at 18:30 (JST), September 08

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/20230908183000_english_1.mp3


Key words : talent agency has resigned
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230907_22/

Johnny & Associates President Fujishima Julie has resigned, admitting for the first time the late founder of the Japanese talent agency sexually abused minors over decades.

Key words : higashiyama niece
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230907_23/

Japanese talent agency Johnny & Associates has apologized after admitting that its late founder Johnny Kitagawa sexually abused minors over many years.

The agency's president, Fujishima Julie, held a news conference on Thursday following the release of a report last week by a third-party panel that looked into the allegations of sexual abuse.

Fujishima said, "Johnny & Associates and I myself are both aware that Kitagawa committed sexual abuse. I offer my sincere apologies to those who were victimized."

Fujishima also said that she had resigned as president, and a veteran member of the agency, Higashiyama Noriyuki, had replaced her.

This is the agency's first news conference since a number of men came forward to allege that they were sexually abused by Kitagawa when they were minors. Kitagawa died in 2019 at the age of 87.

The third-party panel says in its report that Kitagawa abused a large number of boys over decades, most of them backup dancers known as "Johnny's Juniors," who were waiting to make their debuts.

The report notes that in a family-owned business it can be difficult to stop illegal acts due to close personal ties. It says Fujishima, who is the late founder's niece, should resign to enable the agency to make a new start.

Fujishima said she takes the panel's recommendations seriously, and stepped down on Tuesday.

Higashiyama, who also took part in the news conference, admitted Kitagawa's sexual misconduct and apologized.

He said he feels really sorry for those who were victimized and those who have felt physical and mental pain for a long time. He said he will retire from his showbiz career by the year-end to sincerely deal with this matter.

Higashiyama was a member of a boy band. He has also worked as an actor and a news anchor.

Fujishima said she will remain as the agency's representative director to better deal with the matter and make decisions. She said she is thinking of stepping down from that post when relief measures for the victims are well on track.

Key words : hiramoto
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230907_30/

A group of men who claim to have been sexually abused by the founder of Johnny & Associates spoke to reporters following a news conference by the talent agency on Thursday.

The agency's president, Fujishima Julie, admitted for the first time that the late Johnny Kitagawa had sexually abused minors over many years.

The group leader, Hiramoto Junya, said that what was most meaningful in the conference was Fujishima's appearance. He said it seemed to him that Fujishima spoke not from a prepared script, but with her own words.

Hiramoto said that the group needs to monitor how matters will progress, but he wants the agency to take into account the group's messages and requests.

Hiramoto also made a reference to remarks by the agency's new president Higashiyama Noriyuki that he thought sexual abuse allegations were just rumors. Hiramoto said he felt the remarks somewhat unacceptable.

The group's deputy leader, Ishimaru Shimon, said that he found the news conference to be poorly prepared, but meaningful as it responded to the three requests that the group had made, namely, admission, apology and remedy, and paved a way toward the future.

He raised a question about the new president, who is the agency's talent. Ishimaru said that he wonders whether the agency has risk management capability, because it puts a talent, who does not have enough experience of business management, to stand in position to take the heat. He said governance is likely not working at the agency.

Key words : north kim navy
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230908_08/

North Korea says it has launched a newly-built "tactical nuclear attack submarine" that will conduct operations in the Sea of Japan.

The ruling Workers' Party newspaper Rodong Sinmun said on Friday that the submarine's launching ceremony was held on Wednesday. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was reportedly present at the event.

Kim reportedly said in a speech that the submarine is capable of carrying a large amount of nuclear arms and launching preemptive and retaliatory attacks. He also said it "will perform its combat mission as one of core underwater offensive means of the naval force" of North Korea.

Kim also expressed his intention to accelerate development of the country's first nuclear-powered submarine. In 2021, the country pledged in its five-year national defense program that it would develop such a vessel.

The paper said that on the following day Kim inspected the submarine ahead of its test run. It quoted Kim as saying that arming the navy with nuclear weapons is an urgent task that should not be delayed any longer.

In July 2019, Kim inspected a submarine that was being constructed. Pyongyang said the vessel would ultimately conduct operations in the Sea of Japan. South Korean forces have said that it can carry three submarine-launched ballistic missiles, or SLBMs.

The submarine launched on Wednesday could be the one Kim inspected in 2019.

North Korea is apparently trying to boost morale ahead of the 75th anniversary of the nation's founding. The country will mark the milestone on Saturday. The North may also be trying to show that it is willing to equip its naval forces with tactical nuclear weapons to counter the United States and other countries.

Key words : russia embassy
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230908_03/

The Russian Embassy in North Korea says it has welcomed new personnel for the first time since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. Moscow is expected to work to bolster ties with Pyongyang amid the growing rift between Russia and Western nations over Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The embassy said in a social media post on Thursday that 20 diplomats and technical employees arrived at the Pyongyang international airport earlier in the day.

The post said that there is a lot of work ahead, with the Russian state setting new tasks for the embassy. But it does not mention exactly what the tasks are.

The post carried a photograph of Russian Ambassador Alexander Matsegora and other officials standing in front of the embassy.

Many foreign diplomats left North Korea because of the pandemic. In February 2021, a group of Russian diplomats and family members exited North Korea for Russia on a hand-pushed rail trolley due to Pyongyang's strict anti-coronavirus measures.

Key words : japanese whiskey competition
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/videos/20230802171932045/

Sake maker aims to tap booming market for Japanese whisky

A Takayama City sake maker with more than 200 years of history is venturing into the whisky business, inspired by the success and popularity of Japanese offerings around the world.