ASEAN News

JAPAN: He planned the murder of Shinzo Abe for months, believing the former Japanese leader was linked to a religious sect he blamed for his mother’s financial devastation, authorities said on Saturday (Jul 9). Tatsuya Yamagami, the 41-year-old man who shot and wounded Japan’s longest-serving prime minister, was identified by police as the gunman. The crime was caught on tape …

JAPAN: When Shinzo Abe, the former Japanese prime minister, was assassinated while campaigning in a western city, a hearse carrying his remains arrived in Tokyo on Saturday (July 9). Even in a country like Japan, where violent crime is rare and gun rules are rigorous, the killing of a well-known politician has shocked the nation. While top members of Abe’s …

TAIWAN: Exports climbed in June, despite China’s slowdown, as demand for technology items remained strong amid concerns over Ukraine and inflation, and the government predicted a positive picture for the end-of-year holiday season. The Ministry of Finance reported Friday that exports grew 15.2 percent from a year earlier to $42.2 billion, the second-highest monthly sum on record and up for …

SHANGHAI: As reported by the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) on Friday, Tesla, the American electric vehicle manufacturer, sold 78,906 Chinese-made vehicles in June. Passenger car sales in China in June were 1.97 million, an increase of 22% over the same period last year, according to the CPCA. Despite restrictions to stop the spread of Covid in Shanghai, Tesla Inc.’s …

NORTH KOREA: On Thursday, official media stated that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un hosted an extraordinary meeting aimed at strengthening the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea’s “monolithic” leadership across society (Jul 7). The first-of-its-kind meeting aimed to “realize the organizational and ideological convergence of the Party ranks in every way” and “enhance the party’s leadership position,” according to state …

HONG KONG: There was “unnecessary bother and discomfort” for Hong Kong residents, the government said on Thursday, suspending an individual flying restriction for COVID-19-infected travelers (Jul 7). Flights have been restricted in the city more than 100 times this year. Businesses and individuals who had become accustomed to the ease and efficiency of transit in the former British colony found …

TAIWAN: It was on Wednesday (Jul. 6) that Taiwan’s air force showed off its new locally built and manufactured jet trainer, showcasing its more advanced, combat-capable qualities. As China, which claims the island as its own, pushes up its military modernization efforts and conducts drills near Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen has made the development of an advanced home-grown defense sector …

WASHINGTON: The White House said on Tuesday (Jul 5) that President Joe Biden’s team is still considering whether to reduce tariffs on Chinese imports in an effort to reduce inflation. As of late Tuesday, the US Trade Representative’s office had received more than 400 petitions to maintain tariffs in place on Chinese imports. This complicates Biden’s decision-making. A group of …

SOUTH KOREA: For the first time since last year, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. is expected to have its greatest April-June profit since 2018 with a 15 percent year-on-year increase in revenue from server customers. According to a Refinitiv SmartEstimate based on 24 analysts’ estimates, operating profit for the world’s largest smartphone and memory chip maker increased to 14.46 trillion won …

JAPAN: Desperate gamers wait outside an electronics store in Tokyo in the wee hours of the morning to get their hands on the latest PlayStation or Xbox despite Japan’s persistent shortages. Since its November 2020 debut, Sony and Microsoft consoles, as well as Nintendo’s Switch, have been difficult to obtain due to supply chain concerns compounded by lockdowns in China. …