Japan
India’s finance minister to miss upcoming IMF and World Bank meetings
India’s Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will not attend this week’s annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank in Washington, as trade negotiations between New Delhi and Washington remain unresolved.
China increasing its lead in robot technology use
China is consolidating its dominance in the global industrial robotics market, accounting for 41% of the world’s operational robot stock and more than half of all new installations in 2024, according to the International Federation of Robots.
IMF: Global economic outlook shows modest change amid policy shifts and complex forces
Dialing down uncertainty, reducing vulnerabilities, and investing in innovation can help deliver durable economic gains.
The Asian nations backing the Russian war effort – from India to Taiwan, China to Indonesia
While many Asian nations have quietly distanced themselves from Moscow in a bid to fall into line with US or European allies, several continue to engage with Russia, providing varying degrees of support that help sustain its military campaign.
Russia aiding North Korea’s submarine programme: Seoul
The revelation lends weight to long-standing suspicions that Moscow is exchanging military know-how for munitions, manpower, or other support in its ongoing war with Ukraine.
Japan to recycle soiled adult diapers
Traditionally, the soiled products are burned with general waste, but their high moisture content hampers combustion and reduces energy efficiency.
Japan’s current account surplus dips as overseas earnings weaken
The surplus nevertheless remained in positive territory for the seventh consecutive month and was the second-highest on record for August.
Japan - Korea links under pressure
Takaichi, known for her right of centre leanings on historical and territorial matters, has long taken a hardline stance on Japan’s wartime past and the disputed Dokdo islets as they are known in Korean – Takeshima in Japanese.
World Bank warns of rising informal employment across East Asia, with Indonesia most affected
The World Bank has raised concerns over worsening employment quality across East Asia and the Pacific, warning that the growing shift towards informal and low-productivity jobs threatens the region’s economic resilience.
Japan’s new ‘Iron Lady’ Sanae Takaichi – a win for Taiwan, a slap in the face for China
Galling to China, Takaichi is said to be a regular visitor to Yasukuni Shrine, which, given its enshrinement of Japan’s war dead, including a number of convicted war criminals, is seen as a political slap in the face by Beijing.
How East Asia, by way of BLACKPINK, BTS et al, has redefined global pop culture
While BTS rewrote the rules for boy bands, BLACKPINK reshaped girl group dynamics and have since taken the world by storm, routinely selling out stadiums across the US and Europe.
Japanese scientists measure seafloor sinking for the first time
Over long periods, this process can culminate in sudden shifts along the plate boundary, sparking powerful earthquakes and tsunamis.
South Korea-US defence pact could be strengthened
In recent weeks, Seoul has held internal discussions about expanding joint defence commitments, including revisiting missile defence cooperation and rotational stationing of American forces.
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Japan’s Nikkei hits record high as LDP leadership race starts
Japan’s benchmark Nikkei index closed at a historic high on September 22, supported by expectations of economic stimulus as the contest for leadership of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party formally got underway.
Argentina’s meltdown, Asia’s dilemma
Argentina has been here before - the country having endured multiple financial meltdowns over the last half-century - each one leaving scars on its once vibrant society and economy.
Japan turns to Serbia as European production hub
Serbia is emerging as attractive destinations for FDI, driven by the post-pandemic recovery and rising costs in Central Europe.
COMMENT: Why Beijing will never take Taiwan
Xi Jinping needs to think again before he sends so many young Chinese men and women to their deaths on Taiwan, for if the PLA does one day dare to land, they will be buried here.
Extreme poverty falling steadily – OWID
To track progress towards ending extreme poverty, the United Nations relies on World Bank estimates of the number of people living below a poverty threshold called the “International Poverty Line” (IPL), Our World in Data (OWID) reports.
Asia’s gas utilities are politically shielded but economically exposed
Many of the region’s gas distributors enjoy the safety net of being government-related entities and are ‘protected’ to a large extent. Their credit profiles are, in reality, extensions of sovereign ratings rather than stand-alone assessments.
US to draw back from Asia in new defence policy concept
The United States is scaling back its strategic focus on Asia, marking a potential end to over a decade of military and political efforts to counterbalance China’s rise in the region, Politico reports.