CANNES, France -- Japanese directors led a strong contingent of Asian films at this year's 79th edition of the Cannes Film Festival. Beyond the screenings, though, Asian experts pointed to challenging problems for the Asian film industry ahead, as producers seek to widen distribution rights amid slow growth in cinema admissions in many countries.

MANILA -- Philippine inflation registered an elevated 6.8% in May, easing slightly as fuel prices cooled, though the slowdown is unlikely to deter a widely expected rate hike later this month.

TOKYO/SEOUL -- Chinese state broadcaster CCTV announced Friday that President Xi Jinping will visit to Pyongyang for two days, starting June 8, at the invitation of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, as the countries mark the 65th anniversary of a bilateral treaty.

HONG KONG -- China's grueling National College Entrance Examination kicks off on Sunday, and authorities are ready to clamp down on AI-enabled cheating, while deploying some AI countermeasures of their own.

TOKYO -- Nissan Motor's past reliance on high-interest financing during its struggles is now coming back to haunt it, with the Japanese automaker's interest payments exceeding 110 billion yen ($687 million) a year and threatening to swell further amid rising interest rates and credit risks.

TOKYO -- The government and the ruling Liberal Democratic Party have decided not to include restrictions on real estate purchases by foreign nationals in a policy platform due out in the summer, opting to focus on collecting data on foreign property ownership to accurately assess the situation.

TOKYO -- Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group will offer digital financial services for small and midsize companies as early as next year in a bid to capture a large, untapped market in Japan.

OSAKA -- With Apple speculated to launch a foldable smartphone model as early as this year, a spotlight is shining on the technological innovations that glassmakers have realized to create glass that is bendable yet durable. Nippon Electric Glass has developed flexible glass only 10% or so as thick as conventional products.

TAIPEI -- The leak of a video apparently showing a Singaporean military unit training in Taiwan -- coming ahead of last month's China-U.S. summit -- suggests assertiveness by Taipei as it remains wary of any deal between Beijing and Washington that could undermine the island's defense.