https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/rss/519512/feed en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg Phoebe Amoroso Phoebe Amoroso Hong Kong milk tea – a mainstay of cha chaan teng, or Hong Kong-style diners – is taking on a new role in Tokyo’s cafe culture. According to the Japan Tea Association, the country is in the midst of a “third black tea boom” and more cafes are offering black tea menus. Even convenience stores are revamping their takeaway drink options, with 7-Eleven, for example, expanding its Seven Cafe tea machines to around 2,000 stores in early 2026. Suntory also released a Hong Kong-style milk tea under its... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3370263/4-tokyo-cafes-serve-hong-kong-style-milk-tea-chenputon-victoria-1842?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3370263/4-tokyo-cafes-serve-hong-kong-style-milk-tea-chenputon-victoria-1842?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 11 Oct 2026 09:15:05 +0000 Zhu Wenqian Zhu Wenqian Fast Retailing, the parent company of Japanese clothing retailer Uniqlo, has defied the ongoing political tensions between Beijing and Tokyo and soft consumer sentiment in China to log a rebound in sales and profits on the Chinese mainland. The Japanese firm said the 2026 financial year, which ended in August, had been a period in which its mainland China business had “made steady progress, with encouraging steps indicating a return to growth”, according to its annual report released on... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3370187/uniqlo-sees-profits-soar-china-despite-beijing-tokyo-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3370187/uniqlo-sees-profits-soar-china-despite-beijing-tokyo-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Oct 2026 09:15:41 +0000 Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma US President Donald Trump pressed Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping during last month’s summit to end a deep freeze in relations with Japan’s Sanae Takaichi, the South China Morning Post reported. Trump raised Japan’s grievances over Chinese restrictions imposed following Takaichi’s comment in November that the Japanese military might intervene in the event of conflict in the Taiwan Strait, according to Thursday’s report, which cited people familiar with the discussions. Beijing regards Taiwan as... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370186/trump-pushed-xi-end-japan-freeze-chinese-leader-unmoved?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370186/trump-pushed-xi-end-japan-freeze-chinese-leader-unmoved?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Oct 2026 09:11:27 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim US President Donald Trump pressed his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to roll back China’s export curbs on Japan during their meeting in the US, urging talks between the Chinese and Japanese leaders as Tokyo seeks to manage mounting pressure from Beijing. People familiar with the discussions told the South China Morning Post that Xi also warned Trump about the growing risks of Japanese militarism during their sit-down in Washington last month. According to the people, while the issue was not one... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370064/trump-urged-xi-talk-takaichi-and-lift-export-curbs-japan-sources-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370064/trump-urged-xi-talk-takaichi-and-lift-export-curbs-japan-sources-say?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Oct 2026 22:00:11 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Jeff Kingston used to take long walks with his dogs across the hills of Gunma in central Japan. But not this year. He has good reason. Kingston says he has encountered bears in those mountains more than 100 times over the years and been charged by aggressive bears around a dozen times. In 2014, a black bear knocked him down and attacked him across the skull with its claws, leaving a gash that required nine stitches. “This year, I have actively refrained from going into the hills precisely... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3369955/bear-attacks-rise-japan-fearful-residents-change-daily-routines?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3369955/bear-attacks-rise-japan-fearful-residents-change-daily-routines?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:28 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall The alleged murder of an Okinawan woman by a US marine has raised questions over the American military presence on the island, piling pressure on its newly elected governor just as the prefecture assumes greater importance in Japan’s regional security strategy. Anna Yagi, 39, was found dead at a hotel in Naha in the early hours of Saturday morning. A postmortem determined she died from suffocation. The killing sparked protests the following day, with around 100 people rallying outside the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3369802/marines-arrest-murder-japan-fuels-anger-over-us-military-presence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3369802/marines-arrest-murder-japan-fuels-anger-over-us-military-presence?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Oct 2026 00:00:16 +0000 Orange Wang Orange Wang The US is set to deploy one of its signature anti-ship missile systems to the Japanese island closest to Taiwan, an unprecedented move that comes as tensions in the region between Beijing and Tokyo continue to simmer. The ground-based US uncrewed missile platform known as the Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) will be deployed on Yonaguni Island in Japan’s Okinawa prefecture during biennial joint exercises this month, according to the regional bureau of the Japanese... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369666/us-deploy-nmesis-anti-ship-system-japanese-island-closest-taiwan-first-time?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369666/us-deploy-nmesis-anti-ship-system-japanese-island-closest-taiwan-first-time?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Oct 2026 13:45:24 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Five years ago, Sarah and her husband were optimistic about Japan’s economic future and were expanding their small businesses across several sectors. Today, that optimism has been replaced by concern over a sense of hostility towards two hard-working foreigners who feel they have contributed to the society that they have worked hard to fit into. New regulations that took effect on Thursday mean the two Britons, who have been in Japan for more than 10 years, now face significantly higher costs... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3369608/no-more-welcome-mat-japans-tough-visa-rules-spur-foreign-businesses-look-elsewhere?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3369608/no-more-welcome-mat-japans-tough-visa-rules-spur-foreign-businesses-look-elsewhere?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Oct 2026 04:00:11 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Hong Kong ranked seventh globally as a destination for attracting and retaining the next generation of high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs), trailing traditional rival Singapore in sixth place, according to a Savills study. The two top finance hubs in the Asia-Pacific region have been stepping up efforts to strengthen their positions as regional wealth-management hubs amid an unprecedented global transfer of wealth between generations. “Hong Kong offers many incentives similar to Singapore,”... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3369536/hong-kong-ranks-7th-globally-drawing-next-wealthy-class-trailing-singapore-study?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3369536/hong-kong-ranks-7th-globally-drawing-next-wealthy-class-trailing-singapore-study?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Oct 2026 07:01:09 +0000 Alyssa Chen,Fan Chen Alyssa Chen,Fan Chen China and the Philippines have launched a war of words after their coastguards challenged each other in the waters off the Batanes Islands, an area that has become the latest maritime flashpoint as Beijing ramps up pressure against Manila-Tokyo delimitation efforts. The Philippine coastguard said on Thursday it had sent one of its biggest vessels and an aircraft to “disrupt and drive away” a Chinese research ship – the Jia Hai Ke 7 – which has been operating in the waters off the islands over... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369334/chinese-research-ship-near-batanes-sparks-undersea-cable-concerns-manila?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369334/chinese-research-ship-near-batanes-sparks-undersea-cable-concerns-manila?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Oct 2026 04:00:15 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings The number of Japanese companies operating in China has fallen nearly 30 per cent since its peak in 2012 and is down 22 per cent over the past two years, according to a survey conducted amid prolonged political tensions between Beijing and Tokyo. As of June, 10,118 Japanese enterprises were identified as having a presence in China, the lowest number since 2010, according to a survey and analysis released on Monday by the corporate credit research and business intelligence firm Teikoku... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369164/japanese-firms-pull-back-china-amid-geopolitical-tensions-supply-chains-shifts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369164/japanese-firms-pull-back-china-amid-geopolitical-tensions-supply-chains-shifts?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Sep 2026 07:00:13 +0000 Zabrina Lo Zabrina Lo Thirty years ago, Japanese video game designer Satoshi Tajiri combined round Gashapon capsules from coin-operated toy vending machines with his childhood bug-collecting hobby to create a virtual world where players could explore, catch and trade creatures with special abilities. When he released Pocket Monsters Red and Pocket Monsters Green for the Game Boy handheld game console in February 1996, a global phenomenon was born. Today, the franchise, which officially rebranded as Pokemon in 1998... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3368998/7-pokemon-experiences-tokyo-celebrate-30-years-pikachu-and-co?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3368998/7-pokemon-experiences-tokyo-celebrate-30-years-pikachu-and-co?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Sep 2026 04:45:08 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Tokyo on Monday rebuked Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov after he voiced opposition over the weekend to Japan’s drive for permanent membership of the UN Security Council, claiming the country was on a “path of militarisation”. Lavrov’s comments came as the security council, tasked with safeguarding peace, is facing calls for reform amid accusations it failed to prevent recent conflicts such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, due largely to the veto power of its five permanent members:... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3369042/japan-denies-militarisation-after-russia-opposes-permanent-un-council-seat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3369042/japan-denies-militarisation-after-russia-opposes-permanent-un-council-seat?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Sep 2026 07:40:22 +0000 Zabrina Lo Zabrina Lo Out of the backstage shadows, an onnagata – the traditional female role in the Japanese traditional theatre art of kabuki – steals into the light. Her hair is swept high into a voluminous bun, framing a face veiled in a thin layer of porcelain-white powder. Touches of cherry blossom flush across her eyelids and lips. She glides across the starkly lit stage so weightlessly that her steps leave silence behind. With precision, she turns, twirls and looks into the distance, face perfectly... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/arts/article/3368742/how-one-woman-rewriting-kabukis-all-male-narrative-japan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/arts/article/3368742/how-one-woman-rewriting-kabukis-all-male-narrative-japan?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Sep 2026 04:45:08 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said she and Donald Trump had reaffirmed their collaboration on issues relating to Beijing in a phone call on Saturday. The call followed the US president’s nostalgic invocation of the World War II alliance with China during his summit with Xi Jinping, remarks that sent shock waves through Tokyo. Trump made the references as he welcomed the Chinese president to the White House on Thursday for his first state visit to Washington in over a decade. In a social... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368878/will-trump-xi-wartime-ally-nostalgia-prompt-japanese-rethink-china-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368878/will-trump-xi-wartime-ally-nostalgia-prompt-japanese-rethink-china-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Sep 2026 03:00:10 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Unregulated companies are running a brisk trade across Japan storing and disposing unclaimed corpses, with a recent report revealing how such “cut-price morgues” are cashing in on legal loopholes to discard the nation’s dead. The business has shed light on the growing number of “lonely deaths” of elderly Japanese as the traditional nuclear family fades. Some industry insiders have expressed shock at the trend and are calling for regulation to block potential loopholes, while others point to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3368738/japans-cut-price-morgues-cash-legal-loopholes-lonely-deaths-rise?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3368738/japans-cut-price-morgues-cash-legal-loopholes-lonely-deaths-rise?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Sep 2026 04:00:17 +0000 Dewey Sim,Igor Patrick Dewey Sim,Igor Patrick US President Donald Trump praised his strong relationship with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in New York on Tuesday, days before he is due to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The talks, held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, come as relations between Beijing and Tokyo show no signs of thawing. Both leaders hailed their good working relationship, with Takaichi saying the two countries looked forward to deepening ties. Trump lavished praise on the Japanese... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3368439/trump-praises-takaichi-doing-tremendous-job-ahead-xis-visit-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3368439/trump-praises-takaichi-doing-tremendous-job-ahead-xis-visit-us?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Sep 2026 19:31:34 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Residents of a wide swathe of eastern Japan were picking up the pieces on Tuesday after Typhoon Dujuan tore through the area the previous day, causing extensive flooding, landslides, power outages, flight cancellations and at least four deaths. Nearly 2 million people were instructed to evacuate their homes in low-lying coastal areas, or be prepared to move at short notice, after the Japan Meteorological Agency had warned that the typhoon posed an “imminent threat to life”. While the evacuation... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3368348/japan-begins-clean-after-typhoon-dujuan-kills-4-batters-east?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3368348/japan-begins-clean-after-typhoon-dujuan-kills-4-batters-east?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Sep 2026 06:51:54 +0000 Phoebe Amoroso Phoebe Amoroso With its dark-wood-furnished interior that is part-boutique, part-workshop and part-cafe, there is a lot to notice about Urushi to Hibi in Tokyo. The daily line of customers outside the door, however, is mostly here for one thing: its Hong Kong-style milk tea. Behind the counter, the three co-founders – Lei Shengyu, Zhang Qingyue and Ji Qiuzi – work tirelessly, alternating between taking and prepping orders. On this day, Ji is making the milk tea, face full of concentration as he strains it... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3367719/how-hong-kong-style-milk-tea-shop-tokyo-has-customers-queuing-out-door?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3367719/how-hong-kong-style-milk-tea-shop-tokyo-has-customers-queuing-out-door?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Sep 2026 23:15:04 +0000 Payal Uttam Payal Uttam Growing up in the outskirts of Tokyo in the 70s, Japanese artist Mariko Mori has fond memories of the popular science-fiction series Astro Boy. “I was part of the generation of Osamu Tezuka’s animation and this was his projection of the future,” she recalls. “I remember playing with my friends, thinking about what the future may look like … we imagined different worlds.” Decades later, not much has changed for her. Mori is still imagining alternate realities and inviting viewers into these... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/people/icons-influencers/article/3367995/mariko-moris-all-shines-mori-art-museum-inside-her-landmark-tokyo-exhibition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/people/icons-influencers/article/3367995/mariko-moris-all-shines-mori-art-museum-inside-her-landmark-tokyo-exhibition?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Sep 2026 02:00:20 +0000 SCMP Style Reporter SCMP Style Reporter After 20 years in Ginza, Japanese fashion label 45R this month opened a new four-storey flagship in the Tokyo district, ahead of the brand’s 50th anniversary next year. The Seiko Ginza 5-chome Building now houses the label’s denim and natural indigo collections among old brick, stone and warm wood. At street level, reclaimed details shape the entrance. A teak facade and Takine stone frame an automatic door fashioned from chestnut. Just inside, a small garden separates the street from the shop,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/fashion/fashion-news/article/3367803/style-edit-45r-marks-20-years-ginza-new-4-storey-flagship-store?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/fashion/fashion-news/article/3367803/style-edit-45r-marks-20-years-ginza-new-4-storey-flagship-store?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Sep 2026 02:00:10 +0000 Sherry Wang,Mia Nurmamat Sherry Wang,Mia Nurmamat China’s exports of key materials to Japan remained on a downward trend in August, with shipment volume of rare earth magnets falling 17.1 per cent from a year earlier, according to the latest customs data. China exported about 212 tonnes of rare earth permanent magnets to Japan last month, down from nearly 256 tonnes a year earlier, according to Chinese customs data released on Sunday. That followed a 52.2 per cent year-on-year plunge in July. Other rare earth products and critical materials... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/article/3368153/chinas-trade-limits-continue-bite-japans-imports-rare-earths-other-minerals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/article/3368153/chinas-trade-limits-continue-bite-japans-imports-rare-earths-other-minerals?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Sep 2026 09:30:25 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau Waymo plans to launch its robotaxi service in Singapore in 2028, giving the US company its first foothold in Southeast Asia. Fully electric Jaguar I-Pace vehicles were due to arrive in the city state in the coming months, ahead of preparations for a commercial launch, the company said on Friday. From 2027, trained autonomous specialists will manually drive the vehicles to help Waymo adapt its technology to Singapore’s road layouts, monsoon conditions and other local features. The service is... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3367897/us-firm-waymo-launch-robotaxi-service-singapore-2028?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3367897/us-firm-waymo-launch-robotaxi-service-singapore-2028?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Sep 2026 02:01:04 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang Progress towards reunifying with Taiwan hinges on factors like the island’s level of provocation, retired PLA major general Luo Yuan told the South China Morning Post, warning that Taiwan’s leader had challenged Beijing’s red lines. Speaking on the sidelines of the Xiangshan Forum in Beijing on Wednesday, Luo said the timeline for reunification with mainland China was shaped by “the development of our national strength, our defence needs, the global security environment, as well as the degree of... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3367865/provocation-could-accelerate-taiwan-reunification-retired-pla-major-general?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3367865/provocation-could-accelerate-taiwan-reunification-retired-pla-major-general?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Sep 2026 10:00:15 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Okinawa has handed a landslide victory to a conservative who accepts Tokyo’s plans for relocating a controversial US airbase – delivering a blow to 12 years of anti-base politics in Japan’s southernmost prefecture. Genta Koja’s victory on Sunday over two-term governor Denny Tamaki raised a question cutting to the heart of Okinawa’s post-war politics: is it finally starting to move on from the US military base issue? Koja, a 42-year-old conservative backed by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3367712/japans-okinawa-finally-moving-past-anti-base-politics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3367712/japans-okinawa-finally-moving-past-anti-base-politics?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Sep 2026 03:00:08 +0000 Laura Zhou Laura Zhou Japan’s proposed port upgrades in Indonesia’s Natuna Islands reflect Tokyo’s push to bolster South China Sea security without building an overt military footprint. However, analysts stress that the move does not mean Jakarta is siding with Japan in its efforts to contain Beijing. Japan, which earlier this year eased its restrictions on lethal weapons exports, is ramping up security cooperation with Indonesia – a crucial bellwether for Southeast Asia. The expanding partnership includes joint... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3367757/japans-natuna-port-proposal-highlights-indonesias-balancing-act-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3367757/japans-natuna-port-proposal-highlights-indonesias-balancing-act-china?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Sep 2026 01:00:08 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s invitation for Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to visit Kyiv has created a diplomatic dilemma for the Japanese leader, who is under pressure to show firmer support for Ukraine without further antagonising Russia. Zelensky extended the invitation through Eisuke Mori, speaker of Japan’s House of Representatives, during his visit to the Ukrainian capital earlier this week. Mori, who helped establish the cross-party Japan-Ukraine parliamentary friendship group... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3367750/will-takaichi-visit-kyiv-zelenskys-invite-puts-japan-pm-diplomatic-bind?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3367750/will-takaichi-visit-kyiv-zelenskys-invite-puts-japan-pm-diplomatic-bind?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Sep 2026 00:00:15 +0000 Daisy Wu Daisy Wu Hong Kong has retained its status as Asia’s top financial hub for a fourth consecutive edition of the Global Financial Centres Index (GFCI), even as many of the world’s leading centres saw their scores slip slightly amid rising geopolitical headwinds. The city also ranked third globally in the 40th edition of the twice-yearly report, released on Wednesday amid a remarkably tight race at the top of global finance. Hong Kong scored 756, just one point behind London and a point ahead of Singapore.... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/banking-finance/article/3367656/hong-kong-rated-asias-top-financial-hub-4th-straight-year-report?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/banking-finance/article/3367656/hong-kong-rated-asias-top-financial-hub-4th-straight-year-report?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 16 Sep 2026 06:00:06 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo A Japanese court on Tuesday sentenced a 52-year-old man to five years in prison and fined him 1 million yen (US$6,500) for forcing a 12-year-old Thai girl to provide sexual services at his private-room massage parlour in Tokyo. The Tokyo District Court found Masayuki Hosono guilty of violating the child welfare law, saying the owner of the establishment had created a disorderly workplace environment and failed to verify the girl’s age. Prosecutors had sought a six-year prison term and a 2... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3367634/japan-jails-man-forcing-thai-girl-12-sex-work?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3367634/japan-jails-man-forcing-thai-girl-12-sex-work?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Sep 2026 14:28:50 +0000 Gabriel Dominguez Gabriel Dominguez Okinawa’s election on Sunday of a governor backed by Japan’s ruling party ended 12 years of local leadership opposed to the relocation of a US airbase and elements of Tokyo’s defence build-up plans. While experts say that Genta Koja’s victory will not give Tokyo any new military authority in the region, it could lead to closer integration of civilian infrastructure into Japan’s defence network in case of a conflict – including one over Taiwan. Koja’s election would give Tokyo “room to expand its... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3367624/how-okinawas-political-shift-could-make-japan-more-prepared-taiwan-contingency?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3367624/how-okinawas-political-shift-could-make-japan-more-prepared-taiwan-contingency?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Sep 2026 14:00:20 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen Japanese fashion brand WEGO has scrapped a plan to launch a new range in collaboration with the hit anime and manga franchise My Hero Academia after it triggered an angry backlash from Chinese consumers. The Tokyo-based company triggered an outcry on Chinese social media after announcing it would release an exclusive range of My Hero Academia-themed clothing. The franchise was widely condemned in China over a 2020 controversy about a character that conducted lethal human experiments – a topic... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3367353/japans-wego-fashion-brand-latest-firm-feel-force-chinese-consumer-backlash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3367353/japans-wego-fashion-brand-latest-firm-feel-force-chinese-consumer-backlash?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 13 Sep 2026 10:55:06 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The Philippines has launched a five-year road map to expand its share of the global semiconductor and electronics sector, but capacity challenges and political stability are potential stumbling blocks, analysts say. The Philippine Semiconductor and Electronics Industry road map, launched by the Philippines’ Semiconductor and Electronics Industry Advisory Council (SEIAC) on September 2, aims to grow annual exports of chips and electronics to US$110 billion by 2030, and move beyond manufacturing... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3366779/philippines-wants-be-global-semiconductor-giant-2030-can-it-get-there?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3366779/philippines-wants-be-global-semiconductor-giant-2030-can-it-get-there?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Sep 2026 09:18:12 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall South Korean citizens’ groups have called for the abuse of wartime “comfort women” to be recognised by Unesco, as analysts say the ongoing feud between Seoul and Tokyo threatens to upset recent improvements in their relations. They also suggest that the two nations would benefit from working together at a time of unprecedented regional and global security and economic challenges, although they admit that may be impossible. On Sunday, a coalition of South Korean citizens’ groups called on the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3366655/can-japan-south-korea-move-past-comfort-women-issue?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3366655/can-japan-south-korea-move-past-comfort-women-issue?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Sep 2026 01:30:10 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau While the announcement last week of the closure of a 40-year-old mall in Singapore’s Marina Bay district for redevelopment has caused an outpouring of sentiment among shoppers and tenants, experts say the prime real estate has to be updated into a mixed-use site to survive in the city state. Last Monday, property developer Singapore Land Group (SingLand) said in a statement that Marina Square, which was completed in 1986, would close on March 31 for a redevelopment that would include features... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3366678/singapore-malls-shopping-only-are-going-out-style?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3366678/singapore-malls-shopping-only-are-going-out-style?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Sep 2026 00:00:28 +0000 Peter Chai Peter Chai Japan will substantially raise its fees for residence permits next month. Depending on the period of stay applied for, renewing or changing one’s residency status could cost as much as ¥75,000 (US$480). The application fee for permanent residency will rise to ¥200,000 from ¥10,000. The government is also tightening the requirements for permanent residency. Applicants are already expected to be able to support themselves. New criteria proposed include an above-average household income, sufficient... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3366399/japan-must-reckon-how-it-views-foreign-workers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3366399/japan-must-reckon-how-it-views-foreign-workers?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Sep 2026 21:30:07 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Japan’s tourist hotspot Shinjuku will impose a ban on more than half of its holiday rentals, including homes on Airbnb, after a surge in complaints about visitors, an official has said. Known for its buzzing commercial and entertainment district in the Japanese capital Tokyo, Shinjuku has about 4,000 short-term rentals, according to the ward’s official website. That is nearly 10 per cent of the country’s total. But its large residential population has become increasingly exasperated with... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3366670/japans-shinjuku-ban-more-half-holiday-rentals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3366670/japans-shinjuku-ban-more-half-holiday-rentals?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Sep 2026 13:15:08 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Heavy rainfall hit eastern Japan and elsewhere on Monday, with the weather agency urging maximum vigilance against landslides on Niijima and Oshima islands, south of Tokyo, and a woman dying in Iwaki in the northeast after her car became submerged. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a special landslide warning for Niijima after more than 480mm (19 inches) of rain fell there over 24 hours, the largest amount since local records began. Heavy rain also hit eastern Japan including Tokyo from the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3366600/woman-found-dead-submerged-car-japan-amid-record-rainfall?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3366600/woman-found-dead-submerged-car-japan-amid-record-rainfall?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Sep 2026 05:45:11 +0000 Varvara Rodchenko Varvara Rodchenko 45R has remained a cult favourite for nearly half a century with good reason. Founded in 1977 in a small studio in Tokyo’s Daikanyama district, the Japanese label, named after the rotational speed of a seven-inch vinyl record, has built its reputation on a philosophy of nai monozukuri, meaning creating things that don’t exist, but feel like they should. Indigo is the brand’s heartbeat. Unlike conventional dyeing methods that stiffen yarn, 45R’s approach is very precise: the yarn is dyed before... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/fashion/fashion-news/article/3366003/style-edit-45r-brings-masterful-yarn-dyed-indigo-fair-isle-and-cowichan-knits?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/fashion/fashion-news/article/3366003/style-edit-45r-brings-masterful-yarn-dyed-indigo-fair-isle-and-cowichan-knits?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Sep 2026 02:00:13 +0000 David D. Lee David D. Lee For a few seconds during Blackpink member Jennie’s headline set at Tokyo’s Summer Sonic festival last month, it looked like something had come undone. She turned away from the crowd, adjusted herself and then, the moment was gone. But online, the clip never disappeared – and more than 10 million views later, it has become the latest test of South Korea’s fight against AI-enabled sexual abuse. Fans were quick to cry deepfake, dissecting the footage frame by frame for signs of possible AI... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3366411/viral-jennie-clip-tests-limits-south-koreas-ai-deepfake-laws?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3366411/viral-jennie-clip-tests-limits-south-koreas-ai-deepfake-laws?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Sep 2026 00:00:10 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan’s Mogami-class warship is turning out to be a hot item among global navies. Australia is buying 11, New Zealand is considering putting in an order – and now, even the United States is showing interest. According to a US Naval Institute report published on Tuesday, government and naval planners are looking at three possibilities: Japan’s Mogami-class frigates, South Korea’s Chungnam guided-missile frigate and Turkey’s Istanbul-class warship. This is the first time since World War II that a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3366257/us-wants-foreign-warships-its-navy-japan-hoping-be-picked?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3366257/us-wants-foreign-warships-its-navy-japan-hoping-be-picked?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Sep 2026 02:30:05 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Sayoko is watching her 13-year-old son more closely than he probably realises as he settles into his first year of junior high school in Yokohama. He is keeping up with his classes and is fortunate to be popular because of his sporting prowess. But Sayoko, who did not want to give her full name, remembers having a hard time at the same age, so she is alert to any sign that her son might be unhappy. “I was not good at sport and did not have a large circle of friends and, of course, there were... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3366131/japan-goes-student-suicide-watch-school-term-starts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3366131/japan-goes-student-suicide-watch-school-term-starts?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Sep 2026 01:30:09 +0000 Gabriel Dominguez Gabriel Dominguez Japan’s plans to transfer ageing warships to the Philippines and Indonesia could turn older military hardware into geopolitical leverage, deepening regional security ties while helping Tokyo counterbalance Beijing’s growing influence, observers say. Such transfers, they said, fit into Tokyo’s broader security assistance toolkit to strengthen partners’ capabilities and forge longer-term defence relationships through equipment, training, maintenance and interoperability – expanding Japan’s... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3366100/how-japan-aims-convert-ageing-warships-leverage-counter-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3366100/how-japan-aims-convert-ageing-warships-leverage-counter-china?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Sep 2026 12:00:11 +0000 Sherry Wang Sherry Wang Thousands of scheduled flights from mainland China to Japan were scrapped during a record-breaking summer travel season for domestic carriers, as travellers pivoted to other Asian destinations amid strained diplomatic ties. A total of 2,312 flights were cancelled in July and August, accounting for 30.7 per cent of scheduled flights, according to aviation data provider Flight Master DAST. July saw 1,195 cancellations, or 31.4 per cent of scheduled flights. Chinese airlines shifted capacity... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3366060/china-cuts-thousands-japan-flights-strained-ties-send-travellers-elsewhere?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3366060/china-cuts-thousands-japan-flights-strained-ties-send-travellers-elsewhere?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Sep 2026 09:00:08 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan’s most dangerous delicacy is getting harder to prepare safely as warming seas push different pufferfish species into the same waters, where they are inbreeding to produce hybrids whose lethal toxins are not yet fully understood. Fugu – the collective Japanese name for several species of edible pufferfish – is prized as much for the danger surrounding its preparation as for its subtle flavour. Many species contain tetrodotoxin, a powerful neurotoxin with no known antidote that can cause... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3365992/japans-deadliest-delicacy-getting-more-dangerous?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3365992/japans-deadliest-delicacy-getting-more-dangerous?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Sep 2026 01:30:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Japan eased overtime regulation starting on Tuesday in a move meant to help spur economic growth but criticised as a relapse into the country’s ingrained workaholic culture. The move comes after the government led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi – a self-proclaimed workaholic – adopted a growth strategy in July, calling for revisions to the current oversight of work hours. The change in part reflects calls from certain business sectors for more flexible work styles as they grapple with a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3365948/japan-relaxes-overtime-rules-under-workaholic-takaichi-unacceptable-shift?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3365948/japan-relaxes-overtime-rules-under-workaholic-takaichi-unacceptable-shift?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Sep 2026 06:47:26 +0000 Reuters Reuters Japanese Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said on Monday she ‌met US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and agreed that orderly yen movement is critical for global market stability. The ⁠two countries also confirmed that ‌continued, cooperative measures would contribute to this common goal, ‌Katayama told reporters after attending the ⁠Group ⁠of 20 finance leaders’ gathering. She declined ‌to comment when asked if recent yen ‌moves ‌were orderly. Katayama and Bessent discussed ‌Japan’s financial... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3365907/us-treasurys-bessent-calls-japan-boost-yen-through-interest-rate-hikes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3365907/us-treasurys-bessent-calls-japan-boost-yen-through-interest-rate-hikes?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:47:59 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo The Tokyo metropolitan government has unveiled a plan to use an underground facility near Tokyo Station as a shelter for residents and tourists in the event of a ballistic missile attack. Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike told a press conference earlier this month that a survey would begin in the current financial year through March in preparation for revamping Yaesu car park, which is located about two to 11 metres (six to 36 feet) underground. The alterations are expected to include setting up... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3365673/japan-convert-car-park-near-tokyo-station-missile-shelter?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3365673/japan-convert-car-park-near-tokyo-station-missile-shelter?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 Aug 2026 00:21:33 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Okinawa’s governor election next month is set to be a major test of whether Japan’s ruling party can win over voters from a prefecture that has long opposed its security agenda and the heavy US military presence on its islands. A victory by Genta Koja, the Liberal Democratic Party-backed candidate, would likely help smooth ties between Okinawa and Tokyo and weaken resistance against the planned relocation of the US Marine Corps’ Futenma base within the prefecture, according to analysts. Such an... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3365458/us-base-dispute-hangs-over-japans-okinawa-governor-election?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3365458/us-base-dispute-hangs-over-japans-okinawa-governor-election?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Aug 2026 00:00:12 +0000 The Star The Star The body of an unidentified person was found inside the wheel well of an aircraft at Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur International Airport Terminal 2 (KLIA2) on Thursday (Aug 27). The body, whose gender has yet to be determined, was discovered at about 6.55am in the wheel well of a flight from Tokyo, Japan, which landed at about 6.30am. It is learnt that the body, clad in jeans and a white shirt, was found by engineering personnel who were tasked with opening the aircraft’s wheel well. The personnel... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3365427/malaysian-airport-staff-find-body-wheel-well-plane-japan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3365427/malaysian-airport-staff-find-body-wheel-well-plane-japan?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Aug 2026 06:39:20 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall North Korea has stepped up its verbal attacks on Japan, issuing more than a dozen denunciations through state media since early July and hardening its rhetoric in recent days by accusing Tokyo of whipping up a “neo-militarist frenzy” and preparing for a “war of aggression”. Analysts said the latest broadsides from Kim Jong-un’s regime reflected both renewed confidence in Pyongyang as ties with Moscow deepen, and a desire to frame Asia-Pacific geopolitics as a contest between rival blocs –... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3365207/north-korea-sharpens-anti-japan-rhetoric-russia-ties-grow?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3365207/north-korea-sharpens-anti-japan-rhetoric-russia-ties-grow?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Aug 2026 02:00:09 +0000