at 18:30 (JST), April 19

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/20220419183000_english_1.mp3


Key words : kuroda
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220418_29/

Bank of Japan Governor Kuroda Haruhiko said the yen's sharp fall has a negative impact on households and smaller firms, and that the BOJ will closely monitor the situation.

"We need to consider that excessive rapid fluctuations in exchange rates have a negative impact on the economy by raising uncertainty," the central bank chief said.

Japan's currency has lost nearly 10 yen to the dollar in about one month. The BOJ's ultra-low interest-rate policy contrasts with higher US rates, which is prompting investors to dump the yen.

The yen's rapid drop is causing import prices to soar.
Kuroda said this will increase the burden on households, and hurt the earnings of smaller firms which cannot pass on the higher costs.

But he said the BOJ has not changed its overall view on the currency, and that the bank believes a weaker yen is a plus for the economy as a whole.

Kuroda said higher energy costs are mainly driving the current price increases.

The central bank chief said the BOJ will continue its monetary easing measures, which are aimed at bolstering real-term household income and corporate profits.

Key words : south diplomat intention
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220418_34/

Senior diplomats of the United States and South Korea have reaffirmed their intention to deal sternly with provocations by North Korea.

US special envoy for North Korea Sung Kim and Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs Noh Kyu-duk met in Seoul as Kim began his visit to the country on Monday.

They exchanged views on North Korea, which continues to fire projectiles, including ballistic missiles.

Following the talks, Kim acknowledged the possibility that North Korea may conduct another nuclear test, which would be its seventh.

He told reporters that it is extremely important for the United Nations Security Council to send a clear signal to North Korea that the international community will not accept its escalatory tests.

He disclosed that the two sides reaffirmed the importance of maintaining close coordination between themselves and with Japan.

At the same time, Kim said the United States has not closed the door on diplomacy with North Korea and that it is willing to hold talks with Pyongyang "anywhere without any conditions."

Noh meanwhile disclosed that North Korea on Saturday test-fired short-range ballistic missiles.

He added that the two sides share concerns that Pyongyang will likely engage in provocative acts that will further heighten tensions.

The United States and South Korea began their joint springtime military exercise on Monday.

Noh stressed its significance, saying it has become more important than ever to maintain a resilient defense capability.

Key words : watching new administration
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220419_13/

Japan's government is watching the moves of South Korea's new administration with both optimism and caution, as the two sides seek opportunities to improve strained bilateral ties.

South Korean President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol is due to inaugurate his government on May 10.

He is taking office at a time when relations between the two countries have sharply deteriorated over historical issues involving wartime labor and those referred to as comfort women.

Yoon's nominee for foreign minister Park Jin said on Monday that if bilateral ties remain strained, it will not be in the interest of either country.

A delegation of South Korean lawmakers and diplomatic experts is scheduled to arrive in Tokyo on Sunday to exchange views.

The series of moves is seen as a positive sign among Japanese government officials.

They say that cooperation between the two countries, along with the United States, is gaining even more importance, given the Russian invasion of Ukraine, North Korea's missile launches and other recent challenges to the international order.

Still, the Japanese government does not intend to change its stance of urging South Korea to handle the wartime issues appropriately. Japanese officials plan to cautiously watch the Yoon administration's actions, due to persistent concerns that public opinion in South Korea and other factors may hamper efforts to narrow the gap between the two sides.

Key words : US send high-ranking
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220419_07/

The US Biden administration will send high-ranking government officials to three Pacific Island nations, in a move apparently aimed at countering the growing Chinese influence in the region.

A statement released by the White House on Monday revealed that a delegation of government officials will travel to Fiji, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands this week.

The delegation will be led by National Security Council Indo-Pacific Coordinator Kurt Campbell and Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink.

The statement said that the delegation "will seek to further deepen our enduring ties with the region and to advance a free, open, and resilient Indo-Pacific."
The Solomon Islands came under the spotlight in February, when US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken announced the opening of an embassy in the Pacific nation.

This was followed by the announcement last month from China and the Solomon Islands that they initialed a draft agreement on bilateral security cooperation.

The US move to open its embassy was in line with the diplomatic policy Washington laid out in a document titled the "Indo-Pacific Strategy of the United States." It says the region faces mounting challenges, particularly from China.

Key words : voter east timor
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220419_12/

In Timor-Leste, previously known as East Timor, voters are casting ballots in a presidential runoff on Tuesday.

The runoff is taking place because none of the 16 candidates obtained the majority needed to win in the March 19 presidential election.

Facing off on Tuesday are former President Jose Ramos-Horta, who received 46.6 percent of the March 19 vote, and President Francisco Guterres Lu Olo, who won 22.1 percent.

Timor-Leste gained independence in May 2002 after being controlled by Portugal and Indonesia. Ramos-Horta was a leader in the country's independence movement and won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996.

About 30 percent of the population is said to live in poverty. Economic revitalization, including promoting industry and creating jobs, is the election's biggest campaign issue.

The development of infrastructure in populous rural areas lags behind. A 22-year-old woman in the southeastern district of Viqueque said her home has been without water for a week. She hoped the new president would improve maintenance of the water supply and roads.

In the campaign, Ramos-Horta insisted that the country join the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and invite foreign investments. Lu Olo stressed he would advance rural development by focusing on agriculture and tourism.

The counting of votes will commence Tuesday after balloting closes at 3 p.m., local time. The preliminary result is expected in a few days.

Key words : education ministry
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220419_11/

Japan's education ministry has called for flexible use of existing schooling support systems so children of Ukrainian evacuees are able to study in Japan.

The ministry issued a notice on Monday to school authorities, such as municipalities and universities across Japan.

It encourages flexible use of some systems for Ukrainian children, because they have entered Japan in an emergency situation and will need special support until they gain a stable footing there.

The systems include financial assistance to cover lunch fees and school supplies that municipalities offer for primary and junior high school children from homes with economic difficulties.

The ministry also calls on prefectural officials to flexibly use a system to offer grant-type scholarships for high school students. Positive offers of exemption or reduction systems for high school fees are also encouraged.

In the notice, the ministry introduces a website with links to online resources from various organizations in several languages, including Ukrainian.

The ministry is calling for assistance and the creation of an environment sympathetic to the health and emotion of evacuee children, considering their difficulties.

The education ministry is providing a telephone consultation service on such issues in Japanese and English between 9:30 a.m. and 6:15 p.m. on weekdays. The phone number is: 0120-082-434.

Key words : horie
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220418_25/

Japanese yachtsman Horie Kenichi has passed by Hawaii on his non-stop solo voyage across the Pacific Ocean from the US West Coast to Japan.

The 83-year-old marine adventurer made the world's first non-stop solo crossing of the Pacific 60 years ago, sailing from Japan to San Francisco.

This time, Horie set sail from San Francisco at the end of March. He is challenging the world record for the oldest person to sail across the Pacific.

Horie was spotted off the Hawaiian island of Oahu on Friday, local time, one week earlier than planned. He was greeted by supporters who came out to see him. Horie waved and smiled, and thanked them.

In a phone interview with NHK on Monday, Japan time, Horie said that in the early days, he sometimes lost his appetite due to seasickness, and he also rode out a storm. He added that he has faced no serious troubles and is enjoying his expedition.

He is expected to arrive at Nishinomiya City, western Japan, in early June.