the ab rocket twister launches the new science in ab exercises, for out-of-this-world abs. >> look, we'veone those painful floor crunches and sit-ups. it's the same thing every time, you strain your neck, you hurt your back, and then what happens? you give up. >> rebecca: the ab rocket twister makes ab exercising different, very different. that's because you just sit back in a comfortable position while the ab rocket's padded cushions actually cradle and support your lower back and neck. you decide how much resistance is right for you-- beginner, intermediate, or advanced-- then just rock down and up. if you can rock in a chair, you can get amazing results with ab rocket twister. it's that simple. >> i lost 30 pounds and five inches off my waist. i couldn't believe it. i was like, "this is just absolutely incredible." >> i lost a total of 9-1/2 inches, 4-1/2 alone in my waist. the ab rocket is the best thing since sliced bread. [laughs] >> i lost 25 pounds and 26 inches-- 6-1/2 of those inches came off my waist alone. >> everyone is asking "what did you do?" and i tell them, "i did the ab

the ab rocket twister launches the new science in ab exercises, for out-of-this-world abs. >> look, we'veone those painful floor crunches and sit-ups. it's the same thing every time, you strain your neck, you hurt your back, and then what happens? you give up. >> rebecca: the ab rocket twister makes ab exercising different, very different. that's because you just sit back in a comfortable position while the ab rocket's padded cushions actually cradle and support your lower back and neck. you decide how much resistance is right for you-- beginner, intermediate, or advanced-- then just rock down and up. if you can rock in a chair, you can get amazing results with ab rocket twister. it's that simple. >> i lost 30 pounds and five inches off my waist. i couldn't believe it. i was like, "this is just absolutely incredible." >> i lost a total of 9-1/2 inches, 4-1/2 alone in my waist. the ab rocket is the best thing since sliced bread. [laughs] >> i lost 25 pounds and 26 inches-- 6-1/2 of those inches came off my waist alone. >> everyone is asking "what did you do?" and i tell them, "i did the ab

two-thirds say they support abe's new cabinet. pollsters interviewed 1,138 people over the weekend. 64% of them back abe's cabinet. that is three times higher than the approval rating former prime minister's cabinet had before the election. 39% of those who support abe's cabinet say it seems better than others. 27% say they have expectations for its policies. 12% say they support the cabinet because it's led by the party they favor. our survey asks people about abe's recent economic stimulus package which is worth about $115 billion. 64% say they approve of the measure. 29% say they do not. our pollsters asked respondents about abe's position on dealing with deflation and the strong yen. he favors drastic monetary easing through close coordination with the bank of japan. 69% say they approve of this plan. 26% disapprove. >>> so after about three weeks in office, prime minister abe is sitting comfortably. he knows if his first time in the job that things can go sour fast. i spoke earlier with a reporter about our latest poll and wh

insane abs for a crazy core.nce a week, recovery-- at least that's what they call it-- but it doesn't mean you won't sweat. in month 2, you'll dig even deeper, with four new workouts that will leave you standing in a puddle of sweat: max interval circuit, max interval plyo, max cardio conditioning and max recovery. the intervals are longer. the reeriods aren't. hey, it's called insanity for a reason. >> insanity is... insane. insane! >> announcer: we'll also include four free gifts. you get the insanity wall calendar-- shaun shows you which workouts to do each day so you get the most insane results... >> i did it! >> announcer: the fitness guide walks you through your 60-day transformation step by step. it's short and to the point-- we want you sweating, not reading. >> one of my favorite things about the workout really was how simple everything was. >> announcer: the elite nutrition plan supplies the fuel your body needs for your insanity workouts. you'll be eating five meals a day so your metabolism skyrockets!

>> certainly, a big win for abe. he has said that steering the economy out of deflation is one of the three pillars of his economic platform. fail you're to reach an agreement would clearly have been a setback. policymakers have been saying for some time the inflation goals should be 1%. this sets the target at twice that level. central bankers also agreed they need to achieve the target as early as possible. they'll be required to report to the government on how they're doing. the economy has been struggling with deflation for more than a decade so it's a surprise this hasn't happened earlier. >> what kind of reaction is it getting abroad? >> some countries like germany are criticizing abe saying he's trying to weaken the yen to boost exports. central banks around the world, including the fed in the u.s. and european central banks, are essentially doing the same thing. implementing drastic monetary easing measures to weaken their currency and to increase exports. >> one of the most important questions is how do you

insane abs for a crazy core.nce a week, recovery-- at least that's what they call it-- but it doesn't mean you won't sweat. in month 2, you'll dig even deeper, with four new workouts that will leave you standing in a puddle of sweat: max interval circuit, max interval plyo, max cardio conditioning and max recovery. the intervals are longer. the rest periods aren't. hey, it's called insanity for a reason. >> insanity is... insane. insane! >> announcer: we'll also include four free gifts. you get the insanity wall calendar-- shaun shows you which workouts to do each day so you get the most insane results... >> i did it! >> announcer: the fitness guide walks you through your 60-day transformation step by step. it's short and to the point-- we want you sweating, not reading. >> one of my favorite things about the workout really was how simple everything was. >> announcer: the elite nutrition plan supplies the fuel your body needs for your insanity workouts. you'll be eating five meals a day so your metabolism skyrock

a letter was handed to abe to request the government action. in the letter, okamura said japan's participation is essentially to make the hopes of people reflected. he called on abe to beef up the competitiveness of the country's farming sector. one of the industries that could be affected by the tpp. some members of the ruling liberal democratic party have voiced opposition to japan's participation in the tpp talks. about 100 members opposing the tpp held a meeting on friday. they said japan's participation could hurt agriculture and health care and insurance. leader of the group said the party should keep its election pledge that it will not accept an accord that would require partners to lift import tariffs without exception. that is all for me. it's back to the main news with gene otani. gene. >> japanese media report is casting doubt on chinese claims to the senkaku islands in the east china sea. chinese government recognized the islands as part of japan in a document more than 60 years ago. the wire service obtained a copy of a draft outl

now wee gonna go into ski abs. abs, you work your obliques, you work your shouers, you work your chest, you work your legs. now squat to plank, you work quads, you work your lower abs and you work your shoulders. lookyou're getting a fu-body workout. get in, dig deep, get it done. at's what insanity's all abt. ...three... o... get up, power jumps right away, go, go, gogo, go! come on... push... push... >> i love that you're doing caio and strength all together. yoare sweating, you're getting your hrt rate up and you're lifting weigs with your own bodyall at the same time. so i love that it's all combinedogether. sweat the most i have ever i feel pretty good about myself. i'm a mother of two, i'm in my mid-30s and i feel like i have some prettgood abs after having two kids. >> tt's how you wanna push. she's eathing, she's focused, she's in i >> insanitis definitely well-named-- there are many crazy," and then i realize, "oh, that'probably where he got the nam" >> i call it insany for two reasons. number onethis work

abe has been juggling a number of priorities since his party took power last month. >> reporter: abe has done this job before. now he's getting a refresher course in diplomacy. he went on this tour to sound out leaders who share his concerns about china. he says chinese ships are becoming increasingly assertive. but abe is also keeping an eye on what's going on back home. he has promised to pull japan out of deflation and revitalize the economy. and he wants to reinforce ties with countries considered to be engines of growth. abe had hoped to make washington his first foreign visit. but u.s. officials couldn't find time because of president obama's inauguration. still, abe wants to visit as soon as possible. he says the alliance is the foundation of japanese security in an increasingly difficult environment. japanese and american diplomats have been struggling to agree on how to relocate a u.s. military base in okinawa. they've run into strong opposition from residents. on top of that, the americans have been pressuring the japanese to start talks on a free trade agreement. farmers a

prime minister abe spoke in jakarta. he expressed their determination to continue fighting terrorism. >> translator: i believe taking lives of innocent people is unforgivable act. our priority is to recover the hostage as live. the situation remains unstable. we'll continue doing our very best to cope with this situation. >> an algerian tv station says they killed 18 islamist militants but there's no official statement giving details on the rescue operation or the fate of the hostages. >>> it's not the first time the algerian government has used military force to deal with extremists. nhk world gives us some perspective on the political situation. >> reporter: the algerian government hard line approach can be traced back to the decade-long civil war that ended in 2002. in 1991, islamic parties won a landslide victory in the country's first democratic election. but one year later, military forces carried out a coup on the grounds they were protecting the republican system. >> translator: algerian history has a precedent f

>> certainly, a big win for abe. he has said that steering the economy out of deflation is one of the three pillars of his economic platform. and failure to reach an agreement would clearly have been a setback. policymakers have been saying for some time the inflation goals should be 1%. this sets the target at twice that level. central bankers also agreed they need to achieve the target as early as possible. they'll be required to report to the government on how they're doing. the economy has been struggling with deflation for more than a decade so in some sense it's a surprise this didn't happen earlier. >> what kind of reaction is it getting, not locally, but overseas, abroad? >> some countries like germany are criticizing abe saying he's trying to weaken the yen to boost exports. the prime minister has yet to respond. but central banks around the world, including the fed in the u.s. and european central banks are essentially doing the same thing. implementing drastic monetary easing measures to weaken their curre

he looks for abe's experience. >>> abe has been juggling a number of priorities since his party took power last month. and he became prime minister for a second time. nhk world has more on the issue his administration is trying to tackle. >> reporter: abe has done this job before. now he's getting a refresher course in diplomacy. he went on this tour to sound out leaders who share his concerns about china. he says chinese ships are becoming increasingly assertive. but abe is also keeping an eye on what's going on back home. he has promised to pull japan out of deflation and revitalize the economy. and he wants to reinforce ties with countries considered to be engines of growth. abe had hoped to make washington his first foreign visit. but u.s. officials couldn't find time because of president obama's inauguration. still, abe wants to visit as soon as possible. he says the alliance is the foundation of japanese security in an increasingly difficult environment. japanese and american diplomats have been struggling to agree on how to relocate a u.s. military base in okinawa. they've run

has been restored. >> abe said japanese and u.s. officials are now working out the timing of his visit. >>> prime mind minister abe working on another foreign policy issue. he wants to dealing with the past. he's debating issuing a new statement that matches the 21st century. his chief cabinet secretary said the government will consult with intellectuals and consider issuing a new future-oriented statement. >>> prime minister abe's special envoy conveyed the willingness to strengthen ties with south korea. kunei pointed out the need to face bilateral issues. they met in seoul and hope the new governments can build good relations and handed park a letter from the prime minister expressing the wish. park said south korea and japan need each other in many ways and hopes to work on reconciliation and cooperation. while facing issues related to common history. >> translator: we confirmed our shared views, although there are several outstanding issues. >> the disputed islands were visited last august. the takeshima island visit angered ma

so ai, what has abe been up to? >> well, catherine, you might remember yesterday he gave outlines of his proposed stimulus measures. today he's getting some people together who haven't met in years. why is he doing all? well, japan's new government is stepping up efforts to revive the sluggish economy. and the primminister is reeninthe counc on economic and fiscal policy. that's to come up with mid to long-term measures. the council is a key part of abe's economic plan along with a new task force that will work out specific recovery steps in the short term. the council will be made up of economy-related ministers, four private sector specialists, and the head of the central bank. they're holding their first meeting today for the first time in about 3 1/2 years. they had never convened during the previous administrations. at the meeting abe is expected to urge the prompt compilation of a draft budget for the next fiscal year starting april. he'll also likely ask members to present by june a longer-term plan and a new

has been restored. >> abe said japanese and u.s. officials are now working out the timing of his visit. prime minister abe's special envoy conveyed the willingness to improve ties with south korea. the president-elect park gave a positive response. they pointed out the need to face bilateral issues. abe hopes the new governments can build good relations. he handed park a letter from the prime minister expressing the wish. park said south korea and japan need each other in many ways. she said she hopes to work on reconciliation and cooperation while facing issues related to their common history. >> translator: we confirmed our shared view that we should improve ties from a broad perspective, even though there are several outstanding bilateral issues. >>> south korean president lee myung-bak visited disputed islands in the sea of japan last august. japan claims the islands which are controlled by south korea, the visit angered many japanese and inflamed emotions in south korea. >>> as japanese politicians try to repair relations with

what abe an those around him need to do is to create more demand. they need to boost productivity through more flexible labor force and deregulation. >> prime minister abe should also promote the free activity in private sector by reducing regulation inside the economy. japan needs to switch from fiscal spending led recovery to private sector demand recovery. >> we'll be watching how the markets respond to these moves. snow balling debt could hurt confidence in japanese bonds. abe must find a path to sustainable growth before the effects of the stimulus fade away. ? thanks, reiko. >>> the suicide of a star high school basketball player in japan is generating nationwide attention and raising questions about physical abuse of students in schools. the student said the teacher who coached his club beat him on a number of occasions. the teacher defended his actions saying it was sports discipline. nhk world reports. >> reporter: members of the osaka board of education have spoken again and again about the loss of one of their students. the high school ba

actually, these are both things that the prime minister shinzo abe has been asking repeatedly for.icymakers are set to give the prime minister what he's been pushing for in a joint statement with the government this afternoon, bank of japan officials are likely to announce a 2% inflation target. now, the target is part of abe's plan to tackle deflation with bullish monetary easing measures. >>> eight other board members will decide the policy together with the minister as the two days wrap up. they are still discussing the precise wording of the statement. the announcement will likely refer to a 2% inflation target. it will also say financial authorities will try to reach the target at an early stage. the document is also expected to clarify the role of the government in japan's economic reform, including how politicians will promote growth and fix fiscal health. boj officials are expected to agree at the meeting on fresh monetary easing measures. they announced similar moves last december. this would be the first time in nearly a decade that the bank decides on such action at two

abe is moving forward with plans to strengthen national defense. abe intends to scrap guidelines endorsed by the former government. defense ministry officials have drawn up their budget request for the upcoming fiscal year. they're looking for an additional 100 billion yen, more than 1 billion u.s. dollars. leaders are expected to use some of those funds to increase surveillance around the senkaku islands in the east china sea. the japanese government bought them from a private owner in september. china and taiwan also claim the islands. chinese government ships have entered japanese waters repeatedly since the islands were nationalized. abe and members of his cabinet will consider increasing the number of personnel in the self-defense forces, and they're looking at spending more on equipment. >>> those chinese government ships entered japanese waters against this week. four maritime surveillance vessels navigated near the senkaku islands for more than 13 hours. later japanese officials demanded a halt to this kind of action. >> translator: through

what abe an those around him need to do is to create more demand. they need to boost productivity through more flexible labor force and deregulation. >> prime minister abe should also promote the free activity in private sector by reducing regulation inside the economy. japan needs to switch from fiscal spending led recovery to private sector demand recovery. >> we'll be watching how the markets respond to these moves. snow balling debt could hurt confidence in japanese bonds. abe must find a path to sustainable growth before the effects of the stimulus fade away. >>> the suicide of a star high school basketball player in japan is generating nationwide attention and raising questions about physical abuse of students in schools. the student said the teacher who coached his club beat him on a number of occasions. the teacher defended his actions saying it was sports discipline. nhk world reports. >> reporter: members of the osaka board of education have spoken again and again about the loss of one of their students. the high school basketball player c

what abe an those around him need to do is to create more demand. they need to boost productivity through more flexible labor force and deregulation. >> prime minister abe should also promote the free activity in private sector by reducing regulation inside the economy. japan needs to switch from fiscal spending led recovery to private sector demand recovery. >> we'll be watching how the markets respond to these moves. snow balling debt could hurt confidence in japanese bonds. abe must find a path to sustainable growth before the effects of the stimulus fade away. ? thanks, reiko. >>> another incident of gun violence in the u.s. a 16-year-old student opened fire with a shotgun at a california high school seriously wounding one of his classmates. the shooting occurred in the town of taft. police say the teen walked in to a classroom and shot a fellow student. he fired at another classmate but missed. officers arrested him at the scene. around 30 students were in the classroom at the time. the victim was sent to a hospital. police say the shooter clai

abe spoke before the diet for the first time since his liberal democratic party took power. the prime minister said the economy is his top priority. he noted deflation and the strong yen are shaking japanese people's belief that working hard will bring rewards. >> translator: i will restore a strong economy and unshakable determination. i will press ahead with my three areas of economic policy, bold monetary measures, a fiscal policy and a growth strategy that induces private investment. >> abe urged lawmakers to swiftly pass extra budget bills for the current fiscal year to pay for stimulus measures. he said his spending measures won't go on forever and that he aims to achieve healthy public finances. the prime minister then turned his attention to diplomacy and national security. he said japanese and u.s. leaders should strengthen their alliance to restore the tight bond their countries once enjoyed. he promised to take firm action own territorial disputes close to home. >> translator: the government will properly develop and better administer japanese islands near borders

has been restored. >> abe said japanese and u.s. officials are now working out the timing of his visit. >>> people in japan are getting back to the grind after the new year holidays, streets, trains and offices were full on friday across the country. residents in the northeast are heading into 2013 facing the work they left behind by the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear accident. people who went to the first auction the year at this market in iwaty prefecture are still seeing fewer fish than they did before the disaster. market spokespersons say the catch between april and december last year is almost 90% of what it used to be. still bidders were able to buy salmon, scallops and other fish on friday. >> translator: i'm very happy that we can hold new year's opening sales as usual. >> reconstruction minister gave his first instructions the year to senior officials from his agency. >> translator: i ask you to tackle your work in a creative manner. sectionalism could hamper you in dealing with various issues but i'll back you up po

. >>> japanese prime minister shinzo abe is planng to get better acquainted with other leaders in his region. he's traveling to vietnam, thailand and indonesia next week. it will be his first trip abroad since taking office last month. chief cabinet secretary yoshihide suga says the four-day tour to the members of the association of southeast asian nations will start next wednesday. >> translator: the strategic environment has been changing drastically in the asia pacific region. it is crucial that japan strengthen its cooperative ties with asean members to secure peace and prosperity in this area. >> suga denied suggestions from the media that china's expansion in the south china sea is the main reason for the visit. he and prime minister abe want to firm up economic partnerships with these fast-growing asian countries, which are leading global economic growth. >>> senior officials of the ruling liberal democratic party and it's coalition party have agreed on abe's economic stimulus plan. the agreement came on thursday at a meeting attended by abe who is also the ldp leader and new k

. >>> prime minister shinzo abe visited fukushima daiichi on the weekend and expressed his intention to extend full government support. >> translator: the state of emergency is over and we're now in a transition phase with efforts focused on decommissioning. the government will do all it can to help speed up this process. >> during the initial decommissioning phases tepco workers will need to remove thee pool in the reactor 4 building. they took out two rods last july during a trial. tepco engineers have since studied how to remove about 1,500 others. they plan to start mid-november and complete the process in december 2014, a year earlier than initially scheduled. they want to remove the rods as soon as possible because of concerns about the storage pool's quake resistance. high radiation levels at the reactor site will make it difficult to proceed. tepco workers have faced other challenges. last september they accidentally dropped a 470 kilogram beam into reactor 3's spent storage pool. that set them back three months. it will be harder to figure out how to remove the melted fuel.

xi jinping said he respects abe. he said abe was active in strengthening ties the last time he was prime minister and he said he hopes abe will continue with that work. >> translator: i hope this meeting will improve japan/china relations. it reflects china's desire to improves ties. >>> xi referred to the dispute over the senkaku islands in the east china sea. japan controls the territory but china and taiwan claims it. he said china and japan differ on the matter and it's important to resolve tissue through dialogue. he said facing up to history will lead to a better future. some experts on japan/china relations say the chinese leaders comments are too vague. we spoke with a professor to teaches international relations in kyoto. >> it's too ambiguous what they have in mind. if they stop sending ships or aircraft to our territory, probably it should be a good sign. but it doesn't say that specifically in such an ambiguous statement. we need more better environment to be able to talk more frankly, but the point is th

abe will make stops in vietnam, thailand, and indonesia.nment officials say he's trying to organize a coordinated response to chinese maritime activities. they say he wants to work with other leaders to guarantee free and safe navigation through the east china sea and the south china sea. the officials say abe and his counterparts will discuss intrusions by chinese ships into japanese waters near the senkaku islands. japan controls the islands. china and taiwan also claim them. abe says china has tried to change the status quo by force and unilaterally escalate the situation. >>> hundreds of fans have gathered to show their support for a popular chinese author. he's expressed his support for journalists who have been censored by chinese officials. more than 800 people came to a book signing event in shenzhen for li chengpeng. he writes about social injustice in china. officials forced the southern weekly newspaper to rewrite an editorial calling for social freedom and democracy. li wrote on the internet that china does not need an aircraft

xi jinping said he respects abe. he said abe was active in strengthening ties the last time he was prime minister and he said he hopes abe will continue with that work. >> translator: i hope this meeting will improve japan/china relations. it reflects china's desire to improves ties. >>> xi referred to the dispute over the senkaku islands in the east china sea. japan controls the territory but china and taiwan claims it. he said china and japan differ on the matter and it's important to resolve tissue through dialogue. he said facing up to history will lead to a better future. some experts on japan/china relations say the chinese leaders comments are too vague. we spoke with a professor to teaches international relations in kyoto. >> translator: the chinese government hopes that japan will head in the same direction as china and take meaningful steps to restore and improve bilateral ties. >>> some experts on japan-china relations say the chinese le leader's comments are too vague. we spoke to a man who teaches intern

xi jinping said he respects abe. he said abe was active in strengthening ties the last time he was prime minister and he said he hopes abe will continue with that work. >> translator: i hope this meeting will improve japan/china relations. it reflects china's desire to improves ties. >>> xi referred to the dispute over the senkaku islands in the east china sea. japan controls the territory but china and taiwan claims it. he said china and japan differ on the matter and it's important to resolve tissue through dialogue. he said facing up to history will lead to a better future. some experts on japan/china relations say the chinese leaders comments are too vague. we spoke with a professor to teaches international relations in kyoto. >> translator: the chinese government hopes that japan will head in the same direction as china and take meaningful steps to restore and improve bilateral ties. >>> some experts on japan-china relations say the chinese leader's comments are too vague. >>> the letter described the two countr

abe met the union members on wednesday. the delegation is headed by the chairperson of south korea's ruling party. >> translator: i believe we can contribute to the development of asia by working for peace and stability of the region and pursing economic development. >> abe called on the lawmakers to work on improving relations between the two countries which had been damaged over the dispute of the islands. south korea claims that japan owns them. and working closely with japan on regional security which recently conducted a missile launch. it's important that the two countries work together to build trust but japan must face up to the two country's shared history. > u. led forces may be winding down their operations in afghanistan but pilots are still flying. last year they used thousands of bombs and missiles. spokespersons for the multinational forces say fighter jets and helicopters conducted more than 4,000 air raids and dropped more than 1500 missiles. they continue to identify and target taliban positions more than

, which are leading global economic growth. >>> abe is not only taking care of business overseas but his main focus has been to boost the economy here so japan can start growing again. ron madison in the studio with more on that. >> yeah, we have been talking a few days at areas they would like to see stimulus, gene, and now we hear senior officials of the ruling liberal democratic party and its coalition party have agreed on prime minister abe's economic stimulus plan. the agreement came on thursday at a meeting atended by abe who was also the ldp leader and new komito leader yamaguchi. he calls this the first in preventing the economy's freefall. one of the three pillars of the project is disasterry building and disaster containment. these include road repairs and making school buildings quite resistant. the second is creation of wealth through growth that calls for government support on renewable energy and overseas expansion for businesses. and a third is a secure livelihood. a community revisitization through a sound health care system and other measures. >> translator: i want t

the target is part of abe's plan to tackle inflation with bolder, monetary easing measures.rd members will decide the policy together with economic revitalization member as the two-day meeting wraps up. the two sides are still discussing the precise wording of the statement. it will refer to a 2% inflation target. it will also say financial authorities will try to reach the target at an early stage. the document is also expected to clarify the role of the government in japan's economic reform including how politicians will promote growth and fix fiscal health. boj officials are expected to agree at the meeting on fresh monetary easing measures. they announce similar moves last december. this will be first time in nearly a decade that the bank decides on such action at two consecutive meetings. now let's get a check on the markets. first looking at the stock market tokyo shares are trading higher this morning. trading is cautious ahead of the announcement from the boj policy meeting. the nikkei average is trading at a higher%. let's see what's happening on the currency market

shinzo abe is unveiling the country's biggest stimulus since the financial crisis. a cold snap helps push up consumer prices to a seven-month high in december. tech stocks are higher in europe led by nokia and s.a.p. after the stocks are expected to surpass the long-term target. stocks in the u.s. surprise the street by preannouncing earnings and unveiling its biggest corporate overall in a decade by cutting 4,500 jobs. jay you're watching "worldwide exchange," bringing you business news from around the globe. >>> welcome to the last "worldwide exchange" of the week. plenty to get through today. kenny will be joaning us for the second half of the show today. she decided she can't miss out on any more. also coming up on today's show, wells fargo, the first u.s. bank to report fourth quarter numbers, we'll have in-depth analysis from 1130 cet. shinzo abe launches the biggest stimulus package since the start of the financial crisis. >>> czech voters head to the polls. we'll have analysis at 10:50 cet. at 11:50 cet, we'll head out to chicago and take the pulse of the eq

abe said the country is facing several crises. he said deflation, territorial disputes and slow progress in post-disaster reconstruction were the most pressing concerns. he said his cabinet has a mission to put the economy, education and foreign policy back on a recovery track. abe said his government's most pressing challenge is to swiftly bring the country out of deflation and to lower the yen against the dollar. he also talked about his visit on saturday to the fukushima daiichi nuclear power plant. abe said his government will allocate funds for the disaster-hit areas as quickly as possible. he said he will tighten control of japan's remote islands and strengthen defense of them. chinese ships and aircraft have repeatedly entered japanese waters and air space around the senkaku islands in the east china sea last year. there's one challenge the prime minister won't be able to tackle any time soon. japan's ageing and shrinking population. new government figures show the number of people coming of age in 2012 matched the record l

abe said the country is facing several crises. he said deflation, territorial disputes and slow progress in post-disaster reconstruction were the most pressing concerns. he said his cabinet has a mission to put the economy, education and foreign policy back on a recovery track. abe said his government's most pressing challenge is to swiftly bring the country out of deflation and to lower the yen against the dollar. he also talked about his visit on saturday to the fukushima daiichi nuclear power plant. abe said his government will allocate funds for the disaster-hit areas as quickly as possible. he said he will tighten control of japan's remote islands and strengthen defense of them. chinese ships and aircraft have repeatedly entered japanese waters and air space around the senkaku islands in the east china sea last year. there's one challenge the prime minister won't be able to tackle any time soon. japan's ageing and shrinking population. new government figures show the number of people coming of age in 2012 matched the record l

the imperial couple received greetings from the prime minister abe and speakers of both chambers of the diet in the morning and their spouses in the afternoon. the public will be invited to greet the emperor and the empress and family members on wednesday at the imperial palace. >>> north korea's state run television ushered in the new year by praising the achievements of leader kim jung-un. korean central television aired a fireworks display. a commentator described kim jong-un's political achievements including the launch of a rocket. analysts believe it was a test of long-range missile technology. north korean tv usually broadcasts simple greetings. it's rare for it to broadcast fireworks displays. kim jong-un has delivered the first years speech by a north korean leader in 19 years. he said the country should put a priority or healing the rift with south korea. state run central television broadcast his speech for more than 20 minutes. >> translator: what's important is to solve the confrontation between the two koreas. south korea should scrap its anti-north policies and take steps

prime minister abe joined about 1,700 company executives to toast the new year in tokyo on monday. three major japanese business associations have been holding the new years party every year. >> translator: i'm hoping that the business environment will provide a tail wind for us. and i'd like to see the economy pick up this year. >> translator: the japanese economy has hit rock bottom. neighboring asian economies are expanding significantly. japan must seize this opportunity to revitalize itself. it's our last chance. >>> business leaders have seen the nikkei go over the 10,000 level while the japanese currency touched the 88 yen level against the dollar for the fist time in 2 1/2 years. >> translator: stock markets around the world have probably bottomed out. i'm hopeful that the nikkei could reach 13,000. >> translator: the dollar needs to trade steadily around 90 yen and rise to 100 yen. if this doesn't happen, the japanese auto industry won't be able to make cars in the country. >> while the challenging economic environment remains, abe vowed that his once again newly installed

. >>> shinzo abe has made his first trip overseas to vietnam. he flew to hanoi on the first leg of his southeast nation tour. high on the summit agenda is the region's coordinated response to maritime activities. vietnam was chose as the first destination and abe's efforts were praised during his previous term to build an alliance. abe noted the strategic environment had changed a lot in the six years since he was last in office. he called china's increased maritime activities a shared concern. he said all nations involved must abide by international law. prime minister says he understands japan's stance and gives his country's backing. vietnam and some of his neighbors have territorial disputes with china over islands in the south china sea. after the meeting, the two leaders held a joint news conference them said they will work together on various challenges facing southeast asia. >> translator: we have agreed the two countries will jointly tackle issues that concern east asia. we'll also cooperate in the fields of political peace and stabilit

. >>> japanese prime minister shinzo abe will face challenges. abe will visit the united states at an early date to meet president obama so he can build a relationship of trust with him. the prime minister wants to confirm with obama that the realignment of u.s. forces in japan should steadily be carried out. japan's participation in u.s.-led negotiations for the transpacific partnership is another controversial issue. the obama administration wants japan to join the talks aimed at creating the free trade zone, but abe's government faces strong opposition from the domestic farm lobby and other groups. these and other pending bilateral questions have led some government officials to call for caution in setting the timing of abe's trip to the united states. >> emerging economic powers still struggling with poverty, emboldened citizens still demanding democracy, the threat of violence, the push for peace, the shadow of conflict. get news and insight on south and southeast asia every weekday, live from bangkok, only on nhk world "newsline." >>> a bom

abe says the rocket launch last month violated resolutions. he said the international community should take firm action. abe pledged about $500 million worth of yen loans to vietnam. after the meeting, the two leaders held a joint news conference. they will work together on various challenges facing southeast asia. >> translator: we have agreed that the two courts will jointly tackle issues that concern east asia. we will also cooperate in the fields of peace and stability. >> prime minister said they agree that all conflicts and issues should be resolved through peaceful negotiations based on international law. >>> hundreds of protesters have clashed with police. more than 600 people were staging a sit in at the plant on tuesday when police moved in. the protesters say the police hit them with batons. at least ten people were hurt. residents say authorities sold their farms to the factory owner without their consent. the farmers have pitched tents and plan to continue their protest. >>> thursday marks the 18th anniversary of the deadly earthq

he delivered a letter from prime minister shinzo abe. suzuki asked for details about the deaths of the two latest victims, and he requested help in bringing their bodies home. >>> investigators are looking into the timing of the attack. executives from energy companies had a meeting scheduled on the day the militants moved in. algerian security forces surrounded the plant soon afterward. then they fought their way in. at least 37 foreign nationals died in the operation. a senior manager with jgc corporation was among the japanese hostages. he was scheduled to meet with managers from the british oil firm bp. bp leads the gas development project. some officials have questioned whether someone leaked information about the meeting to the militants. friends and relatives of the victims are expressing their sadness and their anger. more from nhk world's keiko abe. >> reporter: rokura fuchida ran building sites around the world. he was 64 years old and retired. then his former bosses asked him to lead one more project in algeria. he wrote about

abs.s. and they had biceps. >> bob: in washington a big deal. they have the big crowds and block off the street and wear the euro trash outfit and look at you with great distapism want to drive them off the road. >> dana: exercise to me has a benefit for your mind. only way the human body gets rid of stress is work it off. that's good why it is good to walk or go to core fusion. >> kimberly: indoor court and hot tubbing are stress relievers. >> eric: slightly overweight. >> bob: obese doesn't help you. >> eric: so if you are a little overweight you work out and keep yourself in shape. so you are healthier. i love working out. i run four times a week and do push-ups every morning of my life. >> dana: push-up are the best exercise you can do. >> greg: you do it over a mirror. >> kimberly: he is like this. "god you look good." [ laughter ] >> bob: kimberly and i know that sex burns 600-calories an hour. >> kimberly: why do you say we know this? freddie burns $1600 an hour. -- freudian slip. >

prime minister shinzo abe took part in sunday's meeting to discuss the draft. yamaguchi was also there. he heads the new party, the government's junior coalition partner. >> translator: we must quickly complete and implement the draft budget for fiscal 2013 and the supplementry budget for the current physicifiscal year to d policies that benefit the people. >> the government would spend more than $770 billion to implement its policies, including grants to local governments. it would also allocate nearly $245 billion to redeem government bonds. officials estimate tax revenues will top $473 billion. that's slightly higher than the $470 billion they expect to bring in through new government bonds. it would be the first time in four years that tax revenue exceeded the amount of new bonds. >>> members of abe's cabinet will approve those draft budgets on tuesday. >>> now let's get a check on japan's markets. nikkei closed sunday at a 1% high. and the dow jones industrial average ending the week with more than a 5% high. with remarks about how the market is reacting,