at 18:30 (JST), October 09

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/20231009183000_english_1.mp3


Key words : yoko condemn
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20231008_12/

Japanese Foreign Minister Kamikawa Yoko has called for restraint from all parties following attacks by Palestinian militant group Hamas against Israel.

Kamikawa told reporters on Sunday that she strongly condemns the launch of a number of rockets from the Gaza Strip into Israel by Hamas and other Palestinian militants. She said these have caused significant damage to innocent civilians.

She also noted that many people are reported to have been abducted by Hamas and others, and called for their early release.

Kamikawa also expressed serious concerns about attacks by the Israeli military resulting in a number of deaths and injuries in Gaza.

She urged all parties concerned to exercise maximum restraint in order to avoid further damage and casualties.

The foreign minister added that Japan will make efforts to swiftly calm the situation by working with both the Israeli and Palestinian sides as well as the international community.

Key words : more than 1,100
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20231009_14/

Attacks on Israel by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas and the Israeli military's retaliatory strikes have killed more than 1,100 people on both sides.

Hamas says it continued to attack Israel on Sunday, one day after carrying out massive attacks, including rocket launches and militants crossing into Israel.

The group effectively controls the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli military says fighting with Hamas is underway in a southern town and elsewhere. The military has also conducted airstrikes in Gaza, saying it attacked Hamas terrorist targets.

Israel says at least 700 people have died and more than 2,000 have been wounded.

On Sunday, officials in Gaza said attacks by Israel have killed 413 people.

Israel also says many soldiers and civilians have been taken hostage.

Hamas said in a statement on Sunday that it holds more than 100 Israelis captive in Gaza.

The hostages are said to include foreigners. Hamas apparently wants to use them to discourage Israel from continuing its retaliatory attacks and to realize a prisoner swap with the country.

Key words : afghanistan more than 2,000
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20231009_05/

The Taliban in Afghanistan are appealing for international help to address the aftermath of Saturday's powerful earthquakes, which reportedly killed more than 2,000 people. But observers point to concern over whether survivors will be able to access sufficient relief aid.

The Taliban say 2,053 people have died since two magnitude-6.3 tremors hit the western part of the country.

A Taliban member told a news conference in the capital, Kabul, on Sunday that a majority of people in the stricken area have been affected, including children, elders and women.

The member added that the Taliban want all international and internal organizations to provide support to save lives.

The Taliban pledged to conduct search-and-rescue operations for people trapped under collapsed buildings in stricken areas, including Herat province, where the quakes caused extensive damage. They also promised to provide relief supplies, such as tents, to survivors.

But observers say international aid for Afghanistan has been dwindling due to the Taliban's increasingly repressive measures against women.

Before the quakes, the United Nations estimated that more than two-thirds of Afghanistan's population was in need of humanitarian assistance due to food shortages and other reasons.

Key words : united nations development
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20231006_N02/

Japan has cooperated with the United Nations Development Programme to provide Ukraine with two high-power autotransformers. It is promising two more towards the end of the year.

Last winter, Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy facilities led to widespread power outages, affecting millions of residents.

The autotransformers are necessary for regulating the flow of electricity on its way to consumers. Japanese government officials and representatives of the UNDP visited a substation in central Ukraine on Thursday to deliver the equipment.

Japan's Ambassador to Ukraine, Matsuda Kuninori, said, "This place signifies the resilience of the Ukrainian people, particularly all of those who are working every day and night continuously supplying electricity to those who need it."

Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko said he is grateful to Ukraine's partners for the assistance during "this very difficult time."

Ukrainian leaders are expecting more attacks on their facilities, but they say this equipment should ensure residents have power as they approach a "challenging winter."

Key words : philippine coast guard
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20231006_32/

The Philippine Coast Guard says a Chinese government ship came within 1 meter of one of its vessels in the South China Sea, where the countries have overlapping claims. It says China violated international rules on preventing collisions.

Philippine officials said on Friday that the incident took place near the Spratly Islands on Wednesday. They said two Philippine patrol ships were blocked by four Chinese Coast Guard vessels and five boats thought to be carrying Chinese militiamen.

The officials said one Chinese Coast Guard vessel crossed in front of one of the Philippine ships and got as close as 1 meter away, the closest ever for such an incident.

They noted that the Philippine boat's crew had to reverse the engine to avoid a collision.

The Philippine ships were escorting boats bringing supplies to a military outpost at the Second Thomas Shoal.

The Philippine side said the near-collision took place in its exclusive economic zone, and denounced China for the incident, saying it violated international law, especially regulations for preventing collisions at sea.

Key words : seafood exports
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20231006_29/

Japan's seafood exports to China fell sharply in August. The drop was due to Beijing's restrictions, which were implemented over the release of treated and diluted water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

The Japanese fisheries ministry says shipments for the month fell to 3.6 billion yen, or about 24 million dollars. That's down almost 66 percent from a year earlier.

Exports of key items such as scallops and sea cucumbers plunged.

China suspended imports of Japanese seafood on August 24. The move was in protest of Japan's release of the treated water that started on the same day.

Before the water is discharged into the sea, it is diluted to reduce tritium levels to about one-seventh of the World Health Organization's guidelines for drinking water.

China is the largest importer of Japanese seafood. Tokyo is planning to seek alternative export destinations to lessen the blow.

Key words : immigration
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20231006_22/

Japanese immigration authorities have decided to suspend accepting technical trainees sent by three organizations in Cambodia after many such trainees fled their workplaces.

The Immigration Services Agency says new trainees from the three organizations will not be accepted for at least 6 months from the end of November.

It said that in 2022, the number of foreign trainees who went missing totaled 9,006 -- the second most on record.

The agency said it has dealt with the problem by temporarily disqualifying organizations in Japan that had mass escapes of new trainees. It also suspended accepting trainees from several Vietnamese organizations in 2021.

Justice Minister Koizumi Ryuji said the ministry took the step with Cambodia to reduce the number of escapees. He added that it is a big problem that threatens the existence of the program.

Key words : trainee new skill
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Key words : abducted north renewed
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20231008_19/

A repatriated Japanese abductee has renewed her appeal for the early return of other victims from North Korea.

Soga Hitomi collected signatures on Sunday in Sado City, Niigata Prefecture, ahead of the 21st anniversary of her return to Japan.

Soga was abducted with her mother Miyoshi from Sado Island in the Sea of Japan on August 12, 1978.

She was repatriated with four of the other victims on October 15, 2002, but Miyoshi remains unaccounted for.

Soga told reporters that her mother, who is now 91, must have a lot of worries as she waits to be rescued.

Referring to the advanced age of the abductees and their family members, Soga urged Prime Minister Kishida Fumio to hold summit talks with North Korea to bring back all the victims as soon as possible.

The Japanese government says at least 17 of its citizens were abducted by North Korean agents in the 1970s and 1980s. Five returned in 2002, but the other 12 remain unaccounted for.