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April 20th, 2023

Asia's next "airpocalypse"

Seasonal agricultural burning is choking northern Thailand and its neighbors

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The Big Story

Thailand's air pollution crisis deepens amid seasonal crop burning

Smoke from agricultural field and forest blazes chokes Southeast Asia

Thailand's air pollution crisis deepens amid seasonal crop burning
More data centers are opening in Greater Tokyo as global IT companies shun China to ensure data security and avoid being caught in the U.S.-China tussle.
Datawatch

Tokyo challenges Beijing as Asia's data center hub

Capacity in Japan's capital forecast to double in 3 to 5 years

TSMC founder Morris Chang, right, has publicly declared that he supports U.S. controls on exports of chip technology to China. 
Opinion

U.S. allies are on board for China chip tech controls after all

Sharing of costs has reduced corporate grumbling about lost exports

The Shandong, China's first fully homebuilt aircraft carrier, in Sanya in 2019: Large carriers are a quintessential element of a blue-water navy. (Li Gang/Xinhua via AP)
Opinion

China's military buildup shows its ambitions go well beyond Taiwan

No one should believe that Beijing would be sated with the takeover of the island

Upcoming international meetings will give Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida an opportunity to bolster support against a reckless North Korea. (Photo by Suzu Takahashi)
The Nikkei View

Stronger international cooperation needed to halt North Korea's recklessness

Japan must improve public safety in face of repeated missile launches

Factories have seen orders canceled in Vietnam, the Asian country most exposed to global swings in trade after Singapore. 
Business Spotlight

Vietnam's manufacturers brace for worse after GDP whiplash

Factory downturn marks sharp reversal and bellwether for Asian supply-chain hub

Allride.ai's cars have a notable lack of equipment on their exterior because much of the technology needed to guide them is on roads instead. (Photo by Noriyuki Doi)
China tech

China self-driving startup seeks to cut vehicle costs with road sensors

Allride.ai hopes to overcome barriers to widespread use of Level 4 automation

Semiconductors are a vital component in military products, and Russia's imports of them have surged since it invaded Ukraine. (Source photo by AP)
Semiconductors

Special report: How U.S.-made chips are flowing into Russia

Shipments from Hong Kong and China jumped tenfold after invasion of Ukraine

A Beijing meat stall accepts cashless payments through the use of QR codes. China was the least cash-dependent country in Asia in 2022.
Finance

Thailand, Japan and Vietnam lag in Asia's digital payments rush

Cash remains vital in many nations despite declining usage across region: report

ASEAN leaders including Myanmar's top general, Min Aung Hlaing, agreed in April 2021 on five steps toward resolving the crisis in the war-torn member state. Only one has been accomplished, and the bloc's unity and credibility are on the line.
Asia Insight

Myanmar tests Indonesia's resolve as ASEAN fissures deepen

Bloc's 2023 chair works quietly to overcome two years of Five Point Consensus failure

A rendering shows Bangladesh's Japan-backed Matarbari port complex upon completion. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida aims to build a regional "industrial value chain" in cooperation with India as well. (Image courtesy of JICA)
International relations

Bangladesh deep-sea port promises strategic anchor for Japan, India

New Delhi's influence in Dhaka helps foil Chinese plans for similar foothold

An artist rendering of the planned casino resort in Osaka due to open in late 2029. (Image courtesy of MGM Resorts International and Orix)
Travel & Leisure

Japan's 1st casino looks to copy Singapore's success

Osaka resort counts on gambling revenues but faces capacity limits

 Pearl Lam Galleries’ booth at Art SG. (All photos by Juliana Tan)
Arts

Art SG propels Singapore to creative big leagues

New art fair puts city-state on map for galleries and collectors alike

Quintessentially Thai: Pad kaprao, left, a stir-fry with a distinct aroma and a flavor of Thai holy basil, and the spicy, sour gaeng som, widely considered the hottest soup on the Thai menu. (All photos by Ken Kobayashi)
Tea Leaves

Thais hone taste for gastro-nationalism

In multilayered culinary culture, dishes are more than just meals