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July 2nd, 2020

SPIRITED AWAY

With bars shuttered and drinkers at home, Suntory must innovate to keep growing

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The Big Story

Suntory thirsts for new markets as coronavirus upends whisky empire

CEO Takeshi Niinami says innovation is key to restarting growth

Suntory Holdings rode two decades of surging popularity for Japanese whisky. Then the coronavirus hit, shutting down cities and means for people to gather. (Photo by Tomoki Mera)
Large shopping complexes are opening one after another in Bangkok, one of Southeast Asia's leading commercial hubs. (Photo by Akira Kodaka)
Business Spotlight

Bangkok 'mall war' heats up as coronavirus clouds Thai retail boom

Oversupply fears spike after developers push expansion despite no foreign tourists

Tourists relax in a swimming pool at a hotel in central Bangkok. 
Business trends

Thai hotels that survived the pandemic now face a price war

Battle for domestic tourists heats up as Central Group and Dusit halve rates

Masks are becoming a commonplace accessory as the coronavirus pandemic persists. (Photo courtesy of Under Armour)
Business trends

Under Armour faces off with Uniqlo in activewear masks

Battle of brands heats up as wearers look beyond disposable coverings

A Mazda assembly plant in Mexico. (Photo courtesy of Mazda)
Automobiles

Japan auto companies triple Mexican pay rather than move to US

Trump hailed new NAFTA as American job generator, but higher prices appear in offing

A researcher examines a semiconductor wafer at parent company Tsinghua Unigroup.
China tech

China's top memory chipmaker to unveil first-ever storage products

Yangtze Memory bolsters line up amid US-China decoupling

Success in containing the first wave does not guarantee that tackling the second wave will be just as effective. © Illustration by Michael Tsang
Asia Insight

The next wave: Japan and Asian neighbors walk COVID 'tightrope'

Singapore tops safety ranking despite struggle with dormitory clusters

Lee Hsien Yang of the Progress Singapore Party speaks with voters on June 30. The same day, he said he would not run in the election because Singapore "does not need another Lee."
Singapore election

Singapore PM's brother stays on sidelines as candidates start race

Ten opposition parties file nominations to challenge PAP in July 10 election

Chinese, left, and Indian troops march in Moscow on June 24 in a parade celebrating Victory Day, the anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. (Nikkei montage/source photos by Reuters)
International relations

Chinese and Indian troops march in same parade as Putin watches

Defense ministers from both sides attend Russia's Victory Day celebration

A woman from a slum shouts about scarcity of food supply in Mumbai on Apr. 14: India's lockdown has led to a humanitarian crisis of epic proportions.
Opinion

Lockdown shows up public face of India's gender inequality

Men can loiter on the streets but women find much less space available to them

A woman takes part in an online drinking session from her home on Apr. 8: younger staff applaud their freedom from the social protocol of having to pour drinks for their bosses.
Opinion

Pandemic prompts Japan Inc. to question traditional way of working

As workers embrace a virtual approach, changes are here to stay

the tradition of an independent judiciary has attracted people and capital from all over the world to Hong Kong. 
The Nikkei View

Still not too late for China to rethink Hong Kong law

Tampering with judicial autonomy risks exodus of people and money

A Catholic priest tours Manila in a pickup truck in April for a Palm Sunday ritual to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Life

Filipinos keep religious fiestas alive under lockdown

Local groups reinvent Flores de Mayo for coronavirus era with online streaming and more

Japanese sumo and American football, both sports reflect the distinctly different characteristics of the societies that spawned them. (Source photo by Reuters and Kei Higuchi)
Tea Leaves

How sumo and American football could help unite the world

Vastly different sports offer precious insights into national characteristics