at 18:30 (JST), May 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/20220519183000_english_1.mp3


Key words : atomic energy continue minister
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220518_35/

The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency says his organization will continue to assess Japan's plan to discharge diluted treated water from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the sea.

IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi made the remarks during talks with Japanese industry minister Hagiuda Koichi in Tokyo on Wednesday. The two discussed a release plan that the plant operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company, drew up based on the government policy.

Water used to cool the molten nuclear fuel mixes with rain and groundwater. It is treated to remove most of the radioactive materials, but the filtered water which is accumulating at the plant still contains tritium.

According to the plan, the water will be diluted to lower the concentration of tritium to levels below national regulations, before the water is discharged into the ocean. The plan targets next spring for the release of the treated water.

At the meeting, Hagiuda referred to the IAEA task force's visit to Japan earlier this year to assess the plan. He noted that the assessment is very important for gaining the understanding of people at home and abroad for the release, and vowed full support for the effort.

Grossi said the IAEA will continue checking the plan.

Later the meeting was closed to media. Grossi is quoted as saying that once the IAEA's review is complete, people around the world would be convinced that the treated water release would not adversely affect people's health or environment.

Grossi's three-day visit started on Wednesday. He is scheduled to visit the Fukushima Daiichi plant on Thursday and inspect reactor decommissioning procedures and the storing of the treated water. He will also hold talks with Tokyo Electric Power officials.

The IAEA says it will publish a report on the Japan's discharge plan by next spring, based on the task force assessment, the director general's inspection among others.

Key words : security adviser nuclear test
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220519_06/

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan has indicated North Korea may conduct a long-range ballistic missile launch or a nuclear test around the time of President Joe Biden's visit to South Korea and Japan later this week.

The security adviser said on Wednesday that US intelligence shows a "genuine possibility that there will be either further missile tests -- including a long-range missile test or a nuclear test, or frankly both -- in the days leading into, on, or after the president's trip to the region."

Biden is scheduled to start a five-day visit to South Korea and Japan on Friday.

Sullivan said the US is preparing for all contingencies including the possibility that such a provocation would occur while Biden is in South Korea or in Japan. He indicated the US is coordinating closely with both countries.

Sullivan also said the US is prepared to make short and longer-term adjustments to its military posture as necessary "to ensure that we are providing both defense and deterrence to our allies in the region" in response to any North Korean provocations.

Key words : foreign visitor doubled
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220518_33/

The number of foreign visitors to Japan last month more than doubled from the previous month after the daily cap on arrivals was raised from 7,000 to 10,000.

The Japan National Tourism Organization says it estimates that 139,500 foreigners visited Japan in April. That is up 2.1 times from 66,100 in March.

The rate of growth from the same month last year was more than 12 times for the number in April, while the rate was five times in March.

The organization attributes the sharp increase mainly to the raising of the daily cap on arrivals that the government started from April 10.

But the number in April still remains low, down 95 percent from the same month in 2019, before the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

The government is considering raising the cap further to 20,000 and phasing out a ban on foreign tourists for sightseeing purposes from June.

Key words : north one death
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220519_07/

North Korea has reported more than 260,000 suspected new cases of the coronavirus in a single day.

The ruling Workers' Party newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, reported on Thursday that about 262,200 new cases of fever and one death had been confirmed over a 24-hour period through 6 p.m. on Wednesday.

North Korea has been confirming 200,000 to 300,000 cases of fever on a daily basis since the coronavirus outbreak was first reported last Thursday.

About 1.978 million people have reportedly had feverish symptoms since late April, and there have been 63 deaths.

Health authorities say hospital wards are being built across the country to isolate the sick, but more people are reportedly self-isolating at home.

Authorities say thousands of tons of salt have been urgently sent to the capital Pyongyang to speed up the production of disinfectant.

However, there are fears that more people will get sick because of the country's fragile healthcare system and lack of vaccines.

Key words : senior south
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220518_34/

A senior South Korean security official says North Korea has not responded to an offer of assistance from the United States in coping with an outbreak of the coronavirus.

Kim Tae-hyo, first deputy chief of the presidential National Security Office, revealed this at a news conference on Wednesday.

Reporters asked whether coronavirus-related aid for North Korea would be on the agenda at a summit between South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and US President Joe Biden scheduled for Saturday.

Kim suggested they could discuss cooperation linked to public health, but they probably would not go into details because the North has not responded yet.

Kim added that the possibility of Pyongyang carrying out a nuclear test during Biden's visit to South Korea is relatively low, but an intercontinental ballistic missile launch appears to be imminent.

Key words : south 42nd
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220518_25/

South Korea's new president, Yoon Suk-yeol, spoke on Wednesday at a ceremony marking the 1980 pro-democracy uprising in Gwangju. He appealed for national unity in an area where the majority of voters support the liberal opposition party.

Yoon of the conservative People Power Party narrowly beat his liberal rival in the presidential election in March. He took office as president earlier this month, leading the first conservative government in five years.

He gave a speech at the 42nd anniversary ceremony, held at a national cemetery in the southwestern city. On May 18, 1980, civilians including students stood up against the military-led government that had taken power in a coup. The military cracked down on the movement, resulting in injuries and over 200 deaths of the protesters. The victims are buried at the cemetery.

Yoon noted that "the May spirit that defended the country's liberal democracy in blood is the cornerstone for national unity." He stressed that he believes that the spirit binds the South Korean people together, and will protect them from threats and challenges.

Cabinet ministers and a number of conservative lawmakers also attended the ceremony. Participants closed the ceremony by singing a song mourning the victims of the uprising.

Key words : naruhito
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220518_29/

Japan's Emperor Naruhito has planted rice seedlings in a paddy field at the Imperial Palace in central Tokyo.

The annual tradition was started by his grandfather, Emperor Showa, to promote rice farming.

Wearing a long-sleeved shirt, trousers and black rubber boots, the Emperor entered the 240-square-meter paddy field on Wednesday afternoon.

The Emperor planted 20 seedlings, which grew from seeds he sowed last month. The seedlings are now about 15 centimeters tall.

Rice will be harvested in autumn and offered to deities in Shinto rituals at the palace, including the Niiname-sai harvest festival in November.