2022年9月22日木曜日

at 18:30 (JST), September 22

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/20220922183000_english_1.mp3


Key words : bank of japan easy-monetary 24-year low
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220922_23/

The Bank of Japan says it is sticking to its massive easy-monetary stance, even as other central banks are raising interest rates.

BOJ board members made the decision at a two-day policy meeting ending on Thursday.

The bank will keep its short-term interest rate in negative territory and continue buying government bonds to hold long-term rates at around zero percent.

Just hours before the BOJ meeting, the US Federal Reserve once again raised its key interest rate by three-quarters of a percentage point in a bid to tame the highest inflation the country has seen in four decades.

The decisions by the two central banks further widens the interest rate gap between Japan and the US, which could accelerate the yen's slide against the dollar. The Japanese currency has fallen to a 24-year low against the dollar as investors seeking higher yields in the US have driven a selloff.


Key words : Kishida nuclear testing
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220922_04/

Japan's Prime Minister Kishida Fumio has called for support from the international community to put to an end to nuclear testing.

Kishida, who is visiting New York for the UN General Assembly, attended a leader-level meeting on Wednesday aimed at allowing the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty to enter into force.

The treaty pursues a total ban on any nuclear weapon test explosions and any other nuclear explosions.

It is ratified by 174 nations, including Japan, but it has yet to take effect, as nuclear-armed countries such as the United States and China have not ratified it.

Kishida said Russia's invasion of Ukraine has made the halting journey to a world free from nuclear weapons even more strenuous. But he added no matter how uphill that journey is, there is a need to keep going.

He outlined the necessity to make specific efforts to realize an early entry into force of the treaty and achieve universal adherence to it.

Kishida stressed the importance of strengthening the treaty's verification process and continuing to urge non-signatory nations to join the pact.

He also expressed readiness to keep providing support to enhance management of the treaty in the Asia-Pacific region.

Kishida called on his counterparts to join tenacious efforts to promote realistic and practical approaches to realizing a world without nuclear weapons through discussions at the G7 summit to be held next year in Hiroshima.


Key words : protester philippines
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220922_07/

Protesters have held rallies as the Philippines marks 50 years since former President Ferdinand Marcos imposed martial law.

The father of the current president signed the law aimed at cracking down on communism on September 21, 1972, during the Cold War. Under the law, police and the military detained politicians and journalists critical of the government and tortured them. At least 2,300 people were killed.

Survivors of the crackdowns by the government at that time, as well as others, including students, took part in a rally at a university in the capital, Manila, on Wednesday.

They protested remarks by the current president, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who said earlier this month that martial law was necessary to protect public order. The protesters demanded he apologize to the victims.

One of the demonstrators said distorting history is an insult to the victims. The female university student also said that she and others have the right to protect truth, history and the future.

People in the Philippines face a challenge of how to pass on what happened under the martial law to the future generations, as about 70 percent of the current population were born after its imposition, and the current leader has often made remarks praising his late father, who ruled the country under a dictatorship.


Key words : nuclear regulation
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220921_28/

The head of Japan's nuclear regulator has warned against the revival of a myth about the safety of nuclear power before he retires from the post.

Fuketa Toyoshi, the chairman of the Nuclear Regulation Authority, held his last news conference as NRA chief on Wednesday.

Fuketa became a commissioner of the authority when it was launched in 2012, following the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident. He has served as chairman for five years. His term is to end this month.

Looking back at his 10 years at the NRA, Fuketa said he has maintained a stance against the revival of regulatory capture, or the idea that regulators serve the interests of the nuclear power industry, instead of protecting the safety of the public.

He also said he does not think he can build a foundation that will not change, and that regulatory capture and the safety myth will be revived if people related to nuclear power let their guard down.

The government plans to make maximum use of existing nuclear power plants and to explore the possibility of developing and building next-generation nuclear reactors.

Fuketa said there is no discussion about lowering regulation levels, and that if the government decides to lower them, the use of nuclear power will come to an impasse.

He said the NRA must maintain strict regulations and do what it should.

Fuketa said power companies call for speeding up screening for nuclear plants, but do not object to standards for the screening.

He said utilities may think that raising objections would cause problems in gaining understanding from concerned people in putting reactors back online. He added that one challenge is that candid discussions on the matter have yet to be held.


Key words : hong kong arrested play
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220921_11/

Police in Hong Kong say they arrested a man playing a harmonica on the day of Queen Elizabeth's state funeral for allegedly inciting sedition.

Police say they arrested the 43-year-old man on Monday night in front of the British Consulate General. They say he was released on bail on Tuesday.

Local media say the man played the song "Glory to Hong Kong" on a harmonica. The tune was sung at rallies during massive pro-democracy protests in 2019.

On the day of the arrest, many people were visiting the British Consulate General to mourn the late Queen, laying flowers and taking photos.

After the funeral was over, some people gathered and chanted the slogan "Be strong, Hong Kong people," another widely used rally cry at past protests. Police rushed to the scene.

Hong Kong has been tightening control over free speech since the 2020 introduction of a national security law aimed at keeping in check anti-government activities.

Authorities have cracked down on demonstration slogans they say incite secession.


Key words : shipments
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220921_21/

Shipments of consumer electronics in Japan grew for the first time in 14 months amid surging materials costs.

The Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association says August domestic deliveries totaled about 94 billion yen, or 650 million dollars. That's up about 11 percent year-on-year. Association officials say this is partly due to price increases.

They also say some production resumed in formerly locked-down Shanghai. This helped stimulate sales by giving Japanese consumer electronics shoppers more selection of products.

Shipments of video equipment, including TVs, jumped more than 15 percent. Auto-related devices like navigation systems rose 11 percent.


Key words : foreign visitors
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220922_01/

The number of foreign visitors to Japan last month was about 170,000, marking an increase for two straight months. But the figure is a far cry from the 2.52 million entrants, logged in August 2019, before the pandemic struck.

The Japan National Tourism Organization estimates 169,800 foreigners visited Japan in August, including tourists.

Nearly three months have passed since the country eased its anti-coronavirus border controls and reopened to foreign holidaymakers for the first time in about two years. But the rate of increase remains modest and is far lower than pre-pandemic levels.

By country, Vietnam tops the list, with 33,000, followed by South Korea, with 28,500, the United States, with 15,800 and mainland China, with 12,300.

The Japanese government started easing its border restrictions this year, prompting an increase in the number of foreigners visiting the country for work and studies.

Tourism Agency Commissioner Wada Koichi said on Wednesday he is aware that to fully resume inbound tourism, Japan needs to review the current daily limit on arrivals, do away with the short-term visa requirement for visitors and allow overseas tourists to visit without booking through a travel agency.

He also stressed the importance of building confidence among those welcoming overseas visitors while promoting foreign arrivals.

He said the government is studying ways to balance infection-prevention measures and social and economic activities.


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