Southeast Asian Street Food Sellers Hit by Soaring Packaging Costs
Southeast Asian street food vendors are grappling with sharply higher packaging costs after the Iran war triggered a surge in plastic resin prices. In Indonesia, the price of a 50‑sheet plastic wrap pack jumped from 9,000 rupiah to 19,000 rupiah, more than doubling. Similar spikes are reported across Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines, squeezing profit margins for small‑scale food sellers. Vendors are now weighing price hikes for customers or switching to alternative packaging solutions.
Asian Stocks Shy of Full Recovery Amid Fragile Iran Ceasefire
A tentative cease‑fire between the United States and Iran lifted some pressure on Asian equity markets on Wednesday. However, the rally was limited as Israel’s large‑scale strikes on Lebanon, which Tehran says breach the truce, kept regional tensions high. Major...
Japan Insurer Aioi Nissay Offers Safe Driving App for Foreign Tourists
Aioi Nissay Dowa Insurance has launched a navigation app embedded in rental‑car systems that warns foreign tourists of historically high‑risk road segments and suggests safer routes. The app draws on police reports, insurance claims, and traffic‑sensor data, updating risk maps...
Japanese Regulator Probes Risks to Major Banks From Private Credit
Japan’s Financial Services Agency (FSA) has opened a formal assessment of how private‑credit activities could threaten the stability of the country’s major banks. The probe follows a series of distress events in the non‑bank lending market, raising concerns about hidden...
Japan Rail Pass Price to Go up in October
Japan Railways Group announced that the Japan Rail Pass will increase in price starting October 1, marking the first hike in three years. The adjustment aligns the pass price with recent fare changes across JR companies. The all‑you‑can‑ride ticket, a staple...
7-Eleven Owner Delays Plan to List US Convenience Store Unit
Seven & i Holdings announced it will postpone the initial public offering of its U.S. convenience‑store subsidiary, 7‑Eleven Inc., to fiscal 2027 at the earliest. The decision follows 23 consecutive months of year‑on‑year sales declines across the American network, signaling operational...
Japan's Itochu and Sankyu to Buy Singapore Plant Repair Firm SWTS
Japanese trading house Itochu and logistics group Sankyu announced a joint acquisition of Singapore‑based plant maintenance specialist SWTS. The deal, reported by Nikkei, aims to broaden both firms' service offerings across Asia’s industrial sector. SWTS, which maintains oil refineries and...
Grab Adds AI Features for Delivery, Travel Across Key Markets
Grab, the Singapore‑based ride‑hailing platform, is rolling out a suite of artificial‑intelligence features across its delivery and travel services in Southeast Asia. The AI tools will deliver personalized food‑order suggestions, hotel recommendations and dynamic pricing insights within the app. The...
Mitsubishi Corp. Opens Free Trial Data Center to Boost AI Deployment
Mitsubishi Corp. has opened a free‑to‑use data‑center facility near Tokyo, allowing companies to bring their own servers for performance and cooling tests. The lab focuses on evaluating processing speeds and advanced liquid‑cooling technologies that are still rare in Japan. By...
Taiwan Chip Industry Calls for Helium, LNG Reserves Amid Iran War Risks
The Taiwan Semiconductor Industry Association (TSIA) urged the Taiwanese government to build strategic reserves of helium and liquefied natural gas (LNG) and to consider reopening nuclear power plants. The call follows heightened risk that the ongoing Iran‑related conflict could choke...
Asian Stocks Surge and Oil Falls on US-Iran Ceasefire
Asian equity markets rallied on Wednesday as investors cheered a two‑week U.S.–Iran ceasefire, pushing Japan's Nikkei index up roughly 4%. The positive risk sentiment spread across regional bourses, lifting stocks in South Korea, Taiwan and other markets. Meanwhile, crude oil...
Foreign Tourism Spurs Room Rates Higher in Japan: Luxury Hotel Group CEO
Japan’s hotel market is seeing a steady rise in room rates as foreign tourists return in larger numbers, according to Royal Hotel CEO Fumikazu Ueda. Even with travel advisories from China and the ongoing Middle East conflict dampening some bookings,...
Tokyo Exchange's Midtier Standard Market Overtakes Prime in Listed Firms
Four years after its 2022 restructuring, the Tokyo Stock Exchange’s Standard market has for the first time surpassed the Prime market in the number of listed companies. The shift reflects the impact of tougher listing criteria introduced for Prime, prompting...
Mitsubishi Motors Not Facing Production Halt From Hormuz Crisis: CEO
Mitsubishi Motors says the ongoing Hormuz Strait crisis has not forced a production halt, according to CEO Takao Kato. While regional petrochemical and raw‑material shipments face disruptions, the automaker’s factories remain operational. Mitsubishi is simultaneously pushing a broader hybrid lineup...
Foldable iPhone Hits Engineering Snags, Shipment Delays Possible: Sources
Apple’s long‑awaited foldable iPhone has hit engineering testing snags, raising the risk of production delays. The company is in an "extremely critical" April‑May window to resolve the issues before mass‑production ramps up. Sources say the setbacks could push back the...
Bangladesh Eyes Energy Sector Overhaul as Iran War Drags On
Bangladesh’s government announced a sweeping overhaul of its energy sector to mitigate risks from the ongoing Iran‑Russia conflict. Economic adviser Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir stressed that while the war strains regional fuel markets, the country has avoided a nationwide supply collapse....
How the Iran War and AI Are Making Tech More Expensive
The ongoing Iran war and the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence are jointly inflating technology costs worldwide. Disruptions to semiconductor supply chains and heightened logistics expenses are pushing component prices up 15‑20 percent. At the same time, soaring demand for...
China Raises Fuel Prices Again as Xi Hails Resilient Energy System
China announced its sixth gasoline price increase of 2026, raising retail rates by up to 4.5% while deliberately limiting the hike to curb inflation. The adjustment reflects sustained high global crude prices and a policy choice to keep consumer fuel...
Huawei AI Aids Conservation of Endangered Chinese Monkey
Huawei Technologies has launched an artificial‑intelligence platform to process massive camera‑trap footage in Guangxi, China, targeting the critically endangered white‑headed langur. The system automatically detects and counts the monkeys, mapping their movements and identifying potential threats such as poaching or...
Iranians Face More Chaos as New Year Begins and Trump Sharpens Threat
Iranians returned to work after the Nowruz holidays to the sound of fighter jets, as domestic unrest intensifies. President Donald Trump escalated U.S. rhetoric, warning of a possible annihilation of Iran. The heightened military presence follows recent airstrikes on Tehran...
Southeast Asia Oil Crisis Puts Sovereign Ratings at Risk
Southeast Asian governments are scrambling to subsidize soaring fuel prices after Brent crude topped $90 a barrel, adding a heavy fiscal burden to Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia. The subsidies, intended to quell public unrest, are swelling budget deficits...
Panasonic Uses TikTok Videos to Fight Fakes in China, Southeast Asia
Panasonic Holdings has launched a TikTok‑based campaign to expose counterfeit products across China and Southeast Asia, complementing a broader effort that monitors roughly 1,000 e‑commerce sites for dangerous fakes. The videos highlight specific hazards, such as low‑quality air‑conditioners, and direct...
Bangladesh Garment Makers See some Costs Triple in Wake of Iran War
Bangladesh’s garment sector, a cornerstone of the nation’s economy, is feeling the ripple effects of the Iran war as key synthetic fibres and chemicals have risen 10 % to 15 % in price. At least one critical input has seen its cost...
Japan PM Takaichi Pursuing Dialogue with Iran's Leader
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi announced that her government is preparing to hold talks with Iran’s supreme leader. The statement was made during a budget committee session in the lower house, emphasizing that discussions will be scheduled at an appropriate...
Edo Period Rest Stop Remakes Itself for 21st Century Globe-Trotters
Narai‑juku, a historic Edo‑period post town in Nagano, is reinventing itself to serve a growing wave of modern travelers. The one‑kilometre street of preserved machiya houses now offers Wi‑Fi, multilingual signage, and contactless payments while retaining its traditional charm. Local...
KMT Leader's China Visit, Key Economic Outlooks, RBI Monetary Policy
Taiwan’s opposition Kuomintang (KMT) leader Cheng Li‑wun travelled to Beijing for a rare meeting with President Xi, marking the first direct KMT‑China dialogue in a decade. In parallel, the ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office and Asian Development Bank will publish regional growth...
Toyota's Made in Japan Plan Might Need Foreign Laborers to Make 1 of 4 Cars
Toyota announced a "Made in Japan" strategy that may require foreign labor to produce one in four vehicles. The automaker plans to build its first new domestic plant since 2012 in Toyota city, Aichi prefecture, with construction targeted for the...
'Generational' Smoking Phaseout in Maldives Faces Cloudy Future
The Maldives government under President Mohamed Muizzu has launched an ambitious tobacco‑control package, expanding smoke‑free zones, banning e‑cigarettes and all tobacco advertising, raising excise taxes, and offering free cessation services. The measures aim to phase out smoking across generations, targeting...
Snow Country: How Niseko Became Japan's Ski and Property Boomtown
Over the past three decades, Niseko in western Hokkaido has transformed from a quiet ski village into Japan’s premier luxury ski and property boomtown. A wave of domestic and foreign capital has driven the construction of high‑end resorts and villas,...
Economists, Business Warn Indonesia's Energy Crisis Response May Backfire
Indonesia’s government has rolled out emergency measures to curb a worsening energy crisis, including a push for remote work, reduced subsidies and scaling back free school meals to conserve fiscal resources. Economists and business groups warn that these austerity steps...
Japan Business Mood Improves as BOJ Weighs Rate Hike Chance
Japan’s large‑manufacturer business sentiment rose for a fourth straight quarter in the January‑March 2026 period, according to the Bank of Japan’s latest survey. The improvement comes as the BOJ signals it may raise interest rates later this year, a shift...
Southeast Asia Braces for Fertilizer Shortages as Prices Spike on Iran War
Southeast Asian nations are confronting looming fertilizer shortages as global prices have surged sharply following the outbreak of war in Iran. The region relies on more than three‑quarters of its nitrogen‑based fertilizers passing through the Strait of Hormuz, making it...
Bitcoin Resilience Amid Iran War Raises Optimism About Crypto Adoption in ASEAN
Bitcoin has held steady above $30,000 in recent weeks, defying the market turbulence caused by the Iran war. The resilience has sparked optimism among investors that the cryptocurrency could serve as a hedge against traditional asset volatility. In Southeast Asia,...
Japan Eyewear Chain Jins to Open AI-Equipped Flagship Store in Central Tokyo
Japanese eyewear retailer Jins Holdings is launching a flagship store in Tokyo’s upscale Ginza district, featuring a multilingual generative‑AI system that recommends glasses to shoppers. The AI platform is designed to serve foreign tourists, offering personalized frame suggestions in several...
China Chip Sector Targets 80% Self-Sufficiency with US in Its Sights
China’s semiconductor industry has set an ambitious goal to achieve 80% domestic self‑sufficiency by 2030. The target was announced by a coalition of 13 leading Chinese chip firms, signaling a coordinated effort to close the technology gap with the United...
Strait of Hormuz Shutdown Raises Risks to Japan's Aluminum Supply
The Strait of Hormuz shutdown threatens Japan’s aluminum supply chain, as the country imports roughly 20% of its metal from the Middle East. The closure disrupts shipments of primary ingots that feed industries ranging from beverage cans to bullet‑train components....
Memory Maker Micron Weighs Buying Shuttered Japan Display Plant
Micron Technology is in talks to purchase Japan Display's shuttered LCD production plant in Chiba, Japan. The U.S. memory maker plans to repurpose the facility for semiconductor chip assembly and testing rather than display manufacturing. Acquiring the site would give...
Itochu Enters E-Waste Management with View to Rare Earths Recycling
Itochu Corp., one of Japan's largest trading houses, announced a joint venture with a U.S. firm to manage electronic waste and recover rare earth metals from devices such as laptops and smartphones. The company projects Japan's e‑waste management market to...
Middle East Oil Shock Hits Home for Smaller Japanese Companies
Smaller Japanese companies across auto parts, plastics, and trucking are feeling the impact of the largest Middle East oil‑supply disruption in decades. Crude prices have jumped to multi‑year highs, driving up fuel and raw‑material costs for firms that typically operate...
Indian Cities' Bond Struggles Weigh on Climate Finance Needs
India’s central government has launched a programme urging municipal authorities to issue climate‑adaptation bonds, aiming to tap private capital for resilient infrastructure. However, most Indian cities have a scant record of accessing bond markets, limiting the scale of financing they...
US Graffiti Legend Brings His Iconic Street Art to Japan
Mark Bode, a New York graffiti pioneer and son of underground comics legend Vaughn Bode, unveiled a large mural in Tokyo’s Shibuya district on the Manhattan Records building, introducing his father’s iconic characters to Japanese audiences. The piece marks the...
Thai Lifestyle Retailer Wins Young Shoppers, Defying Slow Economy
Thai lifestyle retailer Moshi Moshi is capturing a growing share of Thailand’s Gen‑Z market by offering ultra‑low‑priced stationery, cosmetics and smartphone accessories. The chain expanded to over 200 stores in 2025 and posted a 12% year‑on‑year sales increase, outpacing the...
BOJ Seen Waiting Till April for Rate Hike Amid Iran War Turbulence
The Bank of Japan is expected to keep its policy rate at 0.75% at the March 2026 meeting, postponing any hike until at least April. Market participants cite heightened volatility from the Iran‑Israel conflict and surging energy prices as key...
Japan to Double Science, Tech Spending to $380bn over 5 Years
Japan announced a five‑year plan to invest 60 trillion yen (approximately $376 billion) in science and technology, aiming to double its current spending. The budget will run through fiscal 2030 and concentrates on artificial intelligence, space exploration, and nuclear fusion research. The...
Malaysian Retailers Cash in on Billion-Dollar Ramadan Spending Spree
Malaysian retailers are riding a billion‑dollar Ramadan spending wave, with total consumer outlays reaching roughly RM2.5 billion, an 8% year‑on‑year increase. Ramadan bazaars across Selangor reported record foot traffic, while high‑end hotel buffets posted a 15% revenue jump. Retailers responded with...
Yen Weakens to 159 per Dollar as Oil Prices Surge Despite Reserve Release
The Japanese yen slipped to roughly 159 per dollar on Thursday, its weakest level since mid‑January, as oil prices surged past $100 a barrel. Despite a recent release of foreign‑exchange reserves aimed at supporting the currency, the yen continued to...
US Must Not Let Iran Distract It From China
The United States and Israel are escalating a military campaign against Iran, raising concerns that the conflict could divert American attention and resources. Analysts warn that this distraction may allow China to deepen its strategic foothold in the Indo‑Pacific. The...
Pakistan Seeks Saudi Red Sea Route for Oil After Iran Closes Hormuz
Pakistan is turning to Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea corridor to import crude after Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz following recent U.S.–Israeli strikes. The disruption threatens Pakistan’s already tight fuel supply, prompting the government to adopt aggressive conservation policies,...
India Grants Subsidy to $360m Chip Assembly Project
India announced a subsidy for a $360 million back‑end semiconductor assembly plant being built by Kaynes in partnership with Japan’s Mitsui & Co. and Aoi Electronics. The government support aims to lower capital costs and accelerate the plant’s commissioning, targeted for later this...
China Military Tense, Xi at Ease at Start of National People's Congress
At the opening of China’s National People’s Congress, PLA officers listened intently to the government work report, signalling renewed loyalty to the Party. The display comes as Xi Jinping presides over the session with a calm demeanor, despite a sweeping...