at 18:30 (JST), October 13

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/20231013183000_english_1.mp3


Key words : kamikawa phone
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20231013_05/

Japan's top diplomat has defended Israel's right to protect itself in the ongoing conflict against Palestinian militants. She also expressed hope that the situation will calm down as soon as possible.

Foreign Minister Kamikawa Yoko, who is on a tour of Southeast Asian nations, spoke with her Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen by telephone early on Friday morning, Japan time.

Kamikawa said she unequivocally condemns what she called terrorist attacks by Hamas and other Palestinian militants.

Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist group that controls the Gaza Strip, unleashed deadly surprise attacks on Israel on Saturday.

Kamikawa said it is natural for Israel to have the right to safeguard itself and its citizens in accordance with international law because the indiscriminate attacks by the militants were unjustifiable.

Kamikawa asked Cohen to cooperate in ensuring the safety of Japanese people in Israel. Cohen responded that his country is ready to give necessary support to them.

The ministers also agreed to closely communicate to stabilize the region.

Ahead of the talks, the Japanese foreign minister held a phone conversation with her Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry on Thursday evening, Japan time.

The diplomats agreed to maintain their close cooperation to calm the fighting between Israel and Palestinians. Egypt has influence in the Middle East, and has mediated ceasefires between Israel and Palestinian militants in the past.

Key words : bangkok
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20231012_37/

Many of the people who were caught up in the surprise attacks by Hamas in Israel are foreign nationals. Among them are 15 Thai citizens who have returned home after evacuating from the country.

A plane carrying the evacuees touched down at Suvarnabhumi airport near Bangkok on Thursday. They are the first group of Thais to return since the fighting broke out.

The exhausted returnees were warmly welcomed by their families and officials. Some of them were injured during the assault. One of them, who was shot in the knee, shared the horror of his experience saying there were a series of gunshots as they fled with the militants chasing them. He said a bullet passed through a car under which he was trying to hide.

Thai government officials on Thursday announced that one more Thai national was confirmed dead, bringing the death toll to 21. They say 14 Thais were injured, and that 16 others were taken captive by Hamas.

Thailand is a major source of foreign workers for Israel with about 30,000 Thais employed in agriculture and other industries. Officials say about 6,000 Thai citizens have indicated that they want to leave the country and that the Thai Air Force is preparing to repatriate them.

Key words : family court
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20231012_29/

A local family court in central Japan has ruled in a case involving a transgender man that the requirement of surgery to remove reproductive functions for gender registry changes is unconstitutional.

A lawyer for the person says this is the first court ruling in the country that finds the surgery requirement unconstitutional.

Under current law in Japan, gender on a family register can be changed only if certain conditions are met, including undergoing the surgery. Family courts will then judge whether the requirements are met.

Suzuki Gen filed a petition with a family court in Hamamatsu City demanding that gender change be allowed without surgery. The 48-year-old is registered as female but goes about daily life as a man.

Suzuki argued that the law provision is a human rights violation and unconstitutional as it effectively forces transgender people to undergo the surgery. He asked for legal recognition as a man without surgery.

On Wednesday, Presiding Judge Sekiguchi Takehiro said that the provision violates the Constitution and is invalid, allowing the petitioner's gender on the family registry to be changed from female to male.

Japan's Supreme Court ruled in 2019 that the provision requiring the surgery does not violate the Constitution, saying that a possible birth of a child with retained reproduction ability could bring confusion to society.

But two of four judges stated at that time that the provision could be a violation of the Constitution.

The Supreme Court has been examining a case over the surgery requirement filed by another transgender individual at its 15-member Grand Bench since September.

Key words : researcher ignobel prize
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/radio/asianview/interviews/202310121920/#

ELECTRIFYING DEVELOPMENT IN THE SCIENCE OF TASTE

A team of Japanese researchers has won an Ig Nobel Prize for their studies on how electrified tableware can change the taste of food. The Ig Nobel Prize is a parody of the Nobel Prize. It’s awarded for "research that makes people laugh and think.” We spoke with a member of the research team, Professor Miyashita Homei of Tokyo’s Meiji University.