Asian View
Key words : health authorities
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210503_10/
Japan's health authorities say the coronavirus case tally in the country has surpassed 600,000. The number of patients with serious symptoms is the highest-ever at 1,050.
The sharp increase is putting a strain on the healthcare system, especially in the larger cities of Tokyo and Osaka.
One expert says the main factor behind the surge could be the rapid spread of variants, which can produce serious symptoms shortly after a person is infected.
The virus is spreading rapidly in Osaka, one of four prefectures under the state of emergency that took effect on April 25.
Osaka's city center is usually crowded with tourists, but it has been nearly empty, even during spring holiday period.
Health officials are busy to dealing with patients. Staff at a public health office in Nagoya City, central Japan, are working through the holidays to monitor patients and to set up centers for PCR testing.
The vaccination roll-out is continuing through the week-long holiday period. A medical job placement firm in Tokyo says it is flooded with requests from around the country for doctors and nurses to help with inoculations.
Key words : security forces
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210502_18/
Myanmar's military and police have opened fire on anti-coup protesters, leaving at least five people dead.
Demonstrators had responded to an online appeal for nationwide protests on Sunday.
In the largest city of Yangon, military and police personnel were deployed from the city center to residential areas. Plain-clothed police officers were also reportedly on the lookout.
Demonstrators pretending to be pedestrians occupied streets and voiced their opposition before they quickly dispersed.
Local media are reporting that a number of protesters have been detained.
An NHK crew in Yangon witnessed a group of six young men and women being taken away by police officers.
Media reports say at least five people were killed after security forces opened fire on protesters in the eastern state of Shan and in the northern state of Kachin.
The crackdowns continue despite an announcement by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on April 24. The ASEAN leaders called for an immediate halt to the violence in Myanmar. The summit-level meeting was attended by Myanmar's military chief, Min Aung Hlaing.
Key words : china navy says
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210502_20/
China's navy says an aircraft carrier group led by the Shandong has conducted a drill in the South China Sea.
People's Liberation Army Navy spokesperson Gao Xiucheng made the announcement on Sunday. He did not say exactly when the drill was held.
Gao said the it was part of a regular series of exercises based on an annual work schedule. He said it will contribute to improving the navy's ability to safeguard China's sovereignty.
He expressed the hope that the outside world would view the exercise objectively and rationally. He said the navy will continue organizing similar exercises regularly in the future.
The exercise comes amid territorial disputes with neighboring countries over islands in the South China Sea.
The administration of US President Joe Biden has said it regards China's territorial claims as unlawful.
Both Chinese and American aircraft carrier groups are currently deployed in the South China Sea and surrounding waters.
In April, the US Navy released photos and videos of its monitoring of the Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning in the Philippine Sea. This was thought to be aimed at keeping China's maritime activities in check.
Observers say China's latest drill may be an effort to challenge the increased US involvement in territorial issues.
Key words : researcher microscope
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210503_01/
Japanese researchers have captured microscopic images of cells infected with coronavirus, using an ultra-high definition camera.
A group of Osaka University researchers and NHK jointly carried out the experiment, using an optical microscope equipped with an 8K camera.
The images show cultured animal cells starting to deform four hours after they are injected with coronavirus. The cells later break apart into pieces.
When the images are enlarged, white granular structures are seen inside the infected cells. The group says the phenomenon could be linked to the infection process or viral replication inside the cells.
Associate Professor Nakayama Emi said her group was able to see previously-unknown details of infected cells. She says the images could be helpful in evaluating the effectiveness of medical drugs that are developed to treat coronavirus infections.
Key words : taiwan sent
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210502_11/
Taiwan has provided medical oxygen equipment as emergency aid for India, where the healthcare system is under serious strain due to a surge in coronavirus cases.
Taiwanese authorities say they sent 150 oxygen concentrators and 500 oxygen cylinders on a cargo flight on Sunday.
This comes as India is running short of hospital beds and oxygen for medical use, with the daily tally of new cases topping 400,000 on Saturday.
Taiwan's foreign ministry says Taiwan has the capability and willingness to contribute to the international community, and will continue to share its experience of fighting the virus and offer medical supplies.
Taiwan has not yet been able to join the World Health Organization and other international entities, due to opposition from China.
It appears to be hoping that the latest humanitarian aid would help increase its presence in the international community.
Key words : north blunder
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210502_08/
North Korea says US President Joe Biden made a "big blunder" by calling Pyongyang's nuclear program a serious threat to American and global security.
The chief of the North Korean Foreign Ministry's US affairs department, Kwon Jong Gun, made the remarks in a statement carried by the state-run Korean Central News Agency on Sunday.
This comes after Biden presented his foreign policy towards North Korea in his Congressional address last week.
The statement says the US has been posing a nuclear threat to North Korea. It says the US calling the North's deterrence for self-defense a threat is an encroachment upon its right to self-defense.
The official said now that the keynote of the new US policy on the North has become clear, his country will be compelled to push for corresponding measures. He warned that the US will find itself in a serious situation.
North Korea also reacted to US State Department spokesperson Ned Price's accusation that Pyongyang is taking increasingly draconian measures to tighten control of its people under the guise of fighting COVID-19, including shoot-to-kill orders at the border with China.
A North Korean foreign ministry spokesperson said in a statement that the accusation is a violation of the country's state sovereignty. The statement says that insulting the dignity of the "supreme leadership" is a sign that the US is preparing for an all-out showdown with the North. It warns that the US will surely regret such an action.
Key words : kim sister warned
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210502_06/
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's sister has criticized the South Korean government for failing to stop defectors from flying anti-Pyongyang leaflets to the North recently.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Kim Yo Jong called the action by defectors a provocation against the North.
She also accused South Korean authorities of not stopping what she called the reckless acts.
She warned that Pyongyang can no longer remain an onlooker and will look into corresponding action against what it regards as a serious provocation.
Kim Yo Jong added that the responsibility for the consequences will entirely rest with the South Korean authorities.
A defectors' group in South Korea flew 500,000 leaflets criticizing Kim Jong Un toward the North via balloons in late April.
After defectors lofted similar leaflets in May last year, Pyongyang blew up an inter-Korean liaison office in the border city of Kaesong.
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