here in japan, it's a wednesday night. i'm james tengan in tokyo. welcome to "newsline." we start off with a look at the hour's top stories. detecting deployment. the u.s. says china has sent a missile system to the spratly

islands. and taking to the skies. one of japan's top car makers is using lessons learned from selling cars to push a new plane. in a move that could raise tension, the united states says china has deployed an advanced surface-to-air missile system on one of the disputed islands in the south china sea. according to the u.s., the chinese military deployed the system on woody island, part of the paracel island chain. china claims the island and it is also claimed by vietnam and taiwan. fox news reports that civilian satellite images show surface-to-air missile launchers and a radar system there. also in the south china sea, beijing has been constructing artificial islands by claiming several reefs in the disputed spratly islands. one of the airstrips is already

in use and can accommodate military aircraft. the reports come just as u.s. president obama called on leaders of southeast asian nations to cooperate in maintaining security in the disputed waters. >> we discussed the need for tangible steps in the south china sea to lower tensions, including a halt to further reclamation, new construction and militarization of the disputed areas. >> leaders reaffirmed the right to operate freely in waters allowed by international law. the u.s. has been sending naval vessels near the chinese-made islands, challenging beijing's restrictions on navigational rights. china claims most of the south china sea, but several asean nations say several areas belong to them. china's foreign minister justified their activity in the region. >> translator: what we do on the islands is construction work that is limited, necessary for

the purpose of self-defense. this is based on the rights of self-defense regulated by international laws. >> taiwan's president-elect has called for calm. >> translator: we call on all sides to resolve the dispute over the south china sea in a peaceful manner, self-restraint is most important. >> japan's defense minister also weighed in. he said japan will work with other countries to keep the sea open and free. >> translator: yun lateral acts to change the status quo, such as the construction of bases and the use for military purposes will raise the tension in the area. that's a matter of mutual concern for the international community. >> nakatani says japan will keep monitoring china's activity in the south china sea.

space researchers have launched a new tool in space. nhk takes a look at how it works. >> reporter: this is dubbed a national observatory in space. it's capable of detecting x rays that cannot be observed from earth, because the atmosphere. it's up to 100 times more sensitive to such rays than the conventional satellite. it will observe activity around black holes that cannot be seen by the eye. black holes are places in space with such strong gravitational pull that even light cannot escape. astronomers believe some of them are spewing out jets of hot gas but cannot observe what's happening.

japanese researchers say close analysis of the x rays detected will help them identify the gases escaping from black holes. they say they'll also be able to find out the direction and speed of the gases. >> translator: i hope the satellite will shed more light on when and how black holes emerged. >> reporter: one of the instruments is a high-performance telescope. the inside is made up of 200 radius of mirrors, with x rays coming down through gaps in the mirrors project images. each mirror is coated with a thin film, made of matter that can easily reflect x rays many the surface needs to be very smooth to prevent uneven deflections and blurred images. the mirrors were developed by a group of researchers at in

nagoya university. >> translator: i hope it will help us find black holes where we have never expected them. >> reporter: last week, a u.s.-led international team of scientists said they succeeded in directly detecting gravitational waves for the first time. the team said the waves were produced when two black holes merged. astronomers hope they will reveal similar things in the universe that were previously undetectable. the u.s. has sent stealth fighters to south korea. the f-22s landed at the osan

facility. it came after the recent test that they call a satellite launch. >> this mission demonstrates the stngth ofhe alliance between the united states and the republic of korea and the resolve of both nations to maintain stability on the korean peninsula. >> translator: this demonstration of f-22 fighter jets is to show north korea that armed provocations no long are work for threatening us, and that we are fully able to counter provocations. >> military sources say two of the jets will remain in the country. the u.s. and south korea have their largest ever military drill scheduled for next month. the nations also agreed to discuss the deployment of an advanced missile defense system. the son of a japanese man thought to have been killed in a taiwanese military crackdown has won his battle for compensation. he pursued the matter to a court

in taipei, which issued the ruling nearly 70 years after his father disappeared. troops are believed to have massacred more than 18,000 people in the february 18 incident in taipei in 1947. they were suppressing an anti-government uprising. the man was 38 when he went missing in the fighting. his son keisho filed a suit last year. he is the first japanese to seek compensation. the cour ordered the foundation to pay him about $180,000. >> translator: i was deeply moved. i believe it's an expression of taiwan's conscience. >> representatives for the foundation haven't decided whether to appeal. japan's interest rates have moved further into uncharted territory. gene otani joins us now with the

details and all the other headlines from the world of business. gene? >> thanks. japan's benchmark lending rate between banks has fallen to minus levels for the first time in ten years. it is known as the overnight call rate. the development comes one day after the bank of japan implemented its negative rate policy. the new call rate appeared on wednesday when one financial institution asked another bank to hold 20 billion yen or $176 million at an interest rate as low as 0.05%. boj policymakers are already applying a rate of 0.1% to some account balances that some hold. this means in some cases commercial banks will have to pay to park funds at the boj. analysts say it may decide it's worth lending money at negative the interest if it's higher than the boj's 1.1%.

companies are showing more optimism in investing in new equipment and facilities. december saw a rise in the core machinery orders. december orders were worth about $7 billion. that's up 4.2% as we see there in the yen terms from november, which saw a double-digit slump against the previous month. the rise among non-manufacturers reached 8.5%. it was largely due to higher diemtd for financial institutions and railway operators. but the increase was not across the board. manufacturers cut their spending by more than 3%. they placed fewer orders for boilers and turbines. the cabinet office also release its january to march outlook. a forecast of increase of 8.6% on more orders for trucks and train cars. checking the markets, tokyo stocks fell on wednesday. volatility in oil prices weighed on investor sentiment and a stronger yen and cap gains.

mayu yoshida has the details. >> the nikkei swayed between the positive and negative territory. commodity prices did not help sentiment at all, and investors are cautious over the global economy and the negative rate policy. tokyo rates are still unstable. we did see the nikkei trade higher by 1%. but shares gradually went down. the index eventually closed at 15,836, lower by 1.3%. the broader topix fell by over 1% at the close. energy stocks led losses here in tokyo amid volatility in oil prices, despite agreement by four major oil-producing countries. inpex became the major loser while softbank extended gains from its share buyback plan.

but overall, most sectors on the broader topix turned lower in the afternoon, attracting the stronger yen. one told me that foreign investors started selling japanese equity assets over growing worries that the stronger yen will depress japan's corporate earnings. i'm mayu yoshida reporting from the tokyo stock exchange. >> thanks. other markets in the asia-pacific region saw volatility. the shapgs high rose more than 1%, closing at 2867 and extended gains to a three-week high. hong kong retreated from two days of gaines, hank sing down by 1%. 18,924 for the close. seoul's kospi shed by about

1.25%. the singapore dipping almost 2% after the oil exports dropped nearly 10%. here's a look at some of the other business stories we're following. annual wage talks in japan have kicked off in the auto industry. union delegates are asking for an average increase of about $26 in monthly base pay. this is the third year in a row for themo make this request. the proposed hike is relatively low. union leaders say this is because they wanted it to be acceptable to managers at small parts makers. japanese officials will meet from next week on ways to improve conditions for non-regular workers. their recommendations will be included in a reform road map by the end of spring. the concept of equal pay for equal work is relatively new in japan. temporary and non-regular employees earn less than their full-time colleagues. they also enjoy less job

security. almost 20 million foreign tourists visited japan last year. that's a record with tokyo and kyoto as top destinations. but tour operators are hoping to lure more visitors off the beaten track by showing them life and culture rarely found in the standard sightseeing courses. nhk reports. >> reporter: this district in western japan is encircled by steep mountains. about 3,000 people live here. a party of 30 americans is visiting the district. foreign tourists suddenly began to come here in increasing numbers over two years ago. they are here to see scarecrows. these scarecrows were made by a female resident to liven up the community. tourists' interest in the district was triggered when a

young german visitor uploaded a video on the internet. hundreds of people began joining tourists annually to see the scarecrows. >> this is such a wonderful treasure that we have never seen before. >> reporter: in japan tourism company have been expanding their repertoire of attractions. this venture travel company in tokyo employs foreigners to get a handle on what tourists might like. almost half the staff are non-japanese. the company has organized more than 1,500 tours, that's more than 30,000 travelers last year. one tour allows tourists to harvest sugar cane on an island in southern japan. >> translator: i'm surprised that such tours sell. to japanese people, they are just normal, daily events. but for foreign travelers, they

are unique, in-depth experiences. >> reporter: today a group of four filipinos is on a tour arranged by the firm. they are taken to a class for japanese calligraphy. the ink stick is made of plant soot and glue. the brush is made of animal fur. >> light push or crayon cannot produce -- >> you know how time flies. >> reporter: japanese tour companies are learning that

daily life and rituals that many local people take for granted are helping to attract foreign tourists. nhk world. >> all right, and that's it for business news. i'll leave you with the markets. health authorities around the world have been raising the alarm about the threat of the zika virus. now delegates at the u.n.

headquarters in new york have discussed it for the first time. the delegates addressed the state of the outbreak and efforts to combat it. the world health organization has declared the spread of the disease an international health emergency. >> the zika virus has no nationality. we need to enlist support from across the globe, brazilians across the entire nation are fighting it vigorously with the support of international agencies and other member states. >> countries in south and central america have been hardest hit with brazil reporting the most cases. that has prompted worries about the summer olympic games scheduled to begin in rio de janeiro in august. >> since japan will be hosting the olympic games in the summer of 2020, we share the serious concerns. >> he warned the virus could spread in northern countries like japan over the coming

months. the zika virus is spread by mosquitos. it's led to a condition where babies are born with smaller heads. former u.n. leader boutros boutros-ghali dies. he served as the u.n. chief from 1992 to 1996. his landmark report, an agenda for peace, proposed that the u.n. be more active in responding to and preventing conflicts. he dealt with crises, ranging from bosnia and hers goe vena to the massacre in rwanda. he served one term before the u.s. vetoed his bid for a second. u.s. officials say he died on tuesday in the suburb of cairo. >> he also presided over a time when world increasingly turned to the united nations for

solutions to its problems in the immediate aftermath of the cold war. >> members of the security council observed a moment of silence to remember boutros boutros-ghali. he was 93. executives at honda are expanding their focus from the roads to the skies. they're using the lessons they've learned from selling cars to push a new plane in the u.s. nhk world's rosa sabrino has more. >> reporter: honda executives have high hopes for their light business jet. they received a permit to sell it in america. >> go fly! >> reporter: engineers have spent about 30 years developing the plane. now the company is focussing on sales. >> today i am very proud to announce that we reach a historical milestone.

it is the crystal of our sweat and tears. >> reporter: honda is the first automaker in the world to build a jet plane. its engineers came up with the distinctive design that puts the engines above the wings rather than behind. they say it reduces wind resistance and improves fuel efficiency. it also means the cabin is 20% bigger. >> very unique airplane. and with honda's attention to engineering detail and excellence in manufacturing, it's a very compelling aircraft. >> reporter: other japanese firms are watching with interest. they feel if honda can succeed in the u.s., the world's largest aviation market, it bodes well for their own chances. for jet makers, the key to success is often in the aftersales support. the quality of the maintenance and emergency assistance they provide can make or break a

deal. that's why u.s. firms provide 24-hour service for problems with fuselage and other parts that speens severe stress during flights. honda executives spent a lot of time thinking about this crucial and costly issue. they settled on an approach that's's unusual in the aviation industry but common among car makers, the dealer strategy. car makers commission dealers not only to handle sales but also to provide checks and maintenance. that way the dealers are responsible for building goodwill with customers. honda plans to adopt the same system for its jet. executives have already partnered with five u.s. firms that provide maintenance for customers' aircraft. they say honda now has a network in place that can get help to clients anywhere in the country within 90 minutes. >> translator: we looked all over the u.s. for partners who can provide what we need.

if we can find them in such a short time and we can ensure proper service for the honda jet, that's a big threat to our rivals. >> reporter: executives are already looking beyond the u.s. to asia, the middle east and elsewhere. their aim is to win more than 30% of the global market for business jets. rosa sobrino, nhk, new york. and you're watching "newsline" live from tokyo where it's fair, partly cloudy. it's currently 46 degrees fahrenheit. jonathan oh joins us with tropical storm winston. >> this cyclone is currently a category 3 system, and the biggest concern is the rain fall. yes, we are seeing a lot of strong winds with it. yes, it is going to be a bit of a concern. but the greater concern is the

rainfall. already in the past 24 hours, 491 millimeters of rainfall have fallen in some of these areas, and this is not the end of the story. we are looking at even more rainfall as we not only go through the next 48 hours but in fact the rest of the week. and as long as the system remains in the area, we have to watch theis very closely. it is currently packing winds of 130 kilometers per hour. it's not moving very quickly. and when you have a system with a wind field with gale-force winds, as wide as it is, all these little islands around here are going to be impacted by it, and this is not the most impactful level. the system is expected to become a category 4 storm as we go into late thursday and friday. and, again, rain is a big part of the equation. some areas could see 300 millimeters of rail or greater as this system turns itself around and moves back down.

this is the reason why we're all concerned. it's not only turning around, it's going back in the same direction it came from. areas already hit will be hit again as it moves to the south anwest, soe llave to watch this very closely as we go through the rest of this week. very opposite story in east asia, as we go back over to the northern hemisphere. we're talking about very dry area. this area of high pressure east of shanghai will be moving to jan and janwill stao dry out. weill see lot of the sea-effect snow wrappi up, except for hokkaido. you may be dealing with some of that as we go forward in time. because of the high pressure system in japan, we have the southerly flow. those of you dealing with pollen and hay fever, the high pollen count's going to be high, so you may be sniffling and sneezing as we go through friday. and we are looking at high temperatures around 17 degrees on friday. snow still in the picture for

sap poor row. looking at teens in the continent of east asia region. maybe showers in taipei as we go through thursday. a look at what's happening in europe. we have a cut-off low pressure system. it's a very slow-moving one that continues to remain over italy. it will ten to bring showers in places like vienna and rome as we go through wednesday. another system will be moving through the british isles. so you're going to see showers also coming to the picture. madrid and liwe look at north america, back over towards los angeles, a record-setting day with a high of 32.2 degrees celsius on tuesday. we are expecting cooler temperatures to come back into the picture. we have a system that's going to bring showers not only in the pacific northwest but the

california coast. a low pressure system is bringing wintry weather into the northeastern portions of the united states bringing snow into canada as we go into wednesday. hope you have a good day wherever you are. here's your extended outlook.

and thank you foroyj4j8j8j8j

genie: hello, everyone. this is "france 24." i'm genie godula. these are the headlines print today in libya marks the fifth anniversary of the start of the revolution that brought down more market update. we will take a closer look at the growing grip of the islamic state group on the country. former french president nicolas sarkozy is placed under formal investigation for it illegal campaign funding.