The Big Story

Riot police disperse protesters in Hong Kong's Yuen Long district on Sept. 21. 
25 September 2019
Socially conscious, well-informed and quick to organize behind a cause: By 2030, Asia's Generation Z will be 960 million people strong.
The Big Story

Purpose over profit: How Generation Z is redefining business

Asia's young consumers are demanding that companies reflect their values on equality and the environment

18 September 2019
In China, luxury consumers are both becoming younger and less brand-loyal, says Mia Kong, Shanghai-based style director for magazine Dazed China. (Photo courtesy of Mia Kong)
The Big Story

Asia's Gen Z: Three young pacesetters to watch

Keep an eye on these names to understand the next wave of consumers

18 September 2019
In Chinese, the name "Huawei" means "China can make it." For months, the company has been quietly ramping up orders from Asian suppliers -- and leading a wave of de-Americanization in Chinese technology.
The Big Story

Inside Huawei's secret plan to beat American trade war sanctions

Mobilizing Asian suppliers for a production surge, Chinese company leads a split from US technology

11 September 2019
Richard Yu, CEO of Huawei's consumer business division, unveils the new P30 and P30 Pro smartphones during a launch event in Paris in March.
The Big Story

P30 Pro teardown: how Huawei is reducing its reliance on US tech

Sanctions leave Chinese company searching for alternative suppliers of critical parts

11 September 2019
Huawei has built a skilled workforce that includes high-profile international talent, and where 85,000 of the company's employees -- 44% of its total headcount -- work in research and development.
The Big Story

Huawei's rapid rise is driven by a global talent hunt

Chinese telecom giant has spent big to attract scientists and engineers from its rivals

11 September 2019
Japan's Rugby World Cup -- the first to be held in Asia -- aims to launch the niche sport into the region's multibillion-dollar market.
The Big Story

Japan's 'epoch-making' Rugby World Cup: false dawn or breakout moment?

To enter the big leagues, game seeks to untangle itself from Japan Inc ownership

4 September 2019
World Rugby says overseas fans will stay an average of 21 nights in Japan, boosting consumption in the country by 105.7 billion yen. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)
The Big Story

World Cup gives embattled Airbnb a second chance in Japan

Home-sharing and luxury hospitality hope to score ahead of 2020 Olympics

4 September 2019
Masayoshi Son's first Vision Fund had earth-shaking effects. But with massive scale comes close scrutiny -- and its even bigger sequel must convince investors that the vision can be profitable. (Photo by Yuki Kohara)
The Big Story

SoftBank's Vision Fund 2: more firepower, bigger questions

Masayoshi Son faces a relentless pace of exits and IPOs to achieve his 300-year vision

28 August 2019
SoftBank Group Chairman and CEO Masayoshi Son visits Jakarta in July. Also pictured: the co-founder of ride-hailing unicorn Grab, Anthony Tan, second from left, and the co-founder of e-commerce unicorn Tokopedia, William Tanuwijaya, right.
The Big Story

Hungry for growth, Vision Fund-backed startups turn investors

Buying spree may come at the cost of weaker business focus

28 August 2019
The headquarters of the People's Bank of China in Beijing: On Aug. 5, the central bank allowed the currency to weaken below the 7-yuan-to-the-dollar threshold maintained for more than a decade.
The Big Story

Trump finally labels China a currency manipulator

A currency war between the US and China would compound Asia’s growth problems

21 August 2019
A jump in pork prices is revealing China's unexpected economic resilience -- and the exposed underbelly of American farming. (Illustration by Eric Chow)
The Big Story

A beef over pork: How farm goods give Beijing an edge in the trade war

China's abrupt ban on US agriculture hits Trump's voting heartland

21 August 2019
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi enjoyed a landslide electoral victory in May, but building economic gloom is already casting a shadow over his government's second term. (Photo by Kosaku Mimura)
The Big Story

Modi seeks reforms to India's stuttering economy

Landslide victory gives reelected prime minister a second chance at 'Modinomics'

14 August 2019
Supporters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrate in Ahmedabad after the government scrapped the special status of Jammu and Kashmir on Aug. 5.
The Big Story

Empowered by reelection, Modi moves to absorb disputed Kashmir

Tensions leap but Islamabad lacks means to retaliate, says expert

14 August 2019
Chinese students have helped to transform U.S. universities into a $39 billion export industry. Now, both Washington and Beijing are threatening to use them as bargaining chips in their escalating trade war. (Avalon/Jiji)
The Big Story

Chinese students and US universities become pawns in the trade war

America clamps down on visas while China urges students to stay away

7 August 2019
Collaboration has long been the norm in scientific research, but U.S. espionage fears are beginning to lay down borders in global academia. 
The Big Story

US spying fears spread to academia as tech rivalry with China sharpens

Scientists warn of racial profiling and threats to academic freedom

7 August 2019
As Japan’s controls on chemical exports threaten South Korea’s high-tech sector, politicians and businesses are digging in for the long haul. (Montage by Michael Tsang)
The Big Story

Inside the lose-lose trade fight between Japan and South Korea

Samsung's chip business faces "burdens" from Tokyo's new export controls

31 July 2019
Then-South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun, left, and Japan's then-Emperor Akihito in 2003 -- the last state visit by a South Korean leader to Japan to date.
The Big Story

Japan-South Korea dispute has roots in 1965 postwar agreement

Tokyo says claims over colonial past are settled, but Seoul seeks to 'set history right'

31 July 2019
The $130 billion video game industry is facing its "Netflix moment:" a coming streaming boom will sap the market for physical consoles. (Photo by Yuki Kohara)
The Big Story

A Netflix moment for gaming? Streaming challenges consoles in 5G era

Former rivals Sony and Microsoft ally to take on new 'cloud gaming' platforms

24 July 2019
A child in Tokyo plays Minecraft: Gaming addiction is on the rise in Asia, with the World Health Organization recognizing it as a medical disease in May. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)
The Big Story

Asia's esports hubs rattled by the rise in game addiction

In China and South Korea, governments scramble to curb "gaming disorder"

24 July 2019
Stream article image
24 July 2019
Models walk the runway in modest designs by sought-after Indonesian label Dian Pelangi at New York Fashion Week in February.
The Big Story

Indonesia seeks lead in global modest-fashion industry

World's most populous Muslim-majority country should have sector sewn up, but snags remain

17 July 2019
Fans crowd Halima Aden, who posed in a high-coverage "burkini" swimsuit for magazine Sports Illustrated in May.
The Big Story

Young Muslims are injecting new glamour into modest wear

But fashion-forward "hijabistas" draw credit and criticism

17 July 2019
Chipmakers surged in Nikkei's latest Asia300 company rankings, but fresh pressures loom. (Illustration by Eric Chow)
The Big Story

SK Hynix surges to top Asia300 company rankings as trade war takes toll

Asian tech resilient, but rising barriers threaten to throttle ambitions

10 July 2019
Illustration by Eric Chow
The Big Story

Xi doctrine comes before profit for China's state-owned companies

'Original aspiration' campaign keeps Conch and Moutai occupied

10 July 2019