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May 3rd, 2018

Visionary or daredevil?

Masayoshi Son’s $96 billion Vision Fund reshapes venture capital

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The Big Story

Visionary or daredevil? Masayoshi Son's big bets reshape tech landscape

Backed by a $96 billion war chest, SoftBank founder outspends the competition

SoftBank Group founder and Chairman Masayoshi Son is investing big in everything from ride-sharing startups to co-working spaces.
SoftBank chief Masayoshi Son has agreed to cede control of Sprint in order to facilitate its merger with T-Mobile US.
The Big Story

Flip side to SoftBank's aggressive expansion

Tie-up between Sprint and T-Mobile would reduce debt load if approved

ZTE was slapped with a seven-year ban from buying American technology components and fined for deceiving U.S. authorities over its illegal dealings with Iran and North Korea.
Company in focus

ZTE's less-known roots: Chinese tech company falls from grace

Transparent image masks large military-linked corporate background

The Hong Kong stock exchange's new rules follow years of debate over the city's listing requirements, which have been deemed "outdated" by critics.
Companies

Hong Kong exchange amends listing rules to lure tech giants

Market operator clears way to win over Alibaba, Xiaomi and other major companies

Jack Ma, Alibaba co-founder and executive chairman, speaks to students at Waseda University in Tokyo on April 25. (Photo by Kaisuke Ohta)
Trade war

Jack Ma calls for 'inclusive chips' amid US ban on ZTE

Alibaba head says countries 'should have their own technology'

Nissan displayed its Sylphy electric car at the Beijing Motor Show. The Japanese automaker is planning to release electric cars built in China later this year.
Electric cars in China

Global automakers pledge made-in-China electric vehicles

Sleek and innovative designs unveiled at Beijing Motor Show

The eS8 SUV from Chinese brand Nio appears to be aimed squarely at Tesla's Model X.
Electric cars in China

Tesla has over 300 Chinese startups hot on its tail

Beijing's drive to clear the air spawns wave of electric car ventures

Applicants fill out forms to join Grab at its Hanoi office in 2017. The Grab-Uber merger deal was the first of its kind for Vietnam’s regulator since the country's competition law came into effect in 2005.
Business trends

Grab-Uber deal tests Southeast Asian antitrust watchdogs

Merger of ride-hailing companies outsmarts regional competition authorities

For investors in India's Flipkart, selling their shares to Walmart may be the best option.
Companies

Walmart deal offers Flipkart shareholders the awaited exit

Indian e-tailer's IPO plans likely to be put on the back burner

A Samsung memory plant in China. Homegrown Chinese chipmakers seek to challenge the likes of the South Korean giant.
Asia300

South Korean chipmakers brace for emergence of Chinese rivals

Samsung and SK Hynix plan aggressive moves to maintain their market lead

A Buddhist statue in front of the Central World shopping mall in Bangkok being cleaned. The Central Group owns a large portfolio of retailers.
Companies

Central Group plans Thailand's largest outlet mall

160,000 sq.-m project aimed at tourists shopping for luxury goods

An Apple booth inside a FPT.Shop
Companies

FPT Retail lists shares on Ho Chi Minh City bourse

Company sees growth in Apple products and expansion of drug stores

Mahindra & Mahindra expects sales of its new XUV500 to rise by 25% as consumers embrace SUVs.
Business trends

Indian automakers speed into new battleground: compact SUVs

Mahindra, Maruti and Hyundai expand offerings to target city drivers

© Nikkei montage
Asia Insight

Chinese tourism spreads benefits and unwanted baggage across Asia

Brisk business, ecosystem damage and political pressure are part of the package

South Korean President Moon Jae-in, right, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un deliver a statement at Panmunjom on April 27.
North Korea Crisis

North Korea's 'denuclearization' vow raises hopes and skepticism

Kim and Moon declare an end to 1950s war as they pursue peace treaty

April's Royal Guard promotions show a shift in the military's controlling generals
Politics

Rising clout of King's Guard dims Thai junta's political hopes

April's military promotions see Bangkok-based officers regaining upper hand

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed at a meeting in Wuhan, China to increase communication between their militaries and continue talks aimed at better relations. (Indian Ministry of External Affairs via AP)
International relations

Modi and Xi agree to boost communication between their militaries

New Delhi and Beijing look for 'stable relations amid global uncertainties'

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong speaks to media on April 28. (Photo by Yuichi Nitta)
Politics

ASEAN 'deeply concerned' over protectionism: summit statement

Bloc to advance RCEP as 'sign' of commitment to trade liberalization, Singapore PM says

Bank of Japan Gov. Haruhiko Kuroda said that the reason for eliminating the target date for achieving 2% inflation was to prevent the market from speculating on bank policy.
Economy

BOJ abandons target date for achieving 2% inflation

Gov. Kuroda denies waning confidence in central bank's monetary policy

The Nikkei Asian Review was recognized by a global publishing organization for its coverage of U.S. President Donald Trump's tough immigration policies.
International relations

Nikkei Asian Review wins regional journalism award

Asian Media Awards lauds coverage of US immigration crackdown and its impact on Asia

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Datawatch

Night light images paint accurate picture of China GDP

Satellite data reveals where growth estimates are most inflated

Cryptocurrency regulators need to strike the right balance between security and technological advance.
Opinion

Cryptocurrencies need regulation-lite

Asia should lead with rules that hit market abuses but allow innovation

Many Rohingya Muslims remain in overcrowded camps in Bangladesh. Over 750,000 have fled Myanmar since late 2016.
Opinion

Myanmar -- time for a legal reckoning

The wheels of international justice turn slowly, but have begun to move

Suzuki Motor Chairman Osamu Suzuki is one of Japan's most prominent adopted-heir chief executives and was the carmaker's fourth in a row.
Opinion

Japanese companies -- the (adopted) son rises

Business families profit from adult adoption and arranged marriage

South Korean President Moon Jae-in, left, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un walk together in the village of Panmunjom, inside the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas, on April 27.
Opinion

No time to ease the pressure on Pyongyang

Sanctions will help ensure that North Korea does not renege on its nuclear promises this time

“Lost in the Fumes” documents Hong Kong localist leader Edward Leung Tin-kei, best known for his pro-independence stance during the 2016 Legislative Council election. (Courtesy of Nora Lam)
Arts

Hong Kong film flirts with political controversy

Cinemas shun documentary on 'localist' figure's independence stance

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Business trends

For China's dating websites, pushy parents make best sales pitch

Unmarried sons and daughters bring social as well as financial burdens

Young men practice cricket strokes at the Royal College Indoor Nets in Colombo. (Photo by Rajpal Abeynayake)
Tea Leaves

Sri Lanka weighs colonial ballast

Is it better to preserve and build on historical legacy or destroy it?