at 18:30 (JST), November 23

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/20211123183000_english_1.mp3


Key words : bach
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20211122_07/

The International Olympic Committee says its president, Thomas Bach, has held a video call with Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai.

Peng has reportedly not been seen in public since she made a sexual assault allegation against former Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli.

The IOC announced on Sunday that the Chair of the IOC Athletes' Commission, Emma Terho, and another member who has known Peng for many years joined the 30-minute call.

Peng reportedly thanked the IOC for its concern about her well-being and explained that she is safe and well, living at her home in Beijing.

She reportedly said she would like to have her privacy respected and prefers to spend her time with friends and family right now.

Terho was quoted as saying that she was relieved to see Peng was doing fine, and that Peng appeared to be relaxed. She reportedly said that she offered Peng to stay in touch at any time of her convenience and Peng obviously appreciated the offer.

The IOC says President Bach invited Peng for a dinner once he arrives in Beijing next January and Peng accepted the invitation.

Key words : british newspaper
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20211123_06/

A British newspaper says China fired a missile from a hypersonic weapon over the South China Sea in a test of the system this summer.

China reportedly carried out a test of a nuclear-capable hypersonic weapon, which travels at more than five times the speed of sound, with the ability to maneuver in flight. The weapon is believed to be difficult to intercept.

China is said to have loaded the hypersonic weapon on a rocket, and maneuvered the weapon in space to glide toward a target on the ground.

The Financial Times reported on Sunday that the hypersonic-glide vehicle fired a separate missile mid-flight over the South China Sea, citing people familiar with the intelligence.

The newspaper says that some officials at the US Department of Defense believe the projectile was a countermeasure designed to destroy missile-defense systems.

US military experts have been analyzing data related to the test to understand how China gained the capability that no other country previously demonstrated.

The United States and Russia have also been developing hypersonic weapon systems. The US is wary of China's rapid improvements to the needed technologies.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told reporters on Monday that it was a routine test of spacecraft to verify the spacecraft's reusability.

He also said that after separating from the spacecraft before its return, the supporting devices would have burned up when entering the earth's atmosphere.

Key words : china and online summit
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20211122_30/

China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations held an online summit on Monday without the presence of a representative from Myanmar.

ASEAN invited Myanmar's ambassador to Beijing to the summit, in a move that excluded Myanmar's military leader, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, who took power in a coup in February.

The ambassador did not show up, apparently after Myanmar rejected the offer.

It was reported that China sought to allow Min Aung Hlaing to attend the summit but that ASEAN members such as Indonesia and Malaysia objected.

In a statement issued after the summit, Myanmar's military thanked China for its effort to have the senior general join the meeting and expressed discontent with opponents to China's proposal, without referring to them by name.

The ASEAN summit in October was also held without a representative from Myanmar in attendance, for similar reasons.

Key words : pumice stone likely
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20211122_26/

A study shows Pumice stones are likely to continue to wash ashore in Japan into next month.

A simulation by the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology shows southwestern regions including Okinawa and Amami and some of the Izu Islands in the Pacific will be affected by the floating rocks.

The agency on Monday released the results of its simulation of pumice stone flows, using recent satellite data.

An underwater volcanic eruption in the Pacific in August created massive amounts of pumice stones that have been drifting ashore in Okinawa and Amami since October.

Pumice stones have also reached some of the Tokyo-administered Izu Islands, including Shikinejima and Izu Oshima this month. They were carried by the Kuroshio current.

The floating rocks also drifted onto Miyakejima and Kozushima on the Izu chain on Saturday.

The simulation shows large amounts of pumice stones will likely drift into eastern seas in early December.

The situation in Okinawa and Amami regions remains serious. Stones are expected to remain there on coasts and in surrounding waters until at least December 9, the latest date in the stimulation.

The agency's senior researcher Miyama Toru indicated that there may be more stones than were shown in simulation because some were not detected by satellite. He said the stones may approach the Izu Islands continuously, so it's necessary to remain on the guard.

Key words : pumice stone fishery
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20211120_15/

Racks of pumice stones from an underwater volcanic eruption in the Pacific Ocean have washed ashore on Miyake Island, one of Tokyo's southern Izu islands.

Local officials and fishers reported on Friday that floating pumice had reached Miyake Island.

On Saturday morning, an NHK crew found pumice stones stretching along about 15 meters of beach in the eastern part of the island.

The crew also saw strips of pumice floating offshore.

Workers are rushing to lay oil barriers at the mouths of five ports on the island by the end of Saturday to prevent the stones from entering.

Since early November, small amounts of pumice stone have been spotted in waters around the Izu Islands.

Researchers at the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, or JAMSTEC, have released results of a simulation that suggest a large amount of pumice could reach the islands over the weekend.

Pumice stones began to wash ashore on beaches in Okinawa Prefecture, southern Japan, in mid-October, affecting the fishery and tourism industries. Most of the stones have been found on Okinawa's main island.

On Saturday, strips of small pumice stones, measuring less than one centimeter in diameter, were found on a beach on Miyako Island, about 300 kilometers from the main island.

Key words : senior and south
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20211122_31/

Senior foreign ministry officials of Japan and South Korea have agreed to maintain communication between foreign affairs authorities on both sides to restore healthy bilateral relations.

Head of Japan's Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau Funakoshi Takehiro and South Korea's director general for Asian and Pacific affairs, Lee Sang-ryol, met in the South Korean capital of Seoul on Monday.

The Japanese side says Funakoshi acknowledged that relations have been strained by different views on matters including issues surrounding those referred to as wartime comfort women.

On the issue of wartime labor, Funakoshi reiterated Japan's demand that Seoul come up with a solution that can be accepted by Japan soon.

He also referred to the latest development in connection to the Takeshima Islands. The head of South Korea's national police agency visited the islands last week.

South Korea controls the islands. Japan claims them. The Japanese government maintains the islands are an inherent part of Japan's territory. It says South Korea is illegally occupying them.

Funakoshi said the visit was totally unacceptable from the standpoint of Japan's consistent position on the matter and called for an appropriate response from Seoul.

The South Korean Foreign Ministry says Lee stressed that Seoul can by no means accept any Japanese claims on this matter.

Funakoshi and Lee agreed that foreign affairs officials on both sides will maintain communication with the aim of restoring healthy relations.

Funakoshi also spoke with Noh Kyu-duk, South Korea's Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs.

The officials reportedly reconfirmed that their countries and the United States will work closely on issues concerning North Korea.

Key words : two major
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20211122_25/

Two major Japanese apparel companies have decided to stop using cotton from China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region due to allegations of forced labor there.

Sanyo Shokai says it will not use cotton from the region for its clothing starting with the lines for next spring and summer.

TSI Holdings said it stopped using Xinjiang cotton in items for this autumn and winter and has no immediate plans to resume.

Sporting-goods firm Mizuno and apparel company World have also taken a similar approach.

Meanwhile, Fast Retailing, which operates the Uniqlo clothing chain, has launched a team to inspect cotton farmers in the region for possible human rights violations.

Key words : truck hino
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20211122_23/

Commercial truck makers in Japan are accelerating efforts to meet growing demand for fully electric models as delivery firms look to reduce their carbon footprints.

Hino Motors unveiled a one-ton electric truck on Monday that it plans to start selling next summer.

Company officials say the electric version requires fewer parts on the bottom section, allowing the cargo floor to be lowered, which makes for easier loading.

Hino says the truck can run for about 100 kilometers per charge, enough to make a day's worth of deliveries.

Major Japanese logistics company Yamato Transport is already set to buy the new vehicle.
Its drivers will try it out for the next six months. The two companies plan to work together to iron out any issues.

Hino Motors engineer Tono Kazuyuki says the electrification of small trucks has been slow going, but there's growing demand in the market.

Another major delivery firm Sagawa Express has decided to use electric trucks from a different company.

Isuzu Motors is also preparing to launch a competing model next year.