China Executive Insights
A CR-V made at Honda's plant in the Canadian province of Ontario. (Photo by Azusa Kawakami) TOKYO -- Honda Motor plans to accelerate mass production of next-generation hybrid vehicles by several months, aiming to start building a hybrid CR-V sport utility vehicle in North America as early as February 2027.
Attendees walk through Gastech Bangkok 2026 on Sept. 15. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi) BANGKOK -- Malaysia's state-owned energy group Petronas is moving forward with liquefied natural gas projects in the Asia-Pacific region that could offer energy buyers viable alternatives to unstable Mideast supplies.
Differences in industry customs spur action at Japanese agencies Copyright management firm NexTone collects royalties directly from platforms like YouTube, while copyright group JASRAC works with its overseas peers. (Source photos by Nikkei and JASRAC) TOKYO -- Different business practices mean lyricists and composers in Japan's pop music industry are missing out on overseas royalties, highlighting the need to more sophisticated collection systems.
The Kodak Pixpro FZ55 is distributed by Maspro Denkoh in Japan, affordably priced below 30,000 yen. (Source photos by Reuters and Maspro Denkoh) TOKYO -- Eastman Kodak overtook Canon as the No. 1 camera brand in Japan by sales volume in fiscal 2025, ending the Japanese company's 20-plus-year streak at the top by boosting appeal with young users.
A man walks past an school damaged by a magnitude 7.7 earthquake in Satar Punda village, East Nusa Tenggara province, on Aug. 18, Displaced residents still need food, clean water, temporary shelter, but the village has limited resources to fund recovery. © AP Villages struggle to foot recovery bill after funds redirected to president's flagship programs SATAR PUNDA, Indonesia -- Once the shaking stopped after last month's giant earthquake off East Nusa Tenggara province, chief village elder Fransisko Edwin Budiman knew he had two major problems on his hands.
Japanese supplier envisions $5.5bn in fiscal year sales of batteries for data centers Panasonic's cylindrical lithium-ion batteries are finding a new role as backup power units for data centers. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by Yuya Kakegawa and Panasonic) TOKYO -- Panasonic Energy may be best known for supplying batteries for Tesla's electric vehicles, but the Japanese supplier says sales to data centers are now driving its growth.
Country urged to offer more incentives to welcome foreign firms Wirat Sri-amonkitkul, head of the Thai Semiconductor Industry Trade Association, speaks during an interview on Sept. 8. BANGKOK -- Thailand should invest in the front end of semiconductor manufacturing to build a comprehensive supply chain, says the head of a local industry group as the country aims to catch up with regional peers in the high-value sector.
New Delhi plays 'operational partner' role; Beijing provides relief drones In the aftermath of disastrous flooding last month, Nepal has received relief supplies and technical assistance from China and India as its giant neighbors compete to polish their friendship credentials. (Nikkei montage/Source photo by Reuters) KATHMANDU -- Hours after devastating floods struck Nepal in late August, India sent 10 metric tons of emergency relief, including shelters, solar lamps and medicine. Four days later, China delivered five times as much: 50 tons of tents, sleeping bags, first-aid kits and more, opening the latest race in disaster diplomacy between Asia's largest nations.
Initiative pushes back against Beijing's pressure on Taipei's overseas missions Taiwan Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung has emphasized strengthening ties with the Philippines as more than diplomatic gestures. © Reuters TAIPEI -- Taiwan's top diplomat has confirmed Nikkei Asia's reporting on plans to open a second quasi-diplomatic mission in the Philippines, while China reacted with a sharp condemnation.
Singapore's electronics exports have been robust on global AI-related demand, jumping 131.8% in August from a year earlier. © Reuters SINGAPORE -- Singapore's exports surged 46.2% in August from a year earlier, marking their strongest growth in 38 years as global AI-related demand continued to provide a strong tailwind for the city-state's electronics sector.
Asian currencies dip against greenback; BOJ meeting in focus The U.S. Dollar Index, a gauge of the greenback's strength against major currencies, has risen over the 100 mark. © Reuters TOKYO -- Asian currencies broadly weakened against the dollar on Thursday with the Japanese yen slipping into the 156-range following a rate hike by the U.S. Federal Reserve, which struck a hawkish tone in its future policy outlook.
Rare overseas manufacturing push by Vietnamese vehicle maker Kim Long Motor's buses are parked at the company's Hue facility. The Vietnamese manufacturer plans to make Thailand its first overseas production base. (Screenshot from Kim Long Motor's Facebook page) HO CHI MINH CITY -- Kim Long Motor, a Vietnamese bus manufacturer, will make the vehicles in Thailand, deepening industrial ties between the countries as the company seeks to build an ASEAN production base beyond its home market.