Asian View
Key words : constitution
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210503_22/
Monday marks the anniversary of Japan's Constitution coming into effect 74 years ago. To mark the occasion, some people around the country have been calling for the Constitution to be amended -- while others favor keeping it in its present form.
One group seeking to amend it live-streamed an online forum. Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide delivered a video message.
Suga said, "More than 70 years have passed since the current Constitution was enacted. Revisions should be made to parts that do not match the times, or that lack something necessary. As a first step to advancing discussions to amend the Constitution, we should aim to pass a revised law on national referendums."
The Liberal Democratic Party is drawing up draft revisions consisting of 4 points. They include formally recognizing the existence of the Self-Defense Forces.
Suga said both the ruling and opposition parties should hold constructive discussions to deepen the public's understanding.
Meanwhile, a group of citizens who want to keep the Constitution as it is also held an online forum.
The leader of the opposition Constitutional Democratic Party delivered a video message.
Edano Yukio said people should think about the importance of Article 25 on Constitutional Day. It stipulates that all people have the right to minimum standards of cultured and wholesome living.
Edano said this right has been undermined by the pandemic.
He said, "The government has to work to promote and extend social welfare and public health. But Japan's politics today have failed to fulfill this obligation. I'm resolute that restoring politics built on Article 25 is a major role my party should play amid the coronavirus crisis."
Deliberations on revising the law on national referendums are underway in the Diet's Lower House Commission on the Constitution.
Key words : myanmar fake news
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210504_05/
The Japanese Embassy in Myanmar says a Japanese journalist was charged on Monday with disseminating fake news. Kitazumi Yuki was detained last month by the country's military.
Embassy officials say Kitazumi is accused of fueling anxiety among citizens and spreading false information.
Kitazumi was taken from his home in Yangon by security forces on April 18. He has since been held at a prison in the city.
He is now expected to stand trial, raising concern that his detention could be prolonged.
Japanese embassy officials say they will help Kitazumi with court proceedings while continuing to call on Myanmar's authorities to release him.
The officials say they were told by authorities on Monday that Kitazumi is not experiencing any health issues. But they say they have yet to be allowed to meet him in person.
Kitazumi had been covering the anti-coup protests for Japanese media outlets, posting articles and videos on social media.
Key words : Britain indo
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210504_02/
Japan is looking to deepen defense cooperation with major European countries and engage in operations to increase stability in the Indo-Pacific region. This comes as China ramps up its maritime presence there.
The British government last month announced that the UK Carrier Strike Group, led by HMS Queen Elizabeth, will sail to the region, including Japan.
Japanese Defense Minister Kishi Nobuo welcomed the move, saying Japan-UK relations have entered a new phase.
At a foreign and defense ministerial meeting in February, Japan and Britain confirmed they would deepen security cooperation in light of the growing Chinese maritime presence.
The British group will be joined by a vessel from the Netherlands. French naval ships will also visit Japan in May, while Germany will dispatch a frigate in August. The moves signal an apparent willingness from the European countries to also ramp up their regional commitments.
Tokyo is looking to boost security relations with them by carrying out joint exercises with the Self-Defense Forces, among other activities, in a bid to bring stability to the region.
Key words : india death toll
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210504_01/
The death toll from the coronavirus in India has topped 218,000, making it the third highest in the world.
The government reported 368,147 new cases and 3,417 deaths on Monday.
The total number of fatalities in India was 218,959 as of 10:00 UTC Monday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University in the United States.
India has now passed Mexico in number of deaths, and ranks behind only the US and Brazil.
The country has been struggling to secure sufficient hospital capacity and medical oxygen supplies due to the rapid surge in cases.
Local media outlets reported that 24 people died overnight at a hospital in Karnataka State in the country's south, apparently due to a delay in oxygen supply.
Countries around the world have been providing support amid the surge. India received a batch of the antiviral drug remdesivir from the United States on Sunday, while the UK is expected to send a package of 1,000 additional ventilators.
India's healthcare system is under severe strain. The government is rushing to implement a series of support measures, including the installation of oxygen generators at medical facilities across the country.
Key words : china donated
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210503_04/
China has donated 500,000 doses of its coronavirus vaccines to Myanmar.
Myanmar's state-run television says the vaccine shipment arrived on Sunday, at the international airport in the largest city of Yangon.
The shipment was larger than the 300,000 doses pledged by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi when he visited Myanmar in January.
The Chinese Embassy in Myanmar said the vaccines demonstrate the friendship between the two countries.
China has opposed moves within the UN Security Council to impose sanctions on Myanmar's military over its coup in February.
Anti-Chinese sentiment is spreading among citizens who are protesting the power grab.
The larger-than-promised shipment is apparently aimed at easing such sentiment. It could also help the military leaders demonstrate their efforts to fight the pandemic.
However, some observers believe the Chinese vaccines could aggravate moves to boycott vaccinations among citizens who reject military rule.
Key words : university athletic
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210503_08/
A survey by the Japan Association for University Athletics and Sport, or UNIVAS, shows the number of university athletes and staff members fell in the past academic year. UNIVAS attributes the decline to the coronavirus pandemic.
NHK has obtained the results of the survey.
UNIVAS conducted a survey of its 32 member organizations. About 65 percent said the number of athletes and staff members dropped in the 12 months that started in April 2020 from the previous academic year.
The decline was the steepest for shooting, with a drop of nearly 50 percent, followed by a more-than 30-percent decrease for hockey and over 20 percent for handball and American football.
Even baseball, which had the largest number of players and staff registered by member organizations, saw a decline of 6 percent.
UNIVAS blames limited in-person recruiting due to the pandemic as the main factor behind the overall decline.
Archery clubs saw new recruits plunge by about 80 percent last year, while American football clubs reported their new recruits dropped by about half.
Ikeda Atsushi, a senior UNIVAS official, described the current situation as extremely tough, especially for sports that people tend to take up in university. He said the pandemic has deprived students of the opportunity to be recruited on campus and have a trial period. He said UNIVAS will consider ways to support them.
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