summer has just begun here in tokyo, so we're kicking off a two-part series on tokyo nature. in part one, we'll be showing you around tama hills. in the studio i'm joined by emma and garth. how are you guys today? >>

they're all right here in tokyo. welcome back to "tokyo eye." that tells you everything you want to know about tokyo. today's theme is fun and games in tokyo. how are you doing today? >> very well, thanks. >> you're a big-time gamer. how is the game landscape here in tokyo? >> i'd say it's the best in the world. there's a game center practically around every corner.

officials are supporting developments like this one. >> tokyo. >> reporter: tokyo will host the summer olympics in six years. the athletes' village and training facilities will be built in the bay area. many of the venues hosting the games will be close by. but all of the development comes with challenges. the government plans to rebuild the national stadium. the cost of the project is estimated at $3 billion. officials have scaled back initial plans to cut costs in half. vast amounts of public taxes will be spent on the facilities. government leaders are having a hard time meeting needs for skilled labor. communities rebuilding from the march 2011 disaster have added pressure on the labor pool. the government recently decided to ease restrictions on foreign workers. 70,000 construction workers will be allowed into the country to solve the shortage. the public and private sectors face many challenges in making tokyo a major player on the global stage. with the olympic games coming in six years, they will have to tackle the challenges head on. kurando tago, nhk world, tokyo. >>> here's

tokyo's nikkei average down finished at 15,077. investors took profits from a four-day winning streak. a stronger yen dragged down export related issues. the shanghai composite designed half a percent. 2029 at the close. irns staying cautious about china's economic slowdown and imminent public offerings prompted selling today. >>> investors appear to be putting more money into southeast asia market following the ecb measures. finished higher by half a percent, 3296. financials and transport shares led the advance. >>> for years investors in real estate in china have enjoyed a market that's been red hot but they're finding things may be cooling down. new home prices in beijing, shanghai and other cities are still up year on year. but the pace of increase is slowing down. and that trend is more pronounced in smaller cities. investment in housing has been an engine of growth and some analysts say sluggish investment could drag down the economy. we spoke with the head of investment strategy at shk in hong kong. investors in different m

i'm gene otani in tokyo. here's a look at some of the stories we're following this hour. >>> a chinese fighter jet has once again come unusually close to japanese self-defense force aircraft over the east china sea. >>> vietnamese newspapers are reporting another skirmish between chinese and vietnamese vessels, this time in the gulf of tonkin. >>> and tokyo has another skyscraper. it's one of many redevelopment projects ahead of the 2020 olympics. >>> a chinese fighter jet flew dangerously close to two japanese self-defense airplanes, japanese government officials have launched a protest against their chinese counterparts over the incident above the east china sea. defense ministry officials say the chinese su-27 came as close as 30 meters to one of the japanese reconnaissance aircraft, and 45 meters to the other. a photograph of the chinese jet shows a white missile-like object beneath its left wing. no damage to the japanese aircraft was reported. the sdf planes were patrolling the area where the two countr

officials in tokyo say they cannot accept such a move. japan claims the takeshima islands which are controlled by south korea. japan's coast guard officials say they were notified the exercise will take place tween 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on friday. they say a part of the northern edge of the drill zone overlaps with japan's territorial waters. they are warning vessels to stay away from that area. the government maintains the islands are an inherent part of japan's territory and says south korea is occupying them illegally. a top spokesman says the drill is unacceptable and extremely regrettable. >> translator: we have conveyed our stance and urged the south korean government to cancel the drill. >> he said the navigation alert is aimed at assuring the safety of ships. he said issuing it is not in recognition of the firing drill. he became the first south korean president to visit the islands. bilateral ties have soured since then. officials have posed to jointly bring the case before the international court of justice but seoul has refus

i'm gene otani in tokyo. here's a look at some of the stories we're following this hour. >>> a politician who made a sexist comment at a tokyo metropolitan assembly meeting has offered an apology. >>> u.s. secretary of state john kerry has arrived in baghdad to urge the iraqi prime minister to give more power to his political opponents. >>> and seismic experts are calling for reinforcement of petro complexes in japan to prevent earthquake damage. >>> a member of tokyo's governing body has admitted shouting a sexist jeer at a colleague while she spoke at an assembly meeting. the jeer drew domestic and international criticism. please note the following footage contains flash photography. akihiro suzuki on monday apologized to your party member ayaka shiomura. suzuki is a member of the governing liberal democratic party. the comment came when shiomura was commenting on government support for working mothers at a meeting last week. other hecklers questioned whether she was capable of having a baby. she could not

nhk world, tokyo. >>> u.s. secretary of state, john kerry, is in baghdad and met with prime minister, nuri al maliki. analysts say he is likely urging the trip to urge the iraqi leader to form a more inclusive government. kerry arrived on monday following visits to egypt and jordan. he held talks with diplomatic leaders from both nations to find ways to end the fighting. iraq's shia-led government forces are intensifying air strikes on positions held by sunni muslim militants. insurgents are expanding their offensive in capturing more cities outside the capital. kerry is believed to have outlined to maliki the u.s. plan to send up to 300 military advisers to help government forces. the prime minister faces an uphill battle as the divide between sunni and shia muslims deepens. iraq's top shia cleric is calling for people to join the battle against the extremists. south korean authorities say a soldier has been captured two days after allegedly killing five of his comrades and then going on the run. they say he s

>> welcome to tokyo. you are not invited. this is the other tokyo. 12-hour flight and i'm baked. no sleep. might as well -- must -- go out. ♪ the kabukicho district near my hotel has the advantage of being where the subterranean life, the repressed ids of the japanese male, and some female too, comes out to play. joining me is japanese film producer and production manager maso sokubel. always a good sign when protective chains separate entertainers from the soon-to-be entertained, right? prepare yourself for the greatest show in the history of entertainment. >> a long time ago on a planet far away -- ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> no. no, it can't be over! not yet. no! but yet -- yet it is. with a series of chaste high fives with the hard-working performers. okay, i've got to tell you. i've seen jimi hendrix. >> have you? >> i've seen janis joplin. i've seen david bowie, diamond dogs. i've seen jason robars on "moon for the misbegotten" on broadway considered one of the greatest productions ever. this was the greatest show i've ever seen in my life! it had it all! it was the greatest show

tokyo. here's a look at some of the stories we're following this hour. >>> japanese prime minister shinzo abe lays out his government's new policy package aimed at revitalizing the economy. >>> we get a first-hand look at some realistic-looking robots on display in tokyo. >>> members of japanese prime minister shinzo abe's government have approved his strategy for growth. cabinet ministers have also backed abe's policies for economic and fiscal reforms. abe met with reporters shortly after the ministers gave him their approval. >> translator: the momentum of the economic recovery has not yet spread throughout japan. we have to ensure that the favorable economic cycle we're seeing this year isn't just temporary. we'll reinforce this favorable cycle to revitalize small and medium-sized enterprises across the country. we'll make sure everyone realizes the effects of the economic recovery. that's the mission of abenomics. >> one of the main items in the fiscal and economic reform package is a re

i'm raja pradhan in tokyo. u.s. president barack obama says he'll send up to 300 military advisers to iraq to provide training to the troubled nation's military forces. obama held a news conference after a meeting with his national security team at the white house, including secretary of state john kerry and defense secretary chuck hagel. >> the united states will continue to increase our support to iraqi security forces. we're prepared to create joint operations centers in baghdad and northern iraq to share intelligence and coordinate planning to confront the terrorist threat of isil. >> obama said the u.s. would promote diplomatic efforts with leaders in iraq and in neighboring countries. he emphasized that he would not send combat troops. the u.s. president said last week that he would closely monitor the situation in iraq and decide on a specific response. obama has since held talks on the matter with republican and democratic leaders. now iraqi government forces are battling against islamist extremists threaten

i'm ross mihara from tokyo. >>> a chinese fighter jet flew dangerously close to two japanese self-defense force airplanes. japanese government officials have lodged a protest against their chinese counterparts over the incident above the east china sea. defense ministry officials say the chinese su-27 came as close as 30 meters to one of the japanese reconnaissance aircraft and 45 meters to the other. a photograph of the chinese jet shows a white missile-like object beneath its left wing. no damage to the japanese aircraft was reported. the sdf planes were patrolling the area where the two countries' air defense identification zones overlap. japan's defense minister criticized china's action. >> it was an extremely dangerous act for the chinese jet. we've protested through diplomatic channels. >> chinese fighter jets approached sdf aircraft on two separate occasions last month. the incidents prompted the japanese government to protest what it called extremely dangerous acts. >>> china's recent expansion of marit

the philippine president, benigno aquino is in tokyo. he is expected to discuss his concerns of china's increasing presence during talks with japanese prime minister, shinzo abe. >>> iraqi government forces say they have taken back the town of walid from sunni mill assistants but isil have gained over towns. they apparently want to bring in weapons and fighters from sear yeah. the insurgents have moved into qaim near syria and captured rutba close to the border with jordan. government forces have been trying to win back the strategically important northern town of tal afar. most of the town is under militant's control. >>> the u.s. secretary of state has sat down with iraqi leaders in baghdad. john kerry urged them to set up an inclusive coalition government. >> defending iraq against isil depends largely on their ability, all of them, to form a new government and to do it quickly. >> kerry met with prime minister nuri al-maliki. he is a shia-muslim. kerry says a new government must also include sunni-muslims and kurds. he says that iraq

the tokyo market leads the way. in markets around the world follow. >> from the decisions that could change the course of an economy. >> to the companies at the forefront of change. >> up to the minute market reports. >> and analysis by specialists from around the world. >> get all the latest business news and insight every day here on "newsline." >>> chinese defense officials are denying an accusation one of their fighter jets flew close by planes from japan and they're leveling a similar allegation at the japanese. they released a video they claim is evidence. staff at china's defense ministry put 90 seconds of video online. they say two japanese fighters flew 30 meters from a patrol aircraft. they claim that seriously affected their crew's safety. japan's defense minister itsunori onodera rejected those accusations. >> translator: i've seen the video, but it doesn't show the incident as claimed by the chinese. the video shows japan's self-defense force jets keeping their distance and flying steadily. i think the

i'm catherine kobayashi in to o tokyo. thanks for joining us. >>> hello, we've put together a solid lineup for you this week on nhk world's sv. here are shows you won't want to miss. last month, "train cruise" brought you shikoku railroad wonderland part one. this episode proved so popular that we're rebroadcasting it. then the next day enjoy part two which features a fun report on the maziyama bullet train. next, saturday's nhk documentary looks at how to cope with a massive disaster. right after the great east japan earthquake in 2011, tokyo experienced unprecedented traffic congestion and commuters were in danger of trampling over each other. the program investigates how to prevent a similar problem by analyzing 35 million tweets. and here's the final program. the warmth, color, and freida sign. some of the things that make it different from the ceramics of the japanese main land. watch and see how it's an essential part of okinawan culture. >>> on this edition of "the creative woman," we introduce a world-renowned arti

the tokyo market leads the way. in markets around the world follow. >> from the decisions that could change the course of an economy. >> to the companies at the forefront of change. >> get all the latest business news and insight every day, here on "newsline." >>> the pakistani taliban has claimed responsibility for an attack on karachi's international airport. the militants moved in on sunday, then got in a firefight with security forces. at least 29 people were killed. >> reporter: the insurgents launched their attack on the airport sunday night. they moved in forcefully using machine guns and rocket launchers. the security forces responded. but it took them five hours before they regained control of the facility. the islamist militant group pakistani taliban has claimed responsibility. >> reporter: last month, pakistani forces staged an air strike on an islamic stronghold in the country's northwest. the military says at least 60 people were killed. over the past seven years, thousands of people have died in terro

i'm gene otani in tokyo. here's a look at some of stories we're following this hour. >>> chinese forces are participating in a giant u.s.-led naval exercise for the first time even as maritime tensions simmer in asia. >>> ukraine's new president has signed a deal that will take the country closer to the european union and may put even more strain on ties with russia. >> north korea's state run media say the country's leader has witnessed the test firing of what they call newly developed guided missiles. >>> the world's largest naval drill is under way in hawaii. the u.s.-led rim of the pacific exercise has been held every year since 1971 and for the first time, china is taking part. the country's participation comes at a time of tensions over disputes at sea. nor reko akada is reporting. >> reporter: a group of chinese ships have arrived in pearl harbor. not only flying its own flag but also the colors of the u.s. china has sent four vessels, a missile destroyer, a frigate, a supply ship and a hospital ship.

i'm ross mihara in tokyo. >>> philippine military sources say china is reclaiming land in disputed waters in the south china sea. they say they've confirmed that workers have been moving sand on to two reefs in the spratly islands. the philippines and china are locked in a sovereignty dispute over the islands. china has already built several new islands in the archipelago. now workers are building on two other reefs. philippine military officials estimate that chinese workers have reclaimed at least 90,000 square meters of land. they say china's military is likely to use it for runways and radar systems. the philippine president flies into japan on tuesday for talks with prime minister shinzo abe and tensions with china are expected to be high on the agenda. >>> an egyptian court has handed down prison terms to journalists for the al jazeera news network. they were charged with helping a terrorist organization. authorities label the muslim brotherhood as such after last year's coup and are putting pressure on

i'm raja pradhan with the news from tokyo. >>> delegates from tokyo and pyongyang will hold talks on the investigation into missing japanese nationals despite north korea's latest missile launch toward the sea of japan. nhk world's takafumi terui reports. >> reporter: the north korean delegates were greeted in beijing by a sea of reporters. they addressed members of the media but stayed tight-lipped about the talks. >> translator: we'll let you know the specific details of our discussions when they are finished. >> reporter: and the japanese delegation departed from tokyo. they want to hear their counterparts' explain a special investigative panel. its members will look into the fates of japanese nationals abducted by north korean agents in the 1970s and '80s, as well as other missing japanese. but just two days before the scheduled talks, pyongyang made a provocative move. two short-range ballistic missiles were fired toward the sea of japan. the workers party newspaper on monday showed pictures of kim jong-un and what appears to be a flying missile. top japanese government official

engineers are able to monitor clients computer networks in tokyo. once virus infections and information leaks are detected they take appropriate steps. >> translator: the initial response speed is crucial. we must quickly find holes in the system and respond. that's the key to protecting our customers from data leaks. >> n.e.c. is planning to build similar facilities in and outside of japan. another electronics maker set up an organization in january to head off cyberattacks. >>> honda motor has been showing off its latest technological star. it's a vehicle that drives itself into a domestic port to recharge its battery. engineers began testing the technology at a house just outside tokyo monday. a smartphone is used to instruct the vehicle to drive into a garage. the vehicle finds the charging port from an installed map using sensors along the way to avoid obstacles. once the car settles down it begins to recharge through a wireless device. >>> the system would be a great help for drivers and find parking difficult and it allows efficient rechargin

i'm ross mihara in tokyo. >>> the world's largest naval drill is under way in hawaii. the u.s.-led rim of the pacific exercise has been held every two years since 1971, and for the first time china is taking part. the country's participation comes at a time of heightened regional tensions over territorial disputes at sea. nhk world's noriko okada reports. >> reporter: a group of chinese ships have arrived in pearl harbor. not only flying its own flag but also the colors of the u.s. china has sent four vessels, a missile destroyer, a frigate, a supply ship, and a hospital ship. u.s. naval officials greeted their chinese counterparts for the first time during the rim-pac exercise. china and other countries' fleets got into formation ahead of the drill and conducted fire exercises. the naval drills are to foster cooperation among participants that is critical to maritime security. 22 countries are taking part this year. >> translator: by visiting each other's ships, sailors from different countries can increase t

he met with shinzo abe in tokyo. the two leaders discussed expanding japan's security role in the region. nhk world's takafumi terui reports. >> reporter: aquino and abe have held face-to-face talks four times in the past year. they met for nearly two hours at the prime minister's official residence, and they vowed to deepen their economic and security partnership. >> prime minister abe and i likewise share the view that prosperity development cannot exist in a vacuum. that the advancement of our peoples and our region can only be fully realized in a context that fosters stability. >> translator: we are working close together as the regional situation becomes severe. >> reporter: phillipine government officials last month revealed these photos. they say the images show chinese workers moving sand onto a reef. and officials say chinese crews are doing the same thing on four other reefs in the spratly islands. they estimate that crews have reclaimed at least 90,000 square meters of shoals, and they say china's military

i'm yuko aotani in tokyo. sunni militants are gaining more ground in iraq. they have seized towns close to the syrian border. policymakers in portugal trying to attract foreign investment to defeat deflation. and people are lining up at a temple south of tokyo famous for its hydrangeas. the rainy season produced an abundance of the sky blue flowers. >>> sunni militants have seized towns in western iraq close to the syrian border. they're fighting with government forces across the country. iraq's military spokesperson admitted the militants captured the towns of qaim, rawa, and ana. local media report that rutba in southwestern iraq was also >> john kerry hinted iraqis shouldn't consider maliki indispensable. >> if they want, they have an opportunity to choose leadership that could represent all of iraq. >> for now, the u.s. is sending around 300 military advisors to help iraq. >> i ran's supreme leader says he, too, is against outside intervention. >> translator: we oppose any swer neerns iraq by americans or other foreign powers. >> >> the growing conflict

i'm gene otani in tokyo. here's a look at some of the stories we're following this hour. >>> delegates from tokyo and pyongyang will hold talks on the investigation into missing japanese nationals despite north korea's latest missile launch toward the sea of japan. >>> militants fighting to take over iraq declared a militant state as they kick can up their momentum. >>> islamist militants are gaining momentum not only in iraq but in other parts of the middle east. >>> delegates from japan and north korea are preparing to hold talks about a decade's old issue. they're meting in beijing to discuss the north's past abductions of japanese nationals as planned, even after pyongyang on sunday launched ballistic missiles towards the sea of japan. nhk world's takafumi terui reports. >> reporter: the north korean delegates were greeted in beijing by a sea of reporters. they addressed members of the media but stayed tight-lipped about the talks. >> translator: we'll let you know the specific details of our discussions

. >> translator: a fire in one of those facilities in tokyo could stop ocean-going traffic in tokyo bay. there is an urgent need for measures to minimize the damage. >> the government plans to spend about $1 billion to reinforce embankments and ensure that important facilities are earthquake resistant within seven years. >>> a japanese woman is working to raise awareness of the growing number of people seeking asylum in the country. last year, thousands of non-residents applied for refugee status in japan. only six were given certification. and she's hoping food can fuel the public's interest in their plight. nhk world's maki yajima has the story. >> reporter: burmese-style noodles. this comes from bangladesh. these are not the types of dishes japanese students are accustomed to eating. >> translator: i like this. it's spicy. >> translator: this taste does not exist in japanese food. it's nice. >> reporter: members of the non-profit group, japan association for refugees, organized this fundraising event. it's called meal for refugees. this woman started the project. >> translator: this

jean coates visited tokyo to see all 18 planned venue sites. earlier this month, the tokyo governor decided that the city will review the plan to build new venues because of rising construction costs. he said facility locations will also be re-examined. in an interview with nhk, he suggested that tokyo should consult other international sporting bodies to develop a plan. >> the planning and the final determination needs to be done certainly in the next few months. we would like to make sure that the experts at the international federation can offer can come here and give you advice for what's a new venue you can do it at the most appropriate cost. >> coates praised tokyo's organizing committee during his three-day visit. he said they have laid a strong foundation. and says city officials should uphold their initial vision of keeping the games compact. >> translator: it would be meaningless to build wasteful facilities. we will come up with a new general plan and report it to the ioc as soon as possible. >> members of the ioc's coordination comm

. >> translator: a fire in one of those facilities in tokyo could stop ocean-going traffic in tokyo bay. there is an urgent need for measures to minimize the damage. >> the government plans to spend about $1 billion to reinforce embankments and ensure that important facilities are earthquake resistant within seven years. >>> here's the weather forecast for the next three days. >>> and finally, ancient chinese treasures from taiwan's palace museum are on display in tokyo. an opening ceremony for the exhibit was held on monday. about 180 masterpieces are at the tokyo national museum. they include a jade carving shaped like a chinese cabbage. it's on display overseas for the first time. the show includes historic treasures from chinese dynasties. >> translator: i hope art appreciation will help promote exchange among people. >> the event runs through september. the treasures are to be shown in western japan in october and november. >>> that's all we have this hour on "newsline." thanks for joining us on nhk world. >>> japan is an island country surrounded by the sea, water flows through it

i'm catherine kobayashi in tokyo. thank you very much for joining us. >>> tokyo bargain. recently the sales tax went up in japan. so this time we go in search of bargains. looking for places and experiences that give you great value for your money. i'm chris peppler, welcome back to "tokyo eye." the show that keeps you up to date on tokyo. in april 2014 the japanese sales tax went up from 5% to 8%. you'llpa

. >>> a group gathered in tokyo this week to call for democracy in china. they were marking the 25th anniversary of the tiananmen square crackdown. some worry that fewer and fewer people know what happened. nhk world's tomoki matsua met a man who is raising awareness using his skill as a filmmaker. >> reporter: a small band of protesters marched in tokyo. they called for democracy in china. there was no violence. the police were not troubled. only about 50 people took part. one of the organizers was han wong. a film director from the mainland. he marched in 1989, too. on that day 25 years ago, several thousand people protested in tokyo, including chinese students. han was studying at the time at a university in tokyo. >> translator: we had more than 100 times the people here today. there was excitement in the air. it was as if crowds of chinese people had just fallen from the sky. so today's turnout is a bit sad. >> reporter: after the incident, he decided to remain in tokyo. he wants to keep alive the memory of what happened that day. he makes films and wr

tokyo stock exchangs. what affect is the conflict in iraq having here? >> thank you. seeing the risk averse mood we saw in new york continuing here. i'll come to the opening levels in a second. japan is one of the biggest importers of oil from the middle east region, so a lot of focus there and we'll focus on oil and field developers such as companies such as impax and let's have a look at the opening levels for today, friday, june 13th. 14,844 the nikkei. and 1228 for the topix. the nikkei closed on thursday below the key 15,000 level for the second time in three days and also the dollar continues to remain weaker against the yen, especially now in times of geo political risk seeing in iraq. now, investors tend to switch out riskier assets such as stocks and currencies such as the yen in times of market volatility. however, on a brighter note, of course, the world cup is just kicked off and we're going to keep track of feel good sectors of the market so sporting goods makers, beverage makers, convenience

officials in tokyo said they cannot accept such a move. japan claims that the islands are controlled by south korea. japan's coast guard officials say they were notified that the exercise will take place between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. on friday. the northern edge of the drill zone overlaps with japan's territorial waters and they warn vessels to stay away from that area. the government maintains the islands are inherently part of japan's territory and says south korea is occupying them illegal hi. they say the planned drill is unacceptable and extremely regrettable. he said that the navigation letter is to issue the safety of ships, not for south korea's claim over the islands and its firing drill. in 2012, they had if first new south korean president to visit the islands and bilateral ties have soured since then. officials in tokyo have proposed to jointly bring the case before the international court of justice but seoul has refused. >>> north korea state run news in 2012, they had if first new south korean president to visit the island

i'm raja pradhan in tokyo. for all of us here at nhk world, thanks for watching and have a good day, wherever you are. > global fish consumption has been driven up by the demand for healthy eating. fish farming businesses are scrambling to support this growing market. in many countries, it is now a growth industry. >> i know the sushi and sashimi market increase by 30% per year. >> for decades, japan has led the world in fish farming.