tohoku university analyzed data taken at two monitoring sites 80 kilometers off the peninsula in miyagi prefecture. in late may the team recovered measuring devices from the sea floor at a depth of 1200 meters. the data shows that the sea bottom subsided 15 centimeters from a magnitude 7.3 quake on march 9th and one meter in a magnitude 9 quake on march 11th. the data indicates that the seabed had been sinkingrate of day between the two tremors. the finding may help them to unravel the mechanism of an imminent giant earthquake. >> translator: we hope to use this information to improve the predictions of major quakes. >>> now to our series of special reports leading up to the three-month anniversary of japan's march 11th disaster. over the past several weeks we've talked about the devastating impact the earthquake and tsunami had on the northeast. thousands dead or displaced, towns and villages reduced to rubble. a nuclear crisis that's far from over. local culture was also hit hard. this dance is one example. it is said to date back some 200 years. it is performed mainly at houses of th

satoru aoyama, nhk world in ishinomaki city, miyagi prefecture. >>> hi there, time now for your weather update. rain clouds move away from japan, looking much brighter and warmer, ac ross the country, there will be some heavy rain down into the okinawa islands, and also a few more showers to come across taiwan but nothing too severe. meanwhile a low pressure system continues to grip northeastern china. here it continues to look thundery and stormy in isolated areas. heavy downpours as well. the system is finally on its way out but sweeping across the northern end of the korean peninsula as it goes. south korea could certainly turn cloudy this afternoon as well. central and southern portions of china are looking for significant rain to develop over the next couple of days as well. hunan looking at substantial rain for today and indo china we flins laas well, widespread rain and pockets of heavy as well and india as well the southwest coast looking at torrential rains over the next several days, southwest monsoon impacting the area. 32 degrees in hong kong, 28 in chongqing, another hot da

jun yotsumoto, nhk world, onagawa, miyagi. >>> the united nations general assembly has unanimously approved a second five-year term for secretary-general ban ki-moon from january 2012. the general assembly was held on tuesday following last week's decision by the security council to recommend the reappointment of the secretary-general. ban, who is 67, became u.n. chief in january 2007 and will serve through the end of 2016. >> standing in this place, mindful of the immense legacy of my predecessors, i'm humbled by your trust, and enlarged by our sense of common purpose. >> the former south korean foreign minister was criticized by some european countries at the start of his term for failing to address human rights concerns, but ban has become active in addressing international issues. he has strengthened partnerships with the obama administration in his efforts to achieve a world without nuclear weapons. more recently he supported the multinational military operation in libya. the challenges that ban will continue to tackle in his second term include the problems of the middle east and buil

. >> reporter: these students traveled all the way from miyagi prefecre to new york city.he fund-raising effort was organized by japanese npoashinaga, to help children who have lost their parents. maria kusaka of sendai city, lost her father and her home in the disaster. the high school freshman now lives with her mother, brother and sister. >> translator: dad and i used to fight, and i thought he was annoying. but now i miss him so much. >> reporter: this is maria's first trip outside japan. when she looks at all the people and sees so many items on display, she cannot help but notice the contrast between new york and her devastated hometown. >> translator: it's very different from home. people from america are just living their normal lives. if the earthquake hadn't happened, my hometown would not be the way it is now. >> reporter: the students visit a memorial near ground zero. it was set up for the victims of the september 11th terrorist attacks, which happened ten years ago. >> so that's what happens downstairs, positive thinking. >> reporter: the director, lee ielpi,

the tokyo branch of the international ngo says it will make a total of 300 facilities in iwate, miyagi and fukushima prefectures. the estimate costs of the plan including running the facilities for the next five years is about $12.5 million, which will be covered by donations. the first building will be erected on an empty lot near temporary housing units. >>> japanese families celebrate children's day on may 5th by hoisting streamers four to five meters long that are in the shape of carp. this is to pray for children's healthy growth as the carp is a symbol of strength. in one of the areas hit by the march quake and tsunami, survivors are putting up carp streamers to pray for their community's reconstruction. karabuku ishibuku reports. >> reporter: 92% in hakozaki town were washed away in iwate prefecture. many survivors took refuge outside the town and only 20 residents remain in their community. fisher mann petuhiro nishiyama lost his home and his workplace was reverely damaged. >> translator: i lost everything except my boat. >> reporter: immediately after the big jolt, nishiyama g

one fault straddles miyagi and fukushima prefectures. another runs between the western part of tokyo and neighboring saitama prefecture. the panel chief abe called for continued caution saying that although the number of tremors is declining nearly three months since the march disaster, aftershocks could occur. >>> the heat is on japanese prime minister naoto kan to announce when he will resign. so far he's giving no date, but the race to replace him as leader of his ruling democratic party and, therefore, prime minister, is already under way. some senior government officials are throwing their support behind finance minister yoshihiko noda. prime minister naoto kan indicated at a meeting of a lower house committee on thursday he hopes to stay in office until august. >> translator: i want to continue in my role until the jobs of building temporary housing and removing debris are nearly complete. >> but it's uncertain he'll be able to last that long, especially now that an unofficial leadership race is under way. support is building among

a high voltage power supply board at the number one reactor of the onagawa nuclear plant in miyagi prefecture short circuited and erupted into flames shortly after the quake. the nuclear and industrial safety agency believes the fire began when parts suspended inside the device were shaken violently and collided with each other. the agency found 71 such devices are in use at four nuclear plants without stabilization measures. the locations include the fukushima daiichi and daini plants. the nuclear safety agency has given the utilities one month to implement safety measures. >>> china says it will invite firms from japan's disaster-stricken regions to its biggest trade fair to support the country's reconstruction. commerce secretary or rather commerce ministry spokesman yao jian made the statement wednesday. a special zone will be set up for japanese firms at the fair in guangzhou and in act. imports from japan have risen less than 10% year on year since the march 11th earthquake and tsunami. falling imports of automotive parts and electronic goods have affected not only japanese firms operat

government says the chinese ship was spotted navigating in waters 330 kilometers from kinkasan island off miyagi prefecture thursday morning. the ship left japan's exclusive economic zone in the afternoon. chief cabinet secretary yukio edano said on friday that it is not permissible for other nations to conduct scientific research in japan's exclusive economic zone without its consent. he said the vessel crew told japanese authorities by radio that they were only taking water samples. the area, by the way, is near the troubled fukushima daiichi nuclear plant. >> translator: japan releases the results of radioactive monitoring of seawater to the international community. if china had concerns about that, it should have discussed the matter with the japanese government. >>> south korea's president says china has warned north korea not to provoke south korea again, otherwise, the south could retaliate. lee myung bak made the remark at a meeting of the parliamentary defense committee on thursday. he said china had informed nth korea that south korea will not hesitate to strike back if the north carri