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This Week in Asia /

Politics

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An election worker counts ballots at a counting station in Bangkok, Thailand, on February 8. Photo: Xinhua
Thailand

Will Thailand’s election be voided? Bar code blunder sparks ballot secrecy fears

With counting errors forcing revotes this Sunday, the reformist opposition is seizing on irregularities to demand a fresh election.

North Korea

Where is Kim Ju-ae? Succession question hangs over North Korea’s ruling congress

Israel-Gaza war

‘Plan B is war’: Gaza truce faces late April test despite Trump’s peace push

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Japan

Japan’s Takaichi pushes to scrap food tax, ignoring economists’ warnings

The newly reappointed prime minister is gambling 5 trillion yen a year on a popular election promise that could backfire badly.

A shopper visits a supermarket in Tokyo last month. Japan currently applies an 8 per cent consumption tax to most food and drink purchases. Photo: Kyodo
A shopper visits a supermarket in Tokyo last month. Japan currently applies an 8 per cent consumption tax to most food and drink purchases. Photo: Kyodo
Japan

Why plan by US and Japan to relocate Okinawa airbase is hitting turbulence

The US does not intend to vacate the current airbase for now due to disagreement over runway length at a replacement site, a report says.

The Philippines

US missile deployments in Philippines signal deeper strategic shift in region

Analysts said the move bolsters the First Island Chain strategy and deepens Manila’s role in regional defence planning.

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South Korea

South Korea’s ex-president Yoon sentenced to life in prison for insurrection

Yoon Suk-yeol is the first democratically elected South Korean leader to be convicted of the crime.

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A woman walks past a television screen in Seoul broadcasting a news report on Yoon Suk-yeol’s sentencing on Thursday. Photo: Reuters
A woman walks past a television screen in Seoul broadcasting a news report on Yoon Suk-yeol’s sentencing on Thursday. Photo: Reuters
Thailand

Wall and words: Thailand and Cambodia fight for the world’s ear over border row

While Cambodia takes its border grievances to Trump’s Board of Peace, Thailand rejects its ‘false’ claims and threatens a border wall.

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India

India, France elevate defence ties in push for strategic autonomy

The deal reflects India’s shift from ‘transactional defence buying’ amid expanding security engagement with Europe, analysts say.

Malaysia

Is Rafizi Ramli now the conscience of Malaysia’s Reformasi movement?

Anwar dismisses the rift as a distraction, but his former lieutenant insists he is being targeted for questioning the government’s integrity.

Rafizi Ramli addresses the crowd at Sunday’s rally. Photo: X/Rafizi Ramli
The Philippines

‘Knowing your friend’: Japan to join US-Philippines drills for first time

Australia also joins the fray as the US and its allies shift away from simple bilateral deals towards tighter regional security networks.

Japanese troops take position during a joint military exercise in 2024. Photo: AFP
Japanese troops take position during a joint military exercise in 2024. Photo: AFP
Iran

Speaking Trump’s language: Iran frames nuclear deal as ‘trillion-dollar’ US win

Tehran is dangling access to its vast oil, gas and mineral reserves, but analysts warn that even this may fail to ‘move the needle’ in talks.

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The Philippines

Philippines’ Sara Duterte declares early 2028 run amid mounting legal pressure

Analysts say the vice-president’s timing aims to deter defections and harden political lines ahead of a prolonged contest.

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Japan

‘A very good thing’: Japan’s Takaichi steps back from Liancourt Rocks pledge

Analysts say Takaichi’s decision not to send a cabinet minister to the event shows she is ‘protecting ties’ with Seoul amid regional tensions.

The Dokdo or Takeshima Islands. Photo: AP
South Korea

‘The game is over’: South Korea braces for Yoon Suk-yeol’s insurrection verdict

Two earlier convictions have defined Yoon’s martial law decree as part of an insurrection plot, raising the stakes ahead of Thursday’s ruling.

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Former South Korean president Yoon Suk-yeol arrives at the Seoul Central District Court for a hearing on a special prosecutor’s request for his arrest warrant, on July 9, 2025. Photo: AP
Former South Korean president Yoon Suk-yeol arrives at the Seoul Central District Court for a hearing on a special prosecutor’s request for his arrest warrant, on July 9, 2025. Photo: AP
Cambodia

Battered Cambodia seeks economic reset after Thailand border war

Shuttered borders have choked trade and sent migrant workers home, forcing Phnom Penh to seek new partners and markets.

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Japan

Okinawa voters shift away from concerns over US military presence

Analysts point to a shift in priorities among younger Okinawans as a possible factor in the alliance’s bruising defeat in the election.

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North Korea

‘Heroic era’: why North Korea’s Kim is lauding Ukraine war sacrifices

The new homes for families of fallen soldiers are part of a push to showcase tangible achievements before the party congress, analysts say.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (centre, right) and his daughter, Kim Ju-ae, touring Saeppyol Street, a new housing district in Pyongyang dedicated to the families of fallen soldiers, on Sunday. Photo; EPA/KCNA
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (centre, right) and his daughter, Kim Ju-ae, touring Saeppyol Street, a new housing district in Pyongyang dedicated to the families of fallen soldiers, on Sunday. Photo; EPA/KCNA
The Philippines

ICC naming of Duterte’s allies sharpens Philippines’ political fault lines

Senators Ronald dela Rosa and Christopher Go named as alleged ‘co-perpetrators’ in the former president’s crimes against humanity case.

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Bangladesh

Bangladesh’s outreach to India ‘a good beginning’ for easing strained ties

Dhaka’s invitation to attend the swearing-in and Modi’s message of support show both sides are ready to turn the page, analysts say.

Malaysia

Probe into anti-corruption chief revives doubts about Malaysia’s reform drive

The government has ordered an investigation as critics question whether oversight mechanisms are strong enough.

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The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission building in Putrajaya, Malaysia. Photo: Shutterstock
Indonesia

Crude business for Indonesia amid West’s squeeze on Russian oil

Analysts say Indonesia’s energy demand could draw scrutiny as Moscow seeks new buyers, potentially complicating US trade talks.

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A Pertamina worker climbs on a gauge at a crude oil well on Bunyu island in Indonesia’s East Kalimantan province. Photo: Reuters
A Pertamina worker climbs on a gauge at a crude oil well on Bunyu island in Indonesia’s East Kalimantan province. Photo: Reuters
Indonesia

Why Indonesia’s US$1.67 billion China-backed dam is in limbo

Even energy regulators were kept in the dark about the abrupt crackdown that has spooked renewables investors.

Indonesia

Indonesians weigh peril and promise of Jakarta – the world’s most populous city

Extreme heat, floods, pollution, congested traffic and a tough job market are some of the major challenges faced by the city’s residents.

New Zealand

New Zealand catches flak for ‘secret’ US critical minerals talks

Opposition parties accuse the ruling coalition of keeping voters in the dark, fearing a fast track to environmental damage.

Mining machinery in Greymouth, New Zealand. The South Pacific nation has reserves of 37 critical minerals key to clean energy development and advanced technology manufacturing, according to official assessments. Photo: AFP
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