Business

Iran was Petroleum supply concerns ripple through range of industries Cargo ships near the Strait of Hormuz on March 11. More than 70% of Japan’s imported naphtha comes from the Middle East. © Reuters NOZOMI OKUBO, RIHO TAKAHASHI and AKIHIRO OTA TOKYO — High oil prices due to the conflict in the Middle East have taken […]

A designated outdoor smoking area at Velana International Airport, the Maldives’ main visitor gateway: President Mohamed Muizzu’s government has expanded smoke-free spaces, banned e-cigarettes and tobacco advertising, increased tobacco taxes and boosted free smoking cessation programs. (Photo by Ashwa Faheem) Policy Asia Politics poses threat to South Asia’s latest attempt to root out tobacco

Travel & Leisure Trips to Europe jump 23% during Golden Week in early May, according to travel agency Haneda airport was crowded with travelers heading abroad for Golden Week in late April 2025. (Photo by Rie Ishii) TOKYO — More than half a million Japanese are expected to go overseas during the Golden Week holiday starting at […]

Asia’s next economic crisis may come from youth unemployment

Comment Coffee chain’s connection to Japan began with a single letter sent in the US Starbucks Japan’s first store when it opened in Tokyo in 1996. (Starbucks Coffee Japan) TOKYO — Starbucks Coffee will mark 30 years in Japan in August, and during that time it has grown from an upstart from the U.S. to the […]

Economy Lack of time off for parents complicates extra holiday travel China’s local governments hope to spur spending by introducing school holidays. (Photo by Tomoki Mera) GUANGZHOU — Local governments in China are adopting longer spring break holidays for school students, hoping extra time-off will encourage more family outings and help boost consumption.

Business deals Shortage of new planes means rising need for repairs and maintenance A DASI warehouse in Florida. The company buys maintenance parts in bulk and resells them individually. (DASI) TOKYO — Japanese trading house Marubeni has taken full ownership of U.S. aircraft parts inventory firm DASI in a deal worth tens of billions of yen (10 billion yen […]

Business deals Japanese insurer’s investment opportunities now seen having no ‘upper limit’ Tokio Marine Holdings is the first Japanese financial institution to receive an investment from Berkshire Hathaway. (Source photos by Nikkei and AP) KAZUMA SHIROKAWA and YUMIKO OSHIMA TOKYO — The new strategic partnership between Tokio Marine Holdings and Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway is expected to raise […]

Trade Trade deficit with Asia shrank ahead of court’s invalidation of Trump’s ‘reciprocal’ tariffs Exports to Asia from the U.S. grew and imports declined in February compared with the month before, shrinking the trade deficit with the region. © Reuters NEW YORK — U.S. imports from Asia fell in February despite rising demand in AI-related equipment, […]

Zeals began testing humanoid robots for use in Japanese hospitals in March. (Photo by Yusuke Yagi) TOKYO — Japanese artificial intelligence startup Zeals is introducing Chinese humanoid robots that can perform tasks like guiding patients in hospitals, adopting a born-in-China, raised-in-Japan strategy as robot development lags at home.