https://www.scmp.com/rss/322894/feed The latest breaking news and stories on Japan, a country in East Asia known as a constitutional monarchy, and the world’s fifth largest economy. Also covering Japan’s relationship with China and Asia, plus commentary and updates on Japan’s economy, politics, society and trade. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The recently concluded Balikatan joint drills have marked a shift in the Philippines’ defence strategy alongside Japan, with Tokyo offering the transfer of warships to its Southeast Asian ally, while a top Filipino official for the first time voiced “serious concern” over islands claimed by Beijing and Tokyo. Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jnr on Wednesday said Manila now considered the uninhabited Diaoyu Islands, which Japan calls the Senkaku Islands, a security flashpoint in the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3352942/philippines-shifts-defence-strategy-japan-eyes-wider-security-focus?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3352942/philippines-shifts-defence-strategy-japan-eyes-wider-security-focus?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 May 2026 12:25:52 +0000 Jane Cai Jane Cai Three People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) warships were spotted transiting the Tsushima Strait en route to the East China Sea last week, as Tokyo closely tracks such passages amid heightened regional tensions. The vessels were two Type 055 guided-missile destroyers and a Type 052D destroyer, according to Japan’s Ministry of Defence and Self-Defence Forces on Saturday. The ministry said the Japanese force’s JS Ootaka conducted “alert surveillance and intelligence gathering” on the Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3352919/are-china-and-russia-flexing-their-maritime-muscle-near-japan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3352919/are-china-and-russia-flexing-their-maritime-muscle-near-japan?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 May 2026 11:00:06 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Japanese police have arrested a bus driver on suspicion of negligent driving after a crash on a Fukushima expressway killed a high school student on Wednesday, as investigators look into whether he was speeding and driving without the proper license required to carry passengers for hire. On Friday morning, Fukushima prefectural police searched bus operator Kanbara Tetsudo in Gosen, Niigata prefecture. The arrested driver, Tetsuo Wakayama, 68, told investigators after his arrest on Thursday that... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3352858/japanese-bus-driver-admits-he-misjudged-speed-crash-killed-teenaged-student?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3352858/japanese-bus-driver-admits-he-misjudged-speed-crash-killed-teenaged-student?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 May 2026 06:25:16 +0000 Gayatri Bhaumik Gayatri Bhaumik Asia’s fitness scene received a shot of adrenaline when Hyrox hosted its inaugural race in Hong Kong in 2022. The European-born hybrid race quickly gained traction in regional hubs like Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta, reflecting a broader shift in wellness trends across these markets. Now, there are dozens of races across Asia – not least this weekend’s event in Hong Kong – and between the ubiquitous branded backpacks, social media posts and gyms promoting their race-focused training, Hyrox... https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/special-reports/topics/hyroxs-rise-asia/article/3352709/hyrox-races-are-exploding-across-asia-clubs-hong-kong-tokyo-and-jakarta?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/special-reports/topics/hyroxs-rise-asia/article/3352709/hyrox-races-are-exploding-across-asia-clubs-hong-kong-tokyo-and-jakarta?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 May 2026 03:03:48 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall The young man on course to be Japan’s future emperor is attracting the attention of the country’s voracious media, with rumours of girlfriends and security challenges arising from life as a university student, and hints of unrest in the palace over succession. Royalists say the media should leave 19-year-old Prince Hisahito alone to concentrate on his environmental studies course at the University of Tsukuba, while a debate mounts on whether the constitution should be altered to allow his cousin... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3352789/japans-prince-hisahito-steps-spotlight-succession-debate-heats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3352789/japans-prince-hisahito-steps-spotlight-succession-debate-heats?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 May 2026 01:30:08 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva told US President Donald Trump on Thursday that his country’s rare earth reserves are open to investment from China and any other nation willing to process the minerals on Brazilian soil, resisting pressure to side with Washington in its contest with Beijing over critical mineral supply chains. “We have no preference. What we want is to share with whoever wants to invest in Brazil,” Lula said at a press conference at the Brazilian embassy in... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352824/lula-wont-sideline-china-or-anyone-rare-earths-tells-trump-refining-stays-brazil?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352824/lula-wont-sideline-china-or-anyone-rare-earths-tells-trump-refining-stays-brazil?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 May 2026 23:01:58 +0000 Göktuğ Çalışkan Göktuğ Çalışkan When the United States and the Philippines opened this year’s Balikatan exercises, the message travelled far beyond the parade ground. More than 17,000 troops are taking part in drills set to run until May 8. What matters is where the drills unfold, who has joined and what kind of regional habit they are helping to normalise. Japan took part in its first Balitakan live-fire exercises. Australia, Canada, France and New Zealand were also active participants. Then the exercises moved closer to... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3352387/why-chinas-warning-over-military-blocs-finding-listeners-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3352387/why-chinas-warning-over-military-blocs-finding-listeners-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 May 2026 21:30:05 +0000 Teresa Elena Frontado Teresa Elena Frontado The Trump administration has expanded its pressure campaign against Cuba into the critical minerals sector, sanctioning a nickel joint venture tied to Canadian miner Sherritt International in a move that could reverberate through China-linked battery supply chains. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced sanctions on Thursday against Moa Nickel SA, a joint venture between Sherritt and Cuba’s state-owned General Nickel Company, as part of a broader effort targeting Havana’s military-controlled... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352815/us-targets-cuba-nickel-operation-move-implications-china-linked-supply-chains?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352815/us-targets-cuba-nickel-operation-move-implications-china-linked-supply-chains?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 May 2026 18:15:08 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim Beijing’s study of the wars in Iran and Ukraine could sharpen its ability to wage information warfare against Americans during a Taiwan Strait conflict, exposing vulnerabilities in US preparedness, experts said on Wednesday. S. Clinton Hinote, a retired US Lieutenant General, said he was “impressed” with the propaganda coming out of Iran since the outbreak of the war in February, warning that Beijing would deploy similar tactics if conflict erupts over Taiwan. “That’s coming,” he told a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352811/chinas-use-propaganda-may-outwit-us-if-taiwan-conflict-arises-experts-warn?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352811/chinas-use-propaganda-may-outwit-us-if-taiwan-conflict-arises-experts-warn?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 May 2026 17:00:29 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings China and the United States drove a rapid accumulation of global debt in the first quarter of 2026, a trend that could spread amid war in the Middle East and mounting geopolitical tensions, a major finance industry body said. Global debt hit a record high of nearly US$353 trillion in the first quarter, according to the Institute of International Finance (IIF), with a US$4.4 trillion rise from January to March, driven largely by government borrowing and marking the fastest increase since the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3352794/china-us-drive-global-debt-record-353-trillion-iran-war-adds-pressure-report?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3352794/china-us-drive-global-debt-record-353-trillion-iran-war-adds-pressure-report?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 May 2026 12:08:41 +0000 Nicholas Spiro Nicholas Spiro For an indication of how much the energy crisis is shaping the path of monetary policy, look no further than Australia. On May 5, the country’s central bank raised interest rates for the third consecutive time, unwinding last year’s monetary easing. The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) said “higher fuel prices are adding to inflation and there are indications that this is likely to have second-round effects on prices for goods and services more broadly”. The RBA’s decision to keep tightening... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3352708/australias-interest-rate-rise-signals-growing-hawkish-stance-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3352708/australias-interest-rate-rise-signals-growing-hawkish-stance-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 May 2026 08:30:05 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall In the weeks leading up to Donald Trump’s second inauguration, conservatives in Japan were delighted and hopeful that his return would usher in robust economic growth, new trade opportunities and a stronger security relationship with Tokyo. Barely 18 months later, many of those same conservatives admit to being shocked at the state of the bilateral relationship and the mounting global uncertainties the US president’s policies have produced. For some of his diehard supporters in Japan, the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3352657/trumps-last-japanese-diehard-fans-lose-faith-iran-war-chaos-spreads?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3352657/trumps-last-japanese-diehard-fans-lose-faith-iran-war-chaos-spreads?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 May 2026 02:00:15 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg New Zealand is weighing the purchase of advanced warships from Japan or the UK to modernise its ageing fleet and bolster its defence capability. The South Pacific nation, member of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing network alongside Australia, the US, the UK and Canada, is focused on Japanese Mogami-class or the UK’s Type 31 frigates. Discussions are under way with the Royal Australian Navy and the UK’s Royal Navy about the frigate replacement and ongoing service arrangements, Defence Minister... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3352684/new-zealand-eyes-japanese-mogami-class-warships-possible-replacements-ageing-fleet?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3352684/new-zealand-eyes-japanese-mogami-class-warships-possible-replacements-ageing-fleet?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 May 2026 01:55:44 +0000 Richard Heydarian Richard Heydarian “In an increasingly severe security environment, no single country can now protect its own peace and security alone,” declared Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi last month, signalling a major shift in Tokyo’s defence posture. “Under the new system, we will strategically promote equipment transfers while making even more rigorous and cautious judgments on whether transfers are permissible,” she added, confirming long-running speculation that Tokyo would relax decades-old restrictions on... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3352476/us-allies-asia-are-looking-build-middle-power-coalitions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3352476/us-allies-asia-are-looking-build-middle-power-coalitions?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 May 2026 21:30:05 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen China condemned what it called Japan’s first “offensive missile” test overseas in eight decades, saying Tokyo’s “neo-militarism” and intensified arms race had gained momentum and threatened regional stability. During the “Balikatan 2026” joint drill led by the United States and the Philippines on Wednesday, Japanese forces fired a Type 88 surface-to-ship missile in the Philippines. According to China, it was the first time Japan had launched an “offensive” weapon abroad since World War II. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3352646/china-condemns-japans-first-overseas-offensive-missile-test-wwii?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3352646/china-condemns-japans-first-overseas-offensive-missile-test-wwii?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 May 2026 12:13:34 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang China-made humanoid robots are beginning to gain traction in Japan, with models from Chinese firms Unitree and UBTech being deployed by Japan Airlines for baggage and cargo handling, highlighting the growing adoption of Chinese robotics technology as Japan grapples with acute labour shortages. Japan Airlines said last week that it would launch a two-year trial using humanoid robots for ground-handling operations at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport through a partnership with GMO AI & Robotics. Tasks in the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3352626/baggage-bots-chinese-humanoid-robots-roll-japans-airports-amid-labour-shortage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3352626/baggage-bots-chinese-humanoid-robots-roll-japans-airports-amid-labour-shortage?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 May 2026 11:30:05 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang Battered school indoor shoes, reportedly worn by graduating schoolgirls, have appeared in online shops in Japan, sparking fierce criticism over the fetishisation of young women. Removing outdoor shoes before entering homes, schools, companies and other public buildings is a deeply rooted custom in the country, tied to cleanliness and respect for shared spaces. Known as uwabaki, Japan’s traditional indoor shoes are typically white and shaped like ballet flats. At schools, from kindergarten... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3352640/japan-online-shops-probed-after-listing-schoolgirls-old-indoor-shoes-sale-us320?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3352640/japan-online-shops-probed-after-listing-schoolgirls-old-indoor-shoes-sale-us320?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 May 2026 11:07:04 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk Japan has long grappled with what to do about hikikomori – the social hermits who seal themselves off from the world, sometimes for years, retreating from all human contact. In the past, these recluses were thought of as a youth problem: troubled teenagers, rudderless young men. But that framing no longer holds. Japan’s shut-ins are growing old, and the parents keeping them alive are growing older still. The average hikikomori is now 36.9 years old, according to the Asahi newspaper, citing a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3352591/japans-hikikomori-recluses-are-growing-old-so-are-their-carers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3352591/japans-hikikomori-recluses-are-growing-old-so-are-their-carers?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 May 2026 07:49:45 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Japan’s prime minister touched down in Australia on Sunday with a set of shared anxieties – about Trump, China and the fragility of supply chains that the two insular nations have long relied upon – to which she sought some small relief. By the time she departed, Sanae Takaichi and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had signed an economic security pact, unlocked nearly US$1 billion in critical minerals funding and laid the groundwork for what observers describe as the most comprehensive... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3352566/anxious-australia-and-jittery-japan-deepen-quasi-alliance-uneasy-age?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3352566/anxious-australia-and-jittery-japan-deepen-quasi-alliance-uneasy-age?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 May 2026 04:25:03 +0000 Wynna Wong Wynna Wong Hikers should not underestimate the risks of climbing in Japan during the volatile spring transition in May, a mountaineering expert has warned after two Hong Kong men became stranded in the country’s Northern Alps, one of whom later died. Veteran mountaineer Chung Kin-man said on Wednesday that climbers might develop a false sense of safety due to warmer weather in lowland areas in May, even as conditions in the mountains remained unstable, with risks of snowstorms, strong winds and freezing... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3352558/may-can-give-false-sense-safety-expert-warns-after-hong-kong-hiker-dies-japan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3352558/may-can-give-false-sense-safety-expert-warns-after-hong-kong-hiker-dies-japan?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 May 2026 03:22:07 +0000 Zhang Shidong Zhang Shidong Stocks across Asia rose on Wednesday, after strong earnings by several US tech giants drove a Nasdaq-style technology board in China near a record high and US President Donald Trump said he would hold off on a contentious escort operation in the Strait of Hormuz. Markets on the Chinese mainland reopened trading after the Labour Day holiday, with the technology-heavy Star Market in Shanghai surging 5.5 per cent to put the gauge within striking distance of its all-time high set in 2020. The stock... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3352551/asian-stocks-climb-strong-tech-momentum-and-trumps-fresh-iran-talks-signal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3352551/asian-stocks-climb-strong-tech-momentum-and-trumps-fresh-iran-talks-signal?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 May 2026 02:09:50 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall A pro-Kremlin Japanese politician has said Russia is trying to arrange a meeting of the two nations’ foreign ministers in July, although analysts suggest that Muneo Suzuki’s efforts to act as a go-between are unlikely to bear fruit. Suzuki, who represents a constituency in Hokkaido and returned to the ruling Liberal Democratic Party in 2025 after 23 years as an independent member of the Diet, met senior Russian government officials in Moscow on Monday. Andrey Rudenko, deputy foreign minister in... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3352516/why-japanese-politicians-goal-reset-ties-russia-long-shot?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3352516/why-japanese-politicians-goal-reset-ties-russia-long-shot?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 May 2026 01:30:13 +0000 Wenran Jiang Wenran Jiang Global attention is fixated on Japan’s strategic shift under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. From the strengthened US-Japan alliance to the tense stand-off with China, from advocating for constitutional reinterpretation to allowing weapons exports and deploying counterstrike capabilities – these moves have been dissected in capitals worldwide. But the real, and more decisive, story is unfolding on Japan’s home front. The domestic dynamic driving this change is often a footnote, yet it is the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3352355/domestic-dynamics-driving-japans-remilitarisation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3352355/domestic-dynamics-driving-japans-remilitarisation?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 May 2026 01:30:05 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Japan’s defence minister pledged to deepen military cooperation with the Philippines during a visit Tuesday to Manila, aiming for the “early transfer” of Abukuma-class destroyers to the archipelago nation. The two countries’ shared grievances over Chinese territorial claims have seen them draw increasingly close in recent years, including the signing of a reciprocal access agreement allowing for the deployment of troops on each other’s territory. Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi’s visit came as... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3352529/japan-philippines-fast-track-transfer-navy-destroyers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3352529/japan-philippines-fast-track-transfer-navy-destroyers?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 13:38:30 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and successive US presidents have spent the better part of the past three decades warning that a nuclear-armed Iran would threaten the whole world. Now, thanks to the illegal US-Israeli war, Iran may have to go nuclear by claiming self-defence. After all, what is good for the goose is good for the gander. Israel would justify its clandestine nuclear weapon programme, which dates back to the 1950s, by claiming Arab states wanted to exterminate it. Well,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3352328/thanks-trump-and-netanyahu-everyone-now-wants-go-nuclear?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3352328/thanks-trump-and-netanyahu-everyone-now-wants-go-nuclear?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 12:30:06 +0000 Ji Siqi Ji Siqi Four years after Shanghai’s harsh citywide lockdown, there are signs the city’s expatriate population – which thinned significantly during the pandemic – is starting to rebound, though with a notably different demographic profile. The sound of English, Korean and French is once again often heard drifting through the plane-tree-lined streets of Shanghai’s former French Concession – widely seen as the heart of the city’s international community. And local residents point to a gradual, though... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352494/4-years-after-lockdown-shanghais-expat-community-recovering-and-changing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352494/4-years-after-lockdown-shanghais-expat-community-recovering-and-changing?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 10:00:16 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Japan and Australia agreed to step up collaboration in areas including critical minerals, defence and energy security, tackling China’s dominance of rare earths and fuel-supply disruptions caused by the Iran war. “Australia and Japan are taking action to protect our economies from future economic shocks and uncertainty,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a statement after meeting his Japanese counterpart, Sanae Takaichi, in Canberra. “By working together, we will achieve more... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352493/takaichi-signs-australia-deals-boost-japans-energy-security?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352493/takaichi-signs-australia-deals-boost-japans-energy-security?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 09:00:09 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall A Japanese infantry unit has withdrawn a new patch designed by artificial intelligence after it was criticised for being immature, “aggressive” and out of step with the public image of the country’s Self-Defence Forces (SDF). The 1st Infantry Regiment’s patch was unveiled on April 29 and features an elephant in a helmet and other combat gear, holding a machine gun across its chest. The elephant has chains across its shoulders and a human skull apparently attached to its chest, with blue flames... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3352488/japan-army-units-gun-toting-ai-generated-elephant-logo-gets-trampled-critics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3352488/japan-army-units-gun-toting-ai-generated-elephant-logo-gets-trampled-critics?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 08:38:32 +0000 Oscar Liu Oscar Liu One of two Hong Kong hikers stranded on a treacherous slope in Japan’s Northern Alps has been found dead, hours after the other was rescued. Gifu prefecture police dispatched a four-member rescue team, comprising police officers and civilian experts, from the mountain base at dawn on Tuesday in an attempt to reach the pair, aged 30 and 22, respectively, according to local media. A disaster prevention helicopter from neighbouring Nagano prefecture eventually rescued the 30-year-old before 10.30am... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3352445/japanese-police-search-northern-alps-2-missing-climbers-1-hongkonger?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3352445/japanese-police-search-northern-alps-2-missing-climbers-1-hongkonger?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 04:38:38 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven stories from the SCMP’s coverage of Asia over the past week that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. More Singaporeans are choosing jobs below their qualifications. Here’s why A new survey shows 19.4 per cent of Singapore’s resident workforce had academic qualifications beyond what was required for their job in 2025. 2. Why UAE’s exit from Opec is good news for... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3352436/uaes-opec-exit-why-japan-shared-mogami-warship-design-india-7-asia-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3352436/uaes-opec-exit-why-japan-shared-mogami-warship-design-india-7-asia-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 04:30:06 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Japan’s defence minister is touring Southeast Asia this week with what analysts describe as a clear, if diplomatically understated, mission: turning Indonesia and the Philippines into harder targets for Chinese maritime ambition. Shinjiro Koizumi landed in Jakarta on Monday to sign a defence cooperation pact with his Indonesian counterpart Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, coming hot on the heels of Tokyo’s landmark decision to lift a decades-old ban on the export of lethal weapons last month. He heads next... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3352442/japan-offers-indonesia-and-philippines-lethal-muscle-counter-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3352442/japan-offers-indonesia-and-philippines-lethal-muscle-counter-china?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 04:29:00 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Fuminori Arita once farmed iyokan, a Japanese citrus variety, but about 10 years ago he switched to growing avocados, revelling in the challenge of producing crops of what he describes as a “sensitive and difficult to grow” fruit. The 67-year-old is symbolic of efforts by the western Japanese city of Matsuyama in Ehime prefecture, long known primarily for citrus cultivation, to shift more to avocados, partly as a strategy to adapt to rising temperatures amid climate change. Given the challenge... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3352441/japanese-citrus-farmers-switch-avocados-climate-change-warms-soil?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3352441/japanese-citrus-farmers-switch-avocados-climate-change-warms-soil?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 04:20:44 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong North Korean athletes are set to step onto South Korean soil for the first time in eight years, raising hopes that sports could again help ease bilateral tensions even as Pyongyang continues to define Seoul as a hostile state. Naegohyang Women’s FC of North Korea have confirmed their participation in the 2025–2026 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Women’s Champions League (AWCL). “We have been informed by the AFC that Naegohyang Women’s FC have expressed their intention to participate in the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3352375/why-north-korean-women-footballers-rare-match-south-keenly-watched?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3352375/why-north-korean-women-footballers-rare-match-south-keenly-watched?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 May 2026 10:14:32 +0000 Alice Li Alice Li The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has launched a new financing facility aimed at strengthening critical mineral supply chains across the Asia-Pacific region, as a global push to loosen China’s chokehold over the sector continues. The initiative is designed to help Asia-Pacific nations move up the critical minerals value chain – moving beyond just mining – by equipping them with the technical capabilities to process and recycle the materials, according to the ADB. “Asia and the Pacific should be... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352352/asia-races-de-risk-critical-minerals-supply-chain-new-financing-tool?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352352/asia-races-de-risk-critical-minerals-supply-chain-new-financing-tool?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 May 2026 08:15:00 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Select FamilyMart convenience stores in Japan have installed boxes to collect used clothing and household goods for reuse, joining similar initiatives taken by retailers, as a step to reduce waste and attract more customers. In a trial launched jointly with Bookoff Group Holdings, which buys and sells used goods, boxes were installed in around 30 FamilyMart stores in residential areas of Tokyo. Bookoff plans to sell some of the collected items overseas, including to Malaysia. FamilyMart said... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3352314/japans-familymart-gives-old-clothes-new-lease-life-reduce-textile-waste?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3352314/japans-familymart-gives-old-clothes-new-lease-life-reduce-textile-waste?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 May 2026 04:05:28 +0000 Sylvia Ma Sylvia Ma Bai Chongen is a prominent Chinese economist and government adviser. He is the dean of Tsinghua University’s School of Economics and Management and serves concurrently as vice-chairman of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce. From 2015 to 2018, he was a member of the Chinese central bank’s monetary policy committee. Here, he discusses how China can avoid “Japanification”, what Beijing can do to help cultivate the next Elon Musk, and why the “China shock 2.0” phenomenon is often... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352022/bai-chongen-chinas-new-economic-paradigm-and-closing-us-tech-gap?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352022/bai-chongen-chinas-new-economic-paradigm-and-closing-us-tech-gap?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 22:00:15 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi China may be feeling uneasy about talk of a rare five-year defence cooperation plan between North Korea and Russia that could accelerate Pyongyang’s military modernisation on multiple fronts, analysts said. According to the Russian state news agency Tass, Russian Defence Minister Andrey Belousov held talks to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang on April 26, with Belousov describing relations between the countries as at an “unprecedentedly high level”. Belousov also said preparations... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3352265/why-5-year-defence-pact-between-north-korea-and-russia-could-make-china-uneasy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3352265/why-5-year-defence-pact-between-north-korea-and-russia-could-make-china-uneasy?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 14:00:08 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo For those who have never visited the Yasukuni Shrine, it is located in central Tokyo and within walking distance of the Imperial Palace. It is easily accessible by subway, bus and taxi. It is beautiful, tranquil and dignified. Admission was free when I first visited it some 20 years ago. The Shinto shrine was established by Emperor Meiji to commemorate those who died in the service of Japan. In the late 1970s, the names of more than a dozen Class A war criminals (to the rest of the world) or... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3352279/why-resurgent-japan-should-absolutely-scare-everyone?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3352279/why-resurgent-japan-should-absolutely-scare-everyone?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 13:00:13 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng For decades, the global image of Chinese trade was synonymous with massive container ships loaded with footwear, bags and furniture. However, a profound structural shift is under way. Having conquered the world of physical goods, China is now rapidly ascending the industrial chain as an emerging exporter of manufacturing technology. In 2025, the country’s exports of telecoms, computer and information services reached 808 billion yuan (US$118 billion), marking a robust 13 per cent year-on-year... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3352020/footwear-ai-services-china-moves-value-chain-exports?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3352020/footwear-ai-services-china-moves-value-chain-exports?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 12:30:12 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Japan’s prime minister is set to arrive in Australia to strengthen ties with one of her country’s strongest allies as she seeks to build on an updated regional strategy laid out in Vietnam. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is scheduled to touch down late on Sunday local time in Canberra for the three-day visit, which will focus on defence, critical minerals and broader economic security. The two countries have grown increasingly concerned about the changing security and economic environment in the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3352272/takaichi-bound-australia-strengthen-economic-security-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3352272/takaichi-bound-australia-strengthen-economic-security-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 10:11:29 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Astronomers in Japan have recently launched what they say is the country’s first organisation dedicated to the search for alien life, with radio observations planned in the summer next year. “They must exist somewhere in the universe. I’m excited to be putting this into action,” said Shinya Narusawa, an astrophysical expert at the University of Hyogo and head of the Japanese Society for SETI – the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. Narusawa, a 61-year-old leading expert in the SETI field,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3352259/japan-joins-hunt-aliens-can-it-solve-wow-signal-mystery?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3352259/japan-joins-hunt-aliens-can-it-solve-wow-signal-mystery?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 07:07:00 +0000 Akio Takahara Akio Takahara Japan and China are Asian powerhouses that should collaborate responsibly for the peace and prosperity of the region. However, bilateral relations have experienced ups and downs since the start of the century and are now at their lowest point after normalisation in 1972. A major cause of this is the widening perception and information gap between the two nations that needs to be addressed through direct people-to-people contact. Some, perhaps many, misunderstand that Japan and China are always... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3352140/why-japan-china-ties-can-benefit-promoting-people-people-exchanges?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3352140/why-japan-china-ties-can-benefit-promoting-people-people-exchanges?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 01:00:22 +0000 Jane Cai Jane Cai At the December premiere of the Chinese-dubbed 1957 Billy Wilder classic Witness for the Prosecution in a Shanghai cinema, dubbing artist Qiao Zhen voiced a more immediate mystery: “Do you still enjoy Chinese-dubbed films?” When audience members, mainly nostalgia-seeking fans, responded with applause and shouts of “Yes!”, the 83-year-old veteran became emotional, offering a moving defence of his art form. “Several years ago we felt this profession had fallen into a low point,” he told the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3352213/why-are-modern-chinese-film-audiences-shying-away-dubbed-films?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3352213/why-are-modern-chinese-film-audiences-shying-away-dubbed-films?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 08:37:09 +0000 Anthony Rowley Anthony Rowley Not a sudden, major crash but a series of mini-crises. That, according to some, is the prospect facing the global economy and financial system in the wake of conflict in the Middle East. But what if these mini-crises cascade into a collective collapse? And what if the Trump administration emerges as the only winner in the conflict by virtue of the fact that it has, in engineering the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, locked Europe and Asia into a desperate dependence on US oil and gas, especially... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3352013/mini-crises-sparked-iran-war-may-add-big-collapse?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3352013/mini-crises-sparked-iran-war-may-add-big-collapse?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 08:30:08 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan and South Korea are closing ranks as they prepare for high-level meetings aimed at steadying ties amid growing regional volatility, with analysts saying the diplomatic push reflects shared concern over China, North Korea and the reliability of US commitments under President Donald Trump. Both countries appear willing to put past differences aside, at least for now, as they confront an assertive China and an unpredictable US administration that has unsettled long-standing allies and... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3352211/how-trump-inadvertently-bringing-japan-south-korea-together?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3352211/how-trump-inadvertently-bringing-japan-south-korea-together?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 07:55:15 +0000 Lisa Cam Lisa Cam Blue Seal ice cream, Spam musubi and taco rice have one thing in common: they are uniquely Okinawan, and locals absolutely love them. Tubarama is a popular Okinawan restaurant and izakaya in Naha. It is famous for its immersive experiences, in which traditional shima-uta, or folk music, is performed, in a setting resembling a pre-war Okinawan village, as local cuisine is served. There are live sanshin – a traditional lute – and other performances every evening on the restaurant’s second... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3351992/how-us-occupation-shaped-okinawan-cuisine-spam-musubi-taco-rice?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3351992/how-us-occupation-shaped-okinawan-cuisine-spam-musubi-taco-rice?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 04:45:08 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Japan and Vietnam are set to agree to boost their partnership in economic security in leaders’ talks on Saturday, as Japan seeks to strengthen supply chains for critical resources amid its diplomatic spat with China and the Middle East crisis. As Tokyo looks to deepen ties with Southeast Asian nations with an eye to China’s increasing economic engagement with the region, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will also give a speech on Japan’s updated vision for its free and open Indo-Pacific policy... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3352202/japans-takaichi-hold-talks-vietnam-economic-security-critical-minerals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3352202/japans-takaichi-hold-talks-vietnam-economic-security-critical-minerals?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 03:24:10 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall With his broad smile, Tatsumi Hokuto helps an elderly woman in a Japanese care home almost effortlessly to her feet and makes sure she is steady. At first glance, Hokuto cuts an unlikely figure for a carer role: a powerfully built 27-year-old in tight leggings and a black singlet, with the physique of a dedicated bodybuilder. But for Nagoya-based Visionary, a company that operates nursing and care facilities across Japan, that contrast is precisely the point. Visionary’s “macho carers” like... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3352178/rapidly-ageing-japans-macho-carers-lend-muscles-benefit-elderly-disabled?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3352178/rapidly-ageing-japans-macho-carers-lend-muscles-benefit-elderly-disabled?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 01:30:13 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The US stock market is rising towards more records on Friday after Apple, Estee Lauder and other big companies became the latest to deliver fatter profits for the start of the year than analysts expected. Modest dips for oil prices also helped to steady the relatively few stock markets open worldwide on the May Day holiday. The S&P 500 rose 0.6 per cent and added to its all-time high set the day before. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 226 points, or 0.5 per cent, as of 9.35am Eastern... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3352188/wall-street-rises-towards-more-records-oil-prices-slip?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3352188/wall-street-rises-towards-more-records-oil-prices-slip?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 May 2026 15:10:50 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi Japan has overhauled its overseas arms transfer regulations, a move analysts said paves the way for the country to export high-end weapons and defence platforms, including sixth-generation fighter jets. On April 21, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi announced that her cabinet had amended the Three Principles on Transfer of Defence Equipment and Technology and the accompanying implementation guidelines that had constituted Japan’s framework for controlling military hardware and technology... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3352144/will-japans-new-arms-export-rules-spark-high-end-defence-boom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3352144/will-japans-new-arms-export-rules-spark-high-end-defence-boom?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 May 2026 14:00:08 +0000