at 18:30 (JST), November 09

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/20211109183000_english_1.mp3


Key words : approval rate
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20211108_19/

NHK's latest poll shows that Japan's Cabinet led by Prime Minister Kishida Fumio has an approval rating of 53 percent.

That's up 5 points from the previous survey conducted one week before the general election on October 31.

The disapproval rate stood at 25 percent, down by 2 points.

The survey was conducted by telephone over the weekend. More than 1,200 people responded.

Of those who support the Kishida Cabinet, 41 percent said it seems better than other lineups, while 26 percent said it is the Cabinet of the parties they support.

Among those who disapprove, 41 percent said they do not expect much from the Cabinet's policies, while 19 percent said it is not the Cabinet of the parties they support.

In the general election, the main ruling Liberal Democratic Party secured a single-party majority in the Lower House.

Asked about the outcome, 10 percent said they would be glad if the ruling parties won more seats, and 40 percent said they would be pleased if the opposition camp gained more seats, while 41 percent said the outcome was just right.

Key words : more than 3,000
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20211108_29/

Since Thailand reopened to foreign tourists on November 1, more than 3,000 migrants have been arrested for illegal entry into the country. Most were heading to the capital, Bangkok, and surrounding provinces to look for work.

Security officials say most illegal crossers are from Myanmar and Cambodia. They were caught entering via the northern and northeastern borders without valid entry documents or proper COVID-19 screening.

The past weekend saw the arrest of over 40 Cambodian migrants in Sa Kaeo, a province east of Bangkok. Authorities say they paid a trafficker to help them enter Thailand. They were seeking jobs in factories near Bangkok.

Security officials fear entries without quarantine could trigger a spike of infections in the country. Authorities are stepping up checkpoints and foot patrols along the borders.

Key words : world health fund
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20211108_25/

The World Health Organization and the United Nations Children's Fund have launched a nationwide polio vaccination drive in Afghanistan with the backing of the Taliban.

Polio can cause paralysis of the limbs and death. Young children in particular are susceptible to the infectious disease. But polio is preventable through vaccination.

Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan are the only countries in the world where polio has yet to be eradicated.

The four-day vaccination campaign began on Monday in Afghanistan.

In Kabul, health workers were seen visiting homes of children to give them the vaccine.

The Taliban in the past have claimed vaccinations were part of a Western plot.

But on this occasion, the Taliban leadership expressed support for the resumption of the program. It has pledged to have its fighters accompany workers in some areas to ensure safety.

A female worker expressed hopes of completing the drive within the designated time-frame, as the campaign is being supported by the Taliban.

The Taliban-run health ministry says 68,000 workers are going door-to-door with the aim of carrying out the vaccination of 3.3 million children.

Key words : defense minister inspected
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20211108_16/

Japan's Defense Minister Kishi Nobuo has inspected a Maritime Self-Defense Force ship that is undergoing modification to operate the state-of-the-art stealth fighter F-35B.

Kishi boarded the destroyer Izumo at the MSDF base at Yokosuka City, south of Tokyo, on Monday.

The Izumo is the largest MSDF vessel and capable of carrying helicopters. It is undergoing modification work to operate stealth fighter F-35Bs that the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force plans to use.

In October, the first landing and takeoff test of the fighter jet took place on the Izumo in cooperation with US forces.

During his tour of the vessel, Kishi looked at yellow markers on the flight deck that guide the F-35Bs on takeoff. He also checked modifications on the deck to make it resistant to heat generated during takeoff and landing.

Speaking to reporters later, Kishi said that the Defense Ministry will continue improving the Izumo for the operation of the F-35B jets.

Kishi said steadfast preparations are needed for the air and sea defense of Japan, including the vast Pacific Ocean, to cope with a new security environment.

He stressed the significance of operating F-35Bs on the Izumo, saying that it is indispensable to implement the country's defense policies.

The Japanese government says the F-35B units will not be deployed full-time on the Izumo, so it will not be considered an attack aircraft carrier, which would be banned by Japan's Constitution.

Key words : toshiba three
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20211109_15/

Japanese conglomerate Toshiba is reportedly considering splitting into three firms. The struggling company is looking to raise its market value, streamline its operations and respond to a shareholder revolt.

Toshiba's sprawling corporate structure includes nearly 300 subsidiaries. Sources say the idea is to group them into three sectors: infrastructure, electronics devices and memory chips. They say the three new firms would aim to get listed in about two years.

A split of this kind is extremely rare for a Japanese conglomerate. Toshiba is trying to rebuild itself after an accounting scandal that surfaced in 2015 and huge losses in its nuclear power business.

Activist shareholders have been turning up the pressure this year, ousting the board chair and another board member in June.

A restructuring could boost corporate value and relieve some of that pressure.

Toshiba is expected to include the proposal in a management plan to be announced Friday.

Key words : economy minister
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20211109_01/

Japan's economy minister has called on members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum to work more closely together in efforts toward the region's recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.

Hagiuda Koichi made the appeal during a virtual APEC ministerial meeting that kicked off on Monday. The 2-day gathering focuses on the region's economic recovery from the pandemic.

He said a free and fair economic order will be indispensable to recovery.

He called for the removal of impediments to fair competition, such as excessive subsidies to businesses, as well as the elimination of unilateral trade control measures and other restrictions.

Hagiuda also touched on the disruptions to supply chains caused by the pandemic. Shipments from suppliers in Southeast Asia were delayed as the virus spread across the region.

Hagiuda said reinforcing supply chains in the Asia-Pacific region is essential to economic growth and called for enhanced coordination among the region's economies.

The ministers are scheduled to complete the meeting by releasing a joint statement on Tuesday.

Key words : worker remove volcanic pamice
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Key words : pumice affect
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20211107_04/

Masses of pumice stones are still washing ashore and causing trouble on Okinawa's main island. Ferry services were affected on Friday. And they remain disrupted.

The lobby of a ferry terminal in Nakijin Village in the northern part of Okinawa's main island was quiet on Saturday. That's because ferry services that connect the terminal with remote islands were canceled.

The floating stones have also affected fishing boats and Coast Guard patrol vessels.

An NHK camera crew filmed objects that appeared to be pumice stones drifting in the waters off Kochi Prefecture, western Japan.
Further caution is warranted, as the stones may ride the Kuroshio ocean current and reach the seas off the Kanto region in eastern Japan.

Officials from Japan's Land and Transport Ministry met with experts on Friday. They discussed effective ways of collecting and removing the stones.

One participant said pumping up sea water is less effective than using backhoes and nets. The experts will compile a report by the end of the month.