at 18:30 (JST), June 14

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/20220614183000_english_1.mp3


Key words : beijing campaign
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220613_36/

Authorities in the Chinese capital of Beijing have begun a large-scale PCR testing campaign to combat the coronavirus in response to an outbreak that began at a bar in the central district of Chaoyang.

The three-day PCR testing drive began on Monday and will cover about 3.4 million residents of the district. People formed long lines at test venues.

City officials say that 228 cases linked to the bar have been confirmed since Thursday, and that more than 8,000 people had been identified as close contacts as of Sunday.

All sporting events have been banned across the capital. The Universal Studios theme park in Beijing will remain closed.

After case counts began to rise in late April, officials banned all restaurants and bars from serving customers on their premises for about a month.

The large-scale testing comes only one week after officials lifted restrictions in most parts of the city on June 6, citing the falling number of infections.

The government of President Xi Jinping maintains its "zero-COVID" policy.

Officials step up measures to contain an outbreak each time the number of cases increases. This response is raising concerns about the economy and people's overall well-being.

Key words : shanghai
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220614_04/

Shop owners in Shanghai have held a rally calling for rent relief, citing the economic fallout from the city's stringent COVID-19 lockdown measures.

More than 100 owners gathered in a central part of the city, which is home to garment wholesalers and retailers in other fields.

Protesters said they lost the opportunity to make money during the lockdown period, which came to an end on June 1 for much of the city.

Authorities in Shanghai have revealed a plan to exempt tenants of state-run commercial complexes from rent payments. But the protesters are not eligible for the exemptions, as they rent privately-run properties.

One of the participants said her revenue dwindled to nothing during the lockdown period. She expressed her frustration about the damage inflicted on shop owners like her.

It was the latest sign of growing discontent with the authorities over their handling of the coronavirus outbreak. The protest was cut short by police.

Key words : defense ministers of australia
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220614_02/

The defense ministers of Australia and China have met in Singapore, marking the first ministerial-level contact between the countries in more than two years.

Australia's Richard Marles confirmed that his meeting with Wei Fenghe of China took place on Sunday.

High-level political contact between the countries ceased after relations hit a low point over Australia's call in 2020 for an independent inquiry into the origins of the coronavirus.

Marles raised a number of issues during the talks, including China's recent interception of an Australian military plane over the South China Sea.

Marles described the relationship with China as "complex," but he stressed the need to continue dialogue "because of this complexity."

Australian media reported that the meeting put an end to a two-year diplomatic freeze between Canberra and Beijing.

A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said at a news conference on Monday that Beijing hopes for the sound and steady development of a comprehensive strategic partnership with Australia.

The spokesperson added that this is what the people of the two countries aspire for, and this serves their fundamental and long-term interests.

Key words : blinken met
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220614_N02/

US leaders and their allies hope to dissuade North Korean authorities from more missile tests and other provocations. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin in Washington on Monday to discuss their "extended deterrence."

Blinken said their goal is to have a "peaceful and stable region." He said they would "keep the pressure on" until authorities in Pyongyang change course.

Park said any provocations, including a nuclear test, would be met with a "united and firm response."

Blinken and Park said they're still open to dialogue. But they've revived a strategy group designed to deter the North Koreans. And they reintroduced an agreement with Japan, known as GSOMIA, to share intelligence.

Last month, the Biden administration imposed more sanctions on North Korea. Blinken said they're prepared to add more penalties.

Key words : north stricter
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220613_17/

North Korea's media say leader Kim Jong Un has called for stricter discipline and punishment in the ruling Workers' Party.

State-run Korean Central Television on Monday reported Kim's remarks, which were made at a Sunday meeting of the secretariat of the Central Committee of the party.

The report says the meeting discussed "unsound" acts, including abuse of power and bureaucratism, by party officials.

It quotes Kim as saying it's necessary to prioritize work for encouraging and raising the political principles, fighting spirit, revolutionary style and communist moral traits in the party's organizations.

At last week's plenary meeting of the Central Committee, Kim was quoted as saying North Korea faces a very serious security situation and that it could worsen.

He reportedly said it's essential for the North to bolster its defense capabilities as quickly as possible.

He also stressed the need to rebuild the country's economy while taking anti-epidemic steps. North Korea has reported millions of "fever cases," which are believed to have been caused by the coronavirus.

The plenary meeting also appointed new senior officials in party, military and state organizations.

Kim's remarks on Sunday are apparently aimed at consolidating the party's foundation as tensions rise on the Korean Peninsula.

Key words : freelance
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220613_28/

A group of freelance drivers working for contractors of e-commerce giant Amazon Japan have formed a labor union to demand better working conditions.

The group of about 10 people met reporters on Monday. They work under contract for Amazon contractors and subcontractors in Kanagawa Prefecture, near Tokyo.

They say that since their workload began to increase in mid-2021, they have had to work 13 hours a day with few breaks.

They also say they are working at the bidding of companies that do not consult them beforehand about which parcels they will be assigned to deliver.

The group is calling on the firms to address their long working hours or change their terms of employment so they can be paid for overtime work.

The union plans to ask Amazon to take stock of the situation and improve the drivers' working conditions.

A lawyer helping the group says this is the first time freelance drivers making deliveries for Amazon in Japan have formed a labor union.

One driver in his 50s says he cannot make decisions on his workload for himself, stressing that he wants Amazon and the contractors to improve his working conditions.

The companies all declined to comment.

Amazon Japan says it has been notified of the formation of the union.

It also says it has asked its contractors to ensure that delivery staff can work safely and maintain their motivation.

The retail giant says it does not allow contractors to hire their own subcontractors, adding that this is aimed at preventing unreasonable subcontracting arrangements.

Key words : philippines subway
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220613_32/

Workers are set to start excavating the Philippines' first subway, using a boring machine brought from Japan.

The giant machine was unveiled at a ceremony on Sunday. It can drill up to 10 meters a day.

The 27-kilometer line will link northern Metro Manila with Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Journey time will be halved, to around 30 minutes. The project is aimed at reducing the capital's chronic traffic jams.

The project is part of outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte's program to boost the country's infrastructure development.

The Japan International Cooperation Agency is backing the project with a loan worth some 2.6 billion dollars.

Construction started three years ago, but was delayed due to the pandemic. The railway is now slated to be completed in 2028.

Key words : nhk poll kishida
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220613_33/

An NHK poll shows that the approval rate for Prime Minister Kishida Fumio's Cabinet stands at 59 percent, up 4 percentage points from last month. That's the highest figure since the Kishida administration was launched last October. The disapproval rate is unchanged at 23 percent.

NHK conducted the telephone survey over the weekend. Nearly 2,000 people responded.

Asked if they will vote in the Upper House election to be held next month, 50 percent said they will definitely vote and 32 percent said they intend to vote, while 11 percent were undecided and 5 percent said they will not vote.

Asked about their level of interest in the election, 16 percent said they are very interested and 49 percent said they are interested to some extent. But 25 percent are not very interested and 5 percent have no interest at all.

The rate of people who said they are very interested fell 3 points from the same question asked about the Upper House election three years ago.

Asked which is the most important among six issues in the election, 42 percent chose economic measures, followed by 17 percent for diplomacy and national security, 15 percent for social security, 7 percent for measures against the coronavirus and 5 percent for both energy and environmental policies and revision of the Constitution.

Questioned over their expected outcome of the election, 25 percent said they want the governing coalition to gain more seats and another 25 percent said they hope the opposition camp will do so, while 43 percent said they cannot say either way.

The government doubled the daily limit for the number of people entering Japan to 20,000 this month, and reopened the country to overseas tourists. It plans to ease entry restrictions in stages.

Asked about the government's moves, 47 percent said the measures are appropriate, 23 percent said it should ease restrictions further and 20 percent said the restrictions should not have been eased.

The government's new guidelines on face masks say people need not wear them when they are outdoors and don't have much conversation with others.

Asked about whether they will wear a mask outdoors, 48 percent said they will wear one as much as they can, 37 percent said they would rather not and 8 percent said they do not want to at all.

As for the impact on household budgets from rising prices, such as those for food, commodities and energy, 26 percent said the impact is large and 50 percent said there is an impact to some extent. But 14 percent said the impact is slight and 3 percent said there is no impact at all.