at 18:30 (JST), July 28

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/20220728183000_english_1.mp3


Key words : earthquake philippines
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220728_23/

Officials say five people were killed and dozens injured in the powerful earthquake that struck the northern Philippines on Wednesday.

The magnitude 7 quake shook the island of Luzon at about 8:40 a.m., local time. Authorities say the tremor caused houses and buildings to collapse. Many people were trapped under the rubble.

The quake also rattled Manila, hundreds of kilometers away. People were told to evacuate tall buildings in the city center, amid concern about aftershocks.

The quake also damaged world heritage buildings in Vigan, a city known for historic architecture.

The country's new president is expected to visit the hardest-hit areas to meet people who were affected.

Earthquakes are common in the Philippines. In 2013, a magnitude 7.1 quake killed more than 200 people.

Key words : 210,000 new
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220727_40/

In Japan, doctors and nurses are having a tough time dealing with surging coronavirus cases. July's trend of record-breaking daily case counts continues with health authorities across the country reporting yet another new high.

Japan confirmed nearly 210,000 new cases on Wednesday. Twenty-five prefectures logged record highs.

Tokyo remains the hotspot. It reported nearly 30,000 cases, a 40 percent increase in just a week.

The rapid surge in cases is crippling emergency transport services in the capital.

Officials say emergency crews are struggling to find free hospital beds. They say, this past week, it took more than five hours to find beds for over 80 patients. This comes as they try to respond to an increasing number of heatstroke patients.

Still, the prime minister says another round of restrictions on businesses is not needed yet, as the numbers of severe cases and deaths remain low.

Kishida Fumio says he has focused on measures to contain infections, such as expanding the eligibility for a fourth vaccine dose. He says it is aimed at keeping social and economic activities running.

Key words : kim accused
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220728_16/

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has accused South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol of not ruling out the possibility of a preemptive strike on his country. He warned this could result in the annihilation of Yoon's administration and military.

North Korea's ruling party newspaper Rodong Sinmun reported on Thursday that Kim delivered a speech at a "Victory Day" event on Wednesday.

The day is the anniversary of the signing of the Korean War Armistice. Pyongyang sees it as a day to celebrate what it claims to be its victory over the United States.

Kim stressed that his country is fully prepared for any military confrontation with the US. He added the US would have to accept greater uncertainty and crisis if it tries to undermine North Korea's security.

Kim claimed the Yoon administration is acting tough by not ruling out a preemptive strike to nullify the North's nuclear deterrence.

He said any such dangerous attempt would be punished immediately by powerful forces and the Yoon administration and his military would be wiped out.

Kim added the North's nuclear deterrent stands fully prepared to use its power accurately and swiftly in accordance with its mission.

It's believed to be the first time Kim has criticized Yoon by name.

His remark is seen as an effort to rein in the Yoon administration, which aims to boost deterrence against the North based on the US-South Korea alliance.

Key words : tokyo gas
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220728_15/

An executive with Japan's largest natural gas provider, Tokyo Gas, is calling for cooperation across industry and government in response to Moscow's takeover of a major project in Russia's Far East.

President Vladimir Putin last month ordered the operator of the Sakhalin-2 project to be replaced by a new Russian company. Japanese trading houses are major investors in Sakhalin-2.

Tokyo Gas Executive Officer Minami Taku was asked what his company would do if the gas supply from Sakhalin-2 is cut off. Tokyo Gas gets 10 percent of its natural gas from Sakhalin-2.

He said it's not easy for individual companies to cope with such a situation on their own.

Minami says, "Our company is dealing with the situation while keeping close contact with the government, industry groups, and other businesses in an effort to keep the natural gas supply unaffected."

Minami also commented on the government's plan to ask users to reduce consumption in case of tight supply.

He said the specifics of any such plan are still being studied. But he indicated Tokyo Gas is considering new contracts with major corporate customers to lower peak use.

Key words : south korean wartime
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220728_01/

South Korea's foreign minister has reiterated that Japan also has to act sincerely in order to resolve the issue of wartime labor -- a pending problem in bilateral relations.

Park Jin made the statement at a news conference for foreign media in Seoul on Wednesday.

The foreign minister said the South Korean government is making efforts to find a solution before assets seized from Japanese companies are liquidated.

South Korean courts have ordered Japanese companies to compensate people who say they or their relatives were forced to work for the firms during World War Two.

Park said that once the assets are liquidated, the relations between the two countries are likely to worsen to an unrecoverable level.

He also said he thinks the issue will be resolved if the Japanese side also responds sincerely. But he stopped short of saying what he expects from Japan.

Park also commented on North Korea's nuclear threats. He suggested that Pyongyang appears to have completed preparations for a seventh nuclear test.

Park said the international community would impose severe sanctions if Pyongyang takes provocative action. He said North Korea has to think carefully as its action could harm its own security and further isolate itself.

Key words : western japan wild monkey dozens of
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220727_27/

A wild monkey has been put down in the city of Yamaguchi, western Japan. This comes after dozens of people were injured in a series of attacks.

City subcontractors started hunting for the primates on Sunday. They spotted one on the grounds of a high school on Tuesday. They shot it with a tranquilizer gun and found it sedated about 30 minutes later.

The monkey was a male and estimated to be four years old. It weighed around 7 kilograms and was about 49 centimeters in height. Officials say they decided to put it down because its characteristics matched those of one that had attacked people.

Yamaguchi City officials say 49 individuals were bitten, scratched or otherwise attacked by wild monkeys in the Ogoori district from July 8 to Tuesday. They started hunting for the animals on Sunday.

The officials say attacks are still being reported, so they plan to intensify the hunt. They are calling on residents to keep their doors and windows tightly shut.

Key words : tire makers
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220727_32/

Tire makers in Japan are hiking prices of their products for the second time this year as Russia's invasion of Ukraine has driven up raw material costs.

Industry leader Bridgestone will raise wholesale prices of products including summer and winter tires for passenger cars, by 3 percent to 8 percent. The increases will start from September.

It is the first time in 14 years for the company to raise factory-gate prices twice in a year. The previous increases came in April.

Sumitomo Rubber, Yokohama Rubber and Michelin will also raise wholesale prices for a second time in 2022, this time by up to 8 percent.

Sumitomo will start charging more from September, while Yokohama and Michelin will do so from October.

Meanwhile, Toyo Tire says it will hike prices by up to 10 percent starting in January. The move will come one year after its last increase.

The companies blame soaring costs of raw materials such as crude oil and naphtha, which is used to make synthetic rubber. They say they are unable to absorb those increases through other cost-cutting efforts.