Australia

The U.S. plans to sell Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines to Australia under the plan announced March 13. (Photo by US Navy via Reuters)
Indo-Pacific

U.S. guards undersea superiority with Australia-U.K. nuclear sub deal

Washington advances distributed forces as short-term deterrence against China

15 March 2023
From left, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, U.S. President Joe Biden, and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak deliver remarks on the AUKUS partnership at Naval Base Point Loma in San Diego, California on March 13.
Indo-Pacific

AUKUS submarine deal seen as decades-long gamble for Australia

Cost, personnel and politics are risks in developing nuclear-powered fleet: analysts

14 March 2023
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during parliamentary question time on Feb.6: The risks of tunnel vision and overreach in Canberra are real.
Opinion

AUKUS focus carries risks for other areas of Australian security

Diversion of resources and attention could affect maintenance of Pacific order

12 March 2023
A heavy rare-earth mine at Mount Weld in Australia. Japan is investing in operations here to secure supplies of the materials. (Photo courtesy of Lynas Rare Earths)
Supply Chain

Japan takes first stake in heavy rare earths to reduce China reliance

Sojitz, JOGMEC aim to fill 30% of domestic demand in deal with Australian miner

9 March 2023
Benchmark Australian coal prices have dropped by more than half from their September peak.
Commodities

Sky-high Australian coal prices drop back to pre-Ukraine-war levels

Europe's mild winter brings chance for cheaper power in Japan as supply fears ease

2 March 2023
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, center left, and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, center right, signed a reciprocal access agreement in January.
International relations

Japan defense pacts with U.K. and Australia move closer to approval

Troop visits and training facilitated with 'quasi-allies' as Chinese threat looms

1 March 2023
Australia's recent passport update was a chance to showcase the nation's design prowess. What the public got instead was the same sober navy-blue cover. (Courtesy of Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade)
Tea Leaves

Passports can say a lot about a country

Australia's new design is a missed opportunity in soft power projection

22 February 2023
Chinese students gather for photos at the University of Sydney on July 4, 2020, after a graduation ceremony was cancelled during the COVID-19 outbreak. 
Economy

Australia banks on China tailwind as rate hikes threaten slowdown

Influx of Chinese students, tourists could help offset RBA's hawkish policy

20 February 2023
Former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison speaks with Nikkei Asia in Tokyo on Feb. 17. (Photo by Andrew Sharp)
Interview

Morrison says 'premature' for AUKUS expansion to include Japan

Former Australian PM welcomes NATO outreach to Indo-Pacific

17 February 2023
Syndey Opera House near the waterfront in 2021. Workers in Australia took more annual leave than usual in January.
Economy

Australia employment falls unexpectedly for second month

Jobless rate jumps to 8-month high of 3.7% in January

16 February 2023
A truck carries rare-earth elements toward Lynas Rare Earths' Mount Weld processing plant in Western Australia. The company has a major plant in Malaysia.
Environment

Malaysia says Lynas Rare Earths must stop key processing activity

Government cites radioactivity, but Australian company says operation 'low risk'

16 February 2023
The use of psilocybin, a derivative from of magic mushrooms, is be legalized for specific mental health cases in Australia from July.
Politics

Australia approves ecstasy and magic mushrooms for medical use

Professionals will be able to prescribe the party drugs for PTSD, depression

15 February 2023
Australia's Woodside Energy Group has about a one-third interest in the joint venture for the Greater Sunrise gas fields in the Timor Sea.
Energy

Woodside and partners see path forward for East Timor gas field

Companies aim to move 'expeditiously' to settle dispute on LNG terminal location

14 February 2023
Facial recognition technology is displayed at the 2019 Digital China Exhibition in Fuzhou, China: Dual-use technologies have prompted renewed debate about the ethical use of technology.
Opinion

Tech standard setting cannot be left to companies or lone nations

International effort needed to build digital norms around democratic values

9 February 2023
Australia’s ambassador-designate to Japan Justin Hayhurst after an interview on Feb. 3 in Tokyo. (Photo by Yuki Kohara)
Interview

China import ban won't squeeze Australia, says incoming Japan envoy

Canberra 'will continue to look to diversify markets': Justin Hayhurst

6 February 2023
Expectations for Australia's wheat crop remain high despite concern about heavy rain during harvest season.
Commodities

Australia's bumper wheat crop cuts prices for hungry Asian markets

Imports by top consumer China more than double as shipping jam eases

21 January 2023
A bucket wheel reclaimer collects iron ore at a BHP loading facility in Western Australia.
Commodities

BHP logs record iron ore output, expects China to be 'stabilizing' force

2023 demand to have help from Beijing's pro-growth measures, company says

20 January 2023
SKA-Low prototype antennas on-site at the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory in Western Australia. The SKA project has been compared in importance to NASA's James Webb Space Telescope. (Courtesy of the International Center for Radio Astronomy Research)
Life

Australia and partners ramp up search for alien life

Giant radio telescopes aim to probe secrets of the universe

13 January 2023
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been accused ignoring the science in his decision to impose restrictions on travelers from China. (Nikkei montage/Getty Images/Reuters)
Coronavirus

Australia's curbs on travel from China slammed as unscientific

Critics claim Canberra's move was hasty, motivated by geopolitics

6 January 2023
Anthony Albanese in Bangkok on Nov. 18: Poll leads can turn around quickly for even the most popular governments.
Opinion

Albanese has let Australian voters down on COVID-19

Labor won kudos for states' virus management, but now is 'letting it rip'

5 January 2023
The Confetti furniture series ranges from planters to umbrella stands, from sofas to kitchen tables. (Photo by Fumi Matsumoto)
Climate Change

Australians clamor to sit around and eat off recycled plastic

Sydney company's recycled materials furniture combines design and durability

2 January 2023
An aerial view of the Art Gallery of New South Wales’ new building, designed by Pritzker Prize-winning Japanese architects SANAA. (© Iwan Baan)
Arts

Sydney Modern bursts on art scene with daunting challenges

Visually dazzling, the city's new gallery leans heavily on inclusive sloganizing

30 December 2022
Kevin Rudd, Australia's new ambassador to the U.S., speaks to Nikkei Asia in Tokyo in early December. (Photo by Konosuke Urata) 
Politics

Kevin Rudd, Australia's new U.S. envoy, seen bringing change to China playbook

Sinologist seeks to 'engage and hedge' against 'ideological man' Xi

27 December 2022
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong meets Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing on Dec. 21.
International relations

Australia's Penny Wong raises trade curbs, detainees on China visit

Two sides agree to keep talking after marking 50 years of ties

21 December 2022
Julian Assange outside the Ecuadorian embassy in London in May 2017: The British authorities do not really know what to do with him.
Opinion

Albanese is right: It is time to close the case of Julian Assange

Australian prime minister's move may signal end is near for WikiLeaks legal saga

20 December 2022