news asia, catherine from china and north korea changing the security plans of democracies in east asia. and japan's verbal railways may be struggling, but some of found new ways to keep on rolling. that's coming up if they got the news i should after a short break. remember, there's more needs to be found on a website that's at the www dot com, and he can post find us on twitter or instagram. the handle you need for socials is at a w nice on anthony halliday in berlin. i'll be back with them to use bulletin for you in 45 years. with cash. i'm you can that i want. that's hard and in the end is a me, you are not a lot of to you anymore. we will send you back. are you familiar with this with the

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and from japan, a story of survival. the country's rural railways struggle as pasadena was full, so operate as to finding other weights to keep on rolling. ah, i beg for sewland welcome. north korea should in the new year, vowing to mass produce battle field, nuclear weapons targeting south korea and introduce a more powerful intercontinental ballistic missile capable of striking the united states made. but then sol brought up the prospect of joint nuclear exercises with the u. s. president joe biden denies. they have been talks between the allies, south korea reconfirming tuesday that they are in discussions following the height and threats from the north. we've also received use that south korea carried out

a solid fuel rocket test last week. the defense ministry says it was part of efforts to build a space based surveillance capability and bolster its defense posture. it didn't notify the public causing a brief scare. some people thought it was a north korean missile. others, a u. f o. well, regional tensions and rushes war on ukraine is stoking fee is in japan. it recently unveiled its biggest military build up since the 2nd world war. a $320000000000.00 plan that will buy missiles capable of striking china and radiate for sustained conflict. east asian countries are responding to the changing status quo in the region. it's a challenge attempting to rapidly changing times. the idea of growing its own military muscle is in you in japan. it just didn't get prioritized. but in

december, the government finally announced a new national security strategy that will see its defense spending being doubled within 5 years. a response to china's military buildup and increasing activity in the region. given approval, i recognized that your present diplomatic and militaristic behavior of china poses a challenge to our efforts to maintain the peace and safety of japan guide and the pace and stability of the international community. and to solidify the international order based on the rule of law often bought managed york or state or with a egg or yeah, but it's not just china to japan. north korea's nuclear weapons program is also a very real threat. young young fired an unprecedented number of missiles in 2022 behavior that also worries sol, even after a denial from president joe biden, south korea and says it's discussing possible joint exercises with the u. s. using

washington. it's nuclear assets. this came after pyongyang labeled so as it's unsolved at enemy and sent military drones into the south to none too long ago. it was such an incident that show that our military's ready with some training very insufficient over the years. we'll talk later clearly confirmed that stronger preparedness and training on needed or, you know, room crunch had gone yet, but was south korea and japan countering similar regional threats. relations between the 2 neighbors have also been at their worst and years. last month, south korea summoned a senior diplomat from japan's embassy following the announcement of tokyo's new national security strategy. so protested against japan's territories claimed over the contested islands of dock door or turkish shima in the plan. one of the past disputes hindering the neighbors closer ties despite their shared wish to maintain

the regions status quo. our estate correspondent can tell us more william young. let's start with japan's record defense budget. how does the government justify those measures considering its pacifist constitution? so the japanese government have laid out very clear reason why they feel contempt and also necessary for them to raise the defense budget. they cited us threats coming from china, russia in north korea, as the primary reasons why japan nice to enhance its budget and also invest in a lot more defense capabilities. and one of the biggest changes that experts have a point at our isde, a counter strike capability, which well fundamentally changed japan's defense policy and the direction of japan's entire defense strategy. and its so called national security strategy.

japan makes a territorial claim over dispute islands with south korea, which it seems sole issue, a strong protest. right? the island has long been a very sore point between so in tokyo and currently the south korea have actually sent in a bass. they are police over there, but japan has long also claimed territorial integrity over that island in this protest, i think and comes at a point where the u. s. is really trying to build a partnership between japan and south korea in the, in the pacific. and in the south korean in the pacific strategy that was just released last week, we also seen that they mention the very importance of strengthening the relationship with japan. so i think this island dispy will continue to be a very difficult point for both countries to try to resolve as they try to bill

closer partnership in connection, especially on the security front. in the overall in the pacific strategy under the umbrella that is led by the united states. well, how does that dispute or how far back will that dispute then put south korea in japan in their joint efforts to uphold regional piece? i think the biggest challenge to the bilateral trust between japan and south korea for them to strength and security relationship is going to come with the trust that they have with each other in obviously the dispute over these islands will continue to put some challenge over how both countries can overcome decades of mistrust between each other and then really becomes security partners that the u. s. can rely on. and at this point, we are not really seen both sides of putting forward

a very concrete plan for them to compromise or have reach consensus over these islands. so for them to be able to actually become reliable security partners in the region, they will definitely 1st have to make the 1st step to actually reach how and had bilateral relationship and talks over the status of these islands and put it into perspective for us. how much of a bigger threat is this growing? fred from north korea's ballistic missile program. as we know, last year was the year that north korea conducted the highest number of their miss out tests in history. and just in the beginning of this year, they have already conducted to a large scale miss out test just before the new year and then on sunday as well. and then the new north train leader can one has also, mary made it really clear that they are going to increase their investment and

they've abilities in the nuclear strike weapons. and they pointed to south korea in the u. s. as the primary threat for them to be pushed to do that. and so i think experts are also pointing out that essentially the skill of these tests should no longer just be characterized as a missile test. they should be viewed as military exercises because of the skill and the frequency that it's happening. and they are concerned that there is probably not going to be short term solution to de escalate attention that is currently really reaching appalling point in the korean peninsula. and you mentioned china before how, why do we have to be about it's ambitions abroad? i think we should pay very close attention to the people's liberation army activities in and around asia. it's not only just in south china sea where they

have long been conducting these very provocative moves and try to expand their territorial claims. but at the same time, in the over the last year, they have been conducting regular military exercises with russia near japan. and that is exactly one of the points that was highlighted in japan's, a national security and national defense plans that china is now the greatest security challenge to japan and also to the international community. and we have and are continuing to see the close relationship with between russia and china, being highlighted by the 2 leaders. most recently, just a few days ago, she didn't p. m, the russian president vladimir putin met it via video conference. and they highlighted this importance of the bilateral relationship again. and so i think we need to pay very close attention to how china is really expanding, is ambition in south china sea in east tennessee. and obviously,

also in the time when street, where there are a lot of potential threats and also potential points that could potentially escalate the situation. the w william young, it could be an interesting 2023. 0, now for a story of survival, small train companies in japan have been struggling as rural populations. decline and people switch the cause of the countries $95.00 small railways, $91.00 lost money last year. but we report on one that refuses to be side tracked. cut slowly took him, auto is doing everything he can to keep this train service running. like dozens of other small japanese rail lines, this route that operates in boone, shiba is a loss maker. the number of passengers on this route has been declining, due to dwindling population in rural areas,

increase in car ownership and the pandemic. but the century old business has so far managed to get by gasoline vehicles, as revenue is decreasing every year. we have no option but to make a profit by doing something else that you're able to cover the cost of maintaining the robustness of georgia. that's a good. now, 80 percent of the company's revenue comes from lawn train operations, including baking and selling its popular crackers, soaked in soy sauce organ remorse, here, quick go through the crack. has a good or but i want to see the train keep running for a long time. i hope that local people, as well as for tourists coming using marketing partnerships. the train company did manage to attract some tourists to take a ride alongside these local passengers. that's also helping to boost a local economy. but the railway needs subsidies and loans to survive. although

cells of cuddly toys also help, it's got to so that other says, maybe the time will come when our service as a railway firm would no longer be needed. but not yet all the trains or better and covered in brussels career. but there 60 years old got it, but we believe there are many things we can still do all and we must keep moving forward since they're there. she also gets a guy like a law. this attitude has cab this to carry train running every day, and like the boss said, moving forward, turning along, i'll see you tomorrow. bye bye. ah. a resolution really thank you. urban environmental, european city, dealing to leave the way you are cars,

more security galleria, faces and happier, healthier people. read next on d, w. ah, she's got, this is the thought they were gray. you know, the day we're all used to the streets of our cities being hectic. smelly and noisy always have been always will be right. it's up to us to find our way through the traffic. what other options do we have more than half of us now live in cities that are getting.