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Tari Lang’s ‘My Neighbour, The Dictator’ looks back at Suharto era
Economy

Tari Lang’s ‘My Neighbour, The Dictator’ looks back at Suharto era

Memoir recounts repression and upheaval in Indonesia through a teenager's eyes Six decades after the events described in her memoir, Tari Lang says she hopes it will help a new generation recognize how easily authoritarianism can take hold. (Source photos by Getty Images, Monsoon Books) Many Indonesians still approach free speech with caution, as broadly worded laws can be used to stifle criticism of the government. The legacy of what is widely regarded as a three-decade dictatorship has left many Indonesians wary of speaking out. One writer's new novel pushes back against that legacy.

July 18, 2026
Japan’s Kawasaki Heavy proposes making naphtha from hydrogen
Economy

Japan’s Kawasaki Heavy proposes making naphtha from hydrogen

Energy sector looks to older technology for synthetic alternative A liquefied hydrogen terminal built by Kawasaki Heavy in Kobe, Japan. (Photo by Takaki Kashiwabara) TOKYO -- Kawasaki Heavy Industries is proposing alternative technologies for using hydrogen to produce naphtha, a petrochemical used in a wide range of plastics and inks, as the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz continues to disrupt Japan's industries.

July 18, 2026
Narita Airport bus tours offer close encounters with aircraft
Economy

Narita Airport bus tours offer close encounters with aircraft

Turtle livery double-decker plane landings steal the show for aviation enthusiasts An All Nippon Airways' Flying Honu Airbus A380 lands at Narita Airport as a tour bus gives riders a rare chance to see the aircraft from a short distance. (Greenport Agency) CHIBA, Japan -- Bus tours of Narita International Airport's restricted areas, including the apron, have proven to be a hit with aviation fans seizing the chance to view rare aircraft up close.

July 18, 2026
Where Japan’s forests and farmland meet, a way of life is under threat
Economy

Where Japan’s forests and farmland meet, a way of life is under threat

Keiko Kuwakino forages for wild vegetables in the forests of Minami-Uonuma, Niigata prefecture. The head chef at the Michelin-starred Sanaburi restaurant at the Satoyama Jujo luxury retreat designs her cuisine around the changing seasons and the surrounding landscape. (Photo by Ilgin Yorulmaz) Chefs, farmers and urban transplants work to preserve a centuries-old bond with the land MINAMI-UONUMA, Japan -- Chef Keiko Kuwakino is on a mission. She is preparing dinner for 20 guests at Sanaburi, her Michelin-starred restaurant at the luxury retreat Satoyama Jujo in rural Niigata prefecture, but she is short on udo (Japanese spikenard), a slightly bitter spring wild vegetable she has gathered for the menu.

July 18, 2026
Asia’s Gen Z political rise and the lack of good jobs
Economy

Asia’s Gen Z political rise and the lack of good jobs

India, Indonesia deepen ties as both countries struggle to boost manufacturing Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto during a joint-press conference following their meeting at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on July 7. © Reuters TOKYO -- A clock that had long stood still has begun to tick again between two of Asia's great powers.

July 18, 2026
Bangladesh forex recovery to get boost from Malaysia labor reopening
Economy

Bangladesh forex recovery to get boost from Malaysia labor reopening

Reserves hit level last seen in 2022 on higher remittances from Saudi Arabia, elsewhere Bangladeshi migrant workers are seen at a dormitory in Klang, Malaysia, on Jan. 24, 2025. Bangladeshi Officials hope the reopening of Malaysia to migrant workers will further lift remittance inflows. © AP DHAKA -- Bangladesh's foreign exchange reserves have climbed back to a level last seen in 2022, with an expected further upturn in remittances from Malaysia reopening to Bangladeshi workers set to add to a broad recovery in the country's external finances after years of pressure.

July 17, 2026
Japanese stocks plunge as AI deleverage sends Kioxia down 16%
Economy

Japanese stocks plunge as AI deleverage sends Kioxia down 16%

Nikkei average briefly dives 4,100 points as memory maker and chip stocks tumble Across Asian markets, equity benchmarks declined on Friday, led by a sharp selloff in AI proxy stocks. (Photo by Kazuho Fujiwara) TOKYO -- Japanese stocks fell sharply on Friday, led by memory maker Kioxia Holdings, which declined 16%, as investors unwind their previously accumulated leverage against tech stocks and concerns set in over the longevity of the AI-led rally.

July 17, 2026
Japan’s Olympus envisions robot-assisted future for endoscopy
Economy

Japan’s Olympus envisions robot-assisted future for endoscopy

Device makers sees robots and AI taking on a bigger share of physician workloads Olympus expects endoscopy to shift from a bedside procedure to one performed from a robotic console. (Image courtesy of Olympus) © Olympus TOKYO -- Endoscopic surgery remains a highly manual procedure, but Japan's Olympus is looking to change that.

July 17, 2026
India launches first hydrogen train amid rail modernization drive
Economy

India launches first hydrogen train amid rail modernization drive

Domestically made vehicle aids climate and energy security goals Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi flags off Namo Green Rail, India's first hydrogen-powered train, in Jind in the Indian state of Haryana on July 17. © Reuters NEW DELHI -- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday flagged off India's first hydrogen-powered train, marking a major milestone in the South Asian nation's push for cleaner rail mobility and stronger energy security.

July 17, 2026
No longer an island: Japan’s drug pricing has global consequences
Economy

No longer an island: Japan’s drug pricing has global consequences

Unpredictable reimbursement cuts drive away research, investment and new medicines A drug store in Tokyo. Eli Lilly's CEO says Japan's current pricing system penalizes innovative medicines for their effectiveness, leaves patients with a limited range of treatments, and makes the country a less attractive destination for global investment. © AP David A. Ricks is chair and chief executive officer of Eli Lilly and Company.

July 17, 2026
Xi dabbles in ‘AI diplomacy’ at Shanghai forum with Thai, Cambodian PMs
Economy

Xi dabbles in ‘AI diplomacy’ at Shanghai forum with Thai, Cambodian PMs

Domestic advances span AI smartphones, chips and supercomputing systems From left: Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Thail Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres pose for a group photo before the opening ceremony for the World AI Conference in Shanghai on July 17. © Reuters TOKYO -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday called for greater cooperation on artificial intelligence among developing countries to close the international technology gap, as Beijing used a major domestic tech event to project its ambitions to a global audience.

July 17, 2026
Bangkok bar blaze: Why deadly fires keep recurring despite safety rules
Economy

Bangkok bar blaze: Why deadly fires keep recurring despite safety rules

Latest tragedy brings fresh scrutiny to enforcement in Thailand's nightlife sector Police on July 13 carry out an investigation at a Bangkok bar where a deadly fire occurred. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi) TOKYO -- A Bangkok bar fire that killed at least 32 people has revived a familiar question in Thailand: Why do deadly conflagrations keep happening despite the existence of safety rules?

July 17, 2026