♪ welcome to nhk "newsline," north korea launched several ballistic missiles on thursday morning. officials say one may have been an intercontinental ballistic missile. japanese officials are trying to determine the latest details. japan's defense ministry says at least three missiles flew toward the sea of japan from around

7:30 a.m. one flew about 750 kilometers at an altitude of around 2,000 kilometers. it fell into the sea of japan and is believed to have been a long range ballistic missile. officials say it could have been an intercontinental ballistic missile or icbm. one hour later two more missiles through about 350 kilometers at an altitude of around 50 kilometers. officials say these missiles also appear to have fallen into the sea of japan outside the country's exclusive economic zone. government officials say there are no reports of damage so far. the government issued an alert to miyagi, yamagata through the j-alert nationwide emergency warning system which sends emergency information to local governments via satellite. it said the projectile launched

by north korea was suspected to be flying over japan from 7:50 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. but the defense ministry says it later confirmed that this projectile did not actually pass over the country and had disappeared from radar over the sea of japan. officials are analyzing whether the projectile was actually a missile. meanwhile, the south korea military announced that north korea launched a total of three ballistic missiles toward the sea of japan. south korea's public broadcaster, kbs reported that one of them is thought to be a new type of icbm called the hwasong-17 and that it appeared to have failed to fly. and earlier my colleague asked an expert about what the north is hoping to achieve with today's missile launches and what its next step might be. >> we're joined now by a senior fellow in peace foundation. what do you think was behind today's missile launches? >> we're joined by a senior fellow. so what do you think is behind today's missile launches? >> yes. the north korea has already

changed the missile launch, not now, but i think the wanted to use escalate, to deescalate concept. the same as president putin against the united states. north korea wanted to show its intention by the missile launches. of course the launch into the south waters against the united states south korea joined the military exercise, especially the demonstration by umb, f-22, f-35 stealth fighter jets. so north korea wanted to show if united states escalate, north korea will attack south korea by missiles. >> the j-alert nationwide emergency system issued an alert that one of them seemed to be flying over japan. it was later confirmed that it had actually disappeared over the sea of japan. what do you make of this?

>> yes, north korea, usually japanese self-defense force lost contact during the tracking the object. it is possible that the object was broken. but another possibility is that the target was fixed the origin. i'm not sure because information is not enough. i think the data have possibilities not so high. >> what do you predict north korea will do next? >> yes, north korea need to show its intention by launching missile today because united states, south korea respond to the missile launch yesterday. but it means the escalate/deescalate concept did

not work in this moment. so north korea wanted to use the nuclear weapon as means of the escalate/deescalate concept. so north korea tried to conduct nuclear tests in the near future, i think ♪ the deputy head of the main party in japan's ruling coalition has been exchanging views with the foreign minister of south korea. they're likely to discuss pending bilateral issues including wartime labor. liberal democratic party vice president aso taro met in seoul with foreign minister park jin. they are believed to have spoken about the situation including how to respond to north korea's repeated launches of ballistic missiles. aso met the previous day with

president yoon suk-yeol. he's the former prime minister who heads a committee made up of japanese and south korea politicians and business people. foreign leader park told reporters that the leaders of japan and south korea are determined to improve relations. he also said he'd told aso that federal relations would benefit both countries. after their meeting, aso laid flowers at a memorial to the people who died saturday at a crowd crush in the itaewon district of seoul. police in south korea have been forced to defend themselves for their response to a deadly crowd surge. they say the national chief wasn't informed until two hours after the disaster. 156 people were killed. the national police agency says commissioner general was informed about the crush in the itaewon district at 12:14 a.m. sunday.

south korean media had already started reporting on the disaster saying 50 people were likely in cardiac arrest. police received reports about overcrowding hours before the crush. yoon indicated the police's response was inadequate. the presidential office said president yoon suk-yeol was informed about the incident at around 11:00 p.m. on saturday. south korean media say senior officials slow response to the chaos may have been a factor behind the large number of victims. they suggested those officials will be held accountable. two japanese were among the dead, one of them was 26-year-old komikawa may. on wednesday her parents visited a venue were flowers were laid. many people have visited the venue to mourn the victims.

parts of brazil remain in chaos as supporters continue to refuse the defeat in sunday's presidential runoff. thousands who support the outgoing president rallied in front of the military facility in the largest city. they call them the army to intervene to prevent de silva from paying office. brazil was under military dictatorship until 1985. a former army captain has cultivated strong ties with the military and says he assumed power after the 2018 election. the defense force is silent since the first round of this election in early october, a sign they're distancing themselves. >> i can not trust the lekt ral system in brazil. i hope the army will intervene in support of the protesters.

>> he now has maintained roadblocks at 150 locations on national highways for several days. there have been clashes with police who try to remove them. >> leaders of the southeast asian nations are trying to negotiate an end to the violence in myanmar. they urged military rulers who adopt the points in the peace plan. but their patience is running out. nhk obtained a summary of recoendations for the summit meeting in cambodia next week. the documents says the leaders may consider setting a dead line for implementing the five point consensus. the military agreed on the consensus aer the coup last ye. the commitments include immediate halt to violence. another recommendation says unless there is progress in carrying out the agreements, myanmar's representation at the summit and minute steeral meetings should be limited to the nonpolitical

the military continues fighting with pro-democracy and armed ethnic minority groups. attention is focused on whether they will take concerted action towards myanmar's >> next, foreign visitors to japan may notice some attractions plunging into an unusual brand of tourism. in our next report, we'll see how a city is elevating its public toy lent in an effort to leave travelers feeling

satisfied. >> this is a key tourist attraction. about 10,000 people visit every year to see the spring time cherry blossoms. in addition to the beautiful seen kri, something else has recently been tracting visitors. this is a public restroom built on the shrine grounds. at first glance, it appears pretty normal. except the doors are pear to be transparent. when the door is looked, the glass becomes frosted. music plays as images of the shrine's colors are projected on to the surface. this toilet was installed by a group of residents in order to tract more tourists. before, there was just one portable toilet here proprietoring visitors to complain about a lack of facilities. now people are apparently visiting the shrine just to see

this new toilet. >> we wanted to build a special restroom so people who travel here from far away would not be disappointed. we hope visitors will continue to enjoy the fall foliage as well as the restroom. >> this isn't the only special toilet. it is one of a growing number of new rest rooms which tap into the idea of toilet tourism. others include a public toilet with a 3-d dragon drone by a local artist. and another located at a temple known for hydrangeas has stained glass windows. off the officials also embracing the concept of toilet tourism in a bid to attract more visitors. the city created a special toilet map highlighting a attractive rest rooms alongside conventional sight seeing areas.

they also subsidize the construction and promotion of new so-called hospitality toilets. >> hopefully the terms hospitality toilet and toilet tourism will become well known across not only hero sheema but the whole of japan. and more people will visit. >> there are now 18 hospitality toilets and a number that is likely to rise along with visitor numbers as the city continues to embrace its innovative mission of toilet tourism. >> now here is a three day outlook on the weather for selected cities around the globe.

that wraps up this edition of "nhk newsline". thank you for watching. welcome to newsline indepth. businesses always have to stay tuned to changes in the world. to adjust the strategies to meet consumer needs. but the past few years have been extremely challenging. companies have had to deal with supply chain disruptions and higher costs due to soaring prices of oil and raw materials.

on top of that, the coronavirus pandemic caused drastic changes in consumer behavior. today we look at japanese businesses that are targeting new demographics to stay relevant with the >> first, a look at japan's motorcycle market. a growing number of people are taking up motorcycling to stay safe and sane and to connect with others in rider communities. let's hit the streets to see how motorcycle companies are targeting the market segment. >> tokyo based rides a motorcycle to avoid close contact during the pandemic. and on her days off, she loves touring the city on her 250 cc

steed. on this day, she rode about 15 kilometers from her home to the airport to take photos of airplanes. she travels everywhere by motorcycle. whether shopping in her neighborhood or taking a trip far away. >> translator: i wasn't comfortable taking the train. motor bikes are really great because can you travel long distances without running into anyone. >> on her way home, she headed to her favorite cafe where many female riders gather. she is greatly inspired by various riders that talk about family, memories of travels and motorcycle fashion. she feels her world expanding as a result of her encounter with other female motorcyclists. >> i'm wearing boots.

railize the black are sharper. of i had the soles replaced. >> great attention to detail. >> there are riders of a range of ages with various careers. so i can learn about many things different to my own >> it is when she has difficulties at work or in relationships with people. >> there can be dark moments when i deal with a problem. the way forward is definitely bright. i feel like my motorcycle will always pull me out of myself and lead me to the light. >> the number of women obtained motorcycle licenses has risen by nearly 20% compared to ten years ago. naturally, marketers are not oblivious to the consumer

potential. this motorcycle goods store tripled floor space and vastly expanded the women's range. the thickness of this new chest protector is reduced for a stylish look. the materials have been improved for extra strength and shock absorption. and thick soled boots for petite women improve footing. they stress functionality but also add designer elements appealing to women. last year the store started to promote its products on social media. female employees test their products and do everything from modelling to filming. they post on social media almost every day. what to stress online? >> motorcycles and fashion go hand in hand. so it's important to look good. >> their ingenuity paid off.

sales for women's gear tripled compared to the lean years prepandemic. >> some jackets may not look attractive on the hanger. but once on, many are super stylish and even compliment the woman's figure. but with more motorcycles on the road since covid, accidents are also on the rise. >> so a major motorcycle manufacturer launched training courses including one exclusively for women taught by female instructors. the courses are so popular they're oversubscribed. 15 people are taking part in this course including the gunners and refresher course riders. >> translator: motorcycles are heavily in demand and ridden by

men. i conditioned handle a bike. >> translator: i haven't ridden for ten years and my friends asked me if i would ever ride again. so i'm taking this course to show them i am serious about riding. >> instructing shows the ride smerz important techniques including how to apply the brakes safely and how to reduce swaying at low speed. the problem is especially common among beginners and >> that's better than before. but you're still a little stiff. t try to relax and then can you achieve a smooth turn. >> translator: a motorcycle is a heavy vehicle. but don't be mistaken and think you have to put all your strength into it. that will make it harder. the more nervous and rigid you

get, the harder it will be to ride leading to a vicious cycle. >> students are picking up various techniques. >> translator: i want to learn how to ride easily without wasting any energy so that i can ride even when i get older. >> through these courses, the manufacturer hopes to tract more female riders. >> translator: depending on the model, about 30% of the buyers are female. so the ratio of women could double and triple. i would like to offer lessons that cater to women's unique concerns and encourage more women to try motorcycling. aid like to increase the number of female riders.

>> what started for some as a way to handle social distancing is now becoming a lifestyle. more women are revving up to enjoy the fun of riding. >> the motorcycle manufacturer holding sessions for women says the uptick isn't limited to japan. similar classes are being held in several other countries including colombia, the philippines, mexico, and bangladesh. the industry may want to gear up for even more new female riders. next, we look at the sake industry which is seen sales plummet as the pandemic kept people from eating out. here too we see the industry responding by reinventing itself and targeting a new demographic.

here in tokyo, the flagship store of a major manufacturer. they are 500 types. most of them would normally be sold to restaurants. >> translator: restaurants were closed and sales were down 70% to 80%. the situation was dire. we have been going through a process of trial and err to figure out how to bring sales back. >> the company trying to revuf sales by vishifting the target from restaurants to individuals. this retailer has an app that uses ai to create a game like experience that helps customers find a product to their liking from the many options. after trying 12 different rules, users sipped five or more and

ordered from more than 60 used to describe personality. examples include big-hearted, someone who gets easily excited and wild. the app says can give you among 16 possibilities. this includes peace-loving drinker with wide-ranging taste and individualistic drinker with connoisseur taste. you can then see what kind ofs of sake others of the same type are drinking. >> translator: i always tend to drink the same type. so i want to try something else that people who have similar tastes are drinking. >> another company is directing new customers by making the sake easier to carry. this is a published vent for a newly developed product in aluminum bottles.

sake lover designed the container for consuming outdoors. >> the bottles are diversity and just 180 mill litres and the screw on cap. normally, sake sold in much heavier bottles because of this, people tend not to take them outdoors. >> translator: the bottles appeals to people in their 20s and 30s with a younger sense of style. >> translator: like that it's portable. and easy to open. >> the brand is custom made with the taste drafted to the bottle. we visit the brewery in the prefecture to see how it is made. >> if you just drink it normal lishgs more sake enters your mouth than usual. if the alcohol is too strong, it may cause coughing. so we created a soft feel.

>> translator: covid 19 caused sales to decrease by 20% to 30%. i wholeheartedly welcome any new sake venture. >> sake is starting to make a comeback from the sharp low of the pandemic. a raufrnge of new ideas and bras to marketing and consuming it are helping speed things along. nhk world. the reporter of this story says a key reason the sake match making app is popular is it made recommendations based on preference at a time when people couldn't converse with bartenders. the app's creator says it's now only available in japanese but they would like to offer it in english. as people overseas have little access to professionals with a deep knowledge of sake there might be demand beyond what the

firm anticipates. just over the past few years brought new challenges for companies, the future may do the same. today's reports show that one way to thrive is to be flexible and target new segments of the population. thank you for watching "newsline indepth" and we'll see y■x■xço e

addressed. >> these are our top stories. benjamin netanyahu is set to return to power with a slim majority. he is israel's longest-serving prime minister. the current prime minister says he will wait for the final results. >> we will carry on for the next two days until the last envelope has been open. we will have to wait with patience even if we do not have patience, for the final results to come in. i have