Media & Entertainment

Sony has so far announced the acquisition of nine overseas game studios, including Bungie, since June 2021. (Photo by Mizuho Miyazaki)
Media & Entertainment

Sony Group's Q1 profit declines due to weighty investments

PlayStation maker faces growing pains in expanding entertainment business

9 August 2023
Members of South Korean boy band BTS pose at an event in Japan in 2019. The music industry expects Japan's new entertainment visa rules to help foster next BTS.
Work

Japan sets bigger stage for K-pop, other stars with easier visas

Concert organizers hope for 'revival of music industry' after COVID slump

9 August 2023
With more people using their service, administrators of Misskey servers have had to pay higher fees to server rental companies. (Screenshot from Misskey's website)
Technology

Japan's Twitter-like Misskey to form company in bid for survival

Decentralized social media platform struggles to keep pace as user numbers soar

8 August 2023
Some Bollywood insiders and opposition critics say more films are promoting the agenda of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. But an Information Ministry official said the BJP simply wants to "inculcate good cultural and social values through movies."
Asia Insight

Bollywood becomes political battleground as India's election looms

Some filmmakers find amplifying Modi government's message is good for business

8 August 2023
K-pop girl group IVE, now under Kakao's umbrella, is also popular in Japan. (Photo courtesy of Starship Entertainment)
Media & Entertainment

South Korea's Kakao looks overseas for K-pop-fueled growth

Company's stock price down 70% from peak as ads hit a wall at home

6 August 2023
With a detachable head, Sony's Venice camera can film high-quality footage even in tight spaces. (Photo by Rei Nakafuji)
Media & Entertainment

Sony cameras find big break in Hollywood with new 'Avatar' film

Venice cameras' use in major U.S. movies has grown fivefold since 2019

5 August 2023
Universal Studios Japan drew more visitors in 2022 than its Florida and Hollywood counterparts. (Photo by Tomoki Mera)
Travel & Leisure

Universal Studios Japan jumps into world's top 3 most-visited theme parks

Super Nintendo World, anime characters help make USJ a draw for international travelers

5 August 2023
Margot Robbie stars in "Barbie," which has reached over $29 million at the box office in China. 
Media & Entertainment

In China, 'Barbie' moves women to tears, 'triggers' men to walk out

Greta Gerwig's blockbuster film resonates as gender issue gains traction

4 August 2023
The offices of Johnny & Associates are seen in Tokyo on May 15.
Society

U.N. group urges 'transparency' from Japan on Johnny's abuse claims

Talent agency should take action to provide appropriate 'grievance mechanism'

4 August 2023
The new game The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and "The Super Mario Brothers Movie" contributed to the record first-quarter profit of Nintendo. (Source photos by Kosaku Mimura, Nintendo official YouTube channel and 2023 Nintendo and Universal Studios)
3 August 2023
Zhao Jian, right, introduces books in his program on WeChat Channels, while Chen Jinshun discusses tea culture in the picture on the left. (Screenshots from WeChat Channels)
China tech

Tencent video-sharing service hits 800m users, overtakes rivals

WeChat Channels churning out influencers in niche areas ranging from books to tea

30 July 2023
A screenshot from Odisha TV's YouTube channel shows Lisa, the Indian broadcaster's AI newscaster.
Media & Entertainment

Rise of AI newsbots shakes up India's media landscape

Virtual anchors mean no 'ego hassles' in newsrooms, but will they kill jobs?

30 July 2023
Chinese esports athletes made a surprise appearance at an industry event in Shenzhen on July 14. (Photo by Takashi Kawakami)
Media & Entertainment

Tencent, Douyin press play on esports ahead of Asian Games

China's government, companies see golden opportunities in thriving industry

29 July 2023
Blackpink -- from left: Lisa, Jisoo, Rosé and Jennie -- headlines the Coachella festival on April 22 in Indio, California.
International relations

Blackpink takes Vietnam by storm, riding Korean economic wave

Superstars' concert is just one way South Korean influence has engulfed country

29 July 2023
After 10 years of hit-and-miss efforts to leverage its brand, the "Super Mario Bros. Movie" ups the ante in Nintendo's bet it can turn Mario into a rival to Mickey Mouse. (Source photos by Ken Kobayashi and Kyodo)
Business Spotlight

Nintendo's Mario mission: grab IP limelight as Switch sales dim

Small nongames business gains traction, with blockbuster movie to boost earnings

28 July 2023
The subject of Yunte Huang's new book "Daughter of the Dragon," Chinese American film star Anna May Wong was a global icon yet struggled against stereotypes.
Books

Biography brings Hollywood icon Anna May Wong back into focus

'Daughter of the Dragon' revives image of first Chinese American film star

27 July 2023
Vidio was set up as a local video-on-demand platform to compete with foreign players such as Netflix and Disney+. (Source photo by Getty and logo from Vidio's LinkedIn account)
DealStreetAsia

Indonesia streaming platform Vidio said to be raising $100m

Funding for likely pre-IPO round may draw existing, new investors: sources

25 July 2023
Dalian Wanda Group will sell a 49% stake in its investment unit, which is a leading shareholder in movie theater operator Wanda Film, to raise funds for debt payments.
Business deals

Wanda Group sells $310m stake in investment unit to repay debt

Tencent-backed China Ruyi to acquire 49% of Beijing Wanda Investment

25 July 2023
A TV screen in Tokyo broadcasts a report on the death of Johnny Kitagawa, founder of Japanese talent agency Johnny & Associates, on July 10, 2019.
Society

U.N. group begins probe of alleged Japan talent agency sex abuse

Visit brings global scrutiny to accusations in entertainment industry

24 July 2023
Boys play at a gaming festival in Dubai in 2019: The Middle East gaming market has been experiencing remarkable growth.
Opinion

Japan should look beyond energy in its Middle East outreach

Growth of region's gaming market has created opportunity for Tokyo's soft power

24 July 2023
Media observers say the ongoing crackdown on broadcast media in Hong Kong risks further undermining foreign investor confidence in the territory.
Hong Kong security law

Hong Kong weighs ending impartiality rules for TV, radio

Mainland Chinese programs to be exempt from industry code of practice

18 July 2023
A Wanda movie theater in Yichang, Hubei province. Lu Lili, wife of the owner of financial information provider East Money Information, buys the stake saying she believes in "the company's long-term investment value."
Caixin

Wanda sells $307m stake in cinema unit amid liquidity pressure

Group also seeks to unload other assets as repeated delays hit crucial IPO

17 July 2023
Putri Ariani sings in front of Indonesian President Joko Widodo on June 14. (Photo courtesy of Indonesian presidential palace)
Media & Entertainment

Indonesia emerging as launchpad for online global stardom

4th largest Internet population offers opportunities for Web-focused performers

15 July 2023
Producer Toshio Suzuki poses in front of a poster for "How Do You Live?" -- one of the very clues to the film's content. 
Arts

No trailers. No promos. New Ghibli film leaves fans guessing

"How Do You live?" is Hayao Miyazaki's first animated movie in a decade

13 July 2023
A scene from "A Tourist's Guide to Love": Vietnamese media and tour operators are already offering guided tours to the film's main shooting locations. (Courtesy of Netflix) 
Tea Leaves

Dark side of 'A Tourist's Guide to Love'

Hit movie gives Vietnam fresh image, but risks unsustainable visitor boom

12 July 2023