China Executive Insights
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.
Indictment is first under National Security Act involving attempt to advance Chinese chip ambitions Taiwanese prosecutors say TSMC was able to recover sensitive technical documents that allegedly had been copied without authorization. © Reuters TAIPEI -- Taiwanese prosecutors on Monday indicted a former TSMC deputy manager for allegedly stealing trade secrets involving national core technologies with the intent of using them to advance China's chip ambitions.
Myanmar, Thai-Cambodian tensions and South China Sea are key issues ASEAN foreign ministers pose for a photo during an informal meeting in Bangkok on July 12. The ministers convene this week in Manila for their annual gathering. © Reuters MANILA -- The unity of ASEAN will be put to the test this week, as the Southeast Asian bloc's foreign ministers try to navigate unresolved issues during their annual conference, with Myanmar, the Thailand-Cambodia border conflict and the South China Sea set to dominate discussions.
No-frills operation aims for 150 overseas locations by March 2027 ChocoZAP has 23 gyms in Hong Kong and aims to expand its network in the city to 100 by the end of this year. (Photo by Anne Chan) HONG KONG -- Japanese fitness club operator Rizap Group is expanding its budget gym business in Hong Kong as it strives to reinforce its regional presence.
Sluggish sales and joint venture's 2028 expiry put renewal talks in focus A Honda Accord is displayed at the Beijing auto show in April: The Japanese carmaker, on July 20, announced it has extended its joint venture with China's GAC. (Photo by Shizuka Tanabe) TOKYO -- Honda has extended its agreement with China's Guangzhou Automobile Group (GAC) for 10 years, continuing the partnership through 2038, the Tokyo-based carmaker announced Monday.