Vivian Toh is chief editor of London-based TechTechChina, a Chinese tech news startup.
Japan companies to invest in defense tech with civilian use
TOKYO -- Japanese manufacturers of defense equipment have begun investing in dual-use technologies, with Oki Electric Industry to boost output of acoustic sensors that can detect submarines as well as help in offshore construction projects, Nikkei has learned.
Japan PM's approval rises after meeting with Trump: Nikkei poll
TOKYO -- Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's cabinet had an approval rating of 72% in a new weekend poll by Nikkei and TV Tokyo, up 3 percentage points from the February survey, following her meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump.
Sukuk payment of $500m due in April reveals Maldives' debt woes
MALE -- Maldivian President Mohammed Muizzu is trying to reassure his South Asian nation that it has sufficient foreign reserves to settle a $500 million Sukuk bond, a challenging one-off payment due early April in a country already strapped for dollars and bracing for more pressure on its foreign reserves due to the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.
Macron in East Asia, BOJ economic survey, Indonesia inflation
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 reactors, with Tokyo looking for ways to reduce its high dependency on imported fossil fuels.
More data on the business and economic impact of the war will emerge this week with the Bank of
FamilyMart tests translation system for customers from abroad
TOKYO -- FamilyMart, a big Japanese convenience store chain, has begun testing automatic translation machines to improve service for international visitors.
Huawei poaches top German scientist, as scholars blame academic system
HAMBURG, Germany -- Huawei Technologies has poached a prominent German scientist from a leading public institution, highlighting the difficulty that the country faces in keeping staff from joining well-resourced and fast-moving Chinese tech giants.
Australian startup finds niche in Southeast Asian shrimp farms
BRISBANE, Australia -- Seven years ago Melony Sellars introduced a new technology that fundamentally changed how shrimp farms are managed.
China baijiu boom town goes bust after Beijing's austerity order
MAOTAI VILLAGE, southern China -- The town of Maotai, birthplace of the renowned Kweichow Moutai baijiu liquor brand, has been left a shell of itself in less than a year since China's austerity rules targeting expensive liquor came into effect.
Inside Phnom Penh's emerging cocktail scene
PHNOM PENH -- The gargantuan terrace on the 37th floor is buzzing despite the strong wind. Bartenders shake and pour at full speed, some even tipping cocktails straight into guests' mouths as the DJ amps up the music. People drift from stall to stall, sampling drinks from 16 bars and distilleries from Phnom Penh and across Asia, as far afield as Mongolia.