at 18:30 (JST), October 17

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/20221017183000_english_1.mp3


Key words : china reunification more than 2,000
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20221016_17/

China's president renewed his promise to achieve what he calls the "reunification of Taiwan" as the Communist Party's National Congress kicked off in Beijing. The twice-in-a-decade meeting is expected to cement the authority of Xi Jinping.

More than 2,000 delegates from across China are gathering for the meeting. They will decide on key policies over the next seven days.

Xi pledged his party would push to reunify Taiwan by using force if necessary.

He said, "We will continue to strive for peaceful reunification with the greatest sincerity and the utmost effort, but we will not promise to renounce the use of force, and we reserve the option to take all necessary measures."

Xi praised what he calls the party's historic achievements over the past five years, including the eradication of severe poverty.

He also boasted about China's hardline coronavirus measures. Critics say his "zero-COVID" strategy has slowed the country's economy and caused deep frustration among average people.

Xi said, "We put all of our power into the battle against the pandemic for the Chinese people. We have protected people's health and safety to the greatest extent possible, and we have seen tremendously encouraging achievements with our anti-virus measures and our economic and social development."

The party will amend its constitution at the congress. It is expected to add political slogans to cement Xi's "core position" in the party and demand absolute loyalty.

And delegates will set the stage for an unprecedented third term for Xi. That would break an unwritten rule. Members of the top leadership positions are supposed to step down at the age of 68. Xi turned 69 this year.

Key words : prime culture minister right to question
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20221017_13/

Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio has instructed the culture minister to launch an investigation into the former Unification Church based on "the right to ask questions" under the Religious Corporations Act.

It will be the first time for the government to exercise the right.

The religious group is coming under scrutiny for alleged shady marketing practices and solicitation of large donations from members.

An advisory panel had urged the government to use the act to disband the corporation or launch an investigation before taking such action.

Kishida said in an NHK interview on Friday that there's a need to consider a strict response.

He met Culture Minister Nagaoka Keiko on Monday morning, and told her to open the probe into the group based on the right to question stipulated in the law.

The provision allows the culture ministry and prefectural governments to request reports and question executives of religious corporations suspected of violating laws.

It was added to the law in 1996, following a series of incidents involving the Aum Shinrikyo cult, including the deadly 1995 sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway system.

Nagaoka told reporters that she will swiftly carry out Kishida's instructions.

Key words : south maneuver exercise
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20221017_12/

The South Korean and US militaries are on alert for possible reactions by North Korea to a South Korean military exercise that partially involves US troops.

On Monday, the South Korean military began a regular field maneuver exercise, which is scheduled to end October 28.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff say the exercise is designed to respond to a variety of potential threats, including those posed by North's nuclear arms and missiles.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff also say US troops stationed in South Korea will participate in some of the drills to improve mutual operational capabilities.

On Friday, North Korea fired a short-range ballistic missile from the outskirts of Pyongyang and about 90 artillery rounds from the southeastern province of Kangwon toward the Sea of Japan. It also shot around 300 artillery rounds toward the Yellow Sea from the southwestern province of South Hwanghae.

The North called the moves a warning to South Korea in response to the South's artillery fire.

The two countries agreed in 2018 to not fire artillery shells into maritime buffer zones, which serve as the de facto inter-Korean maritime border. The South said the artillery rounds fired by the North on Friday fell into waters on the North Korean side.

South Korean Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup warned on Sunday that the North's shelling could be the beginning of provocations based on a prepared scenario.

The minister stressed that South Korea will stand firm against any provocations by the North.

Key words : foreign tourists were visible
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20221017_07/

Foreign tourists were visible in shopping and entertainment areas in Japan for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic began as the country eased COVID border controls last week.

Tokyo's Akihabara district is well-known for electronics shops and manga culture. Tourists are enjoying shopping with the advantage of a weak Japanese yen.

A man from the Philippines said he can buy two bags with one price in his country. A woman from the United States said, "It is even more affordable now because the dollar is stronger against the yen."

A guest house in central Tokyo is also regaining its popularity among foreign tourists. A man from Canada who will stay in Kyoto and Osaka for about a month said, "I noticed that the yen is cheaper, so things here are getting a little cheaper and easier to travel."

The operator is considering hiring more staff as the number of reservations is on the rise.

Last Tuesday the Japanese government launched a nationwide discount campaign to kick-start domestic tourism, but some people noticed higher room rates. A man said he felt current prices are about 20 percent higher.

Such complaints are also seen on social media. People say operators are raising lodging fees based on the travel subsidy program.

Officials at the Tourism Agency say they plan to instruct hotel operators not to make unjust price hikes.

Key words : new entity officially set up
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20221016_10/

A new entity that will take over the Sakhalin-1 oil and gas project in the Russian Far East has been officially set up.

Russian state media TASS reported that the company was registered on Friday. Its head office is located in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.

The move comes after the Russian government issued a decree to that end. A subsidiary of state-run Rosneft was assigned to become the new entity.

Foreign participants in the Sakhalin-1 project must notify the Russian government within one month if they agree to retain their stakes in the project.

Japan has a 30 percent stake in the project through Sakhalin Oil and Gas Development Company, or SODECO.

Half of the holding is owned by the Japanese government, and the rest is held by businesses, including Japan Petroleum Exploration Co. and trading firms Itochu and Marubeni.

The Sakhalin-1 project was originally led by Exxon Mobil with Rosneft, SODECO and others as partners. But in March, Exxon announced its intention to end its operations in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Key words : india launch slbm
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20221015_12/

India says it has successfully test-fired a submarine-launched ballistic missile, or SLBM, in the Indian Ocean.

The Indian government announced on Friday the missile had been launched from the INS Arihant in the Bay of Bengal.

The INS Arihant is India's first domestically built nuclear-powered submarine and went into full operation in 2018.

Government officials did not provide details about the launch, such as exact location, type of missile and number of test-firings.

Multiple Indian media outlets report this is the first time the government has officially announced an SLBM test by the submarine.

India is ramping up efforts to strengthen its navy. The country commissioned its first locally made aircraft carrier in September.

Some observers say the Indian government made the announcement as part of an effort to keep China in check, as Beijing is stepping up maritime activities around the Indian Ocean under its Belt and Road initiative.