at 18:30 (JST), March 23

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/20220323183000_english_1.mp3


Key words : chinese aviation recover
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220323_04/

Chinese aviation authorities say they are working to recover the flight recorder of a passenger plane to investigate the cause of its crash.

The China Eastern Airline Boeing 737-800 crashed in a mountainous area in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on Monday, after taking off from Kunming in the inland province of Yunnan. The plane was headed for Guangzhou in Guangdong Province.

The government on Tuesday held its first news conference since the crash.

Aviation officials said the plane was carrying 132 passengers and crew on board, and that no survivors have been found so far. They added no foreign nationals were on board.

They said the plane nosedived from the height of 8,900 meters for about 3 minutes, before it disappeared from the radar screen.

The officials also said the cause of the accident is not yet known. They said the black box, which records flight data and cockpit conversations, has still not been found.

Recovering the black box is expected to be difficult, as the debris of the fuselage are scattered over a wide area.

Key words : special envoy southeast
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220322_04/

A special envoy of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations has met with the head of Myanmar's military in a bid to mediate between the junta and pro-democracy forces.

The visit to Myanmar on Monday was the first by Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn as the special envoy for ASEAN.

He met with Myanmar's Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.

A statement from Myanmar's State Administration Council suggests that the military chief defended last year's coup.

The statement says he claimed that irregularities in a 2020 general election led to the military's governing the country.

The council says Min Aung Hlaing also accused anti-military protestors of vandalizing government facilities and schools.

It remains to be seen whether Prak Sokhonn's visit to Myanmar will lead to a breakthrough in the standoff between the military and pro-democracy forces.

The envoy is scheduled to stay in Myanmar through Wednesday. Local media report that he is to meet with members of pro-democracy forces as well.

Key words : presidential election
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220322_44/

The presidential election in Timor-Leste, formerly known as East Timor, is heading for a runoff next month.

Preliminary results in Saturday's election show incumbent Francisco Lu Olo Guterres in second place with about 22 percent of the vote. He is trailing far behind Former President Jose Ramos-Horta.

Ramos-Horta, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, is way ahead in the race with over 46 percent of the vote, but still short of the majority needed to win on the first ballot.

Almost 20 years after becoming free from Indonesian control, Timor-Leste remains heavily dependent on its energy industry, including natural gas.

About 30 percent of the population is said to live in poverty, a leading cause of discontent.

A runoff between the top two contenders is scheduled for April 19th.

Key words : myanmar report iinuma satoshi
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/videos/20220302195125878/

More than a year after the coup In Myanmar, the military is not only targeting protestors, it is also detaining and torturing journalists covering the situation. In this report we look at how the media has been pushed to the verge of collapse.