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  OPINION: Japan's Takaichi and the test of glass cliff The soaring popularity and landslide election victory of Sanae Takaichi stand out in Asia, especially in a political culture where women have long been sidelined. Her rise has been hailed as a breakthrough moment for Japan — proof that even one of the world’s most male-dominated political systems can change. Yet her ascent also invites a quieter, more uneasy question: Is she standing on what Western scholars call a “glass cliff”? With the L February 19, 2026
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  OPINION: When a Chat App starts making decisions for you Not long ago, choosing a restaurant in Seoul required some effort. You searched on Naver. You skimmed blog reviews. You checked ratings on Kakao Map. You compared prices. You asked friends on KakaoTalk. Sometimes, you still had to make a phone call. Soon, it may take one sentence. “Find me a quiet wine bar in Gangnam.” Within seconds, a list appears on the screen. Photos, location, price range and user ratings are displayed. For restaurants linked to KakaoT February 18, 2026
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  ASIA INSIGHTS: Robots on Chunwan stage: What China is signaling to Asia China’s Spring Festival Gala, known as Chunwan, is more than a television program. At 8 p.m. on Lunar New Year’s Eve, nearly 1.4 billion people turn their eyes to television and mobile screens at the same time. That moment functions as a national ritual and a shared narrative. It is a cultural event, a political message and an entertainment program — and also a showcase of industrial strategy. Each year, China uses this stage to declare where it is headin February 18, 2026
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  EDITORIAL: Asia's moment written in tears — Japanese skaters' golden triumph When the scores were announced, time seemed to pause. For a brief moment, the arena held its breath. Then came the roar — and then, more quietly, the tears. On the ice of Milan, Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara did not celebrate like conquerors. They collapsed into each other’s arms, trembling, overwhelmed, as if the weight of years had suddenly fallen away. Their sobs were not only of joy. They were the release of doubt, of fear, of nights spent wondering wheth February 17, 2026
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  ASIA INSIGHTS: India's AI summit and Asia's quiet inflection point Global leaders and technology executives gathering in New Delhi this week for India’s artificial intelligence summit are not simply attending another diplomatic forum. They are meeting at a moment when the direction of technological change feels unusually consequential. The summit, attended by more than 20 heads of state including Emmanuel Macron and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and hosted by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, reflects how deeply artificial intellige February 17, 2026
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  OPINION: What Bangladesh's democratic transition means for Asia SEOUL, February 15 (AJP) - Asia is no longer on the margins of the global order. Population, production, technology, and culture are increasingly shifting east, with major trade and logistics networks centered on Asian ports. Digital innovation and cultural industries are also expanding rapidly across Asian cities. Yet political developments are still often judged through a Western lens, with democracy and market economies assessed by how closely they align with Western standards. T February 15, 2026
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  OPINION: Korea's economic lifeline: Why its financial system must become transparent SEOUL, February 14 (AJP) - Finance is the bloodstream of an economy. When it flows cleanly—transparent, disciplined, and responsive to real demand—industry strengthens, innovation compounds, households build durable wealth, and the state gains room to maneuver without resorting to panic. When that bloodstream is clogged—by political favoritism, regulatory inconsistency, and the quiet tolerance of chronic underperformance—the economy does not merely slow. It deca February 14, 2026
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  OPINION: Data as power and Korea's strategic dilemma Oil shaped global power in the 20th century. Data replaces that role in the 21st. Artificial intelligence does not run on ideology. It runs on information — vast, structured, constantly updated streams of digital activity that have become the basic input of modern economies. Algorithmic sophistication matters. But the scale, reliability, and governance of data often matter more. Yet major powers continue to differ on a fundamental question: Is data primarily a strateg February 13, 2026
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  OPINION: The collapse of a narrative - Bithumb's "ghost coin" episode Winter has returned to crypto. But this is not merely a period of falling prices. It is also a period of thinning confidence. In recent feature, The Economist observed that the latest “crypto winter” feels colder than previous downturns not because the numbers are worse, but because the story has weakened. Bitcoin, once framed as a symbol of decentralization and defiance, now stands in an ambiguous position. Its outsider image has faded, yet it has not fully February 13, 2026
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  OPINION: Stock market is roaring, and now for the economy South Korea’s stock market is roaring ahead. After the Kospi’s long rally, the Kosdaq has regained momentum, settling above 1,000 for the first time in 25 years. Once dismissed as a speculative sideshow, the junior market is now part of what investors are calling a new era of “Kospi 5,000, Kosdaq 1,000.” Yet the real economy is moving in the opposite direction. Production has weakened, investment has fallen and domestic demand remains slu February 11, 2026