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The latest breaking news and stories on Japan, a country in East Asia known as a constitutional monarchy, and the world’s fifth largest economy. Also covering Japan’s relationship with China and Asia, plus commentary and updates on Japan’s economy, politics, society and trade.
Capital
Tokyo
Head of State
Emperor Naruhito
Head of Government
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida
Fumio Kishida
A night view near the Kabukicho area in the Shinjuku district of central Tokyo. The Tokyo District Court found Masayuki Hosono guilty of violating the child welfare law. Photo: AFP
Crime

Japan jails man for forcing Thai girl, 12, into sex work

He had forced the girl to provide sexual services at his private-room massage parlour in Tokyo in 2025.

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China-Japan relations

How Okinawa’s political shift could make Japan more prepared for a Taiwan contingency

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US-China relations

US-China ties haunted by lack of mutual trust, Beijing Xiangshan Forum told

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Indonesia

Who will shoulder the debts behind Indonesia’s China-backed Whoosh railway?

Jakarta plans to transfer the US$56.5 million annual debt into state accounts as critics warn taxpayers will subsidise the losses.

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The Jakarta-Bandung high-speed train, known as Whoosh, during a public trial in Bandung, West Java, in September 2023. Photo: AFP
Banking & finance

Citigroup hires veteran banker Sophia Wang to lead China institutional sales

Wang has more than 20 years of experience in the field, and her hire comes after Citi announced plans to expand its corporate headcount.

China-Japan relations

Why Japanese outreach to China won’t break the ice without Takaichi

Visits by Japanese lawmakers and business groups aim to ease ties ahead of Apec summit, but experts say Tokyo must send clearer signal.

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Norway

‘This is our culture’: Japan defenders stand firm as Iceland plans whaling ban

Reykjavik’s move to end hunts increases international pressure on Tokyo as low consumption of whale meat and high subsidies fuel debate.

A ship transports a whale to a processing plant near Reykjavik, Iceland. The Icelandic government plans to introduce a bill to end whaling, which would leave Japan and Norway as the world’s last commercial whalers. Photo: AFP
China-Japan relations

Japan eyes quantum sub-hunting drone sensors as China extends undersea reach

Feeling the pinch from cost and personnel pressures, Tokyo’s defence planners aim to unlock potential in uncrewed systems.

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Earthquakes

Japan’s Chubu Electric bosses resign over quake data-tampering scandal

An independent panel report said management’s ‘reprimand’ over delays was one of the reasons behind the falsification of figures.

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The Philippines

US-led Luzon corridor in Philippines faces growing scrutiny over real local benefits

Filipinos, especially Gen Z, are concerned that the corridor and other US-led projects are ‘more exploitative than beneficial’, analysts say.

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Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr delivers a speech during the Luzon Economic Corridor Investment Forum in Manila on Thursday. Photo: EPA
War and conflict

My Take | US-Israeli failure to bomb Iran into submission was preordained

From Nazi Germany to Vietnam, history is rich with examples of countries that simply refuse to surrender to bombing.

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A billboard depicting US President Donald Trump underwater amid explosions, with the words “Great Victory! Strait of Hormuz”, in Tehran, Iran, on August 24. Photo: AP
China-Japan relations

Japan’s WEGO fashion brand is latest firm hit by Chinese consumer backlash

WEGO scrapped a collaboration with an anime and manga franchise that triggered controversy with a perceived reference to wartime atrocities.

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From our archives

On This Day | Hong Kong mourns Mao Zedong’s death in 1976 – SCMP archive

Fifty years ago, Mao Zedong’s death sent shock waves around the world.

Malaysia

Who will look after ageing Asia when its carers grow old?

Asia’s care economy is booming, but its biggest supplier nations are ageing too, raising fears of a coming carer shortfall.

Filipino nurses, many of whom were bound for work abroad as carers, take an oath in Manila in 2009. Filipino carers have become an expensive “gold standard”, according to a recent white paper. Photo: AFP
G20

Macroscope | As US leadership proves unreliable, Asia needs to start focusing on itself

Asian policymakers should start laying the groundwork for a new organisation that has this region’s interests at its core.

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A miniature model of the White House is seen at the Omni Grove Park Hotel during the Group of 20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors’ meeting in Asheville, North Carolina, on August 31. Finance leaders from the G20 major economies opened talks at the US-hosted gathering, with the Trump administration seeking to escalate economic pressure on Iran amid a renewed exchange of fire with Tehran. Photo: AFP
Banking & finance

Is the yen carry trade starting to unravel as Japan’s currency strengthens?

The trade relies on borrowing cheap yen to invest in higher-returning assets overseas, but analysts say the strategy faces mounting pressure.

North Korea

North Korea launches missile salvo after US-South Korea-Japan drills

The ballistic missiles, which flew about 250km, were fired despite Donald Trump’s recent push for talks with Kim Jong-un.

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China's military weapons

Fresh photos offer clearest view yet of China’s ‘WZ-X’ spy drone

Analysts say the stealthy aircraft appears to be designed for reconnaissance deep inside contested airspace.

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New photos of a massive Chinese drone show its serrated trailing edge, a sawtooth-like pattern along the rear of the wing, according to analysts. Photo: X/ RupprechtDeino
Ukraine war

Opinion | What Ukraine has that Japan and Taiwan lack

Ukraine’s former defence minister is launching a new venture that could offer more than drone technology. Asia should take notes.

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United States

‘I could go to Japan for free’, says US woman caught with smuggled cannabis

The suspect and her accomplice face up to 10 years in prison under Japan’s strict drug laws.

Hong Kong stock market

Treasury yield hits 19-year high, ECB raises rates: the numbers moving markets

Hong Kong’s MPF assets reaching HK$1.67 trillion and European Central Bank increasing rates by 25 basis points are in spotlight this week.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Texas on Wednesday. Photo: AFP
Fashion

Tory Burch puts the joy back into dressing with vibrant NYFW show in Noguchi’s Sunken Garden

Celebrating the joy of getting dressed, the runway showcased rich textures and vivid colours, with Amanda Seyfried and Sandra Ng in attendance.

The striking set of the Tory Burch spring/summer 2027 show was a fitting choice for the equally striking and colourful clothes. Photo: Reuters
Climate change

Japan’s Sapporo Snow Festival rebrands as snowfall dwindles

Warming winters and military labour shortages are forcing the world-famous Hokkaido event to pivot towards sustainability.

China economy

Opinion | Why China is steering clear of the US’ ‘exorbitant privilege’ model

Beijing is decoupling the internationalisation of the yuan as a transactional currency from the role of an unconstrained global reserve store of value.

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South Korea

Can a US$6 trillion South Korea-Japan economic bloc succeed?

A South Korean tycoon’s proposal could create the world’s fourth-biggest economic bloc, if both countries put history behind them.

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A robot seen at the Smart Factory & Automation World 2026 exhibition in the Gangnam district of Seoul in March. Photo: NurPhoto/Getty Images
US-China relations

Huawei racketeering trial in US enters second day of testimony

Prosecutors allege a 20-year ‘culture of crime’, while defence says Huawei’s success was built on innovation, not theft.

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Huawei Technologies is facing a landmark criminal trial in the US on charges including bank fraud, money laundering and racketeering conspiracy. Photo: Reuters
US-China relations

US Navy plans compact Silent Anvil torpedo as China’s submarine fleet surges

The weapon is expected to be air-launched and suitable for use across a range of platforms.

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Indonesia

Indonesia rescues 6 orangutans from forest fires in a week

The apes were saved from plantations in West Kalimantan province, where they got stuck after fires cut off access to their forest home.

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