Welcome to Your Week in Asia. French President Emmanuel Macron heads to East Asia to meet with the leaders of Japan and South Korea amid fallout from the U.S. and Israel’s attack on Iran and a growing global energy crisis. Macron and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi are expected to discuss cooperation on next-generation nuclear […]

Business trends Convenience store improves service with multilingual displays, numbered items A translation system installed at a FamilyMart store in Tokyo lets customers and clerks communicate with each other in their native language. (FamilyMart) TOKYO — FamilyMart, a big Japanese convenience store chain, has begun testing automatic translation machines to improve service for international visitors.

Technology Lawmakers call for tighter rules over fears of Chinese tech know-how theft, sabotage Fraunhofer is a key European applied research organization and an influential hub of German innovation. © Getty Images HAMBURG, Germany — Huawei Technologies has poached a prominent German scientist from a leading public institution, highlighting the difficulty that the country faces […]

Agriculture Brisbane-based Genics’ technology quickly finds deadly pathogens Melony Sellars, founder of Genics, shows off a giant tiger prawn. The Australian company helps shrimp farmers detect pathogens weeks before signs of illness emerge. (Genics) BRISBANE, Australia — Seven years ago Melony Sellars introduced a new technology that fundamentally changed how shrimp farms are managed.

Food & Beverage Business and tourism in Maotai undercut by campaign to enforce frugality A giant bottle of Kweichow Moutai stands as a monument to the liquor’s importance to the town of Maotai. (Photo by Kohei Fujimura) MAOTAI VILLAGE, southern China — The town of Maotai, birthplace of the renowned Kweichow Moutai baijiu liquor brand, has been […]

The Phnom Penh Cocktail Festival, held in February at the five-star Rosewood hotel’s Sora Sky Bar, drew distillers and mixologists from across the Cambodian capital and as far afield as Mongolia. (All photos by Kalpana Sunder) Eat & Drink From artisanal gins to stylish speakeasies, Cambodia’s capital is having a spirited moment

Electric vehicles US automaker steps up after-sales support with eye on expanding market share Tesla’s sales in Japan surged 90% in 2025 to roughly 10,600 vehicles. (Photo by Shotaro Mori) TOKYO — U.S. electric vehicle maker Tesla plans to double the number of directly operated service centers in Japan to more than 30 this year, seeking […]

Iran tensions Last American naval minesweeper set to be retired as soon as 2027 The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s Etajima minesweeper makes a port call in Cambodia in April 2025. (Pool photo) Kouta Ohyama and Ryota Ogata TOKYO — The Japanese government is considering plans to help sweep mines from the Strait of Hormuz once a […]

Iran tensions Pakistan’s discount on port charges also helps draw transshipment from global lines Containers are stacked at Karachi port on July 31, 2025. Shipping lines began offloading cargo in Karachi because services to Dubai, Salalah and other Gulf ports have been disrupted by the Hormuz crisis. © Reuters ISLAMABAD — Pakistan’s Karachi port is […]

Natural disasters Rising living costs add burden on buyers as more homes remain unsold High-rise buildings in central Bangkok. An increasing amount of condominium and house units remain unsold in the Thai capital, according to industry research. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi) APORNRATH PHOONPHONGPHIPHAT BANGKOK — A massive earthquake that struck Myanmar on March 28, 2025, also […]