Tuesday, July 1, 2014
Is the Japanese Revival Imminent?
Twenty-first century Japan has yet to experience a social and political "earthquake" on par with those that have defined modern Japanese history, from the Meiji Restoration of 1868 to Japan's defeat in World War II in 1945. But the tectonic plates of Japanese geopolitics are moving--and fast . . .
http://www.stratfor.com/geopolitical-diary/japanese-revival-imminent#axzz36GwxtBqy
Monday, June 9, 2014
Overseas tourists offer boost to Japan
A cheaper yen combined with a boom in middle-class Asian tourism is fuelling Japan's first tourism surplus in 44 years
Sunday, June 8, 2014
China confirms attendance at U.S.-hosted naval exercises in June
BEIJING (Reuters) - China on Monday confirmed that it will participate for the first time in a major U.S.-hosted naval drill this month, sending four ships including a destroyer and frigate, even as deep military distrust persists between the two countries.
China ships 'rammed 1,400 times'
Vietnamese vessels have rammed Chinese ships 1,400 times near a drilling rig, Beijing claims, as tensions over territorial disputes intensify.
http://feedly.com/e/PU6ah8IV
Royal Caribbean shows faith in Hong Kong's Kai Tak Cruise Terminal with new sailings
Royal Caribbean shows faith in Kai Tak Cruise Terminal with new sailings
Hong Kong's Kai Tek Cruise Terminal: Businesses on a learning curve as tourists sail by
Businesses on a learning curve as tourists sail by
Friday, May 16, 2014
Japan Q1 GDP rises 1.5 pct q/q, fastest in nearly three years
May 15 (Reuters) - Japan's economy grew 1.5 percent in January-March from the previous quarter, posting its biggest expansion since July-September 2011, as consumer spending jumped ahead of an April 1 sales tax increase, government data showed on Thursday.
http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/05/15/japan-economy-gdp-idINT9N0N204E20140515
Japan and Russia Look for Common Ground
The recent Russo-Japanese warming of relations has come under pressure during the Ukrainian crisis as Japan seeks to show solidarity with the West and Russia courts Chinese economic cooperation. But neither Tokyo nor Moscow wants to miss the rare opportunity to work together now that each has something the other needs.
Japanese Deputy Foreign Minister Akitaka Saiki denied that Japan would suspend negotiations with Russia over the disputed southern Kuril Islands and a peace treaty, Russia's Itar-Tass reported May 12. Previous rumors indicated that Tokyo would suspend talks temporarily amid the Ukrainian conflict, according to Kyodo News. The latest round of territorial and peace talks began in April 2013 and is part of the larger initiative between Moscow and Tokyo to improve relations for the sake of broader national security and economic interests.
Q&A on anti-China unrest sweeping Vietnam
HANOI - Festering anti-China tensions have erupted in Vietnam with riots at foreign-owned factories after Beijing moved a deep-sea oil drilling rig into contested waters.
Here are some questions and answers on the sudden surge of violence.
Thursday, May 15, 2014
NEW SERIES: What Americans Think About China
Two common American attitudes toward China can be identified from the latest U.S. public opinion surveys published by Gallup and Pew Research Center in the past year.
First, most of the Americans surveyed have unfavorable opinions of China as a whole, but do not view the country as a threat toward the United States at the present time.
Second, most survey respondents expect China to pose an economic and military threat to the United States in the future, with more Americans worried about the perceived economic threat than the military one.
http://www.voanews.com/content/new-series-what-american-think-about-china-/1913088.html
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Monday, March 31, 2014
Saturday, March 15, 2014
Friday Asia Update: Top Five Stories for the Week of March 14, 2014
1. Missing Malaysia Airlines flight leaves the fate of 227 passengers shrouded in mystery. Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing disappeared Saturday, and its fate has still not been determined nearly a week after it vanished from radar screens. The most recent information indicates that the plane was deliberately flown off course, making a sharp left and flying hundreds of miles toward India’s remote Andaman and Nicobar islands. India has now joined twelve other countries and more than one hundred ships and aircraft in the search mission, which has extended into the Indian ocean. While no cause has been ruled out for the disappearance, officials are increasingly suspecting foul play, possibly by crew or passengers with aviation experience. The search has been plagued by false leads and contradictory reports: an oil slick found in the Gulf of Thailand was dismissed as unrelated; debris spotted by Vietnam turned out to be trash or wood; and the search radius has been repeatedly expanded. Chinese officials have expressed frustration with Malaysia’s lack of transparency throughout the investigation; two-thirds of the passengers on the flight were Chinese nationals. The fact that two passengers were able to board the flight on fake passports has also exposed serious security gaps in Kuala Lumpur’s airport and focused attention on the black market for stolen passports in Southeast Asia. The passengers with fake passports do not seem to have terrorist ties and are likely Iranian nationals attempting to flee to Europe.
2. Chinese exports unexpectedly low. Chinese exports unexpectedly declined 18.1 percent in February from last year, the biggest drop since the global financial crisis. According to China’s General Administration of Customs in Beijing, the sudden decline left a trade deficit of $22.98 billion for the month. The drop in exports reverberated globally, taking a toll on commodity prices and stock markets. At the National People’s Congress, Premier Li Keqiang encouraged the 7.5 percent annual GDP growth target to remain flexible as “severe challenges” lie ahead for the Chinese economy.
3. Philippines accuses Chinese coastguard of preventing delivery of supplies in Ayungin Shoal. Manila has lodged a protest with China after two civilian supply vessels attempting to resupply sailors in the Ayungin Shoal (known as Ren’ai in China) were obstructed by a Chinese coastguard vessel. The Philippines claims the shoal is part of its continental shelf, while China claims much of the South China Sea, including the shoal, for itself. Supplies were later airdropped to the sailors, who occupy a military hospital ship that was intentionally grounded in 1999. The Chinese foreign ministry asserted that the supply vessels in fact carried construction materials to reinforce the Filipino presence on the shoal.
4. North Korea uses front companies, embassies to conduct illegal arms trade, UN report finds. The United Nations Panel of Experts on North Korea found that North Korea continues to trade prohibited goods, including weapons and materials used in nuclear weapons development. The report alleges that front companies and possibly even the North Korean missions to Cuba and Singapore may be involved in the illegal trade activity. The report also refers to foreign suppliers for North Korea’s missile program, and a rocket test-fired into sea in December 2012 was found to contain parts from China, the United States, the former Soviet Union, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland. The UN Security Council voted on March 5, 2014, to extend the mandate of the panel of experts by thirteen months, through April 2015.
5. Abe announces Japanese support for the United States in Ukraine crisis. On March 7, Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe promised U.S. president Barack Obama that Tokyo would back U.S. efforts to address the Ukraine crisis, including economic sanctions against Russia. Japan’s foreign minister Fumio Kishida said the same day that Japan would also consider giving financial assistance to Ukraine through the International Monetary Fund. The announcements marked a shift in policy, as Tokyo was initially hesitant to back sanctions because of its dependence on Russia for energy imports. Japan also postponed a visit set for this week by Russia’s military chief Valeriy Gerasimov, who was to discuss defense exchanges with Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera. Meanwhile, Shotaro Yachi, head of Japan’s new National Security Council, traveled to Moscow to meet with Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov and explained Tokyo’s desire to see a peaceful end to the crisis and respect for the territorial integrity of Ukraine.
Bonus: North Korea reelects Kim Jong-un with 100 percent of votes. North Korean state media reported that 100 percent of all registered voters went to the polls for this week’s legislative elections. In a country where voting is mandatory and there is only one yes/no option on the ballot consisting of a single candidate, 100 percent of the voters chose to re-elect Kim Jong-un to the country’s parliament. Citizens celebrated this “single-minded solidarity” for Mr. Kim with singing, dancing, and poetry; Kim Jong-un celebrated with his sister, in her first official appearance. These quinquennial elections allow the North Korean state to keep tabs on its population and bolster Kim Jong-un’s right to rule.
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Missing MALAYSIAN Airlines jet 'flew off course for an hour at low altitude'
The missing Malaysia Airlines jet flew for an hour off its flight course and at a lower altitude after mysteriously disappearing from civil aviation radar screens in the early hours of Saturday, two senior Malaysian military sources revealed last night.
Monday, March 10, 2014
RUSSIA: New chill in Russia's tepid ties with US
Despite dissatisfaction with Moscow’s policy there are hopes that having Russia in the WTO could prevent a trade war being added to the Ukrainian crisis
JAPAN: Fukushima at three - The world has mostly kept its interest in nuclear power
ON MARCH 11th 2011 the world’s fifth most powerful earthquake struck off the northeast coast of Japan. At a magnitude of 9.0, its ferocity shifted the planet 17cm off its axis and pushed Japan’s main island of Honshu 2.4 metres to the east. The tsunami that followed inundated the Fukushima nuclear power plant about 220km from Tokyo, wrecked the backup power generators (some were lifted off their supports; when the water receded they were pulled out to sea). It set off a nuclear meltdown in three of the plant’s reactors. Since that day, the reactors have largely stabilised, but contamination remains a problem. The Japanese authorities and TEPCO, the operator of the plant, have been criticised for failing to disclose accurate information in a timely way. Yet the disaster hasn’t stopped the global interest in nuclear power—especially in developing countries that have untested regulatory and crisis-management systems. After Fukushima, Germany shut all its nuclear reactors. Japan let all of its reactors go idle, and then slowly restarted a few. But the world has done little to establish standards for nuclear disaster-response that builds confidence for the public, or their nation’s neighbours.
Sunday, March 9, 2014
PORT OF BUSAN: Protesters attack employee at Japan's embassy in Busan, South Korea
Anti-Japan protesters assaulted a South Korean employee of the Japanese consulate in Busan in front of the embassy as he tried to take pictures of the protest, sources familiar with the matter said yesterday.
THAILAND a Hotbed for Fake and Stolen Passports
An Austrian and Italian whose names were on the passenger list of flight MH370 but not on the flight both lost their passports in Thailand, a hotbed for sales of fake identification.
MALAYSIA AIR Flight MH370: Still searching
LESS than three hours after midnight of March 8th, a Boeing 777-200ER operated by Malaysian Airlines mysteriously vanished from the skies. En route between Kuala Lumpur and Beijing, flight MH370 is still unaccounted for. With 239 souls on board—12 crew and 227 passengers from 14 different countries—it was last heard from about 120 miles of the coast of Malaysia.A big, international search is underway. China, which has put aside controversial territorial claims to the seas around the presumed crash site, is helping. America, too, is sending vessels and investigators, as is Malaysia and Vietnam.What happened? While it is obviously premature to state anything for sure, the few known facts allow us to paint a preliminary picture. There are a some disturbing details: no distress signal or radio call was received by air traffic control stations in Malaysia or Vietnam nor by other aircrafts in the area. This suggest a catastrophic event of some kind or a physical or technical impediment for the crew to communicate. More upsetting is the revelation that at least two of the passengers were not who they seemed to be: their passports turned out to have been stolen in Thailand and their original owners (an Italian and an Austrian) were not on the plane. As other details emerge from the passenger manifest (initially leaked from Beijing Airport, before many of the families have been ...
VIETNAM Says Suspected Fragments of Missing Jet Found
Vietnam says a search plane has found suspected fragments of a missing Malaysian airliner. The fragments, found southwest of Tho Chu Island, are believed to be a piece of an inner door and part of the tail of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.
Follow live updates in the stream: http://stream.wsj.com/story/malaysia-airlines-flight-370/SS-2-475558/
Follow live updates in the stream: http://stream.wsj.com/story/malaysia-airlines-flight-370/SS-2-475558/
5 Things to Know About Missing Malaysia Airlines Flight and Air Safety
Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, with 239 people aboard, lost contact early Saturday with the airline shortly into the flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. Here are five things to know about the flight and air safety.
Countries Put Disputes Aside in Search for Jet
A multinational effort to track down a missing Malaysian airliner on the edge of the South China Sea is turning into a rare example of maritime collaboration between countries embroiled in territorial disputes in the region.
Saturday, March 8, 2014
New possible sighting of debris at sea as CHINA sends warships to join search for missing MALAYSIAN Airlines flight
Photographs purporting to show debris in the sea in the area where the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 lost contact have been posted on Chinese social media.
MALAYSIA: Anwar Ibrahim decision a "bleak day for justice"
The conviction of opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim on charges of ‘sodomy’ should be quashed, Amnesty International said.
A court in Malaysia today overturned the acquittal of Anwar Ibrahim on politically motivated ‘sodomy’ charges. The court upheld a government appeal against a 2012 High Court decision that cleared Ibrahim of all charges, citing a lack of evidence.
JAPAN: JR East to offer bullet train with footbath
Japan's high-speed bullet train is to offer passengers a chance to soothe their tired feet as they zip through the countryside, in a carriage equipped with footbaths. JR East will launch the service in July, with one carriage on the "shinkansen" bullet train having two 2.4-meter-long tubs facing windows. Bathing…
Why Malaysia Airlines jet might have disappeared
The most dangerous parts of a flight are takeoff and landing. Rarely do incidents happen when a plane is cruising seven miles above the earth.
Chinese radar expert has doubts that Malaysian airliner simply 'vanished'
Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 could not just "disappear", a Chinese military radar expert said yesterday, and asked whether Vietnamese authorities were withholding crucial information or if staff had "neglected their duty".
Friday, March 7, 2014
'Contact lost' with MALAYSIA plane to CHINA
Malaysia Airlines says it has lost contact with flight MH370 travelling from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people on board.
Friday Asia Update: Top Five Stories for the Week of March 7, 2014
1. Mass stabbing in Kunming, China, leaves thirty-three dead and 130 injured. Eight people armed with knives attacked travelers in a train station in the southwestern city of Kunming on Saturday. Four attackers were shot dead, one was wounded and captured, and three other attackers were apprehended near the border with Vietnam. Though no group has claimed responsibility for the attack, called “China’s 9/11” by Chinese media, early signs suggest that Uighur separatists are the perpetrators. The western province of Xinjiang, home to the the Muslim Uighur minority group, has a tenuous relationship with Han Chinese based on religious, cultural, and linguistic differences. The last attack by Uighur’s against Han occurred in November 2013, when three Uighurs drove an SUV through Tiananmen Square in Beijing, killing themselves and two tourists. These two attacks were especially surprising because they occurred half a country away from Xinjiang, where the vast majority of China’s twenty-two million Uighurs live. The governor of Xinjiang signaled that the Communist Party would crack down on separatist groups in the region.
2. China’s NPC, CPPCC meet, marking one year in office for President Xi Jinping. The National People’s Congress (NPC), China’s parliament, and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the country’s top political advisory body, began their annual meeting this week. Though the NPC is seen as little more than a rubber stamp for the Communist Party’s decisions, it signals the state’s priorities for the next year. On the opening day of the Congress, Premier Li Keqiang presented his work report—among its most important points were: China’s growth target would be set at about 7.5 percent; the country’s military budget would increase by 12.2 percent; Beijing would launch “a war on pollution”; and China would expand President Xi’s anti-corruption policies.
3. North Korea test-fires missiles into East Sea. North Korea fired seven short-range missiles from its east coast on March 4, the most recent in a slew of missile tests. Just minutes following the launch, a Chinese passenger plane flying from Tokyo to Shenyang, China, passed through the trajectory of one of the missiles. North Korea launched four short-range missiles on February 27 and another two on March 3. The tests follow the conclusion of annual U.S.-South Korean joint military exercises, though many experts say the launches will not raise tension in the region. The tests have since prompted the UN Security Council on March 5 to extend its sanctions on North Korea through April 2015. Despite its reticence to respond to diplomacy, North Korea has had careful engagement with its neighbors recently, including reunions for separated families with South Korea last month and a visit by the Japanese Red Cross to Pyongyang on March 3 to discuss the repatriation of the remains of Japanese nationals buried in the North. Japanese government officials accompanying the envoy were able to conduct informal talks with North Korean officials.
4. Caroline Kennedy urges Japan, South Korea to mend ties. In an interview with Hiroko Kuniya for the show Close-Up Gendai, which aired on Japan’s national broadcaster NHK, Ambassador Kennedy said that it was up to Japan and South Korea to improve their relations, but that the United States is “happy to help” in any way possible. “The three countries can work together, will work together, and I think these good relations are in everyone’s interests,” Kennedy said. Tensions between Japan and South Korea have been high for some time. Earlier reports had suggested that the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo was reluctant to give NHK an interview with Ambassador Kennedy because of controversial remarks about WWII history made by some of the broadcaster’s board members. Kennedy did reiterate the negative U.S. view toward Prime Minister Abe’s visit to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine, but she also praised Abe as a “strong, stable leader” and a “wonderful partner” for the United States.
5. Suicide bomber kills 11 in Pakistan; talks with Taliban resume.Two suicide bombers killed eleven people in Islamabad’s district court complex on Monday, the deadliest terrorist attack in Pakistan’s capital in five years. Ahrar-ul-Hind, an offshoot of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the country’s biggest militant coalition, has claimed responsibility for Monday’s attacks. The attack came days after the Pakistani government and the TTP announced a month-long ceasefire. The ceasefire was supposed to head off a Pakistani military operation against militant strongholds, allowing for the resumption of peace talks between Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s government and the TTP. Last month, peace talks between the two sides broke down after a Taliban faction killed twenty-three paramilitary soldiers.
Bonus: Nepal making Mount Everest climbers take out the trash. With climbing season for Mount Everest starting, Nepal’s tourism ministry is enforcing a new rule: clean up after yourself. Climbers must return to base camp with eighteen pounds of garbage, or forfeit a $4,000 deposit. The new regulation is an attempt for Everest to dump its nickname as the “world’s highest garbage dump.” The rule won’t do much about the garbage heaps already on Everest, but it will at least keep the situation from getting worse.
MALAYSIAN Court Overturns Anwar Ibrahim's Acquittal
Malaysia’s appeals court overturned the acquittal of opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim on a sodomy charge and sentenced him to five years in prison. Mr. Anwar has called the charge politically motivated.
The judgment may complicate the charismatic leader’s bid to contest a state assembly seat this month, even as his lawyers plan to appeal the verdict.
SOUTH KOREA: Apple loses a round in smartphone legal war
Samsung won the latest skirmish in its feud with Apple, when a judge on Thursday rejected Apple's request for a ban on U.S. sales of some older Samsung smartphone models. U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh said Apple had not produced enough evidence to support its argument that its patented features, such as the pinch and zoom screen function, were significant enough selling points to justify yanking Samsung phones off store shelves.
RUSSIA: Obama calls Crimea's referendum on leaving Ukraine illegal
President Obama said Thursday that Crimean lawmakers' decision to hold a referendum on breaking away from Ukraine to join Russia violated their country's constitution as well as international law. Crimea's legislature defiantly pressed ahead with the plan, and Russia made a show of force by starting what it said were already scheduled military drills. Earlier in the day, the U.S. announced sanctions against ousted Ukrainian leaders.
RUSSIA: Russian State Gas Company Threatens to Cut Supply to Ukraine
Ukraine Failed To Meet Deadline For Payment Of Bill, Says Gazprom Chief Executive
RUSSIA: Putin Ignores Obama¹s Ukraine Warnings
President Barack Obama's warnings to Russia over the past week have been brushed aside by President Vladimir Putin, who has taken control of Ukraine's Crimea region despite the threat of sanctions by the United States and the European Union.
SOUTH KOREA: Samsung leads European patent list in "patents arms race" with Apple
Smartphone and electronics maker Samsung has filed ten times as many European patents as rival Apple, the latest sign in the escalating "patents arms race" between the companies.
CHINA'S Smog in Western Region Stirs Protests
China's plan to clear smog from Beijing by shifting power plants to the less populated western part of the country inhabited by restive minorities has prompted protests.
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
MALAYSIA'S Anwar back in court in sodomy case
Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim was back in court Thursday over a government appeal against his sodomy acquittal, as he prepared to contest a key state by-election.
NORTH KOREA Missiles Passed Near Jet
North Korea defended its recent missile firings as "ordinary military practice," as South Korea said Tuesday's volley passed above a Chinese passenger jet's route just minutes ahead of the airliner.
CHINA: Woman Self-Immolates In Tiananmen Square
A 40-year-old woman reportedly self-immolated in Beijing's Tiananmen Square on March 5 while another woman handed out leaflets, according to New Tang Dynasty Television. BBC reports indicated demonstration activity in the square.
JAPAN - PORT OF OTARU - Hokkaido city's new sport -- shoveling snow
The president of a consulting firm in Otaru, Hokkaido, has created a nationwide association to promote snow shoveling, with the aim of turning the tedious ...
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
CHINA: Shanghai Is More Expensive Than New York
Chinese cities are moving up in the rankings of the world's most expensive cities, a reflection of higher wages, rising inflation and the appreciation of the yuan.
SINGAPORE: Of price and place - The cost of living around the world
SAYONARA, Tokyo. Singapore is now the world’s most expensive city, according to the bi-annual cost of living index from the Economist Intelligence Unit, our corporate sibling. The Singapore dollar’s appreciation and high transport costs have propelled it to top spot. Tokyo and Osaka, which ranked first and second last year, have seen the biggest falls in costs because of a cheaper yen. The index is a weighted average of the prices of 160 products and services, with New York's figure set to 100 to provide a base for comparisons.
RUSSIA: Senators consider sanctions against Russia's Ukraine intervention
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Monday began considering whether to impose sanctions against Russia for sending thousands of soldiers into Ukraine's Crimea region following the ouster of the country's president, Viktor Yanukovych. Chairman Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) said the intervention was "a clear violation of international law." Russia's United Nations ambassador said Russia sent the soldiers at Yanukovych's request.
CHINA: After 3/1 - The Dangers of China¹s Ethnic Divide
Violence as savage and public as the massacre that took place at a Chinese train station on Saturday shocks the chemistry of a country in a way that years of more remote, simmering conflict do not. Acts of such spectacular violence exert unpredictable forces on the public and on the leaders who are charged with protecting it, transforming judgments of when and how to use force and decisions about what can be sacrificed in the name of security, as well as the definitions of citizenship, patriotism, and innocence. Rarely do they leave anyone better off than they were before.
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2014/03/after-31-the-dangers-of-chinas-ethnic-divide.html
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2014/03/after-31-the-dangers-of-chinas-ethnic-divide.html
CHINA'S Xi Broadens Graft Crackdown
President Xi Jinping, who took office last year, has expanded an anticorruption campaign that is now one of the broadest in China's modern history, positioning Xi as the country's most powerful leader in decades.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-03/china-s-xi-broadens-graft-crackdown-to-boost-influence.html
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-03/china-s-xi-broadens-graft-crackdown-to-boost-influence.html
Monday, March 3, 2014
JAPAN'S Samurai Spirit: Progeny of Japan's Warrior Elite Retain Edge Today
A new study finds that people carrying surnames associated with Japan’s feudal ruling class tend to be overrepresented among those high up on the social ladder today.
N. KOREA: US urges N Korea missile 'restraint'
The US urges North Korea to exercise restraint and avoid provocative acts after it fired two short-range missiles into the sea off its east coast.
MALAYSIA: Dengue Deaths Soar in Malaysia
Reeling from a severe dengue outbreak, Malaysia has launched a community-driven neighborhood cleaning program to destroy breeding sites of Aedes mosquitoes that are responsible for spreading the virus.
RUSSIA Raises Interest Rates as Rouble Plummets
The Russian rouble dropped to a new all-time low against both the dollar and euro after the Russian Central Bank hiked interest rates to stem the decline as concerns mount over an expanded invasion of the Ukraine.
http://www.bbc.com/news/business-26414285
http://www.bbc.com/news/business-26414285
CHINA: Separatists blamed for knife attack; 33 dead
CHINA: Authorities blamed Xinjiang separatists, whose members are mostly Muslim Uighurs, for a "slashing rampage" that killed twenty-nine people at a southern China train station on Saturday.
http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/3/2/separatists-blamedforchinaknifeattack33dead.html
http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/3/2/separatists-blamedforchinaknifeattack33dead.html
NORTH KOREA Launches Two Missiles
North Korea launched two short-range missiles on Monday into the sea off the east coast of the Korean peninsula, in what analysts say is a protest to the ongoing South Korean-U.S. joint military exercises. The move is North Korea's second missile firing in a week.
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304585004579415803423444282?mod=WSJ_hps_MIDDLE_Video_Top&mg=reno64-wsj
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304585004579415803423444282?mod=WSJ_hps_MIDDLE_Video_Top&mg=reno64-wsj
RUSSIA seizes Crimea region in Ukraine
Russian troops took over Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula on Sunday without firing a shot. The interim Ukrainian government mobilized its armed forces and called up reservists. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said the Ukrainian opposition's ouster of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych was a "seizure of power" that would end in "new blood." U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is scheduled to fly to Kiev on Tuesday to support Ukraine.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/03/world/europe/kerry-warns-russia-of-possible-eviction-from-g-8.html?emc=edit_na_20140302&_r=1
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/03/world/europe/kerry-warns-russia-of-possible-eviction-from-g-8.html?emc=edit_na_20140302&_r=1
Sunday, March 2, 2014
RUSSIA: G-7 Leaders Condemn Russia, Suspend Preparation For G-8 Summit
In a joint statement from the White House, leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission, condemned Russia's actions in Ukraine, March 3. Stating that Russia's actions in Ukraine are in contravention of its obligations under the U.N. Charter and its 1997 agreement with Ukraine, the leaders have decided to suspend activities associated with the preparation of the G-8 Summit.
NORTH KOREA: Missiles Fired Off Coast
North Korea launched two short-range missiles from its east coast March 2, according to the South Korean Defense Ministry, Yonhap reported. The missiles were fired from Gitdaeryeong and Wonsan and had a range of 500 kilometers (310 miles), twice the range of the missiles North Korea fired the previous week, CNN reported. North Korea has often engaged in provocative actions as part of its overall foreign policy strategy.
JAPAN'S casino gamble sets pulses racing
The prospect of the world’s third-largest economy opening up to casinos has excited the gaming industry, with estimates of $40bn in annual revenues
INDONESIA: Co-director of The Act of Killing says crew fear for their lives
A chilling documentary about one of the worst massacres since the second world war is up for an Academy Award. If it does win, don't expect the Indonesian co-director to go on stage to receive an Oscar: he's worried for his life.
CHINA'S Uighur Militants Make a Strategic Shift
A railway station attack in Kunming, China, on March 1 suggests that ethnic Uighur militants, whose attacks in the past mostly targeted police and public officials in the northwestern Chinese region of Xinjiang, have shifted to a strategy of seeking to inflict mass civilian casualties anywhere in the country. While these militants may be part of small, disparate cells with a relative lack of central control and training, they have now proved capable of striking in China's far southwest borderlands only months after another Uighur group attacked China's capital, Beijing. This suggests that China's counterterrorism efforts will have to expand nationwide.
http://www.stratfor.com/analysis/chinas-uighur-militants-make-strategic-shift
http://www.stratfor.com/analysis/chinas-uighur-militants-make-strategic-shift
CHINA blames separatist terrorists for deadly knife attacks
Chinese authorities are pursuing five assailants who slashed to death dozens of people at a train station in southern China on Saturday, an attack the government blamed on Xinjiang separatists. Police fatally shot four black-clad attackers — bringing the total body count to 33 — and captured one more, though another five escaped.
RUSSIA Could Lose Its Place In G-8, Face Sanctions
Russia’s actions in Ukraine could cause Moscow to lose its place in the G-8 and face economic sanctions, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said March 2, Reuters and RT reported. The European Union and the United States have called for Russia to show restraint, but they are unlikely to intervene militarily in Ukraine, though a NATO meeting has been called to discuss the situation.
Saturday, March 1, 2014
CHINA: At Least 27 Killed In Kunming Train Station Attack
At least 27 people were killed and another 109 people injured in an attack by a group of knife-wielding men at the Kunming Railway Station in Yunnan province on March 1, Xinhua and AP reported, citing local television and state-run Yunnan News. Several of the attackers, who were reportedly wearing uniforms when they stormed the train station, were shot by police. The motive for the attack is not yet clear.
RUSSIA: Parliament Asks Putin To Withdraw Ambassador From United States
Russia's Federation Council, the upper house of the parliament, asked President Vladimir Putin on March 1 to withdraw the Russian ambassador to the United States over aggressive statements made by U.S. President Barack Obama, RIA Novosti reported. Obama's criticisms of Russia's recent actions in Ukraine were a direct threat and insult to the Russian people, the vice speaker of the Federation Council said. Russia has been emphatically reminding the world that the United States will not confront Russia militarily, even if it confronts Russia politically and possibly financially.
CHINA: Authorities save 382 babies in Chinese trafficking sting
Chinese police rescued 382 abducted babies from four Internet-based trafficking rings, authorities announced on Friday. Fueled by China's one-child law, trafficking rings thrive in the country by selling kidnapped babies through fake adoption websites. Police arrested 1,094 suspects in the six-month operation, some of whom could face death sentences in a country with harsh trafficking punishments.
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/china-busts-major-web-based-baby-trafficking-rings
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/china-busts-major-web-based-baby-trafficking-rings
JAPAN: Bitcoin exchange Mt. Gox files for bankruptcy
Tokyo-based exchange Mt. Gox announced on Friday that it was filing for bankruptcy protection, following a security breach that allowed hackers to defraud the company's customers of more than 700,000 coins. The company admitted such a software flaw existed several weeks ago. “There were weaknesses in the system,” exchange executive Mark Karpeles said. “I’m truly sorry to have caused inconvenience.”
http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/02/28/mt-gox-files-for-bankruptcy/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_php=true&_type=blogs&smid=tw-nytimes&_r=1
http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/02/28/mt-gox-files-for-bankruptcy/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_php=true&_type=blogs&smid=tw-nytimes&_r=1
Friday, February 28, 2014
CHINA: 'Let's spend the night together' in Macau
Casino companies in Macau are diversifying their businesses into music and martial arts to reduce the territory’s reliance on gambling
http://feedly.com/e/86F7sPIE
Friday Asia Update: Top Five Stories for the Week of February 28, 2014
1. Hong Kong editor attacked. Kevin Lau, former chief editor of Ming Pao Daily News, was slashed three times in his back and legs by an attacker and accomplice on a motorbike. The attack on Mr. Lau sparked protests and an offer of a one million Hong Kong dollar reward from Ming Pao for any information leading to the arrest of the attacker. Mr. Lau was the center of controversy last month when removed from his editorial role. Hong Kong journalist associations are concerned that Mr. Lau’s removal, alongside the firing of a radio talk show host, are encroachments upon press freedom. While threats and attacks against outspoken Hong Kong journalists are hardly new, the attack on Mr. Lau comes amid increasing fears of mainland China’s widening political and cultural influence over Hong Kong.
2. North Korea test-fires short-range missiles. On February 27, North Korea fired missiles with a range of less than 200 meters off the east coast of North Korea. North Korea has provided no information on the test’s purpose, but such tests are not unusual for North Korea, especially following joint U.S.-South Korea exercises. The U.S.-Republica of Korea Key Resolve and Foal Eagle drills began February 24 and will continue until April 18. One South Korean analyst believes the missile tests are mainly to send a message about the U.S.-South Korea drills as well as being an angered over recent UN Commission of Inquiry report on North Korean human rights abuses. A U.S. State Department spokesperson has urged Pyongyang to “exercise restraint and take steps to improve its relations with its neighbors.” Observers do not believe these tests will trigger a rise in tensions.
3. Thai prime minister faces corruption charges related to rice subsidy; strife continues. Thai prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra is facing charges of negligence over an allegedly corrupt rice subsidy scheme; if convicted, she could be removed from office and face a five-year ban from politics. Under the rice subsidies, instated by the prime minister when she came to power in 2011, the government pledged to buy rice from Thai farmers at 40 to 50 percent above market value. This has pushed Thai rice prices to uncompetitive levels and cost the government $4 billion per year; the government has also been unable to pay farmers back, causing mass protests. Pro-government supporters surrounded the office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission, forcing the hearing to move elsewhere. At the same time, clashes have continued between pro- and anti-government protesters; at least twenty people have died since the protests began in November 2013.
4. Japan announces draft of Basic Energy Plan, includes push to restart reactors. On February 25, the Abe administration unveiled a draft of the Basic Energy Plan, the first national energy policy since the March 2011 disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. While the plan calls for reducing Japan’s dependence on nuclear energy, it does not specify what mix of nuclear/renewables/fossil fuels Japan should rely on for its future energy needs. The plan also urges Japan’s government to push to restart reactors that meet new safety standards. All fifty of Japan’s operable reactors are currently idle, and only two reactors have been restarted since March 2011, though they were shut down again in September 2013 for routine maintenance. Cabinet approval of the draft Basic Energy Plan is expected in March.
Bonus: Yorkies are the newest attraction at Pyongyang’s zoo. A pack of miniature Yorkshire terrier dogs are the newest addition to the Capital Zoo in North Korea. The country’s official media agency has already announced that the pups have been taught “several feats.” Lonely Planet published an damning account of the zoo last year, saying the animals “look pretty forlorn.”
JAPAN: J. Crew in Talks to Sell to Japan's Fast Retailing
J. Crew Group is in talks to sell the clothing retailer to Japan’s Fast Retailing for as much as $5 billion.
Fast Retailing, which owns the Uniqlo apparel chain, this week approached J. Crew’s management about potentially buying the private-equity-owned business. J. Crew is seeking upward of $5 billion for the business. It remained unclear whether Fast Retailing would pay that much and whether the two sides have yet discussed a price.
Fast Retailing, which owns the Uniqlo apparel chain, this week approached J. Crew’s management about potentially buying the private-equity-owned business. J. Crew is seeking upward of $5 billion for the business. It remained unclear whether Fast Retailing would pay that much and whether the two sides have yet discussed a price.
NORTH KOREA responds to U.S. drills with Scud tests
North Korea fired short-range scud missiles into the sea on Thursday. It was the first time the isolated communist regime had fired that kind of weapon since 2009. Security experts interpreted the move as a protest against annual joint military exercises the U.S. and South Korea began on Monday. North Korea called the drills a rehearsal for an invasion, but South Korea didn't expect tensions to escalate over the exercises.
http://edition.cnn.com/2014/02/27/world/asia/north-korea-missiles/
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