at 18:30 (JST), September 29

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/20220929183000_english_1.mp3


Key words : 50 years normalize
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220929_04/

Thursday marks the 50th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and China. But with bilateral ties strained, the mood is far from celebratory.

In August, Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a message to Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio wishing for Kishida's recovery from COVID-19. Xi said that as this year marks a half century of normalized ties, he is ready to work with Kishida to build a relationship that answers the needs of a new era.

Many events commemorating the anniversary have been held in China this year.

But the atmosphere is subdued rather than festive due to friction over the Senkaku Islands and Taiwan.

Japan controls the Senkakus. The Japanese government maintains the islands are an inherent part of Japan's territory. China and Taiwan claim them.

Visits between the countries have also been at low levels because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Global Times, affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party, said in an editorial on Wednesday, "The sense of mistrust and strategic doubts between China and Japan are unprecedented in 50 years."

It also argued that Japan, together with the United States, is trying to contain China.

Yang Bojiang, the head of the Institute of Japanese Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said future bilateral relations are very important, whether they are private-sector exchanges or strategic dialogue between governments. The institute has some influence on the Chinese government over policies toward Japan.

Key words : pakistan more than third under water
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Key words : sri lanka important
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220929_06/

Sri Lanka's President Ranil Wickremesinghe has asked Japan to play a leading role in negotiations with creditors of the South Asian country.

Wickremesinghe spoke to NHK in Tokyo on Wednesday after attending former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo's state funeral the previous day.

The International Monetary Fund said on September 1 that it had reached a four-year "staff-level agreement" with Sri Lanka to loan 2.9 billion dollars on the premise that the country will restructure its massive debts owed to China, Japan, India and others.

Sri Lanka has suspended repayment of foreign debts due to its economic crisis.

The Sri Lankan president said the next important phase will be talking with the main creditors. He said that in a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio, he asked Japan to take the lead in the talks.

Wickremesinghe said people in Sri Lanka are "suffering a lot," and that the country needs to return to normalcy as soon as possible.

He said Sri Lanka and Japan have long been friends and he hopes to work together and make the relationship even stronger.

Wickremesinghe also spoke about ties with China. There has been criticism that Sri Lanka saw its debt increase through large development programs mainly carried out by Chinese companies under former Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. He resigned in July.

The incumbent president said he will review the programs if necessary. But he said that at the moment, his country's relationship with China "has not had many major problems."

Key words : harris speech naval base
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220928_36/

US Vice President Kamala Harris has blasted China and pledged continued support for Taiwan's self-defense. During a speech at a US Naval base near Tokyo, she said Beijing was undermining rules-based order in the region.

Harris made the remarks in an address to US sailors.
She accused China of using US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan as a pretext for military exercises that she described as an unprecedented show of force.
She said China has challenged the freedom of the seas and flexed its military and economic might to coerce and intimidate its neighbors.

Harris also said Washington anticipates further aggressive behavior from Beijing as it attempts to unilaterally undermine the status quo. But she made it clear the US would not be deterred.

The vice president stressed that the United States does not seek conflict with China or a Cold War. She said her country will work with every willing nation to solve global challenges.

China reacted sharply. Foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told reporters on Wednesday that the United States needed to return to the "One-China" policy and unequivocally make clear that it opposes all Taiwan separatist activities.

Key words : north second launch
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220928_37/

Japanese defense officials say North Korea fired two ballistic missiles Wednesday evening -- the second launch in less than a week.

South Korea's military says the North fired short-range ballistic missiles from Sunan near Pyongyang.

Japan says it believes they fell into waters east of North Korea, outside Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone.

There are no reports of damage to Japanese ships or aircraft. It's North Korea's 20th launch of the year.

Japanese State Minister of Defense Ino Toshiro said, "We cannot tolerate that North Korea has consecutively fired missiles. We strongly condemn the launch. It violates UN Security Council resolutions."

The launch comes ahead of a planned visit by US Vice President Kamala Harris to the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea.

Key words : germany first f-2
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220928_27/

Japan's Air Self-Defense Force and the German Air Force have conducted their first joint training in Japan.

Three Japanese F-2 fighter jets and three German Eurofighter jets took part in the drill on Wednesday. They arrived at the Hyakuri Air Base in Ibaraki Prefecture, near Tokyo, after the training.

The ASDF says the drill involved formation training to improve communication and tactical skills.

Germany said in its diplomatic and national security guidelines in 2020 that it will step up involvement in the Indo-Pacific region.

As a part of that, the German Air Force took part in a multilateral military exercise held in Australia through early September.

Also, a German navy frigate made a port call in Japan last November for the first time in about 20 years, and participated in a joint exercise with the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force.

In the latest training, Lieutenant General Ingo Gerhartz, Inspector of the German Air Force, flew a fighter jet himself.

The ASDF says it hopes to enhance collaboration with the German military through joint exercises.

Key words : concern treated water
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220928_11/

South Korea's representative at the International Atomic Energy Agency has voiced concern about Japan's plan to discharge treated water stored at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. The Japanese side stressed in response that the level of radioactive materials in the treated water will be below safety standards.

IAEA members reviewed the plan on Tuesday on the sidelines of the world body's General Conference in Vienna.

The Japanese government has decided to let the plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Company release the treated water into the sea after diluting it to reduce the concentration of tritium to meet safety standards.

The South Korean delegate said, "This would be the first case in history where contaminated water created as a result of nuclear accident is released into the sea." He called for the plan to be conducted using a scientifically safe method.

Japan's Ambassador Hikihara Takeshi defended the move, saying that it is not contaminated water that will be discharged, but treated water diluted to levels below safety standards.

China's representative also criticized the plan, saying its safety has not been ensured.

Hikihara responded that the plan will be implemented in a safe and scientific manner, and will be under a strict review by the IAEA. He stressed that Japan is in close cooperation with the world body.

The Fukushima plant in northeastern Japan suffered a triple meltdown in the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Water used to cool the molten fuel mixes with rain and groundwater. The accumulated water is treated to remove most radioactive materials and is stored in tanks on the plant's premises.