Economy — 1,133 insights
Collaborate with Chinese EV makers or suffer, Thai auto firm CEO warns
Economy

Collaborate with Chinese EV makers or suffer, Thai auto firm CEO warns

Aapico founder and CEO Yeap Swee Chuan. The company has expanded across Asia and is positioning itself for an industry reshaped by Chinese automakers and the shift to electric vehicles. (Nikkei montage source photos by Akitoshi Sugiura, Ken Kobayashi and courtesy of Aapico Hitech) Head of country's largest listed parts supplier, Aapico, says Beijing will 'win the war' BANGKOK -- Collaboration with Chinese rivals is the only way companies in the automotive industry will survive in the long term, the head of Thailand's biggest listed parts supplier has predicted, citing their lower costs and better technology.

July 28, 2026
Japanese university startups develop AI robot arms for delicate tasks
Economy

Japanese university startups develop AI robot arms for delicate tasks

From sushi to cake, new technologies can handle fragile foods A Real Touch robot holds a piece of sushi. (Photo by Anna Sato) OSAKA -- Startups based out of Japanese universities are working to commercialize physical artificial intelligence by developing technologies that let robots grasp objects with human-like flexibility, attracting the attention of companies like Toyota Motor with their potential to save labor.

July 28, 2026
Singapore births fall to lowest level since independence
Economy

Singapore births fall to lowest level since independence

Babies in a maternity ward in Singapore: The number of births in the city-state in 2025 dropped below 30,000 for the first time since independence in 1965. © Reuters SINGAPORE -- The number of babies born in Singapore in 2025 fell below 30,000 for the first time since the city-state gained independence in 1965, adding to pressures on the public healthcare system as the city-state's population ages at one of the fastest rates in Asia.

July 28, 2026
China’s Unitree Robotics eyes capacity boost to meet humanoid demand
Economy

China’s Unitree Robotics eyes capacity boost to meet humanoid demand

A Unitree humanoid wanders the New York Stock Exchange. North America is the Chinese startup's biggest overseas market. © Reuters TOKYO -- China's Unitree Robotics plans to expand production capacity this year and may eventually assemble robots overseas, a senior executive told Nikkei Asia, as the leading humanoid maker prepares for a Shanghai listing.

July 28, 2026
For Philippine women in Taiwan’s tech factories, motherhood is ‘impossible’
Economy

For Philippine women in Taiwan’s tech factories, motherhood is ‘impossible’

Female migrant workers face dismissal after pregnancy despite new labor guidelines Philippine workers in Taiwan's tech industry tell Nikkei Asia that they only have two choices if they get pregnant: send their babies home or go home with them. (Photo by Michael Beltran) TAIPEI -- When Mae gives birth in September, she will spend two weeks with her newborn before Mae's mother arrives in Taiwan to take the baby to the Philippines. Her partner, who also lives in Taiwan, wants the three of them to be together for six months, but the couple cannot afford it.

July 28, 2026
Takaichi’s $2.3tn plan draws mixed response from Japan businesses
Economy

Takaichi’s $2.3tn plan draws mixed response from Japan businesses

Some executives say agenda is unclear or too broad, despite investor enthusiasm The Takaichi government's big investment goal has energized many investors, while some companies are left wondering about the details. (Source photos by Ken Suzuki and Masayuki Kozono) TOKYO -- The government of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi finalized its annual economic and fiscal blueprint last week, but corporate Japan is divided over its feasibility and strategic details.

July 28, 2026
Asian stocks slide as China prompts chip competition fears
Economy

Asian stocks slide as China prompts chip competition fears

Japanese and South Korean indexes plunge, led by tech stocks Stock indexes were down in morning trade across major Asian markets on July 28, following declines on Wall Street and fears over stiffer Chinese competition. (Photo by Kazuho Fujiwara) TOKYO -- South Korean and Japanese stocks are down sharply Tuesday morning, following a sell-off in tech stocks overnight on Wall Street brought on by concerns about the cost of large-scale investments and the rise of Chinese chipmakers.

July 28, 2026
Toys R Us Japan taps China toymakers as ‘kidults’ reshape market
Economy

Toys R Us Japan taps China toymakers as ‘kidults’ reshape market

Retailer aims to triple segment's share of sales as grown-ups drive growth Bobblehead collectible figures are popular 'kidult' products featured at Toys R Us Japan's new Tokyo store in Ueno. (Photo by Yuji Murakami) TOKYO -- Toy retailer Toys R Us Japan is looking to profit from increasing demand from "kidults," aiming to expand sales in the segment by offering a broader range of imported, trendsetting products.

July 27, 2026
Prudential Life Insurance to fundamentally reform compensation system
Economy

Prudential Life Insurance to fundamentally reform compensation system

Japanese affiliate of US giant makes move after customer exploitation scandal Prudential President Hiromitsu Tokumaru. The insurer also plans to reduce the number of executive officers -- who currently number more than 30 -- and clarify the responsibilities and roles of each. (Photos by Shintaro Ino and Kazuho Ishihara) TOKYO -- Prudential Life Insurance has decided to abolish a salary system that leans heavily on commissions, Nikkei learned on Monday, as the performance-based system has been cited as an incentive for misconduct. Under the new system, salespeople will be paid about 300,000 yen a month (around $1,834), sources say.

July 27, 2026
India’s battery recycling drive hits logistics and cost barriers
Economy

India’s battery recycling drive hits logistics and cost barriers

Manufacturers seek slower rollout as recovery economics remain weak Failure to process lithium battery waste through India's proper channels would see it instead pass through informal channels, whereby it would largely be incinerated or landfilled, releasing toxic elements into the environment. © Getty Images RAJASTHAN, India -- Costs and logistics issues are making it difficult for Panasonic and other companies to meet India's recycling targets for low-end batteries, thereby raising environmental concerns and hampering critical mineral sourcing.

July 27, 2026
Support for female emperors in Japan hits 84% in Nikkei poll
Economy

Support for female emperors in Japan hits 84% in Nikkei poll

Views split on succession by sons of adoptees from former imperial branches Japanese Crown Princess Kiko (back left), Princess Aiko (center) and Princess Kako (right) attend a spring imperial garden party at the Akasaka Imperial Gardens in Tokyo on April 17. Walking in front of them is Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. © Kyodo TOKYO -- Support for female emperors topped 80% in the latest poll by Nikkei and TV Tokyo. The revision to the Imperial House Law, which was approved by Japan's Diet on July 17, will allow a male-lineage male descendant from a former imperial branch family to be adopted into the imperial family, making his sons eligible to succeed to the throne. Public opinion on this was narrowly split: 42% considered it appropriate and 45% said it was not.

July 27, 2026
Marcos pushes tax exemptions to stimulate flagging Philippine growth
Economy

Marcos pushes tax exemptions to stimulate flagging Philippine growth

President urges threshold at which people pay income tax be raised by 40% Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivers his fifth state of the nation address, at the House of Representatives in Quezon City, Metro Manila, on Monday. © Reuters MANILA -- Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has proposed raising the income tax threshold and eliminating some financial burdens on small businesses to stimulate growth in an economy that has been among the worst hit by the ongoing global energy crisis.

July 27, 2026