at 18:30 (JST), August 25

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/20230825183000_english_1.mp3


Key words : urging china discussion
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230825_03/

Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio says his government is urging China through a diplomatic channel to immediately lift its blanket import ban on Japanese seafood.

Kishida spoke on Thursday after China imposed the restriction in response to the start of the discharge of treated and diluted water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the sea earlier in the day.

Kishida said his government will call on China to hold discussions by experts based on scientific grounds.

The government is expected to continue urging China to scrap the ban, saying the measure is unjust. But China's foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a news conference on Thursday that Beijing "firmly opposes and strongly condemns" the water release.

A report issued by the International Atomic Energy Agency in July concluded that Japan's approach and activities regarding the water discharge "are consistent with relevant international safety standards."

The report also said the controlled, gradual discharges "would have a negligible radiological impact on people and the environment."

The Japanese government plans to use funds worth a total of 80 billion yen, or about 550 million dollars, to address reputational damage to fisheries and other industries. The plant's operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company, also says it is willing to pay compensation.

The plant suffered a triple nuclear meltdown in the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Water used to cool molten fuel has been mixing with rain and groundwater.

The resulting water is treated to remove most radioactive substances, but still contains tritium. Tokyo Electric dilutes the treated water to reduce tritium levels to about one-seventh of the World Health Organization's guidelines for drinking water.

Key words : G7 condemn
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230825_02/

The foreign affairs chiefs of the Group of Seven nations say they "condemn in the strongest terms" North Korea's latest launch that used ballistic missile technology.

The G7 diplomats issued a joint statement after North Korea carried out the launch from its northwestern area early Thursday morning. Pyongyang said its second attempt to launch a military reconnaissance satellite had ended in failure.

The ministers say the launch represents a "clear, flagrant violation" of multiple UN Security Council resolutions and "poses a grave threat to regional and international peace and stability."

The officials demand North Korea abandon its nuclear and missile programs "in a complete, verifiable, and irreversible manner."

They urge Pyongyang to fully comply with all obligations under the relevant UNSC resolutions.

The ministers also call on North Korea to accept the repeated offers of unconditional dialogue put forward by Japan, the United States and South Korea.

Key words : pollution indonesia
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230824_51/

Air pollution in the Indonesian capital is getting worse, and the fumes pose an immediate threat to people's health. Authorities are taking action, but some residents fear it's not enough.

Hardly any rain has fallen in Jakarta and surrounding areas due to the dry season.

The economy is shaking off the effects of the pandemic, but that's led to more emissions from vehicles, and factories running on coal.

President Joko Widodo recently instructed relevant agencies to help turn the situation around. He concedes air quality has been very bad, and people are falling ill.

The Jakarta state government is telling some civil servants to work from home. And employees' cars are being tested for emissions.

The central government is recommending electric vehicles and promoting renewable energies.

A man who lives in Jakarta says he had inflammation for about two weeks, and then a cough and runny nose.

A woman says the government should reduce the amount of vehicles and increase the use of buses and public transport.

Authorities plan to open a new capital next year. It's located on the eastern part of Kalimantan Island, about 2,000 kilometers away from Jakarta.

Key words : traditional indian
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/videos/20230627141812010/

Japan's new market for age-old Indian craft

A Japan-based venture is creating a new market for traditional embroidery from India. It's in danger of dying out, as many artisans abandon the handicraft for better-paying jobs.