer reactions. we appreciate these kind of skills in our business. >> reporter: an expert says actively creating jobs for seniors is crucial in dealing with japan's aging society. >> translator: by 2040, japan's working population is expected to decline by 10 million people. we need to increase the number of seniors who work, consume, and pay taxes to deal with the aging society. >> reporter: the aging population is creating a host of challenges for japan, not least the ballooning medical costs, enabling more senior citizens to

re-enter the workforce won't just fill jobs. it will help stabilize the economy for the future generations. nhk world. and there's more to come here on nhk "newsline," but first here's the three-day outlook on the world's weather.

and before we wrap up, palestinians have enjoyed a rare chance to see performances of a country far away. japanese officials organized the cultural event in the west bank city of ramallah titled "we are friends." ♪ this soprano sang japanese songs accompanied by traditional

dancing. a fashion show featuring traditional palestinian costumes also delighted the audience. ♪ [ applause ] >> it was amazing actually. it was a nice opportunity to meet international japanese performers. >> children belonging to an origami paper craft club showed their creations while looking forward to learning more about japan. and 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.

>> this week global 3000 heads to the nile delta, home to some delightful and nocturnal fragrances. we go to china, where tragically child abductions have become part of every day life. but first, we visit honduras in central america. why does this small country have one of the highest murder rates in the world? for many years, sen free for all america has been overrun by the brutally violent maras, street gangs involved in drug dealing, prostitution, and protection rackets. honduras is just one country very much under the maras' control. but how did this come about? in the 1990's the u.s.