(LinkAsia: May 18, 2012)
Sydnie Kohara:
Okinawa has been at the heart of Japan-US relations for decades. It was under US administration after the end of World War Two until it was handed back to Japan on May 15, 1972. But even now, American military bases still take up large parts of the main island. Residents and leaders recently came together to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the handover.

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NHK World NEWSLINE
Airdate: May 15, 2012

Reporter:
About 1,200 people attended the ceremony at the Okinawa Convention Center. Among them, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, Okinawa Governor Hirokazu Nakaima, US Ambassador to Japan John Roos, and local representatives. Noda used his speech to stress his government's efforts to strengthen Okinawa's economy and said he's committed to change.

Yoshihiko Noda, Japanese Prime Minister:
I'm fully aware of the heavy burden US military facilities are imposing on people in Okinawa. I reiterate my determination to reduce the burden on the prefecture quickly, visibly, and specifically, while maintaining the deterrence.

Reporter:
The remarks by US Ambassador to Japan John Roos touched on the impact the American military presence has had on Okinawa.

John Roos, US Ambassador to Japan:
As it has been in the past, our alliance continues to be indispensable to our future, and we, as Americans, recognize the sacrifices the people of Okinawa have made to keep this critical alliance strong.

Reporter:
For many islanders, the return of Okinawa offered the promise of stability and basic human rights under the Japanese constitution. However, some also say it marked the beginning of another age of hardship.

(LinkAsia: May 18, 2012)
Sydnie Kohara:
In the 1990s, former Okinawa Governor Masahide Ohta led a protest movement to get American military bases out of the prefecture. NHK interviewed Ohta to get his take on life in Okinawa since the 1972 handover.

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NHK World NEWSLINE
Airdate: May 15, 2012

Reporter:
Now 86 years old, Ohta served as the Okinawan governor from 1990 to 1998. After surviving the war, he devoted himself to studies at universities in Okinawa, Tokyo and the United States to try and understand why his island had to make such a great sacrifice.

During his tenure as governor, the Okinawan peoples' anti-US sentiment exploded after the rape of a teenage girl by three US marine soldiers.

In 1996, after a series of negotiations with the Pentagon and Tokyo, Ohta won a concession. The US agreed to withdraw some bases from Okinawa, including the notorious Futenma Marine Air Station.

However, after the governor retired from politics, the base issue became deadlocked over where to relocate it.

Masahide Ohta, Former Okinawa Governor:
People believe so strongly that Okinawan military bases should be cut down and similar to the amount on mainland Japan, but this was not done. So nowadays, there's great disappointment and anger towards the central government. Local people feel that they are betrayed by their current central government after 40 years of reversion.

Reporter:
Anything have changed about the issue of the bases?

Masahide Ohta, Former Okinawa Governor:
Nothing has changed at all. It is even worse.

Reporter:
Ohta survived the Battle of Okinawa as a child soldier. He says the sacrifice of a third of the islanders made him determined to eliminate military bases from his homeland.

Masahide Ohta, Former Okinawa Governor:
I'm afraid unless the people understand the terrible experiences of local people during the Battle of Okinawa, they could not understand why local people are strongly opposed to the US military bases. We believe that local people be protected by the Japanese defense forces, but we were wrong, because Japanese defense forces soldiers killed the local people. They ordered mothers to kill their child simply to keep quiet so that they wouldn't be found out by the enemy forces. So we saw at the front lines such terrible things, which we never dreamed of. So we are very much disappointed in the way that the military does not protect the civilians when the war occurs.

Reporter:
Ohta is frustrated by the indifference of the majority of Japanese towards the US military presence, which could lead to the permanent establishment of bases in Okinawa.

Masahide Ohta, Former Okinawa Governor:
Japanese central government always says that the US-Japan security treaty is so important. It's national interest of Japan. And in order to maintain the peace and security of the Asia-Pacific region, US military bases on Okinawa are indispensable. However, even though they insist that the US-Japan security treaty is so important and it's national interest, the rest of mainland Japan does not want to bring in the military bases to their own backyard.

Reporter:
What do you think about that?

Masahide Ohta, Former Okinawa Governor:
This is nonsense for us, because if it's national interest, they should share the burden, and also obligation, under the name of democracy. In democracy, majority rules, you know? So that the Okinawans lose, Okinawa province will not be served unless those majority pay attention or take Okinawan province as their own province.

Reporter:
Ohta says an increase in the number of young islanders who can clearly say no to what they see as an unfair burden could achieve an Okinawa without bases.

Masahide Ohta, Former Okinawa Governor:
We watch the current situation among the local youngsters. Voices of Okinawa should be independent if the central government tries Okinawan people as they used to. We do not bear any longer. The central government has to listen to the minority groups, people like Okinawan people. I have the hope that they will change.

(LinkAsia: May 11, 2012)
Sydnie Kohara:
Soon, controlling all home appliances with the ease of one computer screen won't be just for people like Bill Gates. From the folks who brought you the Nintendo Game Boy and the Toyota Prius, some new gadgets now that allow you to control your house remotely and even save electricity while doing it. NHK reports on Japan's latest inventions.

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NHK World NEWSLINE
Airdate: May 7, 2012

Reporter:
Major house builder Sekisui House is selling this home. It takes advantage of three types of energy--solar, traditional fuel and a battery unit--to keep everything running. In the event of a power outage, power comes from the battery unit. The wired house keeps track of electricity and gas use, reducing utility charges.

Tsutomu Shimizu, Sekisui House:
Last year was year one for the smart house. This year, they will start to take off.

Reporter:
Engineers at Honda began testing last month on a vehicle that uses a battery powered in part by solar panels on the car's exterior. The car is the ultimate remote control. The driver can use it to adjust conditions at home. Commands are transmitted to a small house through the car's satellite navigation system. This makes it easy to run a bath or turn up the heat before they even turn into the driveway. The engineers hope to put their smart car on the market within a couple of years.

Yoshiharu Yamamoto, Honda:
We can provide a better quality of life with a car that uses solar energy and an interactive function for smart houses. This will help us to expand sales.

Reporter:
Electronics appliance maker NEC Corporation started selling an electricity storage system in March. It gathers electricity generated by the sun and power taken from the grid during the night when prices are lower. Manufacturers are betting on smart technology as part of the solution to Japan's energy supply problems.

Sydnie Kohara:
There's another appliance that Japan has perfected, and I'm sure we all wish we had one. A smart toilet. Now we won't talk about all the things it does, but let's just say that according to the manufacturer, Toto, the computerized toilet can cut toilet paper usage by 90 percent.

(LinkAsia: May 11, 2012)
Sydnie Kohara:
Now moving to Thailand, where last year's floods nearly wiped out the World Heritage site of Ayutthaya. The government has done very little to repair the damaged city, but NHK reports that local and international charities have stepped in to rebuild houses.

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NHK World NEWSLINE
Airdate: May 8, 2012

Dhra Dhirakaosal, Reporter:
Insufficient government aid is causing flood victims like Chamlern Manojam to continue to live among the wreckage. Her house is unsanitary; most of her belongings are damaged and covered in grime. She has no source of income and is living on donations of food, water, and other necessities. Rust stains on the walls show that the home was submerged under two meters of water for months.

Chamlern Manojam, Flood Victim:
It's been a really big struggle. We lost everything. We couldn't save anything. We didn't know what to do.

Dhra Dhirakaosal, Reporter:
Last year's floods destroyed at least 170,000 homes in Thailand. Many residents watched the deluge wash away all their belongings, leaving behind a trail of devastation. But there is hope for Chamlern. She is one of the hundreds of people who are getting a new home for free, thanks to the efforts of charitable groups. The goal is to rebuild over 900 homes in eight provinces affected by the floods. So far, 106 have been completed.

I'm here at the construction site where the homes are being built for the flood victims, and each home is built at least two meters above the ground as a flood preventative measure. The walls are made of a special material called Beva boards. They're known for being water resistant and easy to install. Unlike traditional homes in the area, these houses have indoor plumbing, so residents have access to bathrooms in case of emergencies.

Experts fear another major flood will hit Thailand this year. Heavier than usual rain is forecast from May to October. NGOs are working around the clock to prevent a repeat of a natural disaster.

Chamnarn Wangtal, CEO, Habitat for Humanity, Thailand:
The strategy we're using to prepare is to compile a fund that can be used for first response. We are already gearing up just in case. One example is we plan to provide tents as temporary shelters.

Dhra Dhirakaosal, Reporter:
Chamlern feels grateful for her new house. Others who have yet to receive help continue to worry. The public is urging the government to implement preventative measures as soon as possible.

Sydnie Kohara:
The government is building dykes to protect Ayutthaya from future flooding. The residents support this move, but think that the government should do more to take care of people in the area who still lack that elevated housing that we just saw in the piece.

(LinkAsia: May 11, 2012)
Sydnie Kohara:
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is continuing her Asian tour with a stop in India, but she's not getting much cooperation there. The United States is asking India not to buy oil from Iran. The oil embargo is to force Iran to halt its nuclear program, but Iran is the biggest supplier of oil to India. And as NHK reports, they're not likely to stop doing business together any time soon.

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NHK World NEWSLINE
Airdate: May 8, 2012

Reporter:
Hillary Clinton's visit to India comes less than two months before additional sanctions against Iran go into force. The United States has outlined new sanctions against Iran in response to Iran's nuclear program. But so far, India, which imports about 10 percent of its oil from Iran, has shown no intention of following Washington's lead. One factor at play is the importance of energy security seen by the government of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as a crucial element of India's economic growth. Clinton emphasized that the US is ready to provide expert advice on how India can diversify its sources of oil. In line with its sanctions against Iran, Washington is hoping that India will agree to reduce imports from Iran.

Hillary Clinton, US Secretary of State:
We commend India for the steps its refineries are taking to reduce imports from Iran. There is no doubt that India and the United States are after the same goal.

Reporter:
While India is not prepared to join western sanctions, curbing oil imports from Iran would motivate the country to diversify its sources of oil leading to greater energy security.

S.M. Krishna, Indian Foreign Minister:
Given our growing demand, it is natural for us to try and diversify our sources of imports of oil and gas to meet the objective of energy security.

Reporter:
India is keen to avoid further economic slowdown caused by the European debt crisis. On the other hand, the United States wants to make sanctions against Iran as effective as possible. Clinton and Krishna are said to meet again in Washington in June. The search for a compromise over Iranian oil imports is likely to continue until just before the sanctions begin.

Sydnie Kohara:
Hillary Clinton held up Japan as the example for India to follow. Japan has successfully reduced its oil imports from Iran by about 20 percent.

(LinkAsia: May 4, 2012)
Yul Kwon:
Over in Japan, power company officials are looking ahead to the summer, and they're already sweating. If this summer is anything like the record one from 2010, they say electricity shortages will be inevitable unless they can restart a number of nuclear reactors that have been shut down for maintenance this past year. NHK explains what's going on.

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NHK World NEWSLINE
Airdate: May 1, 2012

Reporter:
They are currently 50 nuclear reactors in Japan. Over the last year, those that were still in service were taken offline for inspections one after another. The only one still in operation is Hokkaido Electric's Tomari plant, but it too will be shut down for regular inspection this coming Saturday. Japan's nine power companies have released their estimates for supply and demand this summer. They assume temperatures this year would reach the record highs of 2010. The estimates suggest Hokkaido, Kansai and Kyushu electric power companies will all face shortages. The situation is especially serious for Kansai Electric, which is the most dependent on nuclear power.

Kansai Electric Power Company Official:
A summer as hot as in 2010 will generate a power demand of 30.3 kilowatts, but we will be 16.3 percent short.

Reporter:
The analysts predicted corporations and consumers would contribute to efforts to save power, including the Cool Biz campaign. Demand could exceed supply if the summer turns out to be hotter than expected, resulting in blackouts. Utilities imposed planned blackouts last year to prevent such a situation. That forced many factories to curb production and had a significant impact on peoples' lives.

Yul Kwon:
Now in an effort to produce more energy, Japanese government officials are planning to restart two nuclear reactors at the Ohi plant in central Japan. But ever since last year's nuclear disaster in Fukushima-Daiichi, Japanese consumers have been concerned about nuclear safety, and so are local officials, who are pushing back on the national government's plan to restart the reactors.

Reporter:
Kiyoshi Yamada heads Tokyo's crisis management team. He met with Tetsui Yamamoto, a senior representative of the government's nuclear and industrial safety agency. Yamamoto explained that the government is dedicated to putting new safety standards in place following the accident at Fukushima-Daiichi. That explanation wasn't enough for Yamada.

Kiyoshi Yamada, Kyoto Official:
Your explanations are inconsistent with our demands.

Reporter:
Government officials decided last month that the Ohi reactors need to be restarted to provide sufficient power to the region during the summer. The reactors are now offline for regular checkups.

(LinkAsia: April 20, 2012)
Yul Kwon:
Now we all know that Asia is prone to earthquakes, and two decades ago, the Philippines faced its own 7.8-magnitude quake in Luzon that killed more than 1,600 people. And now, a year after Japan's deadly 9.0 earthquake, some evacuees are being allowed to return to the No Go Zone for the first time. Here's the story from NHK.

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NHK World NEWSLINE
Airdate: April 18, 2012

Reporter:
Japan's central government lifted entry restrictions for the 20-kilometer evacuation zone covering Kawauchi village and Tamura city this month. The government added Minamisoma city to the list.

Residents can visit most of the city, but not the high-radiation areas deemed unsafe for extended periods of time. Overnight stays are not yet allowed.

Resident Yoshikazu Takeuchi went to his home with his wife and mother. After the evacuation, Takeuchi ran his construction materials store at a different location in the city. He says he hopes to reopen the store at its original location now that the entry ban has been lifted.

Yoshikazu Takeuchi, Minamisoma Resident:
"Reconstruction has finally started. I hope we can work together so that people can return to the city and live there again."

Reporter:
Much more work has to be done around the damaged nuclear power plant before residents can return to the city to live. Full-fledged efforts to clean up debris, decontaminate and restore infrastructure have yet to begin.

Katsunobu Sakurai, Minamisoma Mayor:
"We will tell the central government that it's responsible for the lack of infrastructure and for providing compensation for damages from the nuclear accident."

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Yul Kwon:
The city's network of hospitals and clinics is one important part of Minamisoma's infrastructure recovery. At one point after the nuclear crisis, the number of doctors in the Minami-Soma Municipal General Hospital fell from twelve to just four.

(LinkAsia: March 23, 2012)
Yul Kwon:
Japan's unemployment rate is 4.6 percent, which is about half of the unemployment rate here in the United States. You might think this would sound reassuring to the Japanese, but recent college graduates are plenty worried. According to a new study, more than half of those who graduated in 2010 have either failed to find regular jobs or have already found themselves back in the job market. NHK tells us more.

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NHK World NEWSLINE
Airdate: March 19, 2012

Reporter:
According to the cabinet office, nearly 570,000 people who graduated from university or vocational school found permanent jobs. But nearly 200,000 had already quit. Some 140,000 of them were not even working or were working only part-time. 67,000 students have left school without finishing their degrees. The cabinet office says businesses are cautious about hiring due to the sluggish economy. It says some smaller enterprises are willing to hire, but many students would rather work for large firms. 

Job-hunting Student:
I don't even get around to job interviews. That makes me think how tight the labor market really is.

Job-hunting Student:
I was confident at the beginning, but now I often give up hope. That's the situation, really.

Reporter:
The head of a career center at a university in Tokyo points out that many are leaving their careers because they can't deal with the stress.

Satoru Maruyama, Director, Hosei University Career Center:
Many companies say students can't cope with mental strains, and that's also what we feel. During the first three years, they aren't sure they're doing things right. It's important they feel that they have to stick to whatever they are doing no matter what.
 
Yul Kwon:
One creative solution came from a Japanese finalist in the 2010 World Bank Essay Competition on youth unemployment. His solution? Farming. His theory is that the declining agriculture industry needs new blood to reinvent itself. And when it does, you've actually solved two problems -- youth unemployment and food security.