at 18:30 (JST), April 22

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/20220422183000_english_1.mp3


Key words : aid supplies
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220422_05/

India has effectively denied Tokyo's request to allow Japan's Self-Defense Force planes to land and collect aid supplies for delivery to countries near Ukraine that are hosting people who fled the Russian invasion.

India's External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi told a news conference on Thursday that his country had given approval for Japan to pick up such supplies from India using commercial aircraft.

Bagchi said India had also received a request for overflight clearance for Japanese SDF aircraft carrying humanitarian cargo for Ukraine. He added that Japan is "very welcome" to send commercial aircraft to pick up the materials.

Japan's government planned to dispatch SDF aircraft from late April at the request of the UN refugee agency, to transport blankets and other supplies stockpiled in India and the United Arab Emirates to Poland and Romania.

India has purchased a large number of weapons from Russia over many years. The two nations also have deep political ties.

India has not directly criticized Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. But it has repeatedly expressed concerns about the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, sending medicines, tents and other relief supplies to the country and nearby nations.

Key words : japan and new zealand condemned
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220422_03/

The prime ministers of Japan and New Zealand condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine and said they would remain resolute in their opposition to aggression.

Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern met in Tokyo on Thursday and discussed shared concerns, including security issues in the Asia-Pacific region.

Kishida said that no attempt to unilaterally change the status quo by force could be tolerated. He added that the two countries would strongly oppose such an attempt in any region, including the East and South China seas.

Ardern told Kishida that their countries should work together to support the people of Ukraine and counter Russia's economic and political aggression.

They agreed to boost bilateral security cooperation at a time when China is stepping up its activities at sea. They said their governments will negotiate a treaty to protect classified security information.

Ardern said, "As two democracies, our approaches to the challenges facing our Indo-Pacific region are closely aligned." She also said, "We are both committed to working towards a vision of an open, inclusive, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific underpinned by the rules-based order and free from coercion."

The prime ministers also agreed to step up economic cooperation in the areas of de-carbonization and space development.

They said Japan and New Zealand will maintain the high standards established by the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Key words : editorial
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220421_37/

An editorial, written by China's top respiratory expert who once headed Beijing's coronavirus response team, is drawing mixed reactions over the so-called dynamic zero-COVID policy.

Zhong Nanshan co-authored the text entitled "Strategies for reopening in the forthcoming COVID-19 era in China" in the National Science Review earlier this month.

The article says China needs to reopen so as to normalize socio-economic development and adapt to global reopening.

It also goes on to say that prolonged dynamic zeroing cannot be pursued in the long run.

Many people took to social media to express their views both for and against the editorial.

Local media outlets affiliated with the Communist Party reported that Zhong had stressed the need to maintain the strategy for now in a lecture he held two days after the article's release.

Observers say the Chinese leadership appears to be trying to contain public opposition to the policy that the Xi Jinping administration has pledged to maintain.

Meanwhile, Shanghai authorities confirmed more than 18,000 new cases of the coronavirus on Wednesday. The daily tally declined for the fourth straight day but the strict lockdown continues in many parts of the financial hub.

Key words : japan facing weakening yen Takahide Kiuchi
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