alt

November 15th, 2018

Powering the future

The war over electric car batteries is just getting started

View all editions

The Big Story

Battery wars: Japan and South Korea battle China for future of EVs

Toyota leads 'solid state' push, but next-generation batteries still a decade away

Battery wars: Japan and South Korea battle China for future of EVs
BMW shows off its i Vision Dynamics concept electric vehicle at Auto China 2018 in Beijing on April 25.
The Big Story

In EV batteries, Europe plays catch-up with Asia

Relying on Asian suppliers is proving risky for automakers like Audi

Stream article image
Startups in Asia

Billion-dollar tech startups hold promise for China's economy

Four cities provide greenest pastures for burgeoning number of unicorns

Foxconn Chairman Terry Gou, left, and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker touted the planned LCD panel plant as a win on job creation for the U.S. Now, Walker has lost a bid for re-election.
Companies

Foxconn's Wisconsin plant faces headwinds after US elections

Incoming governor wants to renegotiate deals around $10bn factory

Subaru conducted improper inspections of vehicles at its main plant in Gunma Prefecture, Japan.
Business trends

Crumbling and empty plants led Japan Inc. astray

Scandals shine spotlight on labor crunch and limits of 'kaizen'

Containers await their next move at a port in Tokyo. The threat of an economic slowdown in China has export-dependent Japanese companies pessimistic about the earnings outlook.
Business trends

Japan corporate earnings teeter on China trade fears

Profits seen dropping 15% in second half, leaving flat annual growth

Samsung unveils its foldable phone in a presentation by Justin Denison, senior vice president of mobile product marketing.
Companies

Samsung to mass produce foldable phone in coming months

Device can simultaneously run three apps, company says at developers conference

A Vietjet aircraft is seen at Tan Son Nhat airport in Ho Chi Minh.
Companies

Vietjet's ambitions soar beyond Southeast Asia

Vietnam budget carrier now has bigger market cap than AirAsia

Alibaba CEO Daniel Zhang said the company will use its e-commerce platforms to bring more goods from overseas into China.
Companies

Alibaba chief pledges to import $200bn in goods over 5 years

Announcement comes a day after Xi Jinping endorses cross-border e-commerce

Singtel expects EBITDA to remain stable if currency movements are excluded in the current financial year ending March.
Nikkei Markets

Associates, currency losses erode Singtel's profits

Diversification strategy yet to pay off for telecom operator

Cipla is facing challenges from the sanctions which will impact certain parts of its business.
Companies

Cipla warns of 'multiple headwinds' after quarterly profit unexpectedly falls

Indian drug maker's second-quarter profit declines about 11%

© Illustration by Tania Vicedo
Asia Insight

Asia braces for baby bust as singles wait to wed

Japan is not alone in facing low fertility and higher welfare costs

U.S. President Donald Trump addresses a news conference following Tuesday's midterm congressional elections at the White House on Nov. 7.
International relations

Trump says trade war success can help 'heal' US divide

North Korea summit on track for early 2019 despite delayed prep meeting

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison is refocusing his country's aid to the Pacific.
Politics

Australia reveals $1.5bn Pacific fund to counter China

Infrastructure aid meant to shore up Canberra's role as island benefactor

South Korean President Moon Jae-in leaves the National Assembly in Seoul after delivering his speech on the government's 2019 budget proposal on Nov. 1.
Politics

Moon fires economic policy chiefs as growth falters

South Korean leader's pursuit of wage hikes backfires as hiring slows

Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering's shipyard on South Korea's Koeji Island. As tensions rise, Japan is taking aim at the South Korean government's assistance to the country's shipbuilders.
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, third from left, and his Singaporean counterpart, Lee Hsien Loong, are met by an honor guard in Singapore on Nov. 12. (Photo by Justina Lee)
International relations

Mahathir raises water issue cautiously at Singapore meeting

Malaysian leader says counterpart Lee 'open' to talks on 1962 supply deal

India recently announced its first submarine armed with ballistic missiles and nuclear warheads has completed its first patrol.
International relations

India's nuclear submarine provokes Pakistan to renew arms race

Islamabad seeks way to respond but financial crisis complicates strategy

The Democrat Party said on Saturday that incumbent Abhisit Vejjajiva won the party leadership election.
Politics

Thai Democrats pick ex-PM Abhisit as leader ahead of election

Move follows start of new party by Shinawatra family

Plans for the first deliveries of the MRJ have been pushed back fives times, from an initial goal of 2013 to the current target of mid-2020.
Global Management Forum 2018

AirAsia considers buying Mitsubishi's delay-plagued jet

'We hope Japan supports us well, too,' CEO Fernandes says

SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won explains his approach to making tough decisions at the Nikkei Global Management Forum on Nov. 7. (Photo by Shinya Sawai)
Global Management Forum 2018

SK Group chairman urges young managers to go ahead and fail

South Korean conglomerate works 'social value' into its business model

Huawei Rotating Chairman Ken Hu tells the Nikkei Asian Review about his vision for an ecosystem of intelligent devices on Nov. 6. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)
Global Management Forum 2018

Huawei hits back at 5G security concerns

World's largest telecom maker says 'technology should not be politicized'

Fanuc hopes to expand its AI-based platform in Asia.
Global Management Forum 2018

Fanuc 'in top form' in US as Chinese capital investment slows

Robot maker's CEO points to India as the next big opportunity

A hot spring bath seen at a Hoshino Resorts ryokan in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture, Japan.
Global Management Forum 2018

Hoshino Resorts plans to open Japanese-style inn in US

CEO says 'ryokan' can be more profitable than Hyatt and Marriott chains

MGM Resorts International Chairman and CEO Jim Murren shares his vision for casino resorts at the Nikkei Global Management Forum in Tokyo on Nov. 6.
First Eastern Investment Group’s Founding Chairman Victor L. L. Chu says he will remain as significant investor to the Japanese low-cost carrier. (Photo by Shihoko Nakaoka)
Global Management Forum 2018

Hong Kong investor in Peach Aviation now aims to 'disrupt' banks

First Eastern CEO Victor Chu plans foray into Japanese fintech

On the one hand China, on the other the U.S. -- ASEAN must find a middle way. 
Opinion

ASEAN -- finding middle path in the US-China conflict

Despite local uncertainties, the region must be bold in shaping its own future

The Fan Bingbing case is further proof that investing in China involves unpredictable political risks.
Opinion

Bringing China's stars down to earth

Fan Bingbing case shows celebrity status won't save entertainers from Beijing's crackdown

Vietnamese trainees work at a farm in Aichi Prefecture. (Photo by Koji Uema)
The Nikkei View

Opening Japan's doors wider to foreign workers is good, but a clearer plan is needed

Lawmakers should address ways to ensure stable lives and avoid social disruption

In "Kelantan: a Living Heritage," a young boy is seduced into learning and preserving his own culture. (Courtesy of George Town Festival)
Arts

Reinventing one of Asia's great arts festivals

Director of Malaysia's George Town festival reflects on long and colorful path

Wa-Shu has the most extensive collection of Japanese sake, shochu and whisky in Taipei. (Photo by George Koutsakis)
Life

The art of one-ingredient mixology, inspired by sushi

Japanese bar in Taiwan defies trends and opts for simplicity

Akira Kurosawa during the filming of ''Madadayo" in Japan in 1992 
Tea Leaves

The world is bigger through Kurosawa's eyes

The late Japanese film director still dominates global rankings, but not at home