China Executive Insights
Changing dietary habits and rising living standards contribute to demand shift Pork prices have declined for 13 straight months in China. (Photo by Tomoki Mera) BEIJING -- The proliferation of industrial-scale pig farms equipped with advanced technology has led to a steady drop in pork prices in China.
Startup plans nationwide logistics network covering both land and sea T2 seeks to commercialize Level 4 long-haul autonomous truck driving as early as fiscal 2027. (T2) TOKYO -- Japanese startup T2, a developer of self-driving truck systems, has raised roughly 5 billion yen ($30.7 million) from 11 investors, Nikkei has learned.
Automaker sticks with key market despite sales falling 60% in five years Honda and GAC extended their partnership by 10 years, rather than agreeing to another 30-year term. (Photo by Shizuka Tanabe) GUANGZHOU -- Honda Motor's 10-year extension of its joint venture with China's Guangzhou Automobile Group (GAC) suggests that the company is not giving up on the critical market, despite its sales there plummeting amid the country's shift to electric vehicles.
Patients at the Outram Community Hospital in Singapore participate in a physiotherapy session led by "Dexie," one of two humanoid robots developed by a local startup. (All photos by Arundhati Hazra) Humanoid and pet robots, advanced movement sensors among devices being developed SINGAPORE -- New arrival May Tong is excited about her first physiotherapy session at Singapore's Outram Community Hospital. As a long-term sufferer from rheumatoid arthritis, the arm-strengthening exercises are not new for the 80-year-old patient. However, the class instructor is. "Dexie" is a humanoid robot that leads physiotherapy sessions and games to engage seniors at the hospital.
Content-focused investment fund suffers from scattershot approach A ceremony to commemorate the launch of the Cool Japan Fund in November 2013. © Kyodo TOKYO -- Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry could begin talks this month on restructuring or eliminating the Cool Japan Fund, a public-private investment fund that has struggled with its mission to promote Japanese content overseas.
People walk past the Moonshot booth promoting its Kimi K3 AI model during the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai on July 17. © Reuters HONG KONG -- Chinese startup Moonshot AI is preparing for a public listing in Hong Kong, potentially within six months, as the company's valuation and revenue both continue to surge, two people familiar with the matter told Nikkei Asia.
Struggles in Western markets, China slowdown have tempered market expectations TOKYO -- Video game company Nexon, founded in South Korea and headquartered in Japan, faces growing pains as its Chinese and South Korean businesses show signs of slowing but its long-sought expansion into Western markets remains incomplete.
Former Greater Manchester mayor oversaw large investments from China, Japan and India New British Prime Minister Andy Burnham poses for photos with his wife, Marie-France van Heel, after taking office. © Reuters LONDON -- Britain's "most Asian" prime minister could pursue closer trade and investment ties with the region, but the former mayor's efforts to replicate nationally his successes in Greater Manchester may face opposition over China.
Regulatory action revives concerns over foreign acquisitions of Japanese brokerages Chinese-backed online brokerage Moomoo entered Japan in 2022 but is now subject to disciplinary recommendations by the country's Financial Services Agency. (Source photos by Ryuta Minamihata and Manami Yamada) TOKYO -- As foreign companies step up acquisitions as a means to enter Japan's brokerage market, enforcement action by the country's financial watchdog against Chinese-backed online brokerage Moomoo Securities Japan has raised broader questions over whether the country's licensing and supervisory framework is equipped to oversee such entrants.
Tech Latest: Tune in to Nikkei Asia's podcast for the freshest updates on the tech sector Welcome to the Tech Latest podcast. Every Tuesday, our tech experts Katey Creel and Shotaro Tani deliver the hottest trends and news from the sector. In this episode, Shotaro speaks with Tokyo correspondent Tsubasa Suruga about Panasonic's transformation and why investors are still waiting for a convincing growth story. -- From TVs to AI: Japan's old electronics giants tune into digital world
Shen Dingli makes rare visits to Tokyo, foresees stable China-US relations Shen Dingli, director of the Center for American Studies at the Grandview Institution, speaks with Nikkei Asia on the sidelines of the annual Tokyo Global Dialogue on July 15. (Photo by Kenji Kawase) TOKYO -- China's fierce response to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's remarks on Taiwan last year has chilled exchanges between the two countries, even outside of formal diplomatic relations, from tourism to academia.
Startup says model's popularity has pushed computational capacity 'close to the limits' Moonshot AI claims Kimi K3 achieves computational performance approaching that of the latest artificial intelligence models from OpenAI and Anthropic. © Reuters GUANGZHOU -- Chinese startup Moonshot AI has abruptly suspended new subscriptions to its powerful Kimi K3 artificial intelligence model after experiencing a rush of users.