Asian View
Key words : myanmar mourning
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210329_36/
In Myanmar, people are mourning after the country's deadliest day since the military coup in February.
The military has intensified its crackdown on protesters.
A local human rights group says 114 people were killed on Saturday.
A large crowd gathered at a funeral for a 13-year-old boy on Sunday. They paid their respects with the three-fingered salute symbolizing resistance to the coup.
Local media reported the boy was playing near his home in Yangon when he was shot by security forces.
The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners says more than 450 people have been killed in the violence since the military takeover.
An ethnic organization in southeastern Karen State says more than 3,000 people have begun fleeing toward neighboring Thailand due to military air strikes.
State-run TV had reported on Sunday night that a militant force attacked a military post on Saturday. It was seen as an admission that the attack was carried out by an ethnic Karen armed group.
The UN special advisor on preventing genocide and the UN human rights chief said the international community has a responsibility to protect the people of Myanmar. They condemned the security forces' actions as "cowardly" and "brutal."
The US government is working on a plan to slap additional sanctions on Myanmar.
US President Joe Biden said, " It's terrible, it's absolutely outrageous. "
Defense chiefs from 12 countries, including the US, the UK and Japan, said in statement that "a professional military is responsible for protecting -- not harming -- the people it serves."
Key words : defense authorities
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210330_02/
Japanese defense authorities have conveyed to their Chinese counterparts deep concerns about China's new law allowing its coast guard to use weapons.
The Japanese defense ministry officials discussed the situation in the East China Sea during a teleconference with the Chinese officials.
The Japanese officials strongly warned against any attempt to unilaterally change the status quo by force.
They also expressed strong concern about China's new coast guard law.
They said any attempts to harm the legitimate interests of Japan and other nations and stir tensions in the East and South China seas are totally unacceptable.
Meanwhile, the Japanese and Chinese officials shared the view that continuing dialogue is important.
The Japanese officials say both sides agreed to make progress on efforts to set up a hotline at an early date in order to prevent accidental clashes between the countries' defense personnel.
Key words : people in india
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210329_37/
People in India gathered to celebrate the Hindu festival of Holi on Monday even as the country faces a resurgence of coronavirus infections.
Holi is known as the festival of colors. People spatter each other with colored powders and dyed water to mark the advent of spring.
In the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, many people celebrated the festival at a temple despite calls to refrain from gathering in large numbers.
They prayed for a rich harvest after throwing red and yellow powder and spraying water at each other.
A man said he usually adheres to protocols as he is very concerned about a surge in infections but made an exception to offer prayers to the gods.
India has the third largest number of coronavirus cases in the world. It has recently seen a resurgence of cases, with more than 68,000 new infections reported on Monday.
A further increase in cases is feared as antivirus measures are not strictly followed at many festival sites across the country.
Key words : china denounced
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210329_38/
China has denounced a US diplomat's joining the Palau president's delegation during its visit to Taiwan on Sunday.
Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. chose Taiwan for his first overseas trip after taking office in January.
The US ambassador to Palau accompanied the president. Taiwan media reported that the envoy's visit marked the first time a US ambassador has publicly visited Taiwan since Washington cut ties with Taipei in 1979.
China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said on Monday that the Chinese government is carefully monitoring the situation of the US ambassador being a member of the Palau president's delegation.
Zhao said the way of dealing with Taiwan is the most important and sensitive issue between China and the United States. He stressed that China firmly opposes official exchanges in any form between the US and Taiwan.
The spokesperson urged the US to stop official exchanges with Taiwan, and not to send the wrong signals to separatist forces seeking "Taiwan independence."
Key words : palau 15
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210329_09/
The president of Palau is visiting Taiwan in an apparent bid to strengthen ties as China continues to expand its influence in the Pacific region.
Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. arrived Sunday at Taoyuan International Airport where he was greeted by Taiwan's Foreign Minister Joseph Wu.
The US ambassador to Palau is accompanying the Palau leader.
During the visit, Whipps is expected to meet Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, attend a Palau tourism promotional event, and visit shipbuilding and fishing industries in southern Taiwan.
Taiwan and Palau, both of which have successfully contained the coronavirus, plan to launch a quarantine-free travel corridor on April 1 allowing tour groups to travel between the two locations.
Whipps is scheduled to return home on a chartered flight with the first group of Taiwanese tourists.
Palau is one of 15 countries having diplomatic ties with Taiwan. The United States is responsible for Palau's defense.
Whipps chose Taiwan for his first overseas trip after taking office in January.
Key words : health ministry party
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210330_08/
Japan's health ministry says a group of its employees held a farewell party at a restaurant, ignoring instructions to avoid such gatherings to prevent coronavirus infections.
The ministry says 23 staff members at its bureau in charge of the healthcare and welfare of elderly people dined together in Tokyo last Wednesday.
The restaurant served alcohol. The participants are said to have conversations without face masks. Some of them are said to have stayed at the restaurant until close to midnight.
The gathering is therefore thought to have fit some of the situations with high risks of infection warned against by a government panel. They include parties with alcohol and dining in a large group or for a long time.
The guidelines say that a dining group of five or more people can heighten the risk of speaking loud and the spread of droplets.
The health ministry had instructed its employees to avoid such situations, although the state of emergency for Tokyo and three nearby prefectures was lifted three days before the farewell party.
The ministry says the party ran counter to its policy and that it will do more to enhance its employees' awareness to prevent a recurrence.
Key words : US chipmaking
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210330_16/
US chipmaking equipment company Applied Materials has dropped its bid to buy Japanese rival Kokusai Electric. Analysts say the intensifying competition for tech supremacy between the US and China may have played a role.
Applied Materials announced in 2019 it would buy Tokyo-based Kokusai Electric for 2.2 billion dollars.
But the company said on Monday it couldn't meet the deadline to complete the deal. It said it didn't get timely approval from Chinese regulators.
This comes as relations worsen between China and the US over development and production of semiconductors.
Beijing has set a goal of producing more of its chips domestically. Washington, meanwhile, has banned exports of chipmaking devices to China.
President Joe Biden signed an executive order in February to raise domestic production of semiconductors. The US also wants to build stronger supply chains with its allies.
Key words : new kind of plastic
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210330_21/
Japanese companies are teaming up with a leading university to produce a new kind of plastic that should help cut CO2 emissions.
The group aims to develop the technology to mass-produce plastic from organic materials, known as "biomass." The key component comes from the microalga euglena.
A consortium has been set up between Seiko Epson, NEC, the University of Tokyo, and a venture firm called Euglena.
The biomass plastic will be based on the component paramylon, which comes from euglena.
Euglena absorbs carbon dioxide through photosynthesis. Researchers believe this could be a much greener alternative to regular plastic, which comes from fossil fuels. A great deal of CO2 is emitted during the production process.
The consortium hopes to produce around 200,000 tons of biomass plastic annually by 2030.
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