Economy

A port in Singapore. The European Union’s trade pacts with Singapore and Vietnam could hurt other ASEAN members if the EU increases its investment in those two countries at the expense of the others. (Photo by Kosaku Mimura)
International relations

EU struggles to strike trade pacts with major ASEAN countries

Sticking points could hinder other deals, as Vietnam gains from recent agreement

4 August 2019
European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, seen here in Brussels in May, told the Nikkei Asian Review: "It is the EU as a whole that has decided to enhance its engagement on security issues in and with Asia, and we are intent on delivering on that objective."
Interview

EU keen to strengthen security ties with Asia: foreign policy chief

Korean Peninsula and South China Sea 'matter to all of us,' Federica Mogherini says

30 July 2019
Brian Eyler, who has written a book about the Mekong, says 103 dams have been built and 65 more are under construction along the river, threatening its flow during droughts.
Economy

Dams threaten way of life in Mekong countries

Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia blame China and Laos for drought conditions

30 July 2019
The container shipping operation that is jointly owned by Japan's three largest maritime shippers has seen a recovery in earnings, (Photo courtesy of Ocean network Express).
Companies

Japan's shippers see buoyant earnings despite trade slowdown

Cost cuts and lower capacity fuel first-quarter gains

28 July 2019
Hanoi will reportedly begin to formulate internationally accepted practices to prevent illegitimate transshipments as more manufacturers leave China for Vietnam.
Trade war

Vietnam cracks down on tariff-dodging export detours

US wary of Chinese products passed off as made in Vietnam

23 July 2019
Nguyen Xuan Phuc's team is reeling, unsure what Washington might do next.
Opinion

Vietnam must act boldly to avoid getting trumped by the trade war

Time to tackle corruption, control banking and diversify export-led economy

18 July 2019
Credit card companies' reputation for high fees has turned away many potential users in Asia.
Business trends

Credit cards fall behind in Asia's race to go cashless

Consumers flock to low-cost local mobile apps to meet their payment needs

15 July 2019
A factory worker makes tires in China's Hebei Province. Chinese exports to the U.S. have fallen much further than the reverse amid their trade war.
Trade war

US overtaken by Southeast Asia as China's No. 2 trade partner

American exports plunge 30% as Beijing finds other suppliers

13 July 2019
The U.S.-China trade war has boosted container exports out of Vietnam.
Companies

Sumitomo taps logistics demand as production shifts to Vietnam

Japanese trading house invests in local port operator amid US-China trade war

7 July 2019
Shipping containers await loading in the Thai port of Laem Chabang. Southeast Asian exports have surged as multinationals move production out of China. (Photo by Kosaku Mimura)
Trade war

Southeast Asia exports to the US surge as the trade war smolders on

Production shift out of China provides tailwinds to Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand

5 July 2019
Vietnam's Port of Haiphong: The country's exports to the U.S. have surged 40% this year through May.
Trade war

Vietnam's 36% export surge to US draws scrutiny and tariffs

Southeast Asia country's status as trade war 'winner' looks to be short-lived

4 July 2019
A shoe factory in Hanoi: Vietnam's apparel industry is fretting over rising costs.
Trade war

Vietnam's apparel sector fears cost surge as tech giants move in

Nike, H&M and Gap suppliers slow expansion in Southeast Asian nation

2 July 2019
Shipping containers are stacked at a port in Haiphong, northern Vietnam. Shipments to U.S. from Vietnam are on the rise as companies seek to avoid tariffs on Chinese products.
Economy

Vietnam economy grows nearly 7% on trade war tailwinds

Manufacturing exodus from China propels one of fastest boosts in region

29 June 2019
Trump arrives in Osaka on June 27 for the Group of 20 summit: Leaders from India and Vietnam are also attending.
28 June 2019
Formosa Ha Tinh Steel is having second thoughts about building a third blast furnace at this steel plant in central Vietnam.
Economy

Vietnam shivers as China's steel capacity glut returns

Formosa Ha Tinh Steel considers holding off on blast furnace construction

24 June 2019
Some of Southeast Asia's plastic waste, like this stuff in Thailand, ends up in recycling centers, but a lot of it is discarded haphazardly and finds its way into the ocean. (Photo by Akira Kodaka)
Environment

Southeast Asia's trash, Japan Inc.'s power-generating treasure

Public-private deals put waste to use in Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia

23 June 2019
China has been the production base on which Apple's global success has been built. (Nikkei Montage / Reuters)
Trade war

Apple weighs 15%-30% capacity shift out of China amid trade war

Tech giant asks suppliers to review costs in Southeast Asia and Mexico

19 June 2019
Japan's government is encouraging companies to keep employees on the payroll until age 70. 
Asia Insight

Aging Asia rethinks retirement to pursue 'productive longevity'

Active seniors join robots as a potential answer to labor shortfalls

18 June 2019
Thai tourists find their nirvana at a Buddhist temple in Takayama, Gifu Prefecture, central Japan.
Economy

Japan awaits big wave of Southeast Asian tourists

Proximity and budget airline flights favor the nation as neighbors grow richer

16 June 2019
A man works at an e-scooter assembly line at a factory in Vietnam. The country is seeing a surge in Chinese companies looking to relocate operations to avoid U.S.tariffs.
Trade war

Trade war steers Chinese investment toward Southeast Asia

Spending in Vietnam swells sixfold as manufacturers seek non-tariffed bases

10 June 2019
Just as China bore the brunt of its mishandling of SARS, experts say the country is poised to incur serious economic consequences from African swine fever that could last well into the next year or two.
Agriculture

China's African swine fever outbreak ripples across Asia

As higher pork prices spark inflation, many see long-term economic impact

1 June 2019
A ship loaded with container boxes is seen at Qingdao Port in China's Shandong Province.
Datawatch

Chinese goods navigate alternate trade routes to US shores

Data shows increased flows via Vietnam and Mexico with origin disguised

1 June 2019
Indonesian Minister of Industry, Airlangga Hartarto speaks to the Nikkei Asian Review on May 30, in Tokyo. (Photo by Kotaro Igarashi)
The Future of Asia 2019

Indonesia aims to attract foreign companies with new tax breaks

Incentives give country an advantage over Vietnam, industry minister says

30 May 2019
Vietnam Foreign Minister Phạm says the openness of the country's economy makes it exposed to global trends. (Photo by Karina Nooka)
The Future of Asia 2019

Vietnam will not escape impact of trade war, foreign minister warns

Pham acknowledges short-term gains, but says long-term conflict will take a toll

30 May 2019
Singapore was singled out in the U.S. Treasury Department report on May 28 for persistent intervention in foreign exchange markets.
International relations

Vietnam and Singapore face pressure from US currency watchlist

Along with Malaysia, Southeast Asian nations newly flagged for monitoring

30 May 2019