at 18:30 (JST), January 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/20240112183000_english_1.mp3


Key words : candidate key issue accused
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20240112_03/

Taiwan's presidential candidates are set to make their final campaign appeals to voters on Friday ahead of the following day's election. Key issues in the quadrennial race include ties with China.

Lai Ching-te is the ruling Democratic Progressive Party's candidate, Hou Yu-ih is representing the biggest opposition Kuomintang party, and Ko Wen-je is running as the candidate of the second-largest opposition Taiwan People's Party.

The DPP's Lai, whom China has accused of being a pro-independence advocate, is believed to be leading the other contenders.

But most analysts predict that his party will see its showing reduced in the legislative election that will also take place on Saturday.

Lai says that even if he wins the presidential election, Taiwan will not be able to move forward if his party falls short of a majority of legislative seats.

The Kuomintang's Hou is striving to win his party's first presidency in eight years. He says war is approaching because of the DPP's policies.

Hou stresses that he will deter China by reinforcing defense capabilities while expanding dialogue and exchanges with Beijing to cut the risk of clashes.

The TPP's Ko pledges to raise defense expenditures to 3 percent of gross domestic product while promoting cultural and economic exchanges with China.

Votes critical of the DPP are believed to be split between the two opposition parties.

Hou is urging Ko's supporters and others to vote for him to realize a change of government. Ko, meanwhile, is calling on voters to bring down both the DPP and the Kuomintang.

On Friday, Lai and Hou are scheduled to address rallies in New Taipei City, which has the largest number of eligible voters of the six special municipalities. Ko will attend a rally in front of the presidential office building in Taipei.

Key words : hardest-hit helicopter
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20240111_30/

A massive earthquake in central Japan on New Year's Day has now claimed 213 lives in Ishikawa Prefecture.

Eight people are believed to have died from causes related to the disaster after initially evacuating to safety. Authorities are focusing on the most vulnerable survivors to ensure the figure does not rise.

Officials in Ishikawa are asking nearby prefectures to accept elderly residents of nursing care homes with no power or water.

A Self-Defense Force helicopter was seen on Thursday transporting senior citizens to Aichi Prefecture.

Doctor Mizuno Mitsunori of Fujita Health University air transport team said, "We hear there are many more people in this kind of situation. And we hope to be of help."

Doctors are keeping a close eye and ambulances are on standby. Twelve medical institutions in Aichi received 30 people on Thursday.

More than 23,000 citizens are staying at 400 municipal shelters, such as school gymnasiums. Authorities want to move vulnerable evacuees to hotels and other types of accommodation.

The central government is trying to secure lodging for 10,000 people by the end of the week.

Prime Minister Kishida Fumio said, "Restoring infrastructure and securing housing will take some time. People should consider moving to a safer place to protect their lives and health."

Still, authorities are struggling to disseminate information about so-called secondary evacuations.

At least 2,500 people are still isolated due to damaged roads and railways. A Self-Defense Force medical team flew to Otani Town, where about 200 people have been stranded since the quake.

Some schools in affected areas have restarted after the winter break. But the classes are by no means full. At one of them, there were just 30 students on the first day. That was less than half the total. And the first thing they learned was how to use a portable toilet, because the school still has no water. As for the gymnasium, it is filled with evacuees.

Harsh weather is compounding the stress for many survivors. Rainfall and a severe cold snap are forecast on Friday in some of the hardest-hit areas.

Officials are warning of possible landslides. And they are urging people to take measures against hypothermia.

Key words : 215 school gym
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20240112_20/

Relief efforts continue following the massive New Year's day earthquake in central Japan. At least 215 people have now been confirmed dead and 38 are still unaccounted for. Officials in Ishikawa prefecture are warning that worsening weather could threaten more lives.

Some people have been able to return to hard-hit areas to survey the damage. A district in the town of Anamizu was home to about 40 shops. Many have collapsed or have been severely damaged.

The same area suffered another massive quake 17 years ago.
Local business association President Yoshimura Fusaji says the damage this time is much worse.
He says that last time, it felt like 'Let's go Noto, let's all work together'. But this time, he is worried whether everyone will unite in the same way.

Over 2,500 people remain isolated in parts of Ishikawa.
Efforts to reach them, and to search for people still missing, could be hampered, with rainfall and a severe cold snap forecast for some of the hardest-hit areas.

Officials are stressing the danger posed by hypothermia.
A doctor deployed to help respond to the earthquake says some deaths may have been caused by the cold.
Kanazawa Medical University Professor Mizukami Hajime says he saw bodies that could have been alive for a day or two. He believes some people suffered hypothermia after being trapped under beams of the destroyed houses.

Over 23,000 people are staying at shelters, including places like school gymnasiums.
The central government is hoping to find hotels or other accommodations for the displaced.
It's aiming to secure lodgings for 10,000 people by the end of the week.

The situation is especially dire for elderly people in quake-hit areas.
On Thursday, the Japan Self-Defense forces airlifted a number of old age home residents to medical facilities in Aichi Prefecture.
Local officials plan to resettle them in nearby homes once their medical conditions have been checked.
An NHK survey has found 22 prefectures and over 40 Japanese municipalities say they are ready to welcome people displaced by the New Year's Day disaster.

Key words : china overtaken
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20240111_19/

China is likely to have overtaken Japan as the world's largest exporter of automobiles.

The China Association of Automobile Manufacturers on Thursday said China exported 4.91 million vehicles last year.

Japan's full-year auto exports for 2023 have yet to be released. But as of November, Japan's car exports stood at 3.99 million units, and it is almost certain that the figure will not exceed China's.

The growth of Chinese car exports is mainly attributed to a jump in sales of electric vehicles worldwide.

Another reason is an increase in exports to Russia. Many countries have exited the Russian market since Moscow began its invasion of Ukraine.

Key words : taiwan cast a ballot
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/radio/asianview/interviews/202401101904/#

RELATIONS WITH CHINA KEY ISSUE

People in Taiwan cast their ballots on Saturday to elect their next president. China claims the island of 23 million as its territory and has indicated that it does not rule out the use of force to achieve what it calls the “reunification of Taiwan.” We spoke with Chen Fang-Yu. He’s an assistant professor of political science at Taipei’s Soochow University.