welcome back to nhk "newsline. i'm kanako sachno. japan's prime minister abe has visited pearl harbor with barack obama. shinzo abe became the first japanese leader to stand with an american president at the site of the surprise japanese attack 75 years ago. the two honored the victims and others who died in war at the uss arizona memorial. they later underscored the reconciliation between their two countries.

>> translalator: we must neveve repeat the horrors of war again. we, the people of japan, will continue to o uphold this unwavering principle, while harboring quiet pride in the path we've walked as a peace-loving nation over the past 70 years since the war ended. >> abe said the countries that were once enemies are now working together for world peace and stability. >> translator: japan and the united states, which have eradicated hatred and cultivated friendship a and trust on the basis of common values, are now, and especially now, taking responsibility for appealing to the world about the importance of tolerance and the power of reconciliation.

>> president obama said the character of nations is tested in war, but it is defined in peace. he said the u.s./japan alliance has made both sides more successful over the decades. >> it has helped underwrite an international order that has prevented another world war, and that has lifted more than a billion people out of extreme poverty. today the alliance between the united states and japan, bound not only by shared interest, but also rooted in c common vavalue stands as the cornerstone of peace and stability in the asia-pacific and a fororce for progress around the globe. our alliance has never been stronger. >> abe's trip to hawaii also marked the last official meeting between the two leaders. obama's tenure ends next month.

china has weighed in on prime minister abe's visit to pearl harbor. the foreign ministry spokesperson made a statement on tuesday. >> translator: the japanese leader should not keep beating about the bush and evading the crucial point. rather he should adopt an attitude responsible for history and for the future and make a sincere and profound introspection and reflection of its past history and aggression. and make a clean break with it. >> the spokesperson said there are many places to pay tribute to the war dead in china as well. she said japan can never leave that part of history behind without a peaceful reconciliation with china and other victimized countries in asia. a south korean prosecution team investigating an influence peddling scandal involving the president has made an arrest. the investigators detained a pension fund chief on suspicion

of abuse of power. he's the first person they've held in connection with the scandal. they s started a full-scale pro into the matter earlier this month. the investigators have been looking into whether moon pressured the pension fund to support a merger between samsung group affiliates. the fund is a major shareholder in one of the firms. the team also suspects merger from the presidential office. they believe in return, the company made substantial donations to funds and a company with links to the president's friend, who is also embroiled in the scandal. the scandal led to president park geun-hye's impeachment. if the allegations are proven, she could be charged with illegally soliciting benefits for a third-party. police in france may have a new lead in a case involving a missing japanese woman. they've zeroed in on a message first believed to have been sent by her. they're investigating the possibility it was sent by someone else in an attempt to

delay the search. 21-year-old narumi disappeared in early december. she was last seen having dinner with another student in besancon. a classmate received a text from her phone after she failed to show up for class. it said she was going to sort out a problem with her passport. the school contacted police about a week later to inform them she had not returned. it appeared she had not visited the consular office. police are trying to track down the male student she was last seen with. checking now on the markets. tokyo's benchmark nikkei average ended flat with many investors enjoying time off for holidays. ramin mellegard has the details from the tokyo stock exchange. >> markets were largely as

traders really looking to wrap up the final week of trading of the year. but we still saw some big moves in some stand-out shares. let's have a look at how the nikkei and the broader topix ended wednesday, december 28th, 19,401, the nikkei down.01%. the broader topix, 1,536. before the markets opened, we saw new data out for australia production in japan, up 1.5% in november. with government officials crediting increased exports, as well as domestic demand. now, onto individual shares, toshiba fell to the dailily los limit, the result comes a day after the exexecutives acknowledged the firm may post billions of dollarars in losses from its nuclear business in the u.s. down 20.43%. now on the flip side, shares of industrial power tool maker

hitachi kokiki, surged on repor of u.s. investment fund kkr in talks to buy the unit. we have two more trading days here in tokyo. we'll keep you updated on the latest moves as they happen. ramin mellegard, reporting from the tokyo stock exchange. japanese labor authorities advevertising giant dentsu to prosecutors. theyey suspectct the company violated labor lawaws when employees were forced to work exceedingly long hours. officials of the tokyo labor bureau began a probe last month after an employee committed suicide. they ruled the death of the 24-year-old woman was due to overwork. the officials suspect the employees were forced to under-report their working hours, which exceeded agreement with the labor union. labor authorities also searched dentsu's offices in osaka, nagoya and elsewhere.

they'll continue their investigatation. dentsu made its first official apology. company representatives said they're taking the bureau's action seriously. in south korea, more single people are breaking with tradition and living on their own. that's captured the attention of businesses, especially in the property sector. nhk world explains. >> reporter: compact and cozy. this show room in seoul offers a window on single living. with just 20 square meters of floor space. this apartment works hard to provovide all the comfortsts of home, including the laundry. the developer plans to build more dwellings like these in a singles town. 30% of south korean households belong to singles. double the figure 15 years ago.

small apartments are driving the market. >> translator: more and more apartments around seoul are being replaced with small ones, under 40 square meters. we expect the number to keep grgrowing. >> reporter: south korea h has seen a shift in n marriage and family values. living alone used to be frowned on. for many young people today, it is freedom. 36-year-old office worker choi is part of this so-called singles generation. he moved into this one-room unit two years ago. he likes the area which is popular with the singles crowd. >> translator: i'm the kind of person who finds it hard to come home to family or another person and spend time with them. here, i can do what i want to do, without bothering anyone. so i like things as they are right now.

>> reporter: the growing popularity of smaller living quarters have people looking for more storage. one solution is my box. just order a box online, fill it up with unneeded stuff, and send it off. your my box is safely stored in this warehouse. it has humidity control and tight security. the company has reported sales growth of 30% a month since the service launched in april. most customers are under 40 and single. >> we want our customers to consider my box as an extension of their closet. whenever they need something, they can easily request it, and within 24 hours, we'll deliver their items, but they never have to worry about running out of space in their apartment. >> reporter: eating habits are also in transition. in the past, south koreans ate in groups. today, more people want to dine

alone. this restaurant opened in july in a district where many single people live. one popular dish is pork rind soup, it's usually served in a hotpot for two or three people. but here, there are single portions too. there are other perks for single diners, such a as counter seats with smartphone holders and battery chargers. >> translator: eating out alone took some getting used to, but once i tried it, i enjoyed it. >> translator: more people are dining out alone. we plan to franchise to grow our business. our target is to open 100 stores by next year. and our ultimate goal is to have 500. >> reporter: businesses are struggling with a slowdown in consnsumer spepending. but catering to the singles generation could provide a needed spark.

kim chan-ju, nhk world, seoul. the 2011 nuclear disaster in fukushima forced many people to leave their homes. precious belongings, they had to abandon have been steadily deteriorating, but a local craftsman is trying to help. he's been restoring their treasured furniture so it can play a part in the lives of their owners once again. >> reporter: these damaged pieces of furniture are now getting a new life after being restored. it's the work of cabinet maker yoshi itakura, he's been urging people not to dispose of their damaged furniture. he believes such pieces are often part of a family's history. he used to live in the odaka area, where he also owned a furniture shop. but residents were banned from

living there after the nuclear disaster. in july, restrictions were lifted, but the damage is extensivive. many homes are being demolished. he says it breaks his heart to see so much furniture being discarded. >> reporter: if it weren't for the nuclear disaster, people would still be using these items in their homes. >> reporter: itakura now lives in another area of fukushima and has a workshop there. he was asked to restore this old chest of drawers. most of the furniture he repairs has a rich history. the writing on the back of this chest indicates it was made for a woman on her marriage in 1913. >> translator: the chest conveys the feelings of the parents for their beloved daughter. >> reporter: itakura carefully

repairs each piece of furniture. for examample, the drawers of ts chest are extremely warped. to straighten them, he used thin strips of wood. sometimes it takes days just to fix one drawer. but he leaves any scratches he finds. >> translator:r: these marks ara record of people's lives. >> reporter: another client came to see a chest of drawers he had asked itakura to restore. >> translator: wow. great color. >> reporter: it had belonged to his grandmother and then his mother. the family had thought it was too damaged to keep. but after seeing itakura's restoration, they realized it would be a valuable addition to their new home. >> translator: this chest is a

precious treasure. it will help my mother feel a connection to the house we lost. >> translator: i thinknk restoration is the best means we have of preserving these precious items. >> reporter: one piece at a time. itakura's dedication is helping people connect the memories of their past with their hope for the future. china has issued a white paper on its space development program. the report lays out policies for the next five years, to improve the technologies needed to operate a space station and enhanced lunar exploration. >> translator: china will boost its drive to become a space power by developing a variety of projects.

>> the paper released on tuesday says china plans to enhance the capabilities of the space industry to set up a permanent space station by around 202. as a preparatory step, it t pla to launch the cargo spacecraft to dock with an experimental space laboratory. and the paper says the nation intends to launch a lunar probe by the end of 2017. the probe will bring soil and rock samples back to earth. the country will also launch the 4 lunar probe around 2018 to achieve what it t calls mankini fifirst sosoft landingng on the side of the momoon. china's leaders have made it a national goal to become a power in space development by 2030, to catch h up with the united stat, the leader in the field. patient refugees have become a social problem in china. these are patients from rural areas who come to cities looking for better medical care, but can't afford a hospital bed as they undergo or await treatment. shortcomings in the health care

system are mainly to blame. and with cases of cancer in china on the rise, the situation is getting worse. nhk world's daisuke asthma has more. >> reporter: day has only just dawned, but many people are waiting outside this hospital which specializes in cancer. the number of cancer patients in china has risen dramatically with an estimated death toll of as many as 7,500 people a day. cancer centers are mostly in big cities, with virtually none e i areas. >> translator: i can't get to see a doctor however long i wait in line. >> reporter: the number of patients seeking treatment is overwhelming capacity. this program is what has given rise to the so-called patient

refugees. the people who have been waiting a long time for surgery or other treatment. outside the hospital, they target people who can't be admitted and introduce them to cheap accommodation nearby. these so-called cancer hotels are springing up around the hospital. this man has cancer of the esophagus. he came to shanghai from a neighboring province in hope of finding better treatment. he has to wait for his operation outside the hospital. >> translator: the doctor told me they'll operate, but i have to wait for a long time. the waiting is excruciating, but i have to be patient. >> reporter: sun is staying with his wife. they pay about $10 a night. the conditions leave a lot to be

desired. they have to share the toilet and kitchen with other guests. but they also have a chance to share information with them about the disease, medical care, and official support. jiang lives about 400 kilometers from shanghai. she was diagnosed with cancer of the urethra. she had surgery in august and was didischarged just six days later. >> translator: the doctor told me i couldn't stay any longer because there were too many other people waiting. >> reporter: after leaving the hospital, she e had to see her doctor every day. her husband takes care of her every need. memedical needs are a a big con for the couple.

jiang's treatment has cost them tens of thousands of dollars. social insurance covers only part of it. they don't think they can take on any additional financial burden. >> translator: some people spend about $50,000 for a combination of chemo and radiation therapies. we're farmers. so we don't have a lot of money. we decided to go for only chemotherapy and give radiation a miss. >> reporter: experts in china are calling for improved medical services in rural areas, especially early stage cancer detection. the big question now is what kind of concrete measures the chinese government will come up with to tackle the problem. daisuke azuma, nhk world, shanghai.

american actress carrie fisher has died. she gained fame as princess leia in the "star wars" series. she was 60. media reports quote her family's publicist as saying that fisher died in a los angeles hospital on tuesday morning. the actress was hospitalized after suffering a heart attack last friday during a flight from london to los angeles. fisher was born in california in 1956 and made her film debut in 1975. two years later, she shot to stardom by a appearing as the tough, unyielding princess in the first "statar wars" film. she also starred in the other installments of the original trilogy. including "return of the jedi." in "the force awakens" fisher played the same role for the first time in 32 years. fisher was also an author and screen writer who was outspoken

about her struggles with bipolar disorder. a top professional player of shogi, also known as japanese chess has criticized the japan association for suspending him from official play. a third-party panel set up by the association said on monday there's no substantial evidence he cheated. he was accused of using a smartphone app during professional matches. in october, ththassociatioion banned him from official competition for the rest of the year. >> translator: i wonder why the association banned me from participating in the championship match. there was no evidence of wrongdoing. >> he said that although contending the championship now is not possible, he wants the organization to reinstate him. he said he wants the matter to be settled as soon as possible. he added that he will try hard to regain his winning ways.

japan's shogi association president apologized to fans and to miura. but he said there will be no rematch for the world title because it is finished. he said he and seven other executives will take pay cuts as punishment. mira will be able to return to competition in january. people in western japan are bundling up after the first snowfall of the season. >> cold air is covering much of japan. we had the first snowfall of the season in places like osaka. it was a week later than normal. and record low temperatures for december in hokkaido and heavy snowfall in northern japan. the heaviest snow in nagano prefecturere, compananied by v cold, strong winds. now,w, tomorrow, another s syst will likelmomove over r norther japan.

we'll see morenonowfall acacros northern japan. 30 centimeters of snow could fall. to the opposite side of japan including tokyo, we'll see sunny temperatures, more like march. then sunny weather will continue the next several days in tokyo. sapporo will see snowfall at least into december 31st. but it looks like weather will be nice across many areas of japan on the first day of 2017. now let's go to hawaii, an easterly flow is causing breezy conditionsns, we have high sf advisoeses posted d for the east-facing shores of the islands. and in fact, a cold front will likely move over the northern areas, so we'll see unstable weather persisting the next three days or so in honolulu, so there's a chance for rainfall at least into your friday, but by december 31st sunny weatherer wl come back and hilo will see nice

gorgeous weather on the first day of next year. then let's go to north america, heavy snow c caused a lot of problems over northern areas of the united states. we have some video from north dakota as well oregon. take a look. heavy snowfall on monday, thousands of homes and businesses were without power. north dakota had nearly 45 centimeters of snowfall. meanwhile, another system affected the pacific northwest. drivers had a tough time on slippery roads in portland. the weatr r has prproved in the northern plains and portland. snow will likely continue in the higher elevations over washington as well as montana, at least for the next couple days. now, temperatures are going to be as follows. 6 degrees in seattle with rainy weather on your hump day. 9 degrees in denver, and temperatures only 8 degrees in the u.s. capital. it was 20 degrees on tuesday. 7 degrees in new york city on your wednesday.

and let's go to europe then. a ridge of high pressure is causing calm and warm weather across the west, but cold air is gripping the south, causing wintry precipitation, with sleet even in athens. temperatures and also weather for the next five days are as follows. london will see temperatures warming up as we go into next year. 9 degrees is your expected high. paris, you'll see quite low temperatures on your december 31st, so plea do bundle up. rome, sunny weather persisting into the next five days or so. and ankara will see snowfall persisting and temperatures expected to be sub zero as we go into the next several days. that's it for now. up next is your three-day forecast.

that wraps up this edition of nhk "newsline."

i'm kanako sachno in tokyo. thanks very much for joining us.

cancel -- in east jerusalem hours before u.s. secretary of state john kerry was to lay out the vision for a two state solution. shinzo abe visits of the u.s. naval base, pearl harbor, offering condolences to the victims of japan's attack on the bay 75 years. another blow for the entertainment industry. dies just days after suffering a massive heart attack.