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Tourists throng a shopping street in front of Sensoji Temple in the popular Asakusa district of Tokyo, Japan, last month. Photo: Kyodo
Japan

Japan wants 60 million tourists, but China isn’t sending them

Tokyo is banking on a massive visitor boom to do what its factories and financiers increasingly cannot: carry the economy forward.

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Artificial intelligence

Southeast Asia’s scammers’ new disguise? Your leader’s face

The Philippines

Why the Philippines is losing out in Southeast Asia’s investment boom

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Malaysia

In Malaysia’s Johor, Chinese voters prize affordability over politics

Analysts say issues such as the rising cost of living, jobs and business opportunities now matter more than party loyalty or China money.

Workers repair a rooftop next to the Strait of Johor separating Singapore and Malaysia, in Johor Bahru, Malaysia on Monday. Photo: Reuters
Workers repair a rooftop next to the Strait of Johor separating Singapore and Malaysia, in Johor Bahru, Malaysia on Monday. Photo: Reuters
Indonesia

Tokopedia ‘restructuring’ deepens concerns about Indonesia’s tech winter

Tokopedia’s deeper integration into ByteDance’s ecosystem could shift more operations outside Indonesia, analysts say.

South Korea

US hopes South Korea can help turn the tide in fight for naval dominance

While the US has a technological edge, it lags behind China, which has the world’s largest commercial shipbuilding industry, in fleet size.

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The Philippines

‘Where did the data come from?’: why Filipinos laugh off World Bank’s upgrade

The country’s leap to upper-middle-income status means little to inflation-squeezed families struggling with debt and meagre wages.

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Manila’s skyline. The Philippines’ economic upgrade to upper-middle-income status contrasts with citizens’ struggles with inflation. Photo: AFP
Manila’s skyline. The Philippines’ economic upgrade to upper-middle-income status contrasts with citizens’ struggles with inflation. Photo: AFP
Myanmar

Myanmar has ‘a mountain to climb’ to woo 2 million tourists a year

Myanmar saw 4.5 million tourist arrivals at the peak in 2015, but the numbers have fallen sharply since the military coup in 2021.

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Malaysia

Johor votes on Saturday. Polymarket has already called it

As the Malaysian state heads to the polls, a prediction market banned elsewhere in Asia gives one coalition a 93 per cent chance of winning.

The Philippines

Powering up: why Philippines’ rooftop solar boom is here to stay

Households and businesses are turning to solar to hedge against high power prices, unreliable supply and exposure to imported fuel shocks.

Workers install solar panels on the roof of a house in Kawit, the Philippines, on June 26. Photo: Reuters
South Korea

Why South Korea is celebrating a Canada submarine deal it lost

Coming a close second to Germany shows ‘K-defence’ can hold its own on the world stage, military experts say.

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The Royal Canadian navy hosts the South Korean navy’s Dosan Ahn Chang-ho during a welcome ceremony in Esquimalt, British Columbia, on May 25. Photo: The Canadian Press/AP
The Royal Canadian navy hosts the South Korean navy’s Dosan Ahn Chang-ho during a welcome ceremony in Esquimalt, British Columbia, on May 25. Photo: The Canadian Press/AP
Singapore

Can Singapore and Indonesia’s energy push kick-start regional power grid?

The cooperation could boost both countries’ sustainability goals and help shape regional frameworks for the Asean Power Grid, analysts say.

India

Beyond payments: India aims to architect Indonesia’s digital future

A successful digital collaboration with Indonesia could elevate India into ‘a primary architect of its infrastructure’, analysts say.

Vietnam

Vietnam bets on baby bonuses to get rich before it grows old

Hanoi is throwing cash and housing at its low birth rate, scrambling to protect an export boom that is fast running out of young workers.

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A pregnant woman holding an umbrella walks past a billboard of a happy family in Hanoi last month. Photo: AFP
Singapore

Singapore bets on ‘early-mover’ edge in labour pact with East Timor

Singapore’s move will help address its manpower shortage and allow it to seize opportunities in a ‘young emerging market’, analysts say.

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Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong (left) and his East Timorese counterpart Xanana Gusmao shake hands at the Government Palace in Dili on Friday. Photo: AFP
Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong (left) and his East Timorese counterpart Xanana Gusmao shake hands at the Government Palace in Dili on Friday. Photo: AFP
Malaysia

Malaysia’s Anwar hopes fruitful friendship with China can rescue durian growers

China is Malaysia’s most important durian market, accounting for about 60 per cent of exports worth US$368 million annually.

The Philippines

Manila’s record minimum wage rise leaves workers hungry for more

A ‘historic’ wage increase was meant to ease hardship. Critics say it is already being swallowed up by soaring costs.

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US, Israel war on Iran

‘Just as soon as possible’: Asia’s post-Hormuz supply chain rethink

Covid, Ukraine, Iran: three shocks in six years appear to have ended Asia’s love affair with efficiency no matter the cost.

A crane loads a container onto a ship at a terminal in Singapore. Photo: AFP
A crane loads a container onto a ship at a terminal in Singapore. Photo: AFP
India

India’s toxic crop waste could fuel global airlines, study finds

Airlines are desperate for clean fuel. India has mountains of harvest waste. Connecting the two could net billions, says a new report.

India

Reliance Jio’s IPO set to intensify investor focus on India’s telco sector

A positive response to the IPO could spur investor interest in the proposed listings by PhonePe and Nykaa, analysts say.

Singapore

Singapore telco slashes CEO’s salary after outages

A deadly outage in Australia and others in Singapore led Singtel to cut executive pay despite posting strong profits.

The headquarters of Singapore Telecommunications (Singtel) in Singapore. Photo: AFP
Malaysia

Hong Kong’s loss is Malaysia’s gain in the housing market

A growing number of Hongkongers are swapping small flats for larger homes and lower living costs in Malaysia.

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Residential tower blocks in Hong Kong. Photo: Reuters
Residential tower blocks in Hong Kong. Photo: Reuters
Asean

East Timor targets closer Asean-Greater Bay Area ties to spur economic growth

Asean’s newest member says cooperation between the two regions should be based on a commitment to inclusive growth and trust.

The Philippines

‘Digital bridge’ Philippines woos Greater Bay Area enterprises

Manila’s trade chief points to soaring trade data and special economic zones in her pitch to Chinese investors at SCMP’s GBA-Asean Summit.

The Philippines

‘Purple gold rush’: Philippine ube farming looks to cash in on craze

Philippine ube exports reached over US$3 million in 2025, more than double the US$1.4 million figure recorded in 2024.

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“Ubi kinampay” is especially prized for its distinctive taste and aroma. Photo: Facebook/National Museum of the Philippines Bohol
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