hello and thank you for joining us on this edition of nhk "newsline." i'm raja pradhan with the news from tokyo. we start, here, in tokyo, where 107 new coronavirus cases were reported on thursday. it's the highest daily tally since the national state of emergency was lifted in late may. and the first time the city has hit triple digits, in two months. cases have been steadily increasing in the capital, with the number topping 50, every day, since last friday. >> translator: over a hundred

today? i think we need to reconsider our behavior. we need to hold off on going out like this. >> translator: i i think the hi is because of more testing. but i'm a bit scared. our business will be hit again, if the restrictions return. >> tokyo's governor is calling for a higher alert level for people in the capital. > transnslator: our current e is cautionon r required against spreading infectition. wewe n need yourr cooperation ir everyday activities to help contain the virus. >> koike attributess the rise t people who either work at or visit nighttime entntertainment spot, such as host or hostess bars. she says many are in their 20s and 30s. and the top spokesperson for the central government says it's, also,, looking into o the situan closely.

>> translator: we don't think the currerent situation immediately y requires a state emergency. we will deal with the matter, in close association with the metropolitan government. >> across the nation, more than 170 new cases were confirmed on thursday. again, the highest daily increase since the end of the emergency declaration. that brings the total number of cases to over 19,000. the death toll stands at more than 970. turning now to hong kong, where preparation for implementing policies under the territory's n new national sesecurity law is now underway. the chinese government has appointed eric chan, the secretetary general of the committee for safeguarding national security of hong kong. chan had previously served as director of the chief executive's office, and is expected to work with an advisor from the mainland.

protests against the new law continued on wednesday. about 370 people were arrested. >> translator: arrests came on the first day of the law's enforcement. i'm worried that police will step up enforcement under the new law. >> the british government is offering support to people who want to leave the territory. it says those with a british-national overseas passport will be allowed to live and work in the country for five years, and be able to apply for citizenship. in response, a chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said br britain would bear the consequences for the move. hong kong has played a pivotal role in china's economic growth. but observers say the new national security law could hamper hong kong's reputation as an international financial hub. russian president vladimir

putin is set to win overwhelming approval by voters, for a constitutional change that may allow him to stay in power until 2036. the reform putin proposed in january would reset his term limits to zero, in 2024, allowing him to serve two more six-year terms. it also includes banning same-sex marriage. with 99% of those counted, 78%8 were in favor, and 21% against. an exit poll and other data, also, shohow overwhelmlming sup for the changes. the preresident said, in an interview last month, he did not rule out the possibility of rurunning for offifice, again, the constitutution were to b be revised. putitin has, e effectively, gogd russiaia for two decades. opposition members say he is trying to become a president for life. the japanese government says it'll reducee the a amount of pr generated by old coal-fired

plants by 90%, within the next ten years. the plants are currently under the global spotlights due to their impact on the environment. the government says, to meet the goal, it will close about 100 generators that emit large amounts of carbon dioxide. officials will, also, allow the construction of more efficient coal-fired plants. the government plans to create an expert panel to discuss a roadmap for the new policy. coal-fired power generation accounted for 31% of japan's electricity output in fiscal 2018. in other news, u.s. car manufacturer tesla motors has overtaken japan's toyota to become the world's most valuabe automaker, worth $207 billion. tesla's shares closed on the new york s stock exchange on wednesy at a record high of $1,119. the price has risen fivefold

over the past 12 2 months, and more than two and a half-times since the b beginning of the y, despite the coronavirus pandemic. tesla's stock prices have fluctuated in the past, due to a series of controversies. but it's attracted many investors with its one-of-a-kind models, which are ecofriendly and competitively priced. tesla sold just under 370,000. still, analysts say investors are drawn to tesla's status as the world's top electric carmaker and are pinning big hopes on ceo elon musk's business prospects. the city of hiroshima is trying to bring some closure to families affected by the atomic bombing in 1945. ofofficials therere want to han over the remains of victims, who have been identified but not, yet, claimed. so they are making an annual effort to trace the families. officials sent the names of 814 victims to local governments and

groups of a-bomb survivors. the victims are among about 70,000, whose remains are entombed in hiroshima's peace memorial park. the city began searching for families in 1955. officials say they've traced relatives of 999 victims, and handed over some of the remains. but, in recent years, they have received fewer and fewer inquiries. in the past decade, they've only returned the remains of two people. the names of victims, whose remains are still unclclaimed, will go on display around japan. >> translator: it's painful that the names of 814 people still need to be put on display. we want to return the remains of asas many peoplple as possible their relatives. >> this year, hiroshima officials mailed the list of names to about 2,000 places. they, also, posted it on the city's website.

the threat of hunger and malnutrition looms large, as the global population grows. nhk world's yuichi reports on a japanese company taking advantage of a source of protein that's often overlooked. >> these crackers hit the market in may. they may look like ordinary snacks. but they are made of something different. cricket powder, potato starch. at first, they taste like shrimp crackers. the more you chew, the sweeter they get. >> a company in tokushima provides cricket powder using the crackers.

at tokushima university, his team is raising 700,000 crickets. they are big ones. the type that typically lives in the tropic. the team is raising them from egg. in a month, they will be three centimeters long. their fast growth makes them a quickly renewable source of protein. and they need natural space and food. >> translator: we're using crickets as food. so we need to keep good records, from the moment they hatch until they are harvested. we have to make sure they're safe to eat. >> the crickets eat wheat that often is discarded in milling. that makes the project even more ecofriendly. recently, they've, alalso, been

feasting on overripe citrus that grows in the area to produce new version of the cricket powder. when they are fully grown, the crickets are freeze dried and turn into powder. wantanabe has teamed up with a large company that is environmentally aware. cricket crackers, the first collaboration with him. every shipment is selling out. >> translator: i didn't expect people to accept the productct easily. putting it on the market has definitely proven to be worthwhile. >> translator: if people start eating edible crickets or edible insects, as a supplement to meat, that would be a great result. we may face difficulties. butt i'm determined to keep going.

>> the goal, now, is mass production. if wantanabe has his way, we'll all be eating insects without getting bugged. nhk world, tokushima. ♪ moving, next, to a check on the weather with our meteorologist jonathon oh.

people, here, in tokyo saw dry conditions and lots of sunshine for the first time this work week on thursday. so, jonathan, will this trend continue? or will showers return, going into the weekend? >> hello. we did enjoy a dry day, albeit, it was a bit breezy as we went through thursday. but we're going to need our umbrellas as we go into friday and the weekend because the rainy season front that has pushed off the coast of japan is expected to start moving back in from the west. we did see a high of 30.8 degrees on thursday, in tokyo. so definitely, much warmer. and we're going to be seeing temperatures falling off, as we head towards the weekend. now, what's happening is there's that cold front that kind of spread off the coast of japan. but, back from the west, we're going to see this front lifting. and as it does so, it's going to help bring some of this rain. so starting in the morning hours, we'll see rain down toward umami in to portions of kyushu. so here's a look at the

forecast. 26 for the high in tokyo as we go through friday and saturday. and seeing the showers staying around through sunday. mid-20s in sapporo. you'll be the dry spot in japan. osaka and fukuoka, looking at some wet weather. now, as we broaden out the view, we still have the stationary front also extending into portions of china. it's been a wet pattern for the southern areas of the country. it will continue to be like that, as we go through friday. showers and even some thunderstorms possible to hong kong. shanghai, also, seeing some wet weather coming up on friday. beijing, also, seeing some rain with a high of 27 as we wrap up the work week. meanwhile, we are talking about some thunderstorms that have been rolling through the central portion of the united states. in fact, kansas reporting three tornados -- or three tornado reports as we went through wednesday. that instability is moving down towards the south and east. and so, we still have this stationary front that's just being pesky and staying around for a while. and as we go through thursday, we're looking at thunderstorms.

34 in oklahoma city. 32 in denver. and 32 in atlanta, with some showers as we go through the day. hope you have a good day, wherever you are. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ and that's all for now on this edition of nhk "newsline." i'm raja pradhan in tokyo.

newsroom tokyo will bring you more at the top of the hour so, please, do stay with us. welcome to "newsline in depth." japan's professional baseball season is just underway now. almost three months behind schedule, due to the coronavirus outbreak. but the hugely popular sport has resumed games, without spectators. according to a study conduducte by a sports marketing agency, nearly 50% of global sporting events are likely to be cancelled this year. of course, this is a blow to fans, athletes, and team owners, as welell as the stadiums anand concession stands.

but today, we see how athletes in japan are still out to win the game, by adapting to this challenge these challenging times. first, let's look at a national sport, sumo. usually, scheduled every two months, in march, the tournament was held without spectators. and in may, it was cancelled altogether. what's more, sumo wrestlers have been f facing unprecedented training restrictions. to entertain,n, as well a as up fans and to keep up team morale, the wrestlers starting posting videos on social media. >> hello, i'm asanoyama. >> asanoyama is very agile. the new ozeki proves it by working out with a jump rope.

called time at h home produced the japan sumo association. each post spotlights a different wrestler. the coronavirus pandemic has forced the sumo world to drastically revamp its activities. in march, for the first time in the sport's history, a tournament was held without spectators. even so, the virus continued to spread in japan. so, the association banned the training exchanges among stables and all practice sessions involving physical contact.t. despite such precautions, the wrestltler shobushi died from pneumonia brought on by the virus. shortly before, the association decided to ccecel the may y tournament to protect the h heah of both spepectators and wrwrestlers. the time at home videos gives sumo fans encouragement and a glimpse into the private lives of wrestlers during this quiet period.

>> translator: i'm tamawashi. >> mongolian wrestler tamawashi likes to make pastries in his free time. in this clip, he shows off his cocooking skills,s, c creating e of h homemade dumplings. >> his ththree-year-old son lov sumo. the forormer ozeki teaeaches hin how to perform the ring-entering ceremony. >> translator: try stomping your feet. it's good exercise. >> known for his power, using a technique that leveverages his huge body. he's been busy lately, playing cat's cradle. a traditional game. >> translator: i've been practicing this at home, while remembering the moves i learned as a kid. >> he showed off his skills. >> translator: this is a bridge. now, it's tokyo tower.

>> ikioi has loved golf since he was a child. these days, he's been incorporating golf into his regular training routine. he says it improves his concentration and sense of rhythm. fans have been praising the short videos for giving them updates and encouragement. many express the desire to get out and see a tournament soon. they will have to be patient. the sumo association has decided to hold a july contest in tokyo, without spectators. some experts are concerned that the wrestlers may be out of shape. but that doesn't dent the enthusiasm of the fans or the wrestlers, who are looking forward to some real competition, regardless of how it's presented. hiroshi, nhk world. >> when sumo wrestlers say home, they're referring to stables they belong to. a communal dormitory, run by their master coach. unveiling their life behind closed doors has been fascinating fans.

now, fans have more to watch out for. with restrictions lifting, sumo training is, slowly, returning to normal. and for the moment, wrestlers have been given the green light to gear up for the july tournament. no live spectators, but the show will go on. next, we look at boxing. when japan was under the state of emergency in april and may, bouts were cancelled and gyms were requested to close their doors. this was no exception, even for one that has produced many world champions. let's see how this gym coped with the situation. >> reporter: this is wantanabe boxing gym. wa renowned for producing world-class fighters, including wba champion. training at a professional

level, while keeping social distance, poses an extra challenge. fighters are having to rethink their workouts. throwing balls, instead of punches. and in april, the japan pro boxing associations asked gyms to close their doors to members using it for regular workouts. that was a heavy blow to wantanabe boxing gym. membership fees are its main source of income. >> translator: we're talking about a drop of almost $30,000 per month. i've been running the gym for 45 years, but this situation is a first. >> not all gyms are heeding to the industry's request. this one has kept its doors open

to all members, while shortening operating hours. membership fees make up almost all their income. around $20,000 a month. >> translator: it was a tough choice. if we followed the association's request, we would be deeply in the red. we are not like major gym chains, who can afford to sit it out. so we had to take measures to deal with the coronavirus, while keeping open. >> to ease the pain, the japan pro boxing association offered $2,800 in financial assistance to gyms who suspended operationsns. but, in many casases, that wasa enough.. so, watanabe boxing gym came up with its own game plan. crowd funding. to encourage those to step forward, offered prizes,

including gloves autographed by the resident champ. the total came to $70,000. well over the target amount. >> translator: we have to make such efforts to stay afloat. boxing will continue to bururn bright. and we will keep working to keep the flames alive. >> boxing matches in japan are scheduled to resume in july, without ringside spectators, for the time being. the watanabe boxing gym and others reopen their doors in june, but have implemented strict safety measures. not just mask wearing and disinfecting surfaces regularly. but also, spacing out equipment and maintaining smaller groups. measures to decrease physical contact and chance of infection. i'm looking out of nhk to an iconic venue of the 1964

olympics. which is, literally, next door. you see the national stadium and gymnasium right there. tokyo was all geared up for the games this summer. so the announcement of its postponement was hugely disappointing for athletes around the world. in our final report, we zoom into the story of athletes from south sudan, to see how they have been impacted. they have been training hard in japan since last year toward their participation in the olympics. >> reporter: south sudan's team of four athletes have been training in japan since november. abraham competes in the 1,50000 meters. >> not yet all that great because -- yeah -- >> south sudan gained its independence in 2011, after more than half a century of fighting. because the situation there is still unstable, the athletes came to japan early so they

could train in peace. guem is the oldest of eight sisiblings. since his father died three years ago, he has been the breadwinner for his family. when he was picked for his country's olympic team, his mother encouraged him to go. even though it meant she would have to support the family, herself. but he is not just competing for the sake of his family. since four years ago, sports tournaments in south sudan have brought together young people from different ethnic groups. helping to ease tensions in the country. >> but t to compete a and at le get some good results in the running so that everybody can be happy in the country. that will be the only

opportunity that i get to send my messages of peace to the country. >> guem had his heart set on competing in the tokyo games. then, came terrible news. postponement. >> you know, this is a year that we have been preparing for. it could be a very big disappointment to me, personally. the postponement is not because of any bad reason, but it is to save lives. >> then, in early april, south sudan announced its first confirmed coronavirus case. guem is worried about his family back home. but it's hard for him to get through by phone because of the frequent power outages. >> it's talking. hello, mama. >> she told me she is now settled because she has heard my voice. so she was always worried. sometimes, she would even cry. and i told her i was, also, worried about them. and she told me i should not worry. she will take care of the kids.

>> despite the uncertainties back home and the delay to the tokyo games, guem carries on with his training, for his family and for his fellow countrymen in south sudan. >> maebashi has been hosting guem and his teammates. the city is now working with immigration on extending their visas until next summer and raising funds to host them, until the games. for the athletes, the long absence from home and family, back in an unstable country, will certainly prevent various challenges. still, they're looking ahead and taking full advantage of this opportunity. indeed, most have recently broken their own personal-best records. they've been inspiring people in japan, as well as those in south sudan. sporting venues with no spectators. keeping appropriate distance while playing. a new standard is now emerging in the world of sports. but there is no question that

athletes' enthusiasm and passion will continue to resonate with fans. sport has the power to unify and connect. thank you for watching, and e you again next time. >> the u.s. records another new

daily record of coronavirus infectionsns. california ordering the closures of the recently reopened bars and theaters. donald trump grapples with a scandal concerning u.s. troops in afghanistan, the leadader repeating his claim that he was not briefed about the intelligence.