Showing 1 - 10 of 98
Surviving the collapse of the population
Oped, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 13/02/2026
» 'To them that hath shall [more] be given" is generally a reliable guide, especially in economic matters, but it doesn't work if the beneficiaries are too stupid to take advantage of the gift. The scarce and precious commodity in this case being people, who are in increasingly short supply.
Is a return to gold standard possible?
Oped, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 11/12/2025
» We are now in the middle of the holiday season. Therefore, I will refrain from writing about heavy and depressing issues like the Thai economy and the outlook for 2026 and beyond. In this moment of joy, I will write about the possibility of returning to the gold standard, which some supporters say can be seen in central banks aggressively buying gold bullion to replace the dubious US dollar. The last article of the year will be about the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF).
Is Takaichi Sanae the 'Iron Lady' of Japan?
Oped, Koichi Hamada, Published on 10/11/2025
» For the first time in its history, Japan's parliament has selected a woman, Takaichi Sanae of the Liberal Democratic Party, to be prime minister. In this sense, Ms Takaichi has already followed in the footsteps of her political idol, Margaret Thatcher -- the UK's first female PM. But whether she is remembered as Japan's own "Iron Lady" will depend on her ability to manage three key challenges: inflation, low female labour-force participation and a fraught geopolitical environment.
Postal services still lead the way
Oped, Vinaya Prakash Singh, Published on 09/10/2025
» World Post Day, observed every year on Oct 9, was proclaimed by the 1969 Universal Postal Congress in Tokyo to mark the anniversary of the founding of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) in 1874 in Berne. Across 192 UPU member countries, the day is celebrated through the launch of new products, the opening of postal facilities, employee recognition, and community engagement.
Should the US join China's WWII event?
Oped, Philip J Cunningham, Published on 21/07/2025
» The latest Victory Day parade in Moscow marking the 80th anniversary of Germany's independence defeat in May will be bookended in the upcoming September with a commemorative parade at Tiananmen Square in Beijing marking the defeat of Japan.
Ishiba's summit absence shows lack of Nato faith
Oped, Sayuri Romei and Alice Dell'Era, Published on 21/07/2025
» Since a Japanese prime minister first attended a Nato summit in 2022, Japan has sent its highest-level representative to the event for three consecutive years. Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 was a key catalyst for Tokyo's decision to attend that year, and the 2025 summit in The Hague would have marked the fourth consecutive appearance by a Japanese leader.
Remembering a journo like no other
Oped, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 04/04/2025
» Gwen Robinson was a quintessential journalist who probed for the best scoop and pried for the juiciest gossip, an old-style old hand the likes of which we are unlikely to see again. In the new contentious era of geopolitical conflict and geoeconomic tension underpinned by American economic nationalism, Robinson's journalist craft over more than four decades explaining and linking Asia and the West will be sorely missed.
Terminal boredom
Oped, Editorial, Published on 20/02/2025
» Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit deserves praise for his efforts to bring down the cost of any electric rail system and improve the mass transport system.
East Asia braces for Trump's second term
Oped, Takatoshi Ito, Published on 08/02/2025
» The first two weeks of US President Donald Trump's second term were marked by a flurry of directives and executive orders.
Farms and solar energy can co-exist
Oped, Rapeepat Ingkasit, Published on 08/01/2025
» At first glance, the idea of combining agriculture with solar energy seems far-fetched. How can crops and solar panels compete for the same sunlight? My view changed after I visited the Sosa Mega Solar Sharing site in Chiba Prefecture, Japan, last month. As part of a media tour organised by Mekong Watch, a Japanese non-profit conservation group, I had the opportunity to see first-hand how "agrivoltaics" -- an innovative integration of agriculture and solar energy -- are reshaping rural landscapes and revitalising communities.