https://www.scmp.com/rss/318214/feed East Asia's latest news, current affairs, politics and regional issues. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Reuters Reuters Protesters outside a ballot-counting site in ⁠South Korea on ⁠Saturday rallied for a second ⁠day, demanding a re-run of local elections held earlier this week. Around 10,000 citizens were estimated to have gathered at the SK Olympic Handball Stadium as of 5.30pm local time, where votes were counted from Wednesday’s elections to pick mayors and local government officials and assembly members, Yonhap News Agency reported, citing an unofficial police estimate. Representatives at Seoul Metropolitan... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3356218/south-korean-protesters-demand-election-re-run-after-ballot-shortage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3356218/south-korean-protesters-demand-election-re-run-after-ballot-shortage?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Jun 2026 12:30:05 +0000 Anthony Rowley Anthony Rowley What is in effect Japan’s version of the Belt and Road Initiative is being rolled out at an accelerating pace. But unlike China’s global infrastructure initiative, which mainly takes the form of highways, railways and sea lanes, Japan’s project is all about energy networks and supply chains. It poses a further challenge to America’s waning economic and strategic influence in Asia, the world’s most populous, resource-rich and potentially powerful region. What is more, it is a cooperative venture... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3355995/problem-japans-bid-strengthen-energy-security-supply-chains?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3355995/problem-japans-bid-strengthen-energy-security-supply-chains?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Jun 2026 08:30:05 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow The Quad’s newly announced US$20 billion critical minerals framework aims to loosen China’s near-monopoly on the materials that power modern defence, technology and clean energy industries. But analysts say its success will depend on the ability of Australia, the United States, India and Japan – the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue’s four members – to move beyond policy declarations and deliver measurable outcomes. The initiative, announced after a meeting of Quad foreign ministers on May 27, has... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3356128/past-failures-haunt-quads-us20-billion-critical-minerals-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3356128/past-failures-haunt-quads-us20-billion-critical-minerals-push?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Jun 2026 05:00:08 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times As South Koreans brace for another sweltering summer, a grim joke has taken hold in casual conversation: “This will be the coolest summer for the rest of our lives.” For many young people, that line is no longer dark humour but a blunt summary of how the climate crisis feels – relentless, immediate and deeply personal. Among South Korea’s young generations, a wave of what experts call “climate anxiety” is reshaping their daily lives, from how they exercise and shop to whether they plan to marry... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3356185/young-south-koreans-embrace-plogging-cope-climate-anxiety?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3356185/young-south-koreans-embrace-plogging-cope-climate-anxiety?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Jun 2026 02:36:34 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong North Korean ruler Kim Jong-un’s recent display of nuclear-processing capabilities appears timed with reports of an impending visit by China’s leader and fuelled by insecurities about Seoul’s nuclear submarine talks with Washington. Analysts also say that mounting trilateral talks involving the United States, Japan and South Korea have galvanised Kim into doubling down on Pyongyang’s status as a nuclear-armed state. The state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) announced on Friday that Xi... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3356181/why-north-koreas-kim-doubling-down-nuclear-might-xi-visit-looms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3356181/why-north-koreas-kim-doubling-down-nuclear-might-xi-visit-looms?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Jun 2026 01:30:14 +0000 Reuters Reuters Japanese homemaker Maki Watanabe carefully ⁠pours into a plastic bottle the oil she used to cook her ⁠deep-fried aubergines, doing her part in her Tokyo kitchen for a national effort to ramp up production of eco-friendly jet fuel. “It would take a tremendous amount to make an aircraft fly, so I hope we can collect more,” said Watanabe, whose penchant for cooking allows her to donate about 40 litres (10 gallons) a year. Her contribution is pooled at a nearby supermarket that is among roughly 300... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3356183/how-everyday-cooking-oil-helping-japan-fight-aviation-fuel-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3356183/how-everyday-cooking-oil-helping-japan-fight-aviation-fuel-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Jun 2026 01:07:23 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings China and South Korea will allow 70 more flights per week between the two countries in view of fast-growing, two-way tourism and a drop in Chinese group travel to Japan. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in Seoul said in a statement Thursday that passenger flight capacity would grow from 608 to 664 per week and that maximum air freight flights would expand from 54 to 68 per week. These expansions, the first since before the Covid pandemic, reflect a surge in two-way tourism,... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3356103/china-south-korea-boost-commercial-flights-tourism-increases-between-2-countries?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3356103/china-south-korea-boost-commercial-flights-tourism-increases-between-2-countries?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2026 09:00:43 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times South Korea’s Ministry of Justice on Tuesday sought to defuse criticism over a 1.2 billion won (US$779,162) plan to install air conditioning in prisons, clarifying the equipment will cool corridors, not inmates’ cells. The ministry framed the installation as a minimal measure to protect vulnerable inmates and correctional officers from extreme heat, while online critics condemned the taxpayer-funded project as an unfair convenience for criminals. The ministry said the equipment will be installed... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3356020/south-koreans-sweat-over-us779000-air-conditioning-plan-prisons?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3356020/south-koreans-sweat-over-us779000-air-conditioning-plan-prisons?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2026 01:10:51 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is considering visiting India early next month to meet with her counterpart Narendra Modi to discuss cooperation on strengthening supply chains of critical goods given concerns about China’s economic coercion, government sources said on Thursday. Takaichi aims to deepen bilateral collaboration in a wide range of fields covering defence, economic issues and cutting-edge technologies such as semiconductors and artificial intelligence, according to the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3355986/japans-pm-takaichi-eyes-india-trip-talks-leader-modi?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3355986/japans-pm-takaichi-eyes-india-trip-talks-leader-modi?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jun 2026 11:35:27 +0000 https://www.scmp.com/news/china/series/3355958/japan-philippines-maritime-talks-2026?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/series/3355958/japan-philippines-maritime-talks-2026?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jun 2026 09:27:14 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong South Korean President Lee Jae Myung’s ruling party swept most of the country’s major local elections, but a narrow defeat in Seoul has given conservatives a foothold to challenge his reform agenda. The loss in the capital, South Korea’s political and property-market centre, has taken the shine off an otherwise dominant performance by the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), dealing a blow to Lee’s plans for tougher real estate taxation, according to observers. Across the country, the DPK won... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355947/south-korean-ruling-partys-flawed-landslide-election-win-dents-lees-reform-drive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355947/south-korean-ruling-partys-flawed-landslide-election-win-dents-lees-reform-drive?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jun 2026 09:00:14 +0000 Nicholas Spiro Nicholas Spiro For a sign of how the fierce demand for memory chips triggered by the boom in artificial intelligence (AI) is benefiting technology-driven economies, look no further than South Korea. Last month, exports from Asia’s fourth-largest economy grew at a blistering rate of 53 per cent in annualised terms, the fastest pace since 1984. Shipments of semiconductors, which are used to store and funnel the huge amounts of data for AI services, increased nearly 170 per cent to a record monthly high of... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3355904/how-ai-chip-boom-has-made-south-korea-victim-its-own-success?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3355904/how-ai-chip-boom-has-made-south-korea-victim-its-own-success?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jun 2026 08:30:06 +0000 Christine Loh Christine Loh Since the Ukraine war began in 2022, Asia has been watching conflict as if enrolled in a study course. We have heard every argument: Nato enlargement, Russian insecurity, Ukrainian sovereignty, European fear, American power, energy politics, sanctions, nationalism and resistance. We have watched Gaza burn. We have watched the United States capture Venezuela’s president and defend the act as lawful. We have watched Iran absorb attacks and retaliate. For Asians, these are no longer distant events.... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3355563/5-lessons-asia-it-studies-wars-privilege-peace?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3355563/5-lessons-asia-it-studies-wars-privilege-peace?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jun 2026 21:30:06 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Typhoon Jangmi on Wednesday ripped through the Pacific side of western and eastern Japan after making landfall in the morning, causing flooding and mudslides and leaving dozens of people injured. The typhoon made landfall around 4.30am in the southern part of Wakayama Prefecture in western Japan, after it passed near Okinawa and Kagoshima prefectures the past two days. At one point, the weather agency issued its highest level 5 flood warning for the Koza River in Wakayama Prefecture, meaning the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3355856/typhoon-jangmi-churns-along-japans-pacific-coast-leaves-dozens-hurt?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3355856/typhoon-jangmi-churns-along-japans-pacific-coast-leaves-dozens-hurt?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jun 2026 12:12:39 +0000 Reuters Reuters South Korea’s ruling Democratic Party is projected to make sweeping gains in local elections on Wednesday, an exit poll showed, but a close race in the key city of Busan left it unclear whether President Lee Jae-myung’s party could claim a landslide victory. Voting had ‌largely closed in the first nationwide ballot since Lee’s snap presidential election victory last year. Voters were choosing mayors and governors in 16 cities and provinces in a contest widely seen as an assessment of Lee’s first... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3355846/south-koreas-ruling-party-set-local-election-gains-exit-poll-shows?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3355846/south-koreas-ruling-party-set-local-election-gains-exit-poll-shows?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jun 2026 10:38:15 +0000 Gabriela Bernal Gabriela Bernal South Korea has made peaceful coexistence the central objective of its North Korea policy. As outlined in a recent white paper, Seoul has not formally abandoned reunification but has chosen to prioritise the more immediate and achievable objective of establishing a stable framework for coexistence. The document articulates three guiding principles: respect for North Korea’s political system, rejection of unification by absorption, and avoidance of hostile actions. Underscoring the urgency of... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3355673/what-seoul-must-do-achieve-peaceful-coexistence-north-korea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3355673/what-seoul-must-do-achieve-peaceful-coexistence-north-korea?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jun 2026 08:30:05 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk North Korean leader Kim Jong-un personally received the country’s AFC Women’s Champions League winners in Pyongyang earlier this week, embracing the players and posing for photographs with them as they wept with joy and leapt in celebration. Naegohyang Women’s FC clinched Asia’s top club title with a 1-0 defeat of Tokyo Verdy Beleza of Japan in the final in Suwon on May 23, becoming the first North Korean side to win the AFC Women’s Champions League. Kim congratulated the players on their... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3355792/tears-north-korea-kim-meets-footballers-after-historic-title-win?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3355792/tears-north-korea-kim-meets-footballers-after-historic-title-win?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jun 2026 06:52:18 +0000 Yeon Woo Lee Yeon Woo Lee South Korea has emerged as a rare bright spot among East Asian economies trading with China, as booming demand for memory chips pushes its balance with its largest trading partner back into a surplus. The country’s trade position with China had strengthened steadily this year, swinging from a US$764 million deficit in December 2025 to a US$1.1 billion surplus in February, before widening further to US$3.8 billion in May, according to data from South Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3355707/chinas-ai-chip-demand-pushes-south-korea-rare-surplus-top-trade-partner?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3355707/chinas-ai-chip-demand-pushes-south-korea-rare-surplus-top-trade-partner?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jun 2026 03:00:17 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall A Japanese lawmaker’s claim that China has its eyes on “a treasure trove” of resource wealth hidden beneath the Antarctic ice sheet has been dismissed by a polar law expert as a misreading of international obligations. But the claims made in parliament by Mitsuhiro Yokota, a member of the Japan Innovation Party, have also raised questions about what might happen to the world’s last great wilderness in future. “Beneath Antarctica lies a treasure trove of oil, natural gas, coal, iron ore, gold and... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355693/japanese-mps-claim-china-eyes-antarctic-treasure-trove-dismissed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355693/japanese-mps-claim-china-eyes-antarctic-treasure-trove-dismissed?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jun 2026 00:00:16 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Discrimination towards foreign residents in Japan has expanded from Koreans and Kurds to Muslims as their population is estimated to have nearly doubled in recent years, according to observers and community members. Misinformation and hate speech are spreading on Japanese social media and mosques are receiving a barrage of abusive phone calls and emails. Some are asking why they are suddenly being targeted. Others are afraid to leave their homes. Muslims in Japan, including foreign residents and... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3355652/why-japans-intolerance-towards-muslims-rapidly-deepening?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3355652/why-japans-intolerance-towards-muslims-rapidly-deepening?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 05:49:52 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong A top US general’s description of South Korea as a “dagger in the heart of Asia” aimed at China has laid bare the differences in how Washington and Seoul view their alliance and Beijing. US Forces Korea commander General Xavier Brunson made the blunt remarks in a podcast interview hosted by the US Army War College on May 22, drawing a backlash both from Beijing and from Seoul itself. South Korea’s presidential office said on Saturday that it was “aware” of Brunson’s remarks and that close... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355650/us-generals-dagger-remark-tests-south-koreas-china-balancing-act?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355650/us-generals-dagger-remark-tests-south-koreas-china-balancing-act?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 05:43:11 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Japan is slipping towards a banana shortage crisis, the latest disruption linked to the Middle East conflict. The reason: the country ships in the tropical fruit while it is still green, then ripens it in rooms filled with ethylene before bunches reach store shelves. Supplies of the naphtha-derived gas are running low in an economy that imports more than 90 per cent of its crude oil. Japan bought about 1 million tonnes of bananas last year, making the fruit one of the country’s most important... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3355627/japan-ethylene-shortage-may-cause-bananas-disappear-dining-tables?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3355627/japan-ethylene-shortage-may-cause-bananas-disappear-dining-tables?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 03:19:40 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan’s patience with Britain as a defence partner is being tested after reports that funding shortfalls in London could delay a next-generation fighter jet that both countries are developing with Italy. The Global Combat Air Programme, or GCAP, is intended to deliver a new fighter for the three countries by 2035, but The Telegraph reported on Saturday that the aircraft could be delayed by several years because of uncertainty over Britain’s defence spending plans. The report has raised concerns... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355617/reality-check-japan-britains-funding-shortfall-threatens-fighter-jet-project?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355617/reality-check-japan-britains-funding-shortfall-threatens-fighter-jet-project?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 00:06:19 +0000 Reuters Reuters Five people died and two others were injured on Monday after an explosion and fire on a production line for rocket propellant at a factory in South Korea operated by Hanwha Aerospace, officials said. The two survivors, including one who was badly burned, had escaped from the facility themselves, a fire official told a briefing. “Authorities have yet to identify ⁠the victims because their bodies were severely damaged,” a health official told the same briefing. A fire official said that an... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3355514/explosion-kills-5-hanwha-aerospace-factory-south-korea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3355514/explosion-kills-5-hanwha-aerospace-factory-south-korea?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Jun 2026 04:57:13 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times Organisers of South Korea’s renowned Yeoju Ceramic Festival have apologised after Chinese-made ceramic products were distributed as giveaway prizes at an event intended to promote the country’s pottery heritage, sparking public backlash and online criticism. The controversy emerged after a social media user said on Tuesday that a miniature moon jar received through a festival promotional event carried a “Made in China” sticker. “I honestly doubted my eyes when I opened the package,” the winner... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3355443/festival-promoting-south-koreas-ceramic-culture-faces-fury-over-chinese-made-prizes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3355443/festival-promoting-south-koreas-ceramic-culture-faces-fury-over-chinese-made-prizes?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 31 May 2026 04:30:06 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong South Korea and the United States are heading into talks in Seoul next week with different priorities over the implementation of last year’s summit agreement, with President Lee Jae Myung pushing for the supply of nuclear-powered submarines and Washington seeking progress on a major investment pledge by the Lee administration. US approval on the use of nuclear fuel for South Korea’s submarines is a key goal for Lee, while Washington wants Seoul’s US$350 billion investment promise it previously... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355362/nuclear-submarines-trade-south-korea-and-us-remain-deadlocked-ahead-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355362/nuclear-submarines-trade-south-korea-and-us-remain-deadlocked-ahead-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 31 May 2026 01:30:19 +0000 Wei-Jun Jean Yeung,Paul Yip Wei-Jun Jean Yeung,Paul Yip Across East Asia, societies are becoming richer, healthier and more educated, yet fewer people feel able or willing to have families and raise children. Low fertility plagues high-income societies, particularly in East Asia, where the total fertility rate (TFR) has fallen below one birth per woman, well under the replacement level of 2.1 births. While many countries have dedicated considerable resources and effort to reversing this trend, the results have been somewhat disappointing. The pairing... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3354977/east-asias-population-challenge-isnt-just-about-raising-birth-rates?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3354977/east-asias-population-challenge-isnt-just-about-raising-birth-rates?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 31 May 2026 01:30:06 +0000 Kandy Wong,Ralph Jennings Kandy Wong,Ralph Jennings When China broke out one of its “big guns” in last year’s trade war with the US – an array of export controls on rare earth elements – it helped spur a temporary truce in the pitched conflict between the two economic superpowers. After Beijing’s announcement, many around the world expressed shock at the size and scope of China’s response to Washington’s sky-high tariffs. But for Japan, a squeeze on rare earth shipments was not so novel a concept. In 2010, following the collision of a Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3355326/china-and-japan-arent-talking-will-their-rare-earth-trade-go-quiet?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3355326/china-and-japan-arent-talking-will-their-rare-earth-trade-go-quiet?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 May 2026 22:00:09 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Saturday expressed her determination to achieve a “breakthrough” in resolving the long-standing issue of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea, vowing to weigh all options, including summit talks. At a rally in Tokyo calling for the return of Japanese abductees, Takaichi urged North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to take a “courageous step” together for the benefit of the peoples of the two countries. “Whatever it takes, I will resolve the abduction issue by... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3355417/japan-pm-vows-breakthrough-north-korea-abduction-issue?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3355417/japan-pm-vows-breakthrough-north-korea-abduction-issue?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 May 2026 11:15:20 +0000 Anthony Rowley Anthony Rowley There is a good deal more to the rapid rise in bond yields around the world, not least in Asia, than meets the eye. It suggests a recognition by financial markets that governments are spending beyond their means, tax revenues and borrowing power. The implication is that either taxes need to rise or public spending needs to fall, or alternatively that financial markets, stock markets in particular, must shift their priorities away from glamour stocks in the tech and artificial intelligence (AI)... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3355192/writings-wall-bond-market-those-who-can-read-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3355192/writings-wall-bond-market-those-who-can-read-it?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 May 2026 08:30:05 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times A professor at a private university in South Korea’s Daejeon has been disciplined and removed from all teaching duties after allegedly making sexually inappropriate remarks to students during class. According to the university on Friday, the school’s foundation recently finalised disciplinary measures against the professor, identified only by the surname B. The university said B has been barred from teaching classes, providing academic counselling and performing other student guidance duties.... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3355399/professor-disciplined-after-saying-8-10-korean-women-engaged-prostitution?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3355399/professor-disciplined-after-saying-8-10-korean-women-engaged-prostitution?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 May 2026 06:00:18 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The upgrading of a comprehensive strategic partnership between the Philippines and Japan underscores how the allies are future-proofing their ties amid growing uncertainty in the Indo-Pacific, analysts say. “This milestone reflects the strength, depth and breadth of our ties as we respond to the evolving challenges and opportunities of our time,” President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr said on Thursday at a joint press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in Tokyo. The talks also... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355392/how-philippines-and-japan-future-proofed-ties-amid-china-tensions-us-wavering?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355392/how-philippines-and-japan-future-proofed-ties-amid-china-tensions-us-wavering?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 May 2026 03:21:08 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Japan’s parliament on Friday passed an immigration control law revision to raise the maximum fee for residence status applications by foreigners and introduce an online pre-entry travel authorisation system for overseas arrivals. Once the fee changes are implemented later this financial year, the upper limit will be set at 100,000 yen (US$630) for visa renewals and 300,000 yen for permanent residency applications, marking a sharp increase from the existing threshold of 10,000 yen. The fees are... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3355296/japans-hefty-visa-fees-new-digital-entry-system-move-closer-implementation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3355296/japans-hefty-visa-fees-new-digital-entry-system-move-closer-implementation?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 May 2026 07:37:52 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan is often seen as one of Asia’s most stable democracies, with a sophisticated media industry and constitutional protections for free expression, yet one of the world’s leading press freedom indexes has once again rated the country’s media environment as “problematic”. Analysts and journalists say the label points to a contradiction at the heart of Japan’s press system – reporters are rarely subject to the overt repression seen in authoritarian states, but political pressure, access... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355198/self-censorship-behind-japans-problematic-press-freedom-ranking?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3355198/self-censorship-behind-japans-problematic-press-freedom-ranking?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 May 2026 01:30:09 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong South Korea’s economy faces uncertainties from rising inflation, a weakening won and uneven performance across sectors, even as it grows stronger than expected this year, according to analysts. The Bank of Korea on Thursday revised its economic growth outlook for this year to 2.6 per cent, up 0.6 percentage points from its forecast three months ago, citing robust exports driven by booming semiconductor demand and government supplementary spending aimed at offsetting the shocks from the Middle... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3355189/transitory-euphoria-south-koreas-strong-economic-outlook-masks-key-hurdles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3355189/transitory-euphoria-south-koreas-strong-economic-outlook-masks-key-hurdles?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 May 2026 00:00:09 +0000 Jeffrey Robertson Jeffrey Robertson Recent articles in an Asia-focused international policy forum suggest that states such as Australia, Canada and South Korea can join up with other middle powers to secure the maritime order and restore the liberal international order. While well meaning and encouraging, the unfortunate truth is that these tasks are beyond the capacity of middle powers. The smartest ones won’t even try. Maritime security has transformed from a permissive environment dominated by uncontested naval supremacy into a... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3354905/can-middle-powers-restore-international-order-think-again?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3354905/can-middle-powers-restore-international-order-think-again?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 May 2026 21:30:05 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times South Korean religious groups, universities and public institutions are offering free or affordable accommodation options for BTS fans who have become targets of price gouging ahead of the supergroup’s June concerts in Busan, but supply remains limited, leaving many to stick with their existing plans. Busan is hosting BTS’ June 12 and 13 concerts as part of its “Arirang” world tour. As June 13 is also the K-pop group’s 13th debut anniversary and the first in many years after their historic... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3355128/bts-fans-blast-obscenely-high-room-prices-ahead-busan-concerts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3355128/bts-fans-blast-obscenely-high-room-prices-ahead-busan-concerts?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 May 2026 06:20:05 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall A partnership between Japan Airlines and a space start-up marks the first step for the carrier to explore diversification beyond Earth-bound aviation, potentially boosting Japan’s ambition to expand its footprint on the moon. The airline is teaming up with ispace to transport items of “precious cultural heritage and human activities” via a lander craft to the moon and protect them from the effects of climate change, natural disasters and conflict on Earth. “In the rapidly changing world, there... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3355068/japan-airlines-wants-blast-human-culture-space-and-land-it-moon?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3355068/japan-airlines-wants-blast-human-culture-space-and-land-it-moon?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 May 2026 01:30:10 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang Months of disruption through the Strait of Hormuz have prompted a rethink of global supply chains, with South Korea now following China in pushing to commercialise the Arctic shipping route to Europe. South Korea aimed to open a regular route through the waters by 2030, following a trial voyage set to debut later this year, according to a broader maritime development plan released on Tuesday by Seoul’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries. “To prepare for the Arctic shipping era approaching after... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3355044/first-china-now-south-korea-why-asian-powers-are-turning-commercial-arctic-shipping?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3355044/first-china-now-south-korea-why-asian-powers-are-turning-commercial-arctic-shipping?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 May 2026 23:00:09 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Japan’s parliament enacted a law on Wednesday to establish a new National Intelligence Council to centralise information gathering in response to overseas threats, marking a first step in plans to boost capabilities that have raised concerns over civil liberties. Establishing the council is a key aim in the governing agenda of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, a security hawk who has pledged to strengthen intelligence and counter-espionage capabilities in response to what her government calls the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3355047/japan-enacts-law-centralising-intelligence-gathering-amid-privacy-fears?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3355047/japan-enacts-law-centralising-intelligence-gathering-amid-privacy-fears?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 May 2026 10:21:53 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times A year after South Korean actor Kim Soo-hyun broke down in tears at a high-profile press conference over allegations involving late actress Kim Sae-ron, the controversy has entered yet another dramatic phase. Kim Se-ui, head of controversial YouTube channel HoverLab, also known as Garo Sero Institute, was taken into custody this week, as police reportedly concluded that audio files previously presented as evidence against Kim Soo-hyun were generated using AI technology. According to the Seoul... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3354997/underage-dating-claims-left-kim-soo-hyun-tears-he-stands-vindicated-year-later?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3354997/underage-dating-claims-left-kim-soo-hyun-tears-he-stands-vindicated-year-later?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 May 2026 06:26:44 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Japan’s call to maintain “impeccable” defences on its northern frontier reflects Tokyo’s deepening concern over growing Russian military activity in the region, analysts say. They also point to rapid north-south troop deployment exercises as preparation against a potential “diversionary operation” around Hokkaido: a scenario in which Russia could open a second front if Japan were already focused on a crisis with China in the south. During a visit to military bases in Hokkaido on Saturday,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3354983/russias-military-activity-has-japan-fearing-dual-front-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3354983/russias-military-activity-has-japan-fearing-dual-front-war?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 May 2026 04:22:44 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong South Korea’s push to acquire its first nuclear-powered submarines is moving back up President Lee Jae Myung’s defence agenda, but analysts say delayed US consultations, non-proliferation concerns and budget pressures still stand in the way. Lee on Tuesday urged faster efforts to secure the submarines, describing them as core strategic assets for the country’s future defence capabilities. “We need to accelerate the adoption of artificial intelligence and drone technologies, while speeding up the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3354962/south-korea-eyes-first-nuclear-submarine-mid-2030s-hurdles-run-deep?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3354962/south-korea-eyes-first-nuclear-submarine-mid-2030s-hurdles-run-deep?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 May 2026 02:00:07 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times At 2am, Kim, a 25-year-old office worker, opens a site designed to look like a food delivery app, though he has no plan to order. He chooses menu items, drops them into a cart and simulates the experience of placing an order. “It somehow feels like I actually ordered something,” he said. Kim said the habit helps him resist late-night cravings. “There are many times when I crave food late at night but hold back to save money. It feels like a real delivery app, so I somehow keep looking at it,”... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3354966/south-koreas-lonely-stressed-gen-z-find-comfort-apps-do-nothing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3354966/south-koreas-lonely-stressed-gen-z-find-comfort-apps-do-nothing?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 May 2026 01:51:31 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall The collapse of UN talks on the future of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty has sharpened concern in Japan that outer space could become the next arena for nuclear and military rivalry. With Russia accused of developing a nuclear anti-satellite capability, China and Russia advancing weapons that can disable satellites and the US pursuing space-based missile defence systems, some in Tokyo are calling on Japan to take the lead in drawing up new rules for the peaceful use of space. Analysts say... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3354948/can-japan-lead-push-halt-space-militarisation-nuclear-rivalry-heats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3354948/can-japan-lead-push-halt-space-militarisation-nuclear-rivalry-heats?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 May 2026 00:00:14 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran James Bernardo, 30, was delivering food on Teodoro street in Angeles City in the Philippines when a nine-storey building under construction on the opposite side of the road collapsed behind him. “What I heard behind me sounded like an aeroplane landing. The sound was unlike anything normal. When I looked at my side mirror and then turned around, what I saw were pylons falling and power lines sparking,” Bernardo told This Week in Asia. In just seconds, the structure had morphed into a twisted... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3354936/deadly-building-collapse-shocks-philippine-city-aeroplane-landing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3354936/deadly-building-collapse-shocks-philippine-city-aeroplane-landing?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 May 2026 12:50:52 +0000 Reuters Reuters A ⁠section of ⁠an overpass under demolition in the South Korean capital of Seoul collapsed on Tuesday, killing three people who were ‌conducting a safety inspection and injuring three others, fire and city officials said. Television footage showed emergency workers conducting a search-and-rescue operation as a long segment ⁠of the structure lay collapsed on the street below, near a railway crossing in central Seoul. Workers noticed that a part of the structure had slightly sunk while concrete... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3354901/3-killed-south-korea-after-ageing-overpass-collapses-during-safety-check?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3354901/3-killed-south-korea-after-ageing-overpass-collapses-during-safety-check?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 May 2026 09:44:31 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Shinnosuke Abe – manager of the Yomiuri Giants, Japan’s oldest and most storied professional baseball team – stepped down on Tuesday following his arrest on suspicion of assaulting his daughter. Abe, 47, resigned as manager of the team, viewed as Japan’s closest equivalent to the New York Yankees, and apologised for “tarnishing the proud tradition of Giants managers”. He was taken into custody by the Metropolitan Police Department for allegedly grabbing his 18-year-old daughter and forcing her... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3354835/yomiuri-giants-shinnosuke-abe-quits-after-arrest-over-alleged-assault-daughter?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3354835/yomiuri-giants-shinnosuke-abe-quits-after-arrest-over-alleged-assault-daughter?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 May 2026 03:18:58 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times Shinsegae Group chairman Chung Yong-jin on Tuesday apologised to the public in person, eight days after Starbucks Korea, run by the conglomerate, sparked controversy with its “Tank Day” marketing event, which critics say inappropriately referenced South Korea’s pro-democracy movement of the 1980s. “Regardless of the reason, the fact that we have hurt the hearts of our citizens carries a heavy responsibility,” Chung said during a press conference. “I will make no excuses. All responsibility for... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3354822/starbucks-koreas-tank-day-blunder-sparks-personal-apology-shinsegae-boss?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3354822/starbucks-koreas-tank-day-blunder-sparks-personal-apology-shinsegae-boss?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 May 2026 01:35:03 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow A rare visit by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr to Japan this week marks Manila’s latest bid to establish a counterweight to Beijing over the South China Sea dispute. During the four-day trip, the first state visit by a Philippine leader to Japan in over a decade, Marcos is expected to discuss boosting defence and other ties between Manila and Tokyo amid the security challenge posed by China’s growing maritime assertiveness, according to analysts. Marcos will meet Japanese Prime... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3354798/marcos-historic-japan-trip-what-will-philippine-leader-seek-takaichi?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3354798/marcos-historic-japan-trip-what-will-philippine-leader-seek-takaichi?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 May 2026 01:00:13 +0000