♪ hello. you're watching nhk "newsline." i'm keiko kitagawa in tokyo. japan has come up with some initial plans for how to distribute the coronavirus vaccine once one is ready. the government will present the draft guidelines to its panel of experts in the hope of creating a systetem that's safee and efefficient.

medidical workers at high risk infection and elderly peoeople o are more likely to develop serious s symptoms will have to priority under the scheme. pregnant women and people who care for seniors couould also receive early vaccinations. the central government says a local health authority should not have to bear the cost of vaccines. the draft also lays out a plan for what to do if vaccines, which have undergone accelerated testing, cause serious side effects. the government is creating a plan to compensate pharmaceutical companies for any losses they might incur if that happens. experts will get a look at the plan on friday. the government has not yet decided how best to distribute doses of the vaccine or whether residents will need to pay for it. the head of the international olympic committee is once again promising that the tokyo games will go ahead, despite ballooning costs and the risks posed by the coronavirus.

thomomas spark madee the pledge a r rare appppearanc at a coordidination meetingng. >> we have to make these olympic games fit for the post-corona world. i am sure that we will make it, and we will make these olympic games, which will be historic. >> bach says the tour de france and otherer recent sportingg evs prove a vaccine i is not nececey for safe play. six months after the postponement was announced, the president of japan's organizing committee says it's important to build momentum toward the tokyo games. >> translator: this is an extremely difficult project that no one h has ever pulled off. however, with the supupport o o many people, all o of us will b on t the s same p page and work together. >> virus prevention measures are high on the agenda for the

two-day meeting. organizers are also said to discuss ways to supplement events in order to cut costs. an expert on interkorean relations says north korean troops may have been trying to prevent the spread of the coronavirus when they shot a south korean official at sea earlier this week. the incident is the first instance of a shooting of a non-military south korean official by troops from the nortrth since 200008. the south korean military says the victim was a member of oceans and fisheries, went missing on monony inn an area o the yellow sea. the area says he was spotted alive onn tuesday floating on te northern side of the waters. north korean troops shot the man and burned hisis body on the s. >> translator: north korea is very concerned about possisible coronavirus infections.

my impression is that this is why the troroops took this excessive response. >> he says he expects seoul to seek dialogue withh upopon yang regarding g the incident while also monitoring how thehe p pub reacts. >> translator: south korea is an opportutunity to start talks with north kororea by urging th to provide a an expla nation. >> hee suggests this approach means the shooting is unlikely to heighten military tensions between the countries or affect international relations. china's defense ministry says it's two aircraft carriers have ukt canned separate regular exercises. the drills are expected to be as a result of increased pressure from washington over china's increased maritime activity in the south china sea. >> translator: the drills were aimed at checking levels of

troops and enhancing missions. >> the ships are the affiliated newspaper says the ship embarked on the traping voyage and the other was spotted in the yellow sea both in early september. the article mentioned that this was the first time that china had two active aircraft carriers at sea for apparent simultatanes exercises. the chinese militaryy has been boosting its military capability in recent years. in 2012, they came china's first karkt airier to enter former service. the exercises come after u.s. aircraft carriers conducted drills in the south china sea in july in an apparent attempt to counter china's increasing maritime activity in the region. china claims most of the south china sea and other parties have competing territorial claims. the governor of california

has issued an executive order requiring all new cars and passenger trucks sold i in the state to be zero emission by 2035. >> when we are looking to achieve our aududacious goals t get to carbon free, we can't get there unless we accelerate our efforts. we'll do that by setting forth a firm goal that by 2035, in the next 15 years -- >> newsom called the measure the most impactful step california can take to fight climate change. the auto will allow people to own gasoline cars they purchased before the ban takes effect ft it will also allow sales of such cars on the used market. european countries are already taking similar steps. britain plans toan sales of new gasoline, diesel, and hybrid vehicles by 2035. france will l prohibit sales by

2040. analysts say newsom's action may provoke a backlash from president donald trump, who prioritizes economic growth. california is struggling with massive wild fires that have been fanned by dry air and other atmospheric conditions, blaming climate change. some rather eye-catching structures are popping up in tokyo. the simple instagram-worthy designs are part of a plan to flush away misconceptions about public toilets. yamamoto saori went to see what all the fuss is about. >> reporter: a striking red building inspired by traditional lapping techniques. a squid-shaped design that looks at home in a popular park. each one came from the mind of a

top japanese architect. they are all creating a buzz, but these cocolorful stalls are drawing the most attention, even among people who don't hear the call of nature. >> it's very strange. >> reporter: it may seem risky to use these toilets. but step inside, close the door, lock it, and you get the privacy you need. >> reporter: this smartglass is only transparent when electrical current is running through it. so you won't be caught with your pants down even if the power goes out. this man came up with the cheeky idea. the award-w-winning architect i

known around the world for his innovative designs. the buildings aren't just made to look nice. each have some special meaning, and this latest work is no exception. >> translator: before they go in, people worry that the toilets aren't clean or that someone could be hiding inside. i wanted to use design to solve the problems m many public toios have. >> reporter: addressing issues with public restrooms is what unites the projects' facilities. ando tadao is also a world-famous architect. he focused on making his design easy to access with a unique shape and structure that allows fresh air to flow through. >> translator: i was inspired by the architects involved and wanted to do my best.

the building's value isn't determined by its scale. this public toilet may be small, but it conveys an important message. >> reporter: so far, seven of these toilets have been installed in downtown tokyo with ten more on the way. the nonprofit nipippon foundata says it wants the project to o change habitits and minds. >> translator: these unique and advanced designs make the toilets accessible for everyone, regardless of gender, age or abilility. ultimately, it demonstrates the possibilities of an inclusive society. >> reporter: everyone e involvl hopes this effort to elevate the humble public toilet won't end here, , but instead inspire betr design throughout the world. yamamoto saori, nhk world. ♪

♪ time now for a check on the world weather with our meteorologist yoko komagata. yoko, we're still monitoring the remnant of tropical storm dolphin in japan. >> dolphin will continue to produce heavy downpours across northeastern japan on friday. flooding and landslides are the

main concerns. the storm system is skirting the east coast of ohtohoku. another system is producing downpourss in western japan. people in kochi prefecture saw 273 millimeters in just three hours. a couple of low pressure systems will continue to move northeast along the pacific coast of the country on friday, so heavy rainfall will be seen in the region with up to 120 millimeters. downpours will push into tohoku and shikoku. strong on shore winds will also produce gusts and high winds. tokyo should avoid hef rainfall but a few showers are possible throughout the day on friday. for the rest of the asia, wet weather will persist in hong kong on fririday. toward the north, much dryer

conditions in beijing with a high off 27 degreeses. a storm systetem is producing severe weather across a lararge portion of cenentral europe. sosome g gusts and even tornado were reported in italy. and the people in spain are dealing with torrential rainfall. a train station in madrid was flooded after heavy rains on thursday morning. flood lines and a few other stations in the spanish capital with affected, causing some delays. services continued shortly after all the water was drained. the storm system continued to bring severe weather across central europe on friday. some severe thunderstorms will also push into the balkans as we go into the weekend. and cold air will spread toward the south so rain may turn to snow in the alpine region. temperatures wilill drop to the london, paris and berlin on

friday. that's all for now. stay safe. ♪ ♪

that's all for this hour on nhk "newsline." i'm keiko kitagawa in tokyo. thank you for watching. ♪ welcome to "newsline in depth." starting in june, we began stepping out of our studio looking for space, light and new perspectives. and those just happened to be the big themes in our stories today. the pandemic is forcing us to reexamine many areas of our

modern lives. among them architecture and the urban environment. one person in deep reflection right now is a globely acclaimed architect many of our viewers may know about. kumma has behind projects transforming the tokyo cityscape. and his trademark using wood and other natural materials never fail to attract attention. for example, this is a store building in tokyo. you can see why it turns heads. the structure is made of narrow timber no thicker than a tree branch and assembled to look like woven cloth. and surprisingly, the woven timber is actually supporting this three-story building. there are no columns holding it up. kuma has been working on a

range of buildings. just how exactly kuma's thinking shifted? >> translator: until now, architects and the construction industry have survived by building boxes. i realized that i needed 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 what we now view as congested, unsafe spaces. we used to feel that it allowed us to work efficiently. it was creating a lot of stress. today with the advances in i.t.,

it's not necessary to pack people together in a bach.h. in fact, it might be less efficient than other ways of doing things. i sense people werere growing increasingly unhappy while ensuring themselves that life was becoming increasingly convenient. >> reporter: as a child, kuma kengo lived in a single story wooden home, a point of reference he always returns to. when he started his first practice in tokyo, japan was in the throes of the bubble economy. high-rise buildings sprang up everywhere, kpaeticompeting for attention. but his early experiences left kuma unsatisfied. it didn't feel right designing concrete boxes. he decided to pursue his own form of expression. architecture that invites the outside in and the inside out.

this became the foundationn of his sesensibility. kuma is known for favoring natural materials to connect buildings to their landscape and of course for his innovative use ofof wood. this museum is fully enveloped in lattice work of local cedar, allowing for unity with the site, as well as a diverse play of light throughout the day. working on projects like this, he eventually developed a new model for conceiving design. calling his approach "architecture of defeat," he creates structures that exist in harmony with the environment rather than dominating it. but kuma says he h has yet to fully break free of the spell of the concrete box. >> translator: i was following

the old convention that dictates architects should keep building boxes. and i started to feel i was limiting myself. as an architect, i feel relieved people are becoming aware that what we've been doing is no longer viable. >> kuma says it was the changes in his daily life resulting from the pandemic that inspired him to make such a dramatic turn around in his philosophy. kuma used to be a globe trotter, skipping from airport to airport. but now he often finds himself walking to work to avoid crowds, and he's also taking long strolls in his neighborhood to stay healthy. while all that roaming on foot has led to a didiscovery. >> translator: after i started walking regularly, my health quickly improved, and i made lots of discoveries in my neighborhood. i discovered a park here and a

street there and realized how little value i had placed on my environment before. i felt that i had led a paltry existence, only seeing my commute between my office and my home. and the thought came to me that we must first consider the design of the space outside the box. >> reporter: searching for this space, kuma chose kyoto's traditional cityscape as an inspiration for his future architectural work. >> translator: here, there will be lattice work and shogi. >> reporter: in a nod to the past, the future looks familiar. machiya, narrow alleys stand side by side.

kuma believes the relationship between machiya and the space between the alleys holds critical ideas for the architecture of tomorrow. >> translator: you see that the alley space enters the structures. it looks a little cramped, but washi shaper and lattice work create flow. it's not oppressive. people lived 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. i started to feel that i want to consider metropolitan spaces and street spaces from the perspective of a person walking around on the ground. >> kuma is not only reviewing the old architectural conventions that focused on stacked boxes. he's also looking for ways to escape the high density of urban

living. this idea sprang from the experiences of someone on his team who has been working in a remote rural area during the pandemic. >> translator: one of my staff was working on site, deep in the mountains of toyama prefecture. and when the coronavirus started to spread, we thought it would be safer for him not to commute back and forth from tokyo. so, he rented a little house, and now he seems to be really enjoying his work in the village. he also still works on his other tasks, besides checking on the work site in toyama right there in the village. my other staff are jealous that he's working from such a nurturing homey place. it all made me feel that changes were already starting. >> kuma believes that change is possible now that working

full-time at an office is no longer the norm. simply rejecting box architecture is not enough. he says the future lies in reviving the spaces in between existing buildings to better serve people's needs. next up, we have another example of people breathing new life into local communities by taking a fresh look at the environment. in this case, vacant buildings. as the population ages and shrinks and the city fills with vacant properties, local contractors are putting their skills to good use. >> reporter: spacious, bright and attractive. this rental accommodation looks as though it's just been built. but in fact, it was part of a textile factory that closed 30 years ago. the workers' lodgings have been left untouched ever since. >> translator: we didn't want any outlay on doing it up if we couldn't find a tenant, so we

left it. >> reporter: this woman is the land lord. she changed her mind after hearing of a new service that doesn't require payment up front. under this system, the owner is only required to pay for the renovation after a tenant is found. this plan is the brain child of this architect. he realizes that cutting corners in the renovation work may not be to the land lords advantage. >> translator: owners want to fix places up as cheaply as possible. but it's easier to find renters if you spend money and do a thorough job remodeling. >> reporter: the workmen can allocate their time effectively. for example, if outside construction work as a delay or another job is running late, they can use that time on the renovation project. because the buildldings work during their free time, the job takes longer to finish.

but since they also have their regular income, they don't mind getting paid after the work is finished. the workers also have access to surplus materials. they keep their experiences down by making the most of whatever they have on hand. for this renovation, about 60% of the materials were procured this way. p. >> translator: this baseboard comes in pack annaages of ten, you usee three, you usually hav seven left over. >> reporter: the work took ten months in all, but finally it was finished. new life has been breathed into these rooms that have been left abandoned for so long. >> translator: i heard it was made with surplus materials. i w wn't suree what to expectc. but it's much nicer than i imagined. >> translator: i heard that reducing the number number of empty houses will help

revitalize our community. >> making use of materials and breathing life into older properties. it's a new business model that benefits everyone involved. >> ohashi's next priority is boosting efficiency. he thinks that can be done by handling several renovations together, allowing workers to share surplus materials and save time. he also wants to diversify locations with some projects downtown and others on the river front and in the mountains. his aim is to give the prospective tenants a chance to discover by themselves charms of the city while traveling between the sites. ohashi's out scouting a property for the second project which is scheduled to get off the ground by the end of the year. it's exciting to imagine how all this architecture of tomorrow will redesign the way we live. thinking outside the box seems like an obvious first step in

transforming the places we live and work in because after all, that magical space is where it all started for kuma, ohashi, and their teams. that's all for this edition of "newslsline in depth." thank you for

senior republicans distanced themselves president trump after he refuses to commit to a peaceful transfer of power after the election. ♪ i am lauren taylor. this is al jazeera. also coming up. calm after a night of anger across the u.s. over decisision not to charge the police officers who shot dead breonna taylor. a record numbers of new coronavirus cases in the u.k. its government is not reacting fast enough.