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May 18th, 2023

Japan's G-7 test

Fumio Kishida is pushing the limits of his new foreign policy leadership

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The Big Story

Japan's G-7 test: Kishida pushes active foreign policy onto global stage

PM emphasizes importance of 'Global South' in maintaining international order

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida poses for a portrait before an exclusive pre-G-7 interview with Nikkei in Tokyo on May 10. (Photo by Yuki Kohara)
Before joining the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Christopher Johnstone served the U.S. government in various roles including at the CIA, the Department of Defense and the National Security Council. (Photo by Yukihiro Sakaguchi)
Interview

G-7 summit to shine light on Indo-Pacific: former Biden adviser

Christopher Johnstone says 'autocracy-versus-democracy' worldview is unhelpful

U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Group of 20 leaders' summit in Bali on Nov. 14, 2022.
Opinion

Demonizing China gets the U.S. nowhere

Sanctions and tariffs have not changed Beijing's behavior

Indonesian President Joko Widodo's administration has delivered devastating blows to the country's democracy.
Opinion

Indonesia has lost its way on corruption and freedom

Quest to turn nation into a modern democracy has failed

Indonesian President Joko Widodo and other leaders gather for the 42nd ASEAN Summit in Labuan Bajo, Indonesia, on May 10. (Pool via Reuters)
The Nikkei View

ASEAN must unite on ending violence in Myanmar

Fragmented diplomacy by bloc's members will allow chaos to continue

Walmart's Flipkart controlled 48% of the Indian online retail market last year, while Amazon had 26%. (Source photos by Reuters) 
Business Spotlight

Amazon falls behind Walmart in battle for India's online shoppers

Controversial $16 billion Flipkart deal gives Walmart an e-commerce edge

Ads for the Singapore bank UOB at Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. (Photo by Dylan Loh)
Finance

Singapore's UOB bets on Thailand, Vietnam in ASEAN growth surge

Lender wins 2 million clients from Citi buyout but economic headwinds pose risks

A mark an a display case containing hot food at a convenience store, indicating the items within are Halal-certified. (Photo by Koya Jibiki)
Food & Beverage

Indonesia's food companies rush for halal seal of approval by 2024

Government hopes to spur spending with new certification requirement

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has entered his second year as president. The question is whether he can spur growth in a sputtering economy.
Asia Insight

South Korea's weak growth tests Yoon's resolve to cut spending

Subsidy and patronage habits keep economy tied to inefficient old ways

The Discord leaks have thrown a spotlight on the diplomatic positioning of Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's government between the U.S. and China. (Source photos by AP) 
International relations

Pakistan faces more 'difficult choices' after pivot-to-China leak

Discord memo underscores Islamabad's growing frustration with U.S.

Australia posted a budget surplus of AU$4.2 billion for the year to June 2023, its first since the 2007-2008 fiscal year. (Source photos by Reuters and Getty Images)
Economy

Australia budget surplus likely a one-off as spending surges

Canberra's finances face 'downside shock' after commodity price windfall

ECB President Christine Lagarde recently spoke with Nikkei online. (Photo by Marlies Matthes)
Interview

ECB chief Lagarde hints at rate hikes amid stubborn inflation

European Central Bank president calls for stiffer regulation after crises

Move Forward supporters cheer at the party's headquarters in Bangkok as the election results show its strong performance. (Photo by Adryel Talamantes)
Thai election

Move Forward and Pheu Thai pull ahead in Thai election

As counting progresses into Monday, coalition talks expected

"HIDARI," a stop-motion samurai movie produced using wooden puppets, has amassed more than 2 million YouTube views since its release in March. (Courtesy of Dwarf/Whatever/Tecarat)
Arts

Japanese stop-motion film brings 'wooden' samurai to life

Crowdfunded pilot project carves out global success as 2m watch on YouTube

A woman walks past vending machines selling canned coffee and other drinks in Tokyo. 
Tea Leaves

Japan's vending machine culture is ahead of the curve

In an insecure world, automatic dispensers may be our last hope