a very warm welcome to nhk "newsline" broadcasting to viewers around the globe. it is 10:00 a.m. in tokyo. i'm catherine kobayashi. our top story this hour, a u.s. federal appeals court has dealt a blow to drouonald trump immigration ban. one of the laws that challenged the order called it a complete victory. >> we are nation of laws, and as i have said, as we have said, from day one that those laws apply to everybody in our country and that includes the president of the united states.

>> the decision by the 9th circuit court of appeals on thursday was unanimous. it said it wouldn't block a ruling from a lower court that suspended ban. they didn't present enough evidence to show that security concerns justify the order. they said the state's challenging the order showed sufficient evidence about the damage it will cause. the ruling means the travel ban will remain suspended and people from the seven countries will still be permitted to enter the u.s. trump's executive order also imposed a temporary ban on all refugees and a permanent ban on syrians. following the decision trump told reporters at the white house that nation's security is at stake and the legal battles isn't over. >> it's a political decision that we'll see them in court. i look forward to doing it. >> the case will likely head to the supreme court.

japanese prime minister shinzo abe will soon arrive in washington for a summit with donald trump. the meeting comes one week after a visit to japan by the new president's defense minister, the administration's first overseas trip. abe says he wants the talks to strengthen the japan/u.s. alliance and deepen economic ties in ways that benefit both countries. trump says he's open to exploring a trade deal with japan. he pulled out of the transpacific partnership to pursue negotiations to individual countries. he's accused japan's automobile markets as being unfair and he suggested japanese authorities are trying to weaken the yen. abe says he's confident relations will improve. >> translator: japan/u.s. economic relations have been a win-win relationship. and i think they will keep on developing. >> friday's meeting will be the second face-to-face for the pair. they first met in new york in november when trump was president-elect.

developing low pressure systems brought with it heavy snow and strong winds creating white out conditions on the sea of japan coast. the southwestern japanese city saw snowfall on friday morning. it rarely gets snow. it caused slowdowns for commuters. waves of six meters are expected around okinawa's main lie land. coastal areas of western japan are likely to have high waves. the central japan railway company says due to the snow, bullet trains are running at a slower speed with delays. let's turn to our meteorologist. the snow is impacking people in many areas of japan. what can you tell us at this time? >> we are continuing to monitor that northerly flow that's come f ing in from the north. it leads to plenty of that snowfall taking place. we are seeing a decent number of

snowfall rates taking place across the western side of japan. look at these numbers during the past 24 hours we saw snowfall totals of around 34 centimeters. even while the snow has wrapped up, and we still have that snowfall total that lingers from the day on thursday, about seven centimeters are so. we are going to see more snowfall taking place because of this northerly drive taking place. this low pressure will be centered -- will be centered over the region as we go throughout the day on friday before it starts to exit through the area. that will bring some snowfall up towards the north in the meantime. you're going to see even more snowfall dealing with some difficulty in terms of viz bt as we go through the afternoon. looking at snowfall as well. we will see that snow ending and

shi shifting. temperatures are going to be relatively steady. back to you. >> thanks very much jonathan. many people across japan bundling up. jonathan oh will be back in the program more in world weather. let's shift gears a little and head into business news. u.s. president trump has been dropping more hints on his plan to cut corporate taxes. give us all the details. >> trump did say last month he will lower corporate taxes. the rate that is currently 35%. it could be cut to somewhere from 15 to 20%.

this prospect along with trump's other promises of regulatory reform and more investment on infrastructure is making investors very happy. trump has said he will soon announce tax reform measures designed to lower the overall burden on american business. >> we're going to be announcing something i would say over the next two or three weeks that will be phenomenal in terms of tax. >> trump was sitting down with executives from the aviation industry and other officials at the white house. the tax reform plan is aimed at improving his nation's transportation networks by making life easier for businesses involved in infrastructure. trump described u.s. transportation systems as obsole obsolete. he says unlike japan and china, the u.s. has no high speed trains. the news of trump's tax plan has sparked rally in the

markets. tokyo stock prices are soaring tracking wall street which closed at fresh record highs. the nikkei 225 is jumping. the energy and financial sectors, they are surging on expectations that lower taxes will spur higher interest rates and more demand for fuel. exporters are gaining as weaker yen provides some relief. we'll take a look at that next. the dollar has gone up sharply now at 113.7. that's up from the lower 112 yen that we saw on thursday. investors are anticipating higher interest rates. data showing u.s. weekly jobless claims fell near to a 43 year low. that's provided further support for the green back. now the dollar has regained some ground against the euro and the common currency has left against the yen to 121.2. that's a rise from the mid 119

yen level thursday. let's look at other markets open this hour in the asia pacific and we're seeing gain elsewhere as well. seoul's kospi up. australian shares up by 7 >> iran that was under economic sanctions. the executives announced a settlement on thursday. the pra says the group should have notified the british agency about its discussions with u.s. authorities because the sub sids areas are based in britain. in 2014, mitsubishi agreed to

pay new york state regulate $315 million in penalty. the fines were for watering down a report during a six-year period through 2007. leading japanese electronic makers are trying to get a lift in india's elevator market. >> three, two, one, go. >> mitsubishi electric has unveiled an elevator factory. the $31 million facility is rolling out elevators for low and medium rise buildings. it's planning to produce 5,000 units a year. executives are hoping to raise their competitiveness by increasing productivity and offering low prices.

>> translator: we started making end roads in china 30 years ago and we're making products now. we feel now is the time for india. we want to make products that say made in india and put them in the market. >> india's elevator market is the second largest in the world after china. european and american manufacturers dominate but now japanese makers want a piece of the action. they are introducing the latest machines that can stand up to strong earthquakes. this week people are flocking to hokkaido for the snow festival. the prefecture has been welcoming other visitors too including movie fans. >> reporter: guests arrive at a ski resort. the crowd includes a number of people from thailand. but they haven't come to ski. instead what has brought them here is this bell.

they're on a tour of locations, featured in a movie that became a hit in thailand. today's location tour has been great. >> translator: i watched it and really liked it. i came to see the filming location. >> reporter: the movie was released last september. it's a love story set in hokkaido. the bell appears in a scene featuring the lead male character. he rings it while wishing that the heroine will reciprocate his love. the group gathers under the bell for a commemorative photo. the resort is making the most of the opportunity. it has organized a stamp rally at locations used in the film. >> translator: it's a new way to

enjoy a resort. instead of just coming for a visit, they're having fun revisiting the movie. i hope we'll see more of this in the future. >> reporter: once a place comes under the spotlight, the effects can be long lasting. that's been the case for this pub. it appears in a popular chinese movie. the film was released nine years ago. but chinese tourists still keep coming. >> translator: i had no idea we'd see a boom like this. we're still feeling the impact of that movie. >> reporter: local authorities are keen to attract more filmmakers. they provide a subsidy of up to $88,000 for location shoots inside the city.

about ten titles are produced with the subsidy and screen abroad every year. >> translator: being featured in a movie or drama gives us a chance to see our community in a new light. and to develop things that we may not have been aware of before. i feel that there's great potential and we'll continue to explore it. >> reporter: japan welcomed a record number of overseas visitors last year. and this year, government officials expect even more. location tours of films shot in japan could be one more way to keep tourists coming. >> that's the latest in business for this hour. i'll leave you with a check on markets.

a senior russian official has indicated moscow and tokyo will agree on plans on joint economic actibasi activities. she disclosed her ministry has preparing business proposals for their first official meeting in tokyo next month. the official said they covered such fields as agriculture, seafood processing, geothermal power generation and tourism. last december prime minister shinzo abe and president

vladimir putin met in japan. they agreed the two countries will create a special system to implement joint economic activities on the island. they specified the system would not violate japanese or russian laws. russia controls the islands, japan claims them. the japanese government maintains the islands are an inherent part of japan's territory. it says the islands were illegally occupied after world the people of decommissioning the fukushima daiichi plant have another setback. they're trying to see inside a crippled reactor. they had to suspend their work because the camera stopped sending pictures. three reactors melted down in 2011 in fukushima, japan. the resulting radiation has hampered efforts to learn about conditions inside. workers sent a robot into the containment vessel of reactor

two. they suspended the operation when the feed from an on board camera went dark. analysis of the video showed that radiation was so high it could have killed a person almost instantly. company staff think the radiation affected the camera. workers need to clear obstacles in the containment vessel so they can measure radiation and temperatures. they plan to take measurements by sending in another robot. a crew inserted a camera last week. it showed deposits that experts believe contain molten fuel. removing the molten fuel is seen as a major step toward decommissioning the facility. a united nations official is calling on the international community to do more to fight the issue of global desertification. the official spoke to nhk thursday on tokyo. >> there are the poorest people of the world live in rural area where land is totally degraded. we see today in the middle east, we see it in africa.

you know, most of those people today, they are left with only two options. one is to flee, to migrate, and the other is to go to radicalization. >> the problem is spreading in africa, the middle east and asia due to climate change and deforestation. it leads to poverty and shortages of food and water. she called on the government of japan to do more to tackle desertification and increase public awareness. japan is making moves to show it's willing to accept more syrian refugees. the country's accepting young syrians under a privately funded scholarship program. and as nhk world reports, the first group is set to arrive this spring. >> reporter: of the more than 200 applicants screened in turkey, six have been chosen to study japanese. tuition will be provided but the students are expected to work part time to cover their living expenses. nonprofit organization japan association for refugees or

j.a.r. is cooperating with japanese language schools for the program. >> we wanted to take the initiative as a private organization to accept syrians as foreign students because by doing this we thought we could make the japanese society take on a more active role in the world. >> reporter: six students may seem like a drop in the bucket, but it is a significant move for japan. in 2015, the number of asylum seekers reached an all-time high of 7,586. only 27 were accepted and just three of them were from syria. the number of refugees fleeing the conflict in syria has reached 4.9 million. and japan has been criticized for its reluctance to accept them. meanwhile, western countries such as the u.s. and germany have taken in syrian refugees by the tens of thousands. but last year japan placed a

humanitarian aid package worth $2.8 billion for refugees and migrants over three years. it also pledged to initiate a government-funded scholarship program to accept 150 students over the course of five years. the study programs are an alternative way for japan to accept syrians. right now the screening system does not recognize someone as a refugee based solely on the fact they fled from conflict. the u.n.'s top refugee official said it was a good start. >> i am certainly encouraging the government to do more in asylum, to increase further the scholarship programs, but i appreciate that this has to be done in a gradual manner. >> reporter: j.a.r. says this initiative could become a new way to bridge the two countries. the new students say they'll work to bring syria and japan closer. kozue hamamoto, nhk world, tokyo. syrian refugees living in a camp in jordan are finding ways to keep their spirits up despite their hardships.

they've formed a theater troupe to build community and hope through humor. nhk world has the story. >> reporter: they may have lost their homes but on stage and in the seats, these people haven't forgotten laughter. today's sketch is about a father who doesn't want his wife and daughter to go out. a worker persuades him to change his mind. >> translator: daughter, you can go to school. >> translator: really? >> translator: yes. >> translator: father, are you okay? >> reporter: the performers strike a chord with the audience. the topics are all too familiar, from domestic problems to struggles in the camp. what's different is they are treated with humor.

>> translator: this kind of entertainment is necessary for us. the last few years have been nothing but sorrow, but the plays soften that feeling. >> reporter: this is the biggest refugee camp in jordan. home to around 80,000 people. as the war in neighboring syria tracks on, many wonder what the future holds. theater troupe leader came here four years ago. he escaped with his family when the fighting intensified near his home in damascus. >> translator: i felt that we couldn't wait another day so we left. we dropped everything and came here with only the clothes on our backs. >> reporter: he has a disease that causes his muscles to atrophy, but that hasn't stopped him making a contribution in the camp. using his theater experience in syria, he writes scripts,

directs and performs. >> translator: there was nothing to bring people together at the camp. i can't build tents or help elderly people, but what i can do is offer entertainment that can help lift people's spirits. >> action. >> reporter: the troupe has started a new project. a video based on life in the camp. he has recruited a former audio engineer and a singer. they built a set using scrap materials. he is hoping to show the videos online. ♪ they completed the first episode. it's about a group of men who spend all day sitting around.

they have taken a bet not to wash until they hear news that the war is over. [ speaking foreign language ] >> translator: the play isn't going to solve all our problems, but we don't want the world to forget what's happening in syria. and that all the syrian refugees who have escaped the country are hoping to return to their motherland. >> reporter: where there's humor, there's hope for a

they have taken their own steps to keep that hope alive. reporting for nhk world from the refugee camp in jordan. let's take a look at world weather. people in north eastern areas of the united states are dealing with a winter storm. l let's find out the latest from meteorologist jonathan oh. >> we have been watching a storm system that twoped way back down to the deep south earlier in the week. as it traveled through the deep south and along the eastern seaboard it picked up on some really cold air from the north and combined that air into the system and we have a winter storm on our hand. a strong winter storm hit that area. it left a lot of snow in the area. strong wind gusts were also reported.

bost boston, philadelphia also impacted. the kids are like why don't we have some fun in the process. some locations seeing 23 meters of snowfall to around 37 ranging from connecticut down to new york. the low pressure system continues to move toward the east. it is quite intense. a strong winds are being reported. blizzards are in place. we are looking at this continuing through the evening hours thursday into friday for the low continues to move through north and east. behind it, there goes the temperatures. we're looking at chilly conditions as we go forward.

high pressure moves in behind there and we're looking at some places not getting out of freezing up toward the north as we go throughout the daytime hours on friday. back on the west coast, we have a couple areas of low pressure that are moving on shore. that's creating problems down toward california where heavy rainfall is leading to mudslides and land slides and that possibility continues into friday. for those of you in northern california, north of the san francisco bay area, be on the look out. this could be a bit of an issue as we go forward in time. wet along the western seaboard. cold on the eastern seaboard. new york with a high of two below zero on friday. looking at what's happening over east asia, cold air as well. high pressure located over china is bringing in the northerly flow into beijing. windy conditions expected.

hope you have a good day where ever you are. here is your extended outlook. that's all if tfor this edi of nhk "newsline." thanks for joining us.

rita aspinwall: on this edition of "native report," we meet artist karen savage blue and view selected paintings from spirit, a mid-career retrospective. ernie stevens: we visit the national eagle center and environmental learning center on the mississippi river. rita aspinwall: and we observe a multi-agency prescribed burn designed to rejuvenate and enhance prairie grassland. i want them to get out, and then you can go in. you'll also learn about what we can do to lead healthier lives and hear it from our elders on this "native report." announcer: production of "native report" is made possible by grants from the shakopee mwakanton sioux community, the blandin foundation, and the duluth superior area community foundation. [music playing]