at 18:30 (JST), September 18

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/20230918183000_english_1.mp3


Key words : kamikawa attend sideline
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230918_07/

Japan's Foreign Minister Kamikawa Yoko has left for the United States to attend a Group of Seven foreign ministers' meeting and other events to be held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

Kamikawa departed from Tokyo's Haneda Airport on Monday morning. She will be in New York until Friday.

Last week, she became Japan's first female foreign minister in 19 years.

Kamikawa has expressed willingness to demonstrate Japan's presence at the United Nations and build trust with her global counterparts.

At the G7 foreign ministers' meeting, Kamikawa is expected to discuss Russia's invasion of Ukraine and China's increasing maritime activities. Japan chairs the G7 this year.

Kamikawa is scheduled to hold talks with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to confirm their cooperation based on the Japan-US alliance. She will also meet foreign ministers from countries such as Britain and France.

Her itinerary also includes a ministerial meeting on women and peace, as well as a meeting of four countries trying to become permanent members of the UN Security Council. The four are Japan, Germany, Brazil and India.

Key words : kim state media capabilities
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230917_08/

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has visited Vladivostok in Russia's Far East to inspect the Russian Navy's Pacific Fleet base and to meet with Russian defense minister Sergei Shoigu.

North Korean state media reported Sunday that on the previous day the two exchanged views on further strengthening strategic and tactical cooperation between the militaries of the two countries.

The media report said Kim was briefed on the operational capabilities and equipment of the vessels in the Pacific Fleet.

Kim reportedly expressed his appreciation for the fleet and its contribution to the peace and security of Northeast Asia and the world.

Later in the day, Kim reportedly had constructive discussions on practical issues with Shoigu about coordination and cooperation between the two armed forces in defense and security. The details of the discussion have not been disclosed.

The North Korean leader is expected to conclude his visit to Russia and leave for his country as early as Sunday.

Pyongyang had said it is planning a third attempt to launch a military reconnaissance satellite in October.
The anniversary of the founding of the ruling Korean Workers' Party is also celebrated in October.

North Korean watchers are focused on what will emerge in the military cooperation with Russia as an outcome of the visit.

Key words : estimate 80 or older
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230917_14/

Japan's internal affairs ministry says one out of 10 people in the country is estimated to be 80 or older.

The ministry announced the demographic statistics on Sunday, one day before the Respect for the Aged Day national holiday.

It says the number of people who were 65 or older as of last Friday fell by about 10,000 from last year to 36.2 million. This marks the first decline since comparable data became available in 1950. Of the 36.2 million, 15.7 million were men and 20.5 million were women.

As the country's birthrate is declining, the ratio of elderly to the total population rose by 0.1 percentage point to a record 29.1 percent.

The number of people aged 80 or older rose by 270,000 from last year to a record 12.5 million, or more than 10 percent of Japan's population.

The working elderly population stood at 9.1 million in 2022, increasing for the 19th consecutive year.

At 25.2 percent, Japan's ratio of working elderly is the highest among the major economies.

Last year, 50.8 percent of those aged between 65 and 69, and 33.5 percent of those aged between 70 and 74 were still working.

The ministry says these ratios are expected to continue to rise due to the ongoing labor shortage.

Key words : china sanction arm
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230915_39/

China's foreign ministry has said the country will impose sanctions on two US defense firms -- Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman -- over weapons sales to Taiwan.

The ministry said on Friday that Lockheed Martin directly participated in the US arms sale to Taiwan announced on August 24, and that Northrop Grumman was involved in several arms sales.

The ministry also said the steps are in line with the country's anti-foreign sanctions law, but did not disclose their content or timing.

Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told reporters that Washington has seriously violated the country's one-China principle and undermined its sovereignty and security interests.

She also said China has called on the US to stop weapons sales to Taiwan. She warned of China's resolute response if such sales continue.

Beijing has repeatedly imposed sanctions on defense companies in response to US arms sales and supplies to Taiwan.

Key words : thai government visa
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230915_36/

The Thai government has decided to waive visa requirements for tourists from China and Kazakhstan. The move is an effort to help the tourism industry recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The requirements will be waived from September 25 to February 29, 2024. Visitors from those countries will be allowed to enter without a visa and stay for up to 30 days. About 11 million Chinese people traveled to Thailand in 2019. They accounted for nearly 30 percent of the nation's foreign guests. But only 1.8 million Chinese visitors had been welcomed by July of this year. They made up about 10 percent of the country's foreign tourists.

New Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin says Thailand's economy is one of his primary concerns. He has vowed to create policies that will stimulate economic growth. He has also promised to support the tourism industry.

Key words : hundreds of trees
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230915_24/

A member of a UNESCO advisory panel has called for an immediate halt to a controversial plan to redevelop Jingu Gaien, a lush park in central Tokyo.

The panel of the International Council on Monuments and Sites, or ICOMOS, issued what's called a heritage alert last week calling for a halt to the destruction of thousands of trees at the park. The statement said Jingu Gaien "represents an outstanding cultural heritage, unparalleled in the history of urban parks worldwide."

ICOMOS member Elizabeth Brabec serves as the president of the panel's International Scientific Committee on Cultural Landscapes. She joined a news conference at the Japan National Press Club online on Friday.

Brabec criticized the "unacceptable loss of mature heritage trees at a time when the world response to climate change recognizes the critical importance of maintaining urban open spaces in all parts of the urban forest."

Brabec added, "It is virtually unheard of for a major city such as Tokyo to take some of its urban parkland, which is in very short supply, and convert it to development."

Developers plan to build two skyscrapers in the Jingu Gaien area, which includes parts of Shinjuku Ward. Work to cut down hundreds of trees that are over 3 meters high could begin this month or later.

ICOMOS is asking the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, which has approved the project, and the developers to respond to its alert by October 10.

Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko told reporters on Friday that it appears ICOMOS has one-sided information, and that the developers need to provide a more detailed explanation.

Koike also said the Metropolitan Government asked the developers on Tuesday to present a concrete plan to review their policy on the preservation of trees before cutting them down.

The governor said the reminder was issued as the parties involved have failed to present a report, despite promising to do so in January. She urged them to quickly study preservation plans.

Key words : twenty-one years admit north
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230917_03/

Twenty-one years have passed since Pyongyang first admitted to the abductions of Japanese nationals at a landmark summit. Families of abductees are increasingly losing patience with the lack of progress in reuniting with their loved ones.

On September 17, 2002, Japan's then-Prime Minister Koizumi Junichiro and the late North Korean leader Kim Jong Il held the two countries' first summit in Pyongyang.

North Korea's admission of abductions at the summit led to the return of five Japanese nationals. They are among the 17 citizens whom the Japanese government says were abducted by North Korean agents in the 1970s and 1980s.

Many others, although not officially recognized, are suspected of having been taken to North Korea.

Over the past 21 years, eight parents of the officially recognized abductees have died, and only two are alive. The mother of abductee Yokota Megumi is 87. The father of Arimoto Keiko is 95.

Megumi's brother, Yokota Takuya, now heads a group formed by the abductees' families. He told reporters that the aging of the parents strikes him as a truly harsh reality. He said he desperately wants his mother and Arimoto's father to be reunited with their children.

Yokota added that major progress cannot be expected unless Japan's prime minister meets face-to-face with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. He called for an early summit, and efforts by the Japanese government to compel the North to return all the abductees.

This year, the families' group said in its action plan that it will not oppose Japan extending humanitarian aid to North Korea if the country allows all abductees to return while the remaining parents are alive.

It was the first time since the group was formed 26 years ago that it referred to possible aid to the North, even with conditions attached.

Prime Minister Kishida Fumio has indicated that he hopes to launch high-level talks with North Korea under his direct supervision, in order to realize a bilateral summit.