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This Week in Asia /

Lifestyle & Culture

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K-pop, Mandopop and other Asian pop
Asia travel
Fame and celebrity
The aerobics session, live streamed on Saturday morning, quickly triggered a social media pile-on. Photo: Facebook
Malaysia

‘Indecent’ aerobics: viral Zumba video triggers police probe in Malaysia

Headscarf-wearing instructors ignited a social media firestorm and religious backlash after being filmed performing in skimpy clothing.

Singapore

Singapore’s retail ownership data sparks debate about foreign chains’ influence

Malaysia

‘Khalwat’: divorced couple arrested for sharing hotel room in Malaysia

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Japan

‘Foreigner fatigue’: how xenophobia hijacked Japan’s national conversation

Record immigration and the ‘Trump factor’ fuelled a xenophobic election surge, but analysts say another political target is emerging.

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Foreign tourists pack Kiyomizuzaka in Kyoto. Japan has seen a surge in tourist arrivals in recent years. Photo: Kyodo
Foreign tourists pack Kiyomizuzaka in Kyoto. Japan has seen a surge in tourist arrivals in recent years. Photo: Kyodo
Malaysia

How a crop of young farmers is reshaping agriculture in Southeast Asia

Young people across Southeast Asia are using city spaces and new technologies to improve on traditional farming methods to grow produce.

Thailand

Feathered fortunes, sky-high stakes: inside Asia’s richest pigeon race

In eastern Thailand, 5,000 pigeons brave predators and exhaustion in a gruelling sprint for a US$2 million purse.

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Malaysia

Impulse control: Malaysia’s social media ban targets teen minds

The government is threatening to pull the plug on social media for under-16s after a spate of youth violence linked to life online.

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Malaysia’s push comes after a slew of shocking crimes and violent incidents that authorities have linked to social media and online games. Photo: Shutterstock
Malaysia’s push comes after a slew of shocking crimes and violent incidents that authorities have linked to social media and online games. Photo: Shutterstock
Malaysia

X marks the bot: Malaysia says Grok ban may be lifted if it is proven to be safe

Though X has deactivated several prompts, more changes need to be made to ensure the site’s safety, Malaysia’s communications minister says.

Indonesia

Indonesian comedian hit with blasphemy complaints over Netflix jokes

Pandji Pragiwaksono’s unfiltered set took aim at the president, but it was a quip about religious groups that triggered police reports.

Japan

Japan’s ‘love hotel’ mayor stages comeback, shattering political taboos

Akira Ogawa’s return suggests voters are finally judging women in Japanese politics by the same imperfect standards as men.

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Akira Ogawa speaks to her supporters in Maebashi, Japan’s Gunma prefecture, on Monday after her re-election as mayor. Photo: Kyodo
The Philippines

Philippine tourism chief’s magazine cover draws backlash as visitor numbers slip

Christina Frasco’s cover appearance has drawn accusations from critics that self-promotion is being prioritised over strategy and results.

Christina Frasco, secretary of the Philippines’ Department of Tourism. Photo: Handout
Christina Frasco, secretary of the Philippines’ Department of Tourism. Photo: Handout
Malaysia

‘We are not criminals’: Malaysian LGBTQ event faces conservative backlash

Police have launched an investigation into ‘Glamping With Pride’ after Islamic authorities raised an outcry.

Pop culture in Asia

Soft power, hard cash: inside Southeast Asia’s billion-dollar anime obsession

Driven by Gen Z spending and streaming, the region’s US$1.3 billion anime market represents a triumph for Japan’s cultural push.

Malaysia

‘No taste’: Malaysia’s Life of Pi and Squid Game artists warn against AI rush

After viewers slammed AI-enhanced films for looking ‘cheap’, local experts warn that algorithms serve profit, not storytelling.

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“Life of Pi”, directed by Ang Lee, won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects in 2013. Photo: 20th Century Fox
Japan

Meow arriving: Japan railway’s newest cat stationmaster clocks in

Yontama is the third cat to become stationmaster on the Kishigawa Line in Wakayama prefecture after the death of her predecessor last year.

Newly appointed cat stationmaster Yontama is held by Wakayama Electric Railway President Mitsunobu Kojima on Wednesday, in Kinokawa, Wakayama prefecture, Japan. Photo: Kyodo
Newly appointed cat stationmaster Yontama is held by Wakayama Electric Railway President Mitsunobu Kojima on Wednesday, in Kinokawa, Wakayama prefecture, Japan. Photo: Kyodo
Japan

Fisherman, defector or spy? Mystery ‘ghost ship’ discovery puzzles Japan

Korean writing on the boat led to conjecture that it was a ‘ghost ship’ similar to those that washed up on Japanese shores in the past.

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The Philippines

Soap opera in the sky: why Philippine Airlines’ safety video became a viral hit

The melodramatic Filipino teleserye-style video has racked up millions of views online by blending safety rules with storytelling.

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Indonesia

Bali’s toughest tourism proposal yet: checking foreign visitors’ bank accounts

Bali’s governor says the plan would deter low-spending visitors, though its enforcement would face legal and practical hurdles.

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Tourists walk through a shopping area in Seminyak, Bali, on August 1, 2025. The island has seen a surge in foreign arrivals as officials push for “quality tourism” measures. Photo: EPA
Tourists walk through a shopping area in Seminyak, Bali, on August 1, 2025. The island has seen a surge in foreign arrivals as officials push for “quality tourism” measures. Photo: EPA
Indonesia

Is 12 too young? Rare matricide case tests Indonesia’s juvenile justice system

The girl, often threatened with a knife by her mother, was inspired to use one after playing online games and watching anime, police say.

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Singapore

Singer Henry Lau calls out Singapore concert venue over blocked views

Lau says he is speaking out ‘for the sake of future artistes’ after the venue layout affected his interactions with fans.

Japan

Japan’s fix for a shrinking workforce? Corporate dating apps

Companies like Toyota are playing cupid, betting that matching staff with partners from supportive firms will prevent burnout and resignations.

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People cross a road near Tokyo station. The rising popularity of corporate-only dating apps in Japan comes as its birth rate continues to fall. Photo: AFP
Singapore

Small market, global competition: can Singapore’s filmmakers break out abroad?

The government has rolled out a US$155.6 million programme to help local filmmakers reach wider markets amid shrinking cinema audiences.

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The Projector, an independent cinema at Golden Mile Tower in Singapore, closed in 2024 amid rising costs and falling attendance. Photo: Handout
The Projector, an independent cinema at Golden Mile Tower in Singapore, closed in 2024 amid rising costs and falling attendance. Photo: Handout
Japan

Japan’s shoplifters hate a simple ‘hello’ more than cameras

Experts say that in an age of urban isolation, the pressure of ‘real human eyes’ creates more panic in thieves than hi-tech security.

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Singapore

‘Deeply distressing’: Singapore’s animal shelters struggle with costs

Cases of animal cruelty and poor welfare have also surged, with the SPCA reporting 961 confirmed cases last year.

Tourism

Asian travellers brace for ‘chilling’ US social media scrutiny

The proposal, which requires visa-exempt visitors to provide five years of social media history, comes amid moves to toughen US borders.

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Travellers walk through the arrival hall at La Guardia Airport in New York on December 23, 2025. Photo: AFP
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