at 18:30 (JST), March 21

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/20230321183000_english_1.mp3


Key words : india hiroshima accepted
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230320_30/

Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio has invited his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi to the G7 summit in May and Modi accepted.

The two leaders met in New Delhi, the capital of India on Monday.

Both countries agreed to continue to commit to maintain a rules-based world order.

Kishida told Modi that he wants the G7 summit in Hiroshima to be a chance to discuss strengthening relations with developing and emerging nations, collectively known as the Global South.

The leaders agreed to promote cooperation between the G7 and G20 nations in the areas of funding development, food security and the environment.

In a joint news conference Kishida said that he wants to work together with Modi for the success of the G7 summit in Hiroshima and the G20 summit in New Delhi.

Modi says that strengthening the partnership between India and Japan is not only beneficial to those countries, but it will also contribute to maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

The leaders also agreed to push ahead with a high-speed railway project in India and to promote tourism between the two countries.

Japan and India are part of the Quad framework, which includes the United States and Australia.

Key words : boj 2-percent
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230320_22/

Several policymakers at a Bank of Japan meeting earlier this month called for continuing current monetary-easing measures to achieve the 2-percent inflation target.

That position is noted in a summary of opinions presented at the officials' monetary policy meeting held on March 9 and 10.

The policy meeting was the last for BOJ Governor Kuroda Haruhiko before his tenure ends in April. Participants were unanimous in their support of the ultra-loose policy.

The summary released on Monday mentions one opinion stating that necessary reforms would be delayed if the bank were to lower its inflation target and change its accommodative stance, just because the target is taking time to achieve.

The reforms are aimed at achieving wage rises in tandem with economic growth.

One policymaker said there is no need to modify a joint statement released in 2013 by the BOJ and the government. The document vowed that both sides would bolster their cooperation in pulling Japan out of deflation.

The official noted that "starting a discussion on the target may lead to unnecessary speculation on the conduct of monetary policy."

Key words : former taiwanese university
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230320_24/

Former Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou is set to travel to China beginning next week.

He will be the first Taiwanese leader, current or former, to visit the mainland since 1949.

An aide to Ma said the former president will make stops in Nanjing, Wuhan, Chongqing and elsewhere from March 27 to April 7.

Ma plans to tour facilities related to Sun Yat-sen, the founder of Taiwan's Kuomintang party. He will also visit sites connected with China's resistance to Japan.

He is also expected to travel to Hunan Province, where his ancestors lived.

Ma will be accompanied by Taiwanese young people who will interact with Chinese university students.

The aide said Ma believes increasing youth exchanges will help deepen friendship between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait and reduce tensions.

The Former Taiwanese president has said in the past that the mainland and Taiwan both belong to one China.

Ma met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Singapore in 2015 while he was in office. It was the first-ever meeting between the leaders of the two sides.

His itinerary does not include Beijing, but the aide has not ruled out the possibility of Ma meeting senior Chinese officials.

A spokesperson for China's Taiwan Affairs Office, Ma Xiaoguang, has welcomed Ma's planned visit.

He said Beijing is willing to provide the necessary assistance for the visit. He avoided using the title of the former Taiwan president.

Key words : security council greenfield shino
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230321_04/

The United Nations Security Council has held an emergency meeting following North Korea's launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile.

Representatives from western countries denounced the North for violating Council resolutions during the meeting on Monday, which was convened at the request of countries including the United States and Japan.

North Korea fired a missile toward the Sea of Japan last Thursday and announced the following day that it was a "launching drill" for the Hwasong-17 missile.

US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield accused China and Russia of obstructing the Security Council. She said those countries are "encouraging Pyongyang to launch ballistic missiles with impunity."

She also proposed issuing a statement demanding the North adhere to the resolutions.

Japan's Deputy Ambassador Shino Mitsuko expressed support for the US proposal, calling on member states to fulfill their duties to protect global peace and security.

China and Russia opposed the US proposal, with a Chinese representative describing it as not constructive. The official blamed US military drills around the Korean Peninsula for heightened tensions in the region.

Key words : philippines defense
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230321_03/

Runway rehabilitation work has begun at an air base in the Philippines under a defense cooperation agreement with the United States.

The work to upgrade a 2,800-meter runway at the Basa Air Base is being financed by the US. The project accounts for 80 percent of the funds to be spent at five military bases under the bilateral pact.

The 2014 agreement gave American forces access to five bases in the Philippines, on the condition that the US shoulders the costs of preparing infrastructure.

But its implementation stalled as relations between the countries were strained when former President Rodrigo Duterte was in power.

During a groundbreaking ceremony on Monday, Philippines' defense chief Carlito Galvez said the pact's implementation is now in full swing after almost eight years of delay. He expressed the desire for more US involvement in projects in his country.

Faced with maritime challenges from China in the South China Sea, the government of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, who came into office last year, ramped up efforts to upgrade the country's military facilities. In February, it also granted the United States access to four military bases, on top of the five locations under the 2014 deal.

The increase in the number of bases available to US forces is also expected to strengthen deterrence against possible Chinese actions surrounding Taiwan.

Key words : thailand dissolved
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230320_34/

Thailand's parliament has been dissolved, paving the way for its first general election in four years. The focus of the vote will be whether to continue or renew the political system, which has remained under the influence of the military since a coup nine years ago.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha submitted a decree to disband the House of Representatives last week ahead of the end of its four-year term Thursday. King Maha Vajiralongkorn approved it on Monday.

Prayut led the coup in 2014 and stayed on as prime minister after a general election in 2019. He has faced repeated anti-government protests over his heavy-handed political style and his handling of the pandemic response.

The election will choose 500 members of the lower house. All 250 senators in the upper house, whose seats are not up for grabs this time, were effectively picked by the military under the current Constitution. The next prime minister will be chosen by lawmakers of both chambers after the election. Voting is expected to take place in May.

Key words : japanese firm eco-friendly
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230320_25/

Japanese firms have showcased their eco-friendly technologies at a seminar in Indonesia, which plans to build a green new capital.

Indonesia plans to relocate its capital to the island of Kalimantan some 2,000 kilometers away from current capital Jakarta, starting from 2024.

The government has pledged to construct an eco-friendly city that utilizes only renewable energy and recycles waste materials, among other sustainability measures.

The seminar, held in Jakarta on Monday, was co-sponsored by the governments of Japan and Indonesia.
It attracted some 100 people, which included representatives of Japanese firms as well as of the Indonesian government. Some joined online.

A plastic manufacturer introduced technology that recycled plastic left over during the process of manufacturing refrigerators and similar appliances.

Another Japanese firm demonstrated technology that utilizes hydrogen and ammonia to reduce carbon-dioxide emissions at thermal power plants.

Coal-fired thermal power accounts for about 67 percent of all electricity generated in Indonesia. The country also faces criticism that about 60 percent of its plastic waste is mismanaged.

Participants responsible for dealing with environmental issues were seen listening attentively to the presentations at the seminar.

A Japanese embassy official in Indonesia responsible for environmental issues, Nomoto Takuya, emphasized Japan's readiness to provide support. He also noted that Chinese and South Korean firms appear eager to launch businesses that address environmental concerns.