at 18:30 (JST), December 17

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/20211217183000_english_1.mp3


Key words : dead osaka 19
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20211217_27/

A fire that broke out at a building in western Japan's Osaka City has left 19 people dead and about 10 severely injured. Most of the injured did not have vital signs. Police investigating the fire suspect that it was caused by arson.

Dozens of firefighters were called to the building in Osaka's Kita Ward. The fire began on the fourth floor of the eight-story building shortly before 10:30 a.m. on Friday. It was brought under control in about 30 minutes.

Rescue teams say a total of 28 people were injured. They add that 27 of the injured were in a state of cardiopulmonary arrest. Three are no longer in that state. But police sources say 19 have died.

A medical clinic specializing in psychosomatic medicine and psychiatry is located on the fourth floor of the multipurpose building. An area measuring about 20 square meters was burned.

Police sources say a man believed to be in his 60s was seen by a witness holding a paper bag with liquid leaking from it. The witness said the fire started in an area where some of the liquid had fallen on the floor.

Police suspect the fire was started deliberately. They are investigating whether the man is among the injured.

The building is close to JR Kitashinchi Station in the downtown area of Osaka City.

Key words : metropolitan 20s living
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20211217_02/

Tokyo Metropolitan Government officials have reported a case of the Omicron coronavirus variant in the capital.

A woman in her 20s living in Tokyo was confirmed to be infected on Thursday. She returned from the United States on December 8 and tested negative on arrival.

She developed a fever the next day while isolating at home. She then tested positive on Monday, and her sample was sent for analysis.

A man in his 20s also living in Tokyo is regarded as having had close contact with her, as they met on December 8 and 9.

The man tested positive on Wednesday and his sample is being analyzed.

The man went to watch a soccer game at a stadium near Tokyo on Sunday. Officials are calling on about 80 people who sat near him to be tested.

The government's top spokesperson says measures to detect Omicron at the country's borders are working.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Matsuno Hirokazu noted that the infected person had tested positive during the 14-day self-quarantine period. He added, "We have identified the person who was in close contact with her. We don't regard the case as one of so-called community transmission."

Health ministry officials say a staff member at a quarantine station at Kansai International Airport in Osaka has been confirmed to be infected with the Omicron variant. It is the first case of Omicron in a quarantine official.

Experts advising the ministry say that when an Omicron infection is confirmed, people who have been near the person should be tested, regardless of how long they were in contact, or whether they were wearing masks.

The experts warn that the number of new coronavirus cases in Japan shows signs of a rebound, even though it remains low.

Authorities across Japan confirmed 190 infections on Thursday. There were two deaths.

Tokyo reported 30 new cases. It was the first time in five weeks that the daily tally in the capital hit 30.

Key words : organizer beijing
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20211216_19/

Organizers of the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Beijing are increasing vigilance against the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.

With 50 days to go before the Olympics open on February 4, the organizing committee for the Winter Games held a news conference in Beijing on Thursday.

A committee official in charge of media relations stressed a sense of caution over Omicron as two cases of the variant were reported in Tianjin and Guangzhou this week. The cases are the first found in China.

The official said dealing with the coronavirus is a major challenge for the Games, and that the committee is closely watching the Omicron situation and analyzing its possible impact on the events.

The organizers are set to make sure athletes, team officials and other related personnel are strictly kept in a "bubble" to avoid contact with others.

The committee on Monday released the second and last version of its Playbook of rules for athletes and officials to prevent infection.

The Playbook strongly recommends booster vaccine shots to protect against the virus.

Key words : defense fiscal expected
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20211217_05/

Japan's defense expenditures for the next fiscal year are expected to grow for the 10th consecutive year to a record high.

The Defense Ministry has been arranging with the Finance Ministry for a budget of more than 5.4 trillion yen, or roughly 48 billion dollars, for fiscal 2022, starting in April. The final decision will be made later this month.

About 89 million dollars would be allocated to the development and study of AI-equipped drones that can detect threats to fighter jets flying some distance away.

It would be the country's first outlay for such unmanned aircraft, coming as the Air Self-Defense Force seeks to develop next-generation fighters.

The ministry would set aside some 350 million dollars to convert the Ground Self-Defense Force's guided missiles into long-range cruise missiles that can be launched from destroyers and fighter jets.

The ministry would also spend around 50 million dollars to improve the radar systems of two Aegis ships to be built as alternatives to the Aegis Ashore land-based missile defense system, which has been abandoned.

Key words : xi common prosperity hiroko kitadai
https://emb3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/videos/20211119152839150/

Chinese President Xi Jinping has been rolling out his drive for common prosperity. His administration is trying to close the country's widening wealth gap. But doing so poses a big challenge that's not without risks.