from our studios here in tokyo this is "newsline." i'm james tengan. we'll take a quick look at some of the stories we're following this hour. japan's imperial couple has paid tribute to those who died on the pacific island of palau in one of the fiercest battles of world war 2. business opportunities are taking off with the opening of a new budget terminal at narita airport. one low-cost carrier in japan wants its passengers to keep

coming back for more. and we'll show you the challenges some japanese people are facing just ahead of local elections. japan's emperor and empress have offered prayers and flowers in the western pacific nation of palau. they paid tribute to people who died in fierce fighting during world war ii. >> reporter: emperor akihito and empress visited the island of palau. they paid their respects at the memorial of war dead. they placed a bouquet of white chrysanthemums brought from japan to those who lost their lives. peleiliu is one of a string of islands. the kun are country was under japan's control for about 30 years until the end of the war. u.s. forces attacked peleliu in

september 1944. the island was home to a strategic air field. u.s. and japanese troops fought for control of the island for more than two months. the battle of pelau claimed the lives of about 10,000 japanese personnel, more than 1,000 americans died. only 34 japanese survived. visiting palau has been a wish of the imperial couple for many years. they've made a trip to mourn for those who sacrificed their lives and to spread a message of peace. the presidents and first lady of palau also paid their respects. the countries became battlefields during the war. relatives of japanese who died on palau and former military

personnel gathered at the memorial. this is one of just 34 who fought until the end. he said the imperial couple's visit must have made those who died feel glad. >> translator: what made me feel most grateful is the fact that his majesty is interested in what happened on peleliu island. >> reporter: some family members watched the coverage of their homes in japan. >> translator: i couldn't help but get teary. i was very touched by their visit. i felt like my late brother was watching with me. >> reporter: the emperor and empress also went to a memorial for fallen americans and laid flowers. the imperial couple's two-day

trip to palau is one way they're marking the 70th anniversary of the end of the war. keiko yamamoto, nhk world. >> thanks keiko, for that report. now on a business note investors have been keeping close tabs on japanese stocks. they're waiting to see if and when the nikkei will break through the 20,000 mark. gene otani has details on that and much more. >> we're just short of that 20,000 mark today in tokyo. still some investors had reason to be upbeat after the market closed out the day at a fresh 15-year high. the nikkei average extended its winning streak into a third day, climbing 0.75% to 19,937. analysts say many people expect corporate earnings to grow and want to get a slice of the action. they also point to a report that shows foreign investors have been buying up more japanese shares. they say that's lifted sentiment

across the market. another focus today is hong kong. the hang seng index extended its games. it jumped 2.7% at 26,944 hitting a fresh seven-year high. market watchers say investors in mainland china are targeting cheaper hong kong shares after a rally in shanghai's talks. the composite fell by 0.93%, snapping five days of gains. investors took profits after the index hit a fresh seven-year high on wednesday. in other markets in the region, sydney fell .48% following a drop in crude oil prices. south korea's kospi was almost flat after an announcement by the central bank it would keep the key interest rate unchanged. lawmaker in the diet have approved japan's largest-ever annual budget. the vote had been 38ed because of a lower house election in december. the budget covered the fiscal year that started on april 1st. it mandates spending of more than $800 billion.

lawmakers improved the budget on stld. they faileding to get it through diet before the start of the new fiscal year partly because the election delayed work to compile it. >> translator: i want the putting to help us fulfill our policy goals and spread the effects of economic recovery to all corners of the nation. >> abe said spend would go focus on supporting families reconstruction in regions affected by the 2011 disaster. the head of a european company that put satellites into space is trying to drum up business in japan. the chairman and ceo of arianespace stefan israel says his company is cutting the price of its launch services. its next-generation rocket will keep costs down by using shared components. he said the maiden flight should take place in 2020. >> japanese market will remain

stable and positively oriented market in the longer term. >> arianespace is funded by companies and governments in ten european designations. the shares about half the global market with rivals from russia. global competition is heating up. the u.s.-based spacex venture offers low-cost launch services. mitsubishi industries is also developing a next-generation rocket. executives at beverage giant asahi are looking to tap into southeast asia's fast-growing consumer market. they've just completed a $50 million soft drink factory in indonesia. company managers and local government officials held a ceremony to mark the occasion in west java province. executives say the facility would produce 40 million bottles of drinks including japanese tea. asahi had been outsourcing production to a local company. they expect the market to grow

by at least 10% annually. >> translator: we're expected by the size of the market and its strong growth. >> some of asahi's japanese rivals, including ito and santri bench and food have already made inroads into indonesia. they're trying to make up for sluggish domestic demand. people who run budget airlines are winning customers all over the world. now one carrier in japan is hoping business takes off with the opening of a new terminal at narita airport dedicated to low-cost airlines. we tell you how the airline is trying to increase market share. >> reporter: this is the newest air carrier in japan after starting operations in august last year. it flies three domestic routes that originate at the narita airport. the company, based in shanghai, has put great emphasis on the japanese market.

>> translator: the tickets are so cheap you don't have to think too hard before you buy them. >> reporter: the airline plans to start flights between narita and mainland china sometime this year. the sharp rise in chinese tourist numbers represents a major business opportunity. the challenge now is how to satisfy repeat customers. this company executive visited kyoto. she sat down with local business people to find ways to provide visitors with new experiences. >> translator: we hope to help chinese people learn more about kyoto. >> reporter: hasegawa had a chance to talk with a manager. she asked where the people on group tours from china can enjoy

walking in kyoto wearing kimono. >> translator: it's possible to get 100 tourists dressed in kimono in less than an hour. we have many staff helping tourists dress in kimono. >> translator: oh, that's a great idea. thank you. >> reporter: hasegawa also visited miyaza city about 60 kilometers north of kyoto. it's known for a sandbar called "bridge in heaven." the spot is among the three most scenic views in japan. but only 1% of foreign travelers in kyoto manage to make it out to the area. >> translator: from here, you can see what looks like a bridge that leads to heaven. that's how it gets its name. >> reporter: the city has another feature unfamiliar to

foreign visitors. a cathedral reflecting japanese and western culture. the sitting areas are covered by tatami mats. built in the late 19th century, it's said to be the second oldest catholic church in japan. hasegawa reported on her findings at the meeting with airline officials. >> translator: our tie-up with the kimono rental service would help cut the fees by 5% to 10%. that would be appreciated. >> translator: it will be good if we print all the information in our in-flight magazine. >> reporter: company officials found they need to provide information not available in guidebooks and improve ties with local businesspeople in order to expand markets. >> translator: we have to consider what customers do after taking a flight.

that's the quality of service we're aiming for. while the u.s. and europe have many years of experience with low-cost carriers, japan has less than four. but it's certain that the lcc market share in japan will expand. >> reporter: as more tourists are visiting japan, the market is expected to grow further. although the lower prices are important, but making innovative changes are the key to success. that's it for business news. i'll leave you with the markets.

foreign journalists have expressed concerns about the travel ban imposed on a japanese journalist. akato, a former seoul bureau chief for a newspaper, was indicted for defamation last october for a column he posted online. he's been banned since last august from leaving south korea. the column cited a south korean newspaper that said president park's whereabouts were unknown for some time last april on the day of the deadly ferry sinking incident. kato suggested that park and a former male secretary may have met on that day. in a letter sent to park on thursday, the seoul foreign correspondents club said that

prolonging the travel ban could negatively affect the environment surrounding the south korean media. members of the club said they hoped the president will fully consider the concerns of foreign journalists. u.s. president barack obama has landed in jamaica as part of a visit to the caribbean and central america. and political analysts are watching closely to see if he'll meet with his cuban counterpart, raul castro on the sidelines of a conference in panama. obama arrived in the capital kingston. he'll hold talks there with prime minister portia simpson miller and attend a meeting with members of the caribbean community. obama will then travel to panama to attend the two-day summits of the americas that gets under way on friday. cuban leaders have been invited to the conference for the first time. u.s. assistant secretary of state, roberta jacobson says obama and castro will have some personal interaction during their stay in panama. u.s. officials are considering

removing cuba from its list of state sponsors of terrorism. analysts say bilateral summit could boost the momentum for an early restoration of diplomatic relations and the reopening of the u.s. embassy in havana. members of the u.s. federal jury have delivered a verdict in the boston marathon bombing trial. they've found the surviving suspect guilty of all 30 charges. their next task is to decide whether dzhokhar daughter 9887 should face life in prison or the death penalty. the 21-year-old defendant has been on trial for the bombing two years ago. the charges against him included using a weapon of mass destruction. tsarnaev was also charged with fatally shooting a police officer while on the run. his older brother tamerlan then 26, was killed in a shoot-out with police. when the trial began last month,

tsarnaev tsarnaev's lawyers admitted the brothers were responsible for the attacks but tried to convince the jurors their client should not die. they insisted that he was under the influence of his older brother who masterminded the attack. three people including an 8-year-old child, were killed when two bombs exploded near the finish line. more than 260 people were injured. the bombing was one of the worst terror attacks on u.s. i'll. >> we're obviously grateful for the outcome today. it's not a happy occasion, but it's something that we can put one more step behind us. >> the penalty phase of the trial is expected to begin next week in boston. voters in parts of japan are preparing to head to the polls to choose their local leaders. many of them say finding ways to stop their communities from shrinking in size is a major election issue. they've seen the problem grow in

certain parts of the country because of a rapidly ageing population and low bird rate. >> reporter: yoshio watanabe lives in a community in the mountains and he'll be casting his ballot in the upcoming election. his home is in shimane, which the is the second least populous prefecture. local officials scrapped the polling station near his home. so now he must take a taxi three kilometers to exercise his democratic right. >> reporter: i can't take a taxi every time i need to vote it's expensive. i want local government officials to bring back the polling station like it was before. >> reporter: an nhk survey shows 39 of 41 prefectures set to hold assembly elections will reduce the numbers of polling stations in their areas. tsuyama is an inland city of

okayama prefecture. an agricultural cooperative here disappeared because of a policy that forced it to merge. and the only gas station in the area has also shut its doors. this man is the village's deputy mayor. the only school in the village had a 140-year history. but the students moved to another school more than ten kilometers away. o ogura says cuts to administration services are to blame. and he says more and more people here are packing up and moving away. >> translator: services and facilities in the village are rapidly decreasing. it's not only me but everyone who feels that we should do something to revitalize this village. >> reporter: the population of

takashima city has dropped 8% in the past decade. city officials are showcasing the abundant nature to try to lure people to live here permanently. shoku nishikawa is an adviser and helps new residents find homes. >> translator: i really want people to feel happy to move here. i hope these new residents will also benefit our community. >> reporter: nishikawa arranged a local veteran farm tore help a newcomer. he's mentoring the new farmer who loved from osaka. she's recently begun to grow vegetables organically. he advises her how to produce crops in a way suitable to the local soil. >> translator: his advice helps me a lot. he welcomed me in a very warm way.

>> reporter: local city officials say they'll work hard to reinvigorate and rejuvenate their local community. and give it a new future. >> nhk world's komo takama joins us in the studio. seeing there are many communities on the brink of disappearing i imagine the candidates have a wide range of issues to discuss. how do you see the campaigns developing? >> candidates for 960 electoral districts in prefectureal facility s began their campaigns last week. electoral officials say about one-third of the districts need nod vote at all. this is because there were more seats than candidates or an equal number.

voter turnout in japan has been declining. four years ago, the figure for the gubernatorial races was just 53%. these figures show more and more voters are losing interest in local politics. why do you think there's so much voter apathy? >> well one of the reasons is that local assemblies are losing their attraction. one-quarter of the japanese population is 65 years old or older. an increasing number of japanese people are leaving rural areas. and fewer are participating in local assemblies. some think without younger members it will become harder to have active discussions in assemblies. so fewer people are coming forward to be candidates. >> it sounds like local governments are in dire need of help. what is the central government doing about this? >> well local revitalization is

one of prime minister abe's top priorities. he says it's important for local governments to come up with ideas for revitalization. government leaders decided in december to support municipalities with flexible subsidies. they will give more than $80,000 to those towns and cities that supplement their own plans to promote their economies and industries, such as creating a great cultural specialties. officials say in four months nearly 200 municipalities have submitted projects including those that support child-raising. i think more candidates are presenting their ideas to revitalize rural communities based on the reality in each situation. >> thanks very pickup 4 yore insight. nhk world's tomoko kamata.

currently in tokyo it's cloudy, partly fair with a temperature reading of about 11 degrees celsius, or 52 degrees fahrenheit. sayaka mori joins us with an update on this hour's world weather. >> the dangerous season has started in the united states. and u.s. is the number one tornado country in the world. the second is canada. and spring is the most tornado active seenason. we had eight reports of tornados in oklahoma, kansas and missouri on wednesday and hail the size of a grapefruit in missouri, that's 10 centimeters in diameter. very dangerous situation is happening over the mid part of the ups. what's happening that is we have a very intense system that is fueled by three different air masses. one is from the gulf of mexico which is hot and humid. and the other is hot and dry from the rockies.

and the other is quote cold air from the north. so quite intensive rain and also showers are happening from the southern plains into the great lakes region. even tornados are not out of the question into your thursday. especially in the afternoon hours. 94 million people could be affected by the risk of tornados. and then as we go into friday, the east and southern portions of the united states will be battered by severe weather. that includes washington, d.c. and also houston. if tornado warnings are out, make sure to take shelter immediately. put family in the basement. and also if you're driving, don't try to overrun a tornado. now, rainy weather and thunderstorms for many locations and to the north because temperatures are quite low, snow is likely to fall over eastern canada. now you can see a huge temperature contrast between the north and the south. 12 degrees in denver. but just to the south, 26 degrees in oklahoma city. quite warm in chicago at 24 degrees. but as the cold front moving through, temperatures will drop

significantly. chicago down to 11 degrees for the high on friday. and st. louis down to the teens on your friday. a different story over washington, d.c. boston, temperatures will jump up to 26 in washington, d.c. as we go into friday. about 15 degrees' difference in one day. we saw sleet on wednesday in tokyo. but today, sunny and warmer. so that's good news. but rainy weather will come back. because you can see this area of rain will be moving into central japan as we go into friday. rain will start probably around friday afternoon in tokyo. dry weather for the korean peninsula. but some light snow showers over the north and then to the south, rain is increasing over the southern portions of china. up to 50 millimeters of rain is likely. temperatures at 22 in hong kong with rainy weather down to 33 degrees in bangkok with daytime thundershowers. and warming up to 18 in seoul with sunny skies on friday. so cherry blossoms will continue to come out here.

across europe very messy picture once again over the black sea region and turkey because it's going to get very colder. snow is still falling in the mountains and low-lying areas such as ankara. showers are expanding over the iberian peninsula. watch out for large hail and high waves. a and dry area in the admit part of europe. temperatures are actually may to june-like as we go into the next couple of days. take a look, berlin you'll see the high reaching 20 degrees on your saturday. all right, that's it from me now. up next is your three-day forecast.

don't go away there's more to come here on nhk world. for all of us here on "newsline," thanks for watching.

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