at 18:30 (JST), December 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/20231213183000_english_1.mp3


Key words : unification minister
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20231213_01/

South Korea's unification minister has suggested that North Korea could be preparing to continue Kim family rule into a fourth-generation with the daughter of its leader Kim Jong Un as next in line.

Kim Yung-ho told foreign correspondents in Seoul on Tuesday that the daughter had appeared in North Korean media 19 times, with 16 of her appearances related to military events.

He noted that she was saluted and spoken to by senior military officials who went down on their knees to show respect.

Kim said the possibility of the daughter becoming a successor cannot be ruled out. He indicated that Pyongyang may be putting her in the spotlight early to lay the groundwork for succession.

The unification minister also noted that the North is concerned about its system being undermined by the inflow of South Korean pop culture, such as TV dramas and music.

Kim said he believes Pyongyang's resolve for a hereditary succession is aimed at solidifying internal unity.

Key words : xi vietnam newspaper
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20231212_34/

Chinese President Xi Jinping has met with Vietnam's Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in Hanoi during his first visit to the country in six years.

President Xi arrived in the Vietnamese capital on Tuesday on a two-day visit. The talks are believed to have focused mainly on economic cooperation.

Vietnam and China have been at odds in the past over territorial disputes in the South China Sea. However, their communist parties have maintained close ties.

Ahead of the visit, Xi contributed an article to a Vietnamese newspaper. In it, he expressed concern about instability and uncertainty in the region, and called for closer ties with Vietnam. He wrote, "Helping one's neighbor is helping oneself," and added, "China is ready to better align its development with that of its neighbors."

Key words : district court self-defense sexual
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20231212_24/

A Japanese court has found three male former Ground Self-Defense Force members guilty on charges of indecent assault of a female subordinate.

The Fukushima District Court on Tuesday handed down two-year prison sentences, suspended for four years, to Shibuya Shutaro, Sekine Akito and Kimezawa Yusuke.

Prosecutors had demanded two-year sentences, alleging that the three defendants touched Gonoi Rina through her clothing at a training facility in Hokkaido in August 2021.

The three defendants had pleaded not guilty. They admitted to forcing Gonoi down using martial arts moves but said they had no intention of committing indecent acts.

Presiding judge Miura Takaaki said Gonoi's testimony in court matched those of higher-ranking members who were at the party and are credible. He said key parts of other testimonies by her superiors were also consistent and the behavior of the three defendants was suggestive of sexual acts.

Miura said imitating sexual acts in a setting where it was difficult for the victim to resist disregarded the victim's character and used her as a tool to build up excitement. He said that is contemptible and malicious, but the defendants have already been dismissed from the SDF.

Prosecutors charged the three men after an initial decision not to indict them.

A prosecution inquest panel determined that the decision not to indict them was unjust after Gonoi went public with the accusations.

The case prompted the Defense Ministry to take the unusual step of launching a special inquiry last year into harassment.

Key words : tezuka
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/radio/asianview/interviews/202312131204/

'NEW' TEZUKA MANGA CREATED WITH HELP OF AI

A new episode of a work by Tezuka Osamu was released last month, more than 30 years since the Japanese manga legend died. The project team broke new ground by utilizing AI to create a sequel to Tezuka’s 1970s masterpiece “Black Jack.” We spoke with Professor Kurihara Satoshi of Keio University. He is an AI specialist and is the project’s general producer.