hello and welcome to this hour's nhk "newsline." i'm james tengan in tokyo. it's 7:00 p.m. on a wednesday here in japan. final preparations are under way as the start of the g7 summit gets closer. it will begin on thursday. nhk "newsline" is bringing you special coverage all week, and

miki is at the studio. where are things at right now? >> reporter: right. the g7 leaders have begun arriving in the ise-shima region for the two-day summit. japanese prime minister shinzo abe is hosting the leaders of the industrialized countries. >> translator: i want the g7 leaders to send a strong and clear message at this summit that we can respond to any situation and that we will contribute to sustainable, robust growth of the global economy. >> reporter: abe will give the leaders an official welcome thursday and guide them on a visit to the centuries old ise shrine. he went there on a private visit wednesday and is expected to hold talks with u.s. president barack obama soon. abe plans to urge measures to effectively prevent climbs by u.s. military personnel. in a recent case police say an american admitted to strangling and stabbing a japanese woman

who was found dead. the man worked at a u.s. base in okinawa. on friday, abe and obama will make a historic visit to hiroshima. obama will be the first sitting american president to visit the site of the atomic bombing. the japanese government hopes to show leadership at the summit on a range of issues affecting the world. we get the details from another part of the media center. hioko. >> reporter: we've just learned the contents of the draft declaration for the global economy. it says that g7 countries have agreed on the importance of cooperating to implement a strategy. it says it will promote growth, job creation and confidence. a top priority for shinzo abe of the summit is to send a message that the g7 will contribute to the robust growth of the global economy. it comes at a time when the economies of developing

countries are slowing down. i covered the meeting with the finance ministers last week. there they agreed that monetary policy, fiscal stimulus and structural reforms are vital to bring the economy back on track. but they also agreed to leave it up to each country to decide its own policy priorities because not all of them can increase public spending. the draft text of the leaders' statement could mean that they've now reached some sort of consensus. the leaders will also exchange views on promoting the role of women in the workplace, infrastructure projects and health care. japanese leaders say the discussions will help the world maintain sustainable growth. there are political issues in asia that japanese officials are keen to discuss too. they note this is the only g7 summit held in the region. among the issues are north korea's nuclear program and ongoing territorial disputes in the south china sea. abe wants to confirm the importance of the rule of law at

sea and the hope for a peaceful settlement between the parties. japanese officials hope that working on all of those topics will increase the influence of g7 countries. and we should find out more details of the discussions in the coming days. >> reporter: well, where she was reporting was from a building that's highlighting the country's culture and technology to foreign media. minori takao takes us on a walk-through. >> reporter: even before you enter the building you are surrounded by japanese aesthetics. the bonsai, wooden decorations, the exterior was designed to show the respect for nature that's deeply embedded in this country's culture. but once you are inside, that nature meets high-tech. these huge greens surround visitors are images of the

seasons, and they're interactive. turning japanese characters into the images they represent. in this room, we can see innovations that have helped build japan's reputation from shin kensen bullet trains to gadgets to aid the aging society. this guy is armed with smart features you can access by talking with him. what's your name? this display gives us a look at something a bit surprising, perhaps. the basics of robotics can be traced back hundreds of years. these dolls were popular and

used to serve tea in japan and as high-end toys. >> translator: this doll has mechanics like you would find in a watch. you wind it up and like clockwork it moves. it's a stepping stone to the robots of today. >> reporter: the g7 summit of course is about tackling global issues at the top level, but japan hopes that by showcasing its best, it can spread understanding on the common level. minori takao. nhk world. >> reporter: that's all for now from the g7 media center in ise-shima. back to you in tokyo. >> thanks very much for the latest on the g7 summit. be sure to watch nhk "newsline." with world leaders flying into japan, security has been tightened nationwide. security officials at the center international airport are at high alert. many world leaders are arriving

via the airport. the officials are asking anyone entering the building to show i.d. and they're conducting baggage inspections. they've opened ten provisional gates away from the main terminal building. >> translator: i didn't want to be late, so i came here one hour early. >> staff at osaka's tower have been inspecting visitor's bags. it's the first time they've done so in the building's 60-year history and they've sealed off all lockers and garbage cans until friday. 3,000 people visit the tower each day, and they're taking the security measures in stride. in tokyo people were forced to leave a cafè after an unattended suitcase was found on the premises. police officers checked the luggage but nothing was suspicious. an artwork that symbolizes unity and peace will be on display at the summit venue to

inspire participants. the mural, created by a japanese team, is a reproduction of a pan painting reportedly destroyed by the taliban. >> reporter: the original was once located in a cave, estimated to have been painted in the 6th century it was considered one of the best examples of its kind. the persian sun god is at the center of the mural, surrounded by priests, mythological indian birds and winged greek goddesses. it reflects how different religions and cultures coexisted in ancient afghanistan. 83-year-old archeologist maida launched the reproduction project. he has been involved in restoration work in the valley for 50 years. he was shocked by the cultural vandalism that had been carried

out by the taliban when he visited the site in 2002. as regional conflicts are fought worldwide he wants to use art to promote peaceful coexistence. >> translator: the gods from different cultures and history are represented in this mural. they met here and tried to work together. i want to reproduce the image and share this basic content with many people. >> reporter: the project started in september last year. a japanese style painting and professor at tokyo university of the arts teamed up with maeda. advanced technologies were combined with japanese traditional painting techniques. the mural was reproduced on japanese paper because the material's texture bears a likeness to the cave wall. >> translator: this is the dramatic moment when the god of

sun appeared. the sun was rirising. and blue skies b began to appea. >> reporter: project members used photos from the 1970s as a guide, taking four months to complete the work. when it was included in a tokyo university of the arts exhibition, the reproduction drew the interest of the japanese fororeign ministry. thee ministry asked to borrow te piece because its themes fit with the summit goals. >> translator: i am happy and excited. wondering how g7 leaders will react. i hope the leaders will understand the meaning and spirit behind the painting and agree to work together for world peace. >> reporter: it's a peace of art that has been carefully reproduced in japan with a

global message in mind. u.n. secretary general ban ki moon says he'll urge g7 nations to resolve humanitarian crises. he says he'll make the call when he visits japan for an outreach session of the summit. >> i think all the hands should be on the deck. we need the whole government, business communities, even societies, should show their compassion, compassion and leadership. >> he spoke to reporters after closing the two-day world humanitarian summit in istanbul. representatives from more than 170 nations and non-governmental organizations took part in the conference. they discussed humanitarian crises caused by conflicts and natural disasters around the world. ban released a summary. in itt he says protecting civilians in conflict areas was

at the heart of the meeting. and participants agreed to improve the monitoring of international humanitarian law violations in such areas. a number of participants agreed to provide more long-term support to enhance the self-reliance of refugees. ban said member states backed doubling the u.n.'s humanitarian emergency fund to $1 billion. japanese auto giant toyota announced new moves to expand business. gene otani has the details. >> executives are working with uber to explore a business tieup. the firm provides services to dispatch vehicles through a smartphone app. the service allows registered drivers to get paid for giving rides to users, often at prices -- giving rides to users often at prices cheaper than taxis. toyota officials think the

ride-sharing business will continue to expand. they are considering investing in uber through a subsidiary and leasing vehicles to uber drivers. toyota is looking to develop appsps together witith the comp rerelated to thehe service. general mototors has already invested in lyft, uber's main rival. in other moves by toyota, the auto maker plans to boost overseas production and sales, it's building a new plant in malaysia. the company hopes to capitalize on growing demand among the country's middle class. toyota officials say the factory will be built near koala luala and have a capacity of 50,000 units. toyota produces passenger cars and trucks at one plant in malaysia and they say splitting output will enhance production. they have two domestic auto makers and have a big share of the market.

nhk learned indonesia will use japanese loans to finance construction of a large-scale shipping port.. it's about 120 kilometers east of jakarta. the portrt will be the nanation largrgest. total construction costs will be around $3 billion. indonesian government sources say the president has decided to accept japanese funding for the project. he is expected to convey the decision when he visisits japano attend an outreach meeting at the g7 summit. japanese firms including auto and electronics makers operate facilities in industrial parks on the outskirts of the land of the new harbor. the area will be turned into a giant distribution hub. checking the markets. the nikkei average managed to snap two days of losses after overnight gains on wall street. let's go to giang nguyen at the

tokyo stock exchange. >> following robust housing data out of the u.s., gave a boost to shares in tokyo. the nikkei added more than 1.5%, finishing at 16,757. that's the highest close in four weeks. the broader topix was up 1.2%. sony soared more than 6% despite a weaker than expected earnings outlook. investors chalked it up to one-time losses from the kumamoto earthquake and focused on the company's long-term growth prospects. energy sector shares are advancing after benchmark wti and brent crude futures jumped above $49 a barrel. two companies were up both more than 1%. companies related to domestic consumption also gained. furniture retailer nitori rose 5% on strong sales in may. the operate of of the emoji brand

jumped 2%. and fast retailing was up 3.9%. now, the focus will be on the g7 summit. we'll see if any coordinated action comes out of the meeting to keep the rally going. the summit starts on thursday. i'm giang nguyen reporting from the tokyo acoustistock exchange most other markets in the asia-pacific region gained following a rally on wall street. hang seng jumping by 2.71%, the biggest one-day rally in six weeks. most sectors ended higher there. sydney's rose 1.5% boosted by higher commodity prices. singapore's index gained by .6% fortuning at 2766. investors were cheering after the first quarter gdp was revised to show a higher growth rate from the previous three months. the u.s. dollar has been

strengthening against major currencies on expectations the fed may raise rates as early as next month. that's influenced the people's bank of chaeina which set the daily reference rate against the greenback to the lowest since march, 2011. some market players are worried the weaker yuan will cause capital to flow out of china. the shanghai declining by .25%. 2815 the closing number there. here is a look at other business stories we're following. eurozone finance ministers agreed to unlock 10.3 billion euros or about $11.5 billion in bailout funds for greece. the move is part of last year's agreement to assist the country with up to 86 billion euros. the greek parliament earlier this month approved pension cuts as well as increases in some taxes. nissan motor and scandal hit mitsubishi motors signed a tie-up agreement. niss aun is investing more than

$2 billion. analysts say the deal virtually brings mitsubishi under its winwin wing. that's a look at business news. hong kong is one of the most densely populated cities in the world and also home to a variety of roaming animals that inhibit the hills and nature reserves surrounding the city's skyscrapers. they are considered a casualty of immigration. >> reporter: the central business district is always bustling. but just outside the concrete jungle hong kong people are mingling with wandering cattle.

you can see many cows and buffalos here. but they actually don't belong to the farmers. they were abandoned. an estimated 1,100 cattle and 120 buffalos are on loose. farmers once used them to plow their fields but many farmers have sold their land and left their animals behind. they are now wandering into people's living spaces. some say integration with the mainland has encouraged companies to buy up farmland to make way for more urban development. agricultural space in hong kong has shrunk by 60% in two decades since the territory was returned to china. now less than 2% of vegetables consumed in the city are grown

locally. residents are increasingly concerned about relying on the mainland for produce. they worry thatt some foods migt be tainted with chemicals. >> translator: i soak chinese-grown vegetables in water for about an hour to get rid of agricultural chemicals. >> translator: i am concerned about food safety, but there is not much we can do about it. >> reporter: a young farmer is campaigning to retain farming in hong kong. becky ao invites high school students to her farm on most weekends. she lives urban children a rare chance to dig into the soil and understand how humans are related to nature. >> translator: i want to revitalize local farming.

>> translator: farming is not lucrative, but some things are more important than money. >> reporter: another group is calling for action to protect the wild cattle. el pan says the authorities should create special trails to lead the animals back to the forest. >> translator: the land where the cattle once lived is now occupied by skyscrapers and apartment buildings. they have no place else to go. >> reporter: this woman is focused on protecting the buffaloes. she says they help to preserve the ecosystem, circulating water as they move through the wetlands. >> translator: hong kong has modernized too much. we should have more interaction with nature. >> we need to look back at what is a better life-style we need to give to hong kong to extend our sustainability. >> reporter: the wandering cattle have reminded people how

much hong kong life-styles have changed. many are now thinking about how to balance their affluence with efforts to preserve the ecosystem. where the buffalo roam. thank you for showing us the wild side to hong kong. sayaka mori is on hand to give us the weather run down. >> the u.s. has beenn experiencing tornadodoes every y since saturday. therere have been about 7 70 res of tornadoes and 25 of them occurred o on tuesdaday in the southern and central united states. hail fell inn several places. the biggest one was a as large 9 centimeters in diameter, which fell in texas. the risk of severe weather will remain across similar areas from the southern plains into the u.s. midwest. watch out for large hail, damaging winds and more tornadoes. the risk will continue to cover

the same areas going into thursday. heavy rain will fall across the area from across the north, soo this area will see heavyvy raininfall which could cause so flash floods. watch out for severe weather. now, across the eastern areas of the united states temperatures are extremely warm, about 5 to 10 degrees higher than normal for this time of year, about 30 degrees in the u.s. capitol as well as new york city, chicago, 24 degrees with a chance for thunderstorms. and across the opposite side it will be a little bit chillier compared to normal in l.a. 19 degrees for the high, and then to the north, 20 0 for the high in vancouver. across europe, wild weather has bebeen affececting the black se region. in fact, several tornadoes were reported across serbia, the czech republic and bulgaria. severe weather will remain here for a while and the risk for severe thunderstorms will continue into wednesday morning across central europe to the black sea region.

another system will cause severe weather across western eueurope western russia. across the west it will be dry and temperatures are going to be quite comfortable across the iberian peninsula. 22 degrees for the high in madrid with partly sunny skies. 21 in lisbon. moscow, 21 for the high. that's extremely warm for this time of year. it has been extremely warm across australia, especially the sydney area. it has been the warmest autumn so far. in fact, sydney, the high rose to 28 degrees on tuesday, but things are cooling down finally, so winter is finally approaching the area. 19 degrees for the high for friday, and down to 17 degrgree on your saturday. now, let's go to the rest of asia. rain is falling heavily acrosss western japan. 140 millimeters of rain fell over the past 24 hours. the risk for severe weather and rainy weather will likely shift to the east at a slow pace in

the next couple of daysys. acrossss the south of china, mo rain is in the forecast and across the south of taipei there is a rain chance going into the latter part of thursday. temperatures will be abnormally warm for this time of year in beijing. 32 for the high for your friday. pyongyang about 5 degrees higher than normal. in seoul it was extremely hot last week. the high rose to 30 degrees. things will be cooling down but still on the warmer side. and as for tokyo rainy weather on friday and temperatures remain higher than normal. all right. that's it for me now. up next, your three-day forecast.

all right. nhk "newsline" comes to you live from tokyo. as we've been reporting the g7 leaders are arriving in the ise-shima region for the two-day summit. prime minister abe is hosting the leaders of major advanced economies.

>> translator: i want the g7 leaders to send a strong and clear message at this summit that we can respond to any situation and that we will contribute to sustainable, robust growth of the global economies. >> abe will give the leaders an official welcome thursday and guide them on a visit to the centuries old ise shrine. he went there on a private visit wednesday. he's expected to hold talks with president obama soon. he plans to urge measures to prevent climbs by u.s. military personnel. in a recent case police say an american admitted to strangling and stabbing a japanese woman who was found dead. the man worked at a u.s. base in okinawa. on friday abe and obama will make a historic visit to hiroshima. obama will be the first sitting american president to visit t t sites of the atomic bombing.

so be sure to watch our special coverage on the g7 summit and president obama's visit to hiroshima here on nhk

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>> things for joining us on "france 24." you are watching live from paris to hear of the. french security forces lift the blockade of an oil depot early this morning, this as trade unions are forcing a slowdown throughout the oil sector. 20% of guest asians in france are struggling to resupply. the victims of last year's terror attacks -- 20% of gas stations in france are struggling to resupply. the taliban have moved