at 18:30 (JST), October 24

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/20221024183000_english_1.mp3


Key words : xi economic challenges reshuffle
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20221024_01/

Chinese President Xi Jinping begins a third term in office with the country facing economic challenges.

The Communist Party selected seven members of its top leadership on Sunday. The new lineup is dominated by Xi's close aides, including subordinates who worked under him in the past.

The party also reshuffled its economic leadership.

Premier Li Keqiang, who was in charge of economic policy, was removed from the top decision-making body.

Vice Premier Liu He was also not included. As an economic expert, he was responsible for trade negotiations with the United States.

The two will be replaced when their terms expire at the National People's Congress next year.

Shanghai's top Communist Party official, Li Qiang, is likely to succeed Li Keqiang as the new premier. He oversaw the lockdown measures to contain the coronavirus infection.

The head of the National Development and Reform Commission, He Lifeng, is expected to replace Liu He as vice premier. He has served for many years in regional posts.

China is facing various challenges, ranging from a confrontation with the United States to its aging population with a low birthrate.

The country's economic recovery has been slowed by the government's "zero-COVID" policy and a sluggish real estate market.

The question now is how the new leadership team will overcome these challenges and get the country's economy back on track.

Key words : relatives another summit
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20221023_19/

Relatives of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea are calling on the Japanese government to hold another bilateral summit at an early date to resolve the issue.

They made the appeal at a rally in Tokyo on Sunday. North Korea acknowledged the abductions for the first time at a summit with Japan in September 2002.

Five abductees returned to Japan in that year, but the others, including 12 who are recognized by the Japanese government, remain unaccounted for.

Fifty-four-year-old Yokota Takuya is the leader of the relatives' group. His older sister, Megumi, was abducted 45 years ago when she was 13.

He said there is no time left, as the abductees' parents are passing away without seeing their children.

Yokota called on Prime Minister Kishida Fumio to keep reminding North Korean leader Kim Jong Un about the importance of resolving the issue, and make another summit happen soon.

Megumi's 86-year-old mother, Sakie, said she feels sad because she constantly wonders how her daughter is doing in North Korea.

She said she worked hard with her husband to try to save their daughter, but he was drawn up to heaven after using up all his energy.

Sakie said she wants to save all the remaining abductees as soon as possible so they can return to their country.

Key words : south warning shots fired back
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20221024_08/

South Korea's military says it fired warning shots at a North Korean ship that crossed the de facto inter-Korean maritime border early on Monday. Pyongyang fired back in response.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff say a North Korean merchant vessel crossed the border about 27 kilometers northwest of the island of Baengnyeong in the Yellow Sea at around 3:42 a.m. local time.

The South Korean military says the vessel left the area following the warning shots.

Meanwhile, North Korea's General Staff of the Korean People's Army says a South Korean naval ship crossed the border, and that North Korean forces fired 10 shells from multiple rocket launchers toward the territorial waters at around 5:15 a.m.

North Korea has not recognized the de facto inter-Korean maritime border established by the US-led United Nations Command.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff have denounced the North for undermining the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula and the international community.

Key words : former defense minister arrested
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20221022_14/

South Korean prosecutors have arrested a former defense minister and a former coast guard chief over the death of a fisheries official in waters near the de facto inter-Korean maritime border two years ago.

A crew member of a South Korean fisheries ministry boat was fatally shot by North Korea's military in September 2020 in the Yellow Sea, west of the Korean Peninsula.

South Korean coast guard officials initially said the crew member was trying to defect to the North. But they retracted the comment in June this year, telling reporters that there was no evidence to suggest such motives.

Prosecutors arrested former Defense Minister Suh Wook and former Coast Guard Commissioner General Kim Hong-hee on Saturday over their alleged involvement in covering up the facts and suspected abuse of power.

The arrests came as the government of President Yoon Suk-yeol expands an investigation into the 2020 killing of the crew member. There is speculation that the previous administration led by Moon Jae-in sought to cover up the incident to avoid a deterioration of ties with the North.

South Korean media say other top security officials of the previous administration, including former National Security Adviser Suh Hoon and former National Intelligence Service chief Park Jie-won, may also face charges.

Key words : tour boat northern japan
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20221023_13/

The Japan Coast Guard and police are continuing to search for people who went missing six months ago in a sightseeing boat accident off the northern Japanese prefecture of Hokkaido.

The "Kazu I" tour boat sank off the Shiretoko Peninsula in April. Of the 26 passengers and crew members onboard, 20 have been confirmed dead and six remain missing as of Sunday.

Officials started an intensive search at the tip of the peninsula on Friday.

Divers will begin an underwater search when the weather improves.

DNA tests will be carried out on sixteen bone-like objects that had been found by Saturday.

The coast guard is trying to identify the cause of the accident by examining the salvaged ship and by restoring data from the onboard electronic devices that have been recovered so far.

The Japan Transport Safety Board is also carrying out an investigation.

The coast guard is looking into the possibility of professional negligence in the case, and has interviewed the boat operator's president, Katsurada Seiichi.

Key words : western japan dazzling
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20221023_16/

People in western Japan have enjoyed a rare and dazzling spectacle on the region's highest peak.

The sun rose from behind the top of Mount Daisen in Tottori Prefecture.

It created a phenomenon called "Diamond Daisen," since the sun shines like a gem. It can usually be seen around February and October, weather permitting.

About 1,000 people gathered at nearby Yonago Castle to take in the magnificent view.

A male visitor said, "I'm glad there were no clouds. I feel energized and refreshed."

A girl said, "I prayed for happiness for my family and it's sure to happen."