https://www.scmp.com/rss/519512/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com 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 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang China’s Liaoning aircraft carrier on Tuesday kicked off training that will include live-fire drills in the western Pacific, a move poised to draw attention from Japan amid tense bilateral ties. The Liaoning-led carrier task group’s training will include far-sea tactical flight, live-fire exercises, and providing support and cover, according to state broadcaster CCTV. The Chinese navy did not specify the exact location of this week’s training, but said they were routine exercises in line with the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3354115/chinese-aircraft-carrier-kicks-drills-western-pacific-amid-tense-japan-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3354115/chinese-aircraft-carrier-kicks-drills-western-pacific-amid-tense-japan-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 10:22:44 +0000 Faye Bradley Faye Bradley Hyrox is a race that combines endurance and strength, pushing competitors – whether first-time amateurs or seasoned athletes – to their physical limits. As the competition grows into a global phenomenon – with races across Asia in cities like Singapore, Hong Kong, Bangkok and Tokyo – recovering well and quickly has never mattered more. Solutions range from stimulating circulation through contrast baths and compression, to adopting a more considered approach to nutrition and sleep. Eat like... https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/special-reports/topics/hyroxs-rise-asia/article/3353572/how-recover-after-hyrox-race-according-experts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/special-reports/topics/hyroxs-rise-asia/article/3353572/how-recover-after-hyrox-race-according-experts?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 09:52:43 +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 Cameron Dueck Cameron Dueck The voices come from a distance, indirect and indecipherable. Unfamiliar voices speaking in a foreign language. They weave in and out of range, in and out of my drowsy dream. A child’s shout is followed by the tinkle of laughter. Slowly my mind climbs out of the warm burrow of sleep to see what all the fuss is about. It takes me a moment more to realise the voices are German. I’m still dancing between dreams and reality, enjoying the gauzy confusion. Why German and not English or Cantonese? I... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3353659/mastering-art-tourist-nap-richer-travel-experience?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3353659/mastering-art-tourist-nap-richer-travel-experience?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 May 2026 00:00:09 +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 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 Vincenzo La Torre Vincenzo La Torre Aoyama is undoubtedly Tokyo’s most fashionable neighbourhood. Nestled between Harajuku, Shibuya and Daikanyama, the area is the city’s epicentre of cool. Home to independent boutiques, curated multi-brand stores and buzzy cafes, Aoyama attracts fashionable locals and in-the-know travellers. The upscale area, however, has always lagged behind places such as Shinjuku and Ginza when it comes to luxury accommodation. This is set to change with the long-awaited arrival of Soho House Tokyo, at least... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/travel-hotels/article/3353347/luxury-private-club-soho-house-opens-aoyama-tokyos-trendiest-neighbourhood?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/travel-hotels/article/3353347/luxury-private-club-soho-house-opens-aoyama-tokyos-trendiest-neighbourhood?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 07:00:06 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi appears to have sidestepped a potentially embarrassing political landmine by publicly backing a close aide accused in media reports of running a smear campaign against her rivals, while stopping short of flatly denying his possible role. The allegations, first reported in weekly tabloid news magazine Shukan Bunshun, claim that members of her own camp produced videos critical of rival candidates during last year’s Liberal Democratic Party leadership race,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3353289/japans-takaichi-backs-aide-over-smear-claims-against-ldp-rivals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3353289/japans-takaichi-backs-aide-over-smear-claims-against-ldp-rivals?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 03:00:11 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is pushing through legislation to establish the country’s first centralised intelligence agency since the second world war, driven by concerns that its existing set-up is too fragmented to keep pace with espionage, cyberthreats and “grey zone” operations. The plan, recently endorsed by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation, would transform the Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office (CIRO) into a central hub, drawing in analysts, technologists and... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3353154/japans-new-spy-agency-receives-fbi-backing-eyes-china-and-russia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3353154/japans-new-spy-agency-receives-fbi-backing-eyes-china-and-russia?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 May 2026 00:00:14 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo A growing number of late-night cafes across Japan are opening their doors to mothers struggling with babies who will not stop crying, offering a rare refuge during the most isolating hours of parenting. The idea of a “nighttime crying cafe”, which appeared in an online comic nearly a decade ago, first resonated with readers and is now gaining real-world traction as spaces inspired by that vision are spreading under small, community-led initiatives. The creator of the original concept said she... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3353114/japans-late-night-cafes-open-doors-help-mothers-crying-babies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3353114/japans-late-night-cafes-open-doors-help-mothers-crying-babies?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 May 2026 06:44:37 +0000 Igor Patrick,Mark Magnier Igor Patrick,Mark Magnier Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng will travel to South Korea this week for trade talks with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, both sides confirmed on Sunday, in the final round of negotiations before a summit between President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump in Beijing. The meeting is scheduled for May 12 and 13 in Seoul and comes days before Trump’s state visit to China on May 14 and 15. China’s Ministry of Commerce said He would lead a delegation to hold economic and trade... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353067/china-us-confirm-seoul-trade-talks-days-trump-xi-summit-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353067/china-us-confirm-seoul-trade-talks-days-trump-xi-summit-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 May 2026 15:50:56 +0000 Sophie Wushuang Yi Sophie Wushuang Yi When US President Donald Trump announced that 5,000 US troops would leave Germany, the immediate reading in Western capitals was political: another round in Trump’s running quarrel with European allies, triggered by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s criticism of Washington’s handling of the war with Iran. For Beijing, the more interesting reading is structural. The drawdown coincides with a period in which Foreign Minister Wang Yi has spent much of 2026 cultivating a “partners not rivals”... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3352882/china-shouldnt-view-tired-us-signifying-europe-ready-pivot?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3352882/china-shouldnt-view-tired-us-signifying-europe-ready-pivot?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 May 2026 12:30:05 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan’s Mogami-class destroyer appears to be pulling ahead in the race to become the next generation of warships for the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN), in what would be another major deal for Japan’s defence industry just weeks after Tokyo announced it was lifting its long-held ban on weapons exports. Under its 2025 Defence Capability Plan, the government in Wellington has committed to replacing its two ANZAC-class frigates – launched in the early 1990s – with more capable, modern warships. The... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3352966/why-japans-mogami-class-warship-winning-over-new-zealand?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3352966/why-japans-mogami-class-warship-winning-over-new-zealand?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 May 2026 02:30:05 +0000 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 Reuters Reuters Japan’s relaxation of its weapons-export rules opens a path for talks that could one day lead to Tokyo supplying military equipment to help Ukraine resist Russia’s invasion, Kyiv’s ambassador to Japan said. “This allows us to talk,” Yurii Lutovinov said in an interview at Ukraine’s embassy. “Theoretically, it’s a very big step forward.” Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s move last week to ease export rules – Japan’s latest shift away from a strict post-war pacifist stance – has sparked broad... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3352184/ukraine-sees-path-getting-japanese-arms-after-tokyo-eases-export-rules?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3352184/ukraine-sees-path-getting-japanese-arms-after-tokyo-eases-export-rules?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 May 2026 13:40:48 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo A man who is believed to have struck a 17-year-old high school student in the face with a hammer in Tokyo earlier this week was arrested on Friday after a manhunt on suspicion of attempted murder, according to local police. Teruyuki Takabayashi, 44, was apprehended in Narashino, Chiba Prefecture after allegedly attacking the boy between 7.15am and 7.25am on Wednesday in Fussa, a suburban area in western Tokyo. The boy was part of a group of seven teenagers hanging around a nearby restaurant at... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3352179/tokyo-man-who-attacked-teens-hammer-arrested-after-manhunt?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3352179/tokyo-man-who-attacked-teens-hammer-arrested-after-manhunt?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 May 2026 12:52:28 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall More than 15 per cent of hospitals and long-term medical care facilities across Japan have recorded cases of sexual assault or abuse of patients, according to a new government report, as concerns mount that the actual figures may be higher. The Children and Families Agency released the results of the survey – the first of its kind – on Tuesday, with 1,113 institutions of the 5,000 invited to take part providing responses. Many of the incidents involved medical staff in psychiatry and... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3352003/japan-survey-finds-sexual-abuse-15-hospitals-true-scale-higher?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3352003/japan-survey-finds-sexual-abuse-15-hospitals-true-scale-higher?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 May 2026 00:00:16 +0000 Vincenzo La Torre,Sumnima Kandangwa Vincenzo La Torre,Sumnima Kandangwa Whether it’s revisiting the radical energy of the young British artists who shook up the art world in the 1990s or celebrating the enduring influence of global figures like Nigo, this season’s art offerings span exhibitions dedicated to fashion, history and contemporary art in museums and galleries across London and in Kyoto and Venice. Design Museum, London London’s Design Museum is devoting an exhibition to Japanese designer Nigo, one of the most influential figures in global fashion. The... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/leisure/article/3351704/4-exhibitions-visit-summer-london-kyoto-and-venice?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/leisure/article/3351704/4-exhibitions-visit-summer-london-kyoto-and-venice?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 22:00:09 +0000 Orange Wang Orange Wang The row between China and Japan has ratcheted up a notch, with Beijing issuing a strongly worded position paper warning that Tokyo would soon be able to produce nuclear weapons. In the document released on Thursday, China called on the United Nations to make Japan’s potential pursuit of nuclear arms an “important agenda item” at an ongoing convention at the organisation’s New York headquarters. China is a permanent member of the UN Security Council and will assume the monthly rotating presidency... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352062/why-china-warning-un-japanese-nuclear-breakout?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352062/why-china-warning-un-japanese-nuclear-breakout?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 14:00:13 +0000 Cao Jiaxuan,Shi Jiangtao Cao Jiaxuan,Shi Jiangtao China will work with Australian businesses on jet fuel shipments in an important “first step” in alleviating supply crunches, according to Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong. The agreement came on Wednesday as part of Wong’s talks in Beijing with her Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi. “Inputs China supplies to Australia, including jet fuel, support the Australian resources sector, which in turn helps to maintain the flow of commodities that are so important in the bilateral trading relationship,”... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351964/why-chinas-jet-fuel-deal-australia-underscores-canberras-balancing-act?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351964/why-chinas-jet-fuel-deal-australia-underscores-canberras-balancing-act?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 06:16:19 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Common security interests in the region have led to Japan’s unprecedented sharing of its Mogami-class warships with India, according to analysts. The move dovetails with New Delhi’s drive to localise industrial and defence production. Enhanced naval capabilities will also allow India to become a “security provider” in the Indian Ocean. Japan offered India its Mogami design plans and the option to build the frigates in Indian shipyards using Japanese materials, according to recent reports from... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3351945/why-japan-sharing-its-guarded-mogami-warship-design-india?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3351945/why-japan-sharing-its-guarded-mogami-warship-design-india?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 04:12:12 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen Former Japanese prime minister Yukio Hatoyama has called on Beijing and Tokyo to work together against “US arrogance”, as the global order is upended by President Donald Trump. Hatoyama, who was Japan’s prime minister from 2009 to 2010, said the two nations should find common ground and work to manage their bilateral relations. “I would argue that Japan and China should jointly confront a self-centred United States and [prevent] the collapse of the world order,” Hatoyama said at an event in Hong... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351796/fragmenting-global-order-former-japanese-leader-urges-pivot-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351796/fragmenting-global-order-former-japanese-leader-urges-pivot-china?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Apr 2026 10:00:17 +0000 Sophie Wushuang Yi Sophie Wushuang Yi “Balikatan 2026” is meant to reassure allies and deter adversaries. But the military exercise hosted by the Philippines also reveals a harsher truth: the Indo-Pacific is drifting into a security logic in which deterrence no longer contains risk but multiplies it. Every move taken in the name of stability now invites a countermove. Every display of resolve is answered by another. The result is not equilibrium, but a trap. That is why diplomacy has to return to the centre of regional strategy... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3351382/without-diplomacy-deterrence-asia-path-escalation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3351382/without-diplomacy-deterrence-asia-path-escalation?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 21:30:08 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk Japan’s first female prime minister is facing a growing backlash from women new to political activism, as alarm spreads over her government’s push to revise the country’s pacifist constitution and expand its role in arms exports. The women are part of a protest wave that has grown from a few thousand people in late February to tens of thousands outside the National Diet in Tokyo, where demonstrators have rallied against constitutional revision, weapons exports and what they see as Japan’s drift... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3351589/japans-takaichi-faces-women-led-backlash-over-constitution-reform-push-arms-build?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3351589/japans-takaichi-faces-women-led-backlash-over-constitution-reform-push-arms-build?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 11:02:46 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan is planning to build what could become the world’s largest floating wind farm – a gigawatt-scale project off the Izu Islands to power the island chain and Tokyo. But the plan, championed by Governor Yuriko Koike, is facing questions over whether it can be delivered by 2035. There are also doubts about the power generation forecast and whether Japan could tackle the technical demands of such a megaproject. Koike first announced the wind farm project at a climate change conference in... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3351366/japan-aims-build-worlds-largest-wind-farm-can-it-power-2035?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3351366/japan-aims-build-worlds-largest-wind-farm-can-it-power-2035?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 00:00:17 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Protesters gathered in Tokyo on Friday to rally against Japan’s decision to ease decades-old arms export curbs, which critics argue erode the country’s post-war pacifist tradition. The new rules permitting the sale of lethal weapons overseas signal a major shift, as Japan ramps up its defence ambitions and seeks to enter the global arms market in part to boost economic growth. The move, announced this week on Tuesday by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s government, has been met with some criticism... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3351370/japanese-protest-frightening-easing-decades-old-arms-export-curbs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3351370/japanese-protest-frightening-easing-decades-old-arms-export-curbs?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:54:34 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The Philippines has emerged as the clearest example of what observers say is Japan’s shift towards a more active defence role abroad, with both countries deepening their military cooperation in areas ranging from joint drills to technological partnerships. Japanese forces are taking part for the first time in this year’s Balikatan military exercises hosted by the Philippines, while bilateral cooperation is set to expand after Tokyo eased its defence export rules on Tuesday. These activities... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3351190/how-philippines-became-japans-closest-security-partner-southeast-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3351190/how-philippines-became-japans-closest-security-partner-southeast-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Apr 2026 11:55:22 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi complained she was not getting enough sleep, a veteran politician who met her on Thursday said. The remark came as Takaichi’s premiership recently reached the six-month mark. After winning her ruling party’s leadership election in October, putting her on course to become Japan’s first female prime minister, she vowed to “work, work, work, work and work”, a phrase that became a catchphrase in 2025. “I want to get a little more sleep,” the 65-year-old prime... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3351142/japans-pm-takaichi-tells-fellow-politician-she-needs-more-sleep?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3351142/japans-pm-takaichi-tells-fellow-politician-she-needs-more-sleep?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Apr 2026 08:37:21 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Northeast Japan escaped relatively unscathed from the magnitude 7.7 earthquake that struck off its coast on Monday, but residents have been advised to stay alert as it is too early to tell whether the tremor was the main shock or a precursor to a far larger one. Hours after the quake, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) issued a special advisory warning of a slightly elevated risk of a temblor with a magnitude of 8 or stronger in the coming days. There was a 1 per cent chance of a megaquake,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3350881/japan-escapes-worst-magnitude-77-quake-experts-warn-potential-bigger-one?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3350881/japan-escapes-worst-magnitude-77-quake-experts-warn-potential-bigger-one?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 09:30:33 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi sent a ritual offering on Tuesday to a shrine honouring the country’s war dead that has long angered neighbouring countries but did not visit in person, media reports and an unidentified source close to the matter said. The Yasukuni shrine in central Tokyo is dedicated to 2.5 million war dead, mostly Japanese, who perished in conflicts since the late 19th century. That number includes senior military and political figures convicted by an international... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3350867/japans-takaichi-sends-yasukuni-shrine-offering-south-korea-expresses-regret?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3350867/japans-takaichi-sends-yasukuni-shrine-offering-south-korea-expresses-regret?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 08:58:05 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Reports of friction inside Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party suggest Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s biggest political challenge may now lie not with the opposition, but within her own party. Despite her strong public standing following February’s general election, reports have grown louder that Takaichi is clashing with the LDP’s influential old guard – notably former prime minister Taro Aso. Japanese tabloids, which are often more willing than the mainstream press to air insider... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350767/why-japans-takaichi-already-facing-resistance-inside-her-own-party?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350767/why-japans-takaichi-already-facing-resistance-inside-her-own-party?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 01:30:23 +0000 Wynna Wong Wynna Wong Hong Kong travellers in Japan were reported safe by at least one major tour operator while the Immigration Department said it was closely monitoring the situation after a powerful earthquake struck off the country’s northeast coast on Monday, triggering tsunami warnings. Steve Huen Kwok-chuen, executive director of EGL Tours, said the operator currently had about 40 tour groups in Japan, including three in the northeast and four in Hokkaido, areas covered by the alert. “All our customers are... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3350777/40-hong-kong-tour-groups-safe-after-magnitude-75-quake-strikes-japan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3350777/40-hong-kong-tour-groups-safe-after-magnitude-75-quake-strikes-japan?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 15:02:36 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall A US move to freeze the Lunar Gateway orbiting space station could render Japan’s new technologies redundant – but its space agency is expected to be diplomatic in its response. The Lunar Gateway project was initially planned as an installation that would orbit the moon as part of the United States’ Artemis programme, which recently made headlines for a record-breaking journey that went deeper into space than anyone had ever flown before. Artemis’ aim is to return astronauts to the moon’s... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3350662/japan-focus-lunar-rover-after-us-halts-moon-space-station?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3350662/japan-focus-lunar-rover-after-us-halts-moon-space-station?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 04:00:12 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Japan and Australia said on Saturday they have finalised contracts to jointly deliver the first three of 11 ships for the Australian navy based on the upgraded Japanese Mogami-class frigate, as the two countries deepen their defence cooperation amid China’s growing assertiveness. The deal, announced by Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and his Australian counterpart Richard Marles in Melbourne, comes ahead of Japan’s planned easing of its rules on defence equipment exports, which place... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3350577/japan-australia-finalise-contracts-deliver-first-3-planned-frigates?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3350577/japan-australia-finalise-contracts-deliver-first-3-planned-frigates?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 10:08:57 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang The Chinese embassy in Japan has received a series of “terrorist threats”, including an intrusion and a bomb threat, in the past month, a diplomat said on Thursday, describing the incidents as “extremely egregious”. Shi Yong, the acting head of the embassy, said that on March 5 the embassy received a threatening letter from an organisation claiming to comprise former Japanese police officers and former Self-Defence Forces members. Shi said the embassy had reported the matter to the local police,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350341/china-says-tokyo-embassy-intrusion-bomb-threat-are-among-grave-violations-japan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350341/china-says-tokyo-embassy-intrusion-bomb-threat-are-among-grave-violations-japan?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 11:00:15 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo A Japanese court on Tuesday sentenced a former teacher to two years in prison for taking indecent images of pupils and sharing them on social media, making him the first among members of an alleged teachers’ voyeurism ring to receive a prison sentence in a high-profile case that came to light last year. The Nagoya District Court handed down the sentence to Katsuya Ishikawa, 28, who was a teacher at a junior high school in Hayama, Kanagawa Prefecture, at the time of his arrest in September. Judge... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3350058/japan-jails-ex-teacher-sharing-voyeuristic-student-images?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3350058/japan-jails-ex-teacher-sharing-voyeuristic-student-images?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 10:14:01 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan and Nato are drawing closer together, with 30 representatives from the transatlantic security alliance’s member states set to visit Tokyo this month amid mounting concern over Washington’s reliability as a security partner. The Nato envoys will reportedly hold talks on China’s expanding regional influence, Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine and the implications of a more volatile global security order, according to Japanese public broadcaster NHK. “A delegation of this size underlines just... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349766/japan-welcome-30-nato-envoys-trump-rattles-us-allies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349766/japan-welcome-30-nato-envoys-trump-rattles-us-allies?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 00:00:18 +0000 Vincenzo La Torre Vincenzo La Torre After an extensive renovation that took almost two years, Park Hyatt Tokyo – arguably the Japanese capital’s most iconic hotel – has changed very little, at least on the surface. That’s a very good thing, especially for those who over the years have had the privilege to call it their home away from home while visiting Tokyo. Famously immortalised in the Academy Award-winning film Lost in Translation (2003), in which it played as significant a role as its two main characters – an American actor... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/travel-hotels/article/3349585/park-hyatt-tokyos-reopening-brings-back-memories-lost-translation-and-bygone-era?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/travel-hotels/article/3349585/park-hyatt-tokyos-reopening-brings-back-memories-lost-translation-and-bygone-era?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Apr 2026 06:00:13 +0000