at 18:30 (JST), June 09

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/20220609183000_english_1.mp3


Key words : senior diplomat
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220608_29/

Senior diplomats from Japan, the United States and South Korea have condemned the repeated ballistic missile launches by North Korea and agreed to strengthen trilateral security cooperation.

Japan's Vice Foreign Minister Mori Takeo, US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and South Korea's First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun-dong met in Seoul on Wednesday. It was their first in-person meeting since November.

A joint statement released after the talks says the officials "strongly condemned" North Korea and urged the country to immediately cease actions that endanger global peace and security.

Officials in Washington are warning that North Korea could conduct its seventh nuclear test at any time.

The statement also says Sherman reaffirmed Washington's "steadfast commitments" to the defense of Japan and South Korea, including extended deterrence.

The officials urged Pyongyang to return to negotiations, stressing that "a path to serious and sustained dialogue remains open."

The statement also says the officials discussed a range of pressing regional and global issues, including joint efforts to support Ukraine amid the Russian invasion, and to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific.

Mori told reporters after the meeting that the officials agreed to work more closely for stronger deterrence in the region and for diplomatic efforts at the UN to achieve the complete denuclearization of North Korea.

Sherman said the US, South Korea and Japan are fully and closely aligned on North Korea. She urged Pyongyang to cease provocative actions and commit to the path of diplomacy.

Cho said the officials discussed the possibility of further provocations by North Korea, including another nuclear test. He said the North's nuclear and missile threats are becoming increasingly sophisticated.

Key words : myanmar shadow government announced
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220608_49/

Myanmar's shadow government has announced it has set up its own police force as part of the effort to resist the military junta that took power in a coup last year.

The pro-democracy National Unity Government says the police force will take action against terrorism, war crimes and violations of human rights.

The NUG says the force will uphold the rule of law during the interim period. But the announcement doesn't say where it will operate, or how many personnel it has.

The NUG formed its People's Defence Force last year to fight the junta. It's been active mainly in border areas and Sagaing Region in the northwest.

The NUG is trying to bring territory under its control.
It says it established a judiciary system last month in over a dozen townships in Sagaing Region, a stronghold of the resistance.

The military junta has not been recognized internationally as the legitimate government.

Key words : cambodia naval base
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220608_47/

A ceremony has been held at a Cambodian naval base, where new facilities are being built with Chinese financial support.

Cambodia's defense minister denies that China's military has been using the base. Washington has repeatedly expressed concerns about China's presence there.

Local media say construction will proceed on warehouses and a dock to repair Cambodian navy ships at Ream Naval Base in Sihanoukville.

During the ceremony, Cambodian Defense Minister Tea Banh stressed his country gets support to boost its defense capabilities not only from China, but other countries as well.

Washington has repeatedly said China's military has been using the base, set in a strategic location near the South China Sea.

Cambodia places high importance on its relationship with China, a provider of investment and support.

The US has stepped up its pressure on Cambodia, imposing sanctions on senior naval and defense officials, and tightening export restrictions.

Key words : indonesia arrested passport
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220608_43/

Indonesian police say they have arrested a man suspected of defrauding the Japanese government's pandemic subsidy program.

Taniguchi Mitsuhiro was picked up after Japanese authorities canceled his passport.

Taniguchi left Japan in 2020 to do business in Indonesia.

Japanese police arrested Taniguchi's ex-wife and two sons in May on suspicion of illegally receiving COVID-19 subsidies.

The government introduced the program to provide relief to small businesses affected by the pandemic.

Investigators suspect that the family and accomplices fraudulently filed hundreds of claims totaling an estimated 900 million yen, or about 7 million dollars.

Japanese police plan to submit an extradition request for Taniguchi.

Key words : bank of japan retracted
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220608_46/

Bank of Japan Governor Kuroda Haruhiko has retracted his remark that Japanese households' tolerance of price rises has been increasing.

Kuroda told a Lower House committee on Wednesday he is fully aware that households have no choice but to accept price hikes with utmost reluctance.

He apologized for choosing words that were misleading. He said he would like to withdraw the remark because the expression was totally inappropriate.

In a speech he made on Monday, Kuroda said the point to consider for the time being is how Japan can bring about a full-fledged rise in wages while households can tolerate rising prices.

The remark drew criticisms that the central bank chief may not be aware of the hardship that consumers at large face with higher prices of daily necessities.

Key words : india central bank
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220608_41/

India's central bank has raised its key interest rate for the second straight month in a bid to curb inflation.

Policymakers at the Reserve Bank of India increased the policy rate by half a percentage point to 4.9 percent on Wednesday. The move follows an earlier hike last month, the first in 3 years and 9 months.

India's annual inflation soared to an 8-year high of 7.8 percent in April led by higher energy and food prices. That figure topped the central bank's upper tolerance level of 6 percent.

RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said the prolonged conflict in Europe is driving up prices around the world. He said inflation in India is rapidly expanding and has exceeded tolerable levels.

The governor gave a projection that India's inflation will stay above 6 percent level for the rest of the year, hinting at further rate hikes.

Key words : kawagoe
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220608_14/

High school students in the Japanese city of Kawagoe, near Tokyo, are training to serve as English-speaking guides, ahead of the return of foreign tourists to Japan on Friday.

Thirty-five members of Hoshino High School's international culture club practiced leading people on a tour of the scenic town on Tuesday.

Kawagoe is popular among foreigners, as its streets are lined with historic warehouse-style buildings. More than 300,000 people visited the city in 2019.

A couple of experienced local guides taught the pupils how to talk about the city's monuments in English.

In front of the town's iconic Bell Tower, the guide explained the tower's history. People reportedly rebuilt the structure after it was damaged by a massive fire in 1893. They are said to have rebuilt the tower before they repaired their own houses. The teenagers took notes while the guide spoke.

For the first time in three years, pupils from the school will start serving as guides again later this year.

A senior student said she wants to be kind to the foreign tourists and explain the history of Kawagoe in her own words.