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February 20th, 2020

State of denial

Has Australia learned the lesson from its catastrophic firestorms?

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The Big Story

Australia locked in climate policy 'paralysis' despite summer of fire

Mining exec says 'we're not the bad guys, we're part of the solution'

Australian politics “weaponized” climate policy. Now, a brutal summer of wildfires has put the country on the front lines of a global crisis.
The People's Bank of China, in Beijing. The phase one trade deal with Washington paves the way for U.S. financial services companies to apply for asset management company licenses that puts them on par with their Chinese peers when it comes to buying distressed debt. (Source photo by Reuters) 
Business Spotlight

China calls on foreigners to drain $1.5tn bad-debt swamp

Goldman, Oaktree and Lone Star see massive buying opportunities

CEO John Slattery of Embraer Commercial Aviation speaks with the Nikkei Asian Review in Singapore on Feb.12. (Photo by Akira Kodaka)
Aerospace & Defense Industries

Aircraft makers stay Asia-focused amid toughest year in a decade

Embraer, Boeing and Mitsubishi look beyond coronavirus in high-flying market

SoftBank Group Chairman and CEO Masayoshi Son holds a news conference in Tokyo on Feb. 12. (Photo by Yuki Kohara)  
SoftBank

SoftBank pushes back $108bn Vision Fund sequel

Son plans smaller 'bridge fund,' says he is in no hurry to sell Alibaba stake

A model of a satellite on display at the 2020 Global Space and Technology trade show in Singapore (Photo by Dylan Loh).
Inside an empty Wuhan branch of Alibaba's Freshippo supermarket chain, a customer pushes a cart while shopping. 
Coronavirus

As black swan lands, Alibaba sees explosion in demand

New consumer behavior lifts fresh-food delivery and telecommuting tool

An LG Display plant near Seoul: the company will end domestic production of LCD panels for TVs. (Photo courtesy of LG Display)
Electronics

LG shakes up group to restore former glory

South Korean manufacturer moves capacity abroad to stem losses

Samsung has a unique opportunity to jump ahead in the next-gen phone race as Huawei remains on a U.S. blacklist and Apple has yet to launch 5G iPhones. (Photo courtesy of Samsung)
Technology

Samsung unveils Galaxy S20, seeking head start in 5G race

Coronavirus hangs over event that featured medical masks and prevention tips

Earlier this week, DBS, which has large operations in Hong Kong and China, evacuated staff from its main Singapore office after an employee was diagnosed with the coronavirus.
Nikkei Markets

DBS posts record profit, offers relief amid coronavirus outbreak

Bank sees 1-2% fall in annual revenue if disease is checked by summer

An employee walks past a signage board in the Infosys campus in Bangalore, India.
Business deals

Infosys acquires US software provider in digital business push

India's second-largest software exporter buys Simplus in $250m deal

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's move to fast-track naturalization for non-Muslim refugees has sparked months of protests at a time when the economy is sputtering. 
Asia Insight

India's economic frustration and social tensions boil under Modi

Critics say ongoing citizenship law protests tarnish image of tolerance

A nurse checks the temperature of a visitor as part of the coronavirus screening procedure at a hospital in Kuala Lumpur on Feb. 5.
Coronavirus

Coronavirus exposes Southeast Asia's public health shortfalls

Experts say health infrastructure remains 'systematically underfinanced'

Park So-dam and Choi Woo-shik perform in "Parasite." (Photo courtesy of NEON and CJ Entertainment)
Society

South Korea's 'Parasite' celebrations tiptoe around brutal message

Oscar win highlights challenges President Moon faces in tackling disparities

Takehiko Nakao, the former president of the Asian Development Bank, speaks to the Nikkei Asian Review in Tokyo (Photo courtesy of ADB).
Interview

US and China can settle differences via ADB, says ex-president

Nakao warns Asia on lack of investment in human capital and the environment

Tourists in masks visit Sensoji temple in Tokyo, one of the capital's busiest attractions. (Photo by Karina Noka) 
Economy

Japan GDP on track to rebound just 0.5% in January-March

Coronavirus outbreak weakens recovery from sales tax hike

Thailand's growth was the slowest since 2014, when then-general, now-Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha took power. 
Economy

Thailand GDP growth slows to 2.4%, lowest in five years

Coronavirus and budget disbursement delays uncertain factors for 2020

China accounts for 14% of worldwide oil demand.
Commodities

Global oil and iron ore demand hit hard by coronavirus

IEA forecast cites widespread shutdown of China's economy

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, center, speaks with medical workers at Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital on Jan. 27: the challenge to improve Chinese health care services mirrors the broader challenges facing Beijing.
Opinion

China's poor public health care has hindered coronavirus fight

Small steps like latex gloves help more than huge hospitals

The job description for a "convenience store woman" will need to be rewritten under the new model.
Opinion

Japanese convenience stores need empathy and entrepreneurs to thrive

Localization and personalization will help konbini stay relevant

An annualized interest rate cap of 36% has been painful for all but the most well-capitalized platforms like New York-listed Qudian.
Opinion

Collapse of China's disgraced P2P sector offers important lessons

Online platforms forced banks to improve offerings but model wasn't sustainable

An airport construction site in an area developed by a Chinese company in Cambodia's Koh Kong Province.
The Nikkei View

New vision needed for quality infrastructure investment

Japan can be catalyst to include China in the discussion

A girl stands in the doorway of her family's ger in Altanbulag, Mongolia. Her family, herders, began accepting guests via Airbnb in 2016. 
Life

Mongolians embrace 21st century tourism boom

Business opportunities blossom as nomads discover Airbnb

Striking Asian masks from the collection of Portuguese artist Jose de Guimaraes, exhibited in 2018 at Lisbon's Museu do Oriente.
Arts

Lisbon's Museum of the Orient highlights Portugal's history in Asia

From textiles to tai chi, gallery stands as testament to enduring connection

Travelers wear masks at an airport in Bangkok in January. The Thai government is bracing for the impact of mass cancellations of Chinese group tours. (Photo by Akira Kodaka)
Tea Leaves

What virus fears can teach Asia's tourism industry

Collapse in visitor demand highlights over-reliance on Chinese visitors