February 25th, 2021

BACK-SEAT DRIVER

Japan is powering a hidden revolution in autonomous vehicles

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Coronavirus

Japan starts COVID vaccination drive: five things to know

Tokyo doctor receives first dose; vaccine minister Kono upbeat as Olympics near

Kazuhiro Araki, director of the Tokyo Medical Center, receives Japan's first COVID-19 vaccine on Feb. 17. (Pool photo)

An image of Xi Jinping at an exhibition on the fight against the outbreak in Wuhan, pictured on Jan. 23: the real lesson is the harm caused by excessive secrecy.

Opinion

Xi's excessive secrecy inflicts needless self-harm

A softer form of authoritarian rule would better serve Beijing's interests

Yoshiro Mori attends a news conference on Feb. 4: there is a cultural context as to why Mori should think that a short meeting is a successful meeting.

Opinion

Meetings with women that 'take too long' are a good thing

Nonconforming minorities need to challenge groupthink

There have been a series of incursions by China Coast Guard vessels into Japanese territorial waters near the Senkaku Islands, which China claims as the Diaoyu Islands.

The Nikkei View

Japan must address legal and practical gaps in maritime security

Aggressive Chinese presence in Senkaku waters requires careful response

Could this be the future of driving? In a rare world first for Japan and its car industry, the country is setting the pace for self-driving technology.

The Big Story

Back-seat driver: How Honda stole the lead in autonomous cars

A legal revolution paved the way for an AI breakthrough, but rules are still vague

The Feb. 1 coup, in which Aung San Suu Kyi and other civilian leaders were arrested, has created a potential minefield for businesses and investors in Myanmar.

Business Spotlight

Myanmar's coup creates a minefield for business

Fears of digital crackdown undercut hope junta will improve on Suu Kyi's policies

Kirin Holdings President & CEO Yoshinori Isozaki defended the decision to invest in Myanmar, saying its military-linked partner "should have followed the rules." (Photo by Kosuke Imamura)

Interview

Japan's Kirin seeks end to Myanmar ventures 'within a year': CEO

Brewer to cut ties with military-linked partner, fearing reputational damage

It now appears that U.S. restrictions preventing Huawei from obtaining key smartphone components will not be eased by President Joe Biden.

Huawei crackdown

Huawei to more than halve smartphone output in 2021

China's largest handset maker suffers from US sanctions Biden appears to back

The world's oil exporters, including shale oil producers in the U.S., have been unusually like-minded about curtailing output.

Market Spotlight

Oil market bounces back from COVID depths on vaccine optimism

Further increases depend on OPEC+ countries' ability to maintain output cuts

Jollibee is betting Yoshinoya's famous beef bowls will travel well amid pandemic-related restrictions on eat-in restaurants. (Source photos by AP and Nikkei)

Business deals

Fast-food giants Jollibee and Yoshinoya team up in Philippines

Joint venture eyes delivery as pandemic crimps eat-in restaurants

Amazon has big ambitions in India, home to the world's second-largest online population.

Retail

Amazon deflects India headwinds with local production pledge

Deal to make Fire TV Sticks in Chennai comes amid calls for retail protectionism

South Korea's massive corporations are exporting their way out of the COVID-19 pandemic, while small businesses are still struggling as people remain reluctant to spend. (Illustration by Hiroko Oshima)

Asia Insight

Pandemic widens gap between South Korea's haves and have-nots

Chaebols rebound on export growth, while small domestic businesses suffer

Seiko Hashimoto competes in the 1,500-meter speed skating race during the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France, where she won a bronze medal. Hashimoto has competed in seven Olympic Games throughout her career.

Tokyo 2020 Olympics

Seven-time Olympian's latest hurdle is planning the Tokyo Games

New chief Seiko Hashimoto takes baton from mentor Mori after sexism scandal

U.S. President Joe Biden waves on the South Lawn of the White House after stepping off the Marine One presidential helicopter on Feb. 19. Biden made his first multilateral engagement that day by attending the Group of Seven leaders' virtual summit.

International relations

Trans-Atlantic 'Quad' prepares for new Eastern center of gravity

US, UK, Germany and France talk of strategic competition with China

Examples of protest art made available by the organization Art for Freedom (Myanmar). The group operates a website and Facebook page where people can download artwork for free to use in protests against the coup. (Courtesy of Art for Freedom (Myanmar))

Life & Arts

Young, creative and angry: Myanmar's youth pushes back

Artists and writers take on military through social media, art and street protests

The dragon fruit has no real Chinese connections other than its English-language name.

Tea Leaves

Exit the dragon fruit

India renames a favorite food to remove its Chinese flavor