at 18:30 (JST), August 18

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/20210818183000_english_1.mp3


Key words : afghanistan former
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210818_08/

Afghanistan's former ambassador to Japan says he is concerned about the Taliban's takeover of the country.

NHK interviewed former Ambassador Bashir Mohabbat in Tokyo on Tuesday after Taliban forces seized the Afghan capital of Kabul and declared victory over President Ashraf Ghani's government.

Mohabbat represented Afghanistan in Tokyo from 2017 to January this year.

He said regarding the Taliban's advance into Kabul that no one had expected the government to collapse so quickly.

Mohabbat said people in Afghanistan are panicking in a situation where there is no government.

He called the outcome regrettable, but said the government had probably capitulated peacefully to avoid casualties among residents including women and children.

He said public discontent will explode if a new Taliban government turns oppressive.

Key words : japanese researchers
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210817_09/

A group of Japanese researchers are calling on the global community to help protect cultural properties in Afghanistan.

Maeda Kosaku, a visiting professor at the Tokyo University of the Arts, and other researchers have been engaged in activities to preserve Bamiyan ruins and other cultural properties in Afghanistan.

The group released an emergency statement on Monday after the Taliban advanced into the Afghan capital Kabul.

The statement says cultural assets in Afghanistan are an unparalleled cultural heritage common to mankind.

It says people across the world must raise their voices now to avoid further bloodshed at all costs and prevent exposing cultural properties, which connect Afghanistan to the world, to battle.

In 2001, the Taliban destroyed two Bamiyan Buddha statues, and numerous cultural properties have been destroyed or taken out of the country amid the turmoil of war.

Maeda and the other researchers have been working to help rebuild Afghanistan by restoring murals of the Bamiyan ruins and returning cultural properties that were brought to Japan.

Maeda said they have been praying that their activities will help with reconstruction and lead to peace, so they are extremely concerned about the sudden change in the situation.

He said the global community should speak out to help protect people's rights as well as cultural properties, regarded as assets of humankind, regardless of the administration in power.

Key words : survey record high
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210817_14/

A private-sector survey in Japan shows that the portion of females in corporate managerial posts rose to a record high last month, but remained below 10 percent.

Credit research firm Teikoku Databank surveyed more than 24,000 companies nationwide in July. It received responses from 10,992 of them.

The results show that an average 8.9 percent of managerial positions were occupied by women.

That is the highest since comparable data became available in 2013 and is 1.1 percentage points higher than last year.

The survey also shows that 22.6 percent of the companies expected the share of female managers to grow, while 58.9 percent predicted it would stay unchanged.

The Japanese government aims to boost the ratio of women in managerial, executive and other senior posts to roughly 30 percent as soon as possible during the 2020s.

The research firm says many companies, mostly small and mid-sized businesses, said that it takes time to foster female employees to become able to take on senior roles.

It adds that companies need to create long-term strategies on employment and other policies for female workers, as empowering women is vital in enhancing corporate values.

Key words : captain paralympic
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210817_19/

Japan has officially inaugurated its team of athletes for the Tokyo Paralympics, scheduled to open on August 24.

A ceremony was held in Tokyo on Tuesday.

A record 255 athletes will represent Japan at the Tokyo Games. But due to coronavirus restrictions, the number of attendees at the ceremony was limited, with most participating remotely.

Those present included wheelchair tennis player Kunieda Shingo, captain of Team Japan, and goalball player Urata Rie, who serves as vice-captain.

During the ceremony, athletes and coaches in each of the various sports were introduced.

Head of the Japanese delegation Kawai Junichi then handed over the national flag, which also serves as the team flag, to those who will act as bearers -- table tennis player Iwabuchi Koyo and triathlete Tani Mami.

Speaking for the team, Kunieda said the Tokyo Olympics demonstrated the power of sport to inspire strong performances from Japanese athletes.

Kunieda pledged to exert all his strength with courage and determination. He expressed hope that many Japanese children, regardless of whether they have disabilities or not, will see para sports and feel the endless potential of humankind.

During the 13-day Paralympics, around 4,400 athletes from almost 160 countries and territories are scheduled to take part in 539 events in 22 sports.

Key words : Taliban Tanaka Koichiro
#N/A