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May 7th, 2020

Ready Player One

Can CEO Kenichiro Yoshida restore Sony to its innovative prime?

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The Big Story

Sony CEO Yoshida navigates coronavirus and activist attacks

New PlayStation launch clouded by pandemic as company seeks to revive innovation

In a striking company turnaround, CEO Kenichiro Yoshida seems to have put Sony's troubled years behind it. His next, and even bigger challenge: to restore its halo as the inventive brand behind devices from the Walkman to the PlayStation. 
A culinary icon in the Philippines, Jollibee was hoping to open 600 stores this year, over half of them overseas. But the the coronavirus pandemic has put those plans on hold. (Photo by Cliff Venzon)
Business Spotlight

Jollibee's quest for global dominance derailed by virus

US acquisitions continue to weigh down Philippine fast-food empire

Kweichow Moutai, a distiller of "baiju," a sorghum-based liquor, has bucked the sharp downturn in China's alcoholic drinks industry, partly due to its image as the "state liquor."
Companies

China's 'state liquor' Moutai defies downturn with spirited growth

Sales and profit rise despite coronavirus, but governance risks remain

Countries around the world are investing big in crash programs to develop a vaccine for the coronavirus.
Coronavirus

US and China unleash wallets in race for coronavirus vaccine

Capitals prioritize national drives over international cooperation

A doctor takes a nasal swab to test a girl for the coronavirus in Ahmedabad, India, on April 30. The government authorized several domestic companies to make test kits after finding problems with Chinese products. 
Politics

India opts for own COVID-19 tests kits, rejecting those from China

Country to double daily testing capabilities to 100,000 by May end

About 20 Japanese companies will cooperate to release hundreds of thousands of patents to develop new treatments for the coronavirus. (Nikkei Montage/Source photo by Reuters)
Coronavirus

Toyota and Canon among companies freeing patents to fight virus

Hundreds of thousands are expected to be released to develop new treatments

A Nintendo store in Tokyo: The video game company's market valuation has jumped.
Markets

Nintendo soars past Tokyo Disney operator in stay-at-home world

'Social distancing' stocks drive Japan market rebound

In recent days, New Zealand, Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia have gambled on gingerly restarting their economies, despite the risk of a new wave of infections. (© Illustration by Michael Tsang)
Asia Insight

COVID-19 in charts: Japan and Philippines dodge explosions

Dive into data shows two countries, and India, at key junctures

Filipinos, seen here at a remittance counter in Makati City in Manila, are expected to suffer the most from a fall in remittances from overseas as the coronavirus pandemic leads to job losses and pay cuts. 
Economy

Philippines and Indonesia face risk of record remittance fall

Inflows from US and Middle East may plunge, hitting vital source of income

A ceremony to mark the start of the school year on April 8 at an elementary school in Saitama Prefecture, with the students keeping distance between each other in the schoolyard to prevent coronavirus infections. (Photo by Karina Noka)
Education

Japan weighs change to its traditional April start of school year

PM Abe considering 'wide range of options' as coronavirus shutdown continues

Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has been granted sweeping powers that extend to controlling information on the epidemic.
Opinion

Authoritarians are using coronavirus for power grabs in Southeast Asia

From Philippines to Cambodia, politicians take powers and cash to fight pandemic

Chinese military hospital ship the Peace Ark travels on the Pacific Ocean: the ship launched free medical services for the citizens of Vanuatu in July 2018.
Opinion

China's coronavirus aid to Pacific islands is part of geopolitical game

Beijing is using health care to improve relations in strategically significant area

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte reportedly gave the military and the police the green light to shoot civilians who violate lockdown orders.
The Nikkei View

Don't make democracy a casualty of virus war

Checks and balances more essential than ever in age of nationalism and populism

Hong Kong bookseller Lam Wing-kee's life took a dramatic turn in 2015, when he was abducted by Chinese agents. "I didn’t expect myself to be China’s next target," says Lam, pictured here in Taipei in 2019. (Courtesy of Hsu Shih-kai)
Life

Abducted by China, Hong Kong bookseller starts again in Taiwan

Lam Wing-kee, who jumped bail in 2016, wants to defy Beijing's curbs on free speech

Many vendors have closed, but others like Pim Chana are determined to keep working.
Tea Leaves

Street-food vendors show fighting spirit in Bangkok lockdown

Coronavirus poses new threat to iconic stalls that have survived gentrification