at 18:30 (JST), December 20

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/20221220183000_english_1.mp3


Key words : central bank monetary policy decided
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20221220_22/

In a surprise move, Japan's central bank has adjusted its monetary policy. The Bank of Japan decided to expand the yield on 10-year government bonds, saying the previous range could hurt market functions. The yield will now move in a range of around plus and minus 0.5 percent. The earlier range was plus and minus 0.25 percent.

Policymakers wrapped up their two-day meeting on Tuesday.

Their decision came amid pressure for Japan to raise interest rates, as other major central banks push up their rates.

The BOJ said it had decided the previous yield range was too narrow, and market functions could suffer.

Board members also maintained the short-term interest rate in negative territory.

The BOJ will also increase monthly purchases of government bonds to hold long-term rates around zero percent.

Key words : defense budget record high
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20221219_41/

Japan's defense budget for fiscal 2023 is likely to hit a record high, with officials arranging for a budget of some 6.8 trillion yen, or over 49.9 billion dollars.

The figure for the year starting next April tops fiscal 2022's budget by 1.4 trillion yen, or over 10 billion dollars.

The Japanese government plans to boost defense spending to a total of around 43 trillion yen, or over 316 billion dollars, for the five-year period starting in fiscal 2023. This is 1.6 times that of the current five-year total.

Defense ministry officials presented their budget plan for fiscal 2023 to the main ruling Liberal Democratic Party's security panel on Monday.

The planned expenditures include over 1.5 billion dollars for Tomahawk cruise missiles from the United States, which would be deployed as standoff missiles that could be launched from outside an enemy's firing range.

Some 690 million dollars are to be allocated for the production of the Ground Self-Defense Force's Type-12 Surface-to-Ship Missile System.

About 15 billion dollars will be spent on the maintenance and repair of major platforms such as aircraft and vessels. Some 6 billion dollars will be used to secure shells.

About 1.6 billion dollars will be set aside to construct vessels equipped with the Aegis anti-ballistic missile system.

Key words : china surge going to work
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20221219_31/

Some local governments in China are urging people to return to their workplaces despite a resurgence in coronavirus infections.

Infections have been spreading in Beijing and other places since the central government eased its virus control measures on December 7.

Beijing's government lifted restrictions on commuting across districts and on the number of people going to work. The city adopted a slogan that means "return to the workplace to resume production."

The inland city of Chongqing also eased some restrictions. Its government said on Sunday that infected executives and employees of government agencies and businesses who are asymptomatic or show only minor symptoms can go to work if they take anti-infection measures.

The number of people in Beijing's entertainment and shopping areas has increased, but remains low.

Observers say the local governments want economic activities to return to normal quickly, but many people are concerned about the spread of the virus.

Meanwhile, the central government says two people infected with the virus died in the capital on Sunday. They are the first reported COVID-19 deaths in about two weeks.

But media in Taiwan and Hong Kong report that the actual figures are larger.

Key words : 31 missing
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20221219_35/

A Royal Thai Navy warship sank on Sunday night after running into high waves, leaving 31 crew members missing.

The corvette HTMS Sukhothai capsized some 30 kilometers off the coast of Prachuap Khiri Khan province.

The navy says the warship was hit by strong waves and winds before it became flooded and its pump engine broke down.

More than 100 crew members were onboard the vessel, which was on its way to a commemorative event.

Efforts are underway to rescue 31 missing sailors.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha urged authorities to make every effort to save those missing. Ships, helicopters and drones are at the scene.

The ship was built in the United States and commissioned in 1987.

Key words : taiwanese
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20221219_25/

Taiwanese authorities are investigating suspicions that a company linked to the Chinese-owned video-sharing app TikTok is illegally operating from a base in Taiwan.

Taiwanese law bans commercial operations of Chinese social media platforms based in Taiwan.

Data from the economic affairs ministry show the company in question was registered in a building in the city of Taichung. It changed its name in November to one similar to the Chinese operator of TikTok.

Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council, which is in charge of its China policy, says a working group pointed out the suspicions surrounding the company on December 9.

It says investigations have since been underway.

The council says the mainland has used short video platforms like TikTok in recent years to carry out "cognitive operations and infiltrations against other countries."

It says there is a high risk of the Chinese government having access to users' personal information.

Taiwan authorities also ban public offices from using Chinese apps like TikTok out of security concerns.

Key words : cambodia
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20221219_36/

The Cambodian government will train Ukrainian personnel to help remove land mines set by the Russian military.

Cambodia has experience dealing with land mines as millions of the devices were left across the country after decades of civil war.

The government has invited 15 Ukrainian deminers to Phnom Penh in January. They will learn how to plan and carry out operations to clear mines.

Cambodian experts will also be sent to Poland in April to teach Ukrainians the same skills.

Last month, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen offered Ukraine the support in collaboration with Japan, which has advanced techniques in demining.

Japan has long been contributing to clearing land mines in Cambodia, with governmental and private sector efforts.

Key words : published ainu
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20221219_26/

A group of academics has published what it says is the first-ever English handbook of the language of Japan's indigenous Ainu people. The Ainu once populated a wide area of northern Japan.

Seventeen researchers contributed to the 700-page book recently released by a German publisher.

The book is the result of a seven-year project by the National Institute for Japanese Language and Linguistics aimed at expanding the base of studies beyond Japan.

The Ainu language is a rare tongue that cannot be linked with certainty to any language family.

Most academic papers about the endangered language have been written in Japanese, with few English articles available.

Topics featured in the new English handbook include grammar, history of the ethnic minority, folklore, other oral literature, and dialects.

Tokyo University of Science Associate Professor Anna Bugaeva, one of the authors, says the book is an encyclopedia of the Ainu language.

She expresses hope that the handbook will help advance linguistic studies and raise the profile of the language.