Yu Nakamura

2 months ago | asia.nikkei.com | Naoki Asanuma |Toru Tsunashima |Kunihiro Iwasaki |Yo Inoue |Yu Nakamura

TOKYO -- Born in the southeastern Chinese province of Fujian, Yuichi Ishikura, 32, relocated to Kyoto with his mother when he was a junior high school student. While studying at university in the U.S., he was immensely attracted to a particular guesthouse he had stayed at, which became his source of inspiration to begin refurbishing old machiya back in Kyoto into cozy guest villas.

Aug 24, 2023 | asia.nikkei.com | Yu Nakamura

TAIPEI -- Taiwan's cabinet on Thursday approved a record-high defense budget bill of 606.8 billion New Taiwan dollars ($19.1 billion) for 2024, marking the seventh consecutive year of increases amid China's growing threat over the Taiwan Strait and as the U.S. actively supplies arms. The budget allotted by the Executive Yuan is up 4.6% from the previous year and is equivalent to about 2.5% of Taiwan's gross domestic product.

Jul 31, 2023 | asia.nikkei.com | Yu Nakamura

TAIPEI -- China has greatly increased its conducting of military drills simulating the containment of Taiwan since then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited the island a year ago. Nikkei analyzed the possibility of China's invasion of Taiwan, using drone-taken images and views by experts. Even the range of activities by the Chinese military around Taiwan has changed. Before Pelosi's visit on Aug. 2 of last year, Chinese military planes and ships rarely moved around to the east of Taiwan.

Jul 28, 2023 | asia.nikkei.com | Yumiko Urasaki |Yu Nakamura

TOKYO -- Japan's minimum wage is on track for a record jump after a labor ministry advisory panel agreed on Friday to target an average of 1,002 yen ($7.11) per hour for this fiscal year. The plan amounts to a 41-yen increase from the current 961 yen, and would bring the national average to above 1,000 yen for the first time. The government hopes higher pay will spur consumption and, in turn, economic growth.

Jul 20, 2023 | asia.nikkei.com | Yu Nakamura |Hideaki Ryugen |Ryo Mukano

TAIPEI/TOKYO -- The sharp slowdown in earnings at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. reveals a slower-than-anticipated recovery in the global semiconductor market, with industry insiders not expecting a full-scale upswing until at least 2024.