Asian View
Key words : senior citizen major cities end of july
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210517_04/
Senior citizens in major cities in Japan can start making reservations for coronavirus inoculations at two mass vaccination sites on Monday. The central government will set up the facilities in Tokyo and Osaka. They will be staffed by Self-Defense Forces personnel to speed up the rollout.
In the first week, only those aged 65 or older, and who live in Tokyo's 23 wards and Osaka City, can make reservations. Eligibility will be expanded to all of Tokyo and Osaka Prefecture next week.
In the third week, people can make reservations in Tokyo's three neighboring prefectures of Saitama, Chiba, and Kanagawa, as well as Osaka's neighbors of Kyoto and Hyogo.
Reservations will be accepted online only, including the Defense Ministry's website, and on the messaging app, Line.
But some concerns are being voiced over possible double-bookings and other problems, as the booking systems of the two venues, and those operated by local governments, are not connected.
Inoculations at the two venues will start on May 24. Officials expect SDF doctors and nurses to eventually administer daily shots of 10,000 in Tokyo, and 5,000 in Osaka.
The government is aiming to achieve its goal of having all elderly people vaccinated by the end of July at the two mass vaccination sites, in addition to immunization efforts by local governments.
Statistics show that less than 5 percent of Japan's population have received at least one dose -- a far lower proportion than other G7 countries.
Key words : more than 5,200
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210517_03/
Japan's government has expanded the state of emergency to three more prefectures where daily coronavirus cases have been surging. The measure now covers nine prefectures. It will stay in place until May 31.
In northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido, the declaration took effect on Sunday. Asahiyama Zoo in Asahikawa city had far fewer visitors than on a usual weekend. The zoo will be closed from Monday.
As of Saturday, Hokkaido topped the list of prefectures in terms of number of cases per 100,000 people in the most recent week.
Hiroshima and Okayama were also added to the list. The governors held an online conference with nearby prefectures in the region.
They adopted a statement calling on residents to refrain from non-essential trips across prefectural borders.
A department store in Okayama city closed on Sunday except for a few floors. This was in response to a request from the prefectural authorities.
Reservations will start on Monday for inoculations at mass vaccination sites run by the government in Tokyo and Osaka. They're set to begin operating on May 24.
People aged 65 or older are eligible.
More than 5,200 new coronavirus cases were reported across Japan on Sunday, and 47 deaths were confirmed.
Key words : myanmar united nations
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210517_10/
Myanmar's ambassador to the United Nations has urged the international community to cut off financial flows to the country's military.
Kyaw Moe Tun spoke to NHK in an exclusive interview. He has been staying on in his post, although he was reportedly dismissed by the military for condemning it during the UN General Assembly.
He called on the international community to suspend investments and tie-ups with companies linked to the military, in order to stop the crackdowns on people protesting against the February coup.
Kyaw Moe Tun said, "Any financial flow that goes through the military chain should be cut off immediately." He added, "They will be using this income for killing people of Myanmar."
He called for support for the national unity government, which was set up by those opposed to military rule. He also asked countries in the region to give refuge to people forced to leave their homes due to the military's actions, such as airstrikes.
Kyaw Moe Tun talked about the reported move by some anti-coup protesters to take up arms to confront the military.
He said that when people's patience reaches a limit, it is difficult to convince them to keep protesting peacefully. He added, "Now we are taking all measures to protect people of Myanmar by ourselves."
Kyaw Moe Tun then made the three-finger salute, a sign of resistance against the military, and said, "The military coup must fail, democracy must prevail in Myanmar."
Key words : family member funeral Nagoya
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210516_15/
A funeral has been held for a Sri Lankan woman who died in March while being detained at an immigration facility in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, central Japan.
The funeral for 33-year-old Wishma Sandamali took place in Nagoya on Sunday. About 80 people, including her family members and supporters, attended the ceremony.
A smiling photo of Wishma was placed on the altar. Her younger sister was the chief mourner.
She said more than two months have passed since Wishma died, but the cause of her death remains unknown. She said it is really unbearable that this happened in a country her sister loved.
Wishma had been complaining of poor health since mid-January and had been examined by doctors. But she died on March 6 without being hospitalized. Officials from Japan's Immigration Services Agency are investigating whether there were any problems in the handling of her case.
Japanese ruling and opposition parties remain at odds in the Diet over whether to disclose video footage of Wishma at the immigration facility.
The Immigration Services Agency released an interim report on its investigation in April. But Wishma's supporters say there are discrepancies between the medical records compiled by her doctor in February and the report.
A lawyer for Wishma's family says a third-party organization should investigate the case to determine the cause of her death.
Key words : kitazumi interview
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210516_03/
A Japanese journalist who was released from detention in Myanmar has given a description of interrogation by the country's military.
Kitazumi Yuki was taken away by Myanmar's security police in April while covering a demonstration against the military in Yangon. He was indicted for spreading false information and other charges.
He was freed from prison on Friday, for the first time in about a month, and arrived in Japan.
On Saturday, he gave an online interview to NHK.
Kitazumi said the military authorities persistently questioned him about the names of people whom he worked with, and of his clients.
He noted that when he told them their descriptions of events were false, they tried to force him to admit they were true. He also found that his clear denials had been altered in the military's case report.
He said the authorities didn't correct those descriptions, saying it is of no use in doing so unless he cooperates with their investigation.
Kitazumi noted the authorities didn't inflict violence on him as he was a foreigner. But he said many of the local political detainees with whom he talked in prison were hit with clubs, or interrogated for long periods of time while being blindfolded.
He said he was able to come out of prison with the help of many people, but there still are more than 3,000 political prisoners.
He added he will disseminate information about the matter in the hope of seeing all of them freed.
Key words : largest trainee
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210516_17/
NHK has obtained a report from an investigation alleging that Japan's largest agency for accepting foreign technical trainees was engaged in illegal activities worth about 5.4 million dollars that involved granting favors to certain companies.
The agency, Public Interest Foundation International Manpower Development Organization, Japan, or IM Japan, was established in 1991. Its main source of revenue is training fees for technical trainees paid by its almost 2,000 member companies.
The inquiry into its activities was carried out by a third-party panel comprised of lawyers. The report says IM Japan made preferential orders for supplies and job placements to a company run by a friend of former president Yanagisawa Kyoei over about nine years through 2019.
Yanagisawa is a retiree from the former labor ministry.
IM Japan allegedly did similar favors to other firms referred by Yanagisawa's friend as well.
The report says IM Japan ordered a range of items, including computers, jackets and potted plants. It paid about 5.4 million dollars in these transactions over the nine-year period.
The report says Yanagisawa's friendship with the woman involved the two often dining and playing golf together.
The panel says such dealings constitute a violation of the law banning public interest foundations from favoring specific companies.
The Cabinet Office has launched an investigation into the matter, calling the case highly suspicious.
Yanagisawa told NHK that he entrusted matters related to contracts to the organization's relevant directors. He said he never instructed them to make preferential orders, and that he does not think the foundation did any special favors for specific firms.
IM Japan has acknowledged that the report is broadly correct. It says it has nullified its business with the company run by Yanagisawa's friend and other relevant firms. It says it has been taking measures to improve its audit system.
Key words : hong kong assets
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210515_04/
The Hong Kong government has frozen assets belonging to media tycoon Jimmy Lai, citing the territory's national security law.
The government announced on Friday that it was freezing shares and property in local bank accounts. Hong Kong media outlets say the assets are worth tens of millions of dollars.
Lai is the founder of the Apple Daily newspaper, which is known to be critical of Beijing.
He was sentenced to prison last month for taking part in unauthorized assemblies during pro-democracy protests. He is also on trial for allegedly colluding with foreign forces and endangering national security.
The Apple Daily says Lai holds a 71-percent stake in its parent company, but that the asset freeze will not affect the paper's publication or finances.
Some citizens are concerned about the future of the newspaper due to rapidly increasing pressure on media critical of Hong Kong authorities.
This is believed to be the first time that assets have been frozen under the national security law.
Key words : first space
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210517_06/
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the first manned space flight by cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin of the former Soviet Union. Astronauts from Japan and Russia spoke at an online event with students in Japan, to introduce the appeal of the universe.
Sergei Krikalyov has made six space flights in the past. He spoke to Japanese students gathered at the Gifu Kakamigahara Air and Space Museum in Gifu Prefecture.
Krikalyov stayed in space for more than 800 days in total. He introduced specially developed food that had improved his dietary nutrition while at the space station.
Japanese astronaut Yamazaki Naoko, who flew into space in 2010, shared her impression of the International Space Station.
She said, " I was deeply moved by what mankind has accomplished through international cooperation in space. Mr. Gagarin started this mission and many people have continued to explore space."
The online event was made available to around 300 Japanese students in Russia and Japan.
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