April 8th, 2021

FEAR IN AMERICA

Anti-Asian racism is a crisis both at home and abroad

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The Big Story

Anti-Asian attacks erode US image as Biden rebuilds Pacific ties

Trump's China rhetoric cited as source of bias against Asian Americans

The surge in anti-Asian violence has brought sympathy from immigrants' home countries, prompted diplomatic rebuke, and handed Chinese state media a potent set of talking points with which to criticize the U.S.

Panasonic will focus more on home appliances and its EV battery unit as a new chief steps forward. (Source photos by Maho Obata, Reuters)

Business Spotlight

Panasonic aims to clean house with revival plan under new CEO

Japanese appliance maker and Tesla battery supplier hope to wow investors

South Korea's second city of Busan is traditionally a conservative area, and has inched further to the right in recent years in apparent frustration with the ruling party's failure to revive the regional economy.

Asia Insight

Moon promises the sky in Busan but faces electoral crash landing

Polls tip conservatives to win back mayorships of South Korea's two biggest cities

TSMC, the world's biggest contract chipmaker, plans to invest $100 billion over the next three years to expand production capacity. (Source photos by TSMC and Reuters)

Semiconductors

TSMC cancels chip price cuts and promises $100bn investment surge

Taiwan chipmaker outlines 3-year spending plan through 2023 to meet higher demand

Containers are stacked up at the port in Long Beach, California.

Transportation

Freight rates spike as Asian cargo ships jam US West Coast ports

Container shortage grows as ports struggle to handle import surge

South Korea's LG Electronics is throwing in the towel on its loss-making smartphone business.

Technology

LG Electronics to end loss-making smartphone business

South Korea group faced lack of in-house chip supply and rise of Chinese rivals

Vietnamese Twitter and Facebook users are calling for a boycott of H&M after the fashion retailer used a controversial map of the South China Sea on its website. (Screen shot from Twitter)

International relations

H&M faces Vietnam boycott over South China Sea map

Backlash follows uproar in China over fashion retailer's Xinjiang stance

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen visits a victim of the train derailment at a hospital in Hualien, Taiwan on Saturday. (Source photos by Executive Yuan/AP and Taiwan Presidential Office)

Transportation

Taiwan's worst rail disaster in decades shows infrastructure flaws

The poor safety record is out of character for the progressive, democratic society

Myanmar protesters worry that a wireless broadband shutdown will lead to an information blackout.

Myanmar Crisis

Myanmar shutdown of wireless internet fuels fears of news blackout

Move aimed at hitting protest movement ignores business pleas

Protests against controversial agricultural reforms in India have sparked a wave of Twitter posts criticizing the government.

Politics

India's attempt to police WhatsApp and Twitter sparks pushback

Broad state powers over content spell trouble for US social media platforms

The freighter Shinas Max carrying 400,000 tons of iron ore is berthed at Zhoushan Port in China's Zhejiang Province. China currently relies on Australia for more than 60% of its iron ore imports.

Commodities

China determined to build iron ore hub in Africa as Australia goes Quad

World's largest untapped reserve in Guinea could be online by 2025, expert says

Anyone running for legislative office in Hong Kong will now be required to be screened for their patriotism to China and support for the country's national security interests.

Politics

Hong Kong's political overhaul: Five things to know

Candidate hopefuls to face many new obstacles in running for office

Vietnamese health workers lining up for their vaccine.

Opinion

Vietnam proves immune to China's vaccine diplomacy campaign

Hanoi scores points with public by giving Beijing the cold shoulder

A rubber duck pictured among various plastic trash on a garbage-filled shore on Freedom Island, off the coast of Manila in the Philippines.

Opinion

Plastic waste is a growing menace, and a wasted opportunity

Southeast Asia has emerged as a hot spot for plastic pollution

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks about the release of the "2020 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices" in Washington on March 30.

The Nikkei View

Japan must join Europe and US in advancing human rights

Universal values guaranteed by UN should inform Tokyo's diplomacy

Taking a cold shower at "Ephemeral Solidified Light" after the sauna, while enjoying being part of the artwork. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)

Arts

Cool art in a hot sauna

Japan's teamLab creates unique exhibition space

Women prisoners attend a Thai massage class at Chiang Mai Women's Correctional Institute in northern Thailand.

Tea Leaves

Happy beginnings in Thailand's prisons

Unique skills training program transforms lives of female inmates