welcome to "newsline." i'm catherine kobayashi in tokyo. first a look at the headlines. israel's prime minister has squashed hopes of a fast end to fighting in the gaza strip as his country and hamas trade blame over the casualties. japan's prime minister shinzo abe has appealed to the rule of law at sea. and workers from abroad may benefit from japanese government plans to change the face of the work for the prime minister of israel is telling his citizens to prepare for a long conflict in the gaza strip. benjamin netanyahu says the

operation against the islamist group, hamas will continue until they accomplish their mission. both sides are blaming each other for the casualties in this three-week long conflict. craig dale has more. >> reporter: president netanyahu said, quote, there is no war more just than this. netanyahu went on television to tell israelis that this war won't be over any time soon. the prime minister says stamina and determination are required in the struggle against hamas and its allies. he repeated one of his goals the demilitarization of the gaza strip. now, netanyahu says to do that, his troops must continue to destroy tunnels that hamas fighters use to infiltrate israel. israeli commanders say they have demolished about half of tunnels. they have been trying to disable launch positions to stop hamas fighters from firing rockets at israel, something that happens

multiple times a day. our nhk colleagues in gaza say israeli soldiers are carrying out attacks across a wide area from north to south and describe the fighting as the heaviest in the past few days. but the israelis are denying accusations that one of their air strikes is to blame for this. an explosion in a park in gaza killed ten people, almost all of them children, it happened has palestinians celebrated the end of the holy fasting month of ramadan. still there, is no denying that this military campaign has been devastating more than 1,500 palestinians have died, the majority of civilians. thousands have been wounded. most of the roughly 50 israeli deaths have been soldiers. it's much higher than the past two conflicts in gustav, in 2012 and 2008-2009. the losses have shocked israelis but many remain committed to this conflict.

members of the u.n. security council are calling for an immediate and unconditional cease-fire. they say it's necessary for much-needed humanitarian supplies to reach the palestinian territory and the u.s. secretary of state says both sides need to take a pause and build from there. >> we hope to find the magic formula by which the violence can cease for a long enough period of time to try to find that sustainable cease-fire which could allow you to move on from there. >> that magic formula appears elusive at this stage. both sides have specific demands before they'll ao . and just as the israelis are saying this cam pan will go on for much longer, hamas says its fighters have a lot of surprises in store. >> that was nhk world's craig dale. japan's prime minister shinzo abe has appealed for the rule of law at sea. abe attended a summit of the

caribbean community on monday. it was the second stop of his five-nation tour. abe said japan and caribbean nations are surrounded by and sustained by the seas. he said their national security directly hinges on the safety of the seas. the japanese prime minister said his nation will use its policy of serving as a proactive contributor to achieve international and regional peace and stability. abe says there are attempts to change the status quo in asia and other parts of the world. japan will clarify its territorial claims based on law and not resort to intimidation. abe says he hopes to work with caribbean nations to make sure the international community adheres to these principles. >> translator: we agreed to deepen cooperation to resolve various international challeng.

japan receives support for its policy of proactive contribution to peace. i hope this visit will help enhance our relationship with the caribbean region. >> abe told the leaders that japan will consider a new assistance mechanism to help caribbean nations address their vulnerability to natural disasters and climate change. they zbrae agreed to enhance dialogue for promoting the rule of law at sea. the caribbean nations admit they are losing access to funding from international lenders. they ask that japan consider a new framework for financial assistance. abe said he will consider a new mechanism aside from japan's official development aid program and seek reforms. japanese government officials have surprised people

with their latest picture of employment. ai uchida joins us from the business desk. what can you tell us? >> a lot of people look for the employment numbers. themselves a bit confused.nd the number of jobs available has been rising but government officials say they're not the right jobs for those who are looking and they shocked a few people when they announced the unemployment rate has gone up. officials at the international affairs ministry say the rate rose 0.2 points to 3.7%. the figure went up for the first time in ten months. but labor ministry officials say the ratio of job offers to seekers went up. for every 100 job seekers there were 110 positions available. there were more jobs in medical and public welfare and in manufacturing. but they say there is a mismatch over working conditions between

those seek jobs and those looking to fire. families across japan are make cut backs. they have spent less on household items for three months straight. >> june families of two or more laid out an average of $2600. that's down 3% in yen terms from a year earlier. many consumers went on a spending spree before the government increased the consumption tax it it went up in april from 5 to 8%. since then, demand has been stagnant. consumers spent 20% less on furniture and electronic appliances. they also bought fewer cars and ate out less. but ministry officials say the decline was smaller than in april and may. they say the same thing happened in 1989 when the government brought in the con supervision tax and they say it happened again in 1997, when the rate went up from 3% to 5%.

let's take a look at markets. investors are buying stocks. the nikkei is it six-month highs. investors are in an optimistic mood. corporate earnings season is going into full swing and some japanese companies have reported strong business results. investors are hoping that the trend will continue. let's look at currencies. the dollar is in the upper 101 yen range. many are waiting to see what the heavy schedule of data will reveal about the u.s. economy. the first gdp estimates on wednesday and the monthly jobless numbers on friday. as for the euro, it remains weaker against the dollar and the yen. euro/yen is 136.89-95. let's take a look at what's happening in other asian markets. the kospi in the positive. up by more than .5%.

in shanghai the key index is trading lower. and in hong kong, the hang seng is trading higher but just .1%. a mixed picture in the asia pacific this morning. tax police i seized about $140 million from a subs day of japan's biggest brokerage. they say they committed fraud. the police say the people performed financial transactions for the sicily region. they packaged assets together and restructured debt. police say the suspects used the deals to defraud the regional government out of $230 million. they say seven people working for the firm at the time were involved. executives at -- international say the transactions took place between 2000 and 2006. they say they are reviewing the situation and will cooperate with police.

the people at japan's third largest carrier are going through a bit of turbulence. executives at sky mark airlines wanted to start international flights this year but they may not be able to afford the planes they need. they were going to purchase two airbus a-380 jumbo jets this year but they suffered for losses for the fiscal year that ended in march for the first time in five years. they blame growing competition with low-cost carriers and soaring fuel costs. the weaker yen drove up the cost of super jumbo jets. the executives are thinking about buying smaller jets instead. they say they are negotiating their contract with airbus but may be forced to pay penalties if they decide to cancel it.

japanese leaders are trying to change the face of their work force. they are encouraging more women to take on senior roles and the plan could benefit some other workers too. nhk world's jun okawa explains. >> reporter: this cafe opens at 7:00 in the morning. she works there alone, 12 hours a day. so she asks a housekeeper to come once a week to help keep her home tidy. she pays about $65 for the housekeeper to come for two hours to clean her bathroom and living roo she says it saves her a lot of time. >> translator: i have time to cook but i don't have time to clean my house when i'm at the

cafe all day. >> reporter: major houkeeping agencies are recruiting more part-time workers. they expect demand for their services to rise as more women enter the work force. >> translator: we are positive we can provide help for working mothers behind the scenes. we know they need our service. >> reporter: in june, government officials decided to ease restrictions on foreign workers. currently, only a limited number of foreigners can work as housekeepe. but more will be allowed to work in designated areas. analysts estimate in 50 years, the japanese population will fall by a third.

so they are pressing ahead with their plans. -- is from the philippines. her husband is japanese. she registered with an agency last year to become a housekeeper. >> translator: even though i get exhausted i am motivated to keep working when i see my customers' happy looks. >> reporter: this family has hired elsie to help clean their home. >> translator: it will be necessary to have a global mind set in the future. >> reporter: elsie's agency is

preparing to hire more foreign workers when the government eases the restrictions. >> translator: i hope the restrictions will be relaxed as soon as possible. we can accept many good housekeepers from the philippines to revitalize japan. >> reporter: major companies are setti setting more targets to promote women to management positions. the housekeeping industry is likely to boom as more women enter the work force. jun oikawa, nhk world, tokyo. >> that's all for business news. i'll leave you now for a check on markets.

the u.s. parent company of a shanghai meat firm says it will overhaul its operations in china. they allegedly sold expired chicken to food chains. >> we understand that this event has caused a lack of trust by the china consumer to us and our product. and we're committed to repairing that and rebuilding that for our future. >> mcdonald's said husi food and other factories in china will

come under the direct control of the u.s. headquarters. he said they will set up a quality control center in shanghai to better supervisor the businesses. they plan to spend $1.6 billion over the next three years on a food safety program. fast food chain mcdonald's has taken all meat products off its menu in china after osi foods recalled all its meat products. mcdonald's outlets stopped selling beef and chicken products on monday. they continued to offer fish burgers. staff put up signs at registers apologizing for the inconvenience and limited choice. >> we can offer fried potatoes, ice cream and drinks. >> no, no hamburgers at all. >> mcdonald's officials don't know when they will be able to offer their full menu again. people in japan are in shock over a murder case involving a

high school girl and one of her class mates. nhk learned the suspect told investigators she wanted to try killing someone. police arrested the 16-year-old student for allegedly murdering her 15-year-old friend on saturday. investigators say she beat the girl with a metal instrument and strangled her to death. she then partially dismembered the body. the corpse and a blood-covered knife were found at the suspect's investigators say she has admitted to killing and dismembering her classmate. the suspect had been living alone since entering high school in april. her mother died of illness last year and her father later remarried. a psychiatrist says the suspect and the victim knew each other since junior high school. he says the motive for the murder might be related to their long-standing relationship. >> translator: the aggressor was unusually interested in murder, death and dissection or mutilation of bodies.

it's very possible that this inclination led to the murder. >> police are focusing on the events that led to the murder and the suspect's mental state. many diners in japan enjoy biting into grilled eel to help beat the summer heat but they are seeing fewer and fewer of the fish and now people are coming together to keep the popular japanese food on dinner tables for years to come. nhk world's masami ukon explains. >> reporter: eel sizzling on the hot grill. it's a smell that has filled the summer air in japan for centuries. the dish is rich in protein and vitamins, which is said to help combat heat fatigue.

so people eat it at the start of the hottest period of the year. >> translator: on a steaming hot day like this, i feel like eating eel. >> translator: eel is not only about getting stamina for the summer, is it a tradition in japan to serve it on special days. >> reporter: cooked eel has long been a part of japan's culture and way of life. but anxiety is growing among people, they worry they may not be able to savor the all-time favorite dish for more longer. populations of japanese eel have sharply declined in east asia. suspected reasons include overfishing and degradation of river environments. are the international union for

conservation of nature last month put the japanese eel on the red list of endangered species. most eel are farmed from larvae caught in nature. if the convention on international trade in endangered species decides to impose restrictions, the impact would be immense. japan imports half of its eel larvae from neighboring countries. >> translator: the convention is being held again in about two years. we have to conserve resources. >> reporter: -- gollock who chairs the subcommittee on eel recently visited japan. gollock has experience with conservation efforts in europe. during his visit to japan, he saw eel fishers and farmers blame each other for species depletion.

>> if these guys and the fishermen are in the same room with all the people we can talk about it and do a little bit to help the situation. >> reporter: gollock suggested various stake holders meet to discuss conservation. >> translator: what kind of data is necessary to grasp the big picture on resources? >> translator: if we keep consuming at the current pace will population fall to critical levels? >> reporter: some measures have already been introduced. but it's difficult to come up with effective ones as each party has different interests. gollock provided information to the general public at a symposium. he gave details on the status of the species and the threat it faces. >> translator: when we eat eel,

we need to appreciate it more. because their numbers are decreasing. >> i think everyone agreed there was a problem with the japanese eel and that we needed to do something about it for the benefit of japanese culture, japanese economy and for japanese ecology. i think it was very, very positive. >> reporter: the efforts to protect the species and the dish have only just started to gain momentum. the key to preserving the japanese eel is to make more people appreciate the endangered species. masami ukon, nhk world, tokyo. it's time now for a check of the weather. people in the u.s. state of california are dealing with raging wildfire and drought which is not helping the situation. meteorologist robert speta has more. >> we have been saying the last several days now these very dry conditions.

you have gusty winds coming with this as well and it has been fueling up these fires. we have a video coming out of northern california to show you what it looks like on the ground here with some of these fires. firefighters in this area have made some progress on this one particular blaze. on sunday the wildfires forced the evacuation of hundreds of residents. in a rural area near sacramento. the blaze broke out on fri burning more than 15 square kilometers and destroying 13 residences. dry conditions are still in place in this area for the next several days due to this big ridge in the jet stream under the high pressure dominating to the north and also very warm and dry conditions. now conversely, this is in the nonsds and you have to remember and this ridge is in the upper atmosphere, well above our he but on the lower levels you get the surface heating in the desert out here. that creates what we call a heat

low and it's been drawing in moisture from the west and kicking up some heavy rainfall. so we have been seeing the threat of flash flooding over here, not where you need the rain in california but in parts of nevada and colorado. in denver two reports of tornados in the last several hours because of the storm systems that flared up across the eastern portions of the rockies. this is something we want to watch for the next 24 hours for the flash flooding and the threat of thunderstorms still. meanwhile on the eastern seaboards, that dip in the jet stream is bringing severe weather over parts of the southeast. even other to new england as well. a few of the produce damaging winds and hail. temperatures are cooling down though. as we take a look ahead into tuesday all that cool air coming in from canada will drop chicago down to about 25. hill is could be a passing thunde. washington, d.c. at 27. toronto up to 23 here on your tuesday. now let's take a look at europe, though, and the big topic out

here has been two things, the heat and these thunderstorms. numerous thunderstorms reported here on your monday or even sunday into monday. over towards romania we had hevl reports of winds up to 65 and 70 kilometers an hour. in france a report of a tornado and still looking at heavy rainfall in the next 24 hours, 100 to 150 millimeters. but the oh thing is you have these cutoff lows very stubborn down here to the south but warm weather off to the north. and red level warnings. that's the highest level you can go into poland for the heat. 32 degrees on tuesday, 10 degrees above your average as we take a look ahead. now let's talk about eastern asia, though. japan, decent weather in pla. much dryer wea not looking at the threat of thunderstorms. but we'll see the heat. the thunderstorms will work their way into the korean peninsula. humidity working its way in. and down to the south, this is what i want to talk about.

two tropical depressions at this time, both likely will become tropical storms. this one, though, that's pushing toward okinawa and the southern japanese islands. something to keep an eye on here as we look through midweek you will be expecting gale force winds and heavy rainfall out as far as thursday. here's your extended outlook. this one, though, that's pushing this one, though, that's pushing

and that's all for this edition of "newsline." i'm catherine kobayashi in tokyo. thanks for joining us.

good evening from los angeles. i'm tavis smiley. first a conversation with dr. stanley prusiner who has a discovery with creons challenged everything science thought about the root causes of infection. his discovery may lead to new ways dealing with alzheimer's. he's chronicled all of this in a must tone called madness and memory, the zofrnry of prons. then we turn to a conversation with terry crews who is starring in a comedy series "brooklyn 99 "on fox. the former nfl player has a new book out called "man hd: how to be a better man or just how to live with one." we invite you to join us on those conversations coming up right now.