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This Week in Asia /

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People use boats on Chidorigafuchi, one of the moats around the Imperial Palace, to look at the cherry blossoms in full bloom in Tokyo on April 2. Photo: AFP
Japan

‘Making a racket in Chinese’: Japan’s cherry blossom season stirs cultural rift

A report claims residents of Dazaifu in Fukuoka prefecture complained about groups ‘making a racket in Chinese’ at a popular hanami spot.

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Malaysia

Lute awakening: traditional Malaysian strings have many players but few makers

Malaysia

Malaysian bookshop hits on novel idea to hook readers addicted to ‘brain rot’

Asean

Cultural capitals: Southeast Asia seeks soft power to outlast the buzz

The region’s creators are going global, but the structures to sustain them are still catching up.

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Illustration: Mario Rivera
Illustration: Mario Rivera
The Philippines

Philippines weighs social media ban for minors, but will it be enough?

Analysts warn that restricting access alone will do little to fix the algorithms that expose young users to harmful content.

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Indonesia

Bali rocked by spate of murder cases – is Indonesian island more dangerous now?

The cases allegedly involving foreign suspects have spurred concerns that gang disputes have moved from other countries to the island.

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Japan

Litterbugs in Shibuya to be fined on the spot as visitor numbers surge

The initiative, which will see offenders fined US$12.50, reflects a broader rethink of the ward’s earlier decision to remove public rubbish bins.

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Aluminium cans, bottles, and other trash stashed next to a vending machine in Shibuya. Photo: Shutterstock
Aluminium cans, bottles, and other trash stashed next to a vending machine in Shibuya. Photo: Shutterstock
Nepal

Untouchable no more: Nepal to apologise to Dalits for first time

Nepal has banned caste discrimination, yet many Dalits still live in poverty. Can a formal state apology inspire change?

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The Philippines

Filipino singer’s Golden Buzzer win stokes #SEAblings’ Southeast Asian pride

The reactions to his breakout moment on ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ highlight how regional audiences increasingly champion one another’s artists.

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The Philippines

Joy in a bag: for overseas Filipinos, Jollibee is a taste of home

Forget KFC. For Filipinos abroad, Jollibee serves up cultural pride with a side of nostalgia – and the best fried chicken in America.

Jollibee employees attend to customers at an outlet in Manila in 2015. Photo: AFP
Japan

‘Damage Kyoto’s reputation’: plan for sky-high towers meets backlash

Opponents say the proposal to revise height restrictions for buildings around Kyoto Station to 60 metres will destroy the city’s unique views.

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People walk in front of Kyoto Station, Japan. Existing height restrictions limit buildings near the station to a maximum of 31 metres. Photo: Kyodo
People walk in front of Kyoto Station, Japan. Existing height restrictions limit buildings near the station to a maximum of 31 metres. Photo: Kyodo
Japan

Japan’s cherry blossom parties could wilt as inflation strains wallets

Spending on ‘hanami’ picnics drops as rising living costs, Iran war fears and weather woes threaten to dampen this year’s festivities.

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The Philippines

Why Filipinos blame Marcos, not Trump, for the Iran war fuel crisis

A Philippine senator wants Filipinos to hold Trump accountable for their surging fuel bills. But public anger has a different target.

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Japan

Sacred deer have been a fixture of Japan’s Nara. Now they’re wandering away

More green spaces in nearby cities and the deer’s adaptable nature have led to them straying as far as 40km away from their habitat.

The deer at Nara Park in Japan are popular with tourists and locals. Photo: AFP
Malaysia

DarkSword threatens Malaysian iOS users, exposing spread of elite spyware

DarkSword can compromise vulnerable iPhones through hacked legitimate websites and siphon off highly sensitive data, researchers warn.

DarkSword can compromise vulnerable iPhones through hacked legitimate websites, and Apple has urged users to update their phones to stay protected. Photo: Reuters
DarkSword can compromise vulnerable iPhones through hacked legitimate websites, and Apple has urged users to update their phones to stay protected. Photo: Reuters
The Philippines

Philippines scores poorly on work-life balance. Filipinos are not surprised

Low wages, poor workplace culture and heavy traffic are among the factors hampering Filipinos from enjoying a good work-life balance.

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Malaysia

Should wives always obey? Most in Malaysia and Indonesia say yes

A new study also shows 64 per cent of respondents in Singapore agree that efforts to give women equal rights with men ‘have gone far enough’.

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Singapore

‘Super-aged’ Singapore’s secret to growing old well? Stay busy

Forget doing nothing. At the city state’s active hubs, the soundtrack to ageing is sewing machines, exercise bikes and guitar lessons.

Elderly citizens use sewing machines at the Yong-en Active Hub in Singapore. Photo: Kolette Lim
Elderly citizens use sewing machines at the Yong-en Active Hub in Singapore. Photo: Kolette Lim
Ageing society

Mortal combat: Southeast Asia fights fears of death to plan for the end

Birth rates are falling. Populations are ageing. In Southeast Asia, the business of dying has never been bigger.

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India

India’s weight-loss drug price war begins as key patent expires

Generic slimming drugs are expected to flood a market where one in four adults are currently either overweight or obese.

Japan

Japan gets tough against teachers’ sexual misconduct, voyeurism after arrests

Sexual offences involving mostly male teachers targeting students remain high despite stricter rules against the menace in recent years.

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A man taking an upskirt photo. The wide use of mobile technology has encouraged misbehaviour among some Japanese teachers, analysts say. Photo: Shutterstock
Malaysia

‘Even sultan would think twice’: the US$460 cake testing Malaysia’s sweet tooth

Sarawak bakery’s luxury treat sparks debate over its high price as Malaysians stock up on Eid sweets amid rising diabetes concerns.

The “Kek Lapis Sultan” cake is being sold for US$460 for a 5kg tray at a bakery in Sarawak, Malaysia. Photo: Instagram/abgkju
The “Kek Lapis Sultan” cake is being sold for US$460 for a 5kg tray at a bakery in Sarawak, Malaysia. Photo: Instagram/abgkju
Japan

Will Japan follow Australia’s lead and ban children from social media?

A new panel is studying how prolonged social media exposure affects young people, with youth suicide among issues likely to be addressed.

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Indonesia

Half of Indonesia is travelling for Eid as US$100 oil threatens state finances

A US$100 oil shock is ballooning fuel subsidies towards a deficit cap breach.

The Philippines

Most Filipino women think a woman’s place is in the home, survey finds

A record 83 per cent of women in the Philippines now say they find domestic life as fulfilling as a career, a 30-year high.

Filipinos take part in a protest in Manila to commemorate International Women’s Day on March 8. Photo: Reuters
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