at 18:30 (JST), August 02

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/20220802183000_english_1.mp3


Key words : Kishida first review conference
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220802_01/

Prime Minister Kishida Fumio has said at the review meeting of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons that Japan is determined to uphold the treaty together with all parties concerned.

Kishida on Monday became the first Japanese prime minister to take part in an NPT review conference.

In a speech at the UN headquarters, Kishida said the treaty "has served as the cornerstone of the international nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime in realizing international peace and security."

Kishida is calling on delegates to the meeting to "join forces to achieve a meaningful outcome at this Conference."

Kishida unveiled a five-point action plan aimed at achieving a world without nuclear weapons in a realistic manner.

The first point of the "Hiroshima Action Plan" stresses the importance of extending a period during which no nuclear arms have been used.

The second point addresses transparency. Kishida called on all nuclear-weapon states to disclose information on the production status of fissile materials.

The third is to continue efforts to reduce global nuclear stockpiles. Kishida said Japan supports dialogue between the United States and Russia on further reducing their stockpiles. He also said Tokyo "encourages the US and China to engage in a bilateral dialogue on nuclear arms control and disarmament."

Kishida stressed the need to reinvigorate discussions on the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. He said he will convene a leader-level meeting during the UN General Assembly in September to "build momentum towards facilitating the entry into force of the CTBT."

Kishida said Japan is committed to playing a role in addressing North Korea's nuclear and missile development.

Kishida said Tokyo is ready to contribute 10 million dollars to the UN to set up a "Youth Leader Fund for a world without nuclear weapons." He said Japan will invite future leaders to the country and provide them with opportunities to learn firsthand the realities of nuclear weapon use.

Kishida said Japan will hold the first meeting of the new "International Group of Eminent Persons" on November 23 in Hiroshima, involving former and incumbent political leaders of the world.

Kishida said he sees the 2023 G7 summit in Hiroshima as a chance to "demonstrate our firm commitment from Hiroshima to never repeat the catastrophe of atomic bombings."

Holding up a paper crane he folded, Kishida said "paper cranes have come to symbolize worldwide prayers for peace and a world without nuclear weapons."

He said he would "make steps towards a world without nuclear weapons together with all the people who share the common aspiration around the world."

Key words : Setsuko Thurlow said
#N/A


Key words : antonio make concession
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220802_04/

A review conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons began Monday at the United Nations headquarters in New York.

At the beginning of the meeting, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that peace and security are at a critical crossroads.

He expressed the gravity of the issue, saying that mankind is forgetting the lessons learned from the devastation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Guterres called on countries to make concessions and reach an agreement on the direction of nuclear disarmament.

A UN treaty that bans the development and possession of nuclear weapons came into force last year, separately from the NPT.

The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons was formed with the initiative of non-nuclear states. But nuclear powers and countries under the US nuclear umbrella, including Japan, are not party to it.

The NPT review conference is to continue for four weeks through August 26.

Key words : al-qaeda killed drone strike
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220802_13/

US media are reporting that the leader of Al-Qaeda has been killed in a drone strike in Afghanistan.

Ayman al-Zawahiri assumed the leadership of Al-Qaeda after US forces killed Osama bin Laden in 2011.

Al-Zawahiri was thought to be hiding out in the border region of Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Al-Qaeda reportedly maintains close links with Taliban leaders in Afghanistan.

The group posted video of al-Zawahiri last year discussing the US withdrawal from the country.

US authorities had offered a reward for information leading to his whereabouts.

Key words : Biden announce Monday
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220802_19/

US President Joe Biden has announced that Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri was killed in a US drone strike.

The attack was carried out in Afghanistan on Sunday, more than a decade after the group's previous leader, Osama bin Laden, was killed.

Speaking from the White House on Monday, Biden said the United States never backs down.

He said, "Now, justice has been delivered and this terrorist leader is no more. People around the world no longer need to fear the vicious and determined killer."

Al-Zawahiri took over the leadership of Al-Qaeda after US forces killed Osama bin Laden in 2011.

Al-Zawahiri was believed to be hiding out in the border region of Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Al-Qaeda reportedly maintains close links with the Taliban leaders in Afghanistan.

Last year, the group posted a video of al-Zawahiri discussing the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.

US authorities had offered a 25-million-dollar reward for information leading to his whereabouts.

Key words : myanmar conflict
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220801_37/

Myanmar's military rulers say they will adopt a plan proposed by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to end the conflict in the country.

Junta leader Min Aung Hlaing said the five-point road map will be implemented as far as possible "as the situation has improved on all fronts." It calls for an immediate end to violence.

State-run media said the military council will extend a state of emergency in the country for another six months.

The generals declared the emergency in February last year after seizing power from the elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi.

The junta plans to hold a general election next August, but opponents do not believe it will be free and fair.

Myanmar has been in turmoil since the coup. The military has crushed protests across the country. Human rights groups say over 2,100 civilians have been killed since the government was toppled.

The Japanese government on Monday confirmed security forces in Myanmar have detained a Japanese man thought to be a journalist who was covering a demonstration.

Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Kihara Seiji said the Japanese Embassy in Yangon is urging Myanmar authorities to release the man as soon as possible and will continue to gather information and request his early release.

ASEAN will hold a series of foreign ministers' meetings from Wednesday, including one that the United States and China will attend.

Participants will discuss how the international community should respond to the situation in Myanmar and the junta's latest message.

Key words : china internet users
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220802_10/

The Chinese government has put new guidelines into effect to tighten control over internet users ahead of the Chinese Communist Party's National Congress scheduled for later this year.

The Cyberspace Administration of China says that starting on Monday, online service providers are not permitted to offer any services to users who do not register their accounts under their real names.

If the providers find their users violating the law, such as registering inaccurate information, they are required to close the users' accounts and prohibit them from creating new accounts. The providers must also report the case to the authorities.

China has enacted a series of rules and regulations that allow the government to delete posts or close social media accounts that "could harm national security and social order."

Beijing is apparently trying to further strengthen its grip on the internet, as President Xi Jinping is seeking an unprecedented third term as party leader at the National Congress.

Key words : major toy price
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220801_14/

Popular toys that have entertained generations of children in Japan are the latest part of daily life to feel the effect of soaring raw-material costs.

Major toymaker Tomy Company says it will raise the prices of some products starting September 1. The increases will apply to more than 330 items.

They include models and accessories from the company's flagship lines of train toys called "Plarail,'' and "Tomica" model cars. A board game called "The Game of Life" will also be affected.

Tomy says its recommended retail prices for these products will rise by an average of over 10 percent.
Officials say the prices of raw materials such as zinc alloy and plastic have increased.
They say the higher cost of shipping from overseas factories has also made it harder to keep prices unchanged through improvements in production efficiency.

Key words : near tokyo paper crane
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220801_13/

Thousands of paper cranes made by people wishing for peace have been put on display in Sosa City in Chiba Prefecture, near Tokyo, ahead of the anniversary of the 1945 atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

At a ceremony on Monday, about 50 people observed a moment of silence in front of a statue dedicated to peace.

The annual event had been canceled for the past two years due to the coronavirus pandemic. Local residents donated about 100,000 cranes this year.

A junior high school student, Ooki Kanon, gave a speech. She asked if war has ever made anyone happy. She said she believes peace can be achieved if everyone thinks about its significance, and takes action.

An 80-year-old participant, Hashiguchi Yoshinori, said he lost his uncle who was on a suicide mission in the war. He said it's good for children to learn about peace.

The paper cranes will be on display until August 15, the day Japan marks the end of World War Two. They will then be sent to the Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation and the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum.