Asian View
Key words : extension koike kanagawa
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210526_29/
The governors of Tokyo and three surrounding prefectures have jointly asked the central government to extend the coronavirus state of emergency for the capital and the intensive virus measures for the prefectures beyond Monday, May 31.
The governors of Tokyo, Saitama, Chiba and Kanagawa made the request after they agreed to do so at an online meeting on Wednesday.
During the online meeting, they voiced concerns over continued severe situations in the metropolitan area, with variants becoming the main sources of infection, despite a declining trend in the numbers of new cases.
Earlier this month, the central government extended the state of emergency for Tokyo and the intensive measures for the three prefectures until midnight of next Monday.
The governors also asked the government to provide financial support to businesses to be affected by the re-extension of the state of emergency and the intensive measures.
Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko said at the meeting that there are concerns over a possible rapid resurge in infections if the state of emergency and the measures are lifted. She said Tokyo and the three prefectures will work together to contain infections.
A state of emergency declaration by the central government allows governors to implement stricter measures than intensive measures.
Also on Wednesday, the governors of the three western prefectures of Osaka, Hyogo and Kyoto confirmed they will ask the government to re-extend the state of emergency for their prefectures, which is due to expire at midnight of next Monday.
Hiroshima asked the government for the extension of the state of emergency for the prefecture on Wednesday.
Key words : india torrential
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210526_19/
In India, torrential rains and tidal surges from Cyclone Yaas have lashed the east coast. More than a million people have been evacuated and tens of thousands of homes destroyed.
India's Meteorological Department says Yaas made landfall around noon on Wednesday and crossed the eastern states of Odisha and West Bengal.
It is forecast to move north-northwest and weaken slightly, but still classified as a "severe cyclonic storm."
Yaas is the second storm in a week after Cyclone Tauktae killed more than 90 people on India's west coast.
The twin disasters come as India is struggling with a deadly second wave of coronavirus infections, piling pressure onto hospitals and medical workers.
Key words : taiwanese president
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210527_09/
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen has accused Beijing of blocking a deal with the German manufacturer of a coronavirus vaccine, as Taiwan seeks to accelerate inoculations amid a recent surge in cases.
Tsai made the remarks during an online meeting of her ruling Democratic Progressive Party on Wednesday.
She said Taiwan had been negotiating with Britain's AstraZeneca, US firm Moderna and Germany's BioNTech, and orders for AstraZeneca and Moderna shots had been booked.
She said Taiwan had been close to completing a deal with BioNTech, but has not been able to sign the contract because of Beijing's intervention.
A Chinese pharmaceutical company reportedly said it was willing to provide Taiwan with the BioNTech vaccines, but Tsai signaled an unwillingness to accept the offer.
She said only purchasing directly from the original manufacturer would ensure quality and safety.
Taiwan, which has a population of 23.5 million, has received slightly more than 700,000 shots so far.
Tsai said 10 million doses would be available by the end of August, including those being developed by multiple local pharmaceutical companies. Opposition parties and others are criticizing the vaccine shortage.
Key words : china defended
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210526_26/
China has defended its objection to Taiwan's participation in the latest annual assembly of the World Health Organization.
Taiwan was not invited to the World Health Assembly that opened on Monday, partly due to opposition from China. Taiwan has no WHO membership, but had sought participation as an observer.
Taiwan officials expressed strong discontent, arguing that there should be no void in the global measures against the coronavirus.
A spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of China's State Council, Zhu Fenglian, spoke to reporters on this matter on Wednesday.
She said the Chinese authorities are promoting exchanges and cooperation between China and Taiwan in public health and are also making appropriate arrangements for Taiwan's global activity in the field.
She also said China has so far provided Taiwan with coronavirus information 260 times and agreed 16 times to Taiwanese experts' participation in WHO activities.
Zhu said Taiwan claims that there has been a void in the global anti-virus measures, but criticized Taiwan for spreading what she called political nonsense.
Zhu said Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party is trying to use anti-virus measures to make Taiwan independent from China.
Key words : south easing gather
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210526_20/
South Korea's government has announced that people who have received their first dose of coronavirus vaccine will no longer be required to wear masks outdoors in principle from July.
The government announced easing of restrictions on Wednesday.
The changes include lifting a ban on family gatherings for people who received their first shot at least two weeks earlier, starting June. Such gatherings are currently allowed for up to eight people.
Those who have received a second shot at least two weeks earlier are expected to be exempt from restrictions on gathering at facilities such as restaurants and wedding halls from July.
South Korea began its inoculation program in February using the AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines.
The government says about 3.9 million people, or 7.7 percent of the population, had received at least one shot by Tuesday, while some appear reluctant to get vaccinated.
At a meeting on coronavirus response on Wednesday, Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum expressed hope that more people notice the effects of vaccination.
Key words : panel infection risk
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210526_25/
The head of the Japanese government's advisory panel on the coronavirus response has expressed concerns over possible infection risks arising from events related to the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.
Omi Shigeru told a Lower House committee meeting on Wednesday that thorough measures are needed against such risks.
He said that while he thinks it's possible to control infection risks among athletes and people in stadiums, public viewings and other events related to the Tokyo Games could increase the flow of people. He pointed out that compared with other sports events, the Games are much larger in size and the public's attention on them are higher.
He said there are also concerns over whether members of the media, sponsors and Games staff will fully observe the anti-coronavirus rules in the "playbooks."
Omi stressed the importance of thorough implementation of anti-infection measures.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Kato Katsunobu commented on the concerns expressed by Omi.
He said he agreed that an increase in the movement of people leads to higher infection risks.
He added that he believes Tokyo officials and event organizers will make decisions while taking into account the correlation between people's movement and infection.
Key words : heritage
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210526_31/
A cluster of archaeological sites in northern Japan is expected to be added to UNESCO's World Cultural Heritage List.
The group consists of 17 sites, dotted across the four prefectures of Hokkaido, Aomori, Iwate, and Akita.
Sannai Maruyama Site in Aomori City features pit dwellings and pillar-supported buildings.
Also among them is Oyu Stone Circles in Akita, where large and small stones are arranged in circles for ceremonial purposes.
Japanese government officials say those settlements were developed by people living on hunting, gathering and fishing.
They say the sites provide a glimpse of people's livelihood and spiritual culture in the Jomon period, which is said to have lasted for more than 10,000 years.
A UNESCO advisory body has recommended that the sites be listed, giving them the highest rating on its four-stage scale.
Their listing is expected to be officially completed at a UNESCO committee meeting in July.
Another set of sites, which include forests on remoter islands in southwestern Japan, has already been recommended for World Natural Heritage listing.
If both groups are listed as expected, it will leave Japan with 20 items of listed cultural heritage, as well as five of natural heritage.
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