News

To reinforce Japan's influence in Southeast Asia, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba embarked on his first official overseas visit after taking office, choosing Malaysia and Indonesia—two key ASEAN member countries—for his trip.

Singapore and Malaysia announced the establishment of the Johor-Singapore Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) at the border of the two countries. This initiative aims to attract more investments and create more job opportunities.

In less than a month, six of the largest banks in the U.S., including JPMorgan, have announced their withdrawal from the United Nations Net-Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA).

Indonesia’s B40 policy, which mandates a 40% palm oil mix with 60% diesel, was initially set to take effect on January 1, 2025. However, officials have confirmed a delay until February, giving businesses a 1.5-month grace period. Furthermore, the governme

Less than a month after the Vietnamese government issued the new Electricity Law, it has introduced five draft decrees for public consultation, with one focusing on the Direct Power Purchase Agreement (DPPA) mechanism.

Vietnam leads Southeast Asia in solar power generation, and the government has actively set policies to promote renewable energy. However, the International Energy Agency (IEA) forecasts that Vietnam's coal imports will surpass Taiwan in 2024.

Japan's two major automakers, Honda and Nissan, confirmed they are considering a merger. Soon after, reports emerged that Foxconn is interested in acquiring Nissan, aiming to bolster its brand in the electric vehicle sector.

Vietnam's renewable energy sector is booming, and Japanese companies operating locally are noticing the shift.

In addition to reaffirming the goal of achieving 20% nuclear power by 2030 and extending it through 2040, Japan will also allow the construction of new nuclear reactors and remove the phrase "reduce dependence on nuclear power as much as possible."

As the EV trend continues to gain momentum, Malaysia's first homegrown automaker, Proton, launched its first EV, the e.MAS7, on Dec. 16.The base model is priced at under RM 110,000, making it highly competitive compared to existing players.