The H3 rocket blasts off from Tanegashima island, southern Japan, on March 7, 2023. Just over five minutes into the launch, it was forced to crash into the ocean after the second stage engine failed to ignite. (Photo by Tomoki Mera) 
SHIN NAKAYAMA

Letter from Nikkei Asia's editor: Staking on space

Shin Nakayama shares his weekly reflections and recommendations

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SHIN NAKAYAMA
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A knitting machine at a textile factory in Andhra Pradesh in 2022: Capital investment in India is now above 30% of GDP, higher than that of Taiwan and on par with South Korea.
Richard Yetsenga

This time, India's rapid economic growth has legs

Factors that previously sapped momentum have finally been addressed

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Richard Yetsenga
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Refugees on Nauru in 2018: The Australian government sent a fresh group of asylum seekers to the island months after hailing evacuation of the last refugee held last June. (Pool via AP)
JJ Rose

Australia is still a cruel place for those seeking asylum

PM Albanese has more to do to reform immigration system

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JJ Rose
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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi with senior executives from Foxconn and AMD at a conference in Gandhinagar in July.
Henny Sender

Foreign investors love Indian stocks, but India not as much

Power of clubby local tycoons discourages companies from entering market

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Henny Sender
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PBOC Gov. Pan Gongsheng in Morocco in October 2023: The China deflation narrative would be getting less oxygen if the central bank were perceived to be doing its job.

China's deflation problem won't go away by itself

Beijing seems instead to be prioritizing yuan stability

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PTI supporters in Peshawar block a highway to the capital on Feb. 13 in protest against the election results.
Ayesha Jalal

Pakistan's election was supposed to end deadlock. It failed

Country needs stable national government to tackle economic crisis

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Ayesha Jalal
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A Ukrainian soldier prepares to launch rockets toward Russian troops near the front line in Ukraine's Donetsk region on Feb. 4.
Nikkei Editorial

Financial aid to Ukraine should not be stalled

Delays in U.S. and EU action only benefit Russia

Nikkei Editorial
The presidents of Lawson, KDDI and Mitsubishi Corp. announce plans to take the convenience store chain private on Feb. 6. (Photo by Yuki Nakao) 
Alicia Ogawa

Japan's small investors are getting steamrolled in dealmaking rush

Corporate valuation process has to be made more transparent and fair

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Alicia Ogawa
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Facing space constraints, Singapore will increase its renewable energy capacity through regional investments and importing power from neighboring nations.
Tan Wooi Leong

Singapore's carbon tax hike will drive innovation

Companies to feel pressure to improve sustainability and use renewable energy

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Tan Wooi Leong
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Vale's nickel smelter in South Sulawesi province: Mining investment in Indonesia has been capital intensive.
Trinh Nguyen

Indonesia's next president should focus on job creation

Jokowi's focus on mining has done little for employment

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Trinh Nguyen
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A solar power facility in Kanagawa prefecture: Japan plans to start a debut sale of 1.6 trillion yen of climate transition bonds this week.
Yi Chen and Alistair Ritchie

Japan is breaking new ground with its climate transition bonds

Debt to be repaid using revenues from emissions trading system

Yi Chen and Alistair Ritchie
An art installation to raise awareness of ADHD in Liverpool, England in 2022: Up to 20% of adults globally may have a neurodivergent condition. 
Patrick Winter

Neurodivergent staff can bring innovative spark to Asian companies

Employers need to recognize potential of workers with cognitive differences

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Patrick Winter
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Nawaz Sharif, center, addresses during an election campaign rally in Hafizabad, Pakistan on January 18.
SHIN NAKAYAMA

Letter from Nikkei Asia's editor: Nothing left to chance

Shin Nakayama shares his weekly reflections and recommendations

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SHIN NAKAYAMA
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An LNG terminal in Texas: The largest Asian importers of American LNG plan to reduce gas use over the next decade. (Photo by Ryosuke Hanafusa)
L. Nacpil, J. Kim and Y. Tanabe

Biden's 'pause' on LNG export terminals is good for Asia

To boost region's energy security, U.S. should support development of renewables

L. Nacpil, J. Kim and Y. Tanabe
A protest against the Hong Kong national security law on July 1, 2020, the day after it was enacted: Virtually all protests have since vanished.
Patrick Poon

Hong Kongers' fears of extradition to China are coming true

Case of vanished law student highlights anxieties about proposed security law

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Patrick Poon
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Indonesian President Joko Widodo's suspected machinations in the leadership of political parties besides his own PDI-P have raised alarms over the past few years.
Ella S. Prihatini

Dynastic politics are putting Indonesia's democratic achievements at risk

Questionable interventions and corruption setbacks to taint Jokowi's legacy

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Ella S. Prihatini
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U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton exposed his ignorance with his recent grilling of TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew. (Pool via Reuters) 
Steven R. Okun

TikTok CEO has questions to answer. His race is not one

Senate grilling of Singaporean executive undermines U.S. credibility

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Steven R. Okun
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A mother and son at home in Bihar state: A reduction in government spending is to be achieved mostly through cutbacks to subsidies and other support for rural areas.

India's new government budget hints at overconfidence

Election-time spending restraint offset by rosy revenue and cost projections

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People who have fled Myanmar are pictured at a relief camp in a border village in northeastern India. 
Nikkei Editorial

Myanmar's deepening humanitarian crisis demands action

International community should support ASEAN's efforts to foster dialogue

Nikkei Editorial
U.S. President Joe Biden is said to have given "personal assurances" to the leaders of a union which represents U.S. Steel employees and opposes the Nippon Steel takeover.
Rikako Watai

To affirm U.S. openness, Washington should approve U.S. Steel sale

Takeover ought to be viewed as a legal matter, not a political issue

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Rikako Watai
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An unfinished China Evergrande residential project in the city of Shijiazhuang: Developers' operations and assets remain mostly based in mainland China.
Benjamin Fanger

Evergrande's liquidation will not pay off for foreign investors

Bondholders who took Chinese developer to court may get only emotional satisfaction

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Benjamin Fanger
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Using the yardstick of the ratio of average home price to average income, living in Tokyo is less affordable than New York. (Photo by Konosuke Urata) 
Stephen Givens

Tokyo-style housing policy won't solve New York's problems

Quick fixes will not patch over differences in affordability, crime and schools

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Stephen Givens
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Air pollution levels dropped in Mumbai, seen here in April 2020, amid COVID lockdowns. 
Soumya Swaminathan

Clean air can become a reality for the Global South

Securing improvements requires highlighting benefits for health and productivity

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Soumya Swaminathan
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A Hong Kong footbridge decorated for China's National Day: Much of the foreign direct investment headed into or out of mainland China goes through the city.
Carlos Casanova

Like it or not, Hong Kong is still Asia's leading financial center

City best positioned to capture growing global interest in the yuan

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Carlos Casanova
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The Japanese town of Sakai has been offering free rides on self-driving electric buses since 2020, providing a transport option for older residents. (Photo by Kei Higuchi)
Mariko Shiohata

Rural Japan needs EVs to stay connected

Ultracompacts and self-driving buses would help residents to better get around

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Mariko Shiohata
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