at 18:30 (JST), July 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/20230712183000_english_1.mp3


Key words : supreme court inconvenience other employee
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230711_32/

Japan's Supreme Court has ruled that a workplace's restriction on which bathroom a transgender employee could use was not legal.

The case involves a worker at Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

The woman, who identifies as transgender, filed a suit in 2015 after she was banned by her government office from using certain women's restrooms. A district court found those restrictions to be illegal, but the Tokyo High Court later overturned that ruling.

On Tuesday, Japan's top court ruled against the bathroom restriction. It says the workplace caused significant inconvenience for the plaintiff while placing excessive priority on the feelings of other employees. It's the first Japanese Supreme Court ruling regarding LGBTQ employees in the workplace.

It could have major impacts on how companies and public agencies in Japan treat LGBTQ workers going forward.

Key words : hong kong chief
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230711_24/

Hong Kong's leader has threatened to ban many sea products from Japan if the country goes ahead with its plan to release into the ocean treated and diluted water from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

Water used to cool molten nuclear fuel mixes with rain and groundwater, and has been accumulating at the plant.

The water is treated to remove most radioactive substances, but still contains tritium.

The Japanese government plans to dilute the treated water to about one-seventh the World Health Organization's guidelines for drinking water quality before releasing it into the sea.

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee told reporters on Tuesday that if the plan is carried out, he will ban imports of marine products from many Japanese prefectures.

Since the 2011 accident at the plant, Hong Kong's government has required radiation screening certificates issued by a Japanese government body for sea products from Fukushima and four nearby prefectures -- Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma and Chiba.

Lee said restrictions would be tightened, and that he has ordered a government-wide team to consider details.

Hong Kong is one of the major buyers of Japanese farm and sea products.

Last year's exports to Hong Kong totaled more than 1.4 billion dollars, the second-largest amount behind China.

Key words : un population
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230711_33/

Tuesday is United Nations World Population Day. The UN's figures indicate that the globe's population is continuing to rise. India now tops the list of the most populous countries. It is believed to have overtaken China earlier this year.

The UN Population Fund estimates that there are 1.4 billion people in India. That is almost 3 million more people than China is estimated to have.

Other populous countries include the United States, which has 340 million people, Indonesia, which has 277.5 million and Pakistan, which has 240.5 million.

The UN believes that there are now over 8 billion individuals in the world. But it notes that the rate of growth is slowing.

It expects the figure to peak at nearly 10.4 billion in the mid-2080s. The organization thinks the number will then start to decrease.

Key words : world leader historic visit Ukrainian soldier
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/videos/20230622125101951/

Message of peace from former Ukrainian soldier

A former Ukrainian soldier visited Hiroshima, the site of the world's first atomic bombing. While his country faces Russia's nuclear threat, he has an important message to share.