TOKYO -- If China invades Taiwan, Tokyo may interpret the move as a "threat to Japan's survival" and deploy the Self-Defense Forces to exercise collective self-defense, Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso said Monday.

"If a major incident happened [in Taiwan], it would not be strange at all if it touches on a situation threatening survival," Aso said during a speech in Tokyo. "If that is the case, Japan and the U.S. must defend Taiwan together.

TOKYO -- Japan is set to extend its coronavirus quasi-state of emergency in Tokyo and three nearby prefectures a little more than two weeks ahead of the opening of the Olympic Games, Nikkei has learned.

A recent jump in coronavirus infections has prompted the government to postpone ending the voluntary restrictions on business and other activities the capital and neighboring Kanagawa, Saitama and Chiba, together home to more than 30 million people. The measures were were originally set to end on July 11.

Officials have proposed extending the measures

TOKYO -- Rail cars equipped with Mitsubishi Electric air conditioners have been shipped to about 15 countries, as the quality control scandal engulfing the Tokyo-based industrial group threatens to bring greater scrutiny in the U.S. and elsewhere.

Mitsubishi Electric last week admitted to falsifying inspection data for air conditioners and air compressors at the company's Nagasaki plant. Roughly 84,600 air conditioner units shipped from the facility between 1985 and 2020, with 68,80

HONG KONG -- Tech giants including Google, Facebook and Twitter have warned Hong Kong of a potential exodus if the financial hub presses ahead with planned changes to its privacy laws that would make companies and staff legally liable for doxxing activities on their platforms.

In a letter sent to the local privacy watchdog, an industry group representing 15 top technology firms in Asia voiced concerns over the proposal. The companies say it will curtail free expression and jeopardize the safety of their local employees, who could be prosecuted in case of failure

Derek Grossman is a senior defense analyst at the nonprofit, nonpartisan Rand Corp. He formerly served as an intelligence adviser at the Pentagon.

Nearly six months into Joe Biden's presidency, it is now possible to begin assessing the effectiveness of some of his administration's policies. When it comes to Southeast Asia, the Biden administration has thus far fallen short, but the future looks relatively bright with certain caveats.

From a broad perspective, Biden has time and again emphasized the importance of focusing on the Indo-Pacific

SINGAPORE -- It was a warm Singapore evening and well-heeled diners at the riverside restaurant 1880 were feasting on intriguing-sounding dishes like "Forest Floor" and "Flooded Future." But the real stars of the show were two less flamboyant-sounding mains: chicken and waffle, and chicken bao.

When served, the pan-fried chicken was firm and pulled apart tenderly at the touch of a fork. This, however, was no ordinary poultry. It was made from stem cells taken

ATAMI, Japan/TOKYO -- The search for survivors of Saturday's deadly mudslide continues in the Japanese resort city of Atami, with authorities releasing the names of 64 people still unaccounted for as of Monday.

First responders have rescued 26 people so far from the destruction caused by a torrent of mud in the hilly Izusan section of the city, southwest of Tokyo. Four people have been found dead.

The cause of the disaster remains under investigation but Shizuoka Prefecture Gov. Heita Kawakatsu says rain soaking into the

SEOUL -- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un replaced key party officials for their failure to deal with a protracted food shortage, noting that they put the security of the state and safety of the people at risk.

The market price for corn has been rising since the start of the year, while the price of rice soared in June, said the Korea Institute for National Unification in Seoul. The South Korean state-affiliated think tank attributes both increases to a lack of supply. Rice prices jumped more than 50%

KUALA LUMPUR -- Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has agreed to reconvene the country's suspended parliament later this month, bowing to pressure from the country's king.

In a statement on Monday, the prime minister's office said the lower house would sit for five days between July 26 and Aug. 2, followed by a three-day Senate session starting Aug. 3.

Malaysia is still locked in a serious battle with COVID-19, with infections creeping back over 6,000