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This Week in Asia /

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Tourists walk at a shopping area in Kuta, Bali, Indonesia. Photo: EPA
Indonesia

Bali wants illegal rentals to be legitimate as operators flag red tape

Authorities want to help unregistered accommodation providers secure permits to plug the tax collection gap.

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Thailand

7 French tourists arrested after viral Songkran clash with van driver in Phuket

Malaysia

Deepfakes, cloned voices: the new AI threat facing Malaysia’s creators

Japan

Japan’s Narita Airport expansion revives row over forced land sales

Authorities are considering forcing the sale of land owned by holdout farmers, recalling disputes that sparked violence during the 1960s.

Runways at Narita International Airport in Japan’s Chiba prefecture in 2024. Photo: Kyodo
Runways at Narita International Airport in Japan’s Chiba prefecture in 2024. Photo: Kyodo
Japan

Japan’s rural rail crisis hits new low as JR East cuts toilet paper service

JR East’s decision to remove toilet paper at some unmanned stations underscores the financial pressures on rural rail services.

Thailand

Songkran is here. So is Thailand’s worst energy crisis in years

Soaring costs for fuel and ice fail to dampen the mood as a wave of ‘revenge travel’ provides a much-needed economic boost.

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South Korea

Solo in Seoul? South Korean capital offers helpers for US$4 an hour

The city’s ‘companion service’ aims to help single-person households move house or visit hospital.

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People walk through Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, South Korea, earlier this month. Photo: AFP
People walk through Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, South Korea, earlier this month. Photo: AFP
Malaysia

Was Penang ‘robbed’ from Kedah? Malaysian states face off in sovereignty row

A grievance dating back hundreds of years resurfaces as Kedah state lays claim to the country’s richest island.

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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

While young musicians are increasingly drawn to the old instruments, few want to take up the tedious task of crafting them.

An indigenous musician plays a “sape” in front a traditional longhouse in Sarawak. Photo: Reuters
Malaysia

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

BookXcess’ ‘Brain Un-Rot Library’ turns 100 books into short TikTok clips similar to the type of videos blamed for wrecking attention span.

Malaysians read an average of 24 books a year in 2022-23, according to the National Library. Photo: Shutterstock
Malaysians read an average of 24 books a year in 2022-23, according to the National Library. Photo: Shutterstock
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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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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Igor Komarov, a 28-year-old Ukrainian, was kidnapped and later found dead in a suspected murder in Bali in February. Photo: YouTube
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
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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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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Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr gives a press conference on the Philippines’ national energy emergency at Malacanang Palace in Manila on Wednesday. Photo: EPA
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
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.

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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A Malaysian couple hold hands. A new study has found that 60 per cent of respondents from Malaysia agreed with the statement that “a wife should always obey her husband”. Photo: Shutterstock
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