at 18:30 (JST), December 18

 

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/20201218183000_english_1.mp3


Key words : authorities most ever
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20201217_41/

Japanese authorities have reported more than 3,200 coronavirus cases so far on Thursday... the most ever.

More than 191,000 people have now tested positive in the country. Around 2,800 people have died.

A record 822 cases were reported in Tokyo on Thursday.
66 are in serious condition.

In light of that growing number, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government raised its alert for the healthcare system to the highest level - for the first time.

One of the city's expert advisors says it has become increasingly difficult to balance caring for coronavirus patients with regular medical work.

He urged officials to focus on curbing the number of new cases, in order to protect the health care system from buckling under the strain.

Inokuchi Masataka of Tokyo Medical Association said, "There's already a lot of frontline healthcare workers assigned to care for serious cases. So it's hard to assign any more. In order to accept more seriously-ill patients, we need to limit who we admit, taking into account any pre-existing conditions."

The Tokyo Governor asked residents to continue to stay home as much as possible.

Koike Yuriko said, "When you need to get essentials, please limit your time and who you go out with."

She stressed that people should be aware that the virus can be transmitted by carriers who show mild symptoms, or none at all.

Key words : raised alert tokyo
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20201217_22/

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has raised its healthcare system alert to the highest level as the number of cases continues to surge.

Key words : moon suspended
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20201218_06/

South Korea's top prosecutor has appealed a decision by the Justice Ministry's disciplinary panel to suspend him for two months.

Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl had led an investigation into a corruption allegation involving the administration of President Moon Jae-in. He has been at odds with Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae, who was tapped by the president to reform the prosecution.

On Wednesday, Moon formally approved the suspension.

An attorney representing Yoon said on Thursday that the move harms prosecutors' political independence and impartiality.

After Choo suspended Yoon last month, the prosecutor general won a court decision nullifying the order and returned to work.

This is the first time South Korea's prosecutor general has been penalized, and concerns are being raised about the effect it could have on investigations into Moon's administration.

Moon's approval rate has fallen to below 40 percent, the lowest level since he took office. He is seeking to bring the matter to an end by replacing Choo, who expressed her intention to resign on Wednesday. However, turmoil is expected to continue in the administration.

Key words : china rock sample
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20201217_14/

China says a capsule from its lunar probe has returned with rock samples from the moon.

The China National Space Administration has announced that the return capsule from the unmanned Chang'e-5 probe landed in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region before dawn on Thursday, local time.

The probe was launched on November 24 and landed on the moon on December 1.

The state-run China Central Television showed a team using a crane to recover what appears to be a container holding the capsule.

The space administration had planned to collect about two kilograms of rock from the lunar surface and below the surface.
The capsule will be flown to a facility in Beijing for analysis.

China is the third country to collect lunar samples, following the United States and the former Soviet Union.

The last mission was undertaken 44 years ago, when the former Soviet Union launched the Luna 24 probe in 1976.

China considers lunar missions to be the key to its space program. Last year, it became the first country to land a probe on the moon's far side.

The United States is leading the Artemis program aimed at building an outpost to orbit the moon and sending astronauts to the moon again. Japan is one of the countries taking part in the program.

Key words : unesco
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20201218_02/

The United Nations' cultural agency UNESCO has decided to register traditional Japanese techniques used in wooden architecture to its Intangible Cultural Heritage list.

The Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage discussed Japan's proposal and reached the decision in an online panel meeting on Thursday.

The building craftsmanship comprises 17 time-honored techniques including skills crucial for restoring important traditional cultural structures. They include thatching for the roofs of traditional structures, "urushi" lacquer painting, which gives wood a distinctive gloss and color, "sakan" plastering to finish walls with layers of mud or plaster, and weaving tatami mats.

All the techniques have been handed down and developed since ancient times. They enable natural materials such as wood, vegetation, and soil to be used to build and maintain structures that are resistant to earthquakes and typhoons.

This will be Japan's 22nd listing and joins Japanese paper and Japanese cuisine in attaining Intangible Cultural Heritage status.

Key words : south korea Kim Chan-ju school
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