Economy — 1,017 insights
Japan suspected of near $30bn interventions in thin Golden Week trading
Economy

Japan suspected of near $30bn interventions in thin Golden Week trading

Possible interventions add to more than $30bn suspected last week Japanese Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama has been warning that she is prepared to take "decisive action" against speculative yen selling. Market participants wonder if she might become overzealous. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by Lejun Wang and Sae Kamae) TOKYO -- Money market data released by the Bank of Japan on Thursday suggests around 4.5 trillion yen ($28.8 billion) worth of yen-buying interventions took place during the first six days of May, largely coinciding with Japan's Golden Week string of holidays.

May 7, 2026
First Turkey-Japan defense event in Istanbul signifies closer cooperation
Economy

First Turkey-Japan defense event in Istanbul signifies closer cooperation

The first Turkey-Japan Defense Industry Cooperation Day took place on the sidelines of the 5th edition of the biennial SAHA International Defense & Aerospace Exhibition that is ongoing until Saturday. (Photo by Kana Watanabe) ISTANBUL -- More than 10 Japanese companies, including Terra Drone, participated in the first defense business matchmaking event with Turkish counterparts at a major arms show on Wednesday, when state organizations also signed a letter of intent for further cooperation.

May 7, 2026
ASEAN ministers vow to strengthen regional energy and food security
Economy

ASEAN ministers vow to strengthen regional energy and food security

Discussions ahead of summit also included development of "crisis communication protocol" ASEAN foreign ministers pose for a group photo during their meeting in Cebu, the Philippines, on Thursday morning ahead of a leaders' summit in the city on Friday. © Reuters CEBU, Philippines -- ASEAN foreign and economic ministers promised on Thursday to respond to the regional impacts of the Iran war by "strengthening energy security, safeguarding food security, and coordinating humanitarian responses."

May 7, 2026
China’s Huawei launches ‘world’s thinnest tablet’ and diamond smartwatch
Economy

China’s Huawei launches ‘world’s thinnest tablet’ and diamond smartwatch

Latest gadgets get global unveiling in Bangkok as tech group banks on Asian growth Huawei has enjoyed success with wearables, and its latest smartwatch lineup, unveiled in Bangkok on Thursday, included a $4,400 diamond-encrusted timepiece. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi) BANGKOK -- Huawei Technologies unveiled a range of consumer products, including "the world's thinnest tablet," at a global launch on Thursday staged in Bangkok, as the Chinese tech group increasingly sees Southeast Asia as its next growth engine.

May 7, 2026
AirAsia orders 150 fuel-efficient Airbus planes amid rising oil costs
Economy

AirAsia orders 150 fuel-efficient Airbus planes amid rising oil costs

Malaysian carrier pushes for fleet overhaul as way to also expand network AirAsia planes at the Senai International Airport in Johor Bahru, pictured on Dec. 6, 2025. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi) KUALA LUMPUR -- AirAsia has signed an order for 150 Airbus A220 aircraft worth about $19 billion, the Malaysian budget carrier announced Thursday, in an ambitious fleet overhaul amid rising fuel costs.

May 7, 2026
India and Vietnam agree on defense, minerals, rare-earth ties
Economy

India and Vietnam agree on defense, minerals, rare-earth ties

Narendra Modi hosts To Lam as both aim to raise trade to $25bn by 2030 Vietnam's President To Lam and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi pose for a photo at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on May 6. © Reuters NEW DELHI -- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Vietnamese President To Lam held wide-ranging discussions on Wednesday over cooperation in sectors such as defense, energy, critical minerals, rare earths and supply chain resilience, as they seek to expand their partnership and increase bilateral trade to $25 billion by 2030.

May 7, 2026
Japan medical startups need more than tech to break into US: VC executive
Economy

Japan medical startups need more than tech to break into US: VC executive

'Commitment to success is crucial,' Kicker Ventures managing partner says SoftBank's Pepper robot greets patients at a hospital in Tokyo. © Reuters TOKYO -- Japanese medical startups are well regarded in the U.S. for their technology, but they need to understand the differences between the countries' healthcare systems to succeed, said Masashi Kiyomine, managing partner at U.S. venture capital firm Kicker Ventures.

May 7, 2026
Japan to buy another 20m barrels of UAE oil to bypass Hormuz blockade
Economy

Japan to buy another 20m barrels of UAE oil to bypass Hormuz blockade

Port on Gulf of Oman provides alternative, but Iran strike shows stability still needed The United Arab Emirates supplies roughly 40% of Japan's crude oil. © Reuters TOKYO -- Japan has agreed to buy an additional 20 million barrels of crude oil from the United Arab Emirates, Nikkei learned Wednesday, as Tokyo continues pursuing alternative supply channels amid the effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

May 7, 2026
TikTok gets nod from Thailand for $26bn data center plan
Economy

TikTok gets nod from Thailand for $26bn data center plan

Country looks to become digital technology hub for Southeast Asia TikTok Shop is one of the top three players in Thailand's surging e-commerce market. © Reuters BANGKOK -- The Thailand Board of Investment (BOI) has approved a plan by a local TikTok unit to invest 842 billion baht ($26.2 billion) to expand data center operations in the country, the government agency said Wednesday.

May 7, 2026
Kyoto University to seek 5-year extension of iPS cell patent
Economy

Kyoto University to seek 5-year extension of iPS cell patent

Japan's top school for patent revenue aims to cash in on Nobel-winning breakthrough Induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells can be grown into tissue for regenerative treatments. (Kyoto University professor Shinya Yamanaka) OSAKA/TOKYO -- Kyoto University will apply to extend a patent on stem cell technology for five years in an effort to maintain research funding 20 years after a Japanese advance in the field raised hopes for new regenerative treatments, Nikkei has learned.

May 7, 2026
China corporate earnings down for 3rd straight year
Economy

China corporate earnings down for 3rd straight year

1 in 4 listed companies bleed red ink in 2025 amid weak domestic demand Retailers in China, including supermarkets, have taken a hit amid weakening domestic consumer spending. (Photo by Kentaro Shiozaki) HONG KONG -- Chinese companies are reporting lackluster earnings, with overall net profit declining in 2025 for the third consecutive year as the property slump dragged on and more retailers posted losses, hurting employment and the economy as a whole.

May 7, 2026
Japan’s IHI, Mitsubishi Heavy race to train nuclear plant workers
Economy

Japan’s IHI, Mitsubishi Heavy race to train nuclear plant workers

AI-linked demand for nuclear energy highlights lack of workers IHI's video training materials, on the screen on the right, allow learners to view footage of both the welder's hand movements and their posture during the welding process. (IHI) TOKYO -- Japanese nuclear power plant makers are rushing to train manufacturing and maintenance workers, turning to virtual reality and other digital technologies, as the country considers a new facility after a long hiatus following the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster.

May 7, 2026