at 18:30 (JST), July 13

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/20230713183000_english_1.mp3


Key words : myanmar thailand met
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230712_43/

Foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations are meeting in Jakarta, and the turmoil in Myanmar is high on the agenda.

Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai met with Myanmar's ousted leader on Sunday. It marks the first time an ASEAN leader has met with Aung San Suu Kyi since the coup in 2021.

Don said Aung San Suu Kyi was in good health. He also said they had a good meeting.

The bloc's top diplomats discussed the situation in Myanmar. Indonesia is the chair of the ASEAN conference. It has been working with other members to try to get Myanmar to implement the 5-point Consensus. The agreement calls for an end to the violence in the country.

But sources have revealed Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore have expressed concern about Thailand's unilateral move.

This indicates the member states are currently divided.
Observers are now wondering whether they will be able to come to some kind of agreement and release a joint communique.

China and the US will be involved in an upcoming series of meetings.

China is sending its top diplomat Wang Yi, instead of its foreign minister, Qin Gang. Qin was expected to come to Jakarta earlier. The meeting comes amid China's escalating activities in the South China Sea. The ASEAN countries are very concerned about Beijing's actions, and that issue will be discussed.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will also attend the talks. The meetings will end on Friday.

China, Russia and Indonesia held a trilateral meeting on Wednesday.

The ASEAN nations and external powers are expected to attend more conferences on Thursday.

Key words : north successfully
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230713_07/

North Korea says it successfully test-fired a new solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile on Wednesday.
Japanese defense officials are analyzing its capability. They say the flight time marked a record.

North Korean state-run media said Thursday the ICBM is a Hwasong-18 and that the country's leader, Kim Jong Un, observed the test.

The Korean Central News Agency said the missile traveled about 1,000 kilometers, reached an altitude of over 6,600 kilometers and flew for some 75 minutes.

KCNA said the first stage was designed to fly at a normal angle and the second and third to follow a more angled, so-called lofted trajectory.

KCNA said the latest launch was a response to the strengthened security cooperation among the US, South Korea and Japan.

It quoted Kim as saying "a series of stronger military offensive will be launched" until the US and South Korea admit the "shameful defeat" of their hostile policy toward North Korea.

It is the first time since April 13 that the North has fired a Hwasong-18. The country said at the time the firing was the first test of a new type of solid-fuel ICBM.

Solid-fuel missiles can be launched faster than conventional liquid-fuel missiles, and it is harder to detect signs of their launch beforehand.

Officials at Japan's Defense Ministry also say the missile was an ICBM-class, and their estimate of the flight time matches the North's.

They say that depending on the weight of the warhead and other factors, the missile could have a range of over 15,000 kilometers, covering the whole of the United States.

Key words : afghanistan refugee
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230713_01/

Japan has newly recognized 114 people from Taliban-controlled Afghanistan as refugees.

The Immigration Services Agency says they are among more than 800 people who fled to Japan from Afghanistan after the Islamist group took power in August 2021.

Sources familiar with the matter say the newly recognized refugees are people who worked for the Afghanistan office of the Japan International Cooperation Agency and their relatives.

The sources also say the refugees have been granted resident status in Japan and will be able to live there permanently if they meet certain requirements.

The latest recognition comes as some rights groups say Japan's criteria for granting refugee status are too strict compared with those of Western countries.

Key words : taiwan planning drill
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230712_30/

Taiwan's defense ministry is planning to conduct for the first time a drill simulating an attack by Chinese paratroopers on the busiest international airport in Taiwan.

The drill is one of the key operations during its annual large-scale military exercises, which will begin on July 24.

In the drill, the military will defend Taoyuan International Airport near Taipei under the scenario of an attack by Chinese paratroopers. It will be held at the airport.

On Wednesday, military personnel rehearsed part of the drill by one of the airport's runways. They confirmed the procedure of shooting down enemies who try to take control of the airport facilities.

Taoyuan airport is only several kilometers from the Taiwan Strait and about 30 kilometers from central Taipei, where the presidential office is located. It is believed that the airport will become one of the main targets should China invade Taiwan.

The drill at the key civilian airport will be held on July 26. Some arrivals and departures of commercial flights will likely be affected as military helicopters will be involved.

The first-ever drill at its busiest airport reflects Taiwan's recognition that the threat from China is increasing.

This year's exercises will also include a drill involving the landing, takeoff and maintenance of military planes at a civilian airport in Taitung on the east coast.

Another drill to practice preventing enemy landings along coasts and river mouths near Taipei is also listed as a key item.

Key words : Kishida yoon safety
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230712_47/

Japan's Prime Minister Kishida Fumio held bilateral talks with South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Lithuania on Wednesday.

Kishida said: "Japan condemns North Korea for threatening the peace and stability of the international community as it fired an ICBM-class missile on Wednesday."

"It is necessary for South Korea and Japan to cooperate further and along with NATO to secure peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific," Yoon said.

Kishida also explained Japan's plan to release treated water from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant into the ocean.
The water will be diluted to reduce the level of radioactive tritium to one-seventh of the WHO guidelines for drinking water. The International Atomic Energy Agency says Japan's plan is consistent with international safety standards.

Yoon said he respects the IAEA's report on the plan and asked to see real-time information concerning the release process.

Key words : pakistan boost
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230712_42/

In Pakistan, the ancient kingdom of Gandhara flourished for about a millennium, from the 6th century B.C. Government officials are now trying to boost tourism by promoting the nation's Buddhist heritage.

Buddhist monks and nuns from countries, such as Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar and South Korea have been invited by local authorities to visit Pakistan.

The guests are taken on tours of World Heritage sites and museums across the nation.

Some of the guests stopped at a museum in Islamabad on Monday. They prayed in front of a statue that dates back thousands of years.

The authorities also hold symposiums to discuss the Gandhara civilization.
Last year's massive floods and other factors sent Pakistan's economy into a slump.

The tourism industry had been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic before that.

The activities of extremist groups near the Afghan border are currently adding to the industry's woes.

Ramesh Kumar Vankwani is the chairman of the Prime Minister's Taskforce on Gadara Tourism. He mentioned that Gandhara culture was not promoted in the past. He added that an influx of tourists will boost the country's economy.

The Pakistani official believes more people from around the world will come to see Gandhara art, and he hopes a boost in tourism will contribute to the nation's economic recovery.

Key words : sake wine
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230712_37/

Japan is famous for its sake, but the country is also a significant producer of wine. In the major wine region of Yamanashi Prefecture, west of Tokyo, a competition is underway of wine made from grapes grown and harvested in the country.

The event takes place Wednesday and Thursday, with a record 123 domestic wineries competing.

Judges from abroad are taking part for the first time in four years because of the pandemic, including those from France and Australia.

One of the judges, University of Bordeaux Professor Gilles de Revel, said he is always very interested to come to Japan to see the progress the country's wine is making.

The judges make their evaluations in 12 categories based on grape varieties and wine style, taking into account factors such as taste and aroma.

The competition results will be announced on July 28.