Asian View
Key words : pro-democracy denied
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20201209_28/
Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Agnes Chow has been denied bail pending her appeal of a ten-month prison sentence for her role in a massive protest in June last year.
Chow was jailed on December 2 for crimes such as inciting citizens to take part in an unauthorized assembly.
She appealed the sentence as too harsh, and sought bail pending High Court proceedings.
The court on Wednesday rejected her request, saying Chow obviously took part in demonstrations and caused turmoil at the scene.
Chow's fellow activist Joshua Wong is also appealing his 13-and-a-half-month prison sentence.
Pro-democracy activists and politicians are under growing pressure in Hong Kong.
On Tuesday, eight people were arrested and charged in connection with demonstrations in July.
Key words : china human rights
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20201210_03/
China is confining human rights activists and their relatives at home on the United Nations' Human Rights Day on Thursday.
Reports say officials went to the home of Wang Quanzhang in Beijing on Wednesday morning to announce the restriction. Wang had worked as human rights lawyer and been in prison until April.
Reports also say authorities visited Yu Wensheng's home in Beijing on Wednesday and conveyed the restriction order to his wife. Yu was given a four-year prison term in June.
Wang and Yu were detained as they worked as human rights lawyers.
The authorities apparently want to prevent them and their family from voicing criticism of the government on Human Rights Day.
Meanwhile, sources told NHK that several other activists are also being confined at home.
The United States and other countries are stepping up their criticism of Beijing, saying human rights violations are taking place also in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and elsewhere in the country.
The latest reports are expected to raise concerns among those countries.
Key words : toyota launched
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20201209_33/
Toyota Motor has launched a new version of its hydrogen-powered fuel-cell vehicle, the Mirai. The car, which emits no carbon dioxide, can travel up to 850 kilometers on a single tank.
Toyota launched its first Mirai in 2014. The latest model is a full makeover, with a bigger hydrogen capacity that extends its cruising range by about 30 percent.
Prices start at 7.1 million yen, or about 68,000 dollars. That's roughly 3,000 dollars cheaper than the previous model.
Other Japanese makers at work on hydrogen vehicles include Honda Motor, which markets a fuel-cell car for lease. Hino Motors together with Toyota is jointly developing a hydrogen-powered truck.
Only about 4,000 fuel-cell vehicles are currently in use in Japan.
Key words : medical team two facilities
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20201209_37/
Japan's healthcare system is threatening to buckle under the weight of spiking coronavirus cases. Medical teams from the Self-Defense Forces have begun assisting frontline workers at two facilities in the country's north hit with cluster infections.
Five SDF nurses will engage in the mission for two weeks at a hospital where nearly 200 people were confirmed to be infected.
The other team is assisting frontline workers at a welfare facility where 60 infections were confirmed.
The head of the government's expert panel is warning some areas are in a dire situation, though he says another nationwide state of emergency declaration is not necessary at this stage.
Government panel chief Omi Shigeru said, "Medical systems in Asahikawa City and other areas are under tremendous strain. Certain regions are in a critical period."
Tokyo reported 572 new cases on Wednesday. That's the second highest record. 59 COVID-19 patients in the capital are currently in serious condition.
Officials in Osaka say 70 percent of hospital beds allocated for serious cases are occupied. They are calling on university hospitals to secure more beds for serious cases.
More than 169,000 people have tested positive for the virus in Japan since the pandemic began. Over 2,400 people have died.
Key words : defense minister dispute
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20201209_41/
The defense ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations have ended their first day of virtual meetings to discuss regional security. In a joint declaration, they said they need to avoid actions that could further complicate the regional situation.
The discussions focused on the South China Sea, where China has been increasing its presence.
The declaration reaffirmed the importance of freedom of navigation in the region as well as the need to exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities that could complicate or escalate disputes.
Ngo Xuan Lich, from the host country Vietnam, said that terrorism, international crime and threats to maritime security pose a growing menace to regional peace and stability.
He urged ASEAN member states to work together to overcome the issues.
On Thursday, the ASEAN defense ministers will be joined by their counterparts from the US, China, Japan and other countries to discuss how to ensure regional stability amid the US-China standoff.
Key words : sister north
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20201209_16/
The North Korean leader's sister, Kim Yo Jong, has harshly criticized South Korea's foreign minister, apparently over remarks that cast doubt on the North's claim that the country is free of the coronavirus.
Kim, who is a senior ruling Workers' Party official, issued a statement carried by the official Korean Central News Agency. It was her first statement in five months.
Referring to South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha, Kim said, "It can be seen from the reckless remarks made by her without any consideration of the consequences that she is too eager to further chill the frozen relations between the north and south of Korea."
Kim did not specify which of Kang's remarks is at issue.
Kang told an international forum on Saturday that Pyongyang's claim that it has no coronavirus cases is hard to believe.
Kim's statement coincided with a visit by US Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun to South Korea. Biegun is scheduled to discuss North Korean issues with Kang.
Key words : kakuryu
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20201210_12/
Mongolian-born sumo wrestler Kakuryu has obtained Japanese citizenship.
News of the grand champion obtaining citizenship was released in the government's gazette on Thursday.
Under rules of the Japan Sumo Association, a foreign wrestler wishing to become a stable master after retirement in order to coach younger wrestlers is required to have Japanese citizenship.
The 35-year-old yokozuna had previously been vague on the question of citizenship. He once said he had wishes to become a stable master but that it was a difficult problem.
Sources close to Kakuryu say he started the necessary procedures last year.
Another yokozuna from Mongolia, Hakuho, obtained Japanese citizenship in September 2019.
Kakuryu came to Japan in 2001 when he was 16 years old. He made his sumo debut the same year. He was promoted to the top rank of yokozuna in March 2014 and has won six grand sumo tournaments.
But with injuries to his lower back, left leg and right elbow, Kakuryu has missed eight of the 12 tournaments held since November 2018.
Last month, the Yokozuna Deliberation Council issued an unprecedented warning to Kakuryu over his repeated absences.
The council said the wrestler is not fulfilling the responsibilities of a yokozuna. It's the second most severe notification, after a recommendation for retirement.
0 件のコメント:
コメントを投稿