it's a wednesday night. welcome to nhk "newsline." here are some of the stories we're following this hour. a welcome announcement. many in japan, including atomic bomb survivors are encouraged by news of the first u.s. presidential visit to hugh row

shee hiroshima. some growers of tea are fighting back with organic products. looking to the heavens. nasa astronomers discovered more than 1200 planets. some could support life like our own. in a long-awaited development, the white house has announced barack obama will visit hiroshima. he will be the first sitting u.s. president to go to the city since it was devastated by an american atomic bomb in 1945. obama will make the trip later this month when he's in japan for the group of 7 summit. >> the president intends to visit to send a much more forward-looking signal about his ambition for realizing the goal of a planet without nuclear weapons. >> the spokesperson stressed the visit is not an apology for dropping the nuclear bomb. japanese prime minister shinzo abe announced he will accompany obama.

>> translator: i have decided to visit hiroshima with president obama on the 27th of this month. after the ise-shima summit. i welcome president obama's visit to hiroshima from the bottom of my heart. >> abe says he hopes it will be a chance for japan and the united states to jointly mourn the victims. survivors of the atomic bombing are encouraged by the news. keiko ogura was 8 years old when the bomb was dropped. for many years she's been sharing her experiences with people from around the world who visit hiroshima. >> i am so happy. not only me, all the survivors are very, very happy. long cherishing desire or wish to have him. >> ogura said she hopes to have a chance to meet obama. >> i want him to just come here

and to stand in this place in front, to come forward. those here died in vain. >> survivors have been urging world leaders to create a nuclear-free world. one of the leaders of a survivor's group has been calling for an american president to come to hiroshima for years. >> translator: i want to welcome obama and ask him to do his utmost to abolish all nuclear arms. >> tsuboi said he wants obama to pay tribute to the victims. he said an apology from the president isn't necessary. reactions to the announcement on obama's visit to hiroshima have been mixed. nhk world's david mccagg has the story from washington. >> reporter: since the early days of the obama presidency, white house officials have carefully weighed his potential visit to hiroshima. secretary of state john kerry last month laid the groundwork

for a trip by the president and intensified speculation in washington. since the end of world war ii, american opinion has gradually shifted. in 1945, 85% of americans approved the use of the atomic bomb on japan. last year, an opinion poll found just over half of americans thought the use was justified. some argue that the bombing saved the lives of both americans and japanese by bringing an end to world war ii. while many others underscore the suffering of the bomb's victims. the american legion, the largest veterans association in the united states, said in a statement that it shares the sorrow for the numerous innocent civilians who were lost in the bombings. it also said the group is heartened that there will be no apology issued by president obama, and that it would never be appropriate to apologize for the bombings. there were also political considerations.

on the democratic side, house leader nancy pelosi praised president obama's decision as an example of his bold leadership. many other democrats also welcomed the news. as for republicans, reaction was generally muted, but one congressman said that a visit could be seen as an apology for the bombings. we asked some everyday americans for their opinions. >> i think it's important for people to, especially americans, to visit that, because i think it helps us just think critically about our position in the world, and you know, what we should and shouldn't do with our power. i think we definitely need to think really carefully about that. >> i think probably he should not apologize but he should show empathy and sympathy for the people who suffered. >> reporter: as for why president obama decided to make the trip, some foreign policy experts in washington say the visit fits with the pledge president obama made at the start of his presidency to rid the world of nuclear weapons. >> i think he will probably approach hiroshima with a sense

of respect. for the suffering and the loss that was experienced by the people there. i don't think he will use it as a platform for a major speech. but rather as a moment of reflection. and i think he may -- if he says anything, he will probably reflect on his own feelings, and perhaps his sentiment about the future, and what needs to be done with regard to these terrible weapons. >> reporter: other academics see the visit as akin to an apology. >> obama should apologize, and people who are his critics should be able to criticize him for that, and let us get into a discussion. let us get into healthy debate about american policy for the past 71 years. the long-term legacy impact is going to be very positive. people are going to look back on this decades from now and say that obama did the right thing. this is an important event. >> reporter: the white house was clear that there will be no apology on this trip, but rather a look ahead.

and perhaps an opportunity for president obama to secure his legacy as a champion of nonproliferation. david mccagg, nhk world, washington, d.c. a scandal hit japanese automaker. here are the details. >> executives at mitsubishi admit they manipulated fuel economy. it earlier admitted to rigging data for four models of vehicles. it submitted a report on its miscondu misconduct. the latest case data fabricated for one version of the rvr model was used for another version. mitsubishi chairman and ceo admitted the activity at a news conference wednesday.

>> translator: i accept responsibility for having failed to reform the mentality of our staff. i'm also responsible for stabilizing our company's management. i hope people pay attention to how we change our firm from now on. >> mu >> officials admitted it extended to 625,000 mini-vehicles. data was falsified to make mileage figures look better. executives at toyota motors say group sales and net profit for 2015 have hit record highs. profit for the coming year does not look at good. toyota notched sales of over $260 billn, up 4.3% in yen terms from the previous year. net profit reached more than $21 billion, up 6.4%. toyota says although sales shrunk, they remain robust in the united states.

executives predict a gloomy year ahead. they forecast sales will foul by 6.7% and net profit by 35%. they blame the stronger yen and uncertainty in emerging economies including china. checking the market, tokyo stock almost flat. the nikkei did manage to post a slight gain extending its winning streak to a third day. for details we go to the tokyo stock exchange. sg >> the nikkei average edged higher. the gains were capped as some investors moved to lock in profits. let's look agent the closing levels on wednesday, may 11. the neat okay added 0.08%. the broader topic lost 0.04%. toyota announced results after the markets closed. its shares fluctuated before ending down.

suzuki climbed 4% at its net profit increased 20% on strong sales in india. sumitomo soared after it posted a rise from profits. softbank group was up as it saw a profit of more than $9 billion. they had strong domestic operations and cost savings at its u.s. subsidiary sprint. japan display had a loss of $290 million for the year that ended in march. the supplier saw sales dented by sluggish demands for iphone. as we continue, investors will keep their focus on company results and as well as the movements in the japanese currency. >> thanks very much for that. moving on to other markets in the asia-pacific region.

the shanghai composite was up. the food and pharmaceuticals sector saw gains. analysts say many market players were cautious after recent media reports the government may limit stimulus measures. taiwan's taiex fell. shares in the philippines jumped once again, up by 3.09%, stretching a rally there to a second day following the presidential election. hong kong's index slipped. the financial and real estate sectors led the losses. sidney was up. it climbed to a nine-month high after oil prices rose overnight. here is a look at some of the other business stories we're following. a key indicator of the state of japan's economy has risen for

the first time in two months. government officials say the upturn was driven by increased production of cars and auto parts. toyota motor restarted its assembly lines after an explosion in january after its group steel maker. japan's upper house has signed off on a treaty to help companies operate in iran, one of the world's major oil producers. the deal requires the country in e middl east t ensure japanese firms get equal treatment with local businesses as well as legal protection of their rights and assets. the agreement takes affect once it's approved by the iranian parliament. debt held by the central government fell for first time in seven years. the amount is at more than 1,000 trillion yen as of the end of march. that's down 0.3% from a year

earlier. the latest figure is about $75,000 worth of debt per person. south koreans are learning to love green tea again. consumption began dropping amid concerns of use of chemicals. growers are thinking methods and are developing new ornic products. kim chan-ju reports. >> reporter: boseong county in south joella province is the largest green tea-growing area in south korea. about 1,000 tea farms are crammed into this area. this man has been doing this for 25 years. but he has shunned pesticides. he pulls weeds and uses them to fertilize tea plants. once they decay, the weeds become nutrients. organic fertilizer containing fish meal is used instead of chemical products. >> translator: take a look at this.

you can see earthworms. this is evidence of good soil. >> reporter: the leaves are quickly harvested by hand before they're damaged by disease and insects. >> translator: it's difficult to grow tea organically, but i persevere for the sake of good, green tea production. >> reporter: such efforts are part of a revival of the beverage. at this specialist shop, drinks and sweets using tea leaves are popular. sales are up 30% from last year. >> translator: we're gradually regaining trust through organic growing. customers flock to us. >> reporter: to boost the market, they have opened a tea museum among other initiatives. the county is supporting various efforts to increase the sales of the region's most famous product. this is an instant green tea product.

put the product into bottled water, shake it and say presto. the drink is ready. it condenses the aroma and the nutrients of the tea. >> translator: putting a small amount of this in food improves its fragrance and taste. products like this make me more interested in drinking tea. >> reporter: they plan to triple tea production. >> translator: the government supports our efforts to make tea products. i think the domestic market will strongly revive, and we will sell overseas. >> reporter: the green tea is getting popular with consumers again. pesticide free, organic cultivation is gradually spreading to other areas of the country. kim chan-ju, nhk world, boseong.

>> that's a look at business news. i'm going to leave you with the markets. this month marks 50 years since chairm mao tse-tung forcedis count, china, through the cultural revolution. adition s turnedn its ad. millio were upoted. ancountlesnumbers ed.

still many markets in the country sell memorabilia from the time. now one man is trying to move people away from that and towards the reality of one of china's most turbulent chapters. nhk world's kazuaki hirama reports. >> reporter: this is a busy shopping district in beijing. it's filled with fashionable goods for young people. some of the most popular items parody the cultural revolution. or use it as a motif. this man has bought a matchbox illustrated with mao's photo. >> translator: i bought two. one for myself and one for my family. >> reporter: this young person purchased coffee mugs inscribed with quotations from chairman mao. >> transtor: maouilt our cotry, andhis makes a great souven to remeer him b >> reporr: the ctural

relution ban in ma1966. ring thiperiod, ysical labor s valuedore high than intellectual pursuits. ma studentin urban areas were forced to move to the countryside where they toiled in the field. party leaders who objected to the new policies were overthrown, and intellectuals and former capitalists were persecuted throughout the country. finally, in 1981, the communist party officially admitted that the cultural revolution had been a grave error, but those who had lived through the turmoil remained silent. as a result, people of later generations are drawn to these goods only by their designs and out of curiosity. not everyone is excited about the cultural revolution. there's a man here in the sichuan province who wants to pass along his bitter experiences during that era. he is now 59 years old. while in high school, he was

separated from his parents and forced to spend two years in a village. he was never allowed to go to school. this is a journal he was keeping during those days. it says he has to work from morning till night without rest. in those days, he recalls, people were not allowed to disobey mao's teachings. >> translator: life in the village was very severe. i can only say it was an ordeal for me. >> reporter: fan wants everyone to know that many young people had their youth stolen during this time. today he's the director of a museum and is currently holding a special exhibition about the cultural revolution. a female student wrote this letter to her parents from the village where she was sent. these are the farming tools the young people used in their villages. fan spent ten years collecting

them, hoping people would understand how the youth back in those days worked in the vast fields, using their bare hands. but the number of visitors to the museum is by no means large, and most of them are elderly people who went through the cultural revolution. >> translator: all these young people wanted to keep on living in their hometowns. i'm sure it broke their hearts to have to leave them. >> reporter: fan wondered how he could also attract young people to the museum. he decided to publicize the exhibition widely through the internet. >> translator: the cultural revolution is a difficult thing to talk about. that's why i'm holding this exhibition. i want the people of future generations to know what happened so they won't repeat the mistakes of the past.

>> reporter: 50 years on, chinese people are still assessing the legacy of the cultural revolution that shook the very foundation of their society. kazuaki hirama, nhk world. taiwan is getting ready to inaugurate its first-ever female president this month, but she's already under pressure from across the strait. the chinese government is pressing her to adhere to the one-china principle. democratic progressive party leader tsai will take office on may 20th. chinese leader see her as favoring independence for taiwan. they're expected to retaliate if she does not affirm the principle of one-china in her inaugural address. >> translator: if there is a crisis across the taiwan strait, the responsibility will be with those who change the status quo.

ma saidaiwan and china aison ofcials aged on th one-china principle in 1992. he said china and the taiwan nationalist, in power since 20, have mntained peace and stabilitbased onhe principle. he said taiwan should intain that stas quo. nhk "newsline" come s to yo live. we had a gusty day. jonathan is here to tell us about the weather. >> conditions will improve. we were dealing with a bit of rainfall, strong winds and it was quite stormy there some areas. look at the amount of cloud cover that covered japan as it went throughout the day wednesday. earlier this morning, let me show you video coming out of kanagawa preif you cfecture whew

waves to go high. 80 kilometer per hour gusts have been reported in the southern portion of kanagawa on the early morning hours. the strong winds continued throughout the day. we are talking about heavier rain bands and strong winds. look at some of the information. gusts up to 126 kilometers per hour. rain up to 330 and a half millimeters in 48 hours. a bit concerning. we're continuing to monitor any time we have that kind of rainfall f. it look rainfall. a couple areas of low pressure systems moving to the north and east. we are seeing higher conditions. high pressure is taking over, which means once the systems move through, the lows move through, high purchase will bring down the windy conditions and bring up the sunny skies. we have showers developing north of the korean peninsula. that's due to a low pressure

system nearby. that's going to bring some showers and rain. the stationary front at least what is t indicate it indicates seas rainy season continues to linger. the flooding continues to be a part of the question mark over the area. thursday, wet weather. cloudy in shanghai. temperatures around the 3 degree mark. as we go toward north america, we're watching out for another busy, active day for strong to severe thunderstorms. looking at just the eastern portion of texas, the clouds billowing up due to a disturbance, a low pressure system rolling through the area. that's an indicator of unstable air leading to the possibility of severe thunderstorms. as we go throughout wednesday, we have tornadoes reported on tuesday. wednesday, large hail, damaging winds, tornadoes and flash flooding a part of the concern

from iowa south into oklahoma and texas. all throughout the eastern portion of the united states, maybe into canada, looking out for thunderstorms. temperatures will be anywhere from 16 in chicago to 18 in d.c. thunderstorms down toward atlanta with a high of 29. unstable weather for denver into oklahoma city. look at the temperature difference due to the cold front. that warm air, drier frothe west, that combination is where that instability is really taking place. just be on the lookout as we go throughout the day wednesday. wrapping things up with a look at europe. western side of the continent looking at some wet weather. a couple areas of low pressure bringing in some of those unstable activities. thunderstorms in paris. rain from london into madrid and lisbon wednesday. showers toward the south into rome. warm once again on wednesday for warsaw and ber minute. hope you have a good day

wherever you are. here is your extended outlook.

astronomers at nasa say they have found 1300 planets beyond the earth's solar system. they made the discovery using the keplar space telescope. it could allow for water and therefore life. one nasa scientist says the nearest potentially habitable planet is 11 light years away making it a close neighbor. they have discovered more than 3200 planets in total beyond our solar system. 21 of them similar to earth.

is life worse or better 11 light years away? about a half hour away is "newsroom tokyo." be sure to watch.c

>> you're watching live from paris. i'm michelle harrison with you for the next hour. a last-ditch bid for survival. calls on thef supreme court to block the impeachment process against her just hours before the crucial vote in the senate. police face-off against angry demonstrators here in france where the government has pushed through controversial labor reforms. protests ein