South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol discussed reworking the national pension system in a news conference on Aug. 29.
Politics

South Korea's Yoon vows to reform pension plan set to run dry in 2055

Facing aging population, government eyes benefit adjustments and higher premiums

30 August 2024
ASICS has supplied shoes and gloves to Major League Baseball star Shohei Ohtani.
Sports

ASICS to end sales of baseball gloves and bats in shift to running shoes

Once partner to Ichiro and Shohei Ohtani calls time on low-margin, Japan-focused goods

30 August 2024
Yoshinoya is serving an ostrich-over-rice bowl for a limited time at select locations. (Photo by Yuji Murakami)
Food & Beverage

Japan's Yoshinoya puts ostrich on the menu and in skin care line

Restaurant chain eyes hedge against food shortages as mainstay beef prices soar

30 August 2024
Acer's Copilot+ laptop touchpad has an activity indicator that lights up whenever the AI semiconductor is in use. (Photo by Masaharu Ban)
Artificial intelligence

Acer aims to boost AI PCs to 40% of shipments next year

Price of Copilot+ models to come down as chip supplies improve, CEO says

30 August 2024
The offices of Japan's ministries in Tokyo. Budget requests submitted to the Finance Ministry for fiscal 2025 were the largest on record. (Photo by Hirofumi Yamamoto)
Politics

Japan interest rates, defense buildup push budget requests above $800bn

Record spending could go even higher on wage, inflation measures

30 August 2024
MUFG Bank's move could lift trading in electricity futures, helping to stabilize prices and encourage investments.
Finance

Japan's MUFG Bank to enter electricity futures market in October

Key lender to invest in risk management startup to assist new players

30 August 2024
TEPCO Power Grid has been bolstering transmission infrastructure in Inzai, near Tokyo. (Photo by Koki Izumi)
Energy

Japan's TEPCO to invest $3.2bn in power grid to meet AI demand

Electric utilities build more substations as data centers, chip plants drive consumption

30 August 2024
NTT and Chunghwa Telecom held a ceremony to mark the new connection between Japan and Taiwan using next-generation IOWN technology, at Musashino, Tokyo, on Aug. 29. (Photo by Kaoru Takatsuki)
Telecommunication

NTT and Chunghwa Telecom launch all-optical link between Japan, Taiwan

First international connection using the Japanese company's next-gen tech

30 August 2024
A Chinese firm jointly runs this antimony mine in Tajikistan. China produces 48% of the rare metal globally.
Commodities

Antimony, gallium prices soar as China widens rare-metal export curbs

Buyers scramble to stock up on minerals amid uncertainties over tighter controls

30 August 2024
Interest rates on Japanese loans are rising, though they still remain low when accounting for inflation. (Photo by Nanami Sato)
Finance

Japanese banks' lending rates rise for 7th straight month

Trend seen expanding from floating-rate loans to mortgages and other debt

29 August 2024
Mercari's website in traditional Chinese characters enables Taiwanese shoppers to browse for items and make purchases. (Mercari)
Retail

Japan's Mercari app expands crossborder shipping to Taiwan

Move comes as China's Temu, Shein lead direct-to-consumer business

29 August 2024
An attendant pumps fuel at a PetroChina gas station in Nantong, in China's Jiangsu province.
Energy

China oil majors tighten investment while doling out record dividends

Sustainability in question amid downstream weakness, need for cheap Russian feedstock

29 August 2024
Chung Pui-kuen, former chief editor of the now-shuttered Stand News, leaves the district court on bail on Aug. 29 after being convicted of sedition, along with another editor and the publication's owner.
Hong Kong security law

Hong Kong's Stand News editors and owner convicted of sedition

Human rights groups condemn verdict under 1938 law as latest hit to press freedom

29 August 2024
Bottles of drink are displayed at Remy Cointreau's Paris headquarters. France accounted for 99% of China's brandy imports in 2023.
Trade

China will not impose anti-dumping measures on EU brandy, for now

European producers remain concerned tariffs could still come in future

29 August 2024
Admiral Samuel Paparo of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, left, shakes hands with Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., army chief of staff of the Philippines, during the International Military Law and Operations Conference in Manila on Aug. 27.
South China Sea

U.S. 'ready' to assist Philippines with South China Sea resupplies

Manila says it will only seek American aid if nationals are on 'verge of dying'

29 August 2024
U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan meets Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Aug. 29.
US-China tensions

Xi tells Sullivan to view China 'rationally' ahead of planned Biden call

U.S. national security adviser also has rare meeting with top China general

29 August 2024
Slow-moving Typhoon Shanshan is bringing heavy rain and strong winds to parts of southern Japan, including the city of Miyazaki, on the island of Kyushu, where this residential neighborhood suffered damage.
Natural disasters

Toyota extends production halt as strong typhoon pounds southern Japan

Other manufacturers follow suit as Typhoon Shanshan causes damage and injuries

29 August 2024
U.S. Steel's Mon Valley Works plant in Pennsylvania. Nippon Steel said it will invest an additional $1.3 billion to enhance the facilities’ competitiveness.
Business deals

Nippon Steel outlines upgrades to two U.S. Steel mills amid buyout opposition

Japanese giant proposes extending operations for decades with $1.3 billion investment

29 August 2024
A BYD car on display at an auto show in Bangkok: The Chinese EV manufacturer's gross margin fell to 18.69% in April to June from 21.88% the previous quarter. (Photo by Hiroki Endo)
Electric vehicles

China EV makers' profitability mixed amid price war, trade barriers

Manufacturers look to local partnerships and cost cutting to overcome duties

29 August 2024
Food delivery service Yogiyo operates in South Korea's fiercely competitive market. 
Companies

South Korea delivery company Yogiyo to offer buyouts, media say

Competition in sector has grown in recent months as top players cut prices

29 August 2024
For the three months ended July, Nvidia reported a record revenue of $30 billion, up 122% on the year.
Semiconductors

Nvidia's plunge despite big earnings ripples through Asian tech stocks

Chinese market will remain tough due to U.S. export controls, chip designer warns

29 August 2024
Customers look at the Australian release of the latest iPhone and Apple Watch models at the Apple Store on September 22, 2023 in Sydney, Australia. 
Technology

Apple orders over 10% more iPhones than last year on AI bet

Company preparing for Sept. 9 launch of first phones with Apple Intelligence

29 August 2024
India lowered import tariffs on gold and other metals from 15% to 6% in July.
Commodities

Gold buying soars on India tax reforms as prices near record high

Central banks in emerging markets also increase purchases on geopolitical concerns

29 August 2024
Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa, with microphone, speaks with Okinawan business officials in June. (Photo by Shimpei Kawakami)
Taiwan tensions

Taiwan tensions spur Okinawa businesses to make contingency plans

Execs send proposals to local government as security becomes higher priority

29 August 2024
Deng Xiaoping and Xi Jinping. A Xinhua commentary in July appeared intended to muddy the waters as to who should be credited with the reforms that helped China build the world's second largest economy. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by Yusuke Hinata and Getty Images)
China up close

Analysis: Elders stay faithful to Deng over 'reformer Xi Jinping'

Summer rebellion forces Xinhua to delete a commentary that rewrote party history

29 August 2024