https://www.scmp.com/rss/318214/feed East Asia's latest news, current affairs, politics and regional issues. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Kyodo Kyodo Japan’s parliament enacted a law on Wednesday to establish a new National Intelligence Council to centralise information gathering in response to overseas threats, marking a first step in plans to boost capabilities that have raised concerns over civil liberties. Establishing the council is a key aim in the governing agenda of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, a security hawk who has pledged to strengthen intelligence and counter-espionage capabilities in response to what her government calls the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3355047/japan-enacts-law-centralising-intelligence-gathering-amid-privacy-fears?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3355047/japan-enacts-law-centralising-intelligence-gathering-amid-privacy-fears?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 May 2026 10:21:53 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times A year after South Korean actor Kim Soo-hyun broke down in tears at a high-profile press conference over allegations involving late actress Kim Sae-ron, the controversy has entered yet another dramatic phase. Kim Se-ui, head of controversial YouTube channel HoverLab, also known as Garo Sero Institute, was taken into custody this week, as police reportedly concluded that audio files previously presented as evidence against Kim Soo-hyun were generated using AI technology. According to the Seoul... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3354997/underage-dating-claims-left-kim-soo-hyun-tears-he-stands-vindicated-year-later?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3354997/underage-dating-claims-left-kim-soo-hyun-tears-he-stands-vindicated-year-later?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 May 2026 06:26:44 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Japan’s call to maintain “impeccable” defences on its northern frontier reflects Tokyo’s deepening concern over growing Russian military activity in the region, analysts say. They also point to rapid north-south troop deployment exercises as preparation against a potential “diversionary operation” around Hokkaido: a scenario in which Russia could open a second front if Japan were already focused on a crisis with China in the south. During a visit to military bases in Hokkaido on Saturday,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3354983/russias-military-activity-has-japan-fearing-dual-front-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3354983/russias-military-activity-has-japan-fearing-dual-front-war?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 May 2026 04:22:44 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong South Korea’s push to acquire its first nuclear-powered submarines is moving back up President Lee Jae Myung’s defence agenda, but analysts say delayed US consultations, non-proliferation concerns and budget pressures still stand in the way. Lee on Tuesday urged faster efforts to secure the submarines, describing them as core strategic assets for the country’s future defence capabilities. “We need to accelerate the adoption of artificial intelligence and drone technologies, while speeding up the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3354962/south-korea-eyes-first-nuclear-submarine-mid-2030s-hurdles-run-deep?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3354962/south-korea-eyes-first-nuclear-submarine-mid-2030s-hurdles-run-deep?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 May 2026 02:00:07 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times At 2am, Kim, a 25-year-old office worker, opens a site designed to look like a food delivery app, though he has no plan to order. He chooses menu items, drops them into a cart and simulates the experience of placing an order. “It somehow feels like I actually ordered something,” he said. Kim said the habit helps him resist late-night cravings. “There are many times when I crave food late at night but hold back to save money. It feels like a real delivery app, so I somehow keep looking at it,”... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3354966/south-koreas-lonely-stressed-gen-z-find-comfort-apps-do-nothing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3354966/south-koreas-lonely-stressed-gen-z-find-comfort-apps-do-nothing?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 May 2026 01:51:31 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall The collapse of UN talks on the future of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty has sharpened concern in Japan that outer space could become the next arena for nuclear and military rivalry. With Russia accused of developing a nuclear anti-satellite capability, China and Russia advancing weapons that can disable satellites and the US pursuing space-based missile defence systems, some in Tokyo are calling on Japan to take the lead in drawing up new rules for the peaceful use of space. Analysts say... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3354948/can-japan-lead-push-halt-space-militarisation-nuclear-rivalry-heats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3354948/can-japan-lead-push-halt-space-militarisation-nuclear-rivalry-heats?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 May 2026 00:00:14 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran James Bernardo, 30, was delivering food on Teodoro street in Angeles City in the Philippines when a nine-storey building under construction on the opposite side of the road collapsed behind him. “What I heard behind me sounded like an aeroplane landing. The sound was unlike anything normal. When I looked at my side mirror and then turned around, what I saw were pylons falling and power lines sparking,” Bernardo told This Week in Asia. In just seconds, the structure had morphed into a twisted... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3354936/deadly-building-collapse-shocks-philippine-city-aeroplane-landing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3354936/deadly-building-collapse-shocks-philippine-city-aeroplane-landing?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 May 2026 12:50:52 +0000 Reuters Reuters A ⁠section of ⁠an overpass under demolition in the South Korean capital of Seoul collapsed on Tuesday, killing three people who were ‌conducting a safety inspection and injuring three others, fire and city officials said. Television footage showed emergency workers conducting a search-and-rescue operation as a long segment ⁠of the structure lay collapsed on the street below, near a railway crossing in central Seoul. Workers noticed that a part of the structure had slightly sunk while concrete... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3354901/3-killed-south-korea-after-ageing-overpass-collapses-during-safety-check?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3354901/3-killed-south-korea-after-ageing-overpass-collapses-during-safety-check?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 May 2026 09:44:31 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Shinnosuke Abe – manager of the Yomiuri Giants, Japan’s oldest and most storied professional baseball team – stepped down on Tuesday following his arrest on suspicion of assaulting his daughter. Abe, 47, resigned as manager of the team, viewed as Japan’s closest equivalent to the New York Yankees, and apologised for “tarnishing the proud tradition of Giants managers”. He was taken into custody by the Metropolitan Police Department for allegedly grabbing his 18-year-old daughter and forcing her... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3354835/yomiuri-giants-shinnosuke-abe-quits-after-arrest-over-alleged-assault-daughter?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3354835/yomiuri-giants-shinnosuke-abe-quits-after-arrest-over-alleged-assault-daughter?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 May 2026 03:18:58 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times Shinsegae Group chairman Chung Yong-jin on Tuesday apologised to the public in person, eight days after Starbucks Korea, run by the conglomerate, sparked controversy with its “Tank Day” marketing event, which critics say inappropriately referenced South Korea’s pro-democracy movement of the 1980s. “Regardless of the reason, the fact that we have hurt the hearts of our citizens carries a heavy responsibility,” Chung said during a press conference. “I will make no excuses. All responsibility for... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3354822/starbucks-koreas-tank-day-blunder-sparks-personal-apology-shinsegae-boss?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3354822/starbucks-koreas-tank-day-blunder-sparks-personal-apology-shinsegae-boss?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 May 2026 01:35:03 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow A rare visit by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr to Japan this week marks Manila’s latest bid to establish a counterweight to Beijing over the South China Sea dispute. During the four-day trip, the first state visit by a Philippine leader to Japan in over a decade, Marcos is expected to discuss boosting defence and other ties between Manila and Tokyo amid the security challenge posed by China’s growing maritime assertiveness, according to analysts. Marcos will meet Japanese Prime... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3354798/marcos-historic-japan-trip-what-will-philippine-leader-seek-takaichi?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3354798/marcos-historic-japan-trip-what-will-philippine-leader-seek-takaichi?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 May 2026 01:00:13 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall A reported US delay in delivering hundreds of Tomahawk cruise missiles could slow Japan’s plans to give its military a long-range strike option, analysts said, exposing a potential gap between Tokyo’s new defence ambitions and Washington’s ability to supply the weapons. The missiles are central to Japan’s effort to build a counterstrike capability, giving it the ability to hit enemy bases if the country comes under threat, as Tokyo rethinks its defence posture in response to a more uncertain... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3354793/could-us-tomahawk-missile-delivery-delays-slow-japans-long-range-strike-plans?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3354793/could-us-tomahawk-missile-delivery-delays-slow-japans-long-range-strike-plans?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 May 2026 00:00:16 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk A suspected tear gas incident at Tokyo’s Ginza Six luxury shopping centre left 26 people feeling unwell on Monday, prompting a large emergency response in one of Japan’s most famous commercial districts. The incident took place around noon at the mall in Tokyo’s Chuo ward after police received an emergency call reporting an irritating smell and people coughing inside it, Japanese media reported. Nineteen of the 26 people affected were taken to hospital after complaining of symptoms including... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3354783/19-taken-hospital-japan-after-suspected-tear-gas-released-tokyo-mall?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3354783/19-taken-hospital-japan-after-suspected-tear-gas-released-tokyo-mall?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 May 2026 11:30:29 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Former chairman of Seven & i Holdings Toshifumi Suzuki, credited for the global success of 7-Eleven convenience stores, had died at the age of 93, according to the company. Suzuki - known as the “father of the convenience store” in Japan - died due to heart failure on May 18, the company said in a statement on Monday. “We would like to express our deepest gratitude for the kindness shown to him during his lifetime and respectfully inform you of his passing,” the statement said. Suzuki is known... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3354746/founder-japans-7-eleven-chain-toshifumi-suzuki-dies-aged-93?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3354746/founder-japans-7-eleven-chain-toshifumi-suzuki-dies-aged-93?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 May 2026 07:44:43 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Around 20 people were injured at a luxury shopping complex in the Japanese capital of Tokyo on Monday after a man sprayed a substance inside, police and fire department officials said. Tokyo police spokesman Yusuke Koide said that a man sprayed a substance at an ATM on the ground floor of the building, while a local fire department official said “around 20 people were injured” after a report of a “smell”. The road in front of the mall – located in the touristy and upmarket shopping district of... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3354738/dozens-injured-japan-after-man-sprays-smelly-liquid-tokyo-shopping-centre?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3354738/dozens-injured-japan-after-man-sprays-smelly-liquid-tokyo-shopping-centre?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 May 2026 06:29:55 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Japan’s immigration authorities plan to crack down on visa overstayers and illegal foreign workers by monitoring social media and other platforms for information or leads. The initiative is part of the country’s efforts to reduce the number of overstayers at a time when Japan is taking in more foreign workers due to labour shortages. As early as next year, the Immigration Services Agency plans to use analytical tools to identify online information related to illegal work, including solicitations... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3354663/japan-scour-social-media-hunt-visa-overstayers-illegal-foreign-workers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3354663/japan-scour-social-media-hunt-visa-overstayers-illegal-foreign-workers?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 24 May 2026 06:33:52 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Seated in a wheelchair, an elderly woman bends silently as her wrinkled fingers move with surprising speed to fold pieces of coloured origami paper into intricate shapes. Beside her, another woman does the same, both adding their finished pieces to a pile on the table without looking up or exchanging a word. Inside Tochigi Prison, where talking during work is forbidden, elderly women folding paper and sewing in silence reflect a broader test of Japan’s penal system: how to care for ageing,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3354596/japanese-female-prisons-rehabilitation-goal-faces-health-language-barriers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3354596/japanese-female-prisons-rehabilitation-goal-faces-health-language-barriers?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 May 2026 01:30:21 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong South Korean President Lee Jae Myung’s declaration that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was a “war criminal” highlights the balancing act between his human rights convictions and commitment to protecting Seoul’s interests in the Middle East, analysts have said. Lee’s comments came as Seoul was pushing for the release of two South Korean nationals detained by Israeli forces while attempting to reach the Gaza Strip aboard humanitarian aid boats, drawing attention to his willingness to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3354350/what-lees-netanyahu-war-criminal-remark-means-south-koreas-diplomacy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3354350/what-lees-netanyahu-war-criminal-remark-means-south-koreas-diplomacy?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 May 2026 07:32:19 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo The US military will deploy its Typhon midrange missile launcher and Himars rocket system to southwestern Japan next month for joint exercises with the Self-Defence Forces, sources familiar with the matter said on Wednesday, in a move apparently aimed at deterring China. The systems will be deployed to the Maritime Self-Defence Force’s Kanoya Airbase in Kagoshima prefecture during the Valiant Shield and Orient Shield joint exercises between June and September, the sources said. The Typhon... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3354294/us-send-typhon-himars-missile-systems-japan-drills-amid-china-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3354294/us-send-typhon-himars-missile-systems-japan-drills-amid-china-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 May 2026 01:23:26 +0000 Alice Li Alice Li China’s exports of rare earth permanent magnets to Japan slightly rebounded in April after slumping the previous month, but Japanese firms warn they are facing “severe” shortages as a diplomatic row between Beijing and Tokyo grinds on. Shipments of permanent magnets from China to Japan rose by 2.5 per cent in April compared with the previous month, according to Chinese customs data released on Wednesday. But the modest rise only partly offset the 17.3 per cent plunge recorded in March. The... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3354236/japan-feels-squeeze-chinas-rare-earth-magnet-exports-only-partly-recover?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3354236/japan-feels-squeeze-chinas-rare-earth-magnet-exports-only-partly-recover?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 May 2026 10:30:05 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow When South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi met on Tuesday, they had energy security atop the agenda – and something harder to name top of mind. It was their fourth meeting in six months, a pace of leaders’ encounters that analysts say reveals much about the uncertainty the two US allies are united in feeling, despite their historical grievances. The formal pretext of their latest summit was energy security. Japan and South Korea, heavily export-driven... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3354211/japan-south-korea-hone-diplomatic-muscle-memory-amid-taiwan-worries?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3354211/japan-south-korea-hone-diplomatic-muscle-memory-amid-taiwan-worries?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 May 2026 07:28:48 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Governments across Asia are tightening border screening and quarantine preparedness as health authorities work to contain a growing Ebola outbreak in Central Africa. Several governments have expanded screening and reporting requirements for travellers arriving from affected countries, though officials say the likelihood of local transmission remains low and no cases have been publicly confirmed in Asia. In Hong Kong, a Lantau Island isolation facility used for quarantine during the Covid-19... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3354178/singapore-japan-south-korea-boost-ebola-screening-after-who-alert?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3354178/singapore-japan-south-korea-boost-ebola-screening-after-who-alert?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 May 2026 04:39:43 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Samsung Electronics workers’ union said late on Wednesday that a planned strike had been put on hold until further notice after negotiations with management resumed with the participation of South Korea’s labour minister. The company’s management and workers’ union had resumed talks earlier in the day in a last-ditch attempt to avert a strike. The labour union at the world’s top memory chipmaker had said it would begin a strike on Thursday after talks over bonuses broke down, raising concerns... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3354165/samsung-workers-go-ahead-18-day-strike-bonus-talks-collapse?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3354165/samsung-workers-go-ahead-18-day-strike-bonus-talks-collapse?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 May 2026 03:08:53 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan’s planned deployment of long-range surveillance drones on remote Pacific islands would mark a significant expansion of its ability to monitor Chinese naval activity, as Beijing’s warships operate more frequently beyond the first island chain. The drones are to be stationed on Iwo Jima and Chichijima Island in the Ogasawara chain south of Tokyo, according to a report by the Yomiuri newspaper published on Monday. The airfield on Minamitorishima, about 1,950km (1,211 miles) southeast of Tokyo... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3354156/japan-plans-island-drone-deployment-monitor-chinese-naval-activity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3354156/japan-plans-island-drone-deployment-monitor-chinese-naval-activity?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 May 2026 01:30:12 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo The zoo housing the viral Japanese macaque Punch said on Tuesday it is considering a complete ban on photography and filming around the monkey enclosure after two men were recently arrested over an intrusion incident. The Ichikawa City Zoo in Chiba prefecture has already expanded the buffer zone around the enclosure and installed anti-intrusion netting following Sunday’s incident involving two men claiming to be US nationals. The monkey went viral, attracting international attention, for... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3354158/japan-zoo-may-ban-photos-near-viral-monkey-punch-after-intrusion-2-americans?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3354158/japan-zoo-may-ban-photos-near-viral-monkey-punch-after-intrusion-2-americans?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 May 2026 01:19:01 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi held their fourth meeting in about six months on Tuesday, underscoring the need for greater cooperation between the historical Asian rivals amid global challenges, including the Iran war. Lee hosted Takaichi in his hometown of Andong, a southeastern South Korean city famous for its centuries-old traditional folk village, a Unesco World Heritage site. In January, the two met in Takaichi’s hometown of Nara, an ancient... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3354117/south-koreas-lee-hails-deep-friendship-he-hosts-japans-takaichi-hometown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3354117/south-koreas-lee-hails-deep-friendship-he-hosts-japans-takaichi-hometown?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 10:54:04 +0000 Yeon Woo Lee Yeon Woo Lee The AI-driven “super cycle” in memory chips may lose momentum by 2028 as Chinese chipmakers aggressively expand production and global tech firms curb spending, a Samsung Electronics executive adviser said. “South Korea’s memory chip industry is performing very strongly this year and some forecasts suggest conditions could improve further next year,” adviser Kyung Kye-hyun said at a forum hosted by the National Academy of Engineering of Korea. “But caution is needed for 2027, particularly... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3354099/chinas-rapid-chipmaking-expansion-threatens-ai-memory-chip-boom-samsung-adviser-warns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3354099/chinas-rapid-chipmaking-expansion-threatens-ai-memory-chip-boom-samsung-adviser-warns?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 09:30:11 +0000 Jeoffrey Maitem Jeoffrey Maitem Japan’s Type 88 surface-to-ship missile entered service decades ago and is already being retired in favour of a more capable successor, yet the prospect of Tokyo transferring the ageing system to the Philippines has stirred a debate that reaches far beyond its modest specifications. Manila expressed interest in acquiring the Type 88 around the same time as Japanese forces were demonstrating the missile’s firepower at joint drills with American and Philippine troops, according to Tokyo-based... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3354091/why-philippines-wants-japans-old-type-88-missiles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3354091/why-philippines-wants-japans-old-type-88-missiles?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 09:30:06 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Asian airlines need government support to cope with the more than doubling of jet fuel prices that otherwise risks some carriers collapsing like US-based Spirit Airlines, according to the new head of the region’s industry body. Wong Hong, who took over as director general of the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines last month, said carriers needed varying levels of help and relief, from direct financial support to being able to cut flight schedules without negative consequences. “Nobody wants to... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3354056/some-asian-airlines-could-collapse-spirit-without-help-rising-fuel-costs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3354056/some-asian-airlines-could-collapse-spirit-without-help-rising-fuel-costs?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 05:19:14 +0000 Reuters Reuters The head of Starbucks Korea has been fired after a marketing campaign sparked public outrage for ‌evoking painful memories of a brutal military crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in 1980. Shinsegae Group, the retail conglomerate that licences and manages the US coffee chain in South Korea, said it had sacked Sohn Jeong-hyun, the head of Starbucks Korea, for carrying out “inappropriate marketing”. Sohn’s dismissal came hours after Starbucks launched its “Tank Day” campaign on Monday promoting... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3354038/starbucks-korea-boss-loses-job-after-tank-day-promotion-misfires?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3354038/starbucks-korea-boss-loses-job-after-tank-day-promotion-misfires?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 03:03:03 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall A Russian hiker was seriously injured in the mountainous west of Tokyo on Sunday morning, raising fears that Japan could be heading for another record year of human-bear encounters. Police said a bear attacked the man as he was hiking along a forest road near Mount Sanukido, close to the town of Okutama. The man, who has not been named, sustained severe injuries to his face and arms and was airlifted by helicopter to a hospital in Hachioji city. His injuries were not life-threatening. The attack... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3354006/russian-hiker-becomes-japans-latest-bear-attack-victim-another-grim-record-looms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3354006/russian-hiker-becomes-japans-latest-bear-attack-victim-another-grim-record-looms?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 01:30:09 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Residents from US Gulf coast communities in Texas who say Japanese-backed fossil fuel projects tied to tariff negotiations with US President Donald Trump threaten their health and safety have taken their fight to Tokyo. Members of community groups from Texas’ Freeport area met officials from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), government-run Nippon Export and Investment Insurance (Nexi), as well as the ministries of finance and economy, trade and industry on Monday. They urged... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3353990/texans-accuse-japan-doing-deal-devil-funding-us-fossil-fuel-projects?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3353990/texans-accuse-japan-doing-deal-devil-funding-us-fossil-fuel-projects?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 00:00:09 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong In South Korea, the clock is ticking on what threatens to become the most consequential labour dispute in recent history – and Seoul is running out of patience. With 50,000 workers at Samsung Electronics poised to walk off the job on Thursday in an 18-day strike, the government of President Lee Jae Myung finds itself cornered by a crisis it cannot afford to mishandle, with up to 100 trillion won (US$66.7 billion) in projected economic damage on the line, plus the potential disruption to global... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3353960/south-korea-stifling-samsung-workers-us400000-bonus-strike-risks-wider-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3353960/south-korea-stifling-samsung-workers-us400000-bonus-strike-risks-wider-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 May 2026 09:00:07 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse North Korean leader Kim Jong-un called on top military officials to bolster front-line units and turn the southern border into an “impregnable fortress”, state media reported on Monday. Kim gave the instruction at a meeting on Sunday where a photo released by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) showed him presiding over commanding military officers wearing full-dress uniform. The North Korean leader told the military officials that a “great change” would be made in an effort to deter war and... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3353919/north-korea-turn-southern-border-impregnable-fortress-against-arch-enemy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3353919/north-korea-turn-southern-border-impregnable-fortress-against-arch-enemy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 May 2026 03:37:50 +0000 Reuters Reuters South Korea ⁠will pursue all options, ⁠including emergency arbitration, to ⁠avoid a labour strike at the country’s biggest employer Samsung Electronics and to minimise any damage if one does occur, its prime minister said on Sunday. The world’s largest memory chipmaker and its South ‌Korean labour union will resume pay talks on Monday with a government mediator, in a move that could ease concerns over a potentially disruptive strike at the tech giant that accounts for nearly a quarter of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3353897/south-korea-weighs-arbitration-avoid-samsung-semiconductor-plant-strike?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3353897/south-korea-weighs-arbitration-avoid-samsung-semiconductor-plant-strike?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 May 2026 15:18:50 +0000 Reuters Reuters North Korean women’s football club Naegohyang FC arrived in South Korea on Sunday for an Asian Women’s Champions League semi-final, marking the first visit by athletes from ‌the isolated state to the South in eight years. The delegation of 27 players and 12 staff entered the country ahead of Wednesday’s match against South Korea’s Suwon FC Women in Suwon. The visit has been approved under the inter-Korean exchange law and covers their stay through next weekend, though the team could leave... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3353876/north-korean-footballers-arrive-south-match-tickets-sell-out?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3353876/north-korean-footballers-arrive-south-match-tickets-sell-out?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 May 2026 08:55:27 +0000 David D. Lee David D. Lee The young woman in the stands simply sighed, turned her head and sat there, looking impossibly composed, while 15 million strangers fell briefly in love with someone who had never existed. She was, according to the caption accompanying one of many posts, “the average Korean woman”. Her admirers quickly crowned her a “baseball goddess”, analysing her every feature with the forensic enthusiasm reserved for internet obsessions, as the five-second clip went viral across South Korea’s online... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3353740/reality-deficit-how-south-korea-lost-plot-ai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3353740/reality-deficit-how-south-korea-lost-plot-ai?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 May 2026 03:00:09 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall As the ground shook beneath her feet and the powerful tsunami rolled in from the Pacific Ocean on March 11, 2011, Masako Saito feared for her coastal community. Saito’s entire family escaped from Soma City in Japan, where massive waves caused utter devastation, and she could not return to witness the chaos for herself until the following month. It was “beyond recognition”, according to Saito. The once-thriving community had been largely flattened, replaced by mounds of debris and fishing boats.... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3353783/japans-ibasho-sense-belonging-helps-disaster-survivors-heal-study-finds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3353783/japans-ibasho-sense-belonging-helps-disaster-survivors-heal-study-finds?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 May 2026 04:00:10 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times For most residents of South Korea’s capital, the Han River is a place for evening strolls, picnics and a brief respite from city life. But for Kim Jun-young, chief of the Hangang Bridge CCTV Integrated Control Centre in Seoul’s Gwangjin district, it is where his team pulls people back from the edge every day. Established in 2021, the centre uses AI for comprehensive emergency response, monitoring 900 CCTV cameras across 17 of the 21 pedestrian-accessible Han River bridges. Beyond suicide... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3353790/ai-helps-south-korea-stop-99-suicide-attempts-han-river-bridges-seoul?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3353790/ai-helps-south-korea-stop-99-suicide-attempts-han-river-bridges-seoul?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 May 2026 02:56:50 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Restaurant operators in Japan have been forced to review their approach to hiring foreign workers since the government suspended the issuance of special visas needed to work in the sector, as the number of holders nears its preset quota. The sudden suspension by Japan’s immigration authorities has raised the spectre of fierce competition for foreign talent. Long known for its strict immigration policy, the country has been increasingly counting on foreign workers amid labour shortages. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3353787/japans-restaurant-sector-left-hungry-talent-after-visa-suspension?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3353787/japans-restaurant-sector-left-hungry-talent-after-visa-suspension?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 May 2026 01:51:37 +0000 Mia Nurmamat,Ralph Jennings Mia Nurmamat,Ralph Jennings US President Donald Trump’s landmark visit to China comes as the US-Iran war disrupts global energy supplies, fuels economic uncertainty and adds fresh strain to Washington-Beijing ties. In the latest instalment of a series examining how rivalry, interdependence and geopolitical crises are reshaping the relationship between the two powers, we explore the massive upswing in capital expenditures across Asia that is driving a broad shift in economic power. When US President Donald Trump made his... https://www.scmp.com/economy/article/3353399/trump-and-his-ceos-want-chinas-business-has-asia-moved?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/article/3353399/trump-and-his-ceos-want-chinas-business-has-asia-moved?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 22:00:07 +0000 Cyril Ip Cyril Ip What comes to mind when you think of China, Japan and South Korea? This was a question posed in a second-year sociology seminar during my time at Bristol, and it has stayed with me ever since. We were split into three groups and given 10 minutes to create posters capturing our immediate associations. Japan came first. Sketches of anime, sushi platters and temples appeared. My classmates spoke with enthusiasm, drawing on travel memories or aspirations to visit. A country that, less than a century... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3353463/how-deal-very-chinese-time-western-lives?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3353463/how-deal-very-chinese-time-western-lives?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 21:30:05 +0000 David Dodwell David Dodwell Most readers of foreign news pages this weekend will be assuming that US President Donald Trump’s summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing has been dominating everyone’s attention. But across Asia, Trump, with his massive business entourage, was not the only act in town this week. At least two other major sets of meetings should not be overlooked. First, in New Delhi, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was hosting foreign ministers from the 10 Brics economies and a growing community... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3353606/xi-trump-summit-aside-2-meetings-asia-matter-global-trade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3353606/xi-trump-summit-aside-2-meetings-asia-matter-global-trade?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 08:30:05 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan’s quest for rare earth self-sufficiency and its drive to decouple from Chinese supply chains have prompted the government to consider building a dedicated deep-sea mining vessel to recover minerals from the Pacific Ocean floor. Local media reported that the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s special committee on ocean development will soon present a draft proposal to the Takaichi administration, calling for unspecified project funding. While the initiative will face technological and... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3353665/japan-eyes-dedicated-ship-lead-deep-sea-rare-earths-race-cut-reliance-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3353665/japan-eyes-dedicated-ship-lead-deep-sea-rare-earths-race-cut-reliance-china?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 05:59:13 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party is weighing a sharp rise in defence spending as pressure from US President Donald Trump and deteriorating regional security conditions force Tokyo to reassess how much it must do to protect itself. The party is expected to debate raising outlays to as much as 5 per cent of gross domestic product, a level that would bring Japan in line with many Nato member states and mark another major shift for a country that had long kept defence spending close to 1 per... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3353577/trump-behind-japans-push-radical-military-spending-hike?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3353577/trump-behind-japans-push-radical-military-spending-hike?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 01:30:09 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong Samsung Electronics’ biggest labour union is threatening to strike at the height of the global AI chip boom, turning a fight over bonuses into a test of how the industry’s windfall profits should be shared and sparking fears of an economic slowdown in South Korea. The union has warned it will stage an 18-day walkout from May 21 to June 7, raising concerns about production disruptions, customer defections and wider fallout across the global technology supply chain. The dispute comes as demand for... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3353543/samsung-unions-strike-threat-fuels-fears-south-koreas-economic-slowdown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3353543/samsung-unions-strike-threat-fuels-fears-south-koreas-economic-slowdown?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2026 09:00:06 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Statues erected by South Korean civic groups on the other side of the world honouring the tens of thousands of women forced into sexual slavery by imperial Japanese forces during World War II have once again succeeded in making Tokyo’s elites deeply uncomfortable. The decisions by local governments in Germany’s capital and New Zealand’s largest city to rescind or decline to renew permits for “comfort women” memorials have been pounced on by conservatives within Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3353417/japan-south-korea-comfort-women-row-stoked-statues-abroad?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3353417/japan-south-korea-comfort-women-row-stoked-statues-abroad?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2026 00:00:08 +0000 Lee Min-Yong Lee Min-Yong The US strikes on Iran sent a clear signal to Pyongyang. But rather than retreat or show renewed interest in denuclearisation, North Korea has doubled down on deterrence. In recent weeks, Pyongyang has tightened security around its leadership and continued its missile launches, underscoring its sensitivity to Washington’s military posture. From Pyongyang’s perspective, these moves are meant not only to gauge how far US military pressure could one day extend, but also to signal that North Korea’s... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3353183/why-stability-must-come-denuclearisation-korean-peninsula?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3353183/why-stability-must-come-denuclearisation-korean-peninsula?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 21:30:04 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong Gwanghwamun Square, a plaza in Seoul framed by royal palaces and monuments to Korean national identity, is at the centre of a dispute over whether a massive new Korean war memorial belongs in a public space seen as a major tourist attraction and long associated with civic gatherings and pro-democracy protests. A row of 23 stone monuments representing South Korea and the 22 foreign countries that fought alongside it during the 1950-53 war was recently unveiled at the square. Located across from... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3353427/whale-bones-south-koreas-war-memorial-sparks-conflict-over-symbolism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3353427/whale-bones-south-koreas-war-memorial-sparks-conflict-over-symbolism?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 09:12:09 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times For decades, the arrival of summer in South Korea was heralded by the rhythmic hum of cicadas and the predictable onset of monsoon season. But as climate change rewrites the country’s seasonal script, the government is bracing for a new reality. On Wednesday, the Korea Meteorological Administration announced a sweeping overhaul of its national weather warning system, the first major restructuring in nearly two decades. The centrepiece of the plan is the introduction of a top-tier “extreme heat... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3353402/south-korea-adds-extreme-heat-emergency-first-major-alert-update-18-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3353402/south-korea-adds-extreme-heat-emergency-first-major-alert-update-18-years?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 07:17:20 +0000