Reporter im at one of the popular shopping arcades in kumamoto city. Theres shops on both sides but as we can see, like this shop here, many were damaged but last nights powerful earthquake. Because of the damage the shops and Large Department store are closed temporarily. This arcade is usually crowded with many shoppers, but that is not the case today. Thank you. Well be back momentarily with another update on whats happening in kumamoto city. Nine people are dead and more than 1,000 were injured in the quake. The sma the magnitude 6. 5 earthquake recorded the highest on the seismic scale. Many buildings were destroyed or damaged by the quake and numerous after shocks that followed. Transportation has been disrupted. The quake delayed the bullet train. Highways cracked and crumbled in many areas causing authorities to close some sections. Flights have been affect at kumamoto airport. The quake struck the region where japans only Nuclear Plant currently online is located. There are no
Conditions. Japans Prime Minister hailed a new chapter in his alliance with the u. S. Shinzo abe is the first japanese leader to address a joint session of congress. The Prime Minister of japan. [ applause ] the congress welcomed him with a standing ovation. We must make the vast seas stretching from the pacific to the indian oceans seas of peace and freedom. Where all follow the rule of law. [ applause ] for that very reason, we must fortify the u. S. japan alliance. That is our responsibility. Abe said japan is working to enhance the legislative foundations for its security, which includes proposed laws that will allow the country to exercise its rights to collective selfdefense. He says japan will realize these reforms by this summer. And he also touched on historical issues. Postwar, we started out on our part bearing in mind feelings of deep remorse over the war. Our actions brought suffering to the people, peoples in asian countries. We must not avert our eyes from that. I will u
Conflict best left alone by the world . Well have a great debate. And what do the protesters in hong kong and the people of america have in common . A lot says my guest, lawrence lessig. Indeed, the americans, he said, should be even more upset than the umbrella protesters. Ill let him explain. Then Anthony Bourdain on his trip to iran. The food, the people, the culture behind the politics in the Islamic Republic. But first here is my take. Can arab countries be real democracies . Well, one of them, tunisia, just did well on a big test. More than 20 years ago the scholar Samuel Huntington established his famous twoturnover test for fledgling democracies. He argued a country can only be said to be a consolidated democracy when there have been two peaceful transitions of power. Tunisia passed huntingtons test after last weekends election when for the second time a ruling establishment agreed to hand over power. Tunisias relative success is in marked contrast to the abysmal failure of egy
States and around the world. Im ivan watson and cnn newsroom starts right now. We are getting grim images out of iraqs second largest city where the fight against isis is intense and civilians have been fleeing in panic. The u. S. Military and iraqs Defense Ministry are looking into whether u. S. Led air strikes targeting isis may have killed iraqi civilians in western mosul this month. Some of the victims are said to be women and children. The pentagon confirms that war planes struck isis fighters in one raid on march 17th. A u. S. Defense official tells cnn it seems civilians were killed and injured. Although, he adds, it is still unclear exactly what happened. Cnns ian lee is following all of this for us and joins us from cairo, egypt. It is good to see you, ian. It is iraqi forces that are on the ground, ian, fighting and they are being supported by u. S. War planes and they are presumably carrying out air strikes to help protect the iraqi forces on the ground but now it appears th