at 18:30 (JST), August 04

Asian View

"Asian View" is a five-minute news segment broadcast by NHK WORLD-JAPAN. It features the latest news and deep analysis from Japan and the rest of Asia. Listen to "Asian View" and get the latest information from a region that's playing an increasingly important role in the world.

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/upld/medias/en/radio/news/20210804183000_english_1.mp3


Key words : prime minister severe symptom healthcare
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210804_31/

The Japanese government is defending its plan to have most coronavirus patients recuperate at home, despite widespread criticism.

Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide said on Monday that coronavirus patients without severe symptoms, or those who are not at risk of developing such symptoms, will, in principle, be asked to recuperate at home.

He said the government will prioritize securing enough hospital beds for patients with, or at risk of developing, severe COVID-19 symptoms.

Lawmakers debated the plan in a Lower House committee on Wednesday.

Nagatsuma Akira of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party described the inaccessibility to hospital beds as a man-made disaster.

He urged the government to bring together healthcare workers from across the country and shift to promoting recuperation at lodging facilities.

Health minister Tamura Norihisa noted that infections are surging even though fewer people are going out and about. He said the Delta variant is a significant threat, and so the government must consider having patients recuperate at home. He said this is the norm in countries where the virus is spreading, and sought everyone's understanding that these are not normal times.

Takagi Michiyo of the ruling coalition partner Komeito said it is impossible to care for patients at home needing oxygen, and urged the government to reconsider its plan, or even retract it.

Tamura said patients who are not seriously ill have a variety of symptoms, but those under respiratory care would never be denied hospitalization and be sent back home.

Key words : belarusian seeking airline
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210804_21/

Olympic sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya, who is seeking asylum in Europe, departed from Japan. She refused to return to Belarus because she feared she would be punished for comments she made about her coaches. She is expected to depart for Poland. The country has granted her a humanitarian visa.

The athlete left the Polish embassy in Tokyo and arrived at Narita Airport near Tokyo on Wednesday morning local time. She did not say anything to reporters.

Tsimanouskaya said her coaches tried to force her back to Belarus after she criticized them on social media. She says her post was seen as being critical of the Belarusian government.
Before boarding a plane, she turned back from the gate, and briefly waved. She left on an Austrian airline bound for Vienna.

The 24 year-old said she wants to continue her sports career, and wants to compete at the next two summer Olympics. She says her comments were never meant to be political.

Media in Belarus suggest that President Alexander Lukashenko called for her to return home early from the Tokyo Games.

Journalists and political commentators from Belarus say criticism of any authorities is considered defying the government.

They believe Lukashenko would take a tough stance on athletes who fail to achieve good results at the Tokyo Games, and that he regards the Olympics as an opportunity to enhance national prestige.

Key words : taiwan record haul
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210804_12/

Taiwan's record haul of medals at the Tokyo Olympics is whipping up excitement there. A gold medal in badminton has caused particular buzz online.

Taiwan had secured 10 medals, including two gold ones, as of Tuesday. That is already double the previous record. The badminton gold medal was the first for Taiwan. Its pair beat China's in the men's doubles final.

The pair sealed victory after challenging a line call made on match point. A video replay of the shot showed that the shuttlecock was on the baseline. It also showed the word "in," which indicated that the Taiwanese pair had won the point.

Internet users have playfully transformed the image in a way that makes it show the word "Taiwan." The intersecting court lines form the letter "T," while the shuttlecock represents the dot on the letter "i."

After the design quickly became a hit, local businesses began using it on various products -- including face masks, T-shirts and even a credit card.

Key words : myanmar hardship Thithi Lay
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/videos/20210729133159310/

The Games are in full swing. Athletes are showing what they've got. We look at how some Olympians faced the burden of a politicized playing field. After Myanmar's February coup, whether athletes from the country would make the Olympics was uncertain. A resident-Myanmarese describes the situation her compatriots faced.