at 18:30 (JST), October 06

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/20231006183000_english_1.mp3


Key words : japan and south nine years
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20231005_34/

The vice foreign ministers of Japan and South Korea have held a strategic dialogue for the first time since 2014. The talks did not take place for nine years because of a diplomatic row between Tokyo and Seoul.

Officials from the two countries in charge of North Korean affairs also joined Thursday's talks in Seoul between Japan's Vice Foreign Minister Okano Masataka and South Korea's First Vice Foreign Minister Chang Ho-jin.

Okano and Chang exchanged views on the recent North Korean moves to strengthen relations with Russia, and condemned Pyongyang's provocations using its nuclear and missile programs. They agreed that Japan, South Korea and the United States will work closely together and lead the international community in responding resolutely to the North.

The vice ministers also agreed that their nations will promote cooperation with China. The three countries aim to hold a trilateral summit by the end of the year.

A South Korean foreign ministry spokesperson says Seoul hopes that communication with Japan will be promoted at all levels, and that their cooperation will be further strengthened, as bilateral ties have improved recently.

Key words : taiwan vice president
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20231005_31/

In a recent interview with NHK, Taiwan's Vice President Lai Ching-te called on the international community to unite to deter China from invading Taiwan. He also expressed hope that Japan will deepen security cooperation with Taiwan.

The interview was conducted Thursday in the Taiwan capital Taipei. It was Lai's first interview with a Japanese media organization since he was nominated this April as the ruling Democratic Progressive Party's candidate for the presidential election in January next year.

Lai said his party must win the election so that Taiwan's democracy can continue to develop and ensure that future generations of Taiwanese will continue to enjoy freedom and human rights.

When asked to comment about the possibility of a Taiwan contingency, Lai said that the more strongly united and better prepared the international community is, the smaller the chance of China starting a war.

Lai went on to say that if the international community only looks at China's market and overlooks the danger the country poses, unity in the international community will break apart and increase the chances of war.

Lai also stressed that Taiwan is not about to give up its sovereignty for the sake of resuming dialogue with Beijing. He said that once Taiwan loses its sovereignty, its free and democratic system will collapse and Taiwan will end up like Hong Kong or Macao. He made clear that Taiwan will not accept Beijing's claim that Taiwan is part of its territory.

With regard to Taiwan's relations with Japan, Lai said that while the whole world is responsible for the peace and stability of the Indo-Pacific region, Taiwan will play the most important role, followed by Japan because they face the most direct threat from China.

Lai said Japan and Taiwan should cooperate in security and other areas in every way possible.

Key words : shibuya halloween
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20231005_38/

The mayor of Tokyo's busy Shibuya Ward has asked foreign tourists to avoid taking part in Halloween festivities in the streets near Shibuya station. Hasebe Ken said he wants to avoid overcrowding and other raucous activities, after last year's deadly Halloween crowd crush in South Korea.

Hasebe spoke at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan on Thursday.
The mayor stressed, "Shibuya is not going be a Halloween event venue this year. I want to make this message clear to the world."

Drinking in the streets near Shibuya station will be prohibited from October 27 to October 31, between 6pm and 5am. Stores in the area will also be asked to stop selling alcohol between those hours on Saturday, October 28 and Tuesday, October 31. Shibuya will deploy additional security guards and strengthen traffic regulations.

"I can certainly see why he is quite anxious, understand his anxiety," said Leo Lewis, an editor at the Financial Times who attended the press briefing. "Nobody wants a repeat of what happened in Seoul last year."

On October 29, 2022, massive crowds celebrating Halloween poured into the narrow alleyways of Seoul's Itaewon district. A surge led to the deaths of more than 150 people.

This will also be Japan's first Halloween since the country eased COVID-19 restrictions, and as the number of foreign visitors to Shibuya has increased.
On top of reducing crowds, the ward says it also wants to avoid the effects of "overtourism," including property damage, littering, and "altercations with local residents."

Key words : myanmar children educational
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/videos/20230913200350677/

Myanmar children cross Thai border for schooling

Fighting between Myanmar's military and pro-democracy forces is compelling children to flee to neighboring Thailand in search of safety and educational opportunities.