East Asia

Only 17.5% of Japanese citizens currently hold a valid passport. This reflects not only the weakness of the yen but also the forced withdrawal of the younger generations. To combat this growing isolation, new solidarity initiatives are emerging, as well as corporate and technological responses. But the social framework remains stuck.

The conservative leader is accused of seeking military escalation with North Korea to justify martial law, which he declared last year. Several analysts argue that progressive President Lee Jae Myung, who appointed the special prosecutor, must tread carefully to avoid accusations of political vengeance in an increasingly divided and polarised country.

South Korea’s highest court upheld a municipal ordinance easing building restrictions near heritage sites. This is a victory for Seoul’s incumbent Mayor Oh Se-hoon. Places like the Jongmyo Shrine are at risk. According to the UN body, "uncontrolled vertical development" can have negative impacts.

On the eve of the climate summit, China unveiled its goals for the environmental transition, including a 7-10 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2035 and a further acceleration in the development of renewable energy, a sector in which it is already the global leader. Experts warn that this is still too little to achieve the goals set out in the Paris Agreement.

Over the past five years, Chinese loans and deposits in renminbi abroad have quadrupled, while CIPS (Beijing's alternative to SWIFT) is growing in Central Asia, the Middle East, and other strategic areas. But the plan remains China-centric, because to truly rely on a global currency, Beijing would have to give up control over capital flows, a choice Xi Jinping believes is incompatible with internal stability.

Beijing's business interests in the region – which have grown exponentially with the war in Ukraine – now exceed $90 billion, twice that of Moscow. China supports trade with the conviction that improving living standards can avert any danger of conflict, as seen with the border agreements between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan

Vatican News remembers the courageous, Hebei-born underground bishop, who died a few days ago at the age of 90. His funeral was carried out under restrictions imposed by the authorities in Jinzhou. As many episcopal sees lay vacant, Fr Dong reappears. Bishop Jia had designated the self-appointed bishop (without Rome's consent) as excommunicated for his disobedience.

Chinese language teaching is increasingly about memorising and repeating sounds and signs, without the meditative beauty that underlies the language. Pronunciation is not a relevant variable in a codified system of linguistic levels since listening is more important. In the efforts to make Chinese "easier to learn" along the New Silk Road, the fine line between culture and propaganda, between ancient Chinese wisdom and sinicisation, is blurred.

The Japanese prime minister is open to a summit regarding the case of 17 Japanese nationals, a matter that has dragged on since the 1970s. The last meeting between North Korean and Japanese leaders was in 2004 when Junichiro Koizumi was Japan’s prime minister. For its part, Pyongyang considers the matter closed. Meanwhile, the defence ministers of South Korea and the United States made their first joint visit to the Demilitarised Zone since 2017.

Reports from the Busan summit are only about trade deals. While the trial of Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung (imprisoned for more than 1,500 days for Tiananmen vigils) is further postponed in Hong Kong, another independent newspaper is closing in Macau, and Radio Free Asia has come to a complete halt, stifled by cuts in US government funding. Is there still room for the fight for freedom in the era of transactional negotiations?

The government has introduced this option, as provided in the new Civil Code, in the case of divorce starting 1 April 2026. Parents can request it at the time of their separation, which includes joint parental consent for major decisions regarding their children, even after divorce.

Informal employment is exploding in North Korea because of a drop in orders from China and lower wages. Tensions are also rising among the workers Kim supplies to China, fuelled by ever-increasing deductions from their wages to ensure revenue for the North Korean regime. Meanwhile, Russia has become North Korea’s new El Dorado, at a cost of extensive linguistic and cultural isolation for workers.