Asian Legal Review

The series of earthquakes that hit western Japan on Tuesday also damaged thousands of buildings, vehicles and boats. Officials warned that more earthquakes could lie ahead.

Talks with Tokyo on a military base reciprocal access agreement are the latest Philippine effort to bolster the forces Manila can rely on to confront China. However, agreements with Japan and the US would not apply if the Philippines takes aggressive action in the territory of another state.

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi called Japan and South Korea to restart negotiations on a trilateral free-trade agreement in November, amid pressure for them to diversify away.

Philippines faces a lonely battle as China shores up cooperation with other claimant states and improving Sino-US relations puts pressure on Manila’s aggressiveness.

For next year, growth is projected at 1-3 per cent but ‘much will depend on the external environment’ such as the Ukraine war and Israel-Gaza war.

Businesses in Singapore have unveiled promotions to lure shoppers ahead of the rise in GST from 8 per cent to 9 per cent on January 1.

Indonesia’s plans for an accelerated accession come as global concerns grow over the OECD’s transparency and fairness towards developing nations, particularly in its tax policies.

Jeepney drivers across Manila went on strike on Friday to protest the government’s phase-out plan, fearing job loss and financial burden.

Andrew Lu, 58, had assumed he was wanted by Singapore police for his involvement in a gang fight so he obtained a fake Malaysian passport to enter Singapore.

Referring to a fake video of him endorsing cryptocurrency trading, Lee warns the “use of deepfake technology to spread disinformation will continue to grow”.