Asian View
"Asian View" is a five-minute news segment broadcast by NHK WORLD-JAPAN. It features the latest news and deep analysis from Japan and the rest of Asia. Listen to "Asian View" and get the latest information from a region that's playing an increasingly important role in the world.
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20220228183000_english_1.mp3
Key words : invasion payment system move
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220228_01/
Top diplomats from the Group of Seven economies have condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine. They agreed that their nations will continue to closely cooperate in response.
The diplomats met online for about two hours on Sunday to share information on the situation in Ukraine.
They agreed that their countries will continue to closely coordinate to impose sanctions against Russia, and provide assistance to Ukraine and nearby nations.
Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa told the other ministers that his country will freeze the assets of Russian President Vladimir Putin and other officials in tandem with the United States and European nations.
Hayashi also explained that Japan plans to join Western countries in blocking access by some Russian banks to the SWIFT international payment system.
The ministry officials say the other ministers welcomed Japan's moves.
The diplomats were joined by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba for about 45 minutes in the latter half of the talks.
Kuleba expressed gratitude for international support for Ukraine and described the current situation in the country.
The G7 ministers reiterated their steadfast support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and their solidarity with the government and people of Ukraine.
Key words : kishida aid 100
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220227_27/
Japan has decided to freeze the financial assets of Russian President Vladimir Putin and other key government officials in response to the Russian aggression in Ukraine.
In announcing the decision on Sunday, Prime Minister Kishida Fumio said Russia's invasion of Ukraine is a unilateral attempt to change the status quo by force and shakes the foundation of international order.
Kishida said Russia's action is a clear violation of international law, which can never be tolerated and Japan strongly condemns it.
He also said a united and resolute response is needed to safeguard the foundation of international order.
He indicated that Japan will join the United States and European countries in blocking selected Russian banks from the SWIFT international payment network.
Kishida added that Japan will provide 100 million dollars as emergency humanitarian aid for the people of Ukraine, in addition to the yen-denominated loans worth about 100 million dollars that have already been pledged.
Key words : ukraine shibuya
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220228_17/
People including Ukrainians and Russians living in Japan gathered in front of central Tokyo's Shibuya station on Sunday to protest Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Organizers say about 1,000 people took part in the protest in response to calls on social media.
Participants held up placards that read "Stop Putin" and "Bring peace to Ukraine" in Japanese and English.
A Ukrainian woman said, "What is happening in Ukraine was not expected just three days ago. My family and friends in Ukraine are all feeling anxious. I want people in Japan to do whatever they can to stop the war."
A Japanese woman who participated in the rally with her husband and children says she thinks it is important to convey messages that people around the world are praying for peace to return to Ukraine as soon as possible.
Key words : indonesia twitter
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220225_38/
People and governments around Southeast Asia are adding their voices of opposition to the Ukraine invasion.
Dozens of angry protesters came out in the Thai capital on Friday to express their outrage at Russia's military actions.
Thais and Ukrainian residents called on Russia to call off its attacks, waving placards of the Ukrainian flag and caricatures of Putin's face.
One female Ukrainian protester said her friends were spending the night in a metro shelter because of the bombing. She said wanted Thai people and "the whole world" to know what Ukrainian people are going through.
A female Thai protester said she and others had come "as fellow humans and activists who don't want war." She said she worries about how the Ukrainian people will suffer from the war.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo posted a message on Twitter on Thursday night that said: "Stop the war. War brings misery to mankind and puts the whole world at risk."
Current chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, held a press conference on Thursday following a meeting with Malaysia's prime minister. He said they discussed the crisis, and their desire for a peaceful solution.
Key words : survivor strong nuclear
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220226_16/
Protest rallies against Russia's invasion of Ukraine have been held in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the two Japanese cities that suffered atomic bomb attacks during World War Two.
In Hiroshima, around 60 people gathered in front of the Atomic Bomb Dome in response to calls from peace activists and other citizens.
They held up signs in English that read "Stop the war" and "No nukes, No war" for about 10 minutes, protesting Russia's incursion and possible use of nuclear weapons.
In announcing the military operation earlier in the week, Russian President Vladimir Putin stressed that his country remains a strong nuclear power.
A woman in her 30s with her child said she decided to participate in the rally after hearing that mothers in Ukraine are fleeing with their children. She said that she hopes for the day when there will be no nuclear weapons on earth.
One of the organizers, Abiko Erika, said she thought people in the atomic-bombed cities should speak out at a time when there is a possibility of a nuclear confrontation.
In Nagasaki, some 40 people gathered at the epicenter of the 1945 atomic bombing and raised placards carrying messages protesting the war and nuclear weapons.
They offered silent prayers from 11:02 a.m., the exact time the bomb exploded above the city.
A former high school student peace ambassador, Hayashida Mitsuhiro, read out a protest message.
It said the people of Nagasaki lodge a strong protest with Russia for trying to intimidate other nations with the threat of nuclear power, and that what happened in Hiroshima and Nagasaki must not be repeated.
An atomic-bomb survivor, Takeshita Fumi, said Russia should withdraw from Ukraine immediately so that people suffering under Russia's aggression can return to their normal lives.
Key words : north launched 300
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220227_16/
Japan's defense minister says a ballistic missile that North Korea launched on Sunday morning fell outside Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone. Kishi Nobuo denounced the North, saying the timing of the launch is absolutely unforgivable as the international community struggles to respond to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Japanese defense officials say North Korea launched at least one ballistic missile from a location near its west coast at 7:51 a.m. on Sunday. It flew about 300 kilometers with a maximum altitude of 600 kilometers, and dropped into the sea off the country's east coast.
South Korea's joint chiefs of staff also confirmed the launch. It says the North test-fired the missile in the vicinity of Sunan, where an international airport is located.
This is the eighth time the North has launched a ballistic missile this year. The country had fired a number of other weapons, including what it claims are "hypersonic missiles," which are notoriously difficult to detect and intercept.
Japan's defense minister told reporters that Tokyo had made a protest to Pyongyang as the launch threatens the peace and security of the region. Kishi added that Japan cannot tolerate the North's repeated attempts to quickly and steadily develop its missile capability.
Pyongyang suspended missile tests during the Beijing Winter Olympics. Analysts say the latest launch shows the North is determined to promote its nuclear and missile development.
Key words : north satellite definition
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220228_08/
North Korea's media say the country carried out an important test on Sunday for developing a reconnaissance satellite.
Workers' Party newspaper Rodong Sinmun reported on Monday that the National Aerospace Development Administration and the Academy of Defence Science conducted the test.
The newspaper said the test helped scientists confirm the characteristics and working accuracy of a high definition photographing system, a data transmission system and other technology.
In the test, the scientists reportedly conducted "high definition photographing of a specific area on earth" with cameras to be loaded on the reconnaissance satellite.
The newspaper featured two photos showing what appears to be the Korean Peninsula seen from space.
Pyongyang's five-year defense plan unveiled in January last year calls for the development of a military reconnaissance satellite.
Pyongyang says the country's new five-year space development plan, which began last year, has already produced results.
Earlier the South Korean military reported that North Korea had launched a ballistic missile toward the east from the outskirts of the capital Pyongyang on Sunday morning.
Key words : south tv debate
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220226_14/
Candidates in South Korea's presidential election have faced off in a TV debate on defense and security issues, with comments about the Ukraine crisis revealing clear differences in how they would approach North Korea.
The four main candidates appeared in the debate on Friday, 12 days before the March 9 election.
Lee Jae-myung of the ruling Democratic Party noted the gravity of the situation in Ukraine, and said it was essential to avoid conflict in order to maintain peace.
He expressed support for President Moon Jae-in's proposal to declare a formal end to the Korean War, and said it was important to avoid raising tensions with the North.
His main rival, Yoon Suk-yeol of the main opposition People Power Party, refuted Lee's position by noting that the ceasefire agreement between Russia and Ukraine was eventually torn up.
Yoon said peace in South Korea cannot be maintained without a strong military presence, based on the alliance with the US. He said the only way to prevent war is through strong deterrence and the capability to launch pre-emptive strikes.
Lee and Yoon are neck-and-neck in the polls. The results of a Gallup Korea survey released on Friday show that Lee has a narrow lead, with an approval rating of 38 percent, up by 4 points from a week ago. Yoon is on 37 percent, down by 4 points.
Minor opposition candidate Ahn Cheol-soo, who withdrew a proposal to field a unified candidate with the main opposition party, has an approval rating of 12 percent, up by 1 point.
Key words : university reopen
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220227_03/
Public universities in Afghanistan have fully reopened for all students for the first time in half a year amid international appeals for improving women's education.
The Taliban closed public universities and banned female students from secondary schools after they retook power in August. The group said boys and girls cannot study in the same place under their interpretation of Islamic teaching.
The Taliban reopened 31 universities on Saturday. The other eight of the country's 39 public universities had already reopened in early February.
On Saturday morning, female students walked onto the campus at Kabul Education University with Taliban members standing guard.
The university has separate class schedules for men and women. Women's classes start at 6:30 a.m. and men's classes at 4 p.m.
A female student said the Taliban reopened universities probably because of international pressure.
A spokesperson of the Taliban-run education ministry told NHK that all students including women are attending classes without problem. He added that the Taliban are committed to what they promised to the Afghan people and the international community.
The group says they will also reopen secondary school classes for women in late March.
