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November
Japan eases COVID-19 border curbs, trails major partners
Written by Nur Yasmin
Japan confirmed on Tuesday plans to gradually ease COVID-19 border curbs, but fell short of demands by business lobbies to open up in line with major trading partners.
In relaxing its controls, Japan will take a phased approach, chief cabinet secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters, responding to media reports that quarantine periods for business travellers would be cut to three days from 10.
The easing could start next Monday, while daily limits on the numbers of border entrants would be raised to 5,000 people later this month from 3,500, national broadcaster NHK said.
Domestic and foreign business groups have lobbied the government to ease border curbs to match other nations. The United States and European Union allow entry for travellers from most countries with proof of COVID-19 vaccination.
Overseas business groups welcomed the shorter quarantine, but said the easing did not go far enough.
A bigger problem is the remaining hold on long-term visas, said Michael Mroczek, president of the European Business Council in Japan.
"Not being able to bring essential personnel to Japan is currently the No. 1 issue for European industry," he said.
Christopher LaFleur, an adviser to the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ), said relaxing was "necessary to jumpstart Japan's economic recovery from the damage of the pandemic."
He added, "The ACCJ recommends that Japan accept recognised vaccination and other health documentation issued overseas."
Japan cut its quarantine period for vaccinated people to 10 days from 14 last month when it lifted its emergency measures in much of the country.
But as other nations adopted vaccine passport systems to smooth travel, Japan has stuck to its quarantine system. One chief executive had become a "quarantine monk", he told Reuters last week, after three isolation stints after overseas trips.
The ruling Liberal Democratic Party may feel it has more leeway to reform border controls after Sunday's election secured its grip on power, said Kenneth Mori McElwain, a professor of political science at the University of Tokyo.
"The LDP's success in next summer's upper house election will hinge in large part on how much the economy has recovered," McElwain said.
"While international travel won't make or break the economy, it's an easy-to-observe metric that may shape public sentiment."
COVID-19 cases have fallen dramatically as vaccinations have covered more than 70% of the population. New infections in Tokyo slid to 9 on Monday, versus more than 5,000 each day during the August wave driven by the infectious Delta variant.
Vaccine checks and testing around international trips should be enough to keep down infections now that the pandemic has ebbed, said Haruka Sakamoto, a physician and researcher at Keio University.
"People who have received two doses of vaccine should not be quarantined," she said. "Strict border controls are causing a significant negative impact on Japan's business and international students."
Elsewhere in the Asia-Pacific, Australia and Thailand significantly eased their border curbs on Monday, for the first time in 18 months. (Reuters)
November
"We are not deleting them": Afghanistan's Taliban promise progress on girls' schooling soon
Written by Nur Yasmin
Afghanistan's Taliban government said it would announce good news soon on older girls being allowed to go back to school, but urged the international community to help it fund the process as most external aid has been halted.
Ensuring rights for women and girls has been one of the most sensitive issues facing the Taliban since they seized power in August, with international bodies demanding proof they were being respected before any discussion of formal recognition of the new government.
In September, the hardline Islamist movement drew global condemnation when it allowed boys to return to the classroom but told older girls to stay home until conditions permitted their return.
"Inshallah we will have a good announcement for the whole country, the whole nation," Waheedullah Hashimi, Director of External Programmes and Aid at the Ministry of Education, told Reuters in an interview.
In some northern areas, girls have already resumed their education but others are forced to study in hiding and heavy scepticism remains with countries from the United States to Russia demanding they match promises with action.
"Our Ulema (religious scholars) are working on it, and soon inshallah, we will announce it to the world," Hashimi said.
The effective ban on educating girls beyond primary school echoed decisions by Taliban's previous government, between 1996-2001, when women were largely shut out of paid employment and girls were not allowed to go to school.
Hashimi said the movement was committed to educating girls and was working on ways of getting them back to school. He said no women teachers had been laid off, and that this was "a positive message to the world that we are working on a mechanism. We are not working on deleting them from our schools and universities."
However, Hashimi also said that education, like other areas of government, had been hit hard by the abrupt withdrawal of foreign support following the collapse of the Western-backed government in August and he appealed for aid to be restored.
"If they truly want to see girls in schools, they ought to help us now," Hashimi said.
While education spending had been increasing slowly under the last government, a UNESCO report said that external aid represented almost half the education budget in 2020.
As well as the issue of girls' education, Hashimi said the ministry was working on a new curriculum for schools to bring them into line with the principles of Islam, local culture, and international standards.
"The changes will be according to international standards in physics and chemistry and biology and all these science subjects," Hashimi said, adding that no changes had been made yet to the curriculum.
He said ministry officials had been working closely with international agencies, which he said had reacted positively to the parts they had seen.
However, he cautioned that the system would be set up in a manner that would be agreeable the Taliban leadership and scholars, and not based on international pressure.
"We want to educate, and we will educate, our women and men – boys and girls." (Reuters)
November
Taiwan to boost reserve training amid China tension
Written by Nur Yasmin
Taiwan's defence ministry said on Tuesday it will boost training of its reserve forces next year, including doubling down combat and shooting exercises, as China increased military activities near the island Beijing has not ruled out taking by force.
Tensions between Taiwan and China, which claims the democratic island as sovereign territory, have escalated in recent weeks as Beijing raises military pressure that has included repeated missions by Chinese warplanes in Taiwan's air defence identification zone. read more
Defence Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng last month described the situation as "the most serious" in more than 40 years and urged extra military spending for home-made weapons. read more
Starting from next year, mandatory refresher training for some reserve forces will be increased to 14 days from currently five to seven days to "effectively elevate combat capability of the reserve forces", the defence ministry said in a statement.
Those reservists will be required to more than double the amount of bullets they fire in shooting exercises while combat training will be extended to 56 hours from half day, it added.
The new programme will be applied to about 13% of the 110,000 reservists the ministry plans to train next year, before further decisions could be made on whether to broaden it.
Taiwan has been gradually shifting from a conscript military to a volunteer-dominated professional force, but Reuters reported last year the switch was troublesome and has led to a gutting of the 2.31 million-strong reserve force, some of them complained of wasting time on pointless drills and lectures during retraining.
China says Taiwan should be taken by force if necessary. Taiwan says it is an independent country and will defend its freedoms and democracy, blaming China for the tensions. (Reuters)
November
Japan's foreign minister Motegi to take key ruling party post
Written by Nur Yasmin
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has tapped Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi for the No. 2 post in the ruling party, a powerful role that includes shaping policy and financing election campaigns.
Motegi will replace Akira Amari who said he would vacate the position of Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) secretary-general following his defeat in Sunday's lower house election.
Known for being well-versed in policy matters and on good terms with party elders such as former prime ministers Shinzo Abe and Taro Aso, Motegi will likely help Kishida maintain his grip on power within the party.
His appointment is expected to be formally announced on Thursday.
The job of ruling party secretary-general offers huge sway over lawmakers because the holder is in charge of financing campaigns and pulling fractious members into line.
Motegi told reporters on Monday one of his key tasks as new secretary general was preparing for an upper house election due around the middle of next year.
Kishida led the LDP to better-than-expected election results on Sunday, as the party kept its strong majority in the lower house.
Amari's loss was a notable setback for the party, although he retains a parliament seat thanks to Japan's system of proportional representation.
Kyodo news agency and other media said Yoshimasa Hayashi, 60, had emerged as a candidate for foreign minister, without citing sources.
Besides having served as defence minister, Hayashi has also held the economy, education and agriculture portfolios.
In the opposition camp, head of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ), Yukio Edano, said he would step down to take responsibility for Sunday's election losses.
The left-leaning CDPJ lost 13 seats although it remained Japan's second-biggest party. The smaller Japan Innovation Party (JIP), which calls for deregulation and decentralisation of authority to spur growth, almost quadrupled its haul to 41 seats in the 465-seat chamber. read more
Underlying changing fortunes of the two parties, a voter survey conducted this week by Kyodo showed support for the JIP surged to 14.4% from 5% a month ago, surpassing the CDPJ's 11.2% to become Japan's second-most popular party only behind the LDP.
"We ended up having smaller seats than we had before, which is highly regrettable. This is solely because of my inadequacy," Edano told a meeting of party executives.
"I've decided we must head for the upper house election next year ... under a new leader and in a new formation." (Reuters)
November
Taiwan to woo backers at APEC for bid to join Pacific trade pact
Written by Nur Yasmin
Taiwan will seek support for its bid to join a trans-Pacific trade pact when it attends a meeting of economic leaders of the Asia-Pacific group APEC next week, President Tsai Ing-wen said on Tuesday.
China, which has also applied to join the pact, opposes Taiwan's membership and has increased military activities near the island which Beijing claims and has not ruled out taking by force. read more
Taiwan and China both applied in September to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).
Economic leaders from the Asia-Pacific trade group APEC, which includes the United States, China and Japan, will meet virtually next week to discuss a path forward for the region to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
"I'd like to ask envoy Chang to use this meeting to gather support from more APEC members for Taiwan to join CPTPP," Tsai told reporters, referring to Taiwan's representative for the meeting, chip giant TSMC (2330.TW) founder Morris Chang.
"Envoy Chang will express Taiwan's support and insistence for free trade."
Speaking at the same event, Chang said he will use his six-minute speech to emphasise Taiwan's qualification to reach CPTPP's high standards, as well as the island's already "very high" trade contribution to the major pan-Pacific free trade pact. He did not elaborate.
Joining CPTPP has become the latest in a string of tensions between Beijing and Taipei, which is excluded from many international bodies because of China's insistence that it is part of "one-China" regardless of Taiwan's claim that it is an independent country.
In an interview with Reuters in September, Taiwan's economy minister questioned China's suitability for the Pacific trade pact, citing restrictive trade practices by the world's second-largest economy, and feared "obstruction" made by Beijing. read more
Taiwan, a major semiconductor producer, is a member of the World Trade Organization and the APEC grouping.
Tensions between Taiwan and China have escalated sharply in recent weeks as Beijing raises military pressure that has included repeated missions by Chinese warplanes in Taiwan's air defence identification zone. (Reuters)
November
China, Russia revive push to lift U.N. sanctions on North Korea
Written by Nur Yasmin
China and Russia are pushing the U.N. Security Council to ease sanctions on North Korea by reviving a 2019 attempt to remove a ban on Pyongyang's exports of statues, seafood and textiles and expanding it to include lifting a refined petroleum imports cap.
In a reworked draft resolution, seen by Reuters on Monday, China and Russia want the 15-member council to remove those sanctions "with the intent of enhancing the livelihood of the civilian population" in the isolated Asian state.
North Korea has been subject to U.N. sanctions since 2006 over its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
The draft resolution also includes other measures first proposed by Russia and China nearly two years ago, including lifting a ban on North Koreans working abroad and exempting inter-Korean rail and road cooperation projects from sanctions.
Several U.N. diplomats, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the refreshed draft resolution would find little support. In 2019 Russia and China held two informal rounds of talks on the draft resolution, but never formally tabled it for a vote.
Diplomats said on Monday that China and Russia have not yet scheduled any talks on their new draft resolution. A resolution needs nine votes in favor and no vetoes by the United States, France, Britain, Russia or China to pass.
The U.N. missions of Russia and China did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the new text, which diplomats said was circulated to council members on Friday.
"It has been always China's will that we should also address the humanitarian dimension caused by the sanctions imposed by the Security Council," China's U.N. Ambassador Zhang Jun told reporters last month, adding again that the 2019 draft resolution "remains on the table."
'DIFFICULT SITUATION'
A spokesperson for the U.S. mission to the United Nations declined to comment on private council discussions, but added that all U.N. members should be focused on addressing those who are violating the sanctions already in place.
"The Security Council has repeatedly affirmed that it is prepared to modify, suspend, or lift the measures as may be needed in light of the DPRK's compliance," the spokesperson said. "Yet the DPRK has taken no steps to comply with the Security Council's demands regarding its prohibited nuclear and ballistic missile programs."
North Korea is formally known as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
The U.N. Security Council does already allow for humanitarian exemptions. A U.N. rights investigator last month called for sanctions to be eased as North Korea's most vulnerable risk starvation after it slipped deeper into isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The sanctions on industries that Russia and China have proposed lifting previously earned North Korea hundreds of millions of dollars. They were put in place in 2016 and 2017 to try to cut off funding for Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programs.
North Korea continued developing its nuclear and ballistic missile programs during the first half of 2021 in violation of U.N. sanctions and despite the country's worsening economic situation, U.N. sanctions monitors reported in August.
The country has long suffered from food insecurity, with observers saying that mismanagement of the economy is exacerbated by sanctions and now the COVID-19 pandemic, which prompted unprecedented border lockdowns there.
The new draft resolution would have the council acknowledge "the difficult situation of economy and livelihood of the DPRK in recent years, underscoring the necessity to respect the legitimate security concerns of the DPRK, and ensure the welfare, inherent dignity, and rights of people in the DPRK." (Reuters)
November
S.Korea eases curbs, imposes vaccine passports in 'living with COVID-19' campaign
Written by Nur Yasmin
New rules aimed at moving South Koreans toward "living with COVID-19" came into effect on Monday, with the easing of a range of curbs and the introduction of vaccine passports at high-risk venues such as gyms, saunas and bars.
The switch of focus comes as more than 75% of the country's population has been fully vaccinated. The first phase of the revised rules is due to last for a month, with plans to scrap all restrictions by February.
"The return path to everyday life, to which we're taking the first step today, is a path we've never been on," Health Minister Kwon Deok-cheol told an intra-agency COVID-19 meeting.
He asked people to keep wearing masks, regularly ventilate rooms and get a test if symptoms emerge, noting that there are still concerns about a potential resurgence of new cases due to risk factors such as unvaccinated people, future declines in immunity among the vaccinated, and year-end gatherings.
While never under lockdown, South Korea has been battling a fourth wave of infections since July, when the government imposed tighter gathering and social distancing restrictions.
Among a raft of changes, curfews on restaurants and cafes were lifted, outdoor sports events will be allowed to host spectators at 50% of capacity, and the government has dropped a recommendation that at least 30% of companies' employees work from home.
Up to 100 people can attend musicals or concerts regardless of vaccination status, while gyms will no longer have to limit treadmill speeds, ban playing music with high beats per minute during group exercises, or close showers.
High-risk venues such as bars and night clubs, indoor gyms, saunas and karaoke bars will require proof of vaccination from visitors, or a negative COVID-19 test result from within 48 hours.
"I’m a little worried but I think this is a path to return to normal,” said Yoo Byeong-gum at one gym in Seoul.
Some customers had struggled to get the vaccine pass because they were not able to get all the needed doses due to side effects, gym owner Kang Hyun-gu said.
At one colatec - daytime discotheques that cater to older people - around 20 masked people were dancing for the first time in about six months after being allowed to reopen with a vaccine pass requirement.
Health ministry spokesman Son Young-rae said the medical system was designed to handle up to 5,000 new cases a day, but if the numbers rose to near 10,000, the government would halt the easing process and take emergency measures.
South Korea reported 1,686 new COVID-19 cases as of Sunday, for a total of 366,386, with 2,858 deaths overall. (Reuters)
November
Singapore may see 2,000 COVID-19 deaths each year- minister
Written by Nur Yasmin
Singapore could see as many 2,000 COVID-19 deaths annually over time, mainly among the elderly,but it was focused on avoiding excess mortality, a minister said on Monday, as the country battles its biggest surge in infections.
At 0.2% Singapore's COVID-19 case fatality rate is similar to the rate of deaths from pneumonia before the pandemic struck, said Janil Puthucheary, a senior minister of state in parliament.
It is also lower than other countries where cases surged before vaccination, he said.
"But it does mean that over time, the absolute number of deaths from COVID-19 will rise despite the best possible medical care," he said. "We could have perhaps 2,000 deaths per year from COVID-19."
The minister did not specify for how many years that estimate might apply. Singapore had 4,000 deaths per year due to influenza and other respiratory diseases pre-pandemic, he said.
More than 80% of Singapore's 5.45 million population has been fully vaccinated and almost all its cases are asymptomatic or mild. About 95% of those who died in the last six months were older than 60 years and 72% of those who died were not fully vaccinated.
Puthucheary said the country was trying to live with COVID-19 as endemic without excess mortality. "Though we will have deaths as a result of COVID-19, we will not see more overall deaths than we would in a normal non-COVID year."
The city-stateextended curbs to contain the spread of COVID-19 until late this month, drawing some criticism from the public.
But the prime minister's wife Ho Ching said people should stop complaining.
"We are just spoilt kids if we keep on harping on our disappointment about dining and freedoms...let's do our best to help, instead of wasting our energies on tantrums and bitching," said Ho. (Reuters)
November
Cambodia reopens to 'new way of life' after beating COVID-19 vaccine target
Written by Nur Yasmin
Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen declared his country reopen and ready for a new way of life on Monday, having surpassed its COVID-19 vaccination target and recorded one of Asia's highest inoculation rates.
Cambodia has vaccinated nearly 86% if its more than 16 million people, with two million given booster shots already and 300,000 school children age 5 set to be inoculated on Monday alone. The ratio is similar to that of Singapore.
Hun Sen, said it was time to get on with life.
"From now on, the full reopening of the country in all areas and living with COVID-19 in a new way of life starts from today," he said.
"I won't be in a crab cave anymore," he said.
Cambodia has recorded more than 118,522 coronavirus cases and 2,788 deaths overall, the vast majority this year. The country, among the poorest in Asia, has been lauded for its early success in administering vaccines.
Hun Sen said the government had a supply of 10 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine for boosters and more were on order.
The country reopened its theatres and museums at the weekend, reflecting a decline in new coronavirus cases.
It will also reopen three tourist locations to vaccinated visitors from the end of this month, with quarantine reduced to five days in Sihanoukville, nearby Koh Rong and Koh Kong provinces. (Reuters)
November
Hong Kong to tighten quarantine rules for most consular staff
Written by Nur Yasmin
Hong Kong is dropping a provision for most consular staff to serve quarantine at home, opting for hotel stays instead, as it doubles down on some of the world's toughest coronavirus curbs, hoping to sway mainland China to open the border with the city.
The global financial hub is following Beijing's lead in retaining draconian travel curbs, in contrast to a global trend of opening up and living with the coronavirus.
"We are doing this to ensure the risk is reduced to the minimum, because we can see that the cases in Hong Kong are imported cases," Chief Secretary John Lee told reporters on Monday, adding that the new rules take effect on Nov. 12.
The government had identified two imported cases linked to consular staff, it said in a separate statement.
Until now, staff at consulates have only been required to quarantine at home, unlike most others arriving in Hong Kong, who have had to isolate themselves in a hotel for up to 21 days at their own cost.
The new rules cover all those below the rank of consul general, who will still be permitted home quarantine.
Crossborder truck drivers, flight and cargo vessel crews, and government officials will remain exempt.
Hong Kong officials faced criticism in August after it emerged that Australian actor Nicole Kidman had been allowed to skip quarantine for "the purpose of performing designated professional work". read more
Authorities are betting that a tightening in quarantine and patient discharge rules in recent weeks could help sway Beijing to ease border curbs between the semi-autonomous city and mainland China, its primary source of growth.
On the other hand, international business lobby groups have warned Hong Kong may lose talent and investment, as well as competitive ground to rival finance hubs such as Singapore, unless it eases travel curbs. read more
Despite barely any recent local cases and an environment virtually free of COVID-19, Hong Kong's mandatory quarantine term is 21 days for arrivals from most countries, with an extra 14 days in a designated facility for recovered people leaving hospital. (Reuters)