Retail

Panasonic is a major provider of cash registers to the fast-food industry, including McDonald's Japan. 
Companies

Panasonic to exit cash registers in pursuit of higher margins

With new partner Blue Yonder, Japanese company to focus on supply chains

5 July 2020
Over 1.7 million viewers tuned in for a Bilibili live streaming event in March that featured uploaders wearing classic Chinese attire. (Screenshot of Bilibili's streaming service)
4 July 2020
Founder Colin Huang is giving up executive roles at Pinduoduo.
China tech

Billionaire founder's reduced role puts Pinduoduo into new era

Shares shoot up despite Huang's exit as CEO at US-listed Chinese e-commerce group

2 July 2020
An illustrated image of the LNG project in Mozambique in which Mitsui & Co. and other partners will invest $14 billion.  (Photo: courtesy of Anadarko Petroleum)
Energy

Japan Inc. to invest $14bn in LNG development in Africa

Government and businesses team up for Mozambique project

2 July 2020
Members of a journalists' group hold placards urging Indian citizens to remove Chinese apps and stop using Chinese products during a demonstration in New Delhi on June 30.
Comment

The India-China bust up and what it may mean for tech

Chances emerge for US, Japanese and European companies in growing Indian market

2 July 2020
E-commerce sites in Japan, such as Amazon.com, Rakuten, Yahoo, Mercari, will face tighter scrutiny under a new proposed law. (Source photos by Kyodo and Ken Kobayashi)
Politics

Japan to hold online platforms accountable for vendors' behavior

If passed, new law will require sites to verify sellers' identities to prevent fraud

1 July 2020
ICBC lost its crown to liquor giant Kweichow Moutai. (Nikkei montage/Reuters)
Markets

Banks down, spirits up: Coronavirus reshapes China stock values

Consumer goods and technology edge out old economy shares related to investment

1 July 2020
Z Holdings, parent of Yahoo Japan, and Line announced their merger in November 2019.
Business deals

Coronavirus delays Yahoo Japan's merger with Line

Antitrust authorities in key countries proceed slowly as pandemic plays out

30 June 2020
Standard Chartered Bank's stake in China Bohai Bank is set to fall to around 16% from just below 20% under the IPO plan. 
Finance

China Bohai Bank seeks $1.8bn in Hong Kong's biggest IPO of 2020

Move shows how city set to remain key fundraising hub for mainland companies

30 June 2020
An anti-China demonstration earlier this month in Kolkata. India has now said it will ban TikTok and dozens of other apps from Chinese companies.
China tech

India's ban on Chinese apps: how TikTok and others are affected

Five things to know about government clampdown that cites national security concerns

30 June 2020
Telexistence's robots are remote-controlled. (Photo courtesy of the company)
Retail

FamilyMart to use remote-controlled robots to stock shelves

Convenience chain aims to raise productivity and cut costs as labor crunch bites

30 June 2020
Many customers had trouble purchasing masks through Uniqlo's website, stymied by an apparent order overload. (Photo by Kento Awashima)
Companies

Face mask craze crashes Japan's online stores

Site outages stymie product launches by Sharp, Mizuno and Uniqlo

30 June 2020
The NTT group's entrance into the renewable-energy market stands to change the competitive landscape. (Photo by Takaki Kashiwabara)
Energy

NTT to join Japan's renewable-energy sector with $9bn investment

Telecom giant aims to provide over 10% of nation's capacity

30 June 2020
India described its move to block TikTok and other apps as "emergency measures" necessary for national security.
International relations

India bans TikTok, WeChat and dozens more Chinese apps

Move ratchets up economic pressure after deadly border skirmish

30 June 2020
Masks are becoming a commonplace accessory as the coronavirus pandemic persists. (Photo courtesy of Under Armour)
Business trends

Under Armour faces off with Uniqlo in activewear masks

Battle of brands heats up as wearers look beyond disposable coverings

28 June 2020
Naomi Osaka earned $37.4 million over the past year, according to Forbes -- a record for a female athlete -- thanks to lucrative sponsorships.
Society

Advantage, Osaka: Tennis players plagued by glaring income gap

Lower-ranked players struggle as pandemic suspends the season

28 June 2020
Uniqlo's AIRism masks went on sale in Japan on June 19 and became an instant hit. (Photo by Kento Awashima)
Retail

Uniqlo mask: how customers made it happen

After emails, phone calls and postcards poured in, chief Tadashi Yanai listened

27 June 2020
Luckin Coffee's 13 months on the Nasdaq Stock Market will come to an end Monday. The Chinese company is trading at just $1.40 compared with over $50 earlier this year.
Companies

Luckin Coffee to delist from Nasdaq

Chinese chain will leave Monday as 13-month run comes to bitter end

27 June 2020
Alibaba and Tencent operate directly in only a few countries in Southeast Asia, but they currently back at least 11 digital payment brands or e-wallets in six nations in the region.
DealStreetAsia

Alibaba and Tencent cash in on Southeast Asia e-payments boom

Report shows Chinese groups' proxy war by funding local players is accelerating

26 June 2020
Yamada Denki President Tsuneo Mishima, left, seen with Otsuka Kagu President Kumiko Otsuka at an Otsuka store in February. Mishima will serve as chairman at the furniture seller.
Markets

Otsuka Kagu electrifies investors with addition of Yamada Denki president

Market sees move as new parent's commitment to slumping furniture seller

26 June 2020
A sales clerk at a Shanghai department store advertises products during a "live commerce" stream. (Photo by Naoki Matsuda)
China tech

Move over Alibaba, here comes TikTok's 'live' shopping

ByteDance ready to reap $135bn market with direct access to streaming fans

26 June 2020
Large shopping complexes are opening one after another in Bangkok, one of Southeast Asia's leading commercial hubs. (Photo by Akira Kodaka)
Business Spotlight

Bangkok 'mall war' heats up as coronavirus clouds Thai retail boom

Oversupply fears spike after developers push expansion despite no foreign tourists

26 June 2020
The headquarters of venture capital investment firm Sequoia Capital is seen on Sand Hill Road in the Silicon Valley town of Menlo Park, California.
Startups

Sequoia Capital seeks to hit jackpot in Japan's digital shake-up

Silicon Valley venture capital firm targets high-tech gems with values up to $1.3bn

26 June 2020
Axiata Group President & Group CEO Jamaludin Ibrahim said the proceeds from the investment will fund the company's digital financial services over the next year in Malaysia, Indonesia and Bangladesh.
Telecommunication

Great Eastern acquires stake in Axiata's digital arm Boost

OCBC Bank subsidiary paid $70 million for 22% share

25 June 2020
SoftBank Group Chairman and CEO Masayoshi Son speaks during an annual general meeting on June 25 in Tokyo.
SoftBank

SoftBank CEO Son to step down from Alibaba

Founder and chairman says $9bn annual loss was 'not a big problem'

25 June 2020