February 22nd, 2024

K-defense

South Korea's arms industry goes global

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The Big Story

K-defense: South Korea's weapons industry goes global

Amid heightening confrontation with North, Seoul finds niche filling global arms shortages

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has created an arms shortage that South Korean contractors are increasingly being called upon to replenish, sparking an anguished debate in a nation that has "been suffering from the effects of war for 70 years now." (Illustration by Hiroko Oshima)

With their demographic dividends petering out, some ASEAN economies are facing the risk of getting old before they get rich.

Datawatch

Aging Southeast Asia grapples with weak social safety nets

State pensions cover less than 30% of working-age population in some countries

An unfinished China Evergrande residential project in the city of Shijiazhuang: Developers' operations and assets remain mostly based in mainland China.

Opinion

Evergrande's liquidation will not pay off for foreign investors

Bondholders who took Chinese developer to court may get only emotional satisfaction

An LNG terminal in Texas: The largest Asian importers of American LNG plan to reduce gas use over the next decade. (Photo by Ryosuke Hanafusa)

Opinion

Biden's 'pause' on LNG export terminals is good for Asia

To boost region's energy security, U.S. should support development of renewables

Beijing's stepped-up efforts to clamp down on espionage is making foreign investors more hesitant to park their money in China.

The Nikkei View

China should not underestimate impact of inward FDI plunge

Focus on Communist Party power consolidation, anti-spying campaign turn off overseas investors

Vietnam sends more students abroad than the next three ASEAN countries combined, nurturing scientists and engineers who return to run startups like gaming and messaging giant VNG. (Photo by Lien Hoang)

Business Spotlight

Harvard, Oxford graduates power Vietnam's tech startup scene

Communist country stems brain drain as boomerang engineers fuel hope of new Silicon Valley

Shangri-La in Yunnan province was once a hard-to-reach city surrounded by snowcapped mountains. (Photo by Yuri Momoi)

Travel & Leisure

China's Shangri-La high-speed rail welcomes tourists to 'Lost Horizon'

Throngs of visitors bring cultural change to formerly isolated getaway

Despite Beijing's attempts to stifle LGBTQ advocacy, calls for fair treatment continue unabated in online, offline, group and solo events, according to China Dissent Monitor data.

Asia Insight

China LGBTQ community hangs tough in dissent amid repression

Study shows new protest channels used to urge rights progress as authorities circle

A demonstrator attends a protest in New Delhi in March 2020, amid turmoil over the passage of the citizenship act. Years later, the law has yet to be implemented, but the ruling party has signaled it wants to move the process forward.

Politics

India's contentious citizenship law on 'front burner' as polls near

Analysts see act, criticized as anti-Muslim, as being used to shore up Modi's base

Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto speaks to reporters after his election campaign rally in Jakarta on Feb. 10. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)

Indonesia election

Indonesia's Prabowo at risk of leading bloated cabinet after weak legislative vote

Defense minister signals big coalition, calling for 'collaboration' with rivals

Food prices at Singapore's popular hawker centers climbed 15% between 2019 and 2023. (Photo by Fumika Sato)

Economy

Singapore, Thailand and more hand out cash to ease inflation pain

SE Asia governments focus on public support while critics warn of fiscal strain

My Oxford University days: I learned a lot from professor emeritus John Hicks' financial theory.

Haruhiko Kuroda

Study in the U.K.: Haruhiko Kuroda (7)

Future central bank chief meets luminaries of economics while studying abroad

The Asian Financial Crisis happened in the same month as I became director-general of the International Finance Bureau of the Finance Ministry. This photo was taken in the director-general's office.

Haruhiko Kuroda

The Asian Financial Crisis: Haruhiko Kuroda (16)

Kuroda works to contain the 1997 crisis, proposing 'Asian Monetary Fund'

I explained the Bank of Japan's quantitative and qualitative easing policy at a news conference in April 2013.

Haruhiko Kuroda

The introduction of QQE: Haruhiko Kuroda (23)

Kuroda takes over at the BOJ and embarks on unprecedented monetary easing

Rajbari Bawali is a restored mansion in Bengal built by a zamindar, or wealthy landowner. (All photos by Kalpana Sunder)

Life

Enthusiasts revive interest in India's grand old mansions

Vernacular domestic architecture threatened by decay and development

Artist Simon Normand uses souvenir teaspoons as an entry point for examining difficult social issues. (All photos courtesy of Simon Normand)

Tea Leaves

How a humble teaspoon can stir memories

Melbourne exhibition of mid-20th-century souvenirs raises uncomfortable questions