Features

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has upended auto supply chains, hitting everything from aluminum used in car panels to key materials for microchips. (Source photos by AP, Reuters and Getty Images) 
Business Spotlight

From chip crunch to war: Automakers grapple with supply chain woes

Geopolitical turmoil sparks questions over long-term supply of key EV materials

25 March 2022
Scholars have urged Chinese President Xi Jinping to abandon Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Xi has yet to do so. (Nikkei montage/Reuters)
China up close

Analysis: Xi's pro-Russia stance rooted in fear of Gorbachev model

But if China's economy suffers from bond with Moscow, a power struggle awaits

24 March 2022
Stream article image
Datawatch

Over 20% of Japan's 'open dataset' contains unavailable info

Poor management and nervous officials hinder digitization drive

23 March 2022
Indonesian President Joko Widodo's ability to charm is increasingly being tested as he tries to please both the public and big business. (Photo by Dimas Ardian)
The Big Story

Unfinished business: Indonesia's Jokowi still has lots to do

The 'People's President' talks to Nikkei Asia about growth, the new capital and whether two terms is enough

23 March 2022
Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha seized power in 2014 and had planned to serve a full elected term until 2023, but his way ahead is far from clear.  
Asia Insight

Rifts in Thailand's fractious coalition threaten early election

Prime Minister Prayuth less certain of lasting full term to 2023

22 March 2022
The Hong Kong and Singapore stock markets have cautiously embraced SPAC listings, eager to emulate the success enjoyed by U.S. markets. (Source photos by Getty Images and Akira Kodaka) 
Market Spotlight

Hong Kong, Singapore investors tread carefully on SPAC listings

Financial centers look unlikely to recreate U.S. boom in shell company IPOs

21 March 2022
The coronavirus pandemic has eased in the U.S., but the slow return of workers is overshadowing the economy's recovery. (Source photos by Reuters) 
Datawatch

U.S. return to work lags Japan, EU in wake of COVID

Labor crunch could stifle economic rebound, stoke inflation

20 March 2022
GoTo is hoping that by listing in Indonesia its shares can escape the undertow that has dragged away value from other newly listed super app providers. (Source photos by  GoTo Group and AFP/Jiji) 
Business Spotlight

Indonesia holds key to GoTo's 'aggressive' IPO valuation

Super apps burn through cash in fight for Southeast Asia's biggest digital market

18 March 2022
Xi Jinping is running out of time to make a decision that would abandon Vladimir Putin and put him on better terms with Joe Biden. (Nikkei montage/Reuters/Getty Images)
China up close

Analysis: China needs to drop Putin now, scholar insists

Government adviser says Beijing needs to be on the right side of history

17 March 2022
Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping meet in Beijing on Feb. 4. Putin has reportedly asked Beijing for military support for his war on Ukraine, leaving Xi and the powers' "no limits" partnership at a crossroads.
The Big Story

Player or played? Xi-Putin alliance faces defining moment in Ukraine

China seeks to appear impartial amid global scrutiny of military ties

16 March 2022
Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam's administration has been criticized for frequent U-turns as it fights a wave of omicron-driven COVID-19 cases and deaths.
Asia Insight

China scrambles as COVID exposes cracks in Hong Kong leadership

Deadly omicron wave dents city's global status, while mainland fights spillover

15 March 2022
Miners in Indonesia, the world's top exporter of thermal coal, are looking to cash in on surging prices for the commodity, but government restrictions are casting a shadow.
Market Spotlight

Indonesia coal miners soar over Russia supply concerns

Threat of another export ban stops producers cashing in right away

14 March 2022
A growing number of Japanese startups are offering fat compensation packages to lure midcareer talent.
Datawatch

Japan's midcareer job seekers flock to startups

Workers ditch secure positions at big companies as new opportunities abound

13 March 2022
Russia's invasion of Ukraine has roiled global metal markets, with Turkey's steelmakers rushing to ramp up production and boost their exports. (Source photos by Turkey Steel Producers Association and Reuters) 
Business Spotlight

Turkey's steelmakers grab for market share from China, Russia, Ukraine

Industry sets expansion plan to capitalize on global disruption

11 March 2022
More Likonomics than Xiconomics? (Source photo by Reuters and AP)
China up close

Analysis: Less Xi, more Li in China policy speech

President's signature policies take back seat as economy sputters

10 March 2022
Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong has been attending weekly court hearings in Seoul since Oct. 2020 for alleged financial crimes. The outcome of his trial will determine the future of the Lee family's hold over Samsung. (Photo by Jean Chung)
The Big Story

The trials of Samsung: Vice Chairman Lee's legal troubles could threaten tech dynasty

Jae-yong's court hearings illuminate entanglement of South Korean politics and conglomerates

9 March 2022
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has led Singapore for 17 years. The next leader faces the task of steering the city-state to steady growth in an unstable world.
Asia Insight

Singapore's succession: COVID and war raise stakes in PM search

City-state seeks a new economic path, and its next leader, amid global crises

8 March 2022
Oil prices are higher than they have been since 2008, causing governments to balance budgetary concerns against the need to keep people -- and economies -- moving. (Source photos by Reuters and Getty Images) 
Market Spotlight

In Asia, oil price surge stokes government fear of angry voters

Unaffordable or unavoidable? Helping drivers buy fuel is becoming both

7 March 2022
The COVID-19 pandemic has been particularly hard on working women in Japan as they shoulder the main burden of child care.
Datawatch

COVID worsens Japan's persistent gender gap in child care

Day care closures hit working moms disproportionately, deepening labor shortage

5 March 2022
Social media furors over what are acceptable and unacceptable images of Chinese beauty are becoming harder to predict. Controversies are not just engulfing foreign advertisers like Dior but also now domestic brands such as Three Squirrels. (Nikkei montage/AP, Getty Images and Reuters)
Business Spotlight

Advertisers struggle to navigate China's shifting beauty standards

Models that don't conform to a narrow ideal can spark a social media outcry

4 March 2022
The Ukraine crisis could bring back elements of "collective leadership" to China, unraveling Xi Jinping's one-man rule. (Nikkei montage of Xinhua, Kyodo, AP, Reuters photos)
3 March 2022
From period poverty to menopause, women's health issues have historically been sidelined by the medical industry. Ahead of International Women's Day, we take a look at some of Asia's femtech startups that are addressing women's unmet health care needs. 
The Big Story

Asia's femtech revolution: the quest for better women's health

Underserved by mainstream health care, women from India to Japan turn to technology

2 March 2022
The nationalistic policies of Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa have resulted in food shortages as his government struggles under a growing pile of foreign debt.
Asia Insight

Sri Lanka faces food shortages and a meager New Year

Organic agriculture stunts crop yields, forcing lean times on debt-ridden nation

1 March 2022
Some analysts say benchmark gold prices could surge above $2,000 an ounce as the Ukraine crisis unfolds. Others predict rising interest rates will dull the precious metal's luster. (Source photo by Reuters)
Market Spotlight

Gold price swings as Ukraine crisis sharpens market divide

Bulls say the metal is a safe haven but bears point to rising interest rates

28 February 2022
Tony Fernandes says investors are confident in his vision for Capital A even as stock market auditors raise concerns. (Source photos by AP and Reuters) 
Business Spotlight

AirAsia parent Capital A faces scrutiny over recovery plan

Malaysian bourse angers airline boss Tony Fernandes with restructuring demand

25 February 2022