18 h. ago 10 times Asia overtourism and ‘limits’ to hospitality became a problem in 2025

Catch up on some of SCMP’s biggest stories about overtourism in Asia. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Bali fumes at frugal tourists who spend time but less money Locals in the Indonesian holiday hotspot of Bali have urged authorities to filter out cost-conscious travellers who spend more time but less money on the island, in a shift towards quality tourism. 2. ‘Can’t allow this to continue’: Japan’s tax-free tourist shopping under fire A group of...

Politics

33 h. ago Japan PM office source hints at need for nuclear weapons amid policy review

A source within Japan’s prime minister’s office said on Thursday that the country needs nuclear weapons, remarks that deviate from the country’s long-standing non-nuclear principles and could trigger backlash at home and abroad. “I think we should possess nuclear weapons,” said the source, who is involved in devising security policy under the government led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, while also indicating that such a move is unrealistic. The remarks came as Takaichi, known for her hawkish...

Events

33 h. ago Japan vows never to possess nuclear weapons, rebuffing official’s idea

Japan reaffirmed its decades-old pledge never to possess nuclear weapons on Friday after local media reported that a senior security official suggested the country should acquire them to deter potential aggressors. The unnamed official said Japan needed nuclear weapons because of a worsening security environment but acknowledged that such a move would be politically difficult, public broadcaster NHK and other outlets reported, describing the official as being from Prime Minister Sanae...

Events

42 h. ago Japan demands response from Finland over beauty queen’s ‘slanted eyes’ photos

Japan’s top government spokesman on Thursday expressed concern over images posted online of the winner of a beauty pageant and some lawmakers in Finland showing them pulling back the corners of their eyes, a gesture widely regarded as racially offensive to Asian people. Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara also said at a press conference that Japan expects the Finnish government to “appropriately respond” to the matter, which has been dubbed the “slanted eyes” scandal by Finnish media. Kihara...

Politics

60 h. ago Miss Finland scandal: Finnish PM apologises to East Asia for MPs’ ‘racist’ gestures

Finland’s prime minister apologised on Wednesday to citizens of Japan, China and South Korea after MPs sparked outrage by posting pictures of themselves making derogatory squinting gestures. The parliamentarians from the populist Finns Party, which is part of the right-wing coalition government, posted images on social media where they pulled back the corners of their eyes – widely seen as a racist gesture targeting East Asian people. They claimed to have shared the pictures in support of the...

Politics

64 h. ago South Korea reopens bitter debate on lifting ban on North Korean state media

A group of lawmakers from South Korea’s ruling Democratic Party is seeking to relax a decades-old ban on North Korean websites like the online Rodong Sinmun, reigniting debate over national security and freedom of information. The proposed revision, drafted by Representative Han Min-soo and 11 other lawmakers, would allow people in South Korea to freely visit North Korean websites, while maintaining existing bans on distributing or actively promoting content that violates the National Security...

Politics

3 d. ago Japan tightens land law after Chinese buyers lead property rush near sensitive sites

A total of 3,498 properties around critical security facilities and remote islands in Japan were bought by foreign individuals or entities in fiscal 2024, with nearly half from China, a government study showed on Tuesday. Separately, the government announced it will demand from April 2026 increased disclosure when corporations attempt to acquire forested lands or properties deemed of national security importance, such as requiring them to disclose the nationalities of company heads in...

Society

4 d. ago Kim’s sister spotted with suspected luxury Chinese foldable phone

Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korea’s supreme leader, has been spotted with what appears to be a Chinese-made foldable phone. Images released by state media on Sunday showed Kim holding the phone in her right hand during a trip to a hospital opening alongside her brother, Kim Jong-un. Although the brand name cannot be seen in the picture, the phone closely resembles the Chinese brand Honor’s “Magic” line, advertised as “the world’s thinnest foldable smartphone”. The V3 model of the...

Politics

4 d. ago South Korean police raid Unification Church ‘palace’ in bribery sweep

South Korean police launched a raid on Monday to search the offices and compounds of the Unification Church in and near Seoul, including an imposing “palace” northeast of the capital that serves as its international headquarters, police said. The search is being carried out at 10 of the church’s locations, police said in a text message sent to reporters. Police officials could not be reached for further details. The sweep is related to allegations of illegal payments by the church to some...

Events

4 d. ago South Korean police raid Unification Church headquarters in bribery sweep

South Korean police raided the headquarters of the cultlike Unification Church on Monday and named its leader as a suspect in the bribery of several high-profile politicians. The church, known for its mass weddings, is at the centre of a mounting scandal in South Korea over alleged payments to lawmakers from both ruling and opposition parties. Prosecutors raided the church’s headquarters in Seoul on Monday as well as the imposing countryside residence of leader Han Hak-ja, who is already on...

Events

6 d. ago Beijing blocks stablecoins to keep money under state control

Beijing blocks stablecoins to keep money under state control  East Asia Forum

Politics

6 d. ago North Korea’s Kim reveals soldiers cleared mines for Russia, in rare public statement

North Korea sent troops to clear mines in Russia’s Kursk region earlier this year, leader Kim Jong-un said in a speech carried on Saturday by state media, in a rare acknowledgement of the deadly tasks assigned to its soldiers there. Pyongyang has sent thousands of troops to fight for Moscow as it presses ahead with its nearly four-year invasion of Ukraine, according to South Korean and Western intelligence agencies. Analysts say Russia is giving North Korea financial aid, military technology,...

Events

6 d. ago Japan quake shows urgent need to improve tourist safety: ‘didn’t know where to go’

The magnitude 7.5 earthquake that occurred off northeastern Japan recently highlights the need for Japan to provide safety tips and evacuation information to foreign nationals more effectively, particularly as the country witnesses an inbound tourism boom. Locals and foreign visitors alike were asked to evacuate as the weather agency issued tsunami warnings for part of the Pacific coast of Hokkaido, as well as Aomori and Iwate prefectures, on Monday. Among them, Jose San Juan, a tourist from the...

Politics

7 d. ago Only true repentance from Japan can resolve East Asia’s ‘memory wars’

During a trip home, I took my daughters to the Nanking massacre memorial hall. It is not an easy place to visit. In shadowy rooms, photographs of victims line the walls. The names of the dead stretch across black stone. In glass cases lie bones unearthed from mass graves. I wanted my children to learn history honestly, to understand what war does to people. I shared stories my grandma had told me: as she fled town, a bomb fell on a nearby street. One neighbour vanished. Only bits of her remained...

Events

7 d. ago Magnitude 6.7 earthquake strikes Japan, triggering tsunami warning

A 6.7-magnitude earthquake occurred off northern Japan on Friday, the weather office said, days after a 7.5-level tremor in the same region injured at least 50 people. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), upgrading its initial estimated magnitude of 6.5, also warned that tsunami waves of up to one metre (three feet) could hit the northern Pacific coastline. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) also said that the quake measured 6.7 and was 130km (81 miles) off the city of Kuji in Iwate...

Events

7 d. ago Japan’s buzzword award for Takaichi infuriates overwork victims’ kin: ‘biggest insult’

Families of victims of karoshi, or death from overwork, on Thursday protested against the recent selection of Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remark emphasising work as this year’s catchphrase, saying the choice hurt their feelings and exacerbated their pain. Takaichi declared, “I will work, work, work, work and work”, during comments shortly after being chosen as leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. The phrase topped this year’s buzzword list but has drawn criticism from...

Events

9 d. ago North Korea beckons Chinese tourists with beach resort in 2026 calendar

A 2026 calendar issued by a North Korean publisher for Chinese tourists features a new beach resort on the country’s east coast, a copy obtained by Kyodo News showed on Wednesday. The Wonsan Kalma tourist area with hotels and leisure facilities was launched in the summer, with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visiting there in July for talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Before North Korea shut its borders in early 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, many Chinese tourists had...

Society

9 d. ago BTS’ Jungkook faces fan fury over dating rumours with Aespa’s Winter

A faction of BTS member Jungkook’s fans staged a protest truck demonstration in front of Hybe’s headquarters in Seoul on Wednesday, criticising the singer over recent dating speculation involving Aespa member Winter. According to photos and witness accounts shared online, the truck displayed messages accusing Jungkook of misleading fans and damaging the group’s image. The LED signs included phrases such as “erase the couple tattoo or step back from BTS activities”, “Are you in your right mind...

Politics

1 week ago 7 Chinese warships followed our navy vessel in East Asia, says New Zealand

New Zealand’s largest naval vessel was followed by seven Chinese warships in a deployment to East Asia last month, including a rare transit through the Taiwan Strait, according to the Pacific nation’s military. HMNZS Aotearoa, a Polar-class replenishment vessel, was deployed to the East China and Yellow seas with allies, the New Zealand Defence Force said in a statement on Monday. “During the operation, the ship was shadowed by seven different People’s Liberation Army (Navy) warships, which...

Events

1 week ago 7 Chinese warships followed our navy vessel in East Asia, New Zealand says

New Zealand’s largest naval vessel was followed by seven Chinese warships in a deployment to East Asia last month, including a rare transit through the Taiwan Strait, according to the Pacific nation’s military. HMNZS Aotearoa, a Polar-class replenishment vessel, was deployed to the East China and Yellow seas with allies, the New Zealand Defence Force said in a statement on Monday. “During the operation, the ship was shadowed by seven different People’s Liberation Army (Navy) warships, which...

Events