at 18:30 (JST), January 08

 

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/20210108183000_english_1.mp3


Key words : emergency tokyo and three crisis
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210108_18/

Japan's prime minister is urging the public to help curb rising coronavirus cases, hours after a state of emergency came into effect for Tokyo and three neighboring prefectures.

Suga Yoshihide told reporters on Friday morning, "We take the current situation very seriously. We are asking everyone to cooperate to overcome this crisis."

On Thursday, new cases in Japan surpassed 7,000 for the first time. About half were in the Tokyo region.

Local governors will ask bars and restaurants to close by 8 p.m., and residents to avoid non-essential outings after that time.

The minister in charge of the coronavirus response has also asked companies to allow more remote work, and reduce the number of staff in their offices by 70 percent.

The governors of Osaka, Hyogo and Kyoto are also considering asking the central government to add their prefectures to the state of emergency.

Key words : emergency declaration until
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210107_42/

Japan's government has declared a state of emergency for Tokyo and three neighboring prefectures in an attempt to curb the rise in coronavirus cases.

Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide said, "The rapid spread of COVID-19 across the country has created a situation that could have a serious impact on people's lives and the economy. Therefore, I hereby declare a state of emergency based on the anti-virus law."

The declaration will cover Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama and Chiba prefectures. It will go into effect on Friday and remain in place until February 7.

A state of emergency is less strict in Japan than in many western countries. Prefectural governors will have the legal authority to urge residents to cooperate with prevention efforts.

Bars and restaurants will be asked to close by 8 p.m. and to stop serving alcohol an hour earlier. Residents will also be asked to refrain from non-essential outings after 8 p.m.

Companies will be asked to encourage remote work, and reduce the number of staff in their offices by 70 percent.

The number of spectators at live events will be limited to half of the available seats... and no greater than 5,000.

Schools, however, will not be asked to close.

Following the declaration the Prime Minister held a news conference to ask for cooperation.

Suga said, "The coronavirus pandemic is becoming worse than we had ever imagined. But I believe we can overcome this situation. To accomplish this, we have no choice but to ask you to once again restrict your lifestyle. We are determined to improve the situation within the next month. As prime minister, I will do my utmost and take every possible measure to prevent the spread of infection."

Suga added the government hopes to start vaccinations by late next month. He also said he's determined to hold the postponed Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics in the summer.

This is the second state of emergency declaration for the greater Tokyo area and comes amid a surge in daily cases. On Thursday daily cases in Japan surpassed 7,000 for the first time.

About half of that figure comes from the Tokyo area. Officials in the capital confirmed a record 2,447 new cases on Thursday. 121 people are now in serious condition....the highest figure to date.

Meanwhile, the governor of Osaka says he plans to ask the central government to declare a state of emergency for the western prefecture.

Governor Yoshimura Hirofumi said, "There are clear signs that infections are spreading rapidly. We should take preemptive measures."

Yoshimura says he wants to coordinate Osaka's response with neighboring Hyogo and Kyoto prefectures.

Key words : hong kong police arrested two
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210108_05/

Hong Kong police say they have arrested two more people on suspicion of violating the territory's national security law.

Police announced the arrests on Thursday. Sources say they are the pro-democracy activists Joshua Wong and Tam Tak-chi. Both were already in custody at the time of the arrests. They are being charged with subversion.

Wong has been behind bars since he was sentenced to prison last month for inciting and participating in a protest outside police headquarters in 2019. Tam has been in detention after having been indicted on different charges.

Police say the latest arrests concern an unofficial vote organized by pro-democracy activists to choose candidates for a Legislative Council election that was to be held in September. The election was postponed.

Police arrested 53 people on the same charges on Wednesday. Most of them were released between Thursday night and early Friday morning.

Former Legislative Council member, Raymond Chan Chi-chuen, was freed after about 40 hours of detention.

Chan said his arrest is completely absurd because what he and others sought to win through the election were rights protected by the Basic Law, which effectively serves as Hong Kong's constitution. He also said the government has been mobilizing a range of means to quash dissent.

Analysts and even some influential pro-China figures say it may be difficult for the charges against the activists to hold.

Key words : nuclear prohibition effect
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/tv/worldprime/20210117/3016013/

Setsuko Thurlow was 13 when the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. Horrific scenes of pain and destruction were burned into her memory. She moved to the US and Canada and began to tell the world what had happened in Hiroshima. Her work with the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) overcame resistance from nuclear powers and resulted in the adoption of a UN treaty to ban nuclear weapons. Their efforts earned the group the Nobel Peace Prize. This gripping documentary follows Setsuko's journey from a childhood wracked by war to international recognition.