at 18:30 (JST), June 05

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/20230605183000_english_1.mp3


Key words : people in taiwan
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230605_02/

People in Taiwan have marked the 1989 deadly military crackdown on student-led pro-democracy protests at Beijing's Tiananmen Square amid Chinese moves to prevent any commemorations of the incident.

Civilians, including members of civic and human rights groups, converged at a Taipei square on Sunday to remember the tragedy.

Participants in the annual gathering arranged candle-shaped lights in the number "8964," which stands for June 4, 1989, when the crackdown unfolded. They also observed silence for 64 seconds from 8:09 p.m.

Organizers placed at the venue a replica of the "Pillar of Shame" statue, a column of anguished faces and twisted torsos of Tiananmen victims.

The 8-meter-tall original sculpture had stood on the University of Hong Kong's campus and served as a venue for an annual commemoration of the crackdown.

But the university removed the monument in December 2021 amid a wave of arrests in Hong Kong under the territory's national security law that authorities use to suppress activities they deem anti-government. Police seized the original last month.

The Taipei event was organized by a non-profit group called the New School for Democracy.

Its chairman Tseng Chien-yuan said civil society in China, including Hong Kong, has vanished completely. He added that he feels responsibility as Taiwan has become the only place in the Chinese-speaking world to hold remembrance events for the Tiananmen crackdown.

People in China regard publicly discussing the crackdown as taboo amid the authorities' efforts to stifle any criticism of the Chinese Communist Party and the government over the incident.

Key words : railway minister
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230604_17/

India's railway minister says a multiple-train crash in the east of the country on Friday was caused by a problem related to an operation system.

Local authorities said on Sunday that the accident in the state of Odisha left 275 people dead and more than 1,100 others injured. They said nearly 800 of the injured have left the hospital. The numbers were revised from earlier reports of 288 deaths and about 900 injuries.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw spoke about the crash in an interview with a local media outlet on Sunday.

He said the accident happened due to a change that occurred during electronic interlocking. The computerized interlocking system is used to switch signals and tracks. The minister did not explain what kind of change triggered the accident.

The railway board under the minister said at a news conference that investigations so far indicate there was some kind of signaling problem.

The board explained that an express train traveling to the southern city of Chennai did not enter the main track and instead went into a loop line for some reason. The board said the train collided with a stationary freight train there at a speed of 128 kilometers per hour and derailed. Some of the derailed carriages then hit the rear part of another express train.

The crash took place on a key train line connecting major cities in India's east and south.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government aims to quickly restore service to prevent public discontent from growing ahead of next year's general election.

Key words : november
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230604_14/

Japanese Defense Minister Hamada Yasukazu and South Korean Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup have agreed to accelerate talks on pending bilateral issues.

Hamada and Lee met in Singapore on Sunday. It was the first meeting between the two countries' defense ministers since November 2019.

Hamada reiterated the Defense Ministry's stance of urging South Korea to prevent a recurrence of a radar incident. The Japanese government has been saying that a South Korean destroyer directed fire-control radar at a Japanese Self-Defense Forces patrol aircraft over the Sea of Japan in December 2018.

Lee repeated South Korea's stance that the destroyer did not aim radar at the Japanese plane. South Korea's Defense Ministry has consistently claimed that a Japanese SDF aircraft conducted a provocative low-altitude flight over a South Korean military vessel.

The two ministers confirmed the need to advance cooperation between their defense authorities and agreed to speed up working-level talks on pending issues, including measures to prevent such incidents.

The ministers also strongly criticized North Korea for using ballistic missile technology in its recent attempt to launch what it calls a military reconnaissance satellite, saying the move violates UN Security Council resolutions.

They confirmed the importance of promoting defense cooperation between the two nations as well as with the United States to cope with North Korea's nuclear and missile threats.

Hamada told reporters after the meeting that both sides sought to have a frank discussion, and that he wants to continue to communicate closely with the South Korean side.

Lee told South Korean reporters that the two countries agreed to start working-level talks with a focus on coming up with measures to prevent a recurrence of the 2018 incident.

Key words : japanese police arrested
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230604_15/

Japanese police have arrested the former YouTuber-turned Upper House member GaaSyy on suspicion of multiple allegations, including intimidation.

He was elected to the Upper House as a member of an opposition party last year. But he was expelled for failing to appear at any Diet session.

GaaSyy, whose real name is Higashitani Yoshikazu, returned to Japan from the United Arab Emirates on Sunday.

Tokyo police took him into custody just after his arrival on suspicion of repeatedly intimidating and slandering celebrities and business people in online videos. GaaSyy gained fame for running a gossip channel.
A number of prominent figures have filed criminal complaints against him. Tokyo police obtained a warrant for his arrest in March and requested he be placed on an Interpol wanted list.

Key words : space agency
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230605_05/

Japan's space agency has unveiled to the media its first lunar explorer at its space center in Kagoshima Prefecture. The probe is called the Smart Lander for Investigating the Moon, or SLIM.

JAXA's unmanned spacecraft will test precise landing technology on the moon and study its rocks.

The craft is about 2.4 meters high and weighs roughly 200 kilograms.

The probe will use image-recognition technique to help it identify craters and other topographical features. JAXA's goal is to land the spacecraft within one hundred meters of its intended landing point.

The space agency had previously planned to send the SLIM lander on a H2A rocket in May. But the launch has been postponed to August or thereafter due to the failed debut of Japan's new flagship H3 rocket.

Three countries have so far succeeded in landing spacecraft on the moon.

Data obtained by the probe will be used for the US-led Artemis program, which aims to send astronauts to the moon.

SLIM project team manager Sakai Shinichiro says the mission is a challenge. He says the project is entering the final stage, and his team is working hard to achieve a successful landing.

Key words : matsumoto 85
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230604_03/

People have bid farewell to the late Japanese manga and anime creator, Matsumoto Leiji, at a memorial service in Tokyo.

Matsumoto became famous for his cosmic anime works, such as "Galaxy Express 999," "Space Battleship Yamato" and "Space Pirate Captain Harlock."

He died of acute heart failure in February at the age of 85.

About 3,000 manga artists, voice actors, fans and others laid flowers for Matsumoto at the Tokyo International Forum on Saturday.

The alter was decorated with blue and white flowers, which were meant to represent Earth and space. A photograph of the late artist cuddling his cat and pictures of characters from "Galaxy Express 999" were on display.

Manga artist Chiba Tetsuya delivered a eulogy. He thanked Matsumoto for his great contributions to manga and anime.

Chiba said there is no doubt that Matsumoto lived a most fulfilling life, and that he was acclaimed by people around the world.

The singer Sasaki Isao sang the theme song from the "Galaxy Express 999" TV series. Takekawa Yukihide, also a singer, sang the theme song from the film.