at 18:30 (JST), August 11

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/20230811183000_english_1.mp3


Key words : leaks fukushima
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230811_06/

The operator of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant has found leaks in a hose used to transfer treated water. Tokyo Electric Power Company conducted a probe after higher-than-usual levels of radioactive material were detected in rainwater in the dike around a storage tank. TEPCO says the water that leaked remained inside the barrier.

It says someone caused the cracks with a cutter blade while removing the packaging around the hose after it was delivered.

Rain and groundwater mixes with water used to cool molten fuel at the plant. The accumulated water is treated to remove most radioactive substances, but still contains tritium.

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

The operator says in June it detected 33,000 becquerels of tritium per liter in rainwater collected from the dike surrounding a tank storing treated water.

An inspection found that some water had leaked from cracks of about 4 centimeters on a hose being used for transferring treated water at the time.

As the hose was also used to transfer treated water from another tank, TEPCO analyzed water in the dike around the tank and detected up to 67,000 becquerels of tritium per liter. That exceeds 60,000 becquerels, the standard set by the Japanese government for releasing tritium into the environment.

TEPCO says there was no leakage of treated water outside the dike.

It says the leak will not affect the plan to discharge treated and diluted water from the plant into the ocean.

Last month, the International Atomic Energy Agency released a report saying Japan's water release plan is consistent with international safety standards.

Key words : kim drill
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230810_15/

North Korean state-run media say the country's leader Kim Jong Un has called for stepping up the military's war preparations in an "offensive" way.

Korean Central Television said that Kim attended an enlarged meeting of the Central Military Commission of the ruling Workers' Party on Wednesday.

Kim reportedly signed a written order on important military measures, and called for practical drills using the latest weapons and equipment.

The meeting also decided on replacing the chief of the General Staff, and discussed preparations for a militia parade to mark the 75th anniversary of the country's founding on September 9.

State media photos show Kim speaking in front of what appears to be a map of the Korean Peninsula.

South Korea's Yonhap news agency says Kim was pointing to areas that appeared to be Seoul and the Gyeryongdae military headquarters, south of the capital.

The enlarged meeting was held for the first time since April, when Kim is said to have reviewed an offensive operation plan.

Pyongyang conducted the first test-firing of what it calls the Hwasong-18 solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile three days after the meeting in April.

Observers say the latest meeting was aimed at keeping the US and South Korea in check by hinting at further military provocations. The US and South Korean forces are expected to stage joint military drills later this month.

Key words : brazil short-term
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230810_17/

The Brazilian government says it has agreed with Japan on the reciprocal exemption of short-term stay visas, enabling tourists from both countries to visit without a visa.

Brazil's foreign ministry on Wednesday announced that the visa waiver measures will be in place starting September 30 for a period of three years.

The exemption applies to those visiting each other's countries for up to 90 days.

In 2019, the administration of then-President Jair Bolsonaro waived visa requirements for travelers from four countries, including Japan and the United States, in a bid to bolster Brazil's tourism industry.

But earlier this year, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's administration had announced that it would reintroduce the visa requirement from October 1, citing the principle of reciprocity.

Japan had continued to demand visas from Brazilians entering Japan for short-term stays.

To prevent the end of the visa exemption, Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio promised President Lula during his visit to Japan in May that Japan would initiate procedures to introduce the same measures for Brazilians.

Brazil's foreign ministry said, "The exemption will contribute to strengthening human ties and the relations between the two countries in the year marking the 115th anniversary of Japanese immigration to Brazil."

Key words : north accelerating long-range
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