Middle East

Shihab Alfaheem, the United Arab Emirates' ambassador to Japan, speaks to Nikkei Asia in Tokyo on Aug. 28. His country is gearing up to hold the COP28 summit. (Nikkei montage/Source photo by Sayumi Take and Reuters) 
Interview

COP28 host UAE says fossil fuels needed in energy transition: envoy

Petrostate's preparations alarm observers seeking shift from oil, coal and gas

5 September 2023
A Japanese flag is seen at a construction site in Tokyo. Japan will team with Turkey to seek opportunities in post-war Ukraine.
Ukraine war

Japan and Turkey team up for Ukraine reconstruction

Nations to issue joint statement on cooperation

4 September 2023
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman shakes hands with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ahead of the Arab League summit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on May 19. (Saudi Press Agency/Reuters) 
Comment

How Saudi Arabia's mediation efforts heap pressure on Russia

Riyadh-hosted talks on Ukraine highlight growing clout of major emerging nations

26 August 2023
Left to right: Bayraktar TB3, TB2, Kizilelma and Akinci drones on display in Istanbul on June 23. The company has signed contracts with a least 30 nations for its drones. (Photo courtesy of Baykar/Anadolu Agency)
Business Spotlight

Turkish drone maker Baykar seeks to extend global influence

Unmanned aerial vehicles made in Istanbul prove valuable in 'asymmetric war'

18 August 2023
Women walk on the streets in Tehran as the country's morality police resume hijab patrols on July 18, 2023.
Economy

Iran's new hijab law puts stores, restaurants, e-commerce on edge

Sanctions-hit economy suffers another blow nearly a year after mass protests

17 August 2023
A view from the balcony of Saint Stepanos Monastery: The Armenian monastery is located 15 kilometers from the city of Jolfa in the northwestern Iranian province of East Azerbaijan. (All photos by Tala Taslimi)
Life

Traveling off the beaten path in Iran

Remote attractions are becoming more accessible despite tension with the West

17 August 2023
Construction machinery digs in the rubble from buildings demolished by the deadly February earthquakes in Hatay, Turkey, on July 28 (Photo by Sinan Tavsan)
Natural disasters

Turkey set to recycle quake debris covering 'two Manhattans'

Japan-funded project targets some of 200m tonnes of rubble from February disaster

16 August 2023
Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates a goal in a Saudi Pro League game on February 25, 2023. The Saudis' soccer spending is being compared to the eye-watering contracts dished out around a decade ago by Chinese Super League clubs.
Sports

Asian soccer sees power shift to Saudi Arabia

Decline of pro soccer in China offers cautionary tale for Saudi spending spree

5 August 2023
The majority of Chinese companies attending the fair were producers of items such as vests and helmets. (Photo by Sinan Tavsan)
Defense

Chinese companies flock in record numbers to Turkish defense fair

Opportunities abound in growing Turkish market and surrounding region

1 August 2023
A production platform of the Leviathan natural gas field off the coast of northern Israel.
Energy

Chevron mulls floating LNG plant near Israel to supply Asia, Europe

Annual production capacity expected to reach several million tonnes

25 July 2023
Boys play at a gaming festival in Dubai in 2019: The Middle East gaming market has been experiencing remarkable growth.
Opinion

Japan should look beyond energy in its Middle East outreach

Growth of region's gaming market has created opportunity for Tokyo's soft power

24 July 2023
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Russian President Vladimir Putin take part in a signing ceremony for an agreement on the construction of the Rasht-Astara railway in Tehran on May 17.
International relations

Iran grows wary of Russia amid Moscow's support for UAE in island spat

Recent friction sparks anger, rare critical public statements from Tehran

23 July 2023
United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, right, welcomes Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Abu Dhabi on July 19. (Photo courtesy of the Presidency of Republic of Turkey)
International relations

Erdogan ends Gulf tour in UAE with agreements worth $50bn

Deals offer boon to inflation-hit Turkish economy weakened further by quakes

20 July 2023
A Texas LNG plant in Texas built by ExxonMobil and QatarEnergy. (Photograph by Ryosuke Hanafusa)
Interview

Exxon to double LNG business by 2030 with eye on Asia: Executive

U.S. oil major looks to meet demand from customers seeking energy security

19 July 2023
Steakholder sees similarities between Jewish kosher and Muslim halal dietary requirements. (Photo courtesy of company)
Food & Beverage

Israel's food tech upstarts eye ASEAN's Muslim countries

Indonesia, Malaysia offer halal gateway for Jewish state's companies

19 July 2023
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, center, meets with Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, far right, in Doha on July 18.
Energy

Qatar 'prepared' to ensure stable LNG supply, emir tells Japan PM

Kishida seeks to help companies acquire energy interests

19 July 2023
Baykar so far has signed seven export deals for its advanced Akinci armed drone, including with Saudi Arabia. (Photo courtesy of Baykar Technology)
Defense

Turkey's Baykar signs largest drone deal with Saudi Arabia

Sale of advanced Akinci reflects major thaw between regional powers

18 July 2023
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, left, and UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan wear wristbands for the COP28 climate conference at a meeting in Abu Dhabi on July 17.
International relations

Japan seeks UAE investments in chips, batteries via new framework

Tokyo offers support with ammonia tech for gradual decarbonization

18 July 2023
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida arrives in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on July 16.
International relations

Japan and Saudi Arabia agree to launch regular diplomatic dialogue

PM Kishida meets with crown prince on three-day tour of Middle East

17 July 2023
Saudi Aramco aims to produce as much as 11 million tonnes of ammonia a year by 2030.
Energy

Japan to team with Saudi Arabia on joint ammonia production

Leaders set to agree on framework for public-private initiative

16 July 2023
Much of the world's rare-earth metals, which are used in electric vehicles and other products, are currently produced in China.
Materials

Japan and Saudi Arabia seek joint rare-earth investments

Both sides plan to diversify supply chains amid rising EV demand

15 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
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
Indonesia's Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi will chair the ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting in Jakarta this week.
Your Week in Asia

ASEAN Regional Forum, Modi in France, Thai parliament votes for PM

Your weekly lineup of Asia's biggest business and political events

9 July 2023