Obituaries

Kim Woo-choong, founder of South Korea's Daewoo Group, died on Dec. 9 of natural causes at the age of 83.
Obituaries

Former Daewoo Chairman Kim Woo-choong dies at 83

Founder of South Korea's No. 2 conglomerate saw its rapid collapse

10 December 2019
Former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker listens to President-elect Barack Obama, not pictured, as he speaks during a news conference in Chicago. Volcker, the former Federal Reserve chairman died on Sunday according to his office, He was 92.
Economy

Former Fed Chief Paul Volcker dead at 92

Towering banker tamed US inflation in the 1980s

10 December 2019
Tetsu Nakamura speaks to Nikkei on Sept. 14, 2018 in Fukuoka. (Photo by Mamoru Yago)
Obituaries

Japanese doctor who watered Afghan deserts: Nakamura in his own words

Tetsu Nakamura talked about his life and mission in 2018 Nikkei interview

9 December 2019
Tetsu Nakamura in the Gamberi Desert, Afghanistan in 2008
Obituaries

Tetsu Nakamura: Humanitarian who devoted his life to Afghanistan

Slain Japanese doctor wanted to 'shine light into dark corners'

5 December 2019
Former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone, second from right, was a strong ally of Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan.
Obituaries

Nakasone led Japan with strong hand in era of Reagan and Thatcher

Former prime minister leaves many legacies, from privatizations to a stronger US alliance

30 November 2019
Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone points out the autumn foliage to U.S. President Ronald Reagan at Nakasone's villa in Hinode, western Tokyo, Nov. 11, 1983
Obituaries

Former Japanese Prime Minister Nakasone dies at 101

Conservative leader remembered for reforms and friendship with Ronald Reagan

29 November 2019
Stream article image
Obituaries

Billionaire Indonesian property tycoon Ciputra, dies at 88

Born poor to Chinese immigrant parents, he built a real estate empire

27 November 2019
Yonex founder Minoru Yoneyama in June 1999 (Photo by Yutaka Fukuda)
Obituaries

Sports equipment maker Yonex's founder dies at 95

Minoru Yoneyama's rackets used by stars Billie Jean King and Martina Navratilova

17 November 2019
Sadako Ogata talks to a young refugee family from Myanmar at their camp in Thailand in October 2000: she represented Japan's boots-on-the-ground with a heart. 
Opinion

Sadako Ogata's legacy should restrain Shinzo Abe's military enthusiasm

Changing Japan's constitution betrays humanitarian example

14 November 2019
Lucio Tan Jr, is dead at 53. "Bong was a son, husband, father, friend and, most importantly, our elder brother whom we all relied on for advice, counsel and leadership," his sister Vivienne said, using her brother's nickname.
Obituaries

Son of Philippine billionaire, Lucio Tan Jr. dies at 53

Tycoon's death prompts speculation over who will lead Philippine Airlines

11 November 2019
Lance Gokongwei, left, president and CEO of Cebu Pacific Air, walks with his father, John, on the tarmac at Ninoy Aquino International airport in Manila in September 2013.
Obituaries

John Gokongwei, Chinese-Filipino founder of JG Summit, dies at 93

Demise of tycoon highlights generational shift in pan-Asian business

10 November 2019
T. Boone Pickens at an event in New York in 2018.
Obituaries

US billionaire investor T. Boone Pickens dies at age 91

Hostile takeover pioneer criticized Japan's closed corporate culture of 1980s

12 September 2019
Bacharudin Jusuf Habibie, former president of Indonesia, died on Wednesday, aged 83.
Obituaries

Indonesia's former President Habibie dies, aged 83

Widely respected figure is credited with democratizing the nation

11 September 2019
Kimura Takuya, center, and other SMAP members perform during its concert in Beijing in September 2011.
Obituaries

Creator of J-pop who thought musical talent a hindrance

Boy band impresario Johnny Kitagawa manufactured a unique business model

13 July 2019
Members of SMAP, one of Johnny Kitagawa's biggest J-pop groups, perform during their concert in Beijing in 2011.
Obituaries

J-pop giant Johnny Kitagawa dies at 87

Boy band hit-maker behind SMAP and Arashi helped shape Japanese music scene

10 July 2019
Prem Tinsulanonda, Thailand's former prime minister and president of the Privy Council, was seen in public recently. He died of heart failure early on May 26.
Obituaries

Prem Tinsulanonda: Thai Cold War warrior dies at 98

Former PM's liberal achievements clouded by Thaksin-era turnabout

27 May 2019
The Japanese government awarded Donald Keene the Order of Culture in 2008 for his work.(Photo by Takuya Imai)
24 February 2019
Philippine Central Bank governor Nestor Espenilla died Saturday after undergoing treatment for cancer for more than a year, the bank announced.   
Obituaries

Philippine central bank chief Espenilla dies from cancer

Governor raised interest rates five times in 2018 to fight inflation

24 February 2019
Li Rui, who died Feb. 16 at 101, remained an activist and Communist Party critic to the end.
Obituaries

Mao Zedong secretary and party critic dies at 101

Li Rui championed economic and political reform

18 February 2019
A palm oil plantation on Indonesia's Sumatra. Palm oil is among the businesses covered by the sprawling Sinar Mas Group, founded by Eka Tjipta Widjaja.
Obituaries

Indonesian billionaire who founded Sinar Mas Group dies: reports

Eka Tjipta Widjaja built palm oil business into one of country's top conglomerates

27 January 2019
Business tycoon Henry Sy built the Philippines' first modern shopping mall in the 1980s, part of an empire that today spans retail, property and banking. 
Obituaries

Philippines' wealthiest man Henry Sy dies

Chinese immigrant built the nation's most valuable conglomerate

19 January 2019
The late Chiang Pin-kung, as a bridge between Taiwan and mainland China, played golf with local Taiwanese business leaders in Nanjing on a March 2005 visit. (Photo by Kenji Kawase)
Obituaries

Chiang Pin-kung, a cross-strait point man swept up by history

Born in Japan-ruled Taiwan, he served as a bridge to Beijing and Tokyo

12 December 2018
Kenneth Yen, front left, pictured in 2004 with Taiwan's then-President Chen Shui-bian. Yen envisioned building a global brand for Yulon Group.
Milestone

Dream of Taiwan car brand cut short as Yulon chief dies

Kenneth Yen wanted to be more than producer of Nissan cars

5 December 2018
Former U.S. President George H. W. Bush died on Friday at the age of 94. 
Milestone

George H.W. Bush's China connection

Former president instrumental in developing Sino-American relations

1 December 2018
George Ty with former Philippine President Gloria Arroyo in 2006.
Milestone

Philippine tycoon George Ty dies

One of the country's richest men had extensive connections with corporate Japan

23 November 2018