glad to have you with us on this edition of nhk "newsline." i'm raja pradhan with the news from tokyo. we begin with a call for caution here in tokyo. despite a slight reprieve monday in recent daily coronavirus numbers, experts are urging people across the country to rema remain vigilant. officials in okinawa are worried about a spike in cases connected to the u.s. military.

119 new cases were confirmed in tokyo on monday. the increase brings the total number of confirmed cases to more than 8,000 in the city of 14 million people. many of the recent cases are young people who work at or have visited night life districts. but officials have confirmed group infections in other areas too. a total of 27 children and staff at a nursery in central tokyo have been infected. at a theater, 16 actors, 5 staff members, and 9 patrons are also among the latest numbers. clustered infections were confirmed at two hospitals near tokyo. >> translator: some cases may be derived from night life districts, but there are invisible threads of infection at other places. i believe community transmission is beginning to occur on the local level. >> he says japan should

gradually resume social and economic activities while closely monitoring the situation. in okinawa, 98 people connected to the u.s. military have been infected including 71 from the futenma air station. more than 22,000 people have tested positive for the coronavirus in japan. nearly 1,000 people have died. the world health organization says the number of coronavirus cases reported around the globe has hit a grim new high. more than 230,000 infections were confirmed in a single day and nearly half that figure came from brazil and the uniteted stateses. the u u.s. state of florida bro anheher rerd.. 15,000 daily cases were confirmed on ndnday, the highest ever amo any state. that's pushing hpitals there to the limit with7,000 coronavirus patients now in their care. >> we're at t 106% of capacicit this moment.t.

but i have the ability to be able to expand as needed. >> the surging numbers are prompting other states to rethink plans to reopen. the governors of florida and texas have ordered bars to clclose, sayining customerers wt following safety guidelines. the e texas govevernor is fufur warning of a possible lockdown if the spread of infection does not slow down. a series of recently confirmed infections in michigan have been linked to fourth of july parties. the celebrations went viral after pictures emerges showing hundreds of people crammed together witithout t taking any social disistancing measures. johns hopkpkins university s sa the number of confirmed cases worldwide has topped 12.9 million. the global death toll has exceeded 569,000. now, south africa is reinstating a nighttime curfew and a ban on the sale of alcohol to stem the spread of the coronavirus. the country is the hardest hit on the african c continent.

>> the storm is upon us. momore than a quarter of a milln south africans h have been infected with coronavirurus, a we k know t that many more infections have gone undetected. >> president cyril ramaphosa warned that the peak could happen between late july and late september. he said the health system is already under strain with infected people being turned away from crowded facilities. the country is reporting about 12,000 cases a day. the african union says the continent had confirmed more than 570,000 cases by sunday with south africa making up about 46%. people across a wide area of japan are bracing for even more damaging rain over the comoming days. the meteorological agency is calling on people in both

eastern and western japan to be on alert for landslides and flooding. the weather system is set to batter areas of the kyushu region in the southwest already struggling with the aftermath of earlier downpours. rescue teams continue to search for survivors. more than 70 people in the disaster area have died. and at least 13 more are missing. but the mission has yielded some results including this reunion between a woman and her missing husband and pet. local rafting guides are delivering relief supplies to some of the hardest hit communities. when rain swept through kumamoto prefecture, people were stranded. some areas are still hard to access because floodwaters damaged roads and bridges. >> translator: let me know if you need anything. >> translator: thank you very much. >> translator: i just want them to recover and i want to see their smiles return. >> weather officials say rain

will continue into tuesday and could trigger further disaster. heavy rain has fallen over wide areas from western to northern japan putting more river systems at risk of overflowing. now, some schools in southwestern japan have reopened despite the forecast. elementary and junior high schools in the town of ashkita in kumamoto prefecture underwent safety instructions. students went back to school for the first time in a week. >> translator: when i was stuck at home, i was worried about landslides. i feel much better now i have my friends. >> schools are also reopening in the nearby city called hitoyoshi. six elementary schools and three junior high schools had to close after a nearby river overflowed. school grounds were flooded and

access was limited when roads were blocked and a bridge was washed away. one elementary school says about 60% of its students experienced flooding at home. prime minister abe shinzo visited sites hit by the disaster including a nursing home where 14 people lost their lives. he met with local leaders to discuss financial support and reconstruction plans. abe later told reporters he realizes people in the farming, fo forestry, and fishing industries as well as small and mid-sized companies have already been badly hit by the coronavirus and the latest disaster must feel like the final straw. >> translator: the government will compile a a rescue packagef over $3.7 billion to help restore disaster-hit regions, plus a reserve fund. >> abe also said the government will prorovide assistance including setting up temporary housing and dispatching support staff.

volunteers in the disaster areas are running up against new challenges from the coronavirus. but as our next report shows, some are finding ways to lend a hand from afar. >> reporter: in the city of hitoyoshi, volunteers have their temperature checked and hands disinfected before they get down to work. this volunteer center only accepts workers from within kumamoto prefecture to limit the risk of contagion. but they've still received more applications than expected, and residents are grateful for the help. >> translatotor: it's been raing all week, and i have no idea where to start cleaning up. today volunteers cleared away a lot of things. so i am thankful. >> reporter: those who can't be there in person, due to the

restrictions, have found other ways to pitch in. this shop specializes in goods from kumamoto. the number of customers nearly doubled over the weekend. products from the hardest-hit community sold well. for these siblings from the prefecture, the outing is a chance to do what they can. >> translator: we go back home every summer, but we can't go there this year. >> translator: i still want to support the affected area. so i bought some sweets that are popular there. >> an official from the prefecture says she is moved by the outpouring of generosity. >> translator: w we reallyly appreciate that so many customers visited our shop and bought items from areas that were hit hard. >> reporter: others are turning to a scheme that allows city dwellers to donate to rural communities in exchange for tax deductions. this company runs a website that acts as a go-between for municipalities and people who want to use the system.

earlier this month, the company launched a campaign to support municipalities in n the disaste areas. >> translator: it's generated about 240 million yen, as of sunday, and that's nearly 40 million yen more than the previous day. >> reporter: some donors left messages of solidarity on the site. >> translator: i am praying that my hometown will recover quickly. >> reporter: while the coronavirus is keeping many people away from the affected areas, these faraway gestures of support could make a difference, as reconstruction ramps up. turning now to south korea. the seoul mayor was laid to rest on monday. he was found dead last week of an apparent suicide just days after a former secretary filed a sexual harassment complaint against him. only 100 people were allowed to

attend pak's funeral. the ceremony was also broadcast online. his daughter spoke on behalf of the family. >> translator: my father went down a path he can't return from. i am asking everyone to make seoul a happy and safe place. a city that people dream of. please protect seoul. >> park's body was found in a wooded area of northern seoul. police say they found nothing to indicate foul play. in a note found in his office, park apologized to everyone and expressed gratitude to those he shared his life with. policece have confirmed a a wom who used to work for parkk file a sexual harassment claim against him but declined to provide further details. there was debate as to whether the city should hold the ceremony, but tens of thousands of citizens visited a memorial over the weekend to pay their respects. before his death, park had been

known as an advocate for gender equality and had been floated as a possible candidate for the 2022 presidential election. in other news, a fire on a u.s. warship at a naval base in california hasas reportedly injured 21 people. the fire broke out aboard the "uss bonhomme richard" and smoke was seen rising from the vessel for more than ten hours. the u.s. navy said in a statement that 17 saililors and civivilians have been trtreatef injuries that were not life-threatening. the ship is an amphibious assault vessel that can deploy helicopters and other aircraft. it's docked at naval base san diego. the cause e of the firire is un investigation. the coronavirus pandemic is

causing people to reconsider how they live their lives. many in the united states are making chahaes to theirir shoppg habits and their diets. >> reporter: these products have been popping up on grocery shelves across the u.s. they look like meat but are a substitute made from plant-based proteins. sales are soaring. during the pandemic, fake meat is a hit among consumers. angel izard is one of them. she lives in los angeles and works for the city. but now she has to do her job from home. she says the situation has caused her to become more concerned about her health.

today she's using the meat substitute to make burgers. they look as plump and juicy as the real thing. >> okay. delicious. i'm a good cook. it's probably more like two times, maybe three. i have had some friends who i've introduced plant-based meat to and they like it. like, they would choose it as a meal. they wouldn't necessarily completely stop eating meat, but they'd be like, oh, this is a a good alternatative. >> r reporter: consumers in n t u.s. have to pay more for fake meat, but they don't seem to mind. since the beginning of ththe pandemic, sales have skyrocketeted. >> i thihink what t this pandem has proveven is that nutrititio so importanant. you know, there is this marketing, this kind of connotation that plant-based meats are healthy. >> reporter: consumers are also

buying more fake meat because there's less of the real stuff to choose from. coronavirus outbreaks among workers at meat processing plants have caused a shortage in the supply chain. that's led to higher prices. in may u.s. shoppers paid 15% more for meat than they did during thehe same month last ye. makers of the plant-based foods are seizing the oppoportunity. one executive says h his compan is plannnning for spectacacular growth. >> we're in nearly 3,000 locations and we have plansns t grgrow upp to 50 in t this yeare adjust to where the meat eater is now going more and more. >> in the past few months, major u.s. fast food chains have added plant-based meats to their menus. as americans continue to fight the pandemic, they're seeking ways to eat well inside their homes and out. nhk world, los angeles.

>> shihifting now to a a che the weathther with our meteorologist jonathan oh. people in tokyo saw the mercury drop on monday with some heading to work in a light jacket. the heavy rain is definitely a major concern. but overall will it stay cooler this week? >> hello. it looks like we're going to be dealing with rain and cooler temperatures for a good portion of japan as we go throughout this week. and the reason why is because we had that rainy system pattern in place, but we also have areas of low pressure that are trying to gather themselves as it pushes toward the east. as we go through tuesday, wednesday, even thursday, we'll be dealing with temperatures in the mid to upper 20s for most of japan. and we're talking about some wet weather as well. so here is the current pattern right now. cold air coming in from the north and west. we do have some moisture coming in from the south. we already have enough cold air in place to where it's a lot cooler outside. and we will be dealing with both

of these systems slowly moving ward the east. the only place that will stay dry is north to hokkaido. over the next 24 hours, we do have this line of rain starting from the west and moving to the east. now, if you've been following the news with us over the past several days, you know we've been talking about the heavy rain, the flooding, and the landslides taking place. unfortunately because the ground is still saturated with lots of water, we're going to be dealing with those concerns for the rest of this week. fukuoka and osaka, rain tuesday into wednesday. and tokyo, all the way through the rest of the week. and highs in the upper 20s. overnight lows dropping even some times into the upper teens at times. so you want to be ready for a little bit of adjustment taking place there. mid-20s in sapporo with a little bit more in terms of sunshine. the same front that's bringing lots of rain to japan also impacting the southeastern areas of china. and so we will be dealing with some flooding problems once

again as we see the rain pattern along the river basin continue throughout the next few days. now, down towards the south we are watching a tropical disturbance moving toward the north. for some locations in northern areas of the philippines, dealing with heavier batches of rain. up toward taiwan we're seeing chances of rain in the middle of the week. thunderstorms coming up on tuesday. across europe, we've been watching out for some unstable weather toward the north. the high pressure has been dominating most of the continent. looking at heat with temperatures into the low to mid-30s for the southwestern areas with not much in terms of prescripti precipitation as we go throughout the next 24 hours. hope you have a good day wherever you are.

that's all for now o on t t edition of nhk "newsline." i'm raja pradhan in tokyo. there's much more to come on nhk

world japan. please do stay with us. as covid-19 cases continue to increase in japan, one company has begun a trial of taxi sharing for employees to get to work. the aim is to reduce the risk of infection by avoiding the rush hour crush on public transport. major japanese mobile phone carrier began the four-week tryout with the company on monday. it uses a fleet of ten taxis to shuttle staff to and from the

office. employees use an app to reserve their pick up point and time. artificial i intelligence willl come up with the most efficient route to carry passengers. >> translator: i i go to the office two or thrhree times a week. i'm a little worried a about getting on a train because of the pandemic. it's very handy to have this kind of service. >> kdi will cover the cost of the trial. they say it will help prevent the spread of coronavirus because it can use passenger data to trace the contacts o of anyone who is infected. this is "newsline biz." i'm ramin mellegard. meanwhile japanese clinics company nec is trying to prevent the spread of the coronavirus by testing the use of facial recognition technology to reduce contact between employees. the system checks people's faces and displays their names on a

screen. there's no need for them to show their id cards. the face accuracy means it's possible to identify several people at once. even when they're wearing face masks. the system also checks their body temperature with infrared cameras. the company plans to add the capability to automatically alert security guards about unidentifieded people. at a shop in the office building, nec employees are identified at the entrance. then they can make purchases jujust by taking goods from shelves. and the payment is deducted from their salary. if the test approves effective in reducing contact in the workplace, nec plans to sell the system in the future. turning to japanan and the environmen the country has long been criticized for its dependence on coal, but now it wants concrete steps to phase out old coal-fired power plants that churn out carbon dioxide.

on monday, government officials told a panel of experts that half the country's coal-fired power comes from inefficient plants. they want the panel to find ways to slash that to nearly zero. also they propose setting gadlines for the nation reducing the dependence on coal by 2030. that would be down from about 30% in 2018. some of the experts warn that japan must make sure it has enough power sources to copope following natural disasters such as earthquakes. the panel agreed to discuss setting stringent regulations for making coal-fireded plants more efficient. they will also study incentives for scrapping older, dirtier plan plants. the pandemic is not only changing how people work but also how they dress. as more people join video conferences from home, they want to spice up their on-screen

image with a bigger selection of clothes. tokyo-based clothing rental firm air closet can lend a helping hand. ththe professional stylists selt items based on a client's tastes and body shape. signups jumped 40% in june from a year earlier. a popular plan allows customers to rent as many clothes as they like for about $100 a month. meanwhile a department store is selling more shirts and blouses as workers prepare for video calls. popular choices include colorful items that brighten up the wearer's look. they even plan to set up a special section for such fashions.. the pandemic has led to a boom in online shopping, but it's often hard tore choose from a catalog than when you see the items you want up close.

now, help is at hand thanks to apps that simulate the experience of real-life shopping from the comfort and safety from your own home. >> reporter: this shopping mall in guangzhou, china, is open and ready for customers. but sales are still a long way off their pre-coronavirus level. so customers are being encouraged to come in and take a look around stores using this virtual tour. to find out more about an item, you just tap on the white mark by it. customers can video chat with sales staff. and of course you can also use the app to buy online. in the first three months after it was launched, more than 200,000 people used it.

>> translator: the app gives the stores a new way to interact with their customers. it's helped promote our mall and has boosted sales. >> reporter: meanwhile in japan another app is helping businesses that have been struggling. ornamental plants are grown here. after the coronavirus closed them down, his wholesale income dropped by about 40%. now he's considering using an augmented reality app developed by an i.t. company. customers can interact with a digital character to view the ornamental plalants f from mult anangles and t then order them online. >> translator:r: this app is ve good becauause customers can imagine my plants more visually. i need to do everyththing i cano promote my products.

>> reporter: the app developer has been testing it with dozens of producers and other businesses and will launch it in august. >> translator: our aim is to improve the shopping experience of the customers. especially the browsing process. i think that making shopping more e exciting could have a a positive impact.. >> translator: as technolo >> reporter: as technology continues to develop, shopping is promising to be more rewarding for businesses and producers. nhk world. okay. let's get a check on the markets.

and that's it for r "newsli biz" from our tokyo studios. i'm ramin mellegard. thank you have much fvery much us. >> paul lund income but

president andrzej duda wins at reelection, the poland incoming president. more than 50,000 new cases of coronavirus in florida, a record single-day record for a u.s. state. this as mexico becomomes a couny with the world'fofourth-highestt covid-19 death toll.l. south africaca rei