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/20231127183000_english_1.mp3
Key words : since 2019
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20231126_11/
The foreign ministers of Japan, China and South Korea have agreed to speed up laying the groundwork for the first three-way summit of their leaders since 2019.
Japan's Foreign Minister Kamikawa Yoko and her Chinese and South Korean counterparts, Wang Yi and Park Jin, held the first three-way foreign ministerial meeting in four years in Busan, South Korea, on Sunday.
They talked for about an hour and a half.
Kamikawa opened the meeting by acknowledging that the three neighbors sometimes face difficult issues. But she added that she wanted the meeting to serve as an opportunity to broaden cooperation.
The three ministers agreed that for the sake of regional and global peace and prosperity, it's important to promote pragmatic cooperation with a forward-looking perspective.
They also agreed to promote cooperation in six areas, including the economy and trade, and peace and security.
The ministers also exchanged views on North Korea's launch of what it claims to be a military spy satellite.
Kamikawa said Pyongyang should fully implement UN Security Council resolutions for the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
Turning to the Israel-Hamas conflict, the ministers agreed that improving the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip is important, and diplomatic efforts must continue.
Kamikawa told reporters after the meeting that she will continue to work with Wang and Park to achieve concrete results in the next three-way summit as the international community faces a turning point after experiencing major challenges and changes.
A planned joint news conference and dinner were canceled. Japanese government sources said the timing was not good for the Chinese side.
Key words : kim inspected
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20231125_11/
A North Korean newspaper says leader Kim Jong Un has inspected photos taken by the country's new reconnaissance satellite of "major target areas" in South Korea.
Saturday's edition of the Rodong Sinmun, the ruling Workers' Party paper, said Kim reviewed the operational preparations for the satellite at the control center of the National Aerospace Technology Administration on Friday.
The paper said the photos were taken while the satellite was passing over the Korean Peninsula after 10:00 a.m. on Friday. They reportedly include images of Pyeongtaek in the central part of South Korea and Osan near Seoul, where US military bases are located.
The paper also mentioned a plan for the satellite to photograph "the enemy region" on Saturday morning.
Kim was said to have visited the control center the day after Tuesday's launch, where he observed aerial imagery of the US Andersen Air Force Base in Guam.
North Korea has yet to release any of these photos.
Pyongyang has indicated the new reconnaissance satellite will start operating on December 1. But South Korea's intelligence agency says it will not be able to determine the satellite's capabilities unless Pyongyang releases images.
Key words : joint sea philippines
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20231127_08/
The Philippine military says it is conducting its first joint sea and air patrols with Australia in the South China Sea. The move is seen as an effort to keep China in check, amid the country's increasing maritime assertiveness.
The Philippines' armed forces announced on Sunday that the inaugural "Maritime Cooperative Activity" started in the country's exclusive economic zone.
The exercises will continue for three days through Monday. Four vessels and five aircraft from the Philippines are taking part with one frigate and one reconnaissance plane from Australia.
A senior Philippine military official said that during a maritime patrol on Saturday, a Chinese vessel tailed them.
The official also said two Chinese fighter jets encircled a Philippine aircraft participating in the exercise on Sunday morning.
The official added there was no dangerous approach or radio warning from the Chinese side.
The Philippines and Australia signed a strategic partnership in September and are deepening security cooperation.
The Philippine military conducted three-day joint patrols with the US military in the South China Sea and other areas until Thursday last week.
Key words : decision exports
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20231127_18/
Concerns are mounting among Japanese companies over China's decision to restrict exports of graphite, a key material used in the production of lithium-ion batteries.
China accounts for a large share of the global graphite supply. It announced last month that it will restrict exports from December 1 to protect its national security and economic interests.
Tokyo-based Fuji Graphite Works imports the mineral from China to process it and supply manufacturers.
All of the spheroidal graphite the firm needs to produce lithium-ion batteries comes from China.
Fuji Graphite is concerned that import procedures may take longer after the restrictions start and this may affect its output schedule.
So the firm has imported one-and-a-half times more graphite from China than usual in November to increase its stocks.
The company says it will continue to import graphite from China, but may consider increasing shipments from Africa.
Fuji Graphite Works CEO Sugawara Takeshi says " It normally takes about 10 days to two weeks to get imported products. But it may take one or two months with the restrictions. So we are making an early start. We plan to take steps to avoid inconveniencing our clients."
Another major Japanese company, Mitsubishi Chemical Group, is considering procuring graphite for lithium-ion batteries from Australia and elsewhere to compensate for any shortage of supplies from China.
An expert in Chinese politics, Eto Naoko, says Beijing's ulterior motive for the graphite restriction "is to make the world aware of the risk that if relations with China deteriorate, the flow of graphite will be stopped."
She says it could also be a ploy by China to gain the upper hand with global sales of its electric cars.
Eto says it is crucial that Japanese firms diversify their supply chains.
Key words : chinese authorities social media
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20231126_09/
Chinese authorities are tightening their control on social media accounts and closely monitoring the ones which carry opinions on social issues as the country's economy remains lackluster almost one year after the end of the zero-COVID policy.
The policy, which included lockdowns, was lifted abruptly following street protests against the government's policy.
They took place in various parts of the country including Beijing and Shanghai in November last year.
Young people held up blank sheets of paper, expressing their dissatisfaction with the government.
In Shanghai, protesters gathered on November 26 through 27 of last year, demanding the end to the zero-COVID policy and the change in the government.
It is rare to have such in-person protests in China.
Then, the Chinese government abruptly ended the zero-COVID policy and street protests seem to have stopped.
But the recovery of the country's economy has been slow. The employment situation is difficult, especially for young people, real estate markets are in a dire situation and the future of the economy is uncertain.
The government in Beijing remains on the alert, fearing people's dissatisfaction will turn into criticism against the government.
Last November, the authorities detained many protesters.
NHK interviewed one online who was detained in Shanghai and left China later.
He was detained on November 27 last year while he was protesting in Shanghai.
He was questioned at a police station and claimed some officers beat him.
Following the detention, his online activities were watched. He felt stifled without freedom of speech and emigrated abroad in October this year.
He says that he changes addresses often while seeking refugee status.
He said that if more people, not just students and other young people, had taken part in protests last year, the movements could have promoted democracy in China.
He added that protests can occur again but the authorities are closely monitoring the situation. He said the government will squash such movements because it does not want foreign countries to know about them.
He said the government in Beijing does not mention the protests and that it conceals and is evasive about them just as it has done with historic events including Tiananmen square and others.
He stressed that the protests should not be hidden.
Key words : relatives japanese nationals
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20231126_13/
Relatives of Japanese nationals who were abducted by North Korea decades ago have again asked the government to take action and that North Korea let the abductees' aging parents see them again.
The relatives and their supporters held a rally in central Tokyo on Sunday. About 800 people took part, including Prime Minister Kishida Fumio.
Japan says at least 17 of its citizens were abducted by North Korean agents in the 1970s and '80s. Five were repatriated after a bilateral summit in 2002. The other 12 remain unaccounted for.
Yokota Takuya, who heads a group of abductees' families, spoke at the event. He is the brother of Yokota Megumi, who was 13 years old when she was abducted in 1977.
Yokota asked whether the government has been working seriously to resolve what he called a humanitarian issue. He said he wonders how it is able to deal with the reality that the abductees' parents are dying off.
Yokota urged the government to make an all-out effort and hold diplomatic talks with North Korea so a similar tragedy will not happen again and that all the abductees can return home. He said it is a matter of life and death.
Megumi's mother, Yokota Sakie, also spoke at the rally. She said she feels like her daughter is asking, "Why don't you help me?" The 87-year-old said the abduction issue involves human life and that she wants the government to bring those lives back to Japan.
Another speaker was Soga Hitomi, who was one of the five abductees repatriated 21 years ago. She spoke about her mother, Miyoshi, who was abducted with her and remains unable to return home.
Soga said her mother will turn 92 next month. She says she is always worried about her, wondering if she can eat and walk well in North Korea.
Kishida said in May that he wanted to start high-level talks under his direct supervision with a view to holding a summit with North Korea as soon as possible.
But there has been no visible progress since then. The relatives are becoming increasingly desperate as they feel that there is little time left.
The rally adopted a resolution calling on the government to achieve the immediate return of all abductees and urge the North to do what is needed to make that happen.
Key words : visitor imperial palace
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20231125_16/
People are getting a chance to enjoy the autumn foliage inside a section of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo that is usually closed to the public.
A 600-meter-long avenue that runs through the palace, Inui Street, is lined with about 70 maple trees of eight different varieties.
As soon as the gates opened at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, a crowd of people who had been waiting began to file in.
The autumn foliage in the capital has yet to peak as temperatures this year have been warmer than usual.
The Imperial Household Agency says the leaves are expected to change color over the next week.
Visitors slowly walked along the avenue and took pictures.
A man in his 40s who came with his wife said, although the foliage has yet to peak, some of the changing leaves were still perfect, and that it was a refreshing experience.
A woman in her 50s visiting with friends from Tsuruoka City in the northeastern prefecture of Yamagata said she had never been inside the palace before, and that it is a lovely avenue.
She said as she walked along, she couldn't help but think that the Emperor also walks there.
Inui Street will remain open to the public through December 3.
0 件のコメント:
コメントを投稿