Return to Transcripts main page

NEWS STREAM

Support Swells for Chinese Lawyer Pu Zhiqiang; Typhoon Melor Pounds The Philippines; Next Steps After COP21; The Next Generation of Japanese Design; Donald Trump, Ted Cruz Romance Over. Aired 8:00a-9:00a ET

Aired December 14, 2015 - 08:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[08:00:08] KRISTIE LU STOUT, HOST: I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong. And welcome to News Stream.

Now, a powerful typhoon lashes the Philippines, hundreds of thousands of people have fled their homes.

Plus, scuffles outside a court in China where a prominent human rights lawyer is on trial. We'll show you the support for Pu Zhiqiang on social

media as well.

And the leader of France's far right vows to fight after a party sees a stunning turnaround in elections.

Now, the Philippines is feeling the wrath of a powerful typhoon. Typhoon Melor is bearing down on coastal areas right now and will continue

to hammer the islands as it crosses over.

The sustained winds are now a category 2 hurricane. Hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to leave their homes.

Now for more on Typhoon Melor's movements, let's go straight to our meteorologist Chad Myers. He's standing by from the World Weather Center.

And Chad, this has been a significant storm. It appears to be weakening. Where does it stand now?

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, it's weakening, Kristie, because it is

hitting land. And because it's interacting with drier air over that land. But this was equal to a category 4 hurricane.

We talk about the categories of hurricanes. We don't talk about categories of typhoons because there aren't any, there's typhoon or super

typhoon. So, I gues there's two categories.

So, this never did get to super typhoon category, but it was 215 kilometers per hour. And that really is irrelevant. If you talk about

your wind blowing at 215, it doesn't matter what city you're in whether it's London, Madrid or Tacloban, you're going to have damage -- trees,

power lines, roofs, all kinds of damage here. But you don't think of December as a typhoon season.

But it still is because the water is warm. In fact, the water in yellow here is 1 degrees Celsius warmer than it even should be this time of

year but the entire globe is about 1 degree warmer than it should be this year right now anyway.

So, there's the storm right there. It was a very powerful storm, weakening some but still a big storm making big rainfall. This is a

mountainous region, even a couple of volcanos around. That will getting big time rain on top of the volcanoes, on top of the mountains, and that

water will eventually rundown hill and possibly make some flash flooding.

The good news is it is not turning toward Manila. It will get close. I think Manila would get 60 kilometer per hour winds, but that's really

about it.

Could see half a meter of rainfall in some spots but the good news is this storm is moving quickly enough it's not stalling and sitting. So by

the time tomorrow afternoon comes around. We'll talk about the storm way out into the ocean, Kristie.

LU STOUT: All right, Chad Myers reporting. As always, thank you.

Now, French officials say a kindergarten teacher was stabbed in the throat by a man claiming support for ISIS. Now, the attack took place in

the Paris suburb of Au Bevellier (ph).

Now, a French newspaper Le Parisian, reports that the teacher was in class but no students were there.

Now, the victim was rushed to the hospital with wounds that are not considered life threatening.

The attacker, described as a masked man, fled the scene. The case is being investigated by anti-terror authorities.

Now, France's far right National Front Party is promising a comeback in its next campaign after failing to win control of a single region in

Sunday's second round of voting. This was a huge turnaround from last week, when the party, led by Marine Le Pen, was ahead in six regions.

Now, our senior international correspondent Jim Bitterman joins me live from Paris more. And Jim, France's far right fell really hard. So,

what happened?

JIM BITTERMANN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think basically everybody else ganged up on them, that's a very simplistic way to

look at it, but the turnout was much higher. There was a lot of grinding of teeth here in Paris among the political classes as they looked over the

results of the first round of election eight days ago and discovered when they discovered that the Front Nationale had done better than they had ever

done in the past, the highest number of votes they'd ever received in France in the past, the mainstream parties basically said something has to

be done to stop them.

So, people turned out. And in fact, the extent that the socialist candidates in the north and south regions were withdrawn after the party's

central ordered them to withdraw, so that they would not -- they wouldn't divide the vote, that in fact, the socialist voters were urged to vote for

the mainstream conservative party which is fairly unusual kind of thing to have happen. That apparently

worked because it did keep the Front Nationale and the extreme right Front Nationale out of power in the region.

However, having said that, the Front Nationale did very well. They had 800,000 more votes in the second round than they did in the first.

They now have tripled the number of seats they have in the regional parliaments and in municipal

consuls over the last five years.

So, they are doing very well. And the idea they might come back for the presidency 18 months from now, it's a very real idea -- Kristie.

[08:05:31] LU STOUT: All right, Jim Bittermann reporting live from Paris for us. Thank you, Jim.

Now, a historic moment in Saudi Arabia where there are reports at least 17 women have been elected to public office. The municipal council

elections were the first in which women were allowed to vote and to stand for election.

Now, that is a major shift in the country where women are still banned from driving or traveling without a male guardian.

Now, the United States and Italy are among 17 countries brokering a peace deal among Libya's warring factions. Western powers convened in Rome

to talk over the terms of the unity agreement as due to be signed by Libyan leaders this week.

Now, the deal, it calls for an immediate ceasefire and it threatens sanctions on those that don't sign.

Meanwhile, tension between Russia and Turkey are ramping up once more, but this time it's over something that happened in the Aegean Sea.

Now, Russia says one of its warships fired warning shots at a Turkish fishing boat to prevent a collision after it didn't respond to radio or

visual warnings.

Now for more, let's go to former CNN Moscow bureau chief, Jill Dougherty. She is currently a researcher with the International Center for

Defense and Security.

Now, Jill, there has been a number of incidents recently. What is Moscow saying about them?

JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, there are two, actually in just the past couple of days, Sunday and now today, Monday.

And the first one you mentioned was in the Aegean Sea. And there's not a clarity about exactly why that happened, how it happened, what the

fishing vessel was trying to accomplish. The Turkish authorities say that they are

looking into it but so far there's not really any clarification.

But I can tell you from Moscow's perspective, they are taking it very seriously. They called in the military attache from Turkey here in Moscow.

It was a very stern conversation apparently and they essentially are saying it was reckless, that it was meant to have some type of provocative

response.

And this is all in line, remember, with what President Putin has said last week. He was meeting with the top officials in the military and

saying that any threat to forces that are carrying out that air campaign in Syria should be met

very strongly and liquidated as you put it, immediately.

So -- now, they did not liquidate the fishing vessel but they are responding very seriously. That's one -- and then there was just a report

earlier today from Interfax News Agency about another one, a gas drilling rig, two of them, in the Black Sea being moved.

Merchant vessel with Turkish flags reportedly going in and trying to block it. And it took a couple of patrol cutter from the FSB border patrol

and missile boat from the Black Sea fleet going in and essentailly scaring them off essentially. That again from Interfax NeAs agency.

But all of this kind of comes together, creating a rather disturbing image I'd have to say of how tense things are. These look like not very,

very serious things but if something could go wrong very easily when you have circumstances like this.

LU STOUT: Yeah. And now we wait for Russia's response to the latest and its

provocative action. Many thanks indeed for your reporting. Jill Dougherty there.

Now, still to come right here on News Stream, things are getting tense outside a Beijing court room as a prominent and very outspoken human rights

lawyer goes to trial.

And we'll tell you what caused this scene, what caused all these scuffles.

Also ahead, the man dubbed China's Warren Buffet has apparently resurfaced. We'll tell you what is being said now about his disappearance.

And life beyond Japan's infamous mafia, the Yakuza, we'll take a look at how one man has managed an exit.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:12:07] LU STOUT: Coming to you live from Hong Kong, you're back new details emerging about Alibaba's latest big purchase in Hong Kong. The

Chinese e-commerce giant is buying the SCMP group for a whopping $266 million. That means Alibaba will acquire the company's flagship South

China Morning Post Newspaper as well as magazines and Chinese websites.

Now, the deal surpasses what Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos spent to buy The Washington Post two years ago by $16 million.

Now, a multibillionaire, a government probe and a disappearance. Now the recent case of a missing Chinese tycoon has all the makings of a

mystery novel, but his investors are not amused where shares of his company's Fosun International and Fosun Pharmaceutical falling more than 10

percent.

CNN Money's Sophia Yan reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SOPHIA YAN, CNNMONEY: The mystery is over. It looks like China's Warren Buffet is back, but investors appear unsettled by his brief

disappearance last week.

Shares of Fosun International were suspended in Hong Kong on Friday after reports surfaced that the company hadn't been able to reach the

Chairman Guo Guangchang.

Late Friday, the mystery unraveled. Guo had been, quote, assisting in certain investigations carried out by mainland judiciary authorities.

Shares began trading again Monday morning in Hong Kong. And it wasn't pretty. Fosun International tumbled 10 percent.

These photos emerged early on Monday purportedly showing Guo at his company's annual meeting in Shanghai.

Fosun did say Guo would continue to take part in running the company, quote, via appropriate means.

CNN's calls to Fosun and the Chinese authorities have gone unanswered.

Guo has not been charged with any crime and he is not the first Chinese executive to disappear under mysterious circumstances. Beijing is

cracking down on corruption in a big way, particularly in the financial sector as officials

look for someone to blame over the summer's stock market crash.

Sophia Yan, CNNMoney, Hong Kong.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: Now, there are growing signs of trouble for Japan's powerful organized crime group the yakuza. Tokyo and Washington are

stepping up their crackdown.

The U.S. government has frozen the American assets of one of the top bosses from the largest clan, the Yamaguchi Gumi. Now, Tatamasa Goto (ph)

is the 14th individual affiliated with the Japanese mob that Washington has gone after.

Now, the once glamorized gangsters are finding it harder to survive in today's world of police crackdowns, fading revenue and a recent split

within its ranks.

Now Will Ripley profiles one man who went from prison to the pulpit and now tries to guide others away from the mob.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WILL RIPLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: At Sunday service in Kawaguchi Japan, a message about transformation, a familiar topic for the congregation and

the man they call teacher, Sensei Tetsuya Shindo.

"Before we were in rival gangs firing guns," he says. "Now, we're praising the same god."

The pastor and some of his parishioners, ex-gangsters, shunned by Japanese society. Shindo joined the Japanese mafia, the Yakuza at 17,

hooked on easy money, women and drugs. He saw many around him killed.

"Looking at my past, he says, "no one would have thought this could happen."

Shindo's body bears the scars of his old life, tattoos are taboo in Japan, symbols of mafia membership, along with his missing pinky, cut off

with a chisel, a yakuza ritual of atonement for driving drunk, wrecking the boss's car.

"A yakuza returning to society is indeed extraordinary," he says.

Shindo says he found god in solitary confinement. Since his release from prison a decade ago, he's helped other former gangsters leading a

growing congregation from all walks of life. He's baptized about 100 people, including his mother.

"When he came back, he apologized and said, I survived for you, mother." Yoshimi Shindo says. "That's when I decided to forget the past."

For longtime bar, June Bride, transformed into a house of worship.

"He's changed to helping others, being call a sensei. I think it's wonderful," she says.

Ex-mobsters don't have many options in Japan. Their secretive underworld is

shrinking, profits drying up from years of government crackdowns.

What do you do with these people when they are not in the yakuza anymore? How do you prevent them from becoming common criminals?

Journalist Jake Adelstein (ph) says the Japanese mafia keeps thugs in check. He says if the yakuza lose influence, street crime could surge in

Tokyo, considered the world's safest city.

Police fear a repeat of Japan's 1980's gang warfare, triggered by the recent

split of the Yamaguchi Gumi, Japan's largest crime sindidicate.

Hiro ran away from the group after five years as a yakuza. Afraid for his safety, he asked us to hide his face.

"It's really hard to get back to normal society," he says.

Cast away by his family, Hiro sleeps on the church floor.

If you didn't have this church, what do you think you would be doing right now?

"I'd be arrested, in jail," he says.

Hiro says here, he and other ex-mobsters have a chance to transform their lives in a society that doesn't easily give second chances,

especially to people like them.

Will Ripley, CNN, Kawaguchi, Japan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: Powerful story of renewal there.

Now, the latest installment of Star Wars is about to debut. And after the break, director JJ Abrams talks to CNN about the big launch.

(COMMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:21:30] LU STOUT: Welcome back. It is being called a historic deal, representatives from almost 200 countries have agreed to limit

greenhouse gas emissions and fight global warming.

Now, for reaction to the deal and also what happens next, CNN digital columnist John Sutter joins me now live from Paris where the climate summit

too place. And John, what is the next move here? I mean, this is a historic agreement but what will it take to implement and enforce the deal?

JOHN SUTTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So I think on a very like immediate and technical level, we need to see 55 of these countries, there were 196

countries that signed on to this, which is why it's seen as so historic. It's like the whole world coming together to say we want to do something

about climate change. But we need to see 55 of those representing 55 percent of all global emissions that cause climate change ratifying this at

the national level.

So, we move from this international scene where the world really came together and gave this consensus agreement to say you know we want to do

something about this. It's now going to go back down to the national levels for them

to ratify it in a technical sense and beyond that, implement the policies that it really will take to meet these ambitious goals.

This climate agreement says that we as a world want to limit warming to 2

degrees Celsius or even below that to 1.5 degrees if possible. That basically means that we have to get off of fossil fuels, become carbon

neutral between about 2050 and 2080. So, that's hugely ambitious.

We will need to see countries doing things like putting carbon taxes in place, investing in renewable energy and moving in that direction very

quickly.

This plan outlines a legal framework for this to happen and for these negotiations to continue into the future, but it doesn't mandate specific

policy prescriptions at the national level.

So we're really going to have to see these countries step up and bring specific plans to the table.

LU STOUT: Yeah, in particular China, the U.S., India.

And John, what has been the reaction from experts and world leaders? Do they largely welcome this historic agreement are or there still some

people who insist, it's flawed and still not enough?

SUTTER: There are both. I mean I think a lot of the world leaders especially have been praising this agreement. You hear scientists and

policy experts saying that, too, that look the world has been trying for 20 years

to get an agreement like this and we have one. And so that should be celebrated.

At the same time, you do see some prominent climate scientists and others saying this is not enough on its own to fix global climate change.

You know, there's much more that needs to be done and we need to see ambitious policies take effect in countries like you mentioned like China,

the U.S. and India.

In the U.S. in particular, there's some Republican senators who have come forward to say, you know, that either this agreement isn't legally

binding, which the framework behind the agreement actually is legally binding or that if a Republican is elected to the White House next year

that it could essentially be moot because the country would move in different direction. There are lot of climate skeptics who are the

frontrunners for the Republican nomination to the White HOuse.

So, there is some politics going on with this, but I think it is important to sort of step back and recognize that this is a unique moment

in history where the world came together on any issue, much less one that's as contentious and

important and crucial to our future as climate change.

LU STOUT: Yeah, this is very much indeed a unique moment. And we thank you for your reporting in the runup to COP21. Of course what was

reached over the weekend.

John Sutter reporting live from Paris. Thank you.

Now, let's turn to the movie that many people have been waiting for for years. Of course, it's Star Wars: The Force Awakens. It is almost

here, the big premier is happening tonight in Los Angeles. It's of course the latest installment in the legendary movie franchise and the first since

Disney acquired Lucas Film back in 2012.

Now, the new Star Wars is one of the most hyped movies. And it looks poised to deliver big results at the box office.

Isha Sesay sat down with director JJ Abrams who talked about what it was like to be handed control of the Star Wars universe.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

[11:25:23] J. J. ABRAMS, DIRECTOR, "STAR WARS, THE FORCE AWAKENS": I had to put my being a fan aside somewhat, because that wasn't the job, you

know? I couldn't just be a cheer leader for this thing. it had to be storytelling and working with Lawrence Kasdan in writing the script, we

didn't just talk about the continuum of where things may have gone and what may have happened to some of the characters that people know, but also why

do we want to tell the story now?

What makes it relevant? What's the point? So in talking about it from the most basic point of view, not just as a "Star Wars" movie, but this is

a story about a young woman who - this is a story about young man who - just talking about the story was the thing that we need to do, to tell a

story that was worth telling and not just a nostalgia trip.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: Our Isha Sesay speaking with the director of the new Star Wars movie, JJ Abrams there.

You're watching News Stream. Still to come on the program, protests erupt outside a court in Beijing. I'll tell you about the controversial

trial of Pu Zhiqiang.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(HEADLINES)

[08:31:00] LU STOUT: Now scuffles erupted outside a court in Beijing on Monday as a trial began for a prominent human rights lawyer. Pu

Zhiqiang is accused of, quote, picking quarrels and inciting ethnic hatred. The indictment cites several statements that Pu made on social media

criticizing Chinese officials and policy.

Now, the U.S. is urging China to release Pu, describing the charges against him as vague. The American embassy in Beijing has issued this

statement, saying this, quote, "lawyers and civil society leaders such as Mr. Pu should not be subject to continuing repression.

They should be allowed to contribute to the building of a prosperous and stable China."

Now, the indictment, it cites several comments that Pu allegedly made on Weibo, China's Twitter-like site, comments made between 2011 and 2014.

Now, some of the mocked Communist Party officials and a pro-government author. Others were critical of

Chinese policy in ethnically divided Tibet and Xinjiang.

Now, CNN's David McKenzie spoke to Pu in 2013, that was one full year before he was arrested. And back then, he seemed to feel immune from reach

of prosecutors.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PU ZHIQIANG, HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER (through transaltor): I think I am fine. I am a moderate. The government has treated me well and I am a

veteran lawyer.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: Now, Pu is not the first human rights lawyer to be detained and put on trial in China. Earlier, I spoke to Roseann Rife. Now she is

the east Asia research director for Amnesty International. And I asked her why China is rounding up lawyers.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROSEANN RIFE, AMNESTY INTERANTIONAL: They've been successful at raising the cases and garnering attention and I think the Chinese public is

also becoming much more engaged in this debate and I think that's worrying to the authorities. And so they want to shut down this very

eloquent group of people who are out there defending rights.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: Now, searches for Pu's name have been blocked on WEibo, but on the popular

messaging app WeChat, some users have changed their profile pictures to an image of Pu to support him.

Now, I asked Roseann why there has been such an outpouring of support for Pu inside China

despite the risk?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RIFE: It's home. They see that this is just speech and as his lawyers have pointed out, that there was really no harm to any individuals.

He was simply critiquing government policy and government officials. And they do this themselves.

The Chinese social media is full of great sort of sarcastic comments and critiques of politicians all the time. And so this resonates with

them.

(END VIDEO CILP)

LU STOUT: Now, that was Roseann Rife from Amnesty International speaking to me earlier.

Now, one of Pu's most prominent clients, the Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei, has also taken to social media. He tweeted this, quote, "when a

duty becomes a crime, it's time to change the law."

Now, let's turn to the race for U.S. president. The Republican candidates will face off again on Tuesday. The showdown, hosted by CNN,

comes as new polls reveal a shake-up in the race.

Now for more, here's our Athena Jones.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ATHENA JONES, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Only one day away from the last GOP debate of the year in Las Vegas. And for these 13 candidates,

one last chance to make an impression heading into the holiday season.

The main debate lineup, seeing most of the same players as last time. And no surprise here, front-runner Donald Trump again taking center stage.

Chris Christie moving up to the main stage. Trump will be flanked by Dr. Ben Carson and Texas Senator Ted Cruz, who is now surging in Iowa

according to this Fox News poll released Sunday.

On Saturday, the Des Moines Register and Bloomberg Politics releasing their own poll showing

Cruz ahead of Trump by 10 percentage points in the state.

SEN. TED CRUZ, (R) TEXAS: I'm very glad Donald Trump is in this election.

DONALD TRUMP, 2016 REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, it is a little bit of a romance. I like him.

JONES: Their bromance beginning to wain, after audio from a private fundraiser captured Cruz questioning Trump's judgment.

TRUMP: Well, I'll tell you what, my judgment is great. I built a multi, multi, multi billion dollar company, some of the greatest assets in

the world.

I have good judgment. I have great judgment. I would say I have far better judgment than

Ted.

[08:35:08] JONES: Trump leader tweeting, "I was disappointed that Ted Cruz would speak behind my back, get caught and then deny it."

And after Trump said this about Cruz' temperament.

TRUMP: Well, you look at the way he's dealt with the Senate where he goes in there like a -- frankly like a little bit of a maniac. Never going

to get things done that way.

JONES: Cruz tweeting, "in honor of my friend Donald Trump, with a link of Flash Dance's popular song "Maniac."

Carson once Trump's nearest rival now dropping in the polls.

DR. BEN CARSON, 2016 REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Poll numbers go up and down. I wasn't excited when they were up, I'm not excited when

they are down. People will make the correct choice.

JONES: Heightened fears of terrorism around the world and right here at home could make for fireworks on stage tomorrow night.

DAVID CHALLAN, CNN POLITICAL DIRECTOR: This is a new environment inside the campaign right now. And so that -- this will be first time that

the candidates take the stage in that new landscape.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: And that was Athena Jones reporting. CNN will host the final debate of the year among the Republican candidates. Wolf Blitzer

will moderate. Coverage starts Wednesday at 7:00 a.m. in the morning in Hong Kong, that's 8:00 a.m in Tokyo.

And if that's a bit early for you, do tune into the replay that night 7:00 p.m. in Hong Kong, 8:00 p.m. in Tokyo right here on CNN.

Now, you're watching News Stream. And coming up next, CNN is on the road in Japan. We take a look at how one Japanese studio is turning simple

designs into eyecatching creations.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: Welcome back. Now, all this week CNN is on the road in Japan. Now, today we head to an award-winning Japanese design studio.

It's gaining worldwide recognition for the trends it's setting.

Now, Paula Newton spoke to the founder of that studio about what sets it apart.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA NEWTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The simultaneous simplicity and sophistication of Japanese design can at times be hard to

grasp. From architecture to lamp shades, the aesthetic is subtle but you find yourself drawn to it. It can inspire feelings, emotions

even, these design instincts have been bred for centuries and now reborn at Japanese design house Nendo.

From its perch in central Tokyo, it's become one of the most prolific design houses in the world. And its creative heart is founder Oki Sato

who, at the moment of this interview, had more than 400 projects on the go.

OKI SATO, FOUNDER, NENDO: I'm like a top, when you keep on spinning, the center part is always very stable. But when it starts to get slow, it

gets like this. It gets kind of wobbly.

NEWTON: Starts to would wobble.

SATO: Right. .

NEWTON: His concepts are as pure and ingenious as Japan's design pedigree. But they do go beyond.

Nendo means Playdoh, or modeling clay, in Japanese, a metaphor Sato says stands for something that is fluid, flexible, transformative.

SATO: In a way I think Japanese design it's about the idea, which is the most important thing. So it is very flexible. You -- the outfit could

end up in a very different way, a different form, which really helps companies sometimes.

[08:40:10] NEWTON: It is that concept of form and function that finds resonance globally for Japanese design. For more than three decades from

housewares to furniture to food, Muji's flagship Tokyo store has scrubbed the place bare of embellishments, even the branding. Muji's design

executive Naoko Yano (ph) tells me why.

NAOKO YANO, GENERAL MANAGER OF THE PLANNING AND DESIGN, MUJI: (through translator): When we explain Muji (ph) to the people overseas we

would say no brand, no name. There are three points for manufacturing, reflecting material, improving production process and simplifying the

wrapping. These are the points we take seriously.

NEWTON: And that is the essence of how Japanese design is evolving.

Take this seat now in Nendo's cabbage chair, layers of fabric remnants from designer Izi Miyaki, are peeled open.

SATO: I tried to add a pinch of humor or friendliness. It's something that creates a link between people and objects.

NEWTON: In truth, Japanese design is built on timeless principles but they have at times been

unyielding and rigid, a new wave of design here takes the best of that inheritance and imagines a whole

new modern design history to come.

Paula Newton, CNN, Tokyo.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: Wow, some beautiful works of product design there.

And we will have much more from Japan all this week. And that is News Stream. I'm Kristie Lu Stout, but don't go anywhere, world sport with

Amanda Davies is next.

END