viewed it is -- roswell ripley. it is my understanding the city got a call and a complaint and they took the marker down viewed i want to get your thoughts -- the marker down. i want to get your thoughts on the removal of this marker from roswell ripley's birthplace. >> i'm afraid i don't know about it. what was in the discussion that it is worthy of removal? >> you might tell people who roswell ripley was. >> he was born in worthington and graduated from west point. he served in the mexican war. it is my understanding and you can correct me if i am wrong, he eventually was stationed in charleston, he met a woman whose father owned, i believe, maybe two plantations. he sort of became indoctrinated to that way of life. when the south seceded, he resigned from the union army and joined the confederate army. he actually commanded the artillery that bombarded fort sumter. he served in army, was wounded, and put in charge of the defense of charleston. i will begin with the part -- it says he resigned. >> i will just say

will ripley, cnn, tokyo. >>> the u.s.shortage of personal protective equipment as the number of coronavirus cases continues to grow. but in this new shelter in place reality everyday heroes are making the best of their situation by lending a helping hand. cnn's fredricka whitfield explains. >> reporter: normally on a tuesday 12-year-old vince would be in gym class. now these are far from normal tuesdays. so vince is working his makeshift assembly line in the family kitchen, using a 3-d printer he got when he was 9 and another one donated by the library where his mom works. vince is making ppe face masks for those fighting the pandemic. >> so this is the thing you that take off the 3-d printer. >> reporter: the sixth-grader got motivated after a neighbor, who's a nurse, put out a plea for ppe. >> i put a post on facebook saying if you have a 3-d printer or if you can sew we could use the mask, these eye shields. >> i watch her dog when she goes on vacations. and like i thought it would just be another thing to help and lik

will ripley joins us live from tokyo. third day in a row. >> reporter: yeah, actually the fifth day in a row. i've lost count as well, michael. it's been five days in a row that the numbers keep going up here in tokyo, which is certainly not the track they want to see. they're trying to flatten the curve, the exact opposite is happening here. the social distancing measures this week, not entirely effective. people are still going to work. they're still taking public transportation. i think tokyo is trying, but a lot of people, frankly, don't know what to do. their employers still want them to go to the office. they feel they don't have a choice. one thing japan is optimistic is about is this drug made by a japanese company, fuji film called avigan. shinzo abe is so confident he's giving away scores of it for free, and clinical trials are set to begin in the united states. as the world battles the novel coronavirus pandemic, u.s. president donald trump and japanese prime minister shinzo abe are peddling possible treatments

will ripley is joining us now live from tokyo. what more can you tell us about this drug?the concerns surrounding it? >> reporter: epidemiologists are telling me, wolf, that because it's going to take likely such a long time to develop a vaccine if that ever happens the best hope now is to find an existing drug that works to treat the novel coronavirus. and shinzo abe is so confident that this drug, avigan holds promise he's giving it away to 20 countries for free and clinical trials are soon beginning in massachusetts. as the world battles the novel coronavirus pandemic, u.s. president donald trump and japanese prime minister shinzo abe are peddling possible treatments. trump is touting malaria drug hydroxychloroquine, despite slim evidence it's actually effective against the virus. >> what do you have to lose? i'll say it again. what do you have to lose? >> reporter: for abe, it's anti-flu drug, avigan, made by fuji film. we will triple the current stockpile of avigan and expand the use for 2 million people, he says. researchers point out key differences between the pill

will ripley there in tokyo for us. good to see you, will. thanks for that.ng to take a short break. when we come back, covid-19 has forced art museums around the world to close their doors. but you're not locked out. we're going to take a look at the new way galleries are showing their works when we come back. when our daughter and her kids moved in with us... our bargain detergent couldn't keep up. turns out it's mostly water. so, we switched back to tide. one wash, stains are gone. daughter: slurping don't pay for water. pay for clean. it's got to be tide. it's only human to find inspiration in nature. and also find answers. our search to transform... ...farm waste into renewable natural gas led chevron to partner with california bioenergy. working to provide an alternative source of power... ...for a cleaner way forward. >>> you'll enjoy this story. as art museums stay shuttered over the coronavirus pandemic, major planned exhibitions are now popping up online. galleries throughout europe and the united states rushing to consolidate online viewer experien

will ripley reporting live in tokyo.will. >>> up next, a new way to spread the message of safety against the very deadly coronavirus. ♪ everybody keep your face mask on ♪ >> doug e. fresh is standing by to join us. stay with us, you're in "the situation room." allstate has been helping customers overcome catastrophes for 89 years. we move quickly and put people first. as the coronavirus is keeping many americans at home, we are driving less and having fewer accidents. so we created the "shelter-in-place payback" to give our auto insurance customers more than $600 million dollars to help them in these challenging times. if you're an allstate customer, go to the allstate app or allstate.com this is what it means to be in good hands. >>> so, how many times have you heard the advice, wash your hands and do it a lot? if you're still not clear on that, maybe this will help. ♪ yo, what's up, y'all, this is doug e. fresh coming at you with a message ♪ ♪ you got to hear ♪ everybody, keep your face mask on, don't take it off becau

musher mr ripley for. the. senior. school not sure sure because all the stores store sure for sure since i'm pretty upset i did. does a stool to. destroy list for her bad new book will show the best dose of. the most. clearly a better community. than the 3 in the queue and. no one. simply good as the board book you start off a little on. the left but a little of the slow a. lot. of the people. of color you. must not more than. a speech or a social media if you look. just a few. days it. says it all told me at. 48. something. like that sam. on the. local just an old man. i'm still got yes but he also me up on the show doesn't know we're still a lot because i. use them up a ship and you just put sample. you put it's not just one cuts the most and you will not only know the full not so there is too much stuff and it takes 2 to when i see you over the call or just. right. i'll be done this cold day i die and i hope not i hope i don't have to spend my days gonna save dogs you know you can't save more and then you ride by ba

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will ripley, cnn, tokyo. >>> here in france. we have not yet reached the peak of the coronavirus epidemic. there is still a way to go and that's after a spike in the number of deaths in the last 24 hours as oppose to previous days which the number of deaths was going down as was the number of admissions to the intensive care units. in that regard, the mayor of paris said today there is going to be no further sport activities between the hour of 10:00 in the morning and 7:00 p.m. at night. there were far too much socializing going on and not enough social distancing. another regard is showing how much confinement is going to affect everybody here. the mayor of nice and paris are distributing masks. we don't know what kind of masks but it will be distributed to all citizens and they are supposed to be worn when you are out in public places. >> jim bitterman. >>> i am fred pleitgen in berlin. >> reporter: more elderly are coming down with the virus. it is creeping into retirement homes. one of the things about germany is it had a l

mushroom mr ripley for. the bulls don't like to see. a senior. school not sure sure because all the stores store sure for sure since i'm pretty new at that i did see a quarter. of borgata. does a stool to often sell for your problem. or. valuable commercial to get the stones but. they are the most. clearly a brick and you. could use them in the trade in the key and. no one on the simply good of the stuff not on. the must do it all the what. 10 years not. more than a post. that clearly he. lost not mine. speech or social media if you look. this is one of the yes. 48. comments of the 1000 pandemic change the international system u.s. training relations been altered in is the west experiencing fires remain the. same wrong. just don't all. get to shape out. and engage equals betrayal. when so many find themselves worlds apart. just to look for common ground. just don't keep this. c.v. going to see i think if you see she's going to do something nice for me. to take the safe little chef walk next don't. give us advice and see if. this were the. greetin

cnn's bill ripley is joining us from tokyo. there has been a lot of concerns about kim jong-un's health ever since he missed the celebration of his grandfather back on april 4 15th. what more do we know right now? you have been to north korea 20 times over the past few years. wa what do we know? >> reporter: it is a very definitive statement, wolf, that they say they are basing on the fact on any unusual movement where kim jong-un is believed to be right now. his train is at the spot of the supreme court leadership next to his luxurious beach front compound where a place he spent many summer as a child and he goes there quite often. he flies there and we don't know if he flew in. the train is there for different reasons. south korea has an optimistic spin on a lot of things. that i were optimistic throughout the entire falling apartment of the diplomatic process with the u.s. saying there was hope that -- kim jong-un and president trump reportedly still have some what more relationship although north korea did deny president tr

mushroom mr ripley from. a senior. school now sure sure. sure sure sure since i'm pretty new at that i did see a. dozen. or. venue but most of the best dancers but. most. of the community. just sort of in the kinda. no one the most simply good of the blue book you start off not on the bus to the left but a little of the what a. lot of. people just. the pull he is a cool horse principles a good mentor from last night more than all small speech or social media if you're the woman you know. just a few. days in yeah just thanking me and i still might get rich because the steamship says it all the old b.s. the bottom. 48 in. place and. join me every thursday on the alec side. i'm sure i'll be speaking to get out of the world of politics sports business i'm show business i'll see that. the world is driven by shaped by fun person. no dares thinks. we dare to ask. the outbreak of the spread of the corona virus has become a black swan event for the global economy and is no longer whether the u.s. and other economies will slip into recession the ques

musher mr ripley from. the bills don't like to see. a senior. school national should be deliberate in your because all school store shutter for since you put it that i did see your quarter. doesn't steal to often so for your problems with. distrust for. bad you'd be commercial to convince themselves that. they are the most. clearly of the community. in the key and. no one on the simply road to the border stuff not on honesty must put all of the what so that it. can use not. worth a post. so clearly he is the. last night of my own small speech or something will need if you know. just a few. days yeah just that he stole my gear it's because i stay in shape since that awful thing you have bought. for. him. thinking of getting abused coming once we got our shit out why he didn't know it's still trapped in this tiny little wired we don't need a crate with him he will just stir freaking out and she will want to spray him anywhere near fells and saluting dogs like caged in the into lane conditions on puppy farms i mean 67 years you know they've been lo

not sure mr ripley from. the blues don't like that don't skip it see. a senior. school national should be deliberate in your because all schools store sure for sure since i'm pretty new at that i did see a quarter. dozen steel to often sell for your problems with. bad if we can show to convince themselves. they are the most. clearly a better community. in the key and. no one on the simply good of the board. not on. us but a little of the what. can you not. more than a post. is a poorly he. must not mind all small speech or something we need if you know. just a few. days yeah just that he stole my idea rich because the stench of this is so awful to hear about. for a bit. i do. is sleep. every soul cycle while you're 18 with. the lake police is found by taking the city's usually the police. to take the safe will ship flock as it did next you don't. get a solution safety feature. clearly. join me every 1st day on the alex island shore and i'll be speaking to the world of politics or i'm sure i'll see you there. in the stories that shaped the way karen r.t. moscow ro

will ripley for us. >>> across the world, leaders hoping to stop the spread are encouraging their citizens to follow safety measures. but the presidents of three countries are strangely sending a different message. matt rivers shows us who they are. >> reporter: these three men, presidents of brazil, nicaragua and bell ruse, they'se three presidents are not. >> start in brazil where the president was out and about this week on thursday visiting a bakery, taking photos, draws crowds. the kind of stuff he's been doing in public for weeks now. brazil has recorded more than 1,000 deaths, nearly 20,000 cases. the health minister has urged lockdown measures be put in place, but the president has said he's more worried about the economy. you don't shut down a car factory because of car accidents, he said. further north in nicaragua, the president hasn't been seen in public since this military parade on february 21st. so the response to this outbreak has come from his wife, the vice president, who regularly says

mushroom mr ripley from. the bills don't like to see. a senior. school national should be deliberate in your because almost all store. since i'm pretty new at that i did see a quarter. of what we're gonna. does a stool to often sell for your problems with. distrust for. value but most of the best dancers. they are the most. clearly of the community. could use them in the fray and i kinda. know one on the simply rode it out of the stuff not on honesty must put all of the what. can you not. for the people just. so cool he. must not mind all small speech or something we need if you know. just a few. lazy just that i suppose they get rich because they still. do it on the open yet. for a whole. week anomic system known as competent as in has generated more wealth than any other system in history in many ways it is defined maternity itself hundreds of millions have been lifted out of poverty however capitalism has also witnessed growing income inequality thus the appeal of socialism currently on the rise can count. welcome to maximize their financial su

mushroom mr ripley for. a senior. school now sure sure. sure sure. since i'm pretty upset i did your quarter. well we're gonna. doesn't need to. destroy us for. bad if we can push on to the stones. they are the most. clearly a better community. in the key and. no one on the simply good of the border stuff not on honesty enough but a little of the what. it is not. a cool he is a cool hunter. he must not mind all small speech or social media if you know. just a few. days him yeah just that he stole my idea rich because the stench of this is what i told him he asked me about. for a decade and i do. is sleep. join me every thursday on the alex simon show and i'll be speaking to guests of the world of politics small business i'm show business i'll see you then. thinking of getting a new book on the ones we got in here shot from the out why he didn't know until he was trapped in this time you know why are we going to use a crate with him he will just start freaking out and he will want to spray him anywhere near and thousands of breeding dogs are caged in

will ripley joins us now.ill, north korea, as we said and always say, is the black box of intelligence for foreign service. but there is an absence of public view. explain to us with all your traveling there and covering this country, how unusual is that silence? >> reporter: i think the fact that north korea has not responded nearly a week after you broke the story about the u.s. intelligence that he might be in grave danger after surgery, jim, might be very telling. silence speaks volumes. north korea reported in less than a day after president trump said that he received a letter from kim jong-un, they denied that the very next day. but they're not saying anything substantive about this. you and i know any kind of greetings he would send to other world workers, these are things people sign off on. they are now a denial of stories that are circulating from one end of the spectrum to another all over the world that he's hiding out with coronavirus or that he's at death's door. i give not a lot of it much cred

will ripley, thank you. paula hancocks, over to you. the reaction in south korea as will said is pretty self-explanatory. tell us what they're saying. >> reporter: robyn, at this point south korean officials are saying things very differently telling jim sciutto. they say there is no unusual activity. they tell cnn that they believe kim jong-un is not in pyongyang. he's elsewhere in the country. it's quite unusual to give journalists that level of detail that they believe at this point. they say no unusual signs are being detected. they are playing this down at this point. many experts that i've been speaking to as well to wonder whether or not his health is in such a serious prediction amount, but they all point to the fact that it was unusual that on april 15th, one of the most important days in the north korean calendar, the birthdate of the founder of the country, kim jong-un's grandfather, that he was not publicly seen or mentioned. just the day before -- something that he would ordinarily be at. it's quite often that he is physica

. >> cnn's will ripley joins us now live from tokyo. we noticed from the beginning in north korea the blackest of all boxes when it comes to foreign intelligence services, but there is some guessing in south korea and other intelligence officials about the possibility, at least, that covid could be related to this, some theorizing that kim is hiding, hunkering down, protecting himself? is there any substance to that? >> we just don't know, jim. as you correctly stated, aside from the u.s. intelligence you first reported a week ago, it's all secondhand information we're hearing. yes, there is a theory right now that kim jong-un might be hiding out at his luxurious compound. there is evidence his boat might have been out on the water in the last few days. maybe he's there because he doesn't want to get hit by the covid-19 pandemic, which north korea doesn't hasupposedly have single case, but we may have incorrect reporting on that. does he have the pandemic? is he just hiding from cameras right now? we don't know the answer. what we do kn

will ripley has covered north korea on 19 separate trips there and he joins us now from tokyo. jong-un ever disappeared for this long, will? >> reporter: he did vanish from sight for 40 days back in 2014. however, it was not like this. in terms of the speculation, and the conflicting reports from one end of the spectrum that he's perfectly find to the complete other end of the spectrum that the situation is beyond horrible for kim jong-un. i think a lot of these reports are based on second-hand information because well-placed sources i have been speaking with since tuesday that the u.s. is monitoring intelligence that kim jong-un is in grave danger after surgery, these are people who are usually in the know and they have no idea. because nothing is more secretive in this -- one of the world's most secretive countries than the health of their leader. they're not going to really tell anyone anything until they're nice and ready. so on state media, you have these reports that kim jong-un sent a greeting to someone or sent, you know, regards to someone else. these are, you know, el

for more on this, let's turn to cnn's will ripley joining us from tokyo. a delicate topic but a very real problem. >> reporter: it is. and just as in every country around the world, these are people who often put themselves at risk for infection. but when you have a pandemic and there's no known effective treatment or cure, you have a whole group of people, 300,000 of them here in japan alone, who have to make a very tough choice aven every day. should they put their health and their family's health at risk or food on the table. the rain normally doesn't keep people away from kabuki-c hflho. the cold wet streets were always full, just like the shops lining these dimly-lit halls. prostitution is against the law in japan. but everybody knows what's really for sale. fast forward to five years, 2020, coronavirus is doing what the rain cannot. turning off the neon lights. in all my years of living in tokyo, i've never seen kabuki-cho this empty. normally these streets are lined with women trying to lure people into their shops. the shops are closed now and the

cnn's will ripley is joining us live from tokyo. good to see you, will.t's start with those new figures. they really do show quite a spike. >> reporter: you know every day, michael, we're seeing a new record daily increase of the number of cases here in japan. but when you look it he overall numbers they are actually smaller than a hot of other countries, and some are saying that has to do with extremely limited testing here in japan. only about 7,000 people have been tested here in tokyo. 69,000 people tested nationwide, raising the question, why is the japanese government focussing so little on testing while they are focussing on expanding the production of an unproven drug that prime minister shinzo abe thinks could help patients with coronavirus. as the world battles the novel coronavirus pandemic, u.s. president donald trump and japanese prime minister shinzo abe are peddling possible treatments. trump is touting malaria drug hydroxychloroquine, despite slim evidence it's actually feffectie against the virus. >> what do you have to lose? >> reporter:

cnn's will ripley reports.t is abundantly clear right now that something major is happening inside north korea ever sense. cnn's jim sciutto broke the story that the u.s. is monitoring intelligence that north korean leader kim jong un's health may be in grave danger after a surgical procedure. state media inside north korea has been radio silent business as usual they have not confirmed they have not denied haven't said anything. so we have to look at clues, including these new satellite images released by us think tank 38 north they show what appears to be kim jong un's train at his compound in the north korean coastal city of one side is a beachfront luxurious compound where kim jong-un spent his summers as a child it's a place he loves to be. he's also conducting a number of missile tests from that location. but the significance of that rain being there now is that it lends credibility to reports that kim jong-un is their reports in south korea and other places but the presence of that rain either proves or

also, will ripley standing by in tokyo. will has reported from north korea 19 times. so, will, we'll start with you. there are unconfirmed reports which, on one extreme, say kim could be brain dead. on the other hand, nothing to see here. the only way we'll know for certain is if the north koreans decide they want us to know? >> it's absolutely the bottom line, john. and this is nothing new when it comes to north korea and rumors a about assassinations and executions. even kim jong un's own health, there were rumors swirling back in 2014 only to reemerge in state media walking with a cane after suffragergery to his foot. any time kim jong un disappears, there is a veil of secrecy surrounding that country, you are going to have conflicting reports, speculation and, frankly, we have no way to determine, until there is some sort of official announcement, what is true and what is not. >> and, paula, one indication, often, that there is trouble or uncertainty in north korea is some kind of mobilization of the military. are we seeing that? are we seeing increase in troop re

will ripley reported from inside north korea 19 times since 2014.e's following this mystery from tokyo. so will, you're our go-to guy here. you have seen so much in north korea. what are you seeing this morning that telling you something extraordinary might be happening? >> reporter: good morning, well, look. even when kim jong-un vanished from public site for 40 days in 2014 and he was recovering from surgery, it was nothing like this in terms of the speculation and the conflicting reports running the full spectrum of him being fine to being at death's door. these are reports that i suspect are based on secondhand information apt jim sciutto received information from u.s. intelligence they were monitoring information that kim jong-un's health informs grave danger after a surgical procedure. rumors are spreading like wildfire. i have well-placed source who is have no idea, days after jim's report, what is happening with kim jong-un's health. the reason for that is that only a very small group of people have direct knowledge. so i frankly am take ing

for more on this, let's turn to cnn's will ripley who joins us live from tokyo.t's a delicate issue and a real problem for some. >> reporter: this is a large group of people here in japan and around the world, michael, who typically don't have a voice. an estimated 300,000 sex workers in japan are having to find other ways to make a living. once the brothels close they're going directly to people's homes, putting their clients a themselves at risk. rain normally doesn't keep people away from kabuki-cho. i remember my first visit here five years ago. the cold, wet streets of this sleepless town were always full, just like the shops lining these dimly-lit halls. prostitution is against the law in japan, but everythibody real knows what's for sale. fast forward to 2020, coronavirus is doing what the rain cannot, turning off the neon lights. in all my years of living in tokyo, i've never seen kabuki-cho this empty. normally these streets are lined with women trying to lawyer customers into their shops. the shops are closed now and the women have to find other ways, m

will ripley, cnn, tokyo. >>> you are watching cnn. to come, another painful reality of this pandemic. millions more americans will lose their jobs. next, the government's latest move to try to prop up the faltering economy. next cnn goes into a refriger e refrigerated warehouse set aside for victims. [spoken] i am totally blind. and non-24 can throw my days and nights out of sync, keeping me from the things i love to do. talk to your doctor, and call 844-214-2424. neutrogena® rapid wrinkle repair®. we've got the retinol that gives you results in one week. not just any retinol. accelerated retinol sa. one week is all it takes. neutrogena®. yeah. this moving thing never gets any easier. well, xfinity makes moving super easy. i can transfer my internet and tv service in about a minute. wow, that is easy. almost as easy as having those guys help you move. we are those guys. that's you? the truck adds 10 pounds. in the arms. -okay... transfer your service online in a few easy steps. now that's simple, easy, awesome. transfer your service i

it was will ripley reporting for us tonight from tokyo.ne small businesses getting creative to stay afloat how this repair company is incorporating dinosaur costumes to its deliveries and some good news coming out of it wow! i'm original. one of a kind. you feel me? love ya'. oop! you look cute. better than you! wherever drama pops off pop my 100% all-white-meat classic or spicy popcorn chicken combo for just $5.99. is so irresistible, you'll wanna eat them anywhere, so don't resist! pop 'em outside, or on the go, or on the way home! pop my 100% all-white-meat classic or spicy popcorn chicken combo for just $5.99. has been under national quarantine ever since march 9th and now it's numbers of new cases and deaths. >>are declining despite the physical distancing restrictions italian say they understand their sacrifices are for the greater good. >>here's been women with more. >>for more than 6 weeks lockdown has been a way of life times. and while elsewhere there in protests calling foh a return to normal life. >>quite too late to and and i

will ripley there live in tokyo. also, paula hancocks there for us live in seoul. thanks to you both. >> well, with his back to the war on the pandemic and his eye on the upcoming election, donald trump playing the immigration card. a closer look at why, when we come back. let's be honest. quitting smoking is hard. like, quitting every monday hard. quitting feels so big. so try making it smaller, and you'll be surprised at how easily starting small can lead to something big. start stopping with nicorette. what does an apron have to do with insurance? an apron is protection. an apron is not quitting until you've helped make something better. what does an apron have to do with insurance? for us, especially right now, everything. ♪ make it tough to take care of yourself, that's why you can rely on nature's bounty... to give you the support you need... to stay motivated keep active and sleep well. add a little more health to your day... with nature's bounty. there will be parades and sporting events and concerts. to help our communities when they come back together, go

unconcerned or unaware of the danger of the virus spreading in this city. >> strong reporting, will ripley. thank you for that update. >>> former democratic presidential candidate, andrew yang is with us this hour, in his own words describing house he has been the target of racist attacks related to the coronavirus. >>> but first, what will the pandemic mean for the week ahead on wall street? cnn's chief business correspondent, christine romans has your before the bell report. christine? >> the first quarter was disastrous for stocks and it's hard to say if april through june will be any better. the dow recorded its worst start to a year in history, down more than 23%. the s&p 500 plunged 20%, its worst quarter since the financial crisis. so where does the market go from here? many analysts expect to see stocks under pressure, especially as the economic data worsens. last week, a shock iing 6.6 million americans filed for first-time jobless benefits. that shattered the prior week's record of 5.3 million. the jobs report didn't capture the worst of the layoffs, because the survey was taken

will ripley is joining us from tokyo. we don't know much right now. of all about the north korean leader's condition? >> it's been clear because there's been radio silence with barely a mention or significant mention of kim jong-un since jim first broke the story and he might be in grave condition after a surgical procedure. and because it is so secretive, particularly concerning matters of their leader's health. and we're seeing new satellite images posted by 38 north, showing what appears to be kim jong-un's train near his compound. in the space that is reserved for the supreme leadership when they travel through the country by train. now, obviously this doesn't prove or disprove anything about kim jong-un's health. kim jong-un usually prefers to fly there. he flies his home plane there. however, if he has had a surgical procedure, it's possible he would be unable to fly. and if he needs to make a trip, the train might be one way to do that. they can probably get him there a little faster by car if they needed to. trains are also used in north korea

cnn's will ripley joins me live from tokyo.ple in japan not taking this state of emergency seriously enough? am i misreading what we see there? >> reporter: i think the problem is, jake, a lot of people don't have a choice. 80% of japanese companies aren't allowed to keep them at home. for companies that tell people they have to go to work they don't have a choice. the number of commuters is down, not close to the 70-to-80% the japanese government says needs to be reduced in order to stop this city from having 10,000 infections in two weeks and 80,000 cases potentially in a month. i'm talking to an epidemiologist who says nothing short of a total lock downwill accomplish that. the japanese prime minister is balancing public health with the economy, if the cases skyrocket here like we are seeing in other countries. tokyo's numbers are several weeks behind cities like new york and what not. jake, i also spoke with a coronavirus market who says she was tested. she's showing symptoms. sheff has to wait ten days to get her results i

i want to go to cnn's will ripley joining us from tokyo.'ve been tracking this controversy surrounding china's wet markets. how is china responding to all of the global pressure right now? >> reporter: i think china is trying. and they have been for years, wolf, to modernize their wet markets, which were a crucial part of their food distribution system. you can compare them to farmers markets in the u.s. the people go there because it's more affordable, it's fresh, you can talk to the vendor, know who you're buying from. ten this there are wildlife markets that china has tried to make illegal. they've failed. they're still operating, we believe. experts say that they are a breeding ground for disease. across china as the novel coronavirus pandemic slows down, the wet markets are opening back up. for many in asia, they're the only affordable source of fresh produce, meat and seafood. but at this now closed wet market in wuhan, the original epicenter, wild animals were also for sale last year. cnn is not able to independently verify these gra

we begin with will ripley who has reported from north korea 19 times in the past six years. good to see you both. will, there is a lot of conflicting information out there about kim jong-un's health right now. what are you hearing? >> reporter: well, the two highly placed sources who are usually in the know about this kind of thing, when i reached out to them in the early minutes of the reporting before he went to air with it, they were startled, they were shocked, they had not heard anything about it. that does not mean that it's not true. it does not mean that kim jong-un's health is -- you know, is or is not in jeopardy. this is a leader who, you know, you can see visibly from his public hearings has gained a considerable amount of weight. around 5'7", 300 pounds. he's also a heavy smoker. he is often seen in state media with a cigarette in his hand. he struggled at times when he was seen at the interkorean summit when he was, you know, digging the hole for a tree with the south korean president moon jae-in who was having an easier time. the point is, the guy's not health

will ripley in tokyo, thank you for your report, will. >>> next here, sean penn is teaming up with the. to get more people tested. we'll tell you what his non-profit group is doing right after a short break. you should be mad at forced camaraderie. and you should be mad at tech that makes things worse. but you're not mad, because you have e*trade, who's tech makes life easier by automatically adding technical patterns on charts and helping you understand what they mean. don't get mad. get e*trade's simplified technical analysis. let's be honest. quitting smoking is hard. like, quitting every monday hard. quitting feels so big. so try making it smaller, and you'll be surprised at how easily starting small can lead to something big. start stopping with nicorette. starting small can lead to something big. ♪ ♪all strength ♪we ain't stoppin' believe me♪ ♪go straight till the morning look like we♪ ♪won't wait♪ ♪we're taking everything we wanted♪ ♪we can do it ♪all strength, no sweat and the clock could be ticking towards bad breath, receding gums and possibly tooth loss. help turn back the c

cnn's will ripley has covered north korea from the inside on 19 separate trips. he joins us now from tokyo. 19 trips inside in north korea,t i'm sure it's difficult to figure out what's going on here, will. >> reporter: just as clueless today as i was 19 trips ago when it comes to the exact details with regard to kim jong-un. nothing is a more closely guarded secret than the health of kim jong-un. even his movements are kept secret. i will say a couple of things, one, i wouldn't read too much into the fact that there are, you know, announcements in state media that kim jong-un is sending a greeting here or there. these are encrypted messages that other people sign off on. what we need from the north koreans is either a confirmation or a denial or laying out the facts of what is going on with kim jong-un's health. it's been silent that the story has been broke that the u.s. intelligence is monitoring reports that the north korean leader is in grave condition. it's usual that it's gone on this long with no comment. there are all of these conflicting reports. and i

cnn's will ripley joins me live from tokyo.s fear the death toll could be so high in japan? >> reporter: it's a staggering number, jake. this is the health ministry's worst case scenario. they have a long way to go in reduction of human to human contact. some social distancing measures are already in place. i think realistically they're not expecting 400,000 people to die. but they are expecting a huge number of people to die in this country if much more dramatic steps are not taken immediately to slow the spread of the virus. the problem is they've had a really hard time with the messaging to the public, jake, messaging that only really began after the announcement of the postponement of the 2020 winter olympics. the government was focus on a strategy of minimal testing, contact tracing, a strategy that was convenient for the government when they were trying to save the olympics but now they've found themselves with an artificially low number of cases and no real idea how much the virus is spreading. and japan needs to bolster

will ripley. cnn. tokyo. >> the coronavirus has shut professional sports down, for now.se to a million people on instagram are still getting their basketball fix. more on one impersonator's megastar moves coming up. is ma. but right now, our bond is fraying. how do we get back to "us"? the y fills the gaps. and bridges our divides. donate to your local y today. because where there's a y, there's an us. hold on one second... sure. okay... okay! safe drivers save 40%!!! guys! guys! check it out. safe drivers save 40%!!! safe drivers save 40%! safe drivers save 40%!!! that's safe drivers save 40%. it is, that's safe drivers save 40%. - he's right there. - it's him! he's here. he's right here. - hi! - hi. hey! - that's totally him. - it's him! that's totally the guy. safe drivers do save 40%. click or call for a quote today. for adults with moderately to severely active crohn's disease, stelara® works differently. studies showed relief and remission, with dosing every 8 weeks. stelara® may lower your ability to fight infections and may increase your risk of infections and ca

will ripley joins me now from tokyo. saying tokyo could be the next new york is a strong statement.t more can you tell us on that? >> what this doctor said, fred, is tokyo's infection rate is where new york was just a matter of weeks ago. last week around this time it was 40 people a day becoming infected. today the number shot up to 118. nearly triple. tokyo is trying to flatten the curve. the exact opposite appears to be happening and, frankly, this city is not prepared if, indeed, a large-scale pandemic is coming. this is what doctors call a mild case of novel coronavirus. >> your cough sounds very painful. >> reporter: ise watanabe struggles to breathe as he speaks to us. he's 40, a nonsmoker, in good health. when asked for a coronavirus test, he says he was turned down. how long did it take before they actually allowed you to get tested for coronavirus? five days you had to wait for that test? watanabe says he infected at least two people that he knows of during that time. is that a problem? >> it is a huge problem. >> reporter: kobe university infection control specialist is w

will ripley is following the story in tokyo. will, hi.to bring us this news, and it is staggering, isn't it? >> reporter: it is, robyn. just reporting in japan, reported on nhk and other japanese media within the last hour or so, that a panel commissioned by the japanese health ministry estimates without social distancing measures, a staggering 400,000 people could die in japan, largely the result of a lack of ventilators in this country. there are only about 22,000 ventilators available nationwide at last count for a country of 126 million people. this is a country that delayed its coronavirus response as it was fighting to keep the tokyo 2020 olympics on schedule. after the olympics were postponed, the government started to increase its messaging, but some analysts are fearful that the messaging reached a lot of people too late. we saw people who were out and about, people who are still going to work on crowded subway trains because 80% of japanese companies are not equipped to allow people to work from home. and now you have this warni

right now estimates to ripley 10000 u.s. health care workers reported having a covert 927 to died from an as of mid april just in the united states but they strongly say that the actual figures to that number may actually be even higher than that but those are just the low and estimates it's really i mean it blows my mind when you think about it like other countries around the world they actually some of them even pay people to go to nursing school they actually you know pay they cover that cause you go to the u.k. you can go to nursing school you can go to they cover the cost you know why it to me and it just irks me so much that we are such a. we just don't care about people in this country that sort of says to me it's like we we don't know what will you get aren't you going to go out and become a doctor on your own you know even though you're going to do a job that's going to help people it's just it's not don't think people recognize the amount of attention that needs to be paid to this because i know when i was in under

krc cnn's will ripley has been monitoring the governments. >> reporter: and it is important to differentiate between the wet markets that are so common and so necessary for tense of millions of chinese who rely on them as the only affordable source of fresh meat and seafoo are currently illegal and difficult to control because of the fact that china does have an appetite for exotic meat. so it is not uncommon to see dog, cats and snakes and endangered animals for sale. of course in the wuhan market where wild animals are for sale and are believed to have transmitted the novel coronavirus to humans, that is why you have dr. fauci basically condemning this and saying that countries like china and others in asia can that have this sort of practice need to shut these markets down. but it is not quite so simple and we have to be careful because sometimes people use these wet markets and the kinds of meats that are very unusual for people in the west but very common here in asia, they use them to launch these kind of racist attacks. like senator lindsey graham rantsi i ranting about chinese people

. >> reporter: i'm will ripley in tokyo where a panel of government experts is warning without socialdistancing measures, 400,000 people could die of coronavirus in this country in the coming months, largely due to a lack of ventilators and a shortage of icu beds. u.s. forces japan expanded the emergency for the entire country. previously, it was in effect for the region which includes tokyo but now all of skrjapan is a puc health emergency by armed forces which gives more authority to enforce social distancing measures in effect for more than 50,000 u.s. troops and all the people working on military bases here in japan. >> reporter: i'm scott mclean in madrid where some non-essential workers back on the job despite eu guidance suggesting the country should only ease restrictions if they see a sustained decrease in cases, a stable health care system and are doing widespread testing. public health expert we spoke with said the state has fallen short on all three measures, including using hotels as hospital wards and struggled to ramp up the testing capacity. it has boosted testing whic

. >> will ripley in tokyo, stay safe, may friend. our coverage on cnn continues, stay healthy, stay safe. they inside. we'll see you tomorrow. [ music playing ] >>> this is cnn breaking news. >>> welcome to our viewers here in the united states and around the world, i'm wolf blitzer in the six room. we are standing by to hear from the coronavirus task force as the u.s. death toll from the pandemic surpasses 16,000 with more than 452,000 confirmed case. . that's more than the number of known cases in italy, spain and france combined. world wide, there are now more than 1.5 million, 1.5 million confirmed coronavirus cases and more than 94,000 deaths. also tonight, there is growing concern that philadelphia, washington, d.c. and baltimore could become the next us hot spot to the virus. i'll speak live to the mayors of philadelphia and baltimore in just a few minutes. meanwhile, americans filed more than 6 million new jobless claims this week, bringing the three-week total to a staggering 16.8 million jobs. 16.8 million jobs. c cnn, nick

will ripley joins us from tokyo on this.rising statement considering that japan was pretty slow to react to the olympics and delaying them in the first place. >> reporter: hi, robyn. yeah. certainly this is the strongest language yet, the president of tokyo 2020, who does have a history of being outspoken in his public remarks. the tokyo 2020 organizers were trying to dial it back saying this is his opinion and it's still too soon to know what's going to happen more than one year from now in july of 2021 when the tokyo 2020 olympics have been postponed but are scheduled to happen on schedule. what he's saying is if the pandemic is not under control, it's not plausible to postpone the olympics again. the olympics have been canceled three times, in world war i, world war ii and now the world is fighting an invisible enemy, a war against the coronavirus. if that war is ongoing, he doesn't see a scenario where the olympics can be held. they are working very hard in tokyo to try to make a successful olympics next year if, indeed,

let's bring in will ripley in tokyo.eported for weeks on how japan was slow to act, not taking it seriously enough. and now the whole system's on the brink of collapse. >> reporter: and a lot of it started, michael, because the government's messaging really didn't get all that serious until after they announced the postponement of the olympics. shinzo abe said the situation did not rise to a state of emergency and pointed to the low number of cases even though japan was not conducting widespread testing. now there's a nationwide state of emergency, but some people are not heeding the warnings. loudspeakers are blaring across tokyo, warning people to stay home. some are listening. many are not. packing supermarkets, parks and play ground, even gambling parlors. japan's health experts warn without social distancing, hundreds of thousands could die of coronavirus. getting tested remains incredibly difficult. this man's 4 year old daughter had a 103-degree fever, who degrees celsius for four days. he said they were nervous,

even ripley's believe it or not is awed by the park's bizarre redwoods, like the stunning and freakishside down trees. >> it has a very mystical, spiritual feeling, and you might see something like this in "lord of the rings" or "game of thrones." it just transports you to another world. >> at the time, millions of road trippers cruise up and down the pacific coast highway each year. the trick -- getting them to pull over. so, the couple goes all out with a big purchase, says their son, john -- a 12-foot paul bunyan statue. >> but he only lasted one season... >> oh. what happened? >> ...'cause he was made out of paper-mache and he melted. >> they build a second bunyan, this time 24 feet tall and made from wood and cement. >> kids are going to start screaming from the back seat if they see a giant paul bunyan along the highway, so this was a great kid magnet. >> they figure a bigger bunyan will get even more kids to scream, so in the early '60s, ray and mary lee double up. paul number three is 49 feet tall with 10-foot high boots and a 52-foot waist. he even waves, winks, and makes >> w

for more about this, cnn's will ripley is following this story. he joins me now from tokyo.ello, to you, will. what is mr. abe touting? >> reporter: happy easter to you, by the way. look, prime minister shinzo abe, he is excited about this drug called avigan because he says that clinical trials which are limited in japan, showed very promising results. he's in the process of distributing this drug to 20 different countries, giving it away for free, hoping other countries will start their own trials so they can get a body of data together. they're starting clinical trials in the u.s. state of massachusetts very soon. epidemiologists have told me that the best hope at this stage is to find an existing drug that works against the coronavirus because it might be quite a while if ever before they find a vaccine. as the world battles the novel coronavirus pandemic, u.s. president donald trump and japanese prime minister shinzo abe are peddling possible treatments. trump is touting hydroxychloroquine, despite slim evidence its actually effective against the virus. >> what do you ha