at 18:30 (JST), October 12

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/20231012183000_english_1.mp3


Key words : education and culture large donation
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20231012_13/

Japan's education and culture ministry plans to announce on Thursday its decision to seek a court order to disband a religious group formerly known as the Unification Church.

Ministry officials have been looking into the group's organizational management and how it collected large donations from its followers. They formally exercised their legal right to question the group and interviewed former followers.

Based on its survey, the ministry views the group's actions as illegal and significantly harmful to public welfare, meeting the requirements for a dissolution order.

The ministry will announce its decision at a meeting with its advisory panel on religious corporations Thursday afternoon.
It is expected to file for the order at the Tokyo District Court as early as Friday.

The court will then hear arguments from both the ministry and the former Unification Church before making a judgment on the dissolution order.

If the order is issued, the group will lose its status as a religious corporation, and will become unable to receive tax benefits. But it would not be prohibited from conducting religious activities.

The group argues that its activities are not systematic, malicious or incessant, and do not meet the criteria for a dissolution order.

Key words : abe close ties
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Key words : energy agency
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20231011_18/

The International Atomic Energy Agency says a team of experts from countries including China will visit Japan next week to collect samples of seawater, deposits and fish from the vicinity of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

The plant's operator began the second round of the release of treated and diluted water from the damaged plant last week.

The IAEA announced on Tuesday that the team, which includes experts from Canada, China and South Korea, will visit Japan from October 16 to 23 to collect the samples.

The samples will be compared with those taken last year to check for changes, particularly in radioactive substance levels. The water discharge began in August this year.

At last month's annual IAEA meeting, China's delegate called the treated and diluted water "nuclear-contaminated water" and condemned Japan for releasing it into the sea.

The representative said there is a high level of uncertainty regarding the maritime and ecological impact of this unprecedented act.

The delegate also urged the IAEA to establish an effective, long-term international monitoring mechanism, claiming that Japan has not offered a scientifically credible explanation for its actions.

The nuclear plant in northeastern Japan suffered a triple meltdown in the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

Water used to cool molten nuclear fuel mixes with rain and groundwater, and is stored in some 1,000 tanks within the plant compound.

The accumulated water is treated to remove most radioactive substances, but still contains tritium.

Before releasing the treated water into the sea, the plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Company dilutes it to reduce tritium to about one-seventh of the guidance level set by the World Health Organization for drinking water quality.

Key words : myanmar life imprisonment
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20231011_19/

A close aide to Myanmar's top military leader has been sentenced to life imprisonment, which is equivalent to 20 years in prison, for corruption and other charges.

The move appears to be aimed at imposing strict discipline in the military at a time when people in the country are plagued with rising prices due to a sluggish economy.

The military said a court-martial handed down the ruling to former Lieutenant-General Moe Myint Tun. He was an aide to junta chief Min Aung Hlaing, and a former member of a top decision-making council set up by the military after the coup two years ago.

Moe Myint Tun also used to head the junta's investment commission, which has authority to approve investments by domestic and foreign businesses.

Moe Myint Tun was convicted of intentionally failing to take action against individuals who raised prices of imported palm oil, accepting bribes and illegal possession of foreign currency.

Myanmar's currency kyat keeps falling against foreign currencies as the country's economy is struggling in the face of sanctions by Western countries. Consumers have been hit by high prices.

Associate Professor at Kyoto University's Center for Southeast Asian Studies Nakanishi Yoshihiro said Moe Myint Tun was once considered as the next possible top military leader.

Nakanishi said junta chief Min Aung Hlaing wants to show strong leadership by stepping up discipline within the military.

Key words : indonesia bali
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20231011_28/

Delegates from dozens of island nations have gathered in Bali for a key meeting, with the environment high on the agenda.

Indonesia is hosting the first high-level meeting of the Archipelagic and Island States Forum. One of its major goals is boosting efforts to protect the shared marine environment.

An Indonesian initiative, the forum was established in 2018 and now has 51 member states. This time, leaders from Micronesia, Tuvalu and four other countries are taking part, with Japan among the nations sending delegates.

Participants discussed a range of issues such as how to deal with rising sea levels and tackling marine pollution.
The leaders adopted a declaration laying out the need to cooperate on climate change, as well as joint efforts to improve forecasting and early warning capabilities.

The meeting comes as the US and China are both increasing their presence in the Indo-Pacific region. Indonesian President Joko Widodo said Jakarta hopes to keep its distance from any antagonism between the major powers. He said: "Many parties choose rivalry. Indonesia chooses to strengthen cooperation and collaboration that is inclusive with as many countries as possible."

Joko also said the aim of the forum is to create peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

Key words : australian journalist
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20231011_24/

An Australian journalist who was detained in China for three years returned to her home country on Wednesday after being released. Observers say the move indicates that once soured ties between the two countries may be improving.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said at a news conference in Melbourne on Wednesday that Cheng Lei had been freed and had returned home in the morning.

The Australian government had repeatedly requested the release of the anchor at China's state-run broadcaster CGTN since she was detained in August 2020 on charges of illegally supplying state secrets overseas.

Albanese said the government had been seeking her release since her detention, and that her return will be "warmly welcomed not just by her family and friends but by all Australians."

As for the reason for her release, he said it followed the "completion of legal processes in China."

A photo published by Australia's foreign affairs department shows Cheng and Foreign Minister Penny Wong embracing.

Relations between the two countries soured in 2020 over Australia's call for an independent inquiry into the origins of the coronavirus. The Albanese government, which was inaugurated in May last year, has been working to improve ties.

The prime minister is expected to visit China later this year for a meeting with President Xi Jinping.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told reporters on Wednesday that Cheng was deported in line with the law after serving her sentence.

Wang said Chinese judicial authorities tried the case in accordance with the law and that Cheng's rights had been protected including her right to meet with consular officials.

Key words : hotel temple
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20231012_05/

A hotel whose building also houses a Buddhist temple will open in Osaka, western Japan, next month. The part occupied by the main hall of Mitsutera Temple was shown to media on Wednesday.

The hall, which was built over two centuries ago, has been relocated to an atrium that takes up the first to third floors of the 15-story building with one basement level.

Temple officials faced the issue of securing funds to maintain and repair the main hall. By leasing the land to the hotel, the temple has secured the necessary monies, while the hotel is situated in a prime location.

A deputy priest said the deal allows the temple to carry out restoration work with the land lease, giving a sense of security that the hall can be preserved over the next 50 to 100 years.

He also said the role of temples changes with the times, but added that the temple in Osaka, where diverse people visit, wants to preserve culture and pass on beliefs to younger generations.

Key words : shogi nagase in 2016
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20231012_01/

Shogi star Fujii Sota has become the first player to hold all eight major titles after winning the Oza championship.

Shogi is a traditional Japanese board game similar to chess.

The 21-year-old Fujii faced Nagase Takuya, the 31-year-old defending champion of the Oza title, in the fourth match of the best-of-five series in Kyoto on Wednesday.

The players spent a long time pondering their moves, and Nagase gradually got the upper hand. After they had both used up their allotted time, they had to make their moves within one minute.

In that situation, Nagase failed to find moves that would lead him to victory. The balance then turned to Fujii, and Nagase conceded after the 138th move of the match.

Fujii won the series with three wins and one loss.

In his hometown, Aichi Prefecture's Seto City in central Japan, fans were joyful about Fujii's feat.

At an event to watch the game's development, a couple in their 70s said their hearts pounded when Fujii was in a difficult situation, and they were happy to see his come-from-behind victory. They said they wanted to thank him, and that they hoped he will keep up the momentum.

An 8-year-old boy said he felt good when Fujii won. The boy's mother said she hopes children have a mindset of never giving up, like Fujii.

Newspaper extras were handed out in Nagoya city.

A man in his 40s said he likes shogi and has been a fan of Fujii since his debut.

A woman in her 40s said her heart was in her mouth watching the game.

Another woman in her 40s said she thought Fujii's achievement was amazing, given his young age, and that she feels as if he were a relative. She said she wants him to create new records and history.

In 2016, Fujii made his professional debut at the age of 14 years and 2 months, the youngest ever to do so.