♪ hello. welcome to nhk "newsline." i'm yamamoto miki in tokyo. we begin with an outreach for peace by south korea to the north on the 70 anniversary of the start of the war. in a speech marking the date, moon jae-in called on the north to work towards formally ending

the north but made no reference to provocative actions by pyongyang. ♪ a ceremony was held on thursday at an air base outside the capitol of seoul. in his speech, moon noted that the fighting ended with an armistice agreement, not a peace treaty. he expressed hope that north korea would launch a bold endeavor to end a sorrowful war. but the north's moves remain unclear after recently playing hot and cold with the south. last weweek, pyongyangng blue u intermediate yan liaison offffi. then pyongyang reversed course. it dismantled loud speakers and decided to suspend military action plans against the south. the south korean news agency says the moon administration is

underscoring its unwaivering policy of seeking peace and prosperity to interkorean peace. it is part of efforts to bring pyongyang to dialogue. leaders of the ten-member association of southeast asian nations will hold a summit via video link on friday. they are expected to discuss the coronavirurus pandemic's severe economic impact in the region. the meeting follows a similar virtual one in april. another topic is likely to be the south china sea where beijing and several asean member countries have conflicting territorial claims. china is pressing ahead with militarization in the south china sea. in april, beijing established two new administrative districts in the region. in a u.s. think tank says a chinese ship began surveying in malaysia's exclusive economic zone in late april. a vietnamese expert on issues

surrounding the south china s s has warned about china's increased activity. >> china might be e taking advantntage of the pandemic to increase their presence or to take strategic advantage in the south china sea. china seems to be unaffected by the pandemic, and their operations in the south china sea not only did not decrerease but seems to be increasing in recent months. >> the summit's chair, vietnam, is one of the parties locked in territorial disputes with beijing. vietnam hopes to keep china in check through the summit, but some asean nations including cambodia attach importance to ties with china. france and germany are throwing their weight behind the world health organization in the battle against the pandemic at a time where the international body is fighting for funding.

french h health ministe andnd h german counterpart jens spahn met in gentlemen knee voon thursday. the minister says they will provide face masks and ventilators. they did hold back for voicing support for the w.h.o., the target of recent c complaints b u.s. president d donald trump. >> translator: i truly believe the world needs a multilateral organization more than ever. >> germany remains a strong supporter and a friend,, sometimes a critical friend, but a strong friend of the w w.h.o. >> spahn said germany will provide additional funding, bringing it to $560 million, the country's largest ever annual contribution to the body. it's a welcomed boost after trump announced last month the

u.s. would sever all tiess with the w.h.o. washington is its s biggest don, but trump has accuseded it of beingg china-centric. antonio gutierrez warned the infection is spreading due in part to ineffective among states. he called for cooperation, including financial assistance from countries that can afford to do so. business owners across the u.s. hoping to reopen are searching for ways to keep surfaces clean, and some have seen the light. catherine kobayashi explains. >> housekeeping's at the door. they'll clean the things they can see in your room, and they've brought along a a new tl to clean the things they can't. >> we're emitting these incredibly intense bursts. mimicroorganisms likike the cov9 virus arere defenseless. >> hospital staff have used

ultraviolent light for years. now businesses are exploring new uses for the technology to ensure safety of shohoppers in mallss and groceryry stotores a those w who may attend conferences. >> we know that the rooms will be almost as sanitized as an freitingoom. prolond exposure to uv light can damage t the skin and eyes. new york transit officials are using them to clean entire subway trains, so they've taken precautions. >> if any motion is deteteed, they automatatically shuhut off. but it is meaeant to be used in ababsence of personnel. >> the technology is being used in places some people think can never get clean. a way to disinfect t at the spe of light. catherine kobayashi, nhk world, new york. new development the if had a scandal that dogged japan's

prime minister and his administration for years. the scandal concerns a sell off of state-owned a district court has ordered the government to pay damages for destroying official records about the sale. the case was brought by a university professor who had asked the finance ministry to disclose records of negotiations that led to the transaction. in 2016, the ministry sold state-owned land in osaka to a school operator called moritomomo-gakuen. it charged a price that was millllions of dollars less thah the land's market value. the prime minister's wife, abe akie, was due to become honorary principal of a school planned for the site. that sparked allegations of favoritism. the scandal intensified in 2018, when the ministry admitted to altering more than a dozen documents related to the sale. in one document, the ministry removed an allegation by the school operator that abe akie encouraged it to proceed with the project.

a district court in osaka ruled that the ministry's actions were illegal and malicious. it awarded the plaintiff more than $3,000 in damages. the former head of the school operator had separately been found guilty of defrauding the government. no government officials have been charged. thailand's tourism industry is trying to get back on track in a new coronavirus world. the sector represents a hefty 20% of the country's gdp, so it's important for operators to find new ways to do business. nhk world reports. >> reporter: this famous white sand beach is welcoming domestic tourists again. it was closed for nearly three months as a coronavirus prevention measure.

people are eager for an escape after staying home for s so lon. >> translator: the number of new infections is low. i feel safer taking my kid on a vacation. >> reporter: hotels have new services that emphasize safety and hygiene. rooms at these resorts are fully booked on weekends. one is direct delivery from some of the best local restaurants. staff take special care with food presentation and serve the meals on sanitized tableware. >> we are partnering with the finest local culinary specialists to deliver the food over to the hotel so that our guests do not have to take the risk of traveling to the shop. >> thailand's tourism authority has come up with a virtual travel plan that allows people to take in the sites.

i'm in a room in bangkok, but i'm going to tack a trip to the ancient capital in the north. let's go. the program features ten popular destinations. users can enjoy a 360-degree view and take everything in without having to worry about the risk of infection. the forum is helping some businesses reach out to local customers. many of the participants used to rely on foreign tourists. a record 40 million visited last year, but only a quarter of that numberer is expected during 202. it remained chehecked foror now. >> translalator: our prpromotiow is if you buy a big item, you get a smaller one for free. >> reporter: this woman sells hand made products.

at prices, they encourage people to spend and remains optimistic about the future. >> translator: i think it will take more than a year for the market to recover, but i believe tourists will want to return and do some shopping once the pandemic is over. >> thailand's government has a series of promotional campaigns in the works with plalans to po in more than $60 million to revive domestic tourism. >> translator: we're looking at distributing coupons or vouchers for people who take vacation. thai people will increase the tourism industry and the country as a whole. >> thailand has been heavily dependent on foreign tourists for some time. the current environment, it's up to domestic holiday makers to get things moving.

nhk world, thailand. checking out the weather now, people in western japan have endured heavy or record-breaking rain since thursday. and now you're asked to stay alert for more dangerous weather this weekend. let's go over to yoko komagata fofor more on this. yoko, what do b residents need to watch out for? >> hello. an active rainy season front brought downpours in the kyushu area on thursday and more rainfall is expected through the weekend increasing the risk of flooding and landslides. possible in nagasaki prefecture had a total of nearly 300 millimeters which is a record for june. the stationary front will persist across western japan as we enter the weekend and bring more downpours. more than 100 millimeters of rain is expected especially in the kyushu and chu regions

through the the next 48 hours with the possibility of flooding and land slooids. the showers will spread to the north and east through the weekend. wet weather will continue the sapporo throughout the weekend and tokyo gets heavy downpours on saturday with awe high of 30 degrees. temperatures get much warmer than we saw earlier this week. so, watch out. all the way to the gulf of mexico. satellite images show a massive cloud of dust over the caribbean. strong winds over the saharan desert typically move the sand over the atlantic this time of the year. this time the dust storm is the most dense in over 50 years. and the smog has been reduced visibility, dropped air quality levels in parts of the gulf

coast. the high pressure system will carry the dust to north, people in the midwest and central plains may see yellow skies on friday. moisture toward the north creating severe thunderstorms across the central u.s. expect severe thunderstorms from texas all the way up to the midlantic as we go into the weekend with a threat of damaging winds and large hail. some thunderstorms are expected in houston with a high of 31 degrees. ahead of the storm, temperatures will rise into the 30s in many places. that's all for now. stay safe and have a nice weekend. ♪

that's nhk "newsline" for this hour. i'm yamamoto miki in tokyo. thanks for staying with us. ♪ ♪ welcome to "newsline in depth." i'm shibuya ki. the state of emergency was lifted in tokyo and other designated prefectures in may but it's fair to say our lives have not returned to the way they were before the coronavirus. things have changed the way we go about work, study and social life. some of us are struggling to get

used to things while others are slowly adapting to the new normal. the threat of the coronavirus is not yet over, and of course the greatest burden is falling on health care prorofessionals working around the clock and putting their lives on the line to save others. in a time like this, more than a few of us are being believed by the power of music. whether it's playing an instrument, singing in the shower or listening to the radio, there's something about music that can sooth and connect. so, first off in today's "in depth" we would like to share a story about how music is sustaining those on the medical front lines taking part in an orchestra and seeking a way to continue performing arere helpi members cope witith immeasurabl stress that comes with their work. ♪ >> reporter: this sympathy

ordinary ca ordinary ca orchestra features doctors, nurses, and other health care providers throughout japan. this year, they had geared up for a 5th anniversary tour but had to cancel due to the coronavirus pandemic. many members have been extremely bubusine busy on the front line and hospital. one of them is this oboe player who works as a gastroenterologist. >> translator: this is how i take my temperature. >> thihis procecedure is now a y roututine to avoid infnfectionse moves between home and hospital and doesn't venture out otherwise.

>> translator: i always listen to music on the way to work. i seldom meet people afterwards, and i'm getting stressed out. so, i listen to music to relax anand recharge. >> reporter: thehe pandemic has had a profound impact on his workrk environment. he's concerned that known coronavirus patients are also greatly affected by the situation. >> translator: with restrictions on endoscopic prprocedureses, w had to postpone general examinations and treatment. and patientnts have had to wait unless it was urgent. >> to deal with the ongoing stress, he turns to his oboe, finding r relaxation. ♪ >> t translalator: music is

absolutely essential for me. without it, i don't think my work and life would run smoothly. music hasas helped and saved mey whole life. right now i'm practicing as much as possiblee to maintain my skills. >> in the middle of the pandemic, orchestra member and clarinet player started her career as a nurse. working long hours and taking extra steps to avoid spreading or contracting the virus, she's totally exhausted both physically and mentally by the end of her shift. >> translator: i just started working in april. both learning the routine and worrying about the coronavirus are overwhelming. >> reporter: yoshimoto lives

alone in a hospital-run dormitory. with no one knowing when the pandemic will end, there are days when she worries about how to cope. >> translatotor: even after i g home, i can't change my mood and continue too feel unsettled as everything on tv is about the coronavirus. >> reporter: though she took her beloved clarinet with her when she moved into her dororm, she hasn't touched i it until today. >> my environment changed with work and the virus. i have no energy for p practici my claririnet. momost of all, i'm not in the md for it. >> reporter: meanwhile, the ororchestra'ss managementt star exploring the possibility of a concert in the near futurere.

>> transnslator: how to avoid being close during practice. sosocial distancing will be the most important. >> reporter: the study commission by the harmonic orchestra, they discussed possible safety standards. one suggestion is to partition music stands with c clear files between musicians duringg practice. and for the actual concerts, they install between each performeme >> translator: w we'll have to adjust the height and position depending on the musical instrumentnts. >> translator: most of us are medical professionals. if something happens, people will critically judge us. of course i'm thrilled to play with you all again, but we should proceed with caution.

>> reporter: by taking medical expert advice on board, the members hope to successfully and safely realize their concert. ♪ >> translator: we medical profesessionals must keep on working hard to save people's lives. but the coronavavirus won't go away without eveverybody's cooperation. i hope everyone continues to be aware of the risks and fight the pandemic together. >> translator: i'm excited to meet up with members and play together again. >> reporter: music truly has the power to uplift and keep people

together, however physically distanced, until they reunite on stage. nhk world. >> as they say, where there is a will, there is a way. by putting heads and hearts together, the musicians are connececting and creating great synergy. hopefully we'll get to see them perform live again soon. as the battle against the coronavirus continues with no end in sight, people around the world are doing what they can to cheer on and express gratitude to medical professionals putting it all on the line. we saw how in italy people stood out on their balancenys, poured into their gardens, and leanene ouout windows. in the uk, "baked potato song" hahas gone viral. ♪ it asked people t to wash their hands, stay inside, and avoid

touching their faces. sounds likike popularar british. it's alslso been raising significant funds to provide medical workers hot meals. over here in japan there was a special fly by in tokyo in a storied show of thanks. japan's air self defense force's air battic team flew six aircraft in formation over hospitals, creating stunning trails of white smoke. moving on to our next story, one that once again shows how the power of music resonates. this project now has hundred of people singing a line from a much loved song to deliver he to mical workers and anyone feeling isolated ahohome. ♪ >> this ng by ky tnscended

nguage t topophe u.s.harts i' sure y've hea it. let's s how this iconic tune is l lifting people through the chalallenging times. ♪ thee video project, singg for hope, features people from all walks of life. it's the brain child of this man, one of the leading theater directors in japan. in 2014 he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. during treatment, he says music helped him carry on. >> the sonong made me tear, the song gives me the courage

at a time i learned a song have great power and can change people's heart. >> my mow toe started the project to deliver hope through music to health care workers on the front line as well as anyone feeling l lonely and depressed during self-isolation. more than 600 videos were submitted within 4 days. ♪ >> one of the singers is this nursing home manager. at work, kano feels its his responsibility to protect the residents from the virus. >> translator: i staff stop smiling or look exhahausted, th

elderly or people w with disabilities can s sense theiri anxiety too. i want all nursing care workers to keep smiling and pull together. ♪ >> people sent in messages of support with their videos. ♪ >> i'm hapappy now for many p pe around the world to sing the english version of this song by yoko ono. that will be o one big p positi focus. i want one day a world where love will come to everyone. ♪

>> my colleagues and i would like to give a shoutout to all of you health care professionals dedicated to protecting us. our wishes the coronavirus are break

worsens at the south and west of the universe -- the u.s.. to ease restrictions in texas are put on hold. ♪ also ahead, shareholders approve a $10 billion rescue package that will give the german government a 10% stake in the airline. the day after a republican bill was brought in the senate, debate begins at the house of representatives on legislation to reform u.s. policing.

dozens o