at 18:30 (JST), May 03

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/20230503183000_english_1.mp3


Key words : chief executive
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230503_02/

Hong Kong's Chief Executive John Lee has announced plans to modify the electoral system for local district council seats in line with his stance of blocking pro-democracy candidates from running in elections.

Lee revealed the plan at a news conference on Tuesday.

The proposed change will slash nine seats from the current 479 in the councils, and reduce the number of directly elected seats to 88. That would be a reduction from more than 90 percent of the seats now chosen by the public to below 20 percent.

Under the measures, authorities plan to prescreen those wishing to run to ensure candidates are what they describe as "patriots".

They would also monitor the activities of elected councilors.

Lee said the authorities must plug all the loopholes in the system to prevent the district councils from again becoming a platform for black violence, Hong Kong independence, and mutual destruction.

Among Hong Kong's past elections, ones for district councils were said to reflect public opinion in the most accurate manner. In 2019, when the elections were last held, the pro-democracy camp won a landslide victory, gaining more than 80 percent of the seats.

Hong Kong later reviewed its ordinances, introducing a requirement that district councilors pledge oaths of loyalty to the territory's government.

The number of councilors has now been reduced to a third after many of pro-democracy lawmakers resigned or were disqualified after the review.

Key words : tokyo protest
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230503_03/

Japan has lodged a protest against South Korea after a South Korean lawmaker visited the Takeshima Islands in the Sea of Japan.

South Korea controls the islands. Japan claims them. It says South Korea is illegally occupying them.

The Japanese Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday it learned that Jeon Yonggi set foot on the islands accompanied by 14 others associated with his political party earlier the day.

Jeon belongs to South Korea's main opposition Democratic Party.

A photo of a man wrapped in South Korea's national flag, purportedly taken on the islands, was posted on Jeon's social media account.

The head of the Foreign Ministry's Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, Funakoshi Takehiro, called a minister at the South Korean Embassy in Tokyo, Kim Yong-gil, to express deep regret over the visit.

Funakoshi told Kim that the visit took place despite Japan's opposition and demands for it to be called off.

Funakoshi said the Takeshima Islands are an inherent part of Japanese territory, both historically and in terms of international law. He said the visit is absolutely unacceptable.

Jeon's visit to the Islands is the first by a South Korean lawmaker since August 2021.

The latest visit came on the day the South Korean government announced that Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio is set to make a two-day visit to South Korea from Sunday.

The South Korean government said Kishida's visit will mark the resumption of so-called shuttle diplomacy between the leaders of the two countries, stressing its intention to improve bilateral ties.

But South Korea's opposition bloc has been increasingly critical of President Yoon Suk-yeol's administration since his visit to Japan in March, accusing it of unilaterally making compromises with Japan.

Key words : china support myanmar
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230503_05/

China's Foreign Minister and Myanmar's junta leader have shown solidarity in their talks in Naypyitaw.

Qin Gang and General Min Aung Hlaing met in Myanmar's capital on Tuesday during Qin's first visit to the country since he took office.

Myanmar's state media reported that Qin said his visit indicates not only the two country's friendship but also that China stands by Myanmar internationally.

China's foreign ministry quoted Qin as saying his country will continue to do its utmost to support Myanmar's development. He vowed China's cooperation in the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor, a project to connect the two countries by highway and railway. Qin added that China will also engage in agricultural and education projects.

The meeting comes amid mounting criticism from the international community against Myanmar's military as fighting between the military and pro-democracy forces is intensifying.

The military carried out an air strike on a northwestern village in April, killing 168 residents, including children.

The meeting is believed to be the military leadership's show of its close relationship with China as it faces deepening isolation.

Key words : onemonth sakamoto
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