at 18:30 (JST), January 19

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/20230119183000_english_1.mp3


Key words : biggest annual trade import
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230119_17/

Japan has posted its biggest annual trade deficit on record. The weaker yen and soaring energy prices were mostly to blame.

Preliminary data released by the Finance Ministry shows a trade deficit of almost 20 trillion yen for 2022. That's the equivalent of about 155 billion dollars.

The deficit is the largest since comparable data became available in 1979.

Imports surged 39.2 percent in yen terms. Costs for crude oil, coal, and liquefied natural gas were up significantly. The weaker yen also contributed to the increase. This outpaced an 18.2 percent increase in exports.

Key words : foreign visitor
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230118_32/

The number of foreign visitors to Japan in 2022 was up sharply from the previous year on the back of eased border controls.
Even so, the annual number was only about 12 percent of the figure before the pandemic in 2019.

Officials at the Japan National Tourism Organization estimate the country admitted about 3.83 million visitors last year. That is more than 15 times higher than the total in 2021, which saw only about 246,000 arrivals.

Japan started easing its border controls in September. The number of visitors who arrived from then until the end of the year accounted for nearly 80 percent of the year's total.

The largest group by origin was people from South Korea at just over a million. They made up nearly a third of the total.

Visitors from Taiwan were second at over 330,000. Those from the US were close behind.

People from mainland China accounted for 30 percent of foreign arrivals in 2019. But last year they stood at around 180,000, largely due to Beijing's zero-coronavirus policy.

Key words : new chairperson
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230118_41/

The new chairperson of Taiwan's governing Democratic Progressive Party has stressed that he will carry on President Tsai Ing-wen's policy on relations with China and the future of Taiwan. He says there is no need to proclaim afresh Taiwan's independence.

Lai Ching-te, who currently serves as Taiwan's vice president, assumed the post on Wednesday after winning an uncontested leadership election three days earlier.

Speaking at a news conference after being sworn in at the party headquarters, Lai said that Taiwan has already positioned itself as a sovereign independent state and there is no need to declare its independence again.

Lai is widely seen as his party's potential candidate in next year's presidential election.

Before assuming the vice presidency, he described himself as a practical pro-independence worker.

Chinese officials have said, apparently with Lai in mind, that if peace is being sought in the Taiwan Strait, the stance of supporting Taiwan's independence should be abandoned.

President Tsai is said to have won the trust of the United States for her cautious comments and actions on Taiwan's relationship with China.

By stressing the continuation of Tsai's policy, Lai apparently tried to send a message to the people in Taiwan and the US that he will not give China an excuse to use force even if he becomes president.

Key words : coast guard indonesia
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230118_04/

Indonesian coast guard personnel received training provided by their Japanese counterparts on ways to deal with suspicious ships. The instruction took place in the capital Jakarta.

Ten officials from the Indonesian side took part in the training session on Tuesday and learned techniques from Japan Coast Guard officials on subduing crew members.

Indonesia is the world's largest archipelago nation and shares a key sea lane through the Strait of Malacca and the Singapore Strait with other countries. About 90 percent of the crude oil that Japan imports comes through the straits.

Indonesia designates waters in the southern part of the South China Sea as its exclusive economic zone. The Southeast Asian nation is at odds with China, which claims almost all of that sea.

Indonesia's coast guard has just 10 patrol ships. The country is working to improve its maritime patrolling capabilities by stepping up cooperation with other nations including the United States, which is providing Indonesia with financial support.

An Indonesian coast guard official said there are many spots in the vast ocean where crimes can happen, and wants to be ready to deal with any incident.

Ishizuka Ikuko from the Japan Coast Guard said she hopes to deepen a relationship of trust between the two countries and wants to contribute to the realization of a free and open Indo-Pacific region based on the rule of law.

Key words : hiroshima teacher
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230118_27/

Teachers from the conflict-ravaged Gaza Strip have visited an elementary school in the atomic-bombed city of Hiroshima to observe a peace education class.

Seven Palestinian teachers are currently in Japan at the invitation of the Japanese Foreign Ministry to learn about peace education. They visited Tenma Elementary School in Hiroshima on Wednesday.

In the class, fifth graders presented their views on stories of atomic-bomb survivors told by their teacher.

The students were told that one of the survivors lost her family in the bombing. She avoided family photos thereafter because she had taken one with her family shortly before the bombing.

The Palestinian teachers listened intently while taking notes.

They then spoke about their own experiences in Gaza. The teachers told the Japanese students that schools are destroyed and children are killed in Israel's attacks on Gaza, but they manage to keep classes going.

One of the students says he was impressed with how children in Gaza continue their studies despite such tragic experiences.

One of the Palestinian teachers, Ola Alaila, says the way the class was held was as if someone was conducting a symphony orchestra. She adds that when she returns to Gaza, she would like to ask her students about their thoughts on peace.

The Gaza Strip has been under an economic blockade by Israel. Repeated clashes between Israel's armed forces and the Palestinian Islamic group Hamas, which effectively controls the area, have resulted in many casualties of civilians and others.

Key words : japanese firm opened
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230118_40/

A Japanese firm has opened a vocational school in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, to send more workers to Japan.

The opening ceremony was held with government officials from both countries.

Indonesians will learn the Japanese language, nursing and other skills for free for about six months. After the program, students who pass an exam will receive a visa for skilled foreign workers in Japan. The company aims to accept nearly 600 students per year.

A female student said, "It's a good opportunity. Because unlike job training institutions where we usually have to pay, we can study here for free with experienced teachers."

Japan has been accepting foreign workers with specific skills since 2019 to tackle a labor shortage.

Meanwhile, Indonesia is struggling with unemployment due to the coronavirus pandemic.

An official from Indonesia's labor ministry says the facility will not only increase the number of workers sent to Japan, but also improve their skills.

Indonesia's population is the fourth-largest in the world, at over 270 million people. Around 70 percent of them are working age, between 15 to 64.

Key words : japanese pitcher
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230118_16/

Japanese pitcher Fujinami Shintaro says he looks forward to starting his new career in Major League Baseball.

The 28-year-old right-hander joined the Oakland Athletics after signing a one-year contract through the posting system. US media outlets report the contract is worth 3.25 million dollars.

Fujinami introduced himself at the team's office in Oakland, California on Tuesday. He asked everyone to simply call him "Fuji, like Mount Fuji." He expressed in fluent English his gratitude to Japan's Hanshin Tigers, where he spent the past 10 seasons, and to his parents.

He said he is confident in his fastballs and splitters. He added that he believes that his fastballs will be faster than those of the average MLB pitcher. He said he looks forward to pitching as best as he can.

Athletics general manager David Forst said he expects that Fujinami will serve as a starter.

Fujinami said he wants to face his compatriots, two-way star Ohtani Shohei of the Los Angeles Angels and Chicago Cubs outfielder Suzuki Seiya. Fujinami said they are all the same age. He added that Ohtani is one of the best players in the world. He said that for Japanese fans, it will be very exciting for them to play against each other.

His uniform number has yet to be decided, but he put on the No.1 jersey at the press conference.

He is scheduled to join spring training in Arizona, which begins on February 15, to get acclimated before the season opens in late March.