Supply Chain

For Apple and other tech companies, Thailand is emerging as an important alternative production base to China. (Source photos by Reuters)
Supply Chain

Apple in talks with suppliers to make MacBooks in Thailand

U.S. tech giant turning out Apple Watch in Southeast Asian country

13 April 2023
Lithium can be extracted from brine in salt flats.
Materials

Sumitomo Metal to produce lithium with rapid-extraction tech

Joint investments eyed in Argentina and Chile for crucial battery material

11 April 2023
An assembly line at startup Rivian Automotive's electric vehicle factory in Normal, Illinois.
Automobiles

Japan automakers face U.S. supply chain challenge in EV shift

Laggards Toyota, Honda must find new local suppliers to compete in electrics

9 April 2023
Honda hopes that by offsetting electricity price hikes for its suppliers, they would be able to offer wage raises to their workers.
Automobiles

Honda to offset increase in suppliers' electricity bills

Japanese auto giant tries to lift SME burden to leave room for wage hike

6 April 2023
China dominates the global market for rare-earth materials.
Supply Chain

China weighs export ban for rare-earth magnet tech

Beijing looks to strike back after Washington's chip restrictions

6 April 2023
Fast Retailing will begin inspecting third-tier spinning mills, expanding a program that currently covers sewing factories and fabric mills closer to it in the supply chain. (Photo courtesy of Fast Retailing)
Supply Chain

Uniqlo parent to audit working conditions at third-tier suppliers

Fast Retailing responds to calls for stricter due diligence on human rights

5 April 2023
A farmer picks cotton in China's Xinjiang region, which faces allegations of large-scale forced labor. The push to identify and reduce human rights abuses in corporate supply chains is growing worldwide.
Supply Chain

Japan to urge greater scrutiny over human rights with new checklist

Initiative focuses on specific risks for companies by sectors, products, regions

4 April 2023
Samsung gadgets for sale in Vietnam, the company's main phone manufacturing location. (Photo by Lien Hoang)
Companies

Samsung meetings in Vietnam shine spotlight on global tax overhaul

Big Tech bracing for impact of OECD deal on minimum corporate levy

3 April 2023
Some ophthalmologists and specialty stores In Japan are struggling with contact lens shortages. (Photo by Masaru Shioyama)
Inflation

Ukraine war brings inflation into focus for contact lenses in Japan

Supply chain disruption creates shortages, adds to upward pressure on prices

1 April 2023
U.S. President Joe Biden drives a Cadillac electric vehicle during a visit to the 2022 Detroit Auto Show.
Automobiles

U.S. EV tax break leaves out imports in blow to Japanese, European autos

$7,500 credit limited to North American-made cars despite objections from other countries

1 April 2023
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is keeping his predecessor's policies to promote domestic supply chains. (Photo courtesy of South Korea's Presidential Office)
Semiconductors

Japan export curbs pay off for South Korean chip materials makers

Profits double as Samsung and others pivot to domestic suppliers

26 March 2023
The Taiwanese government is cleaning silt from the Tsengwen Reservoir while the water level is extremely low. (Photo courtesy of Taiwan’s Water Resources Agency) 
Business Spotlight

Taiwan braces for drought in key chip hubs again

Water challenge comes as island pushes to maintain 'silicon shield' against China

24 March 2023
Engineers from Shanghai are playing a key role in Tesla's expansion of its Fremont factory.
Supply Chain

In China decoupling, companies still rely on Chinese know-how

Experienced talent tough to replace at Tesla plant and other production hubs

17 March 2023
Adam White, president of power and sensor systems at Infineon, told Nikkei Asia that Infineon is particularly optimistic about gallium nitride chips. (Photo by Cheng Ting-Fang)
Semiconductors

Infineon upbeat on next-gen power chips as broader market struggles

Gallium nitride and silicon carbide promise small, efficient and fast devices

16 March 2023
The Chinese userbase of code hosting platform GitHub is second only to that of the U.S. (Photo by Suzu Takahashi)
Supply Chain

China decoupling spreads to software development

Fears grow that Chinese software components make apps open to attack

16 March 2023
Foxconn is betting on its EV component business to help offset a slowdown in the smartphone market, a key segment for the Taiwanese company. 
Supply Chain

Foxconn says it will build EV batteries in Wisconsin and Ohio

Key iPhone assembler aims to more than double its EV revenue this year

15 March 2023
An electric vehicle is assembled at Mazda Motor's plant in Hiroshima, Japan. Chinese curbs on technology exports could hinder the development of new EVs. (Photo by Ryotaro Yamada)
Supply Chain

Joint patents with China pose pitfalls in U.S.-led decoupling

American, Japanese filings on EV tech exposed to Beijing's leverage in trade battle

15 March 2023
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will host a G-7 summit in May. (Photo courtesy of the Cabinet Secretariat of Japan) 
Supply Chain

With China in mind, G-7 to call for groupwide supply chains

Economic security to be major topic at Hiroshima summit in May

12 March 2023
A Keppel Corporation infrastructure center in Singapore. The company invests in energy projects, urban development and data centers. (Photo courtesy of Keppel Corporation)
Property

Singapore's Keppel targets Vietnam amid 'China plus one' shift

Temasek-backed asset manager eyes clean energy, data centers for new investment

9 March 2023
A heavy rare-earth mine at Mount Weld in Australia. Japan is investing in operations here to secure supplies of the materials. (Photo courtesy of Lynas Rare Earths)
Supply Chain

Japan takes first stake in heavy rare earths to reduce China reliance

Sojitz, JOGMEC aim to fill 30% of domestic demand in deal with Australian miner

9 March 2023
Workers stand overlooking the Grasberg copper mine in Indonesia's Papua province. Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo plans to ban copper experts tentatively in the middle of the year.
Commodities

Indonesia eyes extending export bans to bauxite, copper and beyond

Jokowi aims to develop downstream industries at home, but risks trade frictions

7 March 2023
Vietnamese leader Nguyen Phu Trong speaks at a February 2021 news conference in Hanoi after being reelected as Communist Party general secretary for a third term.
Politics

How viable is Vietnam as a 'friend-shoring' destination?

Leadership shake-up sparks concern about possible shift toward China, Russia

5 March 2023
Taiwan's Foxconn, a key assembler of Apple iPhones, is moving to boost production in India.
Electronics

Taiwan's Foxconn eyes new iPhone factories in India

Manufacturer's CEO visits 2 Indian states, looking to reduce dependence on China

4 March 2023
Honor Device unveiled its latest foldable phones at MWC 2023 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Cheng Ting-Fang)
MWC 2023

China's Honor, Oppo bet on foldable smartphones in global blitz

Market leader Samsung welcomes rivals as way to grow nascent segment

27 February 2023
Qualcomm is collaborating with three major Chinese smartphone makers to put satellite-powered communications into their devices. (Photo courtesy of Qualcomm) 
MWC 2023

Qualcomm chips to power satellite tech in Chinese smartphones

Chipmakers from MediaTek to Samsung bring 'non-terrestrial' messaging to phones

27 February 2023