Media & Entertainment

Twitter owner Elon Musk reportedly has ended the heavy layoffs at the company and begun recruiting new workers.
Technology

Elon Musk says Twitter more 'Japan-centric' than U.S.-centric: report

Billionaire proposes engineering teams in Japan, India, Indonesia to decentralize

24 November 2022
3D animation of a basketball game from Beyond Sports, recently acquired by Sony. (Photo courtesy of Beyond Sports)
Media & Entertainment

Sony sets sights on metaverse gold with sports animation purchase

Company eyes major new entertainment business to join games, movies, music

23 November 2022
Since the 2019 pro-democracy protests, Twitter has played a vital role for the Hong Kong people to share information with the outside world. (Source photos by AP and Reuters) 
Politics

Twitter, Meta layoffs spur political safeguard fears across Asia

Authoritarian regimes could strengthen grip on social media platforms

23 November 2022
Suzume, a 17-year-old high school girl, meets a young man named Sota, looking for "Doors of Disaster" across Japan to shut and lock them.
Arts

Makoto Shinkai's new film 'Suzume' mourns Japan's deserted towns

'Your Name' anime director tries to find somewhere for country to 'go next'

19 November 2022
Anne Jakkapong, center left, poses with Miss Universe Harnaaz Sandhu of India, center right, and former title holders. (Photo courtesy of JKN Global Group)
Media & Entertainment

Thailand's Anne Jakkapong bets on selling the Miss Universe dream

New pageant owner looks to broadcasting, licensing fees for profit recovery

16 November 2022
As the vinyl boom takes hold in Japan, more artists are putting out records. Output jumped 74% in 2021 versus the previous year to more than 1.9 million. (Photo by Tokuyuki Matubuchi)
Media & Entertainment

Vinyl production finds groove in Japan, thanks to social media

Sales soar, spurring artists to release new music on records

13 November 2022
Nintendo Osaka, the company's largest store in Japan, will officially open on Nov. 11. (Photo by Toshiki Sasazu)
Media & Entertainment

Nintendo opens Osaka store as Mario drives merchandise sales

Gaming giant to invest $2 billion in retail and digital services

10 November 2022
Top Japanese lender MUFG and smaller peer Mizuho were among the seven banks that helped finance Elon Musk's Twitter acquisition.
Finance

As Elon Musk transforms Twitter, risk hits home for Japanese banks

'At the mercy of Musk's theatrics': MUFG and Mizuho face unclear exit path

9 November 2022
Nintendo has been wrestling with a shortage of semiconductors that has made it difficult to keep up with demand for its Switch gaming console. (Nikkei montage/Kento Hirashima/Ken Kobayashi)
Media & Entertainment

Nintendo raises profit forecast after Splatoon 3 boost

Japanese gaming company achieves record first half after foreign exchange gains

8 November 2022
In a scene from “The Football Aficionado,” Zahra Khoshnavaz takes a selfie outside Tehran’s Azadi Stadium. The arena’s name means “freedom.” (Courtesy of Busan International Film Festival)
Arts

Tale of defiant Iranian female soccer fan echoes Tehran protests

'The Football Aficionado' wins best Asian documentary at Busan film festival

7 November 2022
Businesses and organizations are coming together to support content creators in Akihabara through the new "Akiba 3.0" initiative. (Photo by Masaaki Morioka)
Media & Entertainment

Tale of 2 Tokyo 'otaku' cities: Gen Z saves one as other struggles

Fortunes of Akihabara, Ikebukuro show how young fans can make or break business

5 November 2022
Sony's latest forecast represents a 5% increase from the figure announced in July. (Photo by Karina Nooka)
Media & Entertainment

Sony Group raises yearly profit outlook

PlayStation maker rides tail wind of weaker yen

1 November 2022
Then-U.S. President Barack Obama appears on the cover of The Irrawaddy in this 2014 photo.
Myanmar Crisis

Myanmar bans Irrawaddy news site for disturbing 'public tranquility'

Military government had criticized the outlet for past reporting

1 November 2022
Ghibli's Grand Warehouse covers 9,600 square meters and allows fans to immerse themselves in the whimsical world of the renowned animation studio. (Photo by Yuki Nakao)
Media & Entertainment

Japan's Ghibli Park opens with expected economic impact of $324m

Theme park based on anime studio's famous films sold out till year-end

1 November 2022
A drone is launched during a military exercise at an undisclosed location in Iran in this handout image obtained from the Iranian army on Aug. 25.
Society

Asian American reporters warn against 'kamikaze drone' in news stories

Term is inaccurate and fuel for hate, AAJA tells newsrooms

24 October 2022
Kazuo Okada is in a battle for control over Okada Manila, a casino in the Philippine capital. (File photo by Nozomu Ogawa)
Media & Entertainment

Kazuo Okada vows to keep up Philippine casino fight after arrest

'I will not back off,' says Japanese tycoon in dispute over Okada Manila

21 October 2022
Six Southeast Asian countries together have an estimated 40 million esports viewers, led by Indonesia.
21 October 2022
Tens of thousands attended the BTS concert in Busan, with 49 million more tuning in from around the world via livestream. (Photo courtesy of Hybe)
Media & Entertainment

BTS free concert draws worldwide 'Army' decked out in purple

Busan event marked milestone for K-pop sensation amid news of military induction

19 October 2022
Netflix projected it will add 4.5 million more subscribers in the fourth quarter.
Media & Entertainment

Netflix returns to subscriber growth, led by Asia-Pacific gains

U.S. streaming giant to launch ad-supported $6.99 subscription in November

19 October 2022
Members of South Korean K-Pop band BTS discuss anti-Asian hate crimes and other issues during a daily briefing at the White House in Washington on May 31. 
Politics

In or out? Issue of BTS military duty roils South Korean politics

Deadline looms for decision on whether K-pop band should be exempted

15 October 2022
(Photo by Yuki Nakao)
Media & Entertainment

Japan's Ghibli Park invites visitors to the whimsical world of animation

Theme park set to open on Nov. 1, just weeks after country's COVID reopening

13 October 2022
A still from "Bali 2002," a four-part miniseries released on the Australian streaming service Stan to mark the 20th anniversary of the bombings. (Credit: Tony Mott)
Life

Australian miniseries revisits 2002 Bali bombings

Critics say production does not do full justice to tragic event

12 October 2022
A reenactment of the young footballers -- whose ages ranged from 11 to 16 -- asleep while trapped in Tham Luang Nang Non Cave in Chiang Rai province, Thailand. (Courtesy of Netflix) 
Arts

Thai cave rescue drama returns to screens, again

Uniquely, the latest documentary features interviews with the trapped children

12 October 2022
Esoteric's Grandioso T1 turntable uses a magnetic driver for contactless rotation. (Photo by Shuhei Yuzawa)
Electronics

$50,000 turntables amp up tunes for affluent vinyl fans

Success of niche manufacturer Esoteric rescues parent Teac from financial abyss

11 October 2022
Nintendo released a trailer for "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" on Oct. 7 and received over four million views on Twitter within hours.
Media & Entertainment

Nintendo unveils trailer for long-awaited Super Mario movie

Company to invest $345m in non-gaming businesses to leverage brand appeal

7 October 2022