East Asia

After liberation from Japanese rule, Chinese characters were dropped in favour of Hangul, the Korean writing system; nevertheless, 57 per cent of the Korean vocabulary is derived from them. At present, due to overuse of smartphones and video games, two out of ten students struggle to understand words in textbooks; for this reason, some educators are pushing for the reintroduction of Hanja to improve literacy. But the issue remains politically divisive.

During her visit to the People's Republic of China, seen as a sign of the pro-Beijing orientation of Taiwan’s main opposition party, the Kuomintang leader surprisingly paid homage to Sun Yat-sen at his mausoleum, praising his role in the development of the island's “national identity”, in an attempt to reconcile Taiwanese attitudes to Beijing’s outstretched hand.

Last year, Japan expelled 318 foreigners, a 30 per cent increase over the previous year, and is now aiming to speed up repatriation procedures, despite severe labour shortages. NGOs denounce the risk of violating the principle of non-refoulement of refugees and a growing climate of fear, even among those who have lived in the country for years.

The low costs and efficiency demonstrated by the Cheongung-II missile defence system in the United Arab Emirates are reviving South Korea’s ambitions, having more than doubled the volume of its arms exports over the last 15 years. But the conflict is also highlighting the opacity of the political agreements signed in 2009 with Abu Dhabi by then-President Lee Myung-bak.

Talks between Washington and Tehran will take place in Islamabad on Friday after threats of escalation. China has applied pressure, consolidating its influence in the region. Pakistan’s Field Marshal Asim Munir has played a crucial role. Uncertainties remain regarding the actual reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the Israeli-Lebanon front. Pakistani Christians tell AsiaNews that they are praying for lasting “peace and prosperity”.

An analysis from an observer familiar with the Church's journey in mainland China notes that Pope Leo’s remarks about China clearly show him as the shepherd with the “smell of the flock" hoped for by Pope Francis. For this reason, the faithful today hope to see a change that will give hope for the future, even to those who wish to live their faith in China.

The 2026 Seoul International Buddhism Expo was an unprecedented success, with more than 250,000 visitors in four days, mostly young men and women aged 20 to 30, nearly half self-identifying as non-religious. While official data point to a decline in Buddhism in Asia, the festival turned temples into true cultural and entertainment venues making the faith more accessible.

In many Catholic communities across Asia, the sacrament of Christian initiation for adults is celebrated during the Easter Vigil. The testimony of Iwane Toshiya, published on the Japanese Catholics’ website. His encounter with the Catholic community through his wife and his daughters’ questions. “Little by little, I felt that surprising words such as those of the Beatitudes were entering my daily life.”

In the Philippines, more than six million people joined the Alay Lakad, the nighttime pilgrimage in Antipolo, while in Quezon province, a group of farmers interrelated the stories of the Passion with their own struggle to defend their lands. In Arunachal Pradesh, young people are celebrating the Easter Triduum by praying for religious harmony in India. The World Council of Churches in South Korea called for conversion and shared a prayer dedicated to the painful division between North and South.

During Holy Week, Korea’s bishops announced a major step in the cause of Father Thomas Choi Yang-up (1821-1861), a companion in the seminary of the martyred Saint Andrew Kim. For 12 years, he was the first priest to minister in Korea, visiting local Christians during a period of persecution. He died of typhus at the age of 40 after travelling thousands of kilometres and translating the catechism into Korean language. The local Church rejoices as it gets ready to host World Youth Day in 2027.

The ‘Yesterday’ observatory monitored 50 such incidents in a single month. These are fragmented initiatives, most often linked to unpaid wages. They are also fuelled by the obstacles placed in the way of the petition system, with local officials paying teams of men to discourage the submission of complaints to the relevant office in Beijing, which would cast them in a bad light. A reality that the Party prefers to hide and ignore.

New Beijing-mediated talks took place today in Xinjiang to halt fighting along the Pakistan-Afghan border. Meanwhile, Islamabad is positioning itself as a mediator in the war between the United States, Israel, and Iran, after presenting a tentative ceasefire initiative, with Chinese backing.