Europe

Japan now requires export licenses for semiconductor-manufacturing equipment. (Photo by Masayuki Kozono)
Semiconductors

Japan's new chip equipment export rules take effect Sunday

Tokyo aligns with Washington to keep most advanced technology out of China's hands

23 July 2023
A fighter from the Russian Wagner mercenary group trains Belarusian soldiers on a range near the town of Osipovichi on July 14 in this image taken from a handout video. (Belarusian Defense Ministry via Reuters)
20 July 2023
A cafe, transformed from an old military fort, is seen in Nangan, Matsu archipelago, Taiwan. Even the shelves of convenience stores on this Taiwan-administered island near mainland China carry political overtones. (Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) 
China up close

Analysis: On Taiwan's remote islands, Lithuanian beer is the star

Convenience store shelves reflect the geopolitical tensions with China

20 July 2023
A combine harvests wheat in a field near Luhansk in Russian-controlled Ukraine on July 18.
Ukraine war

Russia's grain deal exit to gradually hit Asia food supplies

El Nino weather cycle of greater concern now as rice production slumps

19 July 2023
Alternative investment funds in Japan have until now mainly been designed for institutional investors.
19 July 2023
Masayoshi Son and the SoftBank Vision Fund appear to be back on the offensive when it comes to investing in startups.
SoftBank

SoftBank Vision Fund invests in U.K. insurtech Tractable

Privately held company with proprietary AI reached unicorn status in 2021

18 July 2023
Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch says joining the CPTPP "will help grow the U.K. economy." London's own assessment shows a boost of 0.08% over 15 years. (Photo courtesy of U.K. Department for Business and Trade)
Trade

U.K. formally joins CPTPP to little fanfare and low expectations

Malaysia stands to gain from free palm oil exports but few other benefits seen

16 July 2023
French President Emmanuel Macron, right, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attend a dinner at the Louvre in Paris.
15 July 2023
Eric Huang, head of the Taiwanese Representative Office in Lithuania, speaks to Nikkei Asia in his office in Vilnius on July 11. (Photo by Ken Moriyasu)
Interview

Fight China's economic force with strength: Taiwan rep to Lithuania

Beijing will not respond to humble requests, warns Eric Huang

14 July 2023
From left, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and European Council President Charles Michel met in Brussels on July 13. 
International relations

Japan, EU to launch security and chip supply chain talks

Partners to discuss countering Russia aggression and China's military buildup

14 July 2023
Indian low-cost carrier IndiGo's operator InterGlobe recently hit its highest share price since going public.
Transportation

Global airline shares soar on passenger demand, cheaper fuel

Delta, JAL and Indian LCCs enjoy stock boost while Chinese carriers slump

14 July 2023
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock in Beijing in April. "China remains a partner, a competitor and systemic rival, but the systemic rival position has gained ground in recent years," she said on July 13. 
Supply Chain

Germany lists grievances, seeks cooperation in first China strategy

Chinese embassy says challenges Berlin faces are not Beijing's doing

13 July 2023
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson shake hands over NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg prior to their meeting on the eve of the NATO summit in Vilnius on July 10.
International relations

NATO fuzzy on Ukraine, Sweden and Tokyo office: 3 takeaways

Stoltenberg promised 'historic summit' but deliverables limited

13 July 2023
Akif Cagatay Kilic, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's chief adviser on security and foreign policy, speaks to Nikkei Asia on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, on July 11. (Photo by Ken Moriyasu) 
Interview

Turkey won't ratify Sweden's NATO entry overnight: Erdogan adviser

Akif Cagatay Kilic explains Ankara's desire to 'refresh' EU negotiations

12 July 2023
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg welcomes South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol to the Vilnius summit on July 11.
Indo-Pacific

NATO removes Tokyo office mention from joint communique

Alliance seeks to engage with Indo-Pacific, but differences remain over approach

11 July 2023
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is disappointed that NATO has yet to give Ukraine a timeline to membership of the alliance. 
Ukraine war

Zelenskyy slams NATO for lack of Ukraine membership timeline

Alliance agreed in 2008 to allow East European nation to join

11 July 2023
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, left, and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson shake hands next to NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg prior to their meeting, on the eve of a NATO summit, in Vilnius, Lithuania on July 10. (TT News Agency via Reuters)
Ukraine war

Turkey agrees to advance Sweden's NATO bid on eve of summit

Ukraine membership also high on agenda as alliance remains split on early entry

11 July 2023
Sergiy Korsunsky, Ukraine's ambassador to Japan, speaks to reporters in Tokyo at a news conference to mark 500 days since Russia's invasion. (Photo by Ryohtaroh Satoh)
Ukraine war

Ukraine hints at postwar transfer of Japan bullet train tech

Ambassador to Japan says Tokyo has bigger role in reconstruction than war

10 July 2023
SAIC sold 530,000 autos overseas in the first quarter, an increase of 40% from a year earlier.
Caixin

China's SAIC seeks site for electric car factory in Europe

State-owned automaker also wants partners in India to raise capacity

10 July 2023
NATO has proposed a liaison office in Tokyo to help deepen security cooperation with democratic countries such as Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.
Defense

NATO to defer decision on Tokyo liaison office

Wary of China, France makes deal at summit unlikely; bloc sets year-end target

10 July 2023
Korean fans were angry when then Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo, second from right, was benched during a friendly match in Seoul in 2019.
Sports

European soccer teams struggle to build bridges to Asia

Top squads pull out of Asian pre-season tour kickoff in Korea over terms

8 July 2023
Agustin Carstens has served as general manager of the Bank for International Settlements since 2017.
Interview

Fiscal, monetary policy near limit as inflation returns: BIS chief

Carstens notes labor shortage hindering financial supervision amid bank failures

8 July 2023
Lithuanian Army soldiers hold Lithuanian and NATO flags during the celebration of the 15th anniversary of Lithuania's membership in NATO in Vilnius, Lithuania on March 30, 2019.
Indo-Pacific

Lithuania slams China in new Indo-Pacific strategy

Baltic country mentions Taiwan 16 times, noting that status quo is a 'red line'

7 July 2023
The U.S. Navy's USS Milius, in the background, and the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force's Atago conduct joint training exercises in the Sea of Japan in 2023. 
Indo-Pacific

NATO and Japan to cooperate in 16 areas, align defense equipment

Kishida set to announce new cooperation document at Vilnius summit

6 July 2023
In "The Collaborators," author Ian Buruma explores moral ambiguity through the lens of three deeply intriguing and divisive individuals. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by Penguin and Getty Images)
Books

Book review: Untangling the mysteries of wartime allegiances

Ian Buruma's 'Collaborators' shines fresh light on World War II

6 July 2023