. welcome back to nhk "newsline." i'm kanako sachno. members of the united nations security council are drafting a statement condemning north korea's latest ballistic missile test firing. the isolated country launched on thursday what appeared to be two musudan intermediate-range ballistic missiles. the tests seem to have failed. both missiles exploded shortly after liftoff.

the security council met in a closed-door session in new york after the tests. u.n. sources say the members expressed concern over the launches and are working on a statement drafted on the initiative of the united states. >> -- very clear violations of security council resolutions. this is a threat to japan's national security. >> a state department spokesperson condemned the tests. >> we once again call on these actions to cease. and as i think i indicated in a response to this earlier, we have every intention of having this discussion in the u.n. >> the security council adopted a resolution last month calling for sanctions against north korea, but the country has continued to engage in provocative actions. nhk has learned a north korean cargo passenger vessel

was operating in the same waters as a submarine when the north launched a sub missile. sources told nhk they've established where the cargo passenger ship was sailing by analyzing satellite imagery and other evidence. the sources say the vessel's movements were coordinated with the north korean submarine when an apparent launch took place off the coast of japan on april 23th. sources say the ship may have used the ship to collect data on the suspected test launch so its military moves would not be detected. the ship has been banned from entering japanese ports for a decade as part of the sanctions against north korea for its nuclear tests and ballistic missile launches.

u.s. secretary of state john kerry has expressed concern over china's new law to control foreign non-governmental organizations. the law is scheduled to go into effect next january and says china's public security ministry will supervise foreign ngos operating in the country. it enables them to summon and question groups suspected of violating chinese regulations. kerry said in a statement that he's deeply concerned that the law will hurt people-to-people ties between the countries. he said it will limit the space in which civil society can nufrngs the country. u.s. lawmakers say the administration of xi jinping is increasing pressure on chinese human rights activists, journalists and foreign ngos. they're urging china to protect the rights of its citizens. kerry also expressed outrage over the air strikes in syria on wednesday. the attacks appeared to be by the syrian government destroying

a hospital in the northern city of aleppo. the hospital is a rebel-controlled area of the city. the london based syrian observatory for human rights says at least 20 people were killed, including doctors and three children. kerry issued a statement saying the strike on the medical facility appeared to be deliberate and he urged russia to press the government of assad to stop attacking civilians and abide by the cease-fire. earlier this month, the u.s. president urged vladimir putin to persuade the syrian government to halt its military offensive towards moderate opposition forces. the truce in syria is now on the verge of collapse. one of the major expressways in the quake-hit region of southwestern japan has re-opened. the kyushu expressway runs through kumamoto prefecture. it was closed for more than two weeks for repair work.

parts of seven expressways in the kyushu region were closed due to mudslides and cracks in the roadways following two strong quake nearly 600 kilometers in total were closed to traffic. on friday morning, services were restored on one of the two remaining sections under repair. the final expressway section in neighboring oita prefecture is expected to reopen as early as may 9th if repair work proceeds on schedule. as of friday, more than 1,000 tremors have hit kumamoto prefecture. officials say 49 people have been killed and one is still missing. 17 others have died possibly due to stress or illness. more than 30,000 people are living in shelters and over 14,000 households are without water. meteorological agency officials are warning of continuing jolts as well as possible land slides triggered by rain. it's the first day of

japan's annual week-long holidays when droves of people usually leave for more leisurely destinations. but this year many are traveling within the country to the quake-hit area of kumamoto prefecture. at tokyo's haneda airport a plane left for kumamoto at 8:30 a.m. it was nearly full with people headed for their hometowns or going to do what they can to help in the area affected by the earthquakes. one woman said she was going to meet her mother who had to evacuate her home. >> translator: i have been brokenhearted for a week. i wanted to go back to see my mother as soon as i could. >> a male caregiver said he was going to help the staff of welfare facilities as they must be exhausted from continuous work. >> translator: it seems that welfare facilities still need more help. i want to do what i can to support them. >> in kumamoto prefecture,

disaster relief volunteer centers have been set up in 14 municipalities. ministers in charge of information and communications for the group of seven countries are meeting in western japan. their agenda includes how to utilize the latest internet-based technologies for growth. the two-day talks are the first for the g7 on this subject in about 20 years. >> i would like to share my intention of having deeper discussions at this meeting on how to harness such technologies as a driver for improving the quality of life as well as how

to achieve safe and secure use on such technologies. >> she says new internet-based technologies have been emerging that will fundamentally innovate the social and economic frameworks. she says such technologies include the internet of things, which links all kinds of objects through sensors with the internet. the minister also says there is a need to eate intnational les on the development of artificial intelligence. she says she'll call on the other ministers to work together towards that effect. a.i. is seen as a promising growth area. the ministers will compile a joint statement on the results of their talks on saturday. nissan motor launched a new research and development hub in thailand. they held an opening ceremony on

thursday. the facility has advanced equipment to test vehicle performance on bumpy roads and other harsh conditions. the staff will do quality checks on auto parts procured in thailand. nissan says such tests were previously done only in japan, slowing down the development of cars for the asiaen market. the new facility costs $27 million. >> translator: nissan wants to learn what kind of cars consumers in asia prefer. our ideal is to produce cars that meet those needs in thailand. stuff. >> many japanese automakers have production hubs in thailand. toyota and honda are also working to shift some research and development to the country. cutting edge technologies developed in japan have made their mark around the world. now a group of researchers and entrepreneurs is bringing japanese high-tech to a new arena.

nhk world reports. >> reporter: an event in tokyo drew people who are keen an integrating in vast technology. they saw how a pair of electronic two-wheeled vehicles can be used to race around an obstacle course. another idea is modern-day sumo wrestling that uses cushioned armor and special footwear for extra high jumps. the event's organizers wants to help high-tech companies carve out a new niche. >> translator: we aim to promote sports that merge what's known as cool japan pop culture and japanese high technology. >> reporter: this vehicle is modeled after chariots used for racing in ancient rome. drivers change directions by

pulling on the reins. the maximum speed is 35 kilometers per hour. a motor built into the front wheel powers the vehicle. it's possible to attach a wheelchair so disabled people can also enjoy it. two graduate students dreamed up the device. they used crowd funding to raise about $9,400 for the development costs. >> translator: our device lets people experiencethe fun of operating a vehicle and the feel of speed. we wanted to develop a sport everybody can enjoy. >> reporter: another company is already finding commercial success. at this game in tokyo you can put on augmented reality sensors and fight. dinosaurs and monsters are

created with computer graphics. bolts of fire shoot out of your arm. the developers say their game system could also be used for a new type of combat sport. they are fine-tuning the functions and the rules. they hope to introduce a sport people will enjoy for a long time, not a temporary fad. >> translator: we believe a new genre of sports that incorporate technology will emerge. we call it techno-sports and we want to help blaze the trail in the market. >> reporter: with creativity in hard work, people are finding new and enjoyable applications for japan's vast technologies. >> the fireball attraction is no longer available in the arcade in tokyo. but the maker is supplying the same kinds of games to other places.

people in japan are getting excited about the olympics. they're following the torch relay toward rio de janeiro and debating where the olympic flame should burn when it comes to tokyo in 2020. nhk world has more. >> reporter: the olympic flame was lit in greece. it was handed to the organizers of the rio games 100 days before the opening ceremony. the caldron in the main stadium is traditionally placed where it's highly visible. in london it was movable. it was lit in the center of the stadium during the opening ceremonies, then it was moved to this sta. in rio the caldron is expected

to be lit in theain staum, then t frame will be taken to a public square. people in tokyo are debating where the caldron should go in 2020. >> translator: it should be high in the stands so people can look up and see it. >> translator: how about the middle of the field? if it's movable, it can be in different places at different times. >> translator: they should put a beam across the opening in the roof and hang the caldron there. that would be great. >> reporter: members of a government working group decided a basic policy. they suggest placing the caldron on the field or outside the stadium. they say putting it on the roof will make it invisible to more than half of the spectators, and

they say putting it in the stands would sacrifice space needed for seats. >> translator: the suggestions are pretty much in line with my ideas. >> reporter: the stadium is far behind schedule. prime minister shio abe scrapped the original design because of a ballooning price tag. the working group was formed last month after organizers realized there was no place for e caldron. keita kato, nhk world. this island in southern china is popular with people from the mainland because of its pleasant climate and gold sand beaches. but the number of tourists is

falling and people on the island are looking for ways to reverse that trend. >> reporter: it's often been called hawaii in china. the sea-side beach resort has become a popular tourist destination with an average temperature of around 27 degrees. but the number of mainland tourists visiting the island has been declining over the past few years. people say the drop is due to china's economic slowdown and the government's crackdown on corruption. hainan island was a popular place to entertain mainland government officials and businessmen. the drop in visitors is so severe that many restaurants and bars have gone out of business. >> translator: around ten years ago mainlanders would come in groups and spend huge amounts of money here.

but now all we get are individual tourists. i think the government's ant anti-graph campaign is one of the culprits. rich people have stopped spending money out of fear of getting arrested. >> reporter: local governments and businesses have been taking steps to find new sources of revenue. they're trying to attract more foreign tourists. >> reporter: they held a week-long expo on international tourism. people in the tourism industry from across the globe were invited to attend. tourists specifically designed for foreign visitors who introduced at the venue. participants got to try drinks made with local produce. officials are targeting russian tourists. people from the country have

been flocking to the island in recent years in search of the tropical island experience. >> translator: it's just like summer, nice and hot. i want to get a good tan as well as a massage and acupuncture. >> reporter: this is the vice president of a real estate developer that's building a resort on the island targeting foreign tourists. >> translator: we want people to visit from across the globe. we hope to launch education or medical tours in the future. >> reporter: the resort facility will include nine 35-story hotel buildings with luxury swimming pools. it will be staffed around the clock by workers who speak english and russian. it's scheduled to open in june. li thinks it will be difficult to boost the number of visitors immediately, but he believes

accommodations that offer top-quality services will appeal to people all over the world and gradually attract more tourists. >> translator: the island's future depends on whether we can build facilities that meet the needs of people around the world. we have to woard andmprove services if we want to attract many visitors. >> reporter: hainan island initially prospered as a popular getaway for mainlanders. whether it can gain worldwide recognition is the key to its survival. world travelers in india face packed trains and frequent delays, a distraction to help stressed out commuters relax would be music to their ears. that's exactly what many of them

enjoy. nhk world has the details. >> reporter: russia and india. with delay -- rush hour in india. it can be a stressful start to the day. ♪ ♪ >> reporter: trained bands like this one have been singing to passengers. they sing folks songs about respecting others and giving thanks to the gods. [ cheers and applause ] >> translator: listening to the music in the morning and praying to god, i feel my day will go well.

>> reporter: this man has been a commuter train singer for 40 years. he performs folk songs every morning with his 12-member band. >> reporter: after about an hour of singing, he heads off to work. his job is selling home appliances. he calls singing a motivation. >> translator: singing in the train gives me energy and replenishes my spirit. >> reporter: but train bands are threatened by changing times. commuters are more focused on their smartphones these days.

hoping to get young people's attenti attention, this band has started a new project. these melodies come from indian movies. ♪ ♪ >> reporter: but the lyrics from popular spiritual folk songs. ♪ >> reporter: singh boards a train to perform the new songs. >> translator: let's all make this commuting time meaningful. let's protect the culture of these spiritual folk songs. ♪

>> translator: the songs must reach the hearts of the listeners. i want to make music that the passengers will like. i am proud to be doing this. >> reporter: train bands have long appeased the hearts of train passengers. adapting to the times will help make sure the tradition remains relevant for years to come. we start the world weather forecast with meteorologist jonathan oh. people here had to wrap up pretty warm. what can we expect over the weekend? >> it looks like we'll see the winds starting to calm down going into the weekend. sunny skies and it's going to be

warm across most of japan. if you're further to the north into hokkaido, a little different story. you'll still be dealing with snowfall on saturday. then the high pressure system moves in from the west and we'll see nice conditions saturday and sunday. look at some of these gusts and reports throughout the day. on friday, i mean, in tokyo we saw gusts up to 72 kilometers per hour and further up to the north close to 120 kilometers per hour. wow! look at this low. below freezing in the morning hours. chilly there and snow up toward the north in hokkaido. we're expecting the low pressure system, the instigator, that was the problem child causing the intensification and all the wind to come down from the north. that will push to the east and it will take a little bit of time. saturday a little bit more snowfall possible into the northern portions of japan. once that gets out of the area most of the country looking at sunny skies and very warm temperatures. drying conditions.

we do have a little bit of moisture coming out of china and rolling over the korean peninsula. but i thk mostf the moisture will stay at bay west of japan as you go into the weekend. so, here is a look at the forecast. again, snow possibly for part of the day in sapporo coming up on saturday. then the temperatures bounce up to 18 on monday. as we look at the other locations. osaka, 30 degrees for the high on monday. quite warm there. fukuoka looking pretty good. sunny skies and monday a high of 26. if you're going to okinawa, also looking pretty good. at least up to monday. we may see rain coming back into the picture into the middle of next week. so high pressure the big controller for a good portion of east asia. we have the low back to the west. as this high brings in the southerly flow, we'll see the rain return for the southeastern portions of china. but it may stay dry for at least one more day for taipei, shanghai. this area looking dry but warm.

31 in beijing. hong kong may be dealing with showers as a low moves into the area. looking at the forecast for north america, we've been dealing with a lot of powerful storms in the area. it's starting to calm down a bit further toward the east. we still have some showers that are going to be impacting the eastern coast of the united states, and then another low has developed back toward the west in the desert southwest. that's going to bring some rain, maybe some heavy rain at times and some thunderstorms. so we'll keep an eye on that. that will be something to look out for. we have snow over into the mountains. that will bring some of the wintery weather. denver, a high of 3 degrees on friday. thunderstorms to the south into oklahoma city and houston and along the eastern seaboard also dealing with some rain as we go through friday. wrapping things up with a look at europe. we have a low pressure system over the british isles, dragging in a lot of cold air. it's windy and in some places dealing with some snowfall. yeah. we're expecting the system to continue to move to the east.

that's going to come on shore, bring showers along the western side of the continent. rain into paris on friday. high of 12. madrid with a high of 18. drier further to the east in the central and eastern portions of europe as we go throughout the day. hope you have a wonderful weekend wherever you are. here is your extended outlook.

that wraps up this edition of nhk "newsline." i'm kanako sachno in tokyo. thanks so much for joining us. bq

>> welcome to live from paris. a look at what is making news this hour. has taken military action against 16 people over a deadly bombing rain that destroyed a doctors without borders half it'll in october. foodis you -- as the shortage worsens and menace way lu