at 18:30 (JST), November 03

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/20231103183000_english_1.mp3


Key words : kamikawa left tokyo
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20231102_13/

Japan's Foreign Minister Kamikawa Yoko left Tokyo on Thursday for her visit to Israel, the West Bank and Jordan.

Her trip is the first by a Japanese cabinet minister to Israel or the West Bank since the conflict between Israel and Palestinian Islamic group Hamas began on October 7.

She plans to hold talks with the foreign ministers of Israel and the Palestinian Authority on Friday. She will also travel to Jordan before returning to Japan on Sunday.

Kamikawa spoke to reporters at the Foreign Ministry on Thursday ahead of her departure. She said she plans to discuss the extremely severe humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and directly convey Japan's intention to provide assistance to Palestinians.

She said Japan will continue persistent diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the situation.

Referring to the Israeli military's airstrikes on Gaza's largest refugee camp, Kamikawa said she is deeply saddened by the casualties among innocent people including children, women and the elderly.

She said Japan has stressed to Israel the importance of protecting civilians and has been asking the country to take actions in accordance with international law.

Japan will host a Group of Seven foreign ministers' meeting in Tokyo next week. Kamikawa hopes to gain information on the situation from the parties involved in the conflict ahead of the G7 discussions.

Key words : south north likely
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20231102_30/

South Korea's military says North Korea has likely provided Russia with about 2,000 containers of weapons and munitions, possibly including short-range ballistic missiles.

South Korean military officials on Thursday released an assessment of Pyongyang's military support for Moscow.

They said there have been indications of North Korea supplying weapons to Russia since mid-2022, and the arms trade via maritime routes increased in August. This was shortly before the summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The officials said that about 2,000 containers may have been shipped from North Korea's northeastern port of Rajin to a port in Russia's Far East.

They said this is the equivalent of more than 200,000 rounds of 122 mm artillery shells or over one million rounds of 152 mm shells, which are used by both North Korea and Russia.

Rocket launchers, portable surface-to-air missiles and anti-tank missiles may also have been supplied.

The officials point to the possibility that Pyongyang may have provided Moscow with short-range ballistic missiles.

The South Korean military says military cooperation between North Korea and Russia should be stopped as it clearly violates UN Security Council resolutions and threatens the peace and stability of the world and the Korean Peninsula.

Key words : communist party funeral
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20231102_24/

The funeral for China's former Premier Li Keqiang has been held in Beijing, attended by President Xi Jinping and other top Communist Party leaders. Many citizens gathered near the venue, but police turned them away.

Li died of a heart attack on October 27 at age 68.

State-run China Central Television reported that the ceremony was held on Thursday morning at a cemetery in Beijing where a generation of past Chinese Communist Party leaders have been laid to rest.

CCTV said President Xi expressed his condolences to the former premier's family, and that flowers were offered under the name of former President Hu Jintao, who is said to have been close to Li.

Flags were flown at half-mast at Tiananmen Square, the Chinese foreign ministry building, among other places in central Beijing, in Li's honor.

Since late last week, people have continued to pay their respects to Li by leaving flowers in his hometown of Hefei in Anhui Province.

In Beijing, a large number of citizens arrived outside the funeral site with flowers to offer on Thursday. Many police officers were present, and some were seen confiscating the white flowers the mourners had brought, or chasing them away.

Li stepped down as premier in March after serving two five-year terms from 2013. He was once seen as a rival to Xi Jinping to ascend to the top position in the Communist Party.

Observers say the party is anxious to ensure that mourning for Li does not generate wider criticism of the current administration led by Xi. This comes at a time when there is growing concern about the uncertain prospects of China's economy.

Key words : security law hong kong bookseller
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/videos/20231006124805637/

HK booksellers find haven in Taiwan

Beijing's crackdown on speech is sending some Hong Kong booksellers to Taiwan where they can launch shops carrying a variety of publications, including those critical of China.