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Analysis: Bookseller died ‘in line of duty’ resisting Xi Jinping’s rule
Economy

Analysis: Bookseller died ‘in line of duty’ resisting Xi Jinping’s rule

Lam Wing-kee was once detained by Chinese authorities as part of a broad policy to ensure the political security of Xi Jinping's administration. His death came a day after a law took effect in China that threatens free speech around the world. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by Reuters) Exiled free speech advocate's death comes as China stretches extraterritorial reach Katsuji Nakazawa is a Tokyo-based senior staff and editorial writer at Nikkei. He spent seven years in China as a correspondent, and later as China bureau chief, and was the 2014 recipient of the Vaughn-Ueda International Journalist prize.

Osaka payment processor bankruptcy triggers restaurant cash crunch fears
Economy

Osaka payment processor bankruptcy triggers restaurant cash crunch fears

Zentoshin's debt hit $710m, making it Japan's largest bankruptcy filing this year Zentoshin's services were popular with businesses in Osaka's Minami nightlife district. (Nikkei montage/Photos by Toshiki Sasazu and Arisa Moriyama) OSAKA/TOKYO -- The sudden bankruptcy of Japanese credit card payment processor Zentoshin has left many restaurants waiting for reimbursements that may never come, triggering concerns about a chain reaction of bankruptcies among small and medium-sized businesses.

France’s TotalEnergies ships first LNG from Mexico project to Asia
Economy

France’s TotalEnergies ships first LNG from Mexico project to Asia

Pacific coast terminals seen as safer supply alternative after Strait of Hormuz blockages A TotalEnergies tanker is loaded with liquefied natural gas at a new Mexican export facility bound for Asia. (Photo courtesy of ECA LNG) TOKYO -- French energy company TotalEnergies has shipped the first liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargo from a new Mexican export facility to Asia, as the region looks for supply routes free of chokepoints following the energy disruptions of the Iran war.

Japan PM misses chance for European diplomacy by skipping NATO summit
Economy

Japan PM misses chance for European diplomacy by skipping NATO summit

Takaichi stays home to handle parliamentary standoff as ruling parties' strong-arm tactic backfires Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi did not attend the NATO summit held July 7-8 in Turkey. (Nikkei montage. Source photos by Reuters and Kyodo) TOKYO -- Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi missed an opportunity to deepen ties with European leaders at this week's NATO summit in Turkey as she stayed home to deal with a parliamentary standoff that has stalled her legislative agenda.

Strategic neutrality is Asia’s new competitive advantage
Economy

Strategic neutrality is Asia’s new competitive advantage

Approach enables countries to capture wider growth opportunities in fragmenting world Sonal Varma is chief economist at Nomura for Asia excluding Japan.

1 in 5 USB drives recommended on Amazon have complaints about faked storage
Economy

1 in 5 USB drives recommended on Amazon have complaints about faked storage

Weak seller vetting appears to let through fake Chinese drives, name-brand counterfeits All of the inexpensive Chinese-branded USB drives Nikkei purchased from Amazon had falsified storage capacity, an analysis found. (Nikkei montage) TOKYO -- Around 20% of USB drives appearing as recommended picks in Amazon searches have multiple reviews indicating their capacity has been misrepresented, a Nikkei investigation shows, exposing buyers to risks from poorly vetted sellers.

Pimco may eye long-term JGBs if yields hit 3%, Japan co-head says
Economy

Pimco may eye long-term JGBs if yields hit 3%, Japan co-head says

Japan's credit not at risk, but government must be careful about spending: Masanao Tomoya Masanao, co-head of Pimco Japan, thinks that friction between the Bank of Japan and the government could emerge. (Photo by Genki Ikuta) TOKYO -- With Japanese government bond yields climbing to historically high levels, major institutional investors are repositioning themselves in the market.

LG’s $1bn move shows Vietnam climbing semiconductor value chain
Economy

LG’s $1bn move shows Vietnam climbing semiconductor value chain

Apple supplier expands into semiconductor substrates in northern tech hub LG Innotek's manufacturing complex in Hai Phong, Vietnam. The South Korean company is expanding its semiconductor-related operations in the country. (LG Innotek) HO CHI MINH CITY -- South Korean conglomerate LG will pour $1 billion into chip packaging in Vietnam on a site the size of 45 football fields, local authorities said, in a move highlighting the Southeast Asian country's growing role in higher-value segments of the semiconductor supply chain.

Webull to offer commission-free trades of US stocks in Japan
Economy

Webull to offer commission-free trades of US stocks in Japan

Trading platform operator is the first in the country to eliminate those fees The Webull app has been downloaded 55 million times since its founding in 2016. © AP TOKYO -- Stock trading platform Webull Financial will become the first brokerage in Japan to offer commission-free trades for U.S. equities, a move expected to spark a trend among rivals in the market.

Russia fuel crisis spills over to Central Asia as drone strikes bite
Economy

Russia fuel crisis spills over to Central Asia as drone strikes bite

Kyrgyzstan hunts for suppliers, Uzbek prices climb, Kazakhstan guards its market As Russia tightens energy exports after Ukrainian drone strikes on its refineries, Kyrgyzstan is facing shortages of premium-grade gasoline, with consumers now turning to standard grade. (Photo by Ilkham Umarakhunov) ISTANBUL/BISHKEK -- Central Asia's fuel markets are absorbing the shock of Russia's refinery crisis, with higher-octane gasoline shortages reported in Kyrgyzstan, prices rising in Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan tightening controls to protect its own market.

Apple supplier Luxshare slips in Hong Kong’s biggest listing of 2026
Economy

Apple supplier Luxshare slips in Hong Kong’s biggest listing of 2026

Manufacturer's $3.1bn debut adds to rush of Chinese tech listings in financial hub Visitors check out a Luxshare display at the China International Supply Chain Expo in Beijing on June 22. © Reuters HONG KONG -- Apple's largest supplier in China began trading in Hong Kong on Thursday after raising $3.1 billion in the financial hub's biggest listing so far this year.

Gao Shanwen, economist who questioned China’s GDP data, dies
Economy

Gao Shanwen, economist who questioned China’s GDP data, dies

Former central bank adviser's blunt remarks on world's No. 2 economy drew scrutiny Gao Shanwen, an outspoken Chinese economist, is pictured here attending a forum in Beijing in 2009. © Reuters HONG KONG -- Chinese macroeconomist and former central bank adviser Gao Shanwen, best known for alleging that China had overstated its gross domestic product data, has died, according to local media.