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October 15th, 2020

THE MAN WHO CLOTHES ASIA

Uniqlo chief Tadashi Yanai, Japan's richest man, on life, death and casual wear

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The Big Story

The man who clothes Asia: Uniqlo chief Tadashi Yanai

Japan's richest man on life, death and casual wear

Unlikely style icon who is avowedly anti-style: "Gone is the era when people strove wholeheartedly to enrich their material lives," says Tadashi Yanai, CEO of Uniqlo parent Fast Retailing. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)
President Joko Widodo refuses to back down from the new law, saying COVID-19 has created a jobs crisis. (Screen grab from YouTube)
Politics

Indonesians vent anger over job creation law: Five things to know

Jokowi refuses to backtrack, insisting 'millions can improve their lives'

A screen shows Xi Jinping at a press conference after the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing in April 2019: Xi knows that China is vulnerable on environmental issues.
Opinion

US must turn China's environmental destruction to its advantage

Regrettably, the Trump administration views environmental protection as a weakness

Duterte lashed out at Facebook's latest crackdown for supposedly "promoting the cause of the rebellion." 
Opinion

Philippines versus Facebook brawl exposes China's sharp power

President Duterte has openly accused the social media giant of censorship

From left: Top diplomats Subrahmanyam Jaishankar of India, Toshimitsu Motegi of Japan, Marise Payne of Australia and Mike Pompeo of the U.S. are seen at the Quad ministerial meeting in Tokyo on Oct. 6.
The Nikkei View

Enhanced Quad will provide foundation for Indo-Pacific stability

Cooperation with US, India, Australia crucial for Japan's new government

KKR has invested in tech companies including China's ByteDance, owner of TikTok, and India's Jio Platforms. "The big tech investing opportunity is really domestic focused companies," the private equity group says. (Nikkei montage/Reuters)
Business Spotlight

From Jio to ByteDance, KKR bets on Asia's 'local' tech champions

Pandemic fuels US investor's deal making but political tension raises risks

Nissan President and CEO Makoto Uchida poses in front of an Ariya electric vehicle at the company's headquarters in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)
Interview

Nissan bets on EV supremacy for growth, CEO says

Uchida doesn't deny possibility of further alliance expansion in future

The Danone-Yakult investment ties began when Danone acquired a 5% stake in Yakult in 2000. (Source photos by Reuters/courtesy of Yakult) 
Food & Beverage

Yakult and Danone end disappointing 20-year capital alliance

Few synergies with French company pushes Japanese drink maker to expand abroad

All Nippon Airways has decided to suspend winter bonuses to its nearly 15,000 employees, while Jetstar Japan will suspend six loss-making routes for the period through March 2021.
Transportation

Japanese airlines brace for further restructuring amid scarce aid

ANA suspends bonuses while JAL-backed LCC Jetstar plans to cut routes

Jennifer A. Doudna, who on Oct. 7 shared the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, and Li Ka-shing in Hong Kong in 2014. (Courtesy of the Li Ka Shing Foundation)
Health Care

Nobel prizes highlight Li Ka-shing's role in scientific research

Hong Kong tycoon's foundation backed winners in chemistry and medicine

The global race for a coronavirus vaccine is on, but efforts in Asian countries are largely trailing those in the U.S. and Europe.
Asia Insight

Japan's COVID vaccine sprint becomes marathon ahead of Olympics

From India to Thailand, nations seek homegrown shots as global death toll mounts

Singapore's Merlion Park, a major tourist spot: The city-state aims to revive general travel, either by unilaterally allowing visitors from certain countries or through reciprocal "bubbles."
Coronavirus

Singapore speeds up travel restart as COVID keeps Malaysia gripped

Neighbors' contrasting circumstances underscore health-economy dilemma

Sri Lanka's government led by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa desperately needs cash to service over $15 billion in foreign debt. (Source photos by Reuters) 
International relations

Sri Lanka turns to China rather than IMF to avoid default

Relations with US-led multilateral lender strained by past misadventures

Serving up kawaii: Employees at Maidreamin, a maid cafe in Bangkok, show off their cat pose. (Photo by Yukako Ono)
Life

Thais seek to re-create the 'real Japan'

Love affair with Japanese culture intensifies amid thirst for authenticity

Frustrated by incessant Zoom meetings? There are memes to cope with that, too. (Image by meme artist Hari Krishnan)
Tea Leaves

Laughter in a time of crisis

Memes help us deal with the horror of the COVID-19 pandemic