at 18:30 (JST), February 08

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/20220208183000_english_1.mp3


Key words : philippines
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220208_01/

Campaigning for the Philippines' presidential election kicks off on Tuesday.

Filipinos will go to the polls in May to pick a new president to replace Rodrigo Duterte, whose term is due to end.

Four candidates are seen as the main contenders.

Former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is the eldest son of the late former president Ferdinand Marcos, who ruled the country under a dictatorship for over 20 years.

Leni Robredo is the country's Vice President and a human rights lawyer who has been critical of Duterte's authoritarian policies.

Francisco Domagoso is the mayor of Manila and a former actor.

Senator Manny Pacquiao is a former professional boxer.

The main election issues are Duterte's heavy-handed fight against illegal drugs and the country's relations with China amid heightening tensions over a territorial dispute in the South China Sea.

Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is leading polls by a wide margin, as he touts his strong leadership.

Key words : finance ministry
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220208_23/

Japan's current account balance fell into the red in December for the first time in 18 months. Much of the blame was put on soaring prices of crude oil, leading to a higher value of imports and a resulting trade deficit.

The Finance Ministry said on Tuesday the current account deficit was 370 billion yen, or more than 3.2 billion dollars.

The measure is one of the broadest gauges of trade and investment with the rest of the world.

Officials say the surge in oil import costs contributed to a trade deficit of about 2.8 billion dollars.

Another factor was a smaller primary income surplus, which was down 30.5 percent in yen terms from a year ago to about 3.5 billion dollars.

Firms paid out more in dividends to overseas investors as they recovered from the pandemic downturn.

For the entire 2021, Japan posted a current account surplus of 15.4 trillion yen, or 133.8 billion dollars.

The annual surplus has fallen for four consecutive years due to declining trade balances and travel-related income. Foreign visitor numbers have plunged due to the pandemic.

Key words : cabinet approved
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220208_07/

Japan's government has gained Cabinet approval of a bill that would make it easier for the Self-Defense Forces to evacuate foreign nationals from emergencies abroad.

The current SDF law targets mainly Japanese nationals for evacuation by aircraft. It lacks a provision for airlifting only foreign nationals from emergencies abroad, without the presence of Japanese evacuees.

Last August, SDF planes airlifted one Japanese and 14 Afghans following the Taliban's takeover of power. But because of the law many foreign staff at Japanese organizations, including the embassy, were left behind.

The bill approved on Tuesday would clarify that evacuation flights can be sent for foreign staff at the Japanese embassy and government-affiliated entities, even when there are no Japanese citizens to be airlifted.

The current law allows the dispatch of SDF aircraft only "when the operation can be carried out safely." Under the bill, this would be revised to "when it is possible to take measures to avoid foreseen risks."

The bill would also remove a provision that requires a government aircraft to be used in principle for evacuation flights. The change would make it easier to quickly dispatch SDF transport planes.

The government aims to have the legislation approved by the Diet during the ongoing session.

Key words : north delegate
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220208_05/

North Korea's media reports that the Supreme People's Assembly met for two days to decide on a budget and national projects for the year. There was no mention of whether leader Kim Jong Un attended the meeting.

The country's ruling Workers' Party newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, reported on Tuesday that legislature delegates met on Sunday and Monday.

They decided on a budget that reportedly sets aside 15.9 percent of the total expenditure -- the same rate as last year -- to bolster military capabilities for self-defense and to contain threats and challenges.

Spending to deal with the coronavirus will reportedly increase by 33 percent, with "emergency epidemic prevention work" treated as "the top priority of the state affairs."

The newspaper report didn't refer to relations with the United States or nuclear and missile development, which the North is promoting under its five-year plan.

On February 16, North Korea will mark 80 years since the birth of Kim's father, the late Kim Jong Il.

Other countries are watching Pyongyang's moves closely. South Korean military sources say there are signs the North is preparing for a military parade.

Key words : north radio
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220207_19/

North Korea has marked the sixth anniversary of what it calls a satellite launch, which is widely believed to have been a test-firing of a long-range ballistic missile.

The North fired what it claimed to be an earth observation satellite on February 7, 2016, from a fixed launcher in Tongchang-ri in the country's northwest.

The Tokyo-based news agency Radiopress says the North's state-run radio carried an interview with an official of the country's State Commission of Science and Technology on Monday.

The official noted that it is not easy to develop the country's space science technology to a world-class level in a short period of time.

The official praised North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for enabling the country to achieve a tremendous leap in its space development in only five years.

The official said, "Our path toward the conquest of space will continue onward today and tomorrow."

In January, South Korea's National Intelligence Service pointed to the possibility that North Korea would fire an inter-continental ballistic missile under the pretext of a satellite launch.

Concerned countries are keeping a close watch on moves by North Korea.

Key words : shionogi
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220207_29/

Japanese drug maker Shionogi says it may apply for approval for an oral COVID-19 medicine as early as next week. It would be the first domestically developed drug to treat the disease.

Shionogi on Monday announced the results of a clinical trial involving 69 coronavirus patients between 12 and 70 years old. Their conditions ranged from having no symptoms to mild or moderate symptoms.

They were divided into three groups: one receiving a high dose, another a low dose, and a third getting a placebo. All took one tablet per day for five days.

After the third dose, the proportion of patients with positive viral titer fell by 80 percent in the high-dose group and by 63 percent in the low-dose group, compared to the placebo group.

Shionogi said the time it took for the patients to test negative was shortened by two days compared to the placebo group, with no one needing hospitalization. The company added that adverse effects were mild.

Shionogi is also analyzing data on another trial involving about 400 people. It says if the analysis indicates high efficacy, it may apply for approval next week or the week after that without waiting for the results of the final phase of the trial.

Shionogi President Teshirogi Isao says that if the company obtains promising results again in the next phase, the drug is highly likely to be a very effective treatment.

Key words : softbank nveil
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220207_33/

A subsidiary of SoftBank Group has unveiled a mobile PCR testing center that it says can handle around 370 tests a day.

The 3-ton truck has a ventilation system with filters that prevent the virus escaping. It will be staffed by two people, and results can be ready in two-and-a-half hours at the fastest.

The company says it will offer the service at schools initially, then expand to serve large event venues and remote areas that lack testing facilities.

The move comes as the government is considering relaxing restrictions on where mobile testing units can operate.

Key words : seibu
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220207_22/

Japanese rail and hotel conglomerate Seibu Holdings is looking to shore up its finances with a property sell-off. The group is negotiating the sale of about 30 facilities to a Singaporean sovereign wealth fund.

Sources say the properties on offer include the Prince Park Tower Tokyo and ski resorts.

Seibu Group subsidiaries would continue to operate the properties under the same brand names. The deal is estimated to be worth about 150 billion yen or 1.3 billion dollars.

Seibu's core rail and hotel businesses have taken a hit as the coronavirus pandemic has been keeping people at home.
The group expects to post a net loss of about 120 million dollars for the current fiscal year. That will be a second straight year of red ink.