at 18:30 (JST), November 11

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/20211111183000_english_1.mp3


Key words : kishida challenges
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20211110_32/

Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio says he will swiftly implement policies to tackle a range of challenges facing the country.

Kishida addressed the nation on Wednesday after his re-election at the Diet as the country's leader.

It comes after the ruling coalition won a comfortable majority in the Lower House election at the end of October.

Kishida said, "How to deal with the new coronavirus remains a top priority. By the end of this week, the government will compile an overall picture of how to deal with the new coronavirus and present it to the public. First of all, we will secure a medical system that can handle cases where the infection capacity is doubled."

Kishida said he will bolster comprehensive anti-virus measures from vaccination and testing to oral medication.

The prime minister also stressed his commitment to helping those suffering from the economic fallout of the pandemic.

He said, "The government will compile a package of economic measures worth several tens of trillions of yen by the end of next week. The government will pass a supplementary budget by the end of the year as soon as possible and deliver it to the people as soon as possible."

Kishida said the ruling parties have agreed to provide subsidies worth about 900 dollars for each child aged 18 or younger to support their families.

He added that households with an annual income of more than 85,000 dollars will be excluded from the handout.

On foreign and defense policies, the prime minister said he wants to hold talks with US President Joe Biden at an early date to strengthen the Japan-US alliance and work together to achieve a free and open Indo-Pacific.

As head of the main ruling party, Kishida also said he will push to amend the country's current Constitution which hasn't been revised since it took effect in 1947.

His Liberal Democratic Party is proposing amendments in four areas including adding a reference to Japan's Self-Defense Forces.

Key words : constitutional thailand
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20211111_10/

The Constitutional Court in Thailand has ruled that calls for reform of the country's monarchy by pro-democracy activists are an unconstitutional attempt to overthrow the institution.

Thailand has seen a series of anti-government protests, mostly by young people, since July last year. The demonstrators have been demanding the resignation of the current administration, the abolition of the lese majeste law -- which makes it illegal to defame, insult or threaten the royal family -- and a smaller royal budget. It has long been a taboo topic in Thailand to even debate royal reform.

The court on Wednesday ruled that demands made by university students and others in August 2020 for royal reform aim to overthrow the constitutional monarchy, violating the country's Constitution.

It also ordered the three main activists and their associates to refrain from making such demands in the future.

A lawyer for the demonstrators described the ruling as unfair. The lawyer said young people who merely call for reform of the monarchy in an effort to improve society could be charged with subversion.

The lawyer added that the ruling makes it harder to even debate the future of the country.

Key words : india afghanistan
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20211110_31/

India on Wednesday hosted a regional security meeting on the situation in Afghanistan.

Senior security officials from India, Russia, Iran and five Central Asian countries took part. China and Pakistan declined to attend.

"This is a time for close consultations amongst us, greater cooperation and interaction and coordination among the regional countries," said India's National Security Adviser Ajit Doval.

The participants reportedly reviewed security in the region following the Taliban's takeover in August.
The meeting aimed to address the country's security and humanitarian challenges and to support the Afghan people in promoting peace and stability.

India traditionally has had close ties with Afghanistan and has provided development aid to the country.

The Afghan economy is deteriorating as the government's overseas assets have been frozen.
This has resulted in multiple humanitarian crises, such as food shortages.

Key words : new vehicle shortage
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20211110_29/

New vehicle sales in China dropped in October for a sixth straight month. Lower production due to a global semiconductor shortage was a key factor in the decline.

The China Association of Automobile Manufacturers said on Wednesday 2.33 million new vehicles were sold in the country last month, down 9.4 percent from a year earlier.

Sales of passenger cars, which account for more than four fifths of all automobile purchases, fell 5 percent.

Japanese automakers fared even worse. Mazda and Nissan reported declines of 22 percent. Sales at Toyota and Honda both slumped nearly 20 percent.

The industry group says the impact of the chip shortage is easing, but higher prices of materials and electricity are weighing on manufacturers.

Key words : china and agreed pledge
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20211111_07/

China and the United States have agreed to increase their cooperation in cutting methane emissions and other efforts to combat climate change.

The world's two largest greenhouse gas emitters on Wednesday announced a joint declaration in response to the talks at the United Nations' COP26 climate conference. They pledge to enhance their climate action for the 2020s.

Methane leaks are believed to have greenhouse gas effects 20 times more harmful than carbon dioxide emissions.

The declaration affirms the Paris Agreement goal of holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and aiming to limit it to 1.5 degrees.

China and the US also plan to work together in measuring methane emissions as part of their efforts to decrease them.
The two countries plan to hold talks in the first half of next year to discuss concrete joint climate action.

Earlier this month, the United States announced an action plan on reducing methane emissions.

In the joint statement, China also declares it aims to compile bold and comprehensive plans.

Regarding carbon dioxide emissions, the two countries plan to cooperate in establishing effective steps to balance electricity demand and supply, and to improve energy-efficiency.

Major media outlets around the world have covered with surprise the joint declaration made unexpectedly by the two top polluters.

Key words : south korea supply chain
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20211111_05/

A shortage of eco-friendly liquid solutions used in diesel vehicles in South Korea is fast raising concerns of possible disruptions in the country's supply chain.

The country requires such vehicles to install a system that reduces emissions of harmful gas.

The system requires fill-ups of diesel exhaust fluid, or DEF, which is made of urea solution.

Most of the urea used in South Korea is supplied by China. But imports have slowed since China introduced mandatory inspections of urea exports last month.

The nationwide urea shortage prompted authorities in North Jeolla Province, southwestern South Korea, to set up on Tuesday a venue to allow residents to purchase urea solutions.

Domestic media are reporting that the Chinese government has effectively limited exports of urea, as demand for coal, needed to produce the substance, has grown in the country and has affected its production.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in has stressed that the government will rely on diplomatic channels to secure urea solutions.

But some media reports are critical of the government, saying it failed to act quickly enough to deal with the issue.

Key words : researcher okinawa
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20211110_10/

Researchers at an aquarium in southern Japan say about 20 percent of sea turtles found dead off the coast of Okinawa Prefecture had accidentally consumed ropes, plastic and other trash.

The Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium studied 484 dead sea turtles that drifted to the coast of the prefecture's main island between 1990 and 2019.

The survey covered green turtles, loggerhead turtles and hawksbill turtles.

About 90 were found to have trash in their bodies. One turtle had two liters of garbage stuck in its stomach.

Aquarium officials say green turtles tend to swallow ropes and fishing lines, whereas loggerheads and hawksbills eat plastic debris.

The study is the first ever conducted on such a large scale. A paper on the findings has been published in an international academic journal.

Aquarium official Sasai Takahide notes that sea turtles mistakenly eat garbage generated by humans. He says he hopes people will be careful in their daily lives not to produce waste that could become marine debris.

Key words : nobel
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20211110_16/

Nobel Peace Prize winner and women's education advocate Malala Yousafzai has gotten married in Britain.

Malala posted a message on Twitter on Tuesday. It said, "Asser and I tied the knot to be partners for life. We are excited to walk together for the journey ahead."

Foreign media outlets have reported that her husband is Asser Malik. He is a senior official in a Pakistani cricket organization.

The couple wed in an Islamic ceremony at Malala's home in Birmingham. Family members were reportedly in attendance. Photos show Malala in a pink bridal costume.

Malala was shot in the head by Muslim extremists in her native Pakistan when she was 15 years old. She was targeted because she publicly expressed the view that girls should have the right to go to school.

She later relocated to Britain with her family. The advocate won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014.

Malala currently uses a fund she set up to help women in various countries receive an education.

Congratulations are pouring in from around the world. Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg retweeted Malala's message.