AJU PRESS ASIA FIRST NEWS AGENCY

Journalist

Park Sujeong
  • Hankyu Hanshin Real Estate to Broker Japanese Home Sales in Taiwan via maauu Platform
    Hankyu Hanshin Real Estate to Broker Japanese Home Sales in Taiwan via maauu Platform Hankyu Hanshin Real Estate said April 24 it signed a business partnership agreement with Taiwan’s 細細生活網路科技, which operates the overseas property sales platform maauu (也有房產).   Under the partnership, Hankyu Hanshin Real Estate will provide brokerage services on maauu for home sales involving properties it handles in Japan. The company said interest in and demand for Japanese real estate has been rising in Taiwan, and that the tie-up will allow it to serve Taiwanese customers more closely.   It said it aims to expand access to efficient, transparent and reliable brokerage services centered on the homes it handles, along with rental management services that oversee property operations and management. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 16:11:04
  • H2G Green Signs MOU With Thailand’s SCN to Supply Bio LNG in ASEAN
    H2G Green Signs MOU With Thailand’s SCN to Supply Bio LNG in ASEAN Singapore-based energy company H2G Green said it signed a nonbinding memorandum of understanding on April 24 with Thailand’s Scan Inter (SCN), which handles natural gas supply, to provide bio liquefied natural gas. The agreement aims to build a stable low-carbon fuel supply chain in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations region outside Thailand. H2G Green signed the MOU through its LNG logistics unit, GasHub United Utility. The MOU is valid for one year. GasHub United will handle distribution and supply-chain development, while SCN will supply the bio LNG. GasHub United has experience in last-mile LNG deliveries to Singapore’s industrial sector, including aviation, food manufacturing and engineering, and plans to expand its business in bioenergy using its existing supply chain.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 15:50:15
  • Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. Signs MOU With Philippines’ BOI and RCBC to Promote Investment
    Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. Signs MOU With Philippines’ BOI and RCBC to Promote Investment Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. signed a memorandum of understanding on the 27th with the Philippines’ Board of Investments (BOI), an agency under the Department of Trade and Industry, and local lender Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) to cooperate on promoting business ties, including encouraging foreign direct investment in the Philippines. Under the MOU, the three parties will jointly hold investment and economic seminars and share information with companies considering entering the Philippine market or expanding operations there. The information will cover the latest investment climate, tax and investment incentives, and trends in priority industries. They also plan to use the BOI’s nationwide reach to continue supporting companies in addressing operational issues after investing. Sumitomo Mitsui previously signed an MOU in January 2024 with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) and RCBC. A representative at the bank’s Manila branch said interest is rising among foreign companies looking to tap Philippine domestic demand, adding, “By working with the BOI in addition to PEZA, which mainly handles attracting export-oriented investment, we will be able to provide more advanced support to meet a wider range of customer needs.” Sumitomo Mitsui acquired 4.99% of RCBC shares in June 2021 and raised its stake to 20% in July 2023. It bought additional shares in December 2025, bringing its current ownership to 24.46%.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 15:42:15
  • Nippon Electric Glass Installs Large Rooftop Solar System at Malaysia Site
    Nippon Electric Glass Installs Large Rooftop Solar System at Malaysia Site Nippon Electric Glass said April 27 that it installed a solar power system on the rooftop of a building at its subsidiary Nippon Electric Glass in Selangor state, Malaysia, and began operating it March 17. It is the subsidiary’s first solar installation, with a maximum output of 7.6 megawatts-peak (MWp). All electricity generated will be used on-site, and the company expects it to cut carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 6,900 tons a year. Local solar company Samaiden Group participated as a partner, handling design and construction of the facility, the company said. In 2024, Nippon Electric Glass signed a virtual power purchase agreement, or VPPA, with LSS Hijau, a special-purpose company established by Malaysian renewable power developer Ditrolic Energy. The company said the new rooftop system is expected to further accelerate its use of renewable energy.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 12:00:12
  • India’s Prasada Urges Skoda Auto to Expand Investment in Indian Auto Sector
    India’s Prasada Urges Skoda Auto to Expand Investment in Indian Auto Sector India’s Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Prasada met with executives of Czech automaker Skoda Auto and urged the company to expand investment in India’s automotive industry, PTI reported on the 23rd. Prasada held the talks while on an official visit to the Czech Republic from the 22nd to the 23rd. Skoda’s vehicle sales in India in January-March rose 17% from a year earlier to 20,028 units. During his stay, Prasada also visited leading local companies in automobiles, transport equipment and advanced engineering.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 11:49:00
  • Shinkin Central Bank to Open Ho Chi Minh City Representative Office on May 1
    Shinkin Central Bank to Open Ho Chi Minh City Representative Office on May 1 Shinkin Central Bank will open a representative office in Ho Chi Minh City in southern Vietnam on May 1. It will be the bank’s first new overseas representative office in 13 years, since it established a base in Bangkok in 2012. The Ho Chi Minh City office will be located in Tower 1 of Saigon Centre, a mixed-use complex in the city center. It is near the Opera House Station on Metro Line 1, offering convenient access. The surrounding area has many office buildings and commercial facilities, making it suitable for market research by client companies considering expansion into Vietnam. Soichi Ogasawara will head the office. Operations will start with four staff: one Japanese representative and two local staff members, in addition to Ogasawara. The office will support Shinkin credit union client companies with entry into Vietnam and local assistance, fundraising, sales channel expansion, use of foreign talent, and training programs for credit union employees. Shinkin Central Bank said the number of credit union client companies operating in Vietnam had surpassed 500 as of October 2025. The bank has also seconded an employee to the Japan Desk at the Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam, or BIDV, in the capital, Hanoi, and will support clients through its two bases in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 11:30:59
  • Macau Visitor Arrivals Rise 13.7% in First Quarter of 2026
    Macau Visitor Arrivals Rise 13.7% in First Quarter of 2026 Macau welcomed 11,213,904 visitor arrivals in the first quarter of 2026 (January-March), up 13.7% from a year earlier, according to the Macau government’s Statistics and Census Service. Same-day visitors rose 20.3% to 7,007,320, while overnight visitors increased 4.1% to 4,206,584. Average length of stay slipped to 1.0 day from 1.1 days a year earlier. Overnight visitors averaged 2.2 days, unchanged. By origin, visitors from mainland China climbed 16.4% to 8,388,921, accounting for 74.8% of the total. Of those, independent travelers rose 18.4% to 4,750,197. Arrivals from Hong Kong edged up 1.8% to 1,783,763. Taiwan posted a sharper gain, up 29.1% to 285,464. Outside greater China, South Koreans were the largest group, up 7.4% to 184,938. The Philippines followed, up 4.1% to 131,749. Those were the only two markets with more than 100,000 visitors. Japan fell 14.5% to 38,209. Russia recorded the fastest growth, up 84.5% to 17,654, followed by Thailand, up 70.5% to 59,811.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 11:25:16
  • China’s Industrial Firms’ Profits Rise 15.5% in Q1 on AI, Chip-Related Gains
    China’s Industrial Firms’ Profits Rise 15.5% in Q1 on AI, Chip-Related Gains China’s National Bureau of Statistics said on the 27th that profits at industrial firms above a designated size rose 15.5% in the first quarter of 2026 (January-March) from a year earlier to 1.69604 trillion yuan (about 39.5 trillion yen). The growth rate was 0.3 percentage points higher than in January-February, as rapid expansion in artificial intelligence and semiconductors boosted profits at related parts makers. In March alone, profits increased 15.8% from a year earlier, with the growth rate 0.6 percentage points higher than in January-February. By major sector in January-March, manufacturing, which accounts for 70% of the total, rose 19.1% to 1.23843 trillion yuan, accelerating from 18.9% growth in January-February. Mining increased 16.2% to 256.33 billion yuan. Profits at electricity, heat, gas and water production and supply fell 3.2% to 201.28 billion yuan, turning negative. High-tech manufacturing profits jumped 47.4%, lifting the overall growth rate by 7.9 percentage points. Driven by AI and semiconductor-related industries, optical fiber manufacturing rose 4.4 times, optoelectronic device manufacturing increased 43.0%, and display device manufacturing gained 36.3%. With demand rising for smart products, smart unmanned aerial vehicle (drone) manufacturing climbed 53.8%, and other smart consumer equipment manufacturing rose 67.3%. Equipment manufacturing profits increased 21.0%. Computer, communications and other electronic equipment manufacturing rose 2.2 times, while railway, ship, aerospace and other transport equipment manufacturing increased 16.7%, widening its growth by 5.3 percentage points. Raw materials manufacturing profits rose 77.9%. As strategic emerging industries such as aerospace, new energy and next-generation IT expanded rapidly, nonferrous metal smelting and rolling processing more than doubled profits. Petroleum, coal and other fuel processing swung from a loss a year earlier to a profit of 22.94 billion yuan. Chemical raw materials and chemical products manufacturing increased 54.5%. By contrast, automobile manufacturing profits fell 17.7%, extending the decline. The bureau cited continued double-digit drops in domestic sales amid a review of measures to promote adoption of new energy vehicles, as well as rising operating costs. By ownership type in January-March, state-owned enterprises posted a 10.1% increase to 619.61 billion yuan. Private firms rose 20.9% to 1.30546 trillion yuan. Foreign-invested firms increased 1.2%, turning positive after a 3.8% decline in January-February. Individually owned businesses rose 25.4%. Industrial firms’ revenue increased 5.0% to 33.19129 trillion yuan. Operating costs rose 4.5% to 28.18859 trillion yuan.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 11:18:21
  • IEA: Taiwan Most Dependent on Gulf LNG as Iran Conflict Risks Supply Delays
    IEA: Taiwan Most Dependent on Gulf LNG as Iran Conflict Risks Supply Delays The International Energy Agency said in its second-quarter (April-June) natural gas market report released on the 24th that it could take up to about five years to restore production facilities in Gulf countries such as Qatar that were attacked by Iran. The impact could be especially large in countries and areas with heavy reliance on Gulf natural gas, including Taiwan, Bangladesh and India, it said. According to the report, about 90% of natural gas exported from Persian Gulf countries via the Strait of Hormuz is shipped to Asia. Gulf suppliers account for more than 25% of natural gas imports across Asian countries and regions, it said. China is the largest importer from the region, followed by India, Taiwan, South Korea and Pakistan in the top five. Taiwan has the highest dependence on Gulf natural gas at about 35%, followed by India and Singapore, the IEA said. China’s dependence remains below 10%. The report noted that while India relies heavily on Gulf gas, gas-fired power accounts for less than 10% of its domestic electricity generation. By contrast, Taiwan generates about half of its power from gas-fired plants, making it among the most exposed to disruptions in Gulf supplies, it said. The IEA said new production facilities in Gulf countries are coming online in stages, but many liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects originally scheduled to start operating from 2021 through the late 2030s could be delayed by the Iran conflict. If short-term supply losses coincide with slower growth in production capacity, the agency warned, cumulative LNG supply shortages of about 120 billion cubic meters could emerge from 2026 to 2030.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-27 15:01:44
  • Nitori Opens 13th Thailand Store at Bangkok’s Emsphere, Plans Further Expansion
    Nitori Opens 13th Thailand Store at Bangkok’s Emsphere, Plans Further Expansion Furniture and home interior company Nitori Holdings opened its 13th store in Thailand on April 24 at Emsphere, a commercial complex in Bangkok. The company said it plans to add at least one more store within the year. Over the medium term, it aims to build an 80-store network by 2032 and to raise its pace of openings to 10 stores a year. The new store is on the second floor of Emsphere and covers 600 square meters. It carries about 3,500 items, mainly household goods, and has the highest share of new products among Nitori’s existing stores in Thailand. A 44-year-old Thai woman who visited on opening day told NNA, “It’s my first time at a Nitori store, and there were many affordable and attractive products, especially small items that stood out. I was satisfied because I also trust Japanese brands.” Nitori Holdings President Toshiyuki Shirai described Emsphere as “an important commercial hub with strong potential in terms of location, customer base and brand strength.” He said the site draws shoppers with high purchasing power and sits along the BTS Skytrain line, making it well positioned to attract customers from a wide area, adding that the company had been considering opening there for some time. Swedish furniture retailer IKEA also has a store on the complex’s third floor. Shirai said a competing store could increase overall foot traffic and that an environment where customers can compare products and choose is positive. He also cited as a challenge that product functionality and convenience have not been fully communicated to Thai consumers, and said the company wants to strengthen its appeal. Looking ahead, Shirai said Nitori wants to pursue a strategy of concentrated openings in specific areas of Bangkok while also expanding into provincial cities. He said a return to profitability within the year is possible, but indicated the company will prioritize expanding its store network over securing profits for now because investment burdens come first with new openings.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-27 14:58:30