VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Japan's efforts to counter the country's declining birth rate by doubling the budget for child-related policies could possibly be covered by government bonds, a ruling party heavyweight lawmaker said in a television programme broadcast on Sunday.

"I think it's completely plausible to consider covering it with government bonds," Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) lawmaker Hiroshige Seko said during a segment on BS TV Tokyo regarding the government's policy to take "unprecedented" steps in countering Japan's falling birth rate.

Seko, currently the LDP's secretary-general for the upper house, said there needed to be a discussion on whether to fund the policy with government bonds, taxes, an insurance scheme, or a combination of different sources, but added that funding through government bond issuance "should be allowed."

Births in Japan plunged to a new record low of just below 800,000 last year, according to official records.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida pledged in January to tackle the country's declining birth rate by submitting plans to double the budget for child-related policies by June.

During the TV programme, which was recorded on Monday, Seko also spoke out against tightening Japan's current ultra-loose monetary policy.

"Interest rates will probably rise naturally if we can sustainably achieve the 2% price goal and wages rise in accordance with that," the former economy minister said, adding he was against tightening when 2% inflation had not been achieved. 

The Bank of Japan (BOJ) maintained ultra-low interest rates on Friday ahead of a leadership transition in April. Incoming governor Kazuo Ueda has echoed current governor Haruhiko Kuroda's calls to keep an ultra-loose policy, but has also said he had ideas on how to exit low rates. (Reuters)

General Li Shangfu, named on Sunday as China's new defence minister, is a veteran of the People's Liberation Army's (PLA) modernisation effort - a drive that led the United States to sanction him over the acquisition of weapons from Russia.

Although his new post within the Chinese system is viewed as largely diplomatic and ceremonial, Li's appointment is being closely watched given his background, regional diplomats say. 

His tenure starts as Washington pushes to restore military dialogue and communications that soured as Beijing reacted angrily to the August visit to Taiwan by then-U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Li's history as a technocrat - he is an aerospace engineer who worked in China's satellite programme - will help him play a key part in meeting the interim targets of President Xi Jinping's goals for the PLA, experts say.

"The operational and technological background of the next Chinese defence minister is especially pertinent given that the PLA aims to become a world-class military by 2049," said James Char, a security scholar at Singapore's S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.

In 2016, Li was named deputy commander of the PLA's then-new Strategic Support Force - an elite body tasked with accelerating the development of China's space and cyber warfare capabilities. 

He was then appointed head of the Equipment Development Department of the Central Military Commission (CMC), China's governing defence body, headed by President Xi Jinping.

RUSSIAN PURCHASES

As director, he was named in sanctions imposed by the U.S. State Department in September, 2018 over the purchase of 10 Su-35 combat aircraft in 2017 and equipment related to the S-400 surface-to-air missile system from Russia's main arms exporter, Rosoboronexport.

Some security scholars note the sanctions - while not a deal-breaker for future meetings - add a potential complication, and could provide China's military leadership with leverage.

When asked last week about Li's impending rise, Pentagon spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Marty Meiners said that the U.S. military could not comment on media reports about China's leadership changes, but that they had been clear in wanting to maintain communications with the PLA.

"Open lines of communication can help us manage risk, avoid miscalculation, and responsibly manage competition," Meiners said.

Oriana Skylar Mastro, a fellow at Stanford University's Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, said China was likely to use the dynamic for diplomatic gain - either by presenting the sanctions as immaterial if they are overlooked, or by suggesting it's Washington, not Beijing, that doesn't want to engage.

"Engagement has always been a priority for the U.S., and China sees it as a concession," Mastro said.

Li's term at the Central Military Commission has highlighted his ties to Xi, who has strengthened his grip across the military.

Some scholars believe Li has close ties to Zhang Youxia, a close military ally of Xi, whom Li replaced as head of the department.

Zhang was promoted to first vice-chairman of the CMC during the Communist Party's Congress in October, with Li following him onto the commission's governing seven-person group.

As defence minister, Li is also likely to be closely involved with military relations in Asia, attending events such as meetings of Asian defence leaders and the informal Shangri-La Dialogue on security in Singapore.

"I think he has been elevated to this position because he's delivered for Xi Jinping in key areas of modernisation," said Singapore-based security analyst Alexander Neill, an adjunct fellow with Hawaii's Pacific Forum think-tank.

"This is someone who will have to hold their own in front of an international audience." (Reuters)

The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) has disseminated information on disaster mitigation to the residents of Serasan Island, Natuna District, Riau Islands Province, following the landslides that hit the area on Monday (March 6, 2023).

"A disaster mitigation guideline should be developed to help the people understand the threats of the disasters in this area," Head of the BNPB’s Operations Management Center (Pusdalops) Bambang Surya Putra said at the event held at the Pelimpak Village Hall, Serasan Sub-district, here, on Sunday.

Putra said, every village must make evacuation plans and routes, thus people know where to flee when a disaster happens.

"People can create a simple early warning tool for landslides, for instance, arranging the cans so that they will make a sound when there are vibrations due to the mass wasting in an area prone to landslides," he remarked.

Head of Natuna District Wan Siswandi citing a report of the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry's Geological Agency said that a number of areas on Serasan Island are prone to landslides.

Therefore, he continued, people should anticipate possible occurrence of landslide to avoid local people from being fallen victims to the disaster.

"Actually, there had been a number of signs before the latest incident (Monday's landslide) occurred. Hence, we are currently conducting dissemination and mitigation, thus it will not happen again," he remarked.

The Natuna District head continued that the local government is waiting for the results of a study conducted by the Geology Agency, before mapping and surveying the areas that were prone to disasters.

The dissemination of disaster mitigation attempts at the Pelimpak Village Hall, Serasan Sub-district, Natuna District, was attended by the local sub-district and village officials as well as community.

The activity was also carried out at East Serasan Sub-district, Natuna District.

The Joint Command for Landslide Emergency Response in Serasan and East Serasan Sub-districts recorded on Saturday that the disaster had claimed 44 lives, while 10 people were still declared missing. (antaranews)

Jakarta (voinews): State-run electricity company PT PLN’s East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) readies 100 units of electric vehicle charging station (SPKLU) to support the 2023 ASEAN Summit in Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai District, NTT Province.

“PLN provides 100 SPKLU units to serve 275 electric cars to transport the delegates, as well as (electric) cars for security and operational vehicles,” General Manager of PLN’s NTT Fintje Lumembang said in a statement received here on Sunday.

As many as 105 electric motorcycles will also be deployed during the summit – which is scheduled to be held in May 2023 -- for escorting the delegates and carrying out patrols, she said.

The charging stations comprise ultra-fast charging stations as well as slow charging stations, she noted.

Earlier, Lumembang along with PT PLN’s Senior Specialist Officer for Distribution Joko Priharto and his team, had reviewed the planned installation locations of the SPKLU and the readiness of the supporting facilities.

Lumembang said all of the charging units had arrived in Labuan Bajo and that the company has bagged the local government’s permission to install the facilities.

“These SPKLU units will be installed at a number of locations, such as at the parking lot of the office of the Head of West Manggarai District as well as at Kampung Ujung (in Labuan Bajo),” she said.

A number of supporting equipment, such as uninterruptible power supply (UPS), Mobile Electrical Substation Unit (UGB), and generators, will also be provided, she continued.

In addition, PLN had improved the transmission, distribution, and reliability of the electricity supply at all venues of the 2023 ASEAN Summit in the district, such as the Tanamori area.

It had also helped in expediting the establishment of the communication as well as supervisory control and data acquisition infrastructure.

“The electricity infrastructure in Labuan Bajo is ready to support the implementation of the ASEAN Summit,” she noted.

The 2023 ASEAN Summit is planned to be implemented in Labuan Bajo in May and Jakarta in September 2023. (Antaranews)