Japan
The strongest El Niño on record will hit food prices from Brazil to Indonesia
The Pacific is warming faster than at any point in the modern record, and central bankers have started writing it into their forecasts.
Poland leads the world on defence worry, Finland climbs fastest since 2019
Even in the country most alarmed by it, defence is a top national concern for fewer than one person in three, a Statista survey of 32 countries has found.
Europe killed 25,000 of its own people this summer for want of air conditioning
Extreme heat has killed more than 25,000 people across Europe this year, according to data compiled from government agencies and research institutions in Germany, Spain, France, the UK, Switzerland and the Netherlands.
Europe’s petrochemical collapse: plants close as investment heads for China
The situation was already severe in July 2025, as high production costs, ageing plants and a surge in global capacity led by China were forcing European producers to shut facilities or reconsider their presence on the continent.
Japan’s Sony, Taiwan’s TSMC plan JPY747bn image sensor venture
Sony Group will invest JPY465bn in the venture, while Taiwan’s TSMC, the world’s largest contract semiconductor maker, will invest JPY282bn.
North Korea fires missile towards Japan
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi instructed relevant government agencies to make every effort to gather and analyse information, provide the public with accurate updates and ensure the safety of aircraft and vessels.
Korean football accused of providing sex services for referees
Of four Japanese match officials at a 2012 World Cup Asian third-round qualifier between South Korea and Kuwait, two received the massages. South Korea won the game 2-0.
Taiwan may issue sea warning as another typhoon approaches
The heaviest rainfall is expected over the weekend and torrential rain is possible in mountainous areas of northern Taiwan, while heavy rain is forecast across northern and central Taiwan and Matsu.
Mega Chinese IPO threatens South Korea chip dominance
A major Chinese IPO in flash memory manufacturing has disrupted the global data storage market, challenging established East Asian tech giants.
Japanese yen jumps past 158 against dollar
Japanese authorities are believed to have last intervened in the foreign exchange market between April and May, selling US dollars and buying yen.
Kim Jong Un’s greatest secret – his mother
It would instantly add weight to anti-Kim elements in the military or political elite and general populace of North Korea if these even exist.
Kumamoto earthquake death toll rises to 17 as rescue efforts continue
Five of the fatalities were at an Aeon shopping centre in Kashima, where an explosion followed the earthquake. Eight others died at Nippon Paper Industries' plant in Yatsushiro, where several smokestacks suffered severe damage.
Electrifying Asia – where EVs are reshaping power demand and fuel use
The winners are likely to be countries capable of building integrated ecosystems spanning renewable generation, batteries, charging networks and EV manufacturing.
Japan advances Pacific rare earth push after deep-sea discovery
The government-backed Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology said medium and heavy rare earths accounted for about 54% of the material extracted from mud samples. They included yttrium, gadolinium and dysprosium.
The super El Nino is here
The planet’s seas are on their way to being as warm as bath water as the predicted super El Niño arrives. It is already clear that this year’s oceanic heating event will be the most powerful on record.
Typhoon Bavi reaches Taiwan as some businesses remain open despite shutdown orders
Despite forecasts that Bavi could become one of Taiwan's most significant typhoons in decades, it has yet to match the impact of several major storms that struck the island over the past 10 years.
Taiwan braces for once-in-a-generation typhoon
Taiwan's Central Weather Administration has issued a land warning for Typhoon Bavi, which is expected to bring up to 900 mm of rain to northern mountain areas by Sunday July 12, and generate waves of more than six metres along the coast.
Europe heatwave boosts Thai tourism, air conditioner exports
Air conditioner exports to Europe climbed 41.3% year-on-year to $130.1mn in May. Shipments during the first five months of the year rose 16.5% to $696.8mn.
Typhoon Bavi approaches Taiwan
Central Weather Administration data reportedly showed maximum sustained winds of 134mph near its centre, as the storm’s radius reached 240 miles - a distance almost identical to the length of Taiwan from its northern tip to its southern shores.
Toyota to invest $3.6bn in Texas as Tacoma production shifts from Mexico
Toyota Motor Corp said it would invest $3.6bn into an expansion of its San Antonio, Texas, manufacturing plant on July 7, relocating the assembly of the Tacoma pickup truck from Mexico to the United States and creating around 2,000 new jobs by 2030.