at 18:30 (JST), January 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/20230120183000_english_1.mp3


Key words : kishida abolition
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230119_46/

Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio has met with the executive secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban-Treaty Organization on Thursday. Kishida said he will deliver a powerful message at the upcoming G7 Hiroshima summit calling for nuclear abolition.

Kishida talked with CTBTO Executive Secretary Robert Floyd in Tokyo. The goal of Floyd's organization is to set the stage for the nuclear test ban treaty to come into force.

Kishida told Floyd he will make clear at the summit in May that Japan and its G7 partners are committed to taking realistic, practical steps to achieve a nuclear-free world.

The Japanese prime minister also pledged to work closely with the organization on North Korea.

Kishida said he cannot rule out the possibility that the North will start nuclear tests or other provocative actions, given that it has been test-firing ballistic missiles at an unprecedented pace.

He also said Japan is ready to play a role in the efforts to enhance international nuclear monitoring systems, as well as to put the treaty into force as early as possible.

Floyd expressed his appreciation for the Japanese moves. Kishida and Floyd agreed the two sides will continue working closely together.

Key words : taliban exception
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230119_44/

The Taliban have announced an exception in their ban on female employees working for non-governmental organizations in Afghanistan. The Islamist group says women can take part in healthcare-related fields.

The Taliban seized power in 2021. They severely restricted women in many fields, including education. The group announced its ban affecting NGOs last month.

A spokesperson for the Taliban's ministry of economy explained the latest restriction in an interview with NHK. Abdul Rahman Habib said some women broke the Islamic dress code while doing their duties.

He said, "This move was taken after some complaints, especially from the people in those NGOs. Only in the health sector, women can provide help to other women and in matters related to nutrition".

It's common in Afghanistan for female medical workers to treat women patients. The Taliban have apparently made the exception to avoid disruptions to medical activities.

Several groups announced resumptions of their healthcare-related work in the country after receiving assurances from the group. One of them is "Save the Children," an international NGO.

The Taliban's restriction sparked protests and triggered a global backlash.

Key words : nobel peace prize
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230119_43/

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa and her online news outlet have been found not guilty of tax evasion.
The Philippine journalist called the four charges "a brazen abuse of power and meant to stop journalists from doing their jobs."

Ressa said, "Today, facts win. Truth wins. Justice wins."

The Court of Tax Appeals on Wednesday said the prosecutors failed to prove the charges. The acquittals are the first for Ressa and her website Rappler, among a series of lawsuits under the former presidency of Rodrigo Duterte. They are also fighting three other cases, including a conviction of cyber libel.

Ressa is known for her critical reporting of the Duterte administration and its hardline political stance.
She became the first person from the Philippines to win a Nobel Prize in 2021 in recognition of her efforts to safeguard the freedom of the press.

Philippines' media suffered under Duterte. The former president admitted he blocked the renewal of a broadcast license of a major TV station in 2020.

Local media are reporting that Ressa's acquittal could make life easier for journalists under the current administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Junior.

Key words : labor union foreign worker
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