sea in search a dear friend. don't miss baja's studio, baja and the sea. ♪ thank you for joining us. from our studio in tokyo, this is nhk "newsline." we begin with united states where the ongoing republican national convention is drawing criticism from democrats. first lady melania trump will take the spotlight tuesday with a speech from the grounds of the white house. opponents of president donald

trump are crying foul, saying it's against the law to use government buildings for campaigning. the secretary of state is also set to appear with a video message recorded in israel. mike pompeo is on an official trip there, and democrats say this also gives the impression that a foreign diplomat is unfairly using his position for political purposes. now, officially the republican presidential candidate, trump is pulling out all the steps as he tries to gain background he lost during the pandemic. turning to the latest on the poisoning of an outspoken opponent. it is the same nerve agent used against the former russian spy. navalny is being treated in germany after falling ill on board a flight to moscow last week. his doctors say they discovered

a toxic agent that inhibits communication between nerve cells. german public broadcasters refer to the agent. the cholinesterase inhibitor was used in 202018 attempted murderf a foreign russian spy in britain. british public broadcaster says navalny is being treated with the same antedote for scrippal. therere's not enough evidence t say what sickened the prominent politician. a high-level delegation from the czech republic is said t to arrive inn taiwan on sunday. beijing, which has diplomatic ties with prague, has made no secret of its displeasure. taiwiwan's attorney mininistry

reviewed the details onn tucuch the delegation includes about 90 people. they include lawmakakers, the mayor of prague, business leaders, and the czech republic's second highest ranking official. he's scheduled to meet president tsai ing-wen. he has criticized beijing for opposing the visit. he said he hopes to strengthen ties with taiwan, adding democrcracy and the rule of law come before economic gains. earlier this month, the u.s. secretary of state praised the intention to visit the island. beijing maintains taiwan is part of china under the one china principle. turning to japan where the world's fastest supercomputer has helped shed light on anticoronavirus measures. the new findings make the case for the importance of properly ventilated rooms in the fight

against the virus. a research team used a supercomputer fugaku to study the effectiveness of face masks against viral droplets released by other people sneezing or coughing. they say using a mask made of unwoven fabric can cut the amount of droplets a person inhales by about 2/3 compared with not wearing one, even wheh there e is a gap betweenen the and t the face. but they found such m masks off no protectioion against d dropl smsmaller than 20 micrometers i size. >> translator: these results show the importance of ventilation to protect yourself om getting the virus from others. >> meanwhile, officials confirmed 182 new cases of the coronavirus in tokyo on tuesday. infections again topped 100 after a dip on monday. over 19,600 people have now tested positive in the city of

14 million. across japan, more than 64,000 cases have been confirmed. over 1,200 people have died. experts say the outbreak has likely peaked in the country. sales at japan's's majajor restaurarant chains kept fallin in july, as the coronavirus discouraged people from eating out. the japan food service association says revenue fell 15% from a year earlier. that was the fifth straight month of decline, but the drop was smaller than in the month before, even though it was still in double digits. fast food restaurants didn't do too badly, with a decline of just 3.6%. that was thanks to rising sales of takeout and home delivery. but family styles and pubs fared much worse. the restaurant industry remains

in critical condition due to the pandemic. the long rainy season this year didn't help either. the chinese government says it's been giving experimental coronavirus vaccines to medical workers, quarantine officers and others at t high risk k of infection since late july. ththe director of the nationala health commissionsnsevelopment center for medical sciencece an tetechnology revevealed this i interview with the state-run china central l television.. he did not reveal the type of vaccine, but it't's believed toe one of several being put into the final phase of clinical trials by chinese pharmaceutical makers. in june, a research institute of the p people's liberation ar authorized the inoculation of military personnel with vaccines it's developing with the pharmamautical makaker. chinese pharmaceutical firms have been cacarrying out large-scale clinical trials in the final phase abroad as countries around the world race to develop coronavirus vaccines.

architects create more than just buildings. they have the power to design our lives. world-renowned kuma kengo is behind projects that are reshaping tokyo and far beyond. his use of natural materials, espepecially his innovative sty with wood, has been attracting attention. and now with the pandemic, kuma is more committed than ever to his belief in respecting and integrating nature in his design. we spoke to him about the architecture of tomorrow. >> translator: until now, architects and the construction industry have survived by building boxes. i realized that i need to reflect deeply on the fact that our methods probably didn't make people happy. >> reporter: the boxes, airtight monoliths of reinforced concrete steel and glass, dominate cityscapes worldwide.

>> translator: these boxes are exactly what we now view as congested, unsafe places. we u used to feel that they allowed us to work efficiently, but it was actually creating a lot of stress. and today, with the advances in i.t., it's not necessary to pack people together in a box. in fact, this might even be less efficient than other ways of doing things. i sensed that people were growing increasingly unhappy, while reassuring themselves that life was becoming increasingly convenient. >> reporter: kuma himself has been challenging this old convention by pursuing his own form of expression. that eventually lead him to a new way of conceiving design. calling it architecture of defeat, his vision is to create structures that exist in harmony

with the natural environment, rather than dominating it. kuma believes the pandemic could be a pivotal moment for change. >> translator: i think we must first consider the design of the space outside the box. we used to think thahat gardene or urban planners were in charge of everything outside the box. but i've started to feel that i want to consider metropolitan spaces and street spaces from the perspective of a person walking around on the ground. >> reporter: so how does he envision the cities and architecture of the future? >> translator: here there will be latticework and shogi. >> reporter: in a nod to the past, the future looks familiar. machiya, the traditional row

houses, are designed to take in aiair by incorporatingng lattic windows and innener gardens. kuma believes machiya hold critical ideas for the architecture of tomorrow, as they provide excellent ventilation while also accommodating high-density living. >> translator: if you look at the machiya of kyoto, you see that the alley space enters the structures. it looks a little cramped, but washi paper and latticework create flow. it's not oppressive. people live with a sense of continuity between the inside and outside. i think it's possible to use current technology to recreate this type of model. we should use our wisdom to focus on redesigning cities. instead of building new boxes, we can revitalize existing spaces between boxes by redesigning them.

i think that's the kind of thing we should be trying to achieve. now let's check the world weather with our meteorologist tsietsi monare. hello, tsietsi. >> hi. >> so, the people in the u.s. are bracing for turbulent weather with the hurricane approaching the gulf coast. what are the concerns? >> it is going to be quite turbulent for t the next couplef days. i think the storm will make landfall by thursday morning. concerns are watch out for storm surges, rainfall, all things associated with a hurricane. we had two at the beginning of the week. marco sought of the question. we need to look out for laura. it's moving into warm waters, open land, open waters in the gulf coast there. so, please do be careful. it's expected to make landfall

by about thursday morning. you can see places that are affected could be the northern coast of texas as well as some part of louisiana. the last time we had one in texas, that was harvey back in 2017ish. so, we also need to be extra careful. the good news with this one is it's moving a lot faster which could lead to it dissipating much quicker than harvey. but we e should be careful as heavy rainfall is expected. early on damaging winds and of course heavy rainfall for places such as houston which is slightly outside of the cone but could still be affected by the conditions of the hurricane. it's going to be recorded as -- or might make landfall as a major hurricane. so, anything above category 3 is what you need to be on the look out for. well, across towards asia, also making its presence felt, especially for those along the east coast of china, parts of

kyushu, and the island of south korea. also temperatures are quite warm along those parts leading to the storms being much stronger. it could make land fall also on thursday just along the korean peninsula. so, we've been monstering as it moves into the northern direction. please stay safe at all times. finding high grounds should be advised and look out for strong winds that could topple down trees and lead to power cuts in certain areas. temperature cuts warmer conditions leading to warmer sea surface temperatures making it a little bit more difficult for people in western as well as -- western japan as well as into the southern parts of korea. fukuoka reaeachingg a maximum o7 and hot weather expected in tokyo. that's all for your weather. have a great day. ♪

♪ the organizers of the berlin international film festival say they will scrap the best actor and best actress awards and replace them with gender neutral prizes. they said in a statement that performance awards should not be separated by gender, just as those for directors and screenwriters are not. they said they believe the decision will be a signal for a more gender sensitive awareness in the film industry. the berlin international film festival is scheduled to open on

february 11th, 2021. and that wraps up this edition of nhk "newsline." thank you very much for staying with us. ♪ ♪ welcome to "newsline in depth." i'm yanaka marie. covid-19 has dealt an immense blow to economies worldwide and left many people unemployed. but in japan, some enterprising companies and individuals are finding opportunities amid the

pandemic. in some sectors, the spread of the coronavirus is leading to increased demand for goods and services. we'll start with the used car market. because people are cutting back on big ticket spending, second hand vehicle dealers are appealaling to cusustomers in n ways. they're using technology to limit face-to-face interactions and targeting different types of customers. >> reporter: rows of cars lined in a large lot. some vehicles are headed to zimbabwe in africa, while others are bound for the bahamas in the atlantic. but many countries restricted entry to their ports from march to guard against the coronavirus. unable to ship the cars, the company's stocks swelled to around 12,000 units by april. roughly 30% of japan's second

hand cars are exported. they have now become surplus stock. domestic consumption is also sluggish. the excess of inventory has led to an average price drop of nearly $850 per unit. an official at the company says export restrictions had a greater than expected impact. >> translator: as ever more countries close their ports, we worry whether we can stay in business. >> reporter: the company decided to try to boost domestic demand. it established an agency to help used car dealers sell their vehicles. agents capture detailed images of the cars, using 360 degree cameras, and upload them to cloud storage using smartphones. then they post them on the dealer's website. in t the past, customers had to visit a dealer to check a car's condition and see bumps and scratches. butt this service lets them see it u up close and in fulull r r the need for such visits.

>> translator: dealers said they were seeing fewer customers. this system lets customers have a close look at vehicles as if they're at the dealership. this allows sales to be made while minimizing physical impact. >> reporter: also decreasing are subscription serervices for use cars. this major used car dealer started a new domestic subscription service in february. customers can rent a car for an entire month for about $280. the pandemic has made many people wary of computing by public transport. the company says its number of registered users has surged five fold since april. 40% of them are medical workers, such as doctors and nurses. they say the service is attractive because it offers personal access for a reasonable price. >> translator: users c can rent car for just 30 days or keep it

longer, if needed. the system's flexibility seems to appeal to custstomers. >> reporter: the company says the subscription service is growing popular among small businessss owners. many people are finding the flat fee system handy, as they try to control their cash on hand. >> the subscription rentals were so popular among doctors and nurses the dealer launched a free service as part of a coronavirus support campaign. that offering started while japan was still in a declared state of emergency. in the first two weeks, there were more than 40,000 applications for 10,000 cars the dealer set aside. priority was given to essential workers such as medical staff and delivery personnel. the operator has many satisfied customers. some people like commuting by car instead of public transport so much that they even ask the dealer if they can purchase the

vehicle after the campaign ends. the program is set to be extended until the end of the year as it is good for business too. next, we turn to the manufacturing sector, which is looking to creative solutions to survive. some companies are using their existing tae existing materials and techniques to make products that the coronavirus era demands. >> reporter: tooth picks are a humble but essential implement for eating japanese sweets. these are made of domestic lumber. they're a main part of this manufacturerer's business. sales are half what they were last year, but the company is ready to fight back. it's thinking long, at least longer than a tooth pick. the comeback commodity is a wooden stick. it can be used to push buttons without touching them. six days after coming up with the idea, the company had it

available for sale. >> translator: i thought of it when i saw a picture of a person in wuhan using a tooth pick to push an elevator button. i realized we could make something that could help avoid direct contact. >> reporter: the new product won't make up for the shortfall in sales, but it's boosted employee morale. >> translator: our staff have been discouraged by the drop off since the virus began. now they seem happy to be working again. >> reporter: another manufacturing outfit, this one in osaka, is turning its attention to pandemic products. in ordinary times, it makes display panels and booth partitions for expos and trade shows. however, almost all major events have been cancelled, at least until the summer. some of the employees had an aha moment while watching people line up at an atm. they realized their technology

is exactly what these times demand. it can be used to create partitions that separate lines of people and thus prevent the virus from spreading. the screens are transparent too didiscourage crime. air circulates through the bottom half. >> translator: ihink ourur employeeee skills have grown through this experience. i hope it makes the c company me resilient too. >> reporter: necessity is said to be the mother of invention. these two companies are taking responsibility for nurturing the public and themselves. >> there are many more coronavirus-inspired products that are hitting the market. offices that are looking for affordable solutions are installing cardboard partitions with plastic windows. they're made by a box manufacturer that's rethinking its product line up. the partitions take just a few minutes to assemble and cost 1/3

the price of the prospect's alternative. and this plastic device helps people open doors without touching them with their hand. it was developed by a materials firm. the company has just launched another version for sliding doors, which tend to be used at hospitals and care facilities. these examples of product development keep factories open. employees get to retain income, and their morale gets a boost knowing they're helping society to precht tvent the spread of infection. but it's not just companies that are using their strengths to stay afloat. individuals are finding that side jobs they can do online are co compensating for income they've lost from primary employment. they're targeting the large pool of stay-at-home customers eager to learn new skills. >> reporter: this woman runs a privatate lodging business for overseas customers, but since april she's had zero reservations.

>> translator: i was a little panicked, with n no idea when i would see guests again. >> reporter: itohara hit on an idea to pull through the hard times, weekend online cooking tutorials. >> translator: how thick should i slice the sweet potato? >> translator: 1 to 1.5 centimeters thick, like thihis. >> reporter: itotohara offers lessons evevery week for $7, an they're getting popular. >> translator: thank you very much. >> translator: thanks for joining. >> reporter: about two months later, her profits reached to nearly $1,000. >> translator: i never imagined i would be cooking from home. i'm surprised i can start this side job right now. >> reporter: this website is gaining popularity for matching people with online courses with perspective students. this type of service is catching on. more thann 1,000 couourse provis

newly r registered in apr and may. that's about 40% more compared to pre-pandemic days. >> traranslator: i think the coronavirus has m made more p pe worry about the possibility of losing their job. i think this is what is fuelling our service. >> reporter: people who had depended on side jobs in the past are seeing new potential in online business. this man wororks for an i.t. stt up in tokyo. >> translator: hello, everyone. >> reporter: he offers weekend tutorials on how to create clear presentation materials f for business. nsekhe once used conference rooms for teaching, but w with e coronavivirus he moved online. >> translator: people are all over japan or even from abroad cacan take my online courses. this platform is great for attracting people outside tokyo

too. >> reporter: taking advantage of spare time to turn hobbies too online work is convenient. this may become a new normal at a time we are learning to coexist with the coronavirus. >> just because people are staying in more doesn't mean there's less opportunity to develop knowledge and experience. large education providers are also offering more online courses. one industry leader in japan has announced a tie up with the united states platform that has users in 190 countries. businesses are gearing up to improve accessibility in a time when many people are turning their attention to personal growth. living with covid-19 is something we're gradually getting used to. there are many negatives, but our reports taisoday show opportunities do exist for those willing to take a creative

approach. all r right. that's it for this edition of "newsline in depth." thank you for watching our program, and make sure to do so next time too. ♪

>> the world health organization says the african continent is polio-free. how the final battle against the virus was fought and won in nigeria. you are watching al jazeera. also coming up. @@>> take a moment and examine your heart. jacob blake's mother appeals as tensions run high after a popolice shooting has left her n paralyzezed.