Asian View
Key words : apple daily last good luck
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210624_22/
Hong Kong's pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper has printed its final edition.
The newspaper that many revered as a beacon of media freedom was forced to stop publishing after some of its assets were frozen. Senior staff were arrested for allegedly breaking China's national security law imposed on the territory.
At a newsstand in a downtown area, people formed a line several hundred meters long to buy the last paper.
A man said, "The end of Apple Daily means the end of freedom for newspapers."
A woman expressed disappointment, saying the newspaper that tells the truth is now gone.
Several hundred people gathered in front of Apple Daily's head office on Wednesday night to show their support for reporters putting out the final edition. They chanted, "Keep fighting Apple Daily!"
The closure comes after mounting pressure from authorities. On Wednesday, a lead writer at the paper was arrested on suspicion of violating the national security law. Five of its executives were arrested last week.
In a statement, British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab criticized Hong Kong's government. He said the "forced closure" of the newspaper is a "chilling blow to freedom of expression in Hong Kong."
Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Kato Katsunobu said the news is a big loss for the territory.
Kato said, "This move is a big setback for freedom of the press and speech that the people of Hong Kong have enjoyed all these years and which are the basis of democratic and stable development."
He said that Japan will urge authorities in China and Hong Kong to safeguard those rights which are stipulated in Hong Kong's Basic Law.
Apple Daily said it published 1 million copies of the last edition. That's about one-seventh of Hong Kong's population.
The front page featured a picture of supporters waving in front of its headquarters with the headline: "Hong Kongers bid a painful farewell in the rain."
The newspaper's website went offline early Thursday morning.
Apple Daily then put out a message to its supporters.
It says, "We would like to thank all of our readers, subscribers, advertisers, and Hong Kongers for your loyal support. Good luck and goodbye."
Key words : challenge constitutional
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210623_23/
Japan's Supreme Court has rejected a constitutional challenge of a law dictating married couples must share a surname.
Key words : supreme court in 2015
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210623_24/
Japan's Supreme Court has ruled that an article of the country's civil code that says married couples must have the same surname does not violate the Constitution.
The court's issuance of the view was its second, following one in 2015.
Chief Justice Otani Naoto handed down the ruling on Wednesday.
The court heard cases filed in 2018 by three common-law couples who demanded that authorities accept marriage registration by spouses with different surnames.
They claimed that related articles of the civil code and Japan's family register law violate the Constitution, as they run counter to its stipulation of gender equality.
The cases were dismissed by lower courts and the Supreme Court.
Wednesday's ruling also said marriage registration by couples with different surnames cannot be accepted by authorities.
Key words : organizer new guideline
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210624_01/
In one month, the world's top athletes will celebrate the opening of the Tokyo Games. But before that happens, Olympic organizers have a lot of work to do. They have just announced the latest guidelines for keeping fans, athletes -- and residents -- safe from the coronavirus.
The IOC's point man for the games visited the gymnastics venue on Wednesday to see those measures in action. John Coates will tour more areas in the coming days.
Domestic ticket holders also got a glimpse of how things will work for them. They will be able to cheer -- quietly -- from stands no more than half full.
New guidelines mean they must wear masks at all times and tone down celebrations. That means no hugs, no high fives and no alcohol. After events, they are urged to go straight home.
Governors of neighboring prefectures say any competitions held in their areas after 9 p.m. should not allow spectators.
Still, more than 80,000 spectators could gather in Tokyo's waterfront area over the course of a single day.
A man in western Japan bought four tickets for a men's basketball match. But now he is hesitant about traveling to the games with his family.
Athletes gearing up to compete in the games are trying to refocus after a tumultuous one-year postponement.
Table tennis player Ishikawa Kasumi said, "The Olympics are likely to be held under challenging circumstances. But I want to stand on the court and play to the best of my ability. I want to make the next month count."
Foreign athletes are continuing to arrive in Japan -- where they are subject to strict antivirus measures.
A second member of the Olympic team from Uganda has been confirmed infected after testing negative at the airport on Sunday.
A member of the delegation tested positive upon arrival in Japan. The other eight people in the group are in quarantine because they were confirmed to have been in close contact with that positive case.
Key words : president philippine prison
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210623_32/
A warning earlier this week by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte that anyone who refuses the COVID-19 vaccine would be imprisoned has sparked controversy.
In a televised speech on Monday, Duterte said that he will have the heads of all local governments report people who refuse to be vaccinated.
People in Manila have spoken out against the president's address. Health officials say only about 6 percent of the population has received their first shot, though the daily new infection tally remains high at around 3,600.
A survey conducted by a local polling firm in March showed that about 61 percent of people had negative feelings towards getting inoculated.
Key words : russia military drill etorofu
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210624_07/
Russia has begun large-scale military drills on islands that Japan claims as its Northern Territories.
Russia's Eastern Military District says the exercises being conducted over five days from Wednesday are based on a scenario of hostility between two states. They're being staged on the islands of Etorofu and Kunashiri as well as Sakhalin and elsewhere.
More than 10,000 soldiers will be taking part, as well as up to 500 military vehicles, about 30 aircraft and about 10 vessels. The schedule for the drills includes landing operations.
Russia regards the islands and their vicinity as a point of strategic importance linking the Sea of Okhotsk and the Pacific.
In February this year, Russia conducted drills on a training ground in the area with more than 1,000 soldiers taking part.
Observers say Russia's repeated exercises are aimed at asserting its claims over the islands, and to warn the United States, as Moscow believes the US is stepping up its military might in the Asia-Pacific region.
Japan's Foreign Ministry has lodged a protest with the Russian Embassy in Tokyo, saying that the military buildup on the Northern Territories goes against Japan's stance.
Japan claims Etorofu, Kunashiri and two other islands controlled by Russia.
The Japanese government maintains the islands are an inherent part of Japan's territory. It says the islands were illegally occupied after World War Two.
Key words : giant panda
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210623_09/
A giant panda at Tokyo's Ueno Zoological Gardens has given birth to twins. This is the first time twins have been born at the zoo.
Shin Shin gave birth to a cub a little past 1 a.m. on Wednesday and to another about an hour and a half later at Ueno zoo.
In March, Shin Shin was confirmed to be mating with Ri Ri, a male panda at the zoo. She began showing signs of being pregnant late last month.
Zoo officials withdrew Shin Shin from display and have since been preparing for her to give birth.
Officials say the first cub weighed 124 grams, but the weight of the second cub is not yet known.
They added that the gender of each is also unknown.
The twins are the first giant panda cubs to be born at Ueno zoo in four years. In 2017, Shin Shin gave birth to Xiang Xiang, who is now a star attraction at the zoo.
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