at 18:30 (JST), January 27

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/20220127183000_english_1.mp3


Key words : north launched sixth
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220127_10/

The South Korean military says North Korea has fired two projectiles believed to be short-range ballistic missiles toward the sea off its east coast.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff made the announcement shortly after 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, local time.

It is working with US forces to gather and analyze information about the launch.

North Korea has repeatedly launched missiles since the beginning of this year.

It fired one projectile each on January 5 and 11, and announced the next day that it had tested a hypersonic missile.

It also fired two projectiles each on January 14 and 17. They are believed to have been short-range ballistic missiles.

On Tuesday, South Korean military sources said the North had fired what appeared to be two cruise missiles.

Thursday's launch, the sixth this year, underscores Pyongyang's intention to boost its military capabilities.

North Korea's ruling Workers' Party political bureau decided at a meeting on January 19 that the country must prepare for a long-term confrontation with US imperialism.

It hinted at reviewing its unilateral suspension of nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile tests announced in 2018.

Observers say North Korea is sending a warning to the US, which unveiled new sanctions over Pyongyang's nuclear and missile tests and has called for the UN Security Council to issue a statement urging the North to abide by its resolutions.

Key words : cambodian
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220127_02/

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has urged Myanmar's military leaders to follow a five-point agreement reached at an ASEAN meeting last year.

Hun Sen spoke with Myanmar's Senior General Min Aung Hlaing online on Wednesday. Cambodia chairs the Association of Southeast Asian Nations this year.

The talks come after Hun Sen's visit to Myanmar in early January to meet with the military chief.

The Cambodian government said that at the latest talks, the prime minister expressed deep concern about continuing violence in Myanmar.

It also said Hun Sen again asked Min Aung Hlaing to implement the five-point agreement, including halting violence immediately and accepting a special envoy to mediate dialogue.

Myanmar's state-run TV reported that the military chief told Hun Sen that Myanmar will do its utmost to cooperate with ASEAN.

ASEAN has refused to invite Myanmar's military leader to the group's summit meetings as the junta, which took power in the February 2021 coup, continues its crackdown on civilian protesters.

But Hun Sen expressed his willingness to bring Myanmar back into the group's summits.

However, Indonesia and Singapore said ASEAN should not accept Myanmar's military leader in the summits unless there is progress in the five-point agreement.

Key words : finance
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220126_13/

The Japanese government's debt exceeded its assets by a record 5.7 trillion dollars at the end of the last fiscal year. That was partly due to supplementary budgets for measures to cope with the coronavirus pandemic.

The Finance Ministry said on Tuesday that assets grew 5.8 percent from the previous fiscal year to more than 720 trillion yen, or over 6.3 trillion dollars. These include roads and other infrastructure, as well as securities.

The ministry said liabilities expanded 8.1 percent in yen terms to 1,376 trillion yen or 12 trillion dollars in the fiscal year that ended in March 2021. As a result, the government's negative net worth totaled 655.2 trillion yen or over 5.7 trillion dollars, up 10.7 percent.

The country's fiscal health could get even worse. Government officials have compiled a supplementary budget worth more than 300 billion dollars for the current fiscal year.

The government compiled three supplementary budgets in fiscal 2020.
The annual increase in negative net worth also hit the highest level since the government started announcing these figures in fiscal 2003.

Key words : india parade
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220126_25/

India celebrated Republic Day on Wednesday with an annual military parade in the capital New Delhi.

Republic Day marks the anniversary of the adoption of India's constitution that came into force on January 26, 1950.

The parade included tanks and surface-to-air missiles that have been deployed, in addition to former Soviet-made tanks that had been used in past wars with Pakistan over control of Kashmir.

Spectators also saw a formation flight of aircraft including French-made Rafale fighter jets that were put into service in 2020.

With its border disputes with China and Pakistan, India has been modernizing its weapons. According to Sweden's Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, India's 2020 military spending stood at about 72 billion dollars, ranking third in the world, after the United States and China.

India has been increasing the manufacturing of weapons under the administration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, shifting from imports.

Key words : marubeni
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220127_18/

Major Japanese trading house Marubeni says it's going to sell its entire stake in its struggling US grain unit.

Marubeni will unload its shares in Gavilon to a Dutch company. The transaction is slated to take place next fiscal year, which starts from April. It will follow the transfer of some of Gavilon's operations to a subsidiary.

The trading house acquired the grain exporter nine years ago for 2.7 billion dollars. Gavilon has since incurred losses of more than one billion dollars.

Marubeni's chief executive officer of food and agriculture operations, Terakawa Akira, told reporters that the company wants to invest in new business models that are closer to consumers, including the plant protein business.

Marubeni did not disclose the price of the sale.
But it expects to recoup about 3.5 billion dollars and post some of the proceeds as a capital gain.

Key words : toyota
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220127_17/

Toyota Motor says it is extending the suspension of production at plants in Japan for three more days. The stoppages have been caused by parts shortages amid a surge in coronavirus infections in the country.

The auto giant halted 19 assembly lines at 11 plants on Tuesday and Wednesday, affecting output of models including the Corolla, Prius and Land Cruiser. The suspensions will now continue on Thursday, Friday and Monday.

Toyota says parts shipments have been delayed, as suppliers have been hit by coronavirus infections.

Daihatsu Motor, which makes some Toyota models, will also suspend some production for three days.

Toyota says the stoppages will affect output of about 94,000 units this month.

Key words : south ambassador fund
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220126_20/

People gathered at a train station in Tokyo on Wednesday to remember two men who died there 21 years ago, while trying to save a man who had fallen onto the tracks.

South Korean student Lee Su-hyon and Japanese photographer Sekine Shiro jumped from the platform to try to save the man at JR Shin-Okubo Station on January 26, 2001. All three died after being hit by a train. Lee was 26 and Sekine was 47 at the time.

People who gathered at the station on Wednesday included South Korea's Ambassador to Japan, Kang Chang-il, and the head of the Japanese language school Lee attended.

They laid flowers in front of a plaque paying tribute to the victims and observed a moment of silence on the platform.

During a subsequent memorial ceremony, a video message sent from Lee's mother, Shin Yoon-chan, was shown. She had visited Japan on the anniversary every year, but due to the coronavirus pandemic refrained from doing so again this year.

In the video message, she said she had been looking forward to traveling to Japan because visiting Shin-Okubo on January 26 makes her feel like she can see her son. She added that she is grateful to supporters who have warmly welcomed her over the past 21 years.

Lee's parents used condolence money to set up a fund for studying Japanese in Japan, like their son who had hoped to serve as a bridge between Japan and South Korea.

The fund has so far offered scholarships to 1,059 students from 19 countries and regions.