at 18:30 (JST), March 31

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/20220331183000_english_1.mp3


Key words : government bill raise
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220331_15/

The Japanese government plans to submit a bill that would raise tariffs on some Russian imports and strip Moscow of "most favored nation" status.
It's part of additional sanctions over the country's invasion of Ukraine.

The draft law revision is to be presented to the current session of the Diet.
"Most favored nation" status is one of the principles set down by the World Trade Organization.
Under it, members are required to apply the most preferential treatment they give to one trade partner to all others.

Once the bill becomes law, the tariff on Russian salmon and salmon roe will rise from 3.5 percent to 5 percent. For crabs, the tariff goes from 4 percent to 6 percent.
The levy on most lumber products will increase from 4.8 percent to 8 percent.
The higher rates are expected to be in place until the end of March next year.

The proposed measure won't affect liquefied natural gas, coal, crude oil and the precious metal palladium because they are tariff-free.
Japan is taking the action along with the other Group of Seven nations to apply more pressure on Russia.

Key words : russia cooperation china
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220330_45/

Russia and China have agreed to widen cooperation as the rift between Moscow and Western countries grows over the invasion of Ukraine.

Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov is visiting China's inland Anhui province for a foreign ministers' conference on Afghan issues. He met his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Wednesday.

The two exchanged views on the Ukraine situation. Russia's Foreign Ministry says Lavrov explained the developments with Russian forces, while Wang reiterated his opposition to sanctions other countries have imposed on Russia.

Lavrov told Wang that international relations are at a turning point in history. He called for building a "multipolar, just and democratic world order".

Chinese foreign ministry later said Lavrov told Wang that Russia will continue holding ceasefire talks with Ukraine and also maintain communication with members of international society.

Lavrov's visit to China is the first by a Russian Cabinet minister since the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Chinese President Xi Jinping during his visit to Beijing for the opening of the Winter Olympics. The two leaders issued a joint statement on strengthening relations.

Observers say Russia hopes the latest talks demonstrate ties between Moscow and Beijing remain unshaken after the invasion of Ukraine, as it seeks additional support from China.

Key words : shanghai lockdown eastern half
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220330_30/

China's economic hub Shanghai is seeing a rise in new cases of the coronavirus, raising fears of a prolonged lockdown.

Infections have been surging across China. Authorities confirmed 8,655 new cases on Tuesday, 5,982 of them in Shanghai.

The eastern half of Shanghai is in lockdown since Monday through Friday. The measure is scheduled to be applied to the western half from Friday through next Tuesday.

A Japanese man who lives in the eastern part of the city said he has been isolated at home since mid-March because his condominium was closed off after a resident was found to have had close contact with an infected person.

He said residents can group-purchase food, but they are worried the lockdown would continue longer because infections are increasing.

Municipal authorities have announced support measures for small and mid-sized businesses, such as tax cuts and refunds, and rent exemption for companies on state-owned property.

Concerns are growing in Shanghai as the Chinese government's zero-COVID policy to contain the virus discourages spending and dampens economic activity.

Key words : government begin furukawa
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220331_09/

The Japanese government is considering various support measures for Ukrainian evacuees to help them begin their lives in Japan.

Japanese Justice Minister Furukawa Yoshihisa plans to travel to Poland on Friday as a special envoy for Prime Minister Kishida Fumio to lay the groundwork for accepting Ukrainian evacuees.

Furukawa met Poland's Ambassador to Japan Pawel Milewski in Tokyo on Wednesday.

He told the ambassador he will look at what Poland has been doing for evacuees, meet Polish government officials and consider how Japan can meet the needs of those who have fled Ukraine.

Japan's government is ready to offer Japanese language lessons, job consultations and education for children, as well as expenses for daily needs and medical care, to Ukrainians who have no acquaintances or relatives in Japan.

The government is considering having some evacuees join Furukawa on his government aircraft back home.

Key words : officials evacuation warning
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220330_24/

Japanese officials and experts say more than 800,000 people live in areas that may be subject to evacuation warnings if Mount Fuji erupts.

A volcanic disaster management council is working to draft a new evacuation plan based on a revised hazard map for such an eruption released last year.

The council made up of local and central government officials and experts presented an interim report on Wednesday.

Mount Fuji straddles the central Japanese prefectures of Shizuoka and Yamanashi.

The report says parts of the two and Kanagawa Prefecture could be designated as evacuation zones if the mountain erupts. It says 805,600 people live in the areas.

The report estimates that some 116,000 people live in areas that may be reached by lava flows within three hours of an eruption. The number is up sevenfold from a previous projection. The areas also could be hit by pyroclastic flows or large volcanic rocks.

The council notes that if residents in city centers evacuate by car all at once, serious traffic jams could result, hampering people's ability to escape.

Due to such concerns, the report proposes that residents evacuate on foot in principle, except for those who need to use cars, such as people with disabilities and the elderly.

The council plans to complete a final draft of the evacuation plan by the end of March 2023.

Key words : operator bullet train
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220330_27/

The operator of the Tohoku Shinkansen bullet train plans to reopen services in more of the sections that have been closed following a derailment caused by a powerful earthquake.

East Japan Railway Company, or JR East, said on Wednesday that service will resume between Tokyo and Fukushima stations on Saturday, and between Sendai and Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto stations on Monday.

JR East says it will put 50 to 60 percent of trains back in service for the time being. Trains will be operated at a maximum speed of about 160 kilometers per hour, roughly half the usual speed.

The company aims to resume service along the remaining suspended section between Fukushima and Sendai stations around April 20.

The magnitude 7.4 quake hit northeastern Japan on March 16. Sixteen cars of a 17-car bullet train running in Miyagi Prefecture derailed. The operator has been working to put the cars back on the tracks.

JR East initially announced that none of the 78 passengers and crewmembers on board were injured, but it now says that so far, five passengers were found to have suffered minor injuries.

Key words : automaker fukushima
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220330_33/

Japanese automaker Nissan Motor is working with municipal officials in Fukushima Prefecture on a smarter green energy system, using its cars to provide a more stable supply of electricity.

The plan uses electric vehicles as batteries that can charge and discharge power. The vehicles will store electricity generated by solar and wind. When the roadside station needs electricity, the EV batteries will become the suppliers.

Artificial intelligence will analyze the power flow and determine where the electricity should be stored for maximum efficiency.

Traditional models of renewable energy have stability issues as they are affected by weather conditions. The EVs could ensure that less green energy gets dumped.

Doi Kazuhiro, Corporate Vice President of Nissan Motor, says, "Vehicles are generally parked 80 to 90 percent of the time. We want to make good use of this time."

The automaker has already set up a roadside power station with five vehicles in Namie Town. The town office uses the vehicles as its official cars. The governments of Futaba Town and Minamisoma City have signed up for a similar system.

The project leaders say it could help local authorities prepare for emergency situations in which the power supply gets tight.