>> that's it for bank's trip. here are the place s he visited.

>> more than a quarter of all cases in japan have been recorded in tokyo. officials confirmed more than

370 new cases in the city on tuesday. japan recorded over 2,000 infections on the day, bringing the overall tally to more than 150,000. over 2,200 people have died. the european union says u.s. drugmakers pfizer and moderna are seeking authorization for the conditional use of their coronavirus vaccines in the regional bloc. a second wave of infections has been spreading in europe since autumn began. but the number of new cases per day is decreasing in france spain, and italy. the european medicines agency said on tuesday that the two makers had submitted applications. pfizer is developing a vaccine along with germany's biontech. both parties have applied for a full authorization. their cases are currently under review. the agency will analyze the effectiveness and safety of the candidates.

it says it will decide whether to grant authorization to pfizer and biontech by december 29th and to moderna january 12th at the latest. the u.s. has signed deals to buy up to 300 million doses from pfizer and up to 160 million doses from moderna, if the vaccines are deemed suitable. according to data compiled by johns hopkins university in the united states, the global tally for coronavirus cases has climbed to 63.6 million and the global death toll has reached 1.47 million. public health officials and hospitals in the u.s. are scrambling to secure special ultralow temperature freezers. the units will be used to store supplies of the coronavirus vaccine that may become available in the coming days. the vaccine developed by u.s. drugmaker pfizer and german firm biontech will be distributed

in the u.s. starting on december 10th at the earliest. that's if the u.s. food and drug administration authoris emergency e. the developers say the vaccine can be stored for up to six months in temperatures between minus 60 and minus 80 degrees celsius. but its shelf life shortens to just five days when kept i convential refrigerators perts say this is becausthe vaine uses mrna molecules which are easily damaged if temperaturesren't closely monitored. ohio based freezer maker sterling ultracold says orders for special low temperature units have more than doubled from earlier this year. the company says customers will have to wait one month before their products are shipped. >> what we are trying to do is trying to ramp up to get through the backlog, reduce our lead times and make things much more available in support of broader vaccine diribution not only here in the u.s. b on a global basis.

>> the firm also says its factory is operating seven days a week and that it has increased its production line staff by 50%. the u.s. has recorded more than 13 million coronavirus cases according to data compiled by johns hopkins university. the global tally stands at over 63 million. united states has dealt a blow to president donald trump's efforts to overturn the results of the election last month. in an interview with the associated press, william barr said the justice department has found no evidence of widespread voter fraud. but trump's legal team says it will continue its fight. barr said the justice department and homeland security followed up on all claims of fraud, but nothing that would change the outcome of the election was

uncovered. he added that one assertion of systemic fraud, which would involve machines programmed to skew results, couldn't be substantiated. barr has been an ally of the president in the past, with president trump insisting he should lead any investigation into voting fraud. barr was criticized last month for authorizing prosecutors to investigate substantial allegations of irregularities if they existed before the election was certified and with no evidence. shortly after the interview was published, trump's attorney rudy giuliani issued a statement claiming that barr's opinion appears to be without any knowledge or investigation of the substantial irregularities and evidence of systemic fraud. trump allowed his administration to begin the transition process with joe biden's team. but he has still refused to formally concede.

the organization for economic cooperation and development expects the global economy to return to prepandemic level by next year. but not all countries will return at the same pace as covid continues to cast its shadow. the organization also expects the economies of countries such as south korea to reach precoronavirus levels next year. but other places will be slower to turn around. the oecd predicts japan's economy will shrink 5.3% this year. it sees the return deposit of growth in 2021, but the pace will only be 2.3%, even with the

potential boost from the tokyo olympics and pair olympics. the oecd is urging japan to focus on structural reforms. the body says economies will perform relatively well in nations that quickly distribute covid vaccines. the pandemic has hurt tourism around the world, including the luxury tourism sector, prompting some in the industry to come up with innovative ways to attract new business. in our next report, we see how a hotel in india is taking to the road to offer its guests a unique hospitality experience. >> reporter: the taj mahal is usually bustling with tourists. but this year it was closed to the public for six months due to the coronavirus. even when it reopened, there was a strict cap on tourist numbers

and almost no visitors came from abroad. >> translator: it has been tough. if tourists don't show up, i won't be able to stay in business. >> reporter: the hotel industry is also in a difficult situation. this global chain reopened one of its hotels near delhi in august. but occupancy is only one-third of last year. so it came up with a new concept to attract guests. converting a large bus into a hotel suite. guests sit in comfortable reclining seats. they can watch sports and play games on a 50-inch tv screen. the bus is also equipped with washroom facilities. a chef prepares gourmet legals, and there's a wide selection of

beverages. the bus starts moving and becomes a luxurious mobile hotel room. visitors can visit tourist spots not only on day trips but also on overnight excursions. they can travel safely by avoiding contact with people outside their social bubble. >> they experience the five star services in the closed door with their immediate family members or friends. >> reporter: the guests on this day are celebrating a birthday. the rate is $700 for an eight-hour day trip that takes the party of five to a nearby city. >> it's a new experience. it's something new we have not done before. it will give us privacy we need. yet, we won't be scared that there's so many people around. >> reporter: 11 groups have hopped on board the hotel on wheels since it went into

service three months ago. the hotel manager says there may be enough demand to add another bus. the business has value as a morale booster. >> i would say that's learning for us, getting into positive sentiment for the trade. that's the reason we launched this vehicle, to have some positive sentiment for the industry. >> now turning to world weather. with our meteorologist tsietsi monare. a cyclonic storm is developing near the east coast of india. what can you tell us about it? >> yeah, well, it's intensified to a cyclone. it was a tropical depression a couple of days ago. it's gotten stronger. looks like it's going to bring heavy rainfall to india, a place that is struggling with storms and trying to recover. a couple of days ago, about a week ago, they were dealing with a storm. no there is a new one and

it intensified, moving in a western direction. approving the coast of sri lanka by wednesday evening. thursday it will merge into the bay and by friday making landful to the southeastern parts of india. that is a place they have been dealing with flooding and mudslide due to heavy rainfall brought on by the storms. it's not welcome along those parts. we hope it doesn't have such devastating impacts. we hope people keep safe. the went conditions are going to continue to be quite changing in the southeast part of india. towards the far eastern side of asia, we see high pressure along the northeastern part of china, keeping things quiet and dry for the korean peninsula and west of japan. towards the eastern side, there could be unstable weather and showers due to a couple of low pressure systems. you expect temperatures to drop for tokyo and also up north into hokkaido.

expect sapporo to be 2 degrees. there could be snowfall in certain places and light showers are expected i along the kanto region. just be prepared. australia and down under will be hot. the heat wave is alleviated. low pressure system coming in bringing in odd showers. high pressure keeping things clear for the southern part. unstable weather will be developing towards new south wales and in towards victoria. major concerns with high temperatures, low 30s, maybe a little moisture will come by and thing also get better. things are looking better in new zealand. temperatures around 24. that's all your weather. take care.

before we go, a quick stop in tokyo bay, which appears to have regained its olympic mojo ahead of next year's games. a huge model of the event's five famous rings returned to the area on tuesday after nearly four months of maintenance. they were initially installed in january, but then removed in august for checks following the postponement of the olympics and paralympics. the good news is, they're back and better than before. both sides are now painted, allowing people to enjoy the colors from various angles. the rings will be on display

until the end of the olympics on august 8th. that concludes this edition of nhk "newsline." thank you very much for staying with us. ♪ welcome to "newsline in depth." as the covid-19 pandemic has spread around the world, few industries have remained unaffected. lockdown measures saw shopping malls empty, and sales dropping steeply. many brands and retailers opted to close brick and mortar outlets, turning their focus to online retail.

one exception has been japan's apparel brand, uniolo. it opened stores in tokyo and expanded. the aim is to become what it calls a real global company, but what does that mean? today, we meet a branding guru who is implementing that mission as the right-hand man of the chairman. he is renowned for his work for brands such as nike, microsoft and coca cola. in the five years since he joined the parent company of the uniqlo brand, he has been leading the company's efforts to achieve global ambitions through his role in charge of the creative. nhk world's yuko fukushima interviewed him in person and online to find out more about his vision. >> this pandemic has impacted

our lives so much. for you, how has it impacted your life? >> i've been in portland, one of my homes, one of my offices. i'm sitting in my studio now. this is the longest time that i have never traveled. this effect has changed things for everyone around the world in terms of the apparel industry. look at the luxury business. they are basicly the question that everyone has to ask themselves, no matter what segment of apparel you work in, the question is, why do we ist? do we offer something that is purposeful and meaningful and valuable for the people in our society? >> despite the pandemic, they unveiled a new store in tokyo, known internationally as the center of japanese youth culture and fashion. the store embodies john jay's vision. he believes having a physical presence is essential to tell consumers what the brand is all

about. he believes the future lies in integrating digital media with the actual sense of touch. on one wall, 240 display panels show photos of fashion styles. click on the panel to check availability. john c. jay was born to a family of chinese immigrants in ohio. he grew up in the back room of his parents' laundry business. his career as an art director started in the 1980s at the iconic new york department store bloomingdale's. in the mid '90s, he became the talk of the industry by bringing street culture to nike, which changed the brand's marketing strategy forever. he has been recognized as one of the ten most influential art directors of the past 50 years. he first worked with uniqlo in 1998. the brand opened its first urban store and he helped launch the

fleece campaign. >> very proud to be a part of it. that was the beginning of the message of made for all. we call it the fleece campaign. that was the product, of course. the deeper message was democracy. the message in that campaign was that everyone was equal. you look at the casting, no famous stars. maybe a feup and cing people. everyone was treated equal. a professor, a student, a factory worker, a construction worker, everyone was treated equal. >> the campaign had a huge impact, turning casualware into fashion. fleece was a huge hit, elevating the brand to a household name. they have been building up a strong relationship since the campaign. finally, nearly 15 years later, he joined the company in a newly established position as

president of global creative. his mission is to support the company and turn it into a global company, even though it has more than 2,000 stores in 24 countries and regions across the world. tokyo, new york and portland, he has offices in all three cities, working with teams in planning, design and public relations to develop strategies to visualize the message and connect with customers. made for all is an idea yunld lying the key concept, life wear. it's simple, everyday apparel to meet all the needs of daily life for everyone in the world. >> in an age where everything is marketing, in an age where everything is visual, in an age where everything is eye candy on social media and so forth, we are creating a brand with no logo, no physical identity.

it's radical because we start with respect of everyone. >> however, he feels the company is not ready to achieve its vision yet. >> despite all of the great advances this company has had, it's a japanese company, it's not a global company yet. our attempt to the change is ongoing. in order to change the way you work, you have to change the way you think. >> he believes creative thinking is one of the keys to becoming a real global company. his first and the biggest project was to conceptualize its new global headquarters and art center in tokyo. the centerpiece is the library. there are 25,000 books of all kinds from photo books, culture and history for the staff members to find inspiration.

many had been hand picked. it may be a long way before it becomes real global, but he says they have a big advantage as a japanese company. >> think about sustainability, a word that's so popular in marketing. in japan, sustainability has always been a part of your culture. this culture has high reverence for the environment, worships nature like a religion. we don't even need to talk about that, because it's embedded in the dna here. >> although retravels all over the world, his relationship with tokyo runs deep. whenever he stays in the city, he heads outside to discover what's happening in the youth culture. that's how he maintains his creativity and gains inspiration. >> we need to listen to the younger generation. the time of the baby boomers ruling the world, thankfully, is

being challenged through new ideas, through new technology, through new values. >> with the world changing so fast in terms of culture, technology and economy, how does he think his industry can prepare? >> the creative industry has to take divsity seriously. that is an important, important issue for all creative industries. i think we are about to enter one of the most creative eras in our lifetime, clearly. that's because new blood, new talent and new technology and consumers in the world changing so dramatically, it forces you as a creative person to adapt. >> i'm joined now by yuko fukushima. as we saw, he stressed the need for diversity. tell us, in what way does this matter to him and the company? >> yes. he says the apparel industry

needs to realize the world is more and more open to differences among the people and respect that. he says they need to build a production and sales strategy based on this concept. he says that will be one key for the company to become a real global company. >> investors as well as consumers are becoming more critical of the apparel industry's environmental impact and the way clothes are produced. in the past, they did come under scrutiny due to the severe conditions that garment workers at some of the contracted factories were forced to work under. >> in these days, investors are more and more sensitive to issues like environment, society, and it's not just enough for them to improve their brand image. they have to take action on how their goods are produced. >> women make up approximately 80% of the workforce in the garment industry.

they have partnered with u.n. women on a project to improve working conditions and provide capacity building for women working at suppliers, factories around asia. i say so because i covered it. perhaps this could be one example of them demonstrating their resolve to change. >> this could be a step forward. >> what about sustainability? he said it's embedded in japanese culture. how can japanese companies turn this to their advantage in doing business? >> i think it's reflected in the japanese, because they cherish things by repairing or reusing it in different ways even if they break or fall apart. one way in which japanese firms can compete in this global environment and gain a competitive advantage is by combining the concept of sustainability with the state-of-the-art technology they have.

>> talking about japanese culture here in this studio, we are not far from the center of japan's youth culture. >> yes. this small tokyo neighborhood has exuded huge influence on global fashion in recent years. >> will japanese youth culture and japanese culture in general continue to be a source of inspiration for fashion and global art? >> he says young people and their culture mirrors the age we live in. in that sense, he says they will always be an inspiration -- a source of inspiration. he has been observing tokyo for decades, even before he lived in tokyo for six years in the 1990s. he is worried now. to him, it seems the young people in japan have lost passion for life and the future.

>> i'm sure he has a number of thoughts and insights he wants to share with young people drawing on his own experiences. >> yes. there is a well known list of ten phrases among young artists that he has come up with. i will share two. one is, get off the computer and connect with real people and culture. life is visceral. the other one is, travel as much as you can. it's a humbling and inspiring experience to learn just how much you don't know. >> right. >> obviously, the pandemic has interrupted people traveling and meeting up with people. i think this is his way of saying to think outside the box, be curious and be creative. >> definitely adjusting not only for apparel industry but for the artists as well. >> i'm sure he will be closely watching how the youth culture

evolves in this era of the covid. >> we will keep an eye on that. thank you, yuko. >> thank you. >> that's it for today's edition of "newsline in depth." thank you for watching and see you again next time.

♪ >> no evidence of fraud. attorney general william barr's comment -- to overturn the election defeat. ♪ this is al jazeera live from doha. also coming up. >> this team will always be there for you and your families. >> a promise to fight back against the fallout of the pandemic. president-elect joe