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U.S., Britain to promote Japanese equipment for 5G networks

Jan 12. 2021(The Yomiuri Shimbun)

By The Japan News/ANN

To develop high-speed 5G wireless communication networks, the governments of Japan, the United States and Britain will heighten their cooperation in promoting the equipment and technologies developed by Japanese companies, the Yomiuri Shimbun has learned.

The United States and Britain have begun working to exclude the equipment of Huawei Technologies Co. of China from their next-generation 5G networks, but they also maintain a policy of diversifying supply chains. For Japanese makers such as NEC Corp. and Fujitsu Ltd., both of which pale in comparison to their foreign rivals in terms of global market share, this is a golden opportunity to recover lost ground.

The mobile industry’s big three — Huawei, Ericsson of Sweden, and Nokia of Finland — hold an about 80% share of the global market for equipment related to communication base stations, including 5G networks. Should Huawei products be excluded from 5G networks, development of which will get into full swing in the future, sources for procuring products will become limited.

From the awareness of the fact that “being overly dependent on a small number of suppliers for critical national infrastructure will bring about a serious risk,” as the British government has put it, the Japanese and British governments have been negotiating a possible partnership for the diversification of supply chains for telecommunications equipment makers.

In a bid to increase the options for supplying manufacturers, the British government announced in November last year that it would launch a trial with NEC to test and demonstrate its equipment in building 5G communication networks in the country.

The United States also shares an awareness of the problems involved.

Both the Japanese and U.S. governments, at a director general-level meeting held last autumn, agreed to cooperate in diversifying supply sources for 5G equipment, keeping in mind products to be made by Japanese manufacturers.

As both NEC and Fujitsu support the plan of the U.S. government to exclude Chinese companies from the telecommunications networks, the two firms are said to be considered likely options as reliable suppliers.

The Japanese and U.S. governments have also agreed to boost cooperation in “Beyond 5G,” or sixth-generation wireless networks. Japan’s government intends to enhance the presence of Japanese makers in the global market of 5G equipment and have them take the lead in 6G as well.

According to British market research firm Omdia, Huawei accounted for 33% of the global market share for equipment related to mobile phone base stations in 2019, including 5G networks. It was followed by Ericsson at 25% and Nokia at 20%.

Huawei, which ranks first, has a broad range of products and equipment, thanks to massive spending on research and investment. It has been chosen as a supplier by a broad range of customers across the world, also because of its relatively low costs.

Among Japanese makers, NEC has only a 0.7% share, and Fujitsu 0.6%.

Japanese manufacturers have until now been unable to make their presence felt in the sphere of telecommunications equipment. However, triggered by the change in security situations with the rise of China on the global scene, Japanese makers have drawn attention as reliable suppliers among Japan’s allies and friends.

5G wireless devices are expected to be used in every field, ranging from automobiles and medical care services to electricity and water supplies. Due to security concerns, such as cyber spying and cyber terrorism, the United States and other countries have moved to exclude Chinese manufacturers, including Huawei, from their 5G networks.

The United States and Britain’s indication of their willingness to diversify their sources of equipment for their 5G networks will give Japanese companies a golden opportunity to regain lost ground in this field.

NEC has been developing internationally competitive radio-communication base stations under its capital and business tie-up with Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT). With the establishment of its global open RAN (radio access networks) center in Britain as its foothold, NEC intends to develop equipment suited to the local telecommunication environment and sell it to local telecom companies.

At home, NEC has been developing wireless devices in partnership with Rakuten, Inc. to be used in 5G base stations.

Fujitsu, too, plans to reinforce its business projects overseas. Company President Takahito Tokita said recently that “it is an option” for his company to even join the NTT-NEC alliance to establish 5G communication network infrastructure.

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[Malaysia] King proclaims nationwide Emergency until Aug 1

Jan 12. 2021

By The Star/ANN

PETALING JAYA: The King has proclaimed a state of emergency nationwide from Tuesday (Jan 12) until Aug 1 as a proactive measure to contain the Covid-19 pandemic.

Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah agreed to the decision after a meeting with Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin on Monday (Jan 11).

“I urge the people to remain calm and strong to face this state of emergency and the movement control order for our own safety and interest,” said Comptroller of the Royal Household of Istana Negara Datuk Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin in a statement on Tuesday.

He said that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong decreed that the emergency be in force up to Aug 1 or earlier if the number of Covid-19 cases can be effectively controlled and reduced.

Al-Sultan Abdullah also consented to a government proposal to set up an independent committee comprising government and opposition MPs as well as health experts to manage the COVID-19 situation, he said.

“This Independent Committee will make recommendations to His Majesty if it deems fit that the emergency can be withdrawn much earlier (than Aug 1), ” said Ahmad Fadli.

On Monday, Muhyiddin announced that six states will be put under a movement control order starting Wednesday (Jan 13).

In his address on Monday, Muhyiddin said Johor, Melaka, Selangor, Penang, Sabah and the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan will be under an MCO until Jan 26.

Muhyiddin added that a recovery MCO will be imposed in Perlis and most of Sarawak.

He also said that three districts in Sarawak – Kuching, Miri and Sibu – as well as Pahang, Perak, Negri Sembilan, Kedah, Terengganu and Kelantan will be under conditional MCO.

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WHO experts to visit China on Jan 14

Jan 12. 2021A computer image created by Nexu Science Communication together with Trinity College in Dublin, shows a model structurally representative of a betacoronavirus which is the type of virus linked to COVID-19 shared with Reuters on Feb 18, 2020. [Photo/Agencies]

By Wang Xiaodong
China Daily/ANN

An international expert team from the World Health Organization will arrive in China on Thursday to conduct joint scientific research with Chinese scientists on the origin of the novel coronavirus, the National Health Commission said on Monday.

No further details were disclosed in the brief statement released on the commission’s website.

China has attached high importance to tracing the origins of the novel coronavirus and supports cooperation between China and the WHO on the issue, Zeng Yixin, vice-minister of the commission, said at a news conference on Saturday.

China has had detailed discussion on the visit to Wuhan, capital of Hubei province, by WHO experts and agreement has been reached between the two sides. Preparations have been made for cooperation in scientific research during the visit in China, he said.

China hopes the cooperation can contribute to finding the origin of the novel coronavirus and improve knowledge of the virus, which is very important for the prevention and control of outbreaks of new infectious diseases in the future, he said.

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Use of tracking device overseas among precautions to protect crew: Singapore Airlines

Jan 11. 2021Flight crew who need to stay overseas during layover flights will have to wear devices that track their location. ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG

By Toh Ting Wei
The Straits Times/ANN

SINGAPORE – Flight crew who need to stay overseas during layover flights will have to wear devices that track their location in order to ensure that they comply with a rule requiring them to stay in their hotel rooms.

They are not allowed to physically interact with one another during the layover period.

These are part of several precautions in place to minimise the risk of Covid-19 infection among Singapore Airlines (SIA) flight crew and passengers, said the carrier last week in response to queries.

SIA said it is committed to ensuring that all precautionary measures are constantly reviewed to safeguard everyone’s well-being during the travel journey.

“We remain guided by the authorities and will work closely with them to make adjustments, if necessary, in order to ensure the health and safety of our staff and customers during our flights,” it said.

It did not disclose how many crew and pilots are taking to the skies and the frequencies of their flights. But it said there are many precautions in place to minimise any risk of infection.

On measures for pilots and cabin crew, SIA said they have to complete a health declaration and take their temperature before starting work. They must not report for duty if they are unwell.

They are required to adhere to social distancing measures where possible, such as during their pre-flight briefing sessions and also in their commutes to and from airport terminals.

Cabin crew members have to wear goggles, as well as gloves when necessary, while interacting with customers. They also wear protective gowns on flights from certain sectors, such as London and Johannesburg.

“Social distancing measures that they have to adhere to during flights include no congregating in the galley, staggered meal times and remaining in respective work areas at all times,” SIA said.

Fresh bedding is provided for all crew if inflight rest is applicable.

Upon their return to Singapore, all crew have to go home immediately. “All crew who have operated to high risk destinations must self-isolate until they receive negative results from the three swab tests that they have to take on arrival and on the third and seventh day after arrival,” SIA added.

Mr Alan Tan, president of the Singapore Airlines Staff Union, said the flight crew have been understanding and complying with the rules.

“If you fly for 16-18 hours to reach New York then have to stay in a room alone, it can be quite tough… but the crew understand that this is necessary,” he said.

“There are some concerns about the imported cases from overseas on flights, but it is part of our job. Crew members can take leave if they are not comfortable to fly.”

An SIA steward who declined to be named said he is “very grateful” that the carrier has invested in personal protective equipment to ensure that crew are protected, given that they have to serve a wide range of passengers.

The steward, who is rostered for one flight a month, said: “Yes, it’s inconvenient and uncomfortable to wear the gown, mask and goggles but if we come into contact with passengers who are unwell or refuse to wear their mask, at least we are protected,” he said.

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[Vietnam] Provinces rushing to deploy 5G

Jan 11. 2021A worker of Viettel checks 5G equipment. — Photo courtesy of Viettel

By Viet Nam News/ANN

HÀ NỘI — After telecoms carriers conducted commercial 5G trials in big cities like Hà Nội and HCM City, many provinces have sent recommendations to the Ministry of Information and Communications to allow the carriers to deploy 5G in their urban areas, industrial zones and key areas.

In a petition sent to the Ministry of Information and Communications, the departments of information and communications of Phú Thọ and Bình Phước provinces proposed the ministry direct telecommunications businesses to deploy 5G in the provinces.

Lai Châu Department of Information and Communications proposed investing in infrastructure development to improve the quality of 3G and 4G and develop 5G in the province.

Responding to the requests, the Việt Nam Telecommunications Authority (VNTA) under the Ministry of Information and Communications said that based on testing results and proposals of businesses, the ministry would study and license mobile businesses to deploy 5G, prioritising industrial parks, high-tech parks, and information technology to focus on implementing innovative digital technologies.

The ministry suggested the departments work with mobile businesses in their areas and VNTA survey the practical situation to determine priority areas for infrastructure investment.

The VNTA also said that the Ministry of Information and Communications had determined the implementation of 5G in the country would give priority to utilising the entire infrastructure of 4G, focusing on deployment in industrial parks, high-tech parks, and information technology parks to deploy innovative digital technologies, while at the same time encouraging telecommunication businesses to share infrastructure.

The Ministry of Information and Communications granted licences to major carriers including Viettel, VinaPhone and MobiFone to test commercial 5G services from November last year.

Telecom enterprises plan to initially deploy 5G in big cities such as Hà Nội, HCM City and then Bắc Ninh.

This pilot implementation is concentrated on populous areas and in those with a high proportion of people with 5G terminal equipment in the country.

The Ministry of Information and Communications said due to the difficulty of geography, sparse population, and low demand, some remote areas and border areas are not covered with 3G and 4G.

Therefore, it has directed telecommunications businesses, especially Viettel and VNPT, to focus on deploying telecommunications infrastructure in important areas such as borders and islands to contribute to ensuring social security and defence. — VNS

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N. Korea crowns leader Kim Jong-un as party’s general secretary

Jan 11. 2021North Korean leader Kim Jong-un speaks during the second day of the eighth congress of the ruling Workers’ Party in Pyongyang last Wednesday, in this photo released by the North’s official Korean Central News Agency the next day. North Korea has launched the rare party congress, the first in nearly five years, amid expectations Pyongyang will unveil its policy directions on the economy and foreign affairs in the face of stalled denuclearization negotiations. (KCNA-Yonhap)

By The Korea Herald/ANN

North Korea has endorsed leader Kim Jong-un as the general secretary of the ruling Workers’ Party at its ongoing congress, state media said Monday, in an apparent move to tighten his grip on power.

The election took place at the sixth-day session of the party’s eighth congress in Pyongyang on Sunday, following the North’s revision of party rules to reinstate the secretariat system that was scrapped in 2016, according to the North’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

“The 8th Congress … unanimously adopted a decision on electing Kim Jong-un as general secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea in reflection of the unanimous will and desire of all the delegates and other Party members, all the people and service personnel of the People’s Army,” the report said.

The general secretary title was previously held by Kim’s late predecessors, his grandfather Kim Il-sung and father Kim Jong-il.

Since Kim took office following his father’s death in late 2011, the North has called Kim Jong-il the “eternal general secretary” of the party and Kim Il-sung the “eternal president” of North Korea.

During an election that took place the same day, Kim’s younger sister, Kim Yo-jong, was not included as an alternate member of the party’s powerful political bureau.

Speculation has swirled that the younger Kim, previously an alternate member of the politburo, could be promoted to a higher position as she appeared to have undertaken a prominent role in inter-Korean affairs and other key issues.

Jo Yong-won, a senior party official who was often spotted accompanying the leader during his field trips last year, was promoted to a member of the presidium of the political bureau, a position held by only five people in the North including leader Kim.

Pak Pong-ju, a former member of the presidium, was removed from all party positions apparently due to his age.

North Korea’s First Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui was demoted to an alternate member of the party’s central committee from a member amid an impasse in the North’s nuclear negotiations with the United States.

The North Korean leader has held three meetings with US President Donald Trump, but denuclearization talks have made little progress since their no-deal summit in Hanoi in February 2019.

During an earlier session of the congress, Kim defined the US as the North’s “foremost principal enemy” and vowed to bolster its nuclear arsenal, which experts see as aimed at pressuring the incoming Joe Biden administration.

Jang Kum-chol, head of the North’s United Front Department that deals with inter-Korean affairs, also appears to have been replaced by Kim Yong-chol, as he was not included on the list of party department directors while Kim was on the list.

Kim Song-nam, first vice director handling relations with China, was promoted to director.

Experts say the North’s leader is now expected to boost his new leadership style in full swing while inheriting the history and tradition of his predecessors.

“Yet diplomacy with the US and economic recovery remain the biggest challenges for North Korea, and without properly resolving these tasks, it will be difficult for Kim to secure his authority as the general secretary,” Lim Eul-chul, a professor at the Institute for Far Eastern Studies at Kyungnam University, said.

North Korea has faced a triple whammy of the fallout of back-to-back typhoons in summer, a protracted border closure due to the coronavirus pandemic, and global sanctions on its economy.

KCNA said the congress was to continue with a seventh-day session on Monday.

The event appears to be coming to an end, but it is unclear exactly when the congress will close as the North has not made public the schedule. The previous congress in 2016 was held for four days. (Yonhap)

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Enhanced smallpox vaccine found effective against coronavirus

Jan 11. 2021Representational Image

By The Japan News/ANN

An enhanced smallpox vaccine produced by a research team in Japan has been confirmed to be effective in preventing infection with the novel coronavirus.

The team, including members from the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science (TMiMS), verified the results through animal testing and found it may have longer effectiveness than vaccines, it said in making the announcement last week.

Nobelpharma Co., a Tokyo-based pharmaceutical company, plans to begin clinical trials sometime this year.

Researchers incorporated a part of a coronavirus gene into an attenuated vaccinia virus used as the smallpox vaccine. After administering two doses of the combination to monkeys three weeks apart, antibodies that attack the coronavirus and immune cells that attack infected cells were created.

When four of the inoculated monkeys were then infected with the coronavirus, viral growth in their lungs and the onset of pneumonia were found to have been strongly suppressed. No serious side effects from the vaccine were observed, the researchers said.

“The safety of vaccines using vaccinia virus is high, and are expected to maintain strong effectiveness over a long period,” said TMiMS researcher Michinori Kohara, who specializes in infectious immunology.

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China’s COVID-19 vaccine found capable of neutralizing UK strain

Jan 11. 2021A medical worker prepares for the COVID-19 vaccination at a temporary vaccination site in Haidian district of Beijing, Jan 6, 2021. [Photo/Xinhua]

By Zhang Zhihao
China Daily/ANN

China’s COVID-19 vaccine is found capable of neutralizing the new strain of the novel coronavirus that was reported to be behind the rise in transmission of the disease in parts of the United Kingdom, senior health official said on Saturday.

Zeng Yixin, vice-minister of the National Health Commission, said China’s scientific community is paying close attention to the new variant and its effect on current vaccines as reports indicated that the new strain had arrived in China via imported cases.

Scientists from the Institute of Laboratory Animal Sciences of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and the Sun Yat-sen University in Guangdong province are already working on the issue, Zeng said during a news briefing held by the State Council Information Office.

After examining the new viral strain and strains that existed in China from January to June last year, researchers found that the animal and human antibodies induced by China’s COVID-19 vaccine can neutralize the new variant, Zeng said, adding they have submitted their findings to scientific journals and is awaiting publication.

“This result has fortified our confidence that our vaccine can neutralize the mutated variant,” Zeng said. “At least for now, we know current mutations of SARS-CoV-2 will not affect the potency of vaccines. This point is very certain.”

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Indonesian authorities find black box signals, oil spill likely from crashed plane

Jan 10. 2021

By The Straits Times

JAKARTA – Authorities searching for the ill-fated Sriwijaya Air Boeing 737 plane that crashed on Saturday (Jan 9) have picked up signals possibly coming from the aircraft’s black box, search and rescue agency Basarnas chief Bagus Puruhito told MetroTV in an interview on Sunday.https://www.youtube.com/embed/08m2vtr55KY?rel=0

“We received two emergency signals, which would help us find the black box,” Marshal Bagus Puruhito told MetroTV. “We have marked the spots with buoys and will immediately deploy divers there.”

He added that one of the signals is from the emergency locator transmitter (ELT). Weather and visibility underwater now are favourable to search operations, he said.

Earlier, the Indonesian Air Force said it spotted a fuel spill suspected to be from the plane, which took a steep dive minutes after take-off from Jakarta on Saturday afternoon.

The oil spill covered a very large part of the sea south of Laki island in the Thousand Islands district north of Jakarta, near where joint search efforts have been deployed since Saturday, two-star marshal Henri Alfiandi, the operations assistant to the air force chief, told reporters on Sunday morning.

Among debris hauled on Sunday morning from the Java sea were parts of the plane’s wheels, a torn steel alloy sheet with blue paint and pink children’s trousers.

The Boeing 737-500 plane disappeared from radar above the sea roughly between Laki island and Lancang island, north-east of Laki island.

Sixty-two people were aboard the plane – 12 crew and 50 passengers, including seven older children and three infants.

The spotting of the oil spill comes as two bags of body parts and debris were evacuated from the sea and handed over to the police disaster victim identification (DVI) department.

Jakarta police spokesman Yusri Yunus said the DVI team has started work on the two body bags containing body parts and passenger belongings. The focus of search operations has been in the waters between Laki island and Lancang island in the Thousand Islands.

DNA tests would be carried out to match the remains with samples taken from family members of the passengers. Police appealed to the families of the victims to come forward to the Kramat Jati police hospital in East Jakarta.

A diver involved in the search and rescue operation told Kompas TV that his team had an underwater metal detector and a pinger locator to pick up signals for the plane’s two black boxes.

Flight SJ182’s last contact was at around 2.40pm Jakarta time, four minutes into its 90-minute journey to Pontianak, capital of West Kalimantan province.

The aircraft lost more than 3,000m in altitude in less than a minute, according to flight-tracking website Flightradar24.

Several witnesses living on an island near where the plane disappeared described hearing explosions, while others believed they had found objects that were from the plane.

Transport ministry spokesman Adita Irawati said the plane had deviated from its normal course before it disappeared from the radar. The flight was delayed for about an hour due to heavy rain before its eventual take-off.

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South Korea court ruling on former comfort women worsens bilateral relationship

Jan 10. 2021

By The Japan News

The Japanese government is strongly opposed to a decision by the Seoul Central District Court in South Korea on Friday to order the Japanese government to compensate former comfort women.

The Japanese government plans to urge South Korea to rectify the violation of international law, as the court ruling denied the principle of “sovereign immunity” under international law.

It is unclear whether the South Korean administration of President Moon Jae-in will take active steps to resolve the situation, and Japan-South Korea relations may become even colder.

“We cannot accept the ruling at all,” Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga told reporters at the Prime Minister’s Office on the same day.

The principle of “sovereign immunity,” under which no state is subject to the jurisdiction of another state, is derived from the fact that sovereign states are equal to each other. It is established as customary international law. “This [the ruling] goes beyond Japan-Korea relations and concerns the very foundation of nations. It’s an unbelievable ruling,” a senior Foreign Ministry official said, with unconcealed indignation.

The 1965 Agreement on the Settlement of Problems Concerning Property and Claims and on Economic Cooperation stipulates the issue of claims between Japan and South Korea is settled “completely and finally.”

On the comfort women and other issues, South Korea has disregarded the agreement. However, the senior official said: “[The latest ruling] goes beyond disregard of the agreement; it is something that directly undermines the relationship between the two countries,” suggesting that the ruling took the ministry by surprise.

There are concerns that South Korean individuals may file lawsuits against the Japanese government one after another in the future.

The Seoul Central District Court stated that sovereign immunity does not apply to the lawsuit over the comfort women issue, saying that Japan’s actions had violated “jus cogens,” or norms that cannot be deviated from under international law.

However, a 2012 International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling in a dispute between Germany and Italy over German military actions during World War II ruled that even if Germany’s actions violated jus cogens, it was not a reason to deny sovereign immunity.

Waseda University Prof. Hiroyuki Banzai, who specializes in international law, commented on the ICJ ruling. “The recognition of sovereign immunity does not mean acceptance of violation of jus cogens. They are just two separate matters,” he said.

“The decision of the Seoul Central District Court is a judgment that feels strange to me regarding how the interpretation of sovereign immunity can be distorted this far,” Banzai added.

The Japanese government is cautious about bringing the case to the ICJ because it could become an opportunity to spread South Korea’s claims internationally. For the time being, the government plans to wait and see what the South Korean government does.

The Seoul Central District Court has also granted provisional execution of the ruling, so that the plaintiffs can apply for seizure of Japanese government property in South Korea even if the Japanese government appeals.

“We have to assess whether there is any [Japanese] property in Korea that could be subject to seizure,” a lawyer representing the plaintiffs told reporters after the ruling.

If the South Korean side decides to seize such property, the Japanese government is prepared to take strong countermeasures.

However, since state property is also subject to sovereign immunity, some in the South Korean government believe that it would be difficult to seize it without Japan’s consent.