at 18:30 (JST), June 12

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/20230612183000_english_1.mp3


Key words : extended alert
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230612_14/

Japan remains on high alert for North Korean missiles after the launch window declared by the North in late May expired at midnight between Saturday and Sunday.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Matsuno Hirokazu told reporters on Monday that North Korea may attempt another launch using ballistic missile technologies as the country has said it will conduct a second one at an early date.

The launch of the North's first military reconnaissance satellite on May 31 ended with it crashing into the Yellow Sea west of the Korean Peninsula.

On Sunday, Defense Minister Hamada Yasukazu extended the order for the Self-Defense Forces to destroy any incoming ballistic missiles that are likely to fall within Japanese territory.

Matsuno said the government will build an appropriate system based on the comprehensive analysis and evaluation of information to cope with any situation.

Matsuno also criticized North Korea's launch attempt. He said that even if the North had intended to launch a satellite, it had violated UN Security Council resolutions that ban the country's use of ballistic missile technologies.

Key words : south warned
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230611_17/

China has lodged a complaint with South Korea after Seoul summoned the Chinese ambassador to the country over remarks that warned against tilting toward the United States.

The Chinese envoy, Xing Haiming, told the leader of South Korea's largest opposition party last Thursday that there are those who bet on the US to win and China to lose and they would definitely regret it.

Xing was apparently referring to South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol's policy of boosting ties with the US.

On Friday, South Korea lodged a protest with the ambassador, saying the remarks could constitute an attempt to interfere in its internal affairs.

China's foreign ministry said on Sunday that Assistant Foreign Minister Nong Rong had summoned the South Korean ambassador, Chung Jae-ho, the previous day to express "serious concern and dissatisfaction" over what it called Seoul's "improper response."

The ministry also said Nong urged Seoul to reflect on the relationship between the two countries and to work with China to promote healthy and stable ties.

In April, China and South Korea exchanged harsh criticism over a comment that President Yoon made about Taiwan.

Key words : heavy rain and strong wind
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230611_15/

Heavy rain and strong winds have ravaged parts of northwestern Pakistan. Local authorities say at least 27 people have died and 146 others were injured.

The bad weather hit some districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Saturday afternoon.

Authorities say 69 houses were damaged, and most of the victims were struck by roofs and walls that collapsed. The dead include eight children.

The authorities say damage was severe because many buildings in the affected areas were constructed with low-intensity materials, such as bricks and clay.

Pakistan suffered extensive flooding that began in June last year. More than 1,700 people were killed in that disaster.

Weather officials are calling on people to stay on alert ahead of the country's rainy season.

Key words : honduras
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230612_01/

Honduras has opened an embassy in Beijing. The Central American nation established diplomatic relations with China in March, severing its ties with Taiwan.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry said Foreign Minister Qin Gang and his Honduran counterpart Eduardo Enrique Reina participated in the opening ceremony on Sunday.

Qin said the two countries officially formed diplomatic ties based on the "one-China" principle, ushering in a new era of bilateral relations.

He stressed the importance of adhering to the principle, and added this policy corresponds to the fundamental interests of both countries and their peoples.

Reina said the establishment of diplomatic relations with China has opened the door for Honduras to become a prosperous and great nation.

Honduran President Xiomara Castro is on an official visit to China from Friday to Wednesday. She is scheduled to hold summit talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Honduras' ending of its relationship with Taiwan has brought the number of sovereign states that recognize Taiwan to 13, which is the lowest ever.

Key words : plans to release drinking water brief
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230610_16/

Japan's economy and industry minister has held talks with fishers in Fukushima and two neighboring prefectures over a plan to release treated and diluted water from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

The government plans to release the treated water after diluting it to reduce tritium levels to one-seventh of the World Health Organization's safety standards for drinking water. The operator of the plant, Tokyo Electric Power Company, is preparing to start discharging the water into the ocean by around this summer.

Minister Nishimura Yasutoshi had separate talks with representatives of local fisheries industries in Miyagi, Fukushima and Ibaraki prefectures on Saturday to brief them on progress.

In a meeting with Fukushima fishers in Iwaki City, Nishimura said it's necessary to release the treated and diluted water into the ocean as a step toward decommissioning the plant. He promised that the government will work to ensure the livelihood of local fishers is preserved while the decommissioning work proceeds.

Nozaki Tetsu, the head of the Fukushima federation of fisheries cooperatives, said that local fishers remain opposed to the water release plan. But he added that they hope as Fukushima residents that the plant decommissioning will be completed. He said they want to explore a way forward through continued talks with the government.

The International Atomic Energy Agency is expected to release the results of its comprehensive safety assessment of the water discharge plan as early as this month.

The government plans to use the IAEA report to support its case for the water's release, both domestically and internationally.

Key words : two passenger planes contact
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230610_15/

Two passenger planes came into contact on a taxiway at Tokyo's Haneda Airport on Saturday. No injuries were reported.

Transport ministry and airline officials say an aircraft operated by Taiwan's Eva Air, which was stationary on a taxiway, and a Thai Airways plane, which was passing behind it, made physical contact at around 11 a.m.

The horizontal tail of the Eva Air jet and one wing of the Thai Airways plane were partly damaged.

A total of 207 passengers and crew members were on the Eva Air aircraft, while the Thai Airways jet was carrying 264 people.

Footage from an NHK camera shows the Thai jet coming to a halt after passing behind the Eva Air plane at around 11 a.m.

About 40 minutes later, an airport official was seen carrying what appeared to be part of a plane after picking it up from the taxiway.

Passengers from the two aircraft were shuttled by bus to a terminal building.

The incident closed down one of Haneda's four runways for around two hours, until around 1 p.m.

All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines said some of their flights servicing Haneda were delayed by about 30 minutes to two hours. They are advising passengers to check the latest flight information.

Key words : oda won
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230612_02/

Seventeen-year-old Japanese tennis player Oda Tokito has won the French Open men's wheelchair singles title, becoming the youngest winner of a Grand Slam tournament in the category.

Oda faced the world number-one-ranked Alfie Hewett of Britain in the men's final on Saturday. Oda beat Hewett 6-1, 6-4.

At the age of 17 years and one month, Oda is the youngest winner of a men's Grand Slam title since the competitions opened to professional players in 1968.

Currently ranked number two in the world, he will be placed at the top of the ranking following his victory, making him the youngest-ever men's wheelchair world No.1.

Oda said he hopes more people will enjoy watching wheelchair tennis, just like soccer and baseball. He said that really motivates him. Oda added that he wants wheelchair tennis to become a major sport and he will always do his best.

He is the second Japanese wheelchair tennis player to have won a Grand Slam title in the men's singles category after superstar Kunieda Shingo, who retired in January this year with a record 28 titles.

Kunieda has high expectations for Oda. He said Oda knows he will be overtaken unless he continues to make progress. Kunieda added that he wants Oda to bear that in mind and to keep fighting, and he wants to see how Oda will develop his tennis.

In the women's wheelchair competition, Kamiji Yui from Japan won the double's title with her partner Kgothatso Montjane of South Africa.

The pair beat Diede De Groot of the Netherlands and Maria Florencia Moreno of Argentina 6-2, 6-3 in the final.

But in the singles final, Kamiji, who is ranked number two in the world, lost to number-one-ranked De Groot.