at 18:30 (JST), August 01

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/20220801183000_english_1.mp3


Key words : putin important
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220801_04/

Russian President Vladimir Putin has emphasized that waters around four Russian-held islands claimed by Japan are strategically important. He pledged to use all possible means to defend the area.

Putin signed an executive order approving a new Maritime Doctrine on Sunday, when a celebration was held in St. Petersburg to mark Russia's Navy Day.

Putin said in a speech that the doctrine clearly defines the boundaries and areas of Russia's national interests.

He added that vital strategic areas include the Black Sea, the Sea of Okhotsk, and waters around the Kuril Islands. The president said Russia will protect those areas by all means.

What Russians call the Kuril Islands include four Russian-controlled islands that are claimed by Japan.

Japan calls the islands the Northern Territories. The Japanese government maintains the islands are an inherent part of Japan's territory. It says the islands were illegally occupied after World War Two.

The new doctrine divides the areas of Russia's interests in the world's oceans into three categories --"vitally important," "important" and "others." It categorizes the waters around the Northern Territories as "important."

The document also lists the main challenges and threats to Russia's national security, including territorial claims over its islands.

Other security threats mentioned in the doctrine include what it calls the US strategic policy to dominate the world's oceans, and the expansion of the NATO military infrastructure towards Russian borders.

The document says Russia may use mostly diplomatic or economic measures to defend its national interests in the areas it defines as "important," but may use military forces depending on the situation.

Key words : former philippine died
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220801_03/

Former Philippine President Fidel Ramos died at the age of 94 on Sunday. He was a key figure in the 1986 pro-democracy uprising that toppled a dictatorship.

The country's presidential office announced his death on the same day. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. offered condolences to the Ramos family in a statement.

Ramos was a senior military officer during the dictatorship of former President Ferdinand Marcos, the father of the current leader.

But Ramos supported Corazon Aquino, the central figure in the 1986 People Power movement. His change in loyalty spurred the downfall of the Marcos government.

After Aquino became president, Ramos took key government posts, including defense minister.

He foiled attempted coups by some military officers, contributing to stabilizing the Aquino administration.

Ramos assumed the presidency in 1992 and committed himself to rebuilding the Philippine economy. He is recognized for putting the country on track for economic growth.

Ramos left office in 1998 but retained his political clout, backed by public trust. He made demands on the subsequent administrations.

Key words : tsai
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220731_18/

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen has expressed hope that cooperation in the field of security between Taiwan and Japan will be conducted in a more normal way.

Tsai spoke on Sunday at a forum on Taiwan's relations with Japan for the next 50 years, as this year marks half a century since their diplomatic ties were severed.

The forum was hosted by a foundation working to preserve the legacy of the late former Taiwanese president Lee Teng-hui, who had close ties with Japan.

Tsai said relations between Taiwan and Japan have entered a new stage in the past several years, and she described these ties as being friendlier than ever.

She cited economic, cultural and security ties as areas where she hopes to see closer relations.

Tsai expressed gratitude to Japan for emphasizing the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait at various international meetings.

She described the line connecting Taiwan and Japan as a key regional defense line, and stressed that Taiwan and Japan should deepen cooperation to ensure peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.

Tsai added that they should share this view and establish a closer and more normal cooperation model.

Her remarks are believed to have China in mind.

Tsai didn't mention concrete methods of cooperation, but she is thought to be hoping to promote exchanges between the two defense ministries and between the Taiwanese military and the Japanese Self-Defense Forces.

Key words : japanese man question mid-july
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220731_20/

A Japanese man in his 20s has been detained by security forces in Myanmar, where the military has been in power since a coup in 2021. Sources say the detained man is a journalist who was covering a demonstration.

The Japanese embassy in Myanmar said security officials in the largest city of Yangon took a Japanese national into custody on Saturday at a rally against the military. The embassy said police are questioning him.

The embassy quoted police as saying the man was filming the rally.

Multiple sources say he is believed to be journalist Kubota Toru. He is said to have entered Myanmar in mid-July to make a documentary.

In April 2021, Myanmar security forces detained Japanese journalist Kitazumi Yuki.

Kitazumi was indicted on charges including spreading false information. He was freed about one month later, after the Japanese government demanded his release.

The Japanese embassy is seeking to confirm why police are investigating the man believed to be Kubota. The embassy is also working to secure his early release through diplomatic channels.

Key words : review conference Non-Proliferation begin
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220801_02/

Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio has left Tokyo to attend the review conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. The meeting is set to begin in New York on Monday.

Kishida will be the first Japanese prime minister to take part in an NPT review conference.

Before his departure Kishida said, "Given the divisions in the international community over nuclear disarmament and the nuclear threats posed by Russia, I am really concerned the international momentum to realize a world without nuclear weapons is regressing significantly."

Kishida is expected to urge nuclear powers to be more transparent about their nuclear capabilities.
He is also likely to announce the launch of a UN fund to help younger generations visit Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the two Japanese cities hit by atomic bombs 77 years ago.

Key words : survivor
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220731_12/

A survivor of Hiroshima's atomic bombing has called for global nuclear disarmament.

Sakuma Kunihiko, who heads an atomic bombing survivors group, shared his experiences ahead of a review conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

Sakuma was speaking at an event held at a church in New York. The review conference is set to start in the city on Monday at UN headquarters.

Sakuma was 9 months old when he was exposed to the fallout from the atomic explosion.

He said he has had poor health since childhood and faced discrimination. Sakuma said he experienced the inhumanity of nuclear weapons firsthand and that the tragedy inflicted by them must never be repeated anywhere in the world.

Key words : south acting
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220801_09/

South Korea's acting chairman of the ruling party has submitted his resignation amid growing opposition over his appointment from fellow party members.

Kweon Seong-dong has been leading the People's Power Party since early July when the party's chairman was suspended from his post.

Kweon said on social media on Sunday that the party is facing a severe crisis and that he feels deeply responsible for the situation. He said he would give up his role as acting chairman.

Kweon is known as a close aide to President Yoon Suk-yeol. Some members of his party strongly oppose having someone so close to Yoon as their leader. Calls have been mounting for Kweon to resign.

The confusion within the governing party may disrupt Yoon's ability to steer the government.

His approval rating stands below 30 percent, unusually low for the early days of a presidency. Yoon took office in May.

Key words : nara
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220730_19/

Horyuji temple in Japan's ancient capital of Nara has raised more than seven times its crowdfunding target to supplement a decline in revenues due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The crowdfunding website shows that more than 7,400 people had donated a total of more than 146 million yen, or roughly 1 million dollars, when the funding campaign closed at 11 p.m. on Friday.

The UNESCO World Heritage Site began the campaign on June 15 to raise 20 million yen to be able to carry out maintenance on the compound.

Horyuji needed donations because its main source of income from admission fees had fallen to about half of pre-pandemic levels due to the plunge in the number of visitors.

The temple says the donated funds will be spent on maintenance including taking care of the trees and ensuring the facilities are kept in good condition. Any extra money will be used to repair the temple's artifacts.

The crowdfunding company says the final sum of the raised money will be announced on August 6 after the donations transferred to bank accounts separately are included.