https://www.scmp.com/rss/328488/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof “You don’t even have to look for it,” nine-year-old Anaqi said of the short videos he watches online. “It just shows up automatically, and it’s super interesting.” That instinctive pull is familiar to his father, Firdaus Omar. The 39-year-old Malaysian civil servant said his two children – Anaqi and his six-year-old brother – could spend hours watching the kind of short, noisy, endlessly recommended clips now commonly dismissed online as “brain rot”. He is worried about the effect of such... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3348957/malaysian-bookshop-hits-novel-idea-bring-back-readers-addicted-brain-rot-clips?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3348957/malaysian-bookshop-hits-novel-idea-bring-back-readers-addicted-brain-rot-clips?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 05:00:11 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Later this month, Indonesian cinema-goers will finally get to see what audiences in Berlin saw in February: Jokor Anwar’s Ghost in the Cell. The horror-comedy, which had its world premiere at the prestigious Berlin International Film Festival, has been celebrated by influential trade magazine Variety for rising above mere “escapist entertainment” to channel societal anxieties about corruption and environmental destruction. Yet it is only the latest example of Southeast Asia’s creative moment... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3348980/southeast-asia-seeks-soft-power-outlast-us300-billion-buzz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3348980/southeast-asia-seeks-soft-power-outlast-us300-billion-buzz?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 00:00:16 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The Philippines is the latest country to consider banning minors from social media, joining a regional wave led by Australia and Indonesia, but technology analysts warn that restricting access alone will do little to address the platform design flaws that expose young users to harm. Philippine Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Monday called for legislation to limit minors’ access to social media platforms, days after Indonesia began enforcing a ban on under-16s using “high-risk” platforms such as... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3348837/philippines-weighs-social-media-ban-minors-will-it-be-enough?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3348837/philippines-weighs-social-media-ban-minors-will-it-be-enough?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 12:00:37 +0000 Aisyah Llewellyn Aisyah Llewellyn Bali’s reputation as a carefree tropical escape has been shaken by a string of brutal crimes, including the kidnapping and dismemberment of a Ukrainian man and the fatal stabbing of a Dutch visitor. The cases – some involving foreign suspects and bearing the hallmarks of organised or premeditated violence – have fuelled growing alarm, prompting residents and visitors to the Indonesian holiday island to ask: Is Bali becoming a stage for international crime? Observers say the cases do not indicate... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3348805/bali-rocked-spate-murder-cases-indonesian-island-more-dangerous-now?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3348805/bali-rocked-spate-murder-cases-indonesian-island-more-dangerous-now?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 10:30:07 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Tokyo’s Shibuya ward – home to the famous scramble crossing and one of the Japanese capital’s busiest shopping and nightlife districts – is abandoning its long-standing policy of asking people to take their rubbish home. Instead, it is turning to on-the-spot fines as visitor numbers surge and litter piles up. Under a new campaign branded “If you throw trash, you lose cash”, anyone caught dropping rubbish will be fined 2,000 yen (US$12.50), with enforcement starting on June 1 after a grace... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3348562/japans-shibuya-fine-litterbugs-spot-june-visitor-numbers-surge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3348562/japans-shibuya-fine-litterbugs-spot-june-visitor-numbers-surge?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 01:00:16 +0000 Bibek Bhandari Bibek Bhandari As a child, Saraswati Nepali was not allowed to drink from the same water jar as her classmates. When she was thirsty, she had to walk the 20 minutes home and back: the cost of being born a Dalit in a society that deemed her “untouchable”. Now, Nepal’s new government says it is finally ready to acknowledge that injustice. Prime Minister Balendra Shah’s administration announced on Sunday that the state would, for the first time, offer a formal apology to the Dalit community. It also pledged to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3348535/nepal-apologise-untouchable-dalits-first-time?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3348535/nepal-apologise-untouchable-dalits-first-time?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 11:30:08 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran A Filipino singer’s Golden Buzzer moment on Britain’s Got Talent has quickly become a fresh rallying point for Southeast Asian pride under the #SEAblings banner, as audiences in the region increasingly champion one another’s artists on the global stage. Matty Juniosa, a 27-year-old from the Philippines, drew a standing ovation after performing Prince’s “Purple Rain” on the British television competition on Sunday, earning the coveted Golden Buzzer from acerbic judge Simon Cowell and a direct... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3348538/filipino-singer-matty-juniosas-golden-buzzer-win-stokes-seablings-southeast-asian-pride?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3348538/filipino-singer-matty-juniosas-golden-buzzer-win-stokes-seablings-southeast-asian-pride?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 09:31:22 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran No fast-food chain has ever meant quite what Jollibee means to Filipinos. Forget McDonald’s and KFC, Jollibee – with its sweet spaghetti and crispy Chickenjoy – is something else entirely: a cultural anchor for a diaspora scattered across every continent on Earth. With more than a million Filipinos leaving the Philippines every year in search of greener pastures abroad, the chain has followed them almost everywhere they have gone, building a brand that taps into deep emotions by offering a taste... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3348191/philippines-loves-jollibee-overseas-filipinos-love-it-even-more?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3348191/philippines-loves-jollibee-overseas-filipinos-love-it-even-more?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 05:00:08 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall A proposal to scrap a ban on tall buildings in Kyoto to make way for towers and tourism infrastructure has drawn criticism that the move would fundamentally damage the skyline of Japan’s historic capital. A panel advising the city government suggested revising the existing height restriction – which limits buildings near Kyoto Station to a maximum of 31 metres – to 60 metres. The panel claimed on Wednesday the change would “revitalise” the area around the station that served as the gateway to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3348197/kyoto-eyeing-taller-buildings-critics-warn-it-will-look-every-other-city-japan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3348197/kyoto-eyeing-taller-buildings-critics-warn-it-will-look-every-other-city-japan?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 00:00:14 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan’s cherry trees are in full bloom, heralding the arrival of spring and the beginning of hanami picnics filled with food, festivities and fun. But stubborn inflation, the economic fallout from the war in Iran and looming unsettled weather have muted excitement for this year’s gatherings – a time-honoured tradition that is also popular with tourists. A survey by Intage found that 38 per cent of Japanese were planning to attend a cherry blossom viewing event with family, friends or colleagues,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3347965/japans-cherry-blossom-parties-could-wilt-inflation-strains-wallets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3347965/japans-cherry-blossom-parties-could-wilt-inflation-strains-wallets?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 00:00:55 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Even as the Philippines thrashes through the throes of an energy crisis born of the Iran war, Filipinos themselves largely appear uninterested in blaming the man who started it. Instead of Donald Trump, public ire has instead coalesced around Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr and his administration for failing to quell soaring prices. Fuel costs have rocketed across the archipelago since the United States and Israel first struck Iran on February 28, following the near-total closure of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3348025/trump-stays-popular-philippines-despite-iran-war-fuel-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3348025/trump-stays-popular-philippines-despite-iran-war-fuel-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 12:32:13 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall The sacred deer that have been a fixture of the ancient Japanese capital of Nara for centuries are beginning to wander far from the city’s famous park, where they have been fed and adored by millions of tourists and locals over the years. A male deer was recently spotted in the Zengenji district of Osaka, around 40km (25 miles) from its normal habitat and 3km from the city’s bustling main station. The appearance of wild deer in one of the most urban areas in Japan has attracted crowds of curious... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3347736/oh-deer-famous-hoofed-residents-japans-nara-wander-far-osaka?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3347736/oh-deer-famous-hoofed-residents-japans-nara-wander-far-osaka?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 01:30:15 +0000 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele Malaysian users are among victims targeted by a newly uncovered iPhone spyware operation that researchers say was used by multiple threat actors across countries, in a sign that sophisticated mobile-hacking tools are spreading through a murkier commercial and criminal ecosystem. The spyware, known as DarkSword, was observed targeting entities in Malaysia, Ukraine, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, and was uncovered by investigators shortly after they exposed another exploit kit, Coruna, linked to the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3347739/iphone-spyware-darksword-hits-malaysia-exposing-spread-sophisticated-hacking-tools?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3347739/iphone-spyware-darksword-hits-malaysia-exposing-spread-sophisticated-hacking-tools?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 12:31:37 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran In New Zealand, Keisha Constantino likes to start her morning at a leisurely pace. She wakes up at 7am and takes time to get ready, reading a book or making matcha before heading to work as a teaching assistant and doctoral researcher at the University of Auckland. While at work, the 32-year-old Filipino balances her time between researching, writing and grading coursework, after which she heads to the university gym to exercise before heading home. “My evenings are sacred. I don’t take home any... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3347635/philippines-scores-poorly-work-life-balance-filipinos-are-not-surprised?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3347635/philippines-scores-poorly-work-life-balance-filipinos-are-not-surprised?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 01:30:19 +0000 Kolette Lim Kolette Lim Steps to narrow the gender gap in Malaysia and Indonesia appear to be falling short, after a major global study found that most people surveyed in both nations remain tethered to traditional views on the roles of women. The study by research firm Ipsos and the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership at King’s College London found that 66 and 60 per cent of respondents from Indonesia and Malaysia, respectively, agreed with the statement that “a wife should always obey her husband”, the highest... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3347409/malaysia-indonesia-top-global-poll-obedient-wives?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3347409/malaysia-indonesia-top-global-poll-obedient-wives?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 02:30:08 +0000 Kolette Lim Kolette Lim The clack of mahjong tiles, the soft rattle of exercise bikes and the slow thrum of sewing machines are the soundtrack to Monday afternoons at the Yong-en Active Hub: a senior centre with the vibe of a social club, where new skills and friendships are the antidote to old age. At the Bukit Merah estate in central Singapore, Agnes Chen, 74, strolls through the swinging doors, declines entreaties to join a game of Rummikub – a tile-based hybrid of mahjong and rummy – and fixes herself a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3347359/super-aged-singapores-secret-growing-old-well-stay-busy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3347359/super-aged-singapores-secret-growing-old-well-stay-busy?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 04:00:16 +0000 Aidan Jones,Kolette Lim Aidan Jones,Kolette Lim Death is the family business for Viroj Suriyasenee, a second-generation Thai funeral director. His bespoke coffins range from plain wooden boxes to ornate creations trimmed in gold with plush red velvet interiors, priced anywhere from US$30 to US$30,000 – each one representing a story of loss, grief and a life concluded. They also speak to the sheer scale of Asia’s ever-growing, multibillion-dollar death economy. All the coffins Viroj makes are destined for the cremation furnace, yet the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3347355/ageing-southeast-asia-fights-fears-death-brave-inevitable?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3347355/ageing-southeast-asia-fights-fears-death-brave-inevitable?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Mar 2026 00:00:09 +0000 Vasudevan Sridharan Vasudevan Sridharan Namita Joshi made a New Year’s resolution in January to tackle one of her long-standing problems: being overweight. A key part of her slimming journey is her weekly weight-loss injections. While the 29-year-old interior designer has made changes to her diet and increased her workouts, she said the medication has helped her lose up to 6kg (13 pounds) in the past two months. With her weight at 85kg before her treatment and height at 1.65 metres (5.4 feet), Joshi was considered obese. “My mental... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3347198/indias-weight-loss-price-war-begins-semaglutide-patent-expires?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3347198/indias-weight-loss-price-war-begins-semaglutide-patent-expires?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 12:19:15 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan’s education ministry has launched a campaign to combat sexual misconduct by teachers and revised regulations against voyeurism, following the arrest of seven male educators for filming students without consent and sharing the footage on social media. A law aimed at preventing sexual misconduct in schools took effect in 2022, but the offences prompted further revisions. The ministry intends to update teachers on the rules, including the dismissal and prosecution of those who take... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3347065/japan-gets-tough-against-teachers-sexual-misconduct-voyeurism-after-arrests?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3347065/japan-gets-tough-against-teachers-sexual-misconduct-voyeurism-after-arrests?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 03:00:08 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan A bakery in Malaysia’s Sarawak state has set tongues wagging with its premium cake offerings sold at eye-watering prices, as Muslims countrywide this week stock up on sweets and delectable treats to celebrate Eid ul-Fitr, marking the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan. Cakes, chocolates and sweet biscuits are must-haves in the homes of the nation’s 20 million Muslims to host family and friends during the festival. Among the favoured snacks are the colourful kek lapis or layered cake, a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3346966/us460-cake-testing-malaysias-sweet-tooth-and-wallet-even-sultan-would-think-twice?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3346966/us460-cake-testing-malaysias-sweet-tooth-and-wallet-even-sultan-would-think-twice?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 04:34:55 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall A Japanese government agency has opened discussions on imposing a ban on children accessing social media, potentially following Australia’s lead in prohibiting under-16s from the most popular online platforms. Experts say it is far too early to determine whether the Australian experiment is a success and can be replicated in Japan, although there is a widely held belief that more needs to be done to limit the negative consequences of unfettered internet access for young people. In January,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3346905/will-japan-follow-australias-lead-and-ban-children-social-media?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3346905/will-japan-follow-australias-lead-and-ban-children-social-media?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 00:00:09 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Every year, roughly half of Indonesia’s 288 million people pack into trains, buses, ferries and cars and head home. The mudik, as the great Eid ul-Fitr exodus is known, is one of the largest annual human migrations on Earth and a ritual of return that defines the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan. This year, the Ministry of Transportation estimates that 143.9 million journeys will be made. But it could hardly arrive at a worse time for the government’s finances. Oil prices have surged... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3346886/oil-price-spike-threatens-break-indonesias-budget-144-million-hit-road-eid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3346886/oil-price-spike-threatens-break-indonesias-budget-144-million-hit-road-eid?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 10:30:11 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The Philippines ranks among Asia’s most gender-equal societies by several international measures. Yet ask Filipino women where they truly belong and most will still tell you: at home. A new survey has found that 83 per cent of Filipino women agree “being a housewife is just as fulfilling as working for pay”, up from 70 per cent when the same question was posed in 1994. The findings, released by independent pollster Social Weather Stations earlier in March to coincide with National Women’s Month,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3346760/most-filipino-women-think-womans-place-home-survey-finds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3346760/most-filipino-women-think-womans-place-home-survey-finds?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 10:30:11 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran From Singapore’s hawker stalls to Thailand’s street markets and Vietnam’s noodle shops, Southeast Asia is home to some of the world’s most celebrated food cultures. Yet the region has produced relatively few restaurant chains with global brand recognition, even as Chinese food and beverage groups climb international rankings. Analysts say structural factors – including smaller domestic markets, fragmented regional consumer tastes and fewer brands expanding aggressively overseas – have slowed the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3346547/philippines-jollibee-stands-out-southeast-asias-global-restaurant-exception?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3346547/philippines-jollibee-stands-out-southeast-asias-global-restaurant-exception?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 04:00:08 +0000 Aisyah Llewellyn Aisyah Llewellyn A survey showing workers in Indonesia as the happiest in Asia-Pacific has prompted discussions about the factors underpinning their positive attitudes relative to their regional peers. A workplace report published this month by employment marketplace Jobstreet by SEEK found 82 per cent of Indonesian respondents said they felt somewhat or extremely happy at work, the highest level among eight regional markets surveyed. The headline figure inevitably begs the question: does the result reflect... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3346545/top-world-why-indonesian-workers-are-happiest-asia-pacific?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3346545/top-world-why-indonesian-workers-are-happiest-asia-pacific?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2026 08:00:12 +0000 Kolette Lim Kolette Lim Singapore is preparing to build its tallest public housing project yet with some blocks rising above 60 storeys in the historic Chinatown area, in a sign of the city state pushing for higher density in prime areas to meet demand. Such super-tall developments are unlikely to become the norm, according to analysts, who cite higher construction costs, site constraints and tighter regulations aimed at preventing centrally located flats from becoming speculative investments. Singapore would build the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3346379/some-singapore-flats-above-60-storeys-horizon-will-owners-face-tighter-curbs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3346379/some-singapore-flats-above-60-storeys-horizon-will-owners-face-tighter-curbs?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 10:41:54 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk North Korea had abruptly cancelled the 2026 Pyongyang International Marathon less than a month before the race, its international partner said on Monday, raising fresh questions about the country’s cautious approach to reopening to foreign visitors. Beijing-based Koryo Tours, which specialises in tours to the country, said it had received notice of the cancellation from the North Korean race organiser. “This decision was communicated to us by the DPR Korea Athletics Association and has been... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3346000/north-korea-cancels-pyongyang-marathon-weeks-race-no-reason-given?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3346000/north-korea-cancels-pyongyang-marathon-weeks-race-no-reason-given?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 11:18:07 +0000 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele A narrow lane behind Kuala Lumpur’s Chinatown, once home to one of the Malaysian capital’s earliest theatre scenes, is being given a second life. For decades, the street now known as Jalan Sang Guna faded into the background, its ageing shopfronts and infrastructure deteriorating as pedestrians drifted towards the brighter stretches of nearby Petaling Street, leaving the passage a short cut rather than a destination. Persistent drainage failures meant the lane was prone to flooding during heavy... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3345875/revived-alley-kuala-lumpurs-chinatown-tests-balance-between-heritage-and-renewal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3345875/revived-alley-kuala-lumpurs-chinatown-tests-balance-between-heritage-and-renewal?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 04:00:09 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Malaysia has slashed operating licence fees for gyms in Kuala Lumpur by 80 per cent, offering a regulatory “carrot” as the government tries to push residents in one of Southeast Asia’s heaviest nations to exercise more. The move comes as Malaysia grapples with some of the region’s highest obesity rates – a problem health officials say is especially pronounced in sedentary urban centres such as the capital. Under the new rate, effective from January 1, gyms in Kuala Lumpur now pay 10 ringgit... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3345861/malaysias-new-plan-beat-obesity-slash-gym-licence-fees-kuala-lumpur?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3345861/malaysias-new-plan-beat-obesity-slash-gym-licence-fees-kuala-lumpur?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 02:30:11 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan’s most treasured historic sites still lack upgraded fire protection, raising concerns that irreplaceable cultural landmarks remain vulnerable to another catastrophic blaze. Government data shows work has yet to begin at about 30 per cent of the cultural properties prioritised under a national programme launched in the aftermath of the devastating blaze at Shuri Castle in Okinawa in 2019. The campaign, overseen by the Kyoto-based Agency for Cultural Affairs, was launched in 2020 to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3345873/japans-cultural-treasures-still-exposed-fire-risk-safety-upgrades-stall?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3345873/japans-cultural-treasures-still-exposed-fire-risk-safety-upgrades-stall?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 00:00:24 +0000 Ushar Daniele,Iman Muttaqin Yusof Ushar Daniele,Iman Muttaqin Yusof By late afternoon in Putrajaya, the smell of smoke fills the air. Charcoal pits glow along the side of the road as office workers and families with school-aged children in tow move through the haze with the deliberate purpose of people who have not eaten since dawn. This is a Ramadan bazaar in full bloom: rows of bright pink drinks in plastic cups, towers of kueh – bite-sized sweet and savoury snacks – in every colour, and, at one particularly busy stall, rows of whole chickens turning slowly... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3345746/1-holy-month-1-years-income-malaysias-ramadan-bazaar-boom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3345746/1-holy-month-1-years-income-malaysias-ramadan-bazaar-boom?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 08:00:12 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Vietnam’s new law regulating artificial intelligence could become Southeast Asia’s first real test of whether governments in the region are ready to move from voluntary guidelines to binding regulation, a shift analysts say could reshape how companies deploy AI across the region. The legislation, which took effect on Sunday, introduces a risk-tiered model where AI providers – both local organisations and foreign entities with a presence in the country – must classify their systems as low, medium... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3345650/why-vietnams-landmark-ai-law-first-major-regulatory-test-southeast-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3345650/why-vietnams-landmark-ai-law-first-major-regulatory-test-southeast-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 06:00:10 +0000 Aidan Jones,Ushar Daniele Aidan Jones,Ushar Daniele A man in a Mercedes drives up to a Bangkok forecourt, cash in hand, ready to buy an electric vehicle he hadn’t planned on owning. Southeast Asia’s EV revolution has found a new accelerant. “He was afraid he wouldn’t be able to fill up his car any more,” said Samart Prakotkancharna, managing director of Ratchapruek P Car Centre in Thailand’s capital, describing the scene that played out on his forecourt. Cash buyers had been streaming in all week, spooked by rising diesel prices and hunting for... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3345751/iran-war-oil-shock-accelerates-southeast-asias-ev-revolution?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3345751/iran-war-oil-shock-accelerates-southeast-asias-ev-revolution?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 02:00:09 +0000 David D. Lee David D. Lee At the bustling Han Market in central Da Nang, two Vietnamese vendors tease a middle-aged South Korean tourist by calling him harabeoji, or “grandfather” in Korean. “I’m offended!” he jokes. The women grab his arms and laugh. “It’s OK, it’s OK.” The man had returned to their stall after buying 200,000 dong (US$7.60) worth of macadamia nuts the day before. It is a small moment of banter, repeated dozens of times a day in a city that many people from South Korea jokingly call their own unofficial... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3345771/da-nang-south-korean-province-why-coastal-city-hit-east-asian-tourists?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3345771/da-nang-south-korean-province-why-coastal-city-hit-east-asian-tourists?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 08:00:08 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall One of Japan’s largest manga publishers is facing mounting backlash after it emerged that a writer convicted of sexually assaulting a minor had continued producing work for the company under a different name. The controversy has prompted some observers to ask whether Japan’s manga industry is experiencing a belated “#MeToo moment”, as prominent creators pull their works from the publisher’s Manga One digital platform in protest. Tokyo-based Shogakukan said on Tuesday it would set up a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3345612/japans-manga-industry-faces-metoo-moment-after-shogakukan-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3345612/japans-manga-industry-faces-metoo-moment-after-shogakukan-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 03:00:09 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran #SEAblings – short for “Southeast Asian siblings” – has increasingly been used by young Southeast Asians to signal regional solidarity, be it over a controversial concert or a political event. Whether such moments are fleeting or have the potential to morph into a sustainable movement is a subject of debate. The hashtag’s latest surge in use followed a dispute over camera rules at a K-pop concert in Kuala Lumpur, which escalated into a much wider online clash. For some sociologists, the point is... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3345477/why-seablings-became-southeast-asias-symbol-digital-solidarity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3345477/why-seablings-became-southeast-asias-symbol-digital-solidarity?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 03:30:09 +0000 Kolette Lim Kolette Lim In Singapore’s famous Takashimaya shopping centre, those looking for a quick caffeine fix are spoiled for choice. There is, of course, the ubiquitous Starbucks, as well as an outlet of China’s rapidly expanding Luckin Coffee franchise. But it’s a third option, Kenangan Coffee – an upstart brand from Indonesia that opened its first branch in Singapore in 2023 – that most appeals to 27-year-old shopper Sarah Shah. “I really like Kenangan’s range of drinks, especially how they balance classic... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3345469/how-southeast-asias-coffee-chains-are-brewing-cross-border-success?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3345469/how-southeast-asias-coffee-chains-are-brewing-cross-border-success?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 00:00:20 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Muslims in a small town in northern Japan have been rattled by several suspected arson attacks, following months of online agitation targeting the community over purported construction violations. Three fires in just over two weeks have damaged Pakistani-owned businesses and the Ebetsu Masjid, a mosque in Ebetsu, central Hokkaido, prompting police investigations and deepening anxiety among the city’s roughly 700 Muslim residents. “We have women and children in the community, and I can tell you... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3345330/muslim-community-japan-shaken-suspected-arson-attacks-everyone-scared?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3345330/muslim-community-japan-shaken-suspected-arson-attacks-everyone-scared?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 04:00:21 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall A record number of people under the age of 20 in Japan were arrested for cannabis offences last year, with experts on social norms attributing the sharp rise to growing despair about the future and the influence of celebrities known to use drugs. According to the National Police Agency (NPA), 1,373 people under the age of 20 were arrested for cannabis offences in Japan in 2025, an increase of more than a fifth from the previous year. The figure is the highest since age-specific drug offence data... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3345251/japans-under-20s-are-getting-high-never-social-morals-are-dying?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3345251/japans-under-20s-are-getting-high-never-social-morals-are-dying?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 00:00:09 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau Even if market researcher Joey Lau were a millionaire and could devote all her time to her family, she still would not want children. The 34-year-old Singaporean said the risks facing young people today – from social media-driven mental health pressures to climate change – were too high to justify bringing a child into the world. “I feel like the only reason that I would want to have a child is because it’s cute, it would give shape to my life and my parents would be very happy because they want... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3345289/why-some-singaporeans-are-saying-no-having-children-amid-existential-fertility-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3345289/why-some-singaporeans-are-saying-no-having-children-amid-existential-fertility-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 11:00:36 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof A Malaysian student has pleaded not guilty to desecrating the Koran and posting offensive content online, in a case that has stirred widespread anger in the Muslim-majority country during the holy month of Ramadan. Vikneswaran K. Selvanathan, 21, appeared before the Sessions Court in Kuantan, Pahang, on Tuesday to face two charges: defiling a sacred object and transmitting “grossly offensive” material on social media in violation of Malaysia’s communications law. He is accused of stepping on a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3345255/malaysian-student-charged-desecrating-koran-viral-video?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3345255/malaysian-student-charged-desecrating-koran-viral-video?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 07:30:09 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk When Dujduan Ketsaro wed two men in a single ceremony in northeastern Thailand on Saturday, she was ready for the attention. “Marry one and the world won’t remember,” the 37-year-old former singer-songwriter quipped to a guest. “Marry two at once and they will.” The three-way wedding, reported by Thai newspaper Khaosod, brought together Dujduan and two Austrian partners: Roman, a retired police officer she had lived with for five years and Macky, a police officer and Roman’s best friend who had... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3345232/she-married-2-men-once-thailand-and-her-mother-fine-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3345232/she-married-2-men-once-thailand-and-her-mother-fine-it?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 05:45:08 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Representatives of the Unification Church, the controversial South Korea-founded religious group that became a political flashpoint in Japan after the 2022 assassination of former prime minister Shinzo Abe, are set to return to court on Wednesday as judges consider whether to strip it of its legal status. The Tokyo High Court is widely expected to uphold a lower court’s order to dissolve the organisation, officially known as the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, in a ruling that... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3345196/unification-church-faces-uphill-task-japan-fight-courts-liquidation-ruling?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3345196/unification-church-faces-uphill-task-japan-fight-courts-liquidation-ruling?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 02:00:26 +0000 Kolette Lim Kolette Lim For her New Year’s resolution, Cheryl Tan decided that she would drink less alcohol on nights out. The 26-year-old Singaporean finance professional said she was starting to find it increasingly difficult to shed the effects of hangovers, rendering her immobile long into the next day. “It seemed like recovery after a night out was taking too long, and I started to scale back so I would be more productive,” she said. Cutting back has also saved her money. A cocktail at a bar in Singapore could... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3344930/asias-gen-z-go-sober-alcohol-producers-and-bars-revamp-business-model?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3344930/asias-gen-z-go-sober-alcohol-producers-and-bars-revamp-business-model?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 00:00:12 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof When Malaysian rapper Zamaera hit send on an email to South by Southwest’s (SXSW) music team in mid-December, she had already been told she was returning to Austin as a showcasing artist. What she wanted was bigger: a stage for Malaysia, the kind Japan, Taiwan and Britain already had at the US music festival. “They have a stage … for Japan. Taiwan already has a stage … even the UK and Germany,” the 31-year-old rapper, born Sharifah Zamaera, told This Week in Asia in an exclusive interview. She... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3344913/malaysia-has-music-zamaera-wants-world-hear-it-sxsw?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3344913/malaysia-has-music-zamaera-wants-world-hear-it-sxsw?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Mar 2026 06:00:18 +0000 Aidan Jones Aidan Jones Thailand is eyeing a billion-dollar tourist bounce over the next five years from hosting Tomorrowland, which makes its Asia debut in December 2026. Some 150,000 young ravers are expected to flood the resort city of Pattaya for the world’s largest electronic music festival. Long a touchstone of global tourism, the country has seen its popularity wane in recent years as a strong baht deters some travellers while regional rivals Vietnam and Malaysia eat into its market share. To reverse the trend,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3344827/thailand-eyes-us1-billion-bounce-tomorrowland-music-festival?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3344827/thailand-eyes-us1-billion-bounce-tomorrowland-music-festival?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Feb 2026 05:22:14 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Malaysia is weighing new legal measures to curb LGBTQ dating platforms, widening concern among rights groups that the country is pushing deeper into morality-driven internet regulation, even as its control of global app stores remains limited. Authorities have already blocked access to the websites of Grindr and Blued – two internationally used dating apps popular among gay, bisexual and queer men – Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said in a written parliamentary reply. But while their... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3344737/malaysias-push-curb-lgbtq-dating-apps-grindr-tests-limits-internet-control?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3344737/malaysias-push-curb-lgbtq-dating-apps-grindr-tests-limits-internet-control?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Feb 2026 09:51:32 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall A proposed scheme in Japan offering cash rewards for tip-offs about illegal foreign workers has won support from residents frustrated by what they see as weak enforcement of immigration rules, but migrant advocates warn the policy could deepen distrust and push vulnerable people further into the shadows. The “reporting reward” proposal, announced by Ibaraki Governor Kazuhiko Oigawa earlier this month, would pay “several tens of thousands of yen” for information leading to the detention of an... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3344640/japan-plan-give-cash-rewards-reporting-illegal-migrant-workers-divides-opinion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3344640/japan-plan-give-cash-rewards-reporting-illegal-migrant-workers-divides-opinion?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Feb 2026 02:16:55 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar A confrontation between a foreign tourist and residents on a popular Indonesian holiday island has reignited debate over the regulation of mosque loudspeakers in the Muslim-majority country. The dispute, involving a New Zealand national on Gili Trawangan, has drawn fresh attention to whether related government guidelines on the use of such speakers should instead become a binding law. On February 18, the woman disrupted a Koran recitation night session at a musalla – a small prayer room – near... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3344616/row-over-speakers-indonesian-island-1000-mosques-sparks-debate-compromise?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3344616/row-over-speakers-indonesian-island-1000-mosques-sparks-debate-compromise?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Feb 2026 10:31:05 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran A property dispute in the Philippines has led to what advocates call a “landmark” Supreme Court ruling and one of the country’s most significant advancements for LGBTQ rights in years – though legal experts said the true impact will depend on how far the decision can be applied beyond the facts of the case. In its judgment, the court ruled that cohabiting same-sex partners may claim co-ownership of property acquired during their relationship if they can prove actual financial contribution,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3344497/philippine-supreme-courts-landmark-ruling-adds-momentum-same-sex-marriage-debate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3344497/philippine-supreme-courts-landmark-ruling-adds-momentum-same-sex-marriage-debate?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Feb 2026 01:30:15 +0000