at 18:30 (JST), August 03

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/20220803183000_english_1.mp3


Key words : nancy highest to visit
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220803_N01/

The US House Speaker has arrived in Taiwan demonstrating an "unwavering commitment to support." Nancy Pelosi's visit is the highest-level trip by a US official in a quarter century. However, Chinese officials immediately reacted with a backlash.

Pelosi landed in Taipei on Tuesday night. She is on an Asian tour that includes announced visits to Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and Japan.

Taiwan's presidential office said Pelosi is set to meet President Tsai Ing-wen on Wednesday and will have lunch with her. Pelosi says in a statement that discussions "will focus on reaffirming support and promoting shared interests."

Moments after Pelosi landed in Taipei, The Washington Post released her opinion piece. She says the US must remember the vow "to support the defense of Taiwan."

She adds Beijing has dramatically intensified tensions with Taiwan and its democracy is "under threat."

US officials say she has the right to visit and that nothing has changed with their "one-China policy."

National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said there is "no reason for China to take what is a perfectly legitimate and consistent travel by the Speaker of the House and turn it into some pretext for amping up the tensions, creating a sort of crisis or conflict."

Chinese officials have been warning against the visit. The foreign ministry released a statement shortly after, saying "it has a severe impact on the political foundation" of relations between China and the US.
And it says China "will take all necessary measures to resolutely safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity." China's state-run news agency says the Chinese military would conduct drills around the Taiwan Strait from Thursday.

People in Taiwan have a mix of reactions. Some pro-China groups took to the street to protest. Others gathered around the hotel Pelosi is staying at in a show of welcome.

Taiwan's foreign ministry says the visit shows "rock-solid" US support and will boost ties.

Key words : abe focus religious group
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220801_34/

Some opposition parties in Japan have called on the main ruling Liberal Democratic Party to clarify its links with a religious group.

The Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, previously known as the Unification Church, has been the focus of attention ever since the suspect in the fatal shooting of former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo told police he had a grudge against it.

Prime Minister Kishida Fumio on Sunday was asked about the relationships between LDP lawmakers and the group.

Kishida said it is important to provide detailed explanations. He said people want to know more about the ties with an organization deemed politically and socially problematic.

Japanese Communist Party Chairperson Shii Kazuo on Monday criticized Kishida's remarks. He said that by urging individual politicians to provide explanations, Kishida is trying to shift responsibility from the party and government.

Shii indicated that the LDP should investigate the facts and disclose any problems, saying the party is responsible for asking itself whether it should continue colluding with what he called an antisocial cult.

Diet affairs chief Mabuchi Sumio of the Constitutional Democratic Party also said it is a problem that the religious group is tied up with everything from politics, elections and money.

He said the Diet must take up the issue as it mainly involves LDP lawmakers.

Key words : abe nobuo
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220802_28/

Defense Minister Kishi Nobuo says he will review his ties with a religious group that has been drawing attention since the fatal shooting of former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo.

The suspect in the shooting reportedly believed Abe was close to the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, formerly the Unification Church. He blamed the group for the breakdown of his family.

Kishi, who is Abe's younger brother, has admitted to receiving help in past election campaigns from volunteers with links to the group.

He told reporters on Tuesday he has not received systematic support from the group, and added he will review his election camp's practices as various social problems linked to the group have surfaced.

The secretary-general of the main governing Liberal Democratic Party, Motegi Toshimitsu, stressed that the party has no systematic ties with the group.

Motegi told reporters on Tuesday the LDP has never invited the group to its meetings, and neither the group nor its affiliates are listed among organizations with links to the party.

He added that it's up to individual lawmakers to explain their political activities.

The chairperson of the National Public Safety Commission, Ninoyu Satoshi, was asked by reporters on Tuesday about his admission last week that he served as chair of an executive committee for an event organized by the group.

Ninoyu said he lent his name to the event because it was described as a celebration of peace.

He said he is not a member of the group and does not know what it teaches, and added that his ties with the group will likely fade away because he is no longer in the Diet.

Ninoyu stressed the event was the only time he was involved with the group, and denied receiving any support for his political activities and election campaigns.

Key words : scandal
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220802_42/

Major Japanese truck maker Hino Motors says a scandal involving the falsification of data started earlier than previously stated.

In March, Hino reported that it had falsified emissions and fuel economy data on certain types of engines since 2016 so it could obtain certifications.

The maker was then forced to stop shipping some large and mid-sized trucks among other vehicles after their certifications were retracted by the government.

But a team of outside experts set up by Hino has found that the misconduct actually started from at least 2003. It released the results of its investigation on Tuesday.

It also says Hino submitted a false report to the government in 2016 that claimed tests for certifications had been properly conducted.

President of Hino Motors, Ogiso Satoshi says " I take the repeated misconduct as a very serious problem. I sincerely apologize for betraying the trust of the stakeholders for so many years."

Sales of Hino's domestic large and mid-sized trucks following the suspension in March have plunged to half of the pre-scandal levels.

Key words : surfing competition
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/videos/20220725161614704/

When Ichinomiya Town was chosen to host the Olympics' first surfing competition, the town had high hopes that the international recognition would send a wave of tourists to its sandy shores. But the pandemic got in the way. NHK World's Takahashi Naoya found out what the community is doing to ensure the spark stays lit.