Politics

Singapore is home to about 37,000 Japanese people, the second-biggest community in Southeast Asia. (Photo by Takashi Nakano)
International relations

Singapore's minimum pay rule stifles hiring of Japan expats

New thresholds translate to 20% to 30% drop in job placements from abroad

17 September 2020
TikTok, the international version of ByteDance's short video app, has, like telecom hardware maker Huawei, raised concerns internationally. But its "soft power" potential makes it unique. (Illustration by Nakako Shiotsuki)
Business Spotlight

Asia's divide over TikTok: troubled in Tokyo, chilled in Manila

Reactions to security fears after US crackdown on app reflect relations with China

11 September 2020
People in Singapore watch a chess match in Singapore. Studies have shown that social interaction -- increasingly difficult during the pandemic -- helps people live longer lives. (Singapore Press via AP Images)
Society

Asia seeks to protect seniors from COVID's silent killer: loneliness

Singapore and Japan learn art of aging well takes more than good diet and exercise

5 September 2020
Singapore's leaders are under pressure to protect jobs for citizens without missing out on foreign talent.
Politics

Singapore juggles global talent vs local jobs under COVID threat

Lee warns against turning inward but new policy raises cost of foreign hiring

4 September 2020
Donald Trump, Shinzo Abe and Xi Jinping attend the Group of 20 summit event on the Digital Economy in Osaka in June 2019: Japan led the way.
Opinion

How Indo-Pacific countries can keep their options open

Multipolar relationships can survive rising US-China tensions

22 August 2020
Flight information at Changi airport early in the pandemic: Singapore and Japan are eager to restart business travel.
Coronavirus

Japan and Singapore aim to reopen business travel in September

Foreign ministers agree to exempt COVID-free visitors from quarantine

14 August 2020
Commuters take the Woodlands Causeway to Singapore from Johor a day before Malaysia imposes a lockdown on travel in Singapore on March 17.
International relations

Malaysia and Singapore greenlight rail link delayed by Mahathir

Muhyiddin and Lee kick off $2.4bn project with meeting across border demarcation

30 July 2020
Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, left, has named Workers' Party Secretary-General Pritam Singh, right, the "leader of the opposition" in a first for the city-state. © Nikkei montage/Source photos by Getty Images
Asia Insight

Singapore's 'democratic dawn'? Parties adapt to new landscape

Ruling PAP under pressure to save economy while opposition faces test of ideas

28 July 2020
Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announces his new cabinet on July 25, in this screenshot from a CNA broadcast.
Singapore election

Singapore PM banks on familiar cabinet to grapple with pandemic

Lee vows to see COVID crisis through after party's shaky election showing

25 July 2020
Singapore has committed to aggressive and extensive testing of all migrant workers living in dormitories.
Opinion

Singapore disputes claims of poor pandemic handling

The country's ambassador to Japan responds to Nikkei Asian Review article

16 July 2020
The ruling People's Action Party will form Singapore's next government with a supermajority, but the opposition made unprecedented gains in last Friday's general election.
Singapore election

Singapore election cheers business but COVID-19 worries remain

Corporate sector looking for constructive ways to tackle pandemic fallout

14 July 2020
A view of the land link between Singapore and Malaysia under lockdown: The governments are preparing to restart business travel.
Coronavirus

Malaysia and Singapore aim to open travel 'green lane' on Aug. 10

Plan will enable essential business and let workers in for 3-month stints

14 July 2020
With the election over, recovering from the coronavirus is the Singaporean government's No. 1 priority.
Economy

Singapore GDP falls 12.6%, raising post-election pressure on Lee

COVID triggers technical recession with worst quarterly contraction on record

14 July 2020
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (left photo) and Sengkang Group Representation Constituency Workers' Party candidates Jamus Lim, Louis Chua and Raeesah Khan (left to right in right photo) are pictured. (Source photos by Reuters and Getty Images)
Singapore election

Singapore ruling party's 'politics of fear' prove less effective

PAP allows WP to secure 10 seats despite increasing pressure on opposition party

13 July 2020
Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong checks his phone at a People's Action Party office during vote counting in the early hours of July 11.
Singapore election

Singapore PM heads for 'rocky economic shoals' with election bruises

Opposition gains seen as beginning of the end of PAP's 'absolute control'

11 July 2020
Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong waves before leaving a polling station on election day, July 10. His ruling People's Action Party will form the next government.
Singapore election

Singapore election results give PAP supermajority as rivals rise

Opposition wins record 10 seats but voters bank on familiar team to fight COVID

11 July 2020
Supporters of Singapore's Workers' Party take to the streets to celebrate ahead of the final results in the early hours of July 11.
Singapore election

Singapore election latest: How the night unfolded

Workers' Party cements position as PAP's strongest rival with 10 seats

11 July 2020
Singaporean voters wait to cast their ballots on election day, July 10, as coronavirus precautions slowed the process at some stations.
Singapore election

Singapore awaits election results after polls close late

What you need to know following a day of COVID precautions and long queues

10 July 2020
Workers' Party candidate Nicole Seah speaks with voters ahead of Singapore's July 10 general election.
Singapore election

Singapore's record 40 female candidates change election discussion

Gender pay gap and violence against women among issues coming to fore

9 July 2020
Singaporean Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, the heir apparent to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, campaigns for the general election.
Singapore election

Singapore PM-in-waiting Heng's destiny still hazy as polls near

Lee hints he wants to resolve COVID crisis before handing over reins

7 July 2020
Leong Mun Wai, a parliamentary candidate from the Progress Singapore Party, hands out flyers to customers at a food court on July 4. (Photo by Takashi Nakano)
Singapore election

Singapore's opposition 'elites' put constructive dissent on ballot

Well-educated candidates aim to stoke policy discourse even after Friday's vote

6 July 2020
Lee Hsien Loong, pictured during his walkabout on July 3, has been slow to remake the city into an innovative power,
Opinion

Singapore election must offer new vision for economy

Coronavirus and US-China trade war have exposed city-state's weaknesses

6 July 2020
Singaporeans will on Friday go to vote for general elections that would likely give People's Action Party a fresh new term to lead the country. 
Your Week in Asia

Singapore election, Fast Retailing results, Smoore's Hong Kong IPO

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

5 July 2020
A participant in last year's annual Pink Dot rally: This year's event was held online due to COVID-19 and drew pushback from social conservatives.
Singapore election

Singapore LGBTQ+ citizens find few clear allies on election slate

To activists, candidates' silence on anti-gay law speaks volumes

4 July 2020
The law came into effect in October, aiming to combat what the government calls the spread of fake news. 
Singapore election

Singapore slams fake news law on opposition Facebook post

Censure of Peoples Voice's social media postings is first during election cycle

3 July 2020