NNA Business News Headlines

April 2

Isuzu Motors to halt 2 Thai plants on coronavirus-hit parts shortage Japan financial firm SBI gets commercial bank license in Cambodia
Aeon’s Malaysian arm starts drive-through service to avoid COVID-19 infection
Australian regulator to approve Asahi’s acquisition of local beer giant CUB China Evergrande Group to begin EV production in Shanghai, Guangzhou in 2021: report Coronavirus: $3.9 billion cash subsidy for Filipinos hit by Luzon lockdown Taiwan’s Delta Electronics to set up India, Vietnam units

April 1

Virus outbreak hits supply chains for Japan firms in India, SE. Asia: NNA poll Japanese steel trader Hanwa to buy 10% stake in Chinese steel venture in Indonesia Staffing agency Copro opens Singapore unit to source construction engineers for Japan
Toyota's Indian arm supports car dealers during nationwide lockdown on viral crisis
Toshiba wins 20 bil. yen solar power plant order from Thai Solar Energy Japanese interior materials trader Sangetsu opens Vietnam unit to cater to prime properties Kenda Rubber invests $40 million to beef up SE. Asian tire production

March 31

Virus outbreak hits sales to 61% of Japanese firms in India, Southeast Asia: NNA poll Drug maker Shionogi gets capital injection from China’s Ping An Insurance Marubeni enters Indian real estate market in collaboration with Wadha
Toyota to halt production in Thailand from April 7-17 due to virus woes
Mitsubishi, Chiyoda team up with 5 Singapore firms to utilize hydrogen energy Mitsubishi, ALSOK begin joint building management business in Asia

March 30

Asics invests in Indian startup running medical checkup kiosks Japanese steel maker Yamato Kogyo acquires 49% stake in Posco arm in Vietnam
Medical gear maker Asahi Intecc halts Philippine plant till April 14 on virus outbreak
Toyota, Honda, Mazda, Ford suspend auto production in Thailand due to Covid-19 spread Major Japanese concrete maker Asia Pile to invest in Vietnam’s wind power firm Coronavirus: Automakers team up with producers to rush out critical medical supplies in India Electronics assembler Wistron plans to expand despite world economic volatility

March 27

Coronavirus: $23 billion to help the poor as India braces for widespread economic pain Thailand e-commerce to hit $49 billion as coronavirus fears fuel online shopping

March 26

Japanese dairy maker Meiji to boost China output by 30% on solid sales Many Japanese firms in Thailand sustain sales drop due to virus scare Japan's $266 mil. loan for Cambodia’s road improvements to boost regional connectivity
China’s 71 major dining chains suffer over 80% plunge in Feb. sales
Sharp to take over NEC Display for global expansion
Taiwan’s EMS Wistron to shore up investment in India to $76 mil.

March 25

Nomura invests $25 mil. in Singapore recycling tech firm Blue Planet Japan’s Toa Corp., Samsung C&T win $289 million reclamation project in Singapore Over 20% of Japan firms in HK seek financial assistance against virus outbreak
Dai Nippon Printing, Vietnam university begin research on AI-assisted comfortable stores
Lotte Shopping to close e-commerce sites in Vietnam, Indonesia as Chinese rivals gain $2 billion health shield for India as it battles coronavirus in total lockdown Japanese “wagyu” beef exports plunging on coronavirus outbreak Electronics contractor Hon Hai suspends India production during anti-virus lockdown

March 24

Suzuki building another car plant to boost Myanmar production Mitsubishi Materials opens metal processing technical lab in India’s Pune Farm machinery maker Kubota to form capital tie-up with Indian partner Escorts to go global Mitsubishi UFJ Lease, ALD to set up auto leasing JV in Malaysia
Samsung suspends huge smartphone plant in India on virus outbreak: reports
India in nationwide lockdown, grounds domestic flights as Covid-19 cases rise Assembler Hon Hai resumes China factory work with enough manpower for seasonal demand

March 23

Japan’s largest eyeglass retailer Meganetop opens 1st overseas shop in Taiwan Japan's Unicharm to sell anti-coronavirus 3-D masks in Indonesia
Maruti Suzuki India halts operations in Haryana on gov't policy against viral spread
China auto industry fears 25% plunge in output, sales in 1st half of 2020
Myanmar stops e-visa issues, putting de facto ban on travelers as steps against virus
Yusen Logistics to take over Ajinomoto food transport arm in Thailand Indian firms resume China operations amid global pandemic Automakers in India temporarily close factories as country battles Covid-19 pandemic

March 19

Japanese cosmetics giant Shiseido to launch its 3rd R&D center in China
Air conditioner maker Daikin halts Malaysia plants till March 31 over virus: Kyodo
Intestinal environmental research firm Metabologenomics opens Singapore arm
Nissan Motor ends production in Indonesia on slumping sales Toyota to launch Prius plug-in hybrid in Indonesia Panasonic opens its 1st home electrical wiring specialty store in India’s Hyderabad Nippon Steel, ArcelorMittal eye huge Indian infrastructure projects after Essar takeover

March 18

Coronavirus might drive away 2 million car sales in China even with recovery Mitsubishi Motors exports Indonesian-built Xpander Cross to Philippines, Thailand Kajima gets 5.7 bil. yen of Japan-backed fund for Yangon development
Sony Malaysia suspends TV plant operation on gov't order due to virus outbreak: Kyodo
Nippon Steel to liquidate Malaysia subsidiary producing steel plates for electric appliances
Itochu invests in Eguana Technologies, selling energy storage systems in Australia
Textile maker Tainan Spinning picks Singapore as new hub for growth alliances

March 17

Mizuho Bank signs green loan deal with major Thai chemical firm
Thailand eyes inviting Disneyland theme park to Eastern Economic Corridor: report
Yokohama Rubber cooperates with Thai gov’t to support natural rubber farmers Japanese system integration developer HPC Systems to set up its 1st overseas subsidiary in Vietnam Japanese firms doing more tasks at regional headquarters in Singapore: JETRO poll China economy expects rebound in second half after coronavirus delivered hardest blow

March 16

Japanese interior materials maker Toli allies with Chinese peer to expand domestic sales, exports Yamaha Motor opens Southeast Asian robotics business hub near Bangkok Japanese machine vision system firm ViSCO Technologies to open Malaysian sales office Koshidaka's Manekineko karaoke sings into Indonesia
Japan Airlines delays planned launch of Narita-Bengaluru flight amid virus outbreak
Japanese dept. store Isetan Bangkok to end 28 yrs of business in Aug. Nissan Motor restarts all car plants in China amid coronavirus outbreak

March 13

Yokohama Rubber to invest 11 bil. yen in India industrial tire plants Japanese office furniture maker Okamura sets up Vietnam subsidiary
Myanmar central bank cuts key rate by 0.5 point to 9.5%, 1st easing in at least 5 yrs
Japan retailer Aeon launching massive disinfection initiative ahead of Ramadan in Malaysia
Australia budgets AU$17.6 bil. for stimulus package amid coronavirus crisis: reports
Digital banking a strategy for financial inclusion in Philippines Majority of Indian unicorns funded by Chinese investors, says report

March 12

Toshiba wins energy storage deal for Bangladesh railway project Hong Kong’s Bank of East Asia mulls over $1 billion insurance asset sale: report Samsung unveils high-performance all-solid-state battery technology
Economists expect Singapore’s Q1 GDP to contract 0.8% on virus scare
Chinese firms invest nearly $4 bil. in 18 Indian unicorn startups in 5 years
Husband’s sudden death prompts Japanese woman to help poor youths in Cambodia Taiwan tile maker Champion to expand in China market with $21.6 mil. investment

March 11

Suzuki Motor plans to triple dealers in India to 9,000: chairman Japan, Taiwan suffer plunge in machine tool demand from China over viral crisis Honda Motor, parts suppliers get green light for resumption of Wuhan plant Japanese water intake equipment maker Nagaoka establishes Vietnam manufacturing unit
Japanese investment in Australia reaches record A$26 bil. in 2019: report
Investor interest grows as Yangon Stock Exchange opens to foreigners Indonesia automotive industry expects recovery after hitting brakes in first quarter Bora Pharmaceuticals of Taiwan clinches $26.6 mil. deal to buy GSK Canadian plant

March 10

Nippon Express starts relief supply delivery to virus-hit Wuhan CP Group to take over Tesco's business in Thailand, Malaysia for $10 billion Major Japanese wine trader Enoteca opens fully-owned sales unit in Thailand Seikitokyu Kyogo completes asphalt material plant in Myanmar Nippon Express opens huge warehouse in Malaysia to serve regional halal logistics Japanese house-builder Iida Group to launch mortgage JV in Indonesia

March 9

Japan’s Nihon M&A Center launches Vietnam unit for growing cross-border deals Thai green power producer BCPG to invest 45 bil. baht over 5 years for expansion in Asia Half of Japanese firms in Indonesia suffering from coronavirus contagion Taiwan’s Powertech Technology to expand chips probing business in China with $10 mil. investment Hon Hai suffers lowest sales since 2011 amid coronavirus outbreak

March 6

Japanese apparel chain Uniqlo opens 1st Hanoi outlet, more to come Toyota Motor vows to produce hybrid cars in Indonesia in 2022 Honda Motorcycle expanding premium bike sales network throughout India
Malaysia bans foreigners recently visited Japan's Hokkaido, part of S. Korea, Italy, Iran
Tokyo Gas, Lopez Group to begin construction of Philippine offshore LNG terminal in May: report
Japanese IT firm Nulab raises $5 mil. in venture capital for software development Japan Polypropylene to tie up with Thai petro firm in JV

March 5

Toyota's Feb. car sales in China plunge due to coronavirus outbreak Tokio Marine Insurance picks Singapore cybersecurity startup Horangi as its 1st Asia-Pacific partner Sanyo Chemical to make world’s 1st “all polymer” lithium ion battery: Kyodo
Japan’s Impact opens 1st convenience store in office tower in India
Philippines moves to save jobs and businesses impacted by Covid-19 crisis American firms show confidence on Taiwan’s economy despite coronavirus

March 4

Shanghai imposes 14-day quarantine on Japanese visitors upon entry to ward off viral infections
Malaysian e-commerce startup iPrice gets $10 mil. from Asian investors Japanese IT firm Mitsui Knowledge Industry opens Asia-Pacific headquarters in Singapore Japan’s cosmetics review site operator Planetia allies with e-commerce firm Urban for Vietnam focus
Malaysian central bank cuts key rate by 25bps to 10-year low of 2.5% amid covid-19 outbreak
Australia slashes policy rate by 25 bps to record low of 0.5% over virus outbreak
Taiwan Merry Electronics pairs with China-based AirPods maker Luxshare to produce audio gear in Vietnam Malaysia’s CIMB digital bank targets 4 million customers and SMEs in Philippines this year Taiwan’s TST Group to expand into apparel sewing in Cambodia amid viral crisis India suspends visas for Japan, Italy, Iran, S.Korea amid Covid-19 scare

March 3

China’s virus-era immigration rules are disrupting Japanese companies: NNA survey Japanese retailer Aeon pledges to open 20 malls in Vietnam by 2025, investing over $2 bil.
Vietnamese car assembler Thaco sets up motorcycle manufacturing arm
JFE Steel starts producing color-coated product in Myanmar
Chugoku Electric gets consignment deal from Myanmar power distribution firms
Japan’s Hankyu Hanshin Express launches apparel logistics operation near Yangon Philippines tops in workplace gender parity, but Asian women lags in IT India’s diamond industry losing sparkle in Covid-19 nightmare

March 2

Toyota Motor to build electric, hybrid cars plant in Tianjing, China: Kyodo Japanese construction firm Kumagai Gumi launches Taiwan property development unit Japan's Otsuka launches Malaysian arm to boost drug sales
Japanese telecom engineering firm Mirait to buy 85% stake in Singapore’s YL Integrated
Canon halts 5 plants at home on supply chain disruption caused by viral crisis: Kyodo
China turns to tighten immigration control amid growing coronavirus risk overseas
India sees slower GDP growth of 4.7% in Oct.-Dec., down from 5.1% in July-Sept.

February 28

Japanese logistic firm Hankyu Hanshin Express to launch second logistics center in Vietnam
Japan's Fuji Oil turns Malaysian chocolate JV into fully owned subsidiary
Japanese lender Orico to buy 51% stake in Indonesian car loan firm Mitsubishi Electric to supply 64 elevators to India’s regional public medical center Thailand's Centara Hotels plans to expand in Southeast Asia, Middle East Coronavirus outbreak a double-edged sword for e-commerce seeing demand as well as disruption

February 27

Tokyu Land builds residences in Jakarta CBD, to launch more projects despite stagnant market Toyota Motor to invest $400 mil. in Chinese self-driving startup Pony.ai
China’s Qingdao quarantines overseas travelers for 2 weeks over virus concerns
Many Japanese firms in Thailand banning China business trips: poll Tokyo Gas subsidiary offers energy-saving boiler power management in Indonesia Property management firm Daibiru opens Australia unit for overseas expansion

February 26

Japan ad agency Hakuhodo DY to take over Taiwan's Growww Media Japan’s Okuma to boost machine tool output by nearly 70% in Taiwan for export demand Trading house Marubeni allies with Indonesia’s Lippo in healthcare business
Standard Chartered downgrades HK 2020 GDP growth to -2.4% from -1.5%: report
Sharp to set up electronic parts manufacturing unit in China's Shandong
India seeks Japanese investment in steel sector as it curbs imports Taiwan’s GlobalWafers inks long term supply deal with Global Foundries

February 25

Nissan Chemical to set up pesticide joint venture in India
Nippon Paper to triple paper cup output in Vietnam to meet brisk demand
Honda Motor to close Philippine plant in March as part of global restructuring
Japan’s Glory boosts output of banknote sorter parts in Philippines
Thailand’s R&B Food Supply to open sales unit in Japan, lab in Singapore
Taiwanese private equity firm invests $30 mil. in Grab ride-hailing service Eyeing more liquidity, Japan's MUFG Bank offers free bank transfers to customers in Philippines Malaysia seeks foreign investors for 3rd car project

February 21

Thai utility GPSC teams with Japan's Takasago to build battery plant
Bank Indonesia cuts key rate by 25 bps to 4.75% to buffer coronavirus outbreak impact
Suzuki Motor set to reenter Malaysian market with Naza Group: report
S. Korea's Posco International confirms new offshore gas field in Myanmar
JOGMEC, Idemitsu sign research contract with PetroVietnam Panasonic exports air conditioners from Indonesia for 1st time With more funds, China-backed Dito telco to begin Philippine service in 2021

February 20

Kirin's Myanmar venture posts 28% operating profit rise in FY 2019 As weather sizzles, Mitsubishi Electric leads growth in Thai aircon market Japan’s MUFG to invest up to 80 bil yen in Grab
Taiwan’s KYMCO Private Equity Management to invest $30 mil. in Grab: report
China waives corporate social insurance premiums amid coronavirus outbreak
Century-old Kubara Honke of Japan finds Hong Kong favors traditional seasoning

February 19

Hong Kong postpones all trade fairs in April to late July Indian motorcycle maker Hero to invest $1.4 billion on future models, expansion Electronics assembler Pegatron to set up Vietnam manufacturing subsidiary for Southeast Asia expansion
Singapore budgets S$4 bil to mitigate coronavirus impacts on economy
India's Tata Power to boost EV charging stations to 700 in 2021: report
MUFG Bank launches system development, operation unit in India Japanese women find their Valentine in Malaysia-Japan Dateworks speed dating

February 18

China's Great Wall Motors to buy General Motors' 2 Thai plants
Japanese oil refiner Idemitsu to invest in solar power project in Philippines Japanese online programming school startup taps Indonesian market Japanese women find their Valentine in Malaysia-Japan Dateworks speed dating Japan’s UACJ launching auto material sales unit in southern China for eco-car demand Suzuki indonesia goes for SUV market with XL7 Panasonic begins studying ways to sell more goods in under-tapped African market Taiwan cable maker BizLink acquires Singapore peer for $47 mil.

February 17

60% of large Japanese firms in Thailand see coronavirus impact: survey Toyota resuming China operations at 3 car plants this week
Honda delays Wuhan plant reopening to Feb. 24 or later amid viral crisis
Mitsubishi Gas Chemical to boost industrial hydrogen production in Taiwan amid expected growth in semiconductors Japan's UT Group to acquire Vietnamese staffing provider Ikea Philippines postpones giant-store opening to 2021

February 14

83.1% of Japan firms in China resume operations this week: NNA survey Panasonic launching internet-based smart home electronics in India Japan’s Noritz to take 44% of Vietnam’s Kangaroo brand home appliance maker ReNet Japan, fintech startup to move into Cambodia internet banking
Japan's MUFG Bank to undertake system development in India

February 13

Murata opens new plant in Malaysia to boost electronics gear output Japan’s Gunze opens film plant for household products in Vietnam Japanese electronics components maker Sanken Electric to shut Thai semiconductor plant Coronavirus fears forecast to hit Singapore’s economy harder than SARS
Taiwan trims GDP growth outlook by 0.35 points to 2.37% over coronavirus scare
ASEAN trade surplus with U.S. jumps 21% last year, thanks to trade row with China
Chipmaker UMC to inject $500 mil. capital into China subsidiary to expand 5G line Industries in India brace for supply chain disruption by coronavirus

February 12

Japanese biotech startup to mass produce fiber from spider silk for commercial use
Honda, Nissan apparently postpone resumption of Guangzhou plant operations
Vietnam gov't forecasts coronavirus outbreak may trim up to 0.7% GDP growth this year
Japanese language learning system operator Bond opens Vietnam unit
Japan's popular "Gari Gari kun" ice pops land in Myanmar Seven Bank to install cash-recycling ATMs in Philippine 7-Eleven stores Japanese automotive antenna maker Yokowo to venture into India with JV Over 300 Taiwan firms suspending China factory reopening on spreading coronavirus

February 10

Toyota, Honda further delay China plant reopening amid virus outbreak
Japan's IHI to rebuild 2 bridges in Myanmar for economic corridor Japanese electronics maker Sharp takes over Thai TV manufacturer Japan Elevator Service to establish subsidiary in Indonesia Hon Hai gearing up to tap auto, EV field Honda launches Civic Hatchback RS cars in Indonesia, targets 1,800 sales this year Mitsubishi Shipbuilding to build biggest vessels for Philippine Coast Guard

February 7

Panasonic Indonesia to sell central water purifier for treating well water Japan's Heritage Resorts opens 1st "capsule" hotel in Vietnam Hitachi-Omron Terminal Solutions wins ATM operation contract from Thai national bank
Philippine central bank cuts key rate to 3.75% amid coronavirus fear
China automaker GWM, SAIC to make massive investments to expand business in India
Honda Indonesia launches 2 high-end big bikes to meet premium segment demand Suzuki Motor Indonesia gears up to expand market share, exports

February 6

Japanese food maker Imuraya to tap Malaysian ice cream market Hino Motors seeks 3.3-percent sales growth in Malaysia after slump in 2019
Myanmar exports to China surge 36% to $6.39 bil. in 2019 on robust oil, gas shipments
Japanese casual dining chain Watami closing 7 China outlets on coronavirus outbreak Isuzu Motors halts diesel-powered Panther models production on tighter emission rules in Indonesia Thailand’s Central Group, Austria's Signa buy Swiss retailer Globus for $1 billion

February 5

Japan firms' business sentiment in Thailand worsens to 8-year low: survey Japanese FA system provider IDEC launches sales unit in India Komatsu Matere scraps 2nd textile plant project in China
Fujitsu opens office in Clark SEZ to tap IT service demand
Malaysia 2019 exports log 1st drop in 10 years on sluggish electronics shipments
Japan’s leading shredder maker Meikoshokai to take over Thai production partner T Secure

February 4

Nippon Sheet Glass boosts solar-panel glass output in Vietnam Rakuten provides AI-assisted marketing solution services with Singapore partner Sumitomo Corp. opens Bangalore office for strategic alliance with Indian IT startups
Spiber silk developer to open artificial protein fiber plant in Thailand in 2021
Japan’s Nishimoto to buy 30% share in Vietnam’s Japanese food trader Sim Ba Trading Taiwan’s Spirox, Japan’s Wintest team up for China's semiconductor test equipment market

February 3

Sumitomo Forestry, Kumagai Gumi team up in property projects in Asia Packaging provider Rengo to buy 25% stake in Philippines’ leading containerboard material maker Nissin Foods forges strategic alliance for China growth Nippon Concrete Industries to double telephone pole output in Myanmar Japan’s Furukawa Electric to join Indonesia’s submarine cable project Panasonic's India-incubated smart solutions boost its diversification

January 31

Japanese startup, ReNet Japan eye Cambodia for car ads expansion
Construction machinery maker Nikko to set up Thai sales unit on rising demand
Japanese restaurant operator Food Buddies opens Taiwan-style dim sum eatery in Thailand Japan’s Fujitrans opens office in Myawaddy, Myanmar to beef up cross-border logistics
Over 50,000 Taiwan firms operating across China likely hit by coronavirus fear: reports
Philippines, India confirm 1st positive cases of coronavirus
Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Indonesian univ. to develop clean energy technologies

January 30

Toyota, Honda suspending China production longer than planned over coronavirus outbreak Japan's Asahi withdraws from Calpis soft drink venture in Thailand NTT to test traffic monitoring system for Malaysia smart city Mitsui Fudosan to embark on office buildings development in India
Canon fears supply chain disruption in China due to coronavirus outbreak: Kyodo
Japanese metal trader Hakudo to buy minority stake in Vietnamese peer Oristar

January 29

Nippon Travel launches crisis management center in Malaysia ReNet Japan Group launches auto leasing business in Cambodia via takeover Hitachi Chemical to sell electronics components business to Chinese peer Outdoor lifestyle creator Snow Peak allies with Korean apparel firm for expansion
Hong Kong blocks individual travelers from mainland China on coronavirus outbreak

January 28

Honda to invest 5.1 tril. rupiah to boost local car parts procurement in Indonesia Shimadzu ramping up PCB output in Philippines to boost competitiveness in equipment Indonesia’s motorcycle sales recover to 2015 level
Coronavirus outbreak to cost Thai tourism estimated 50 bil. baht: report
Thai CP group to open 1st Makro wholesale outlet in Yangon in March: report
Nissan India banking on SUVs in revival bid Oversea orders pour in for Indian startup's water-from-air machines South Korea provides $50 mil loan for Philippine infrastructure program Japanese telecom giant NTT opens Myanmar unit to offer equipment

January 27

Lending startup Digicro expanding online microloans in Cambodia Japan's Softpren boosting butyl rubber, foam resin processing output in Indonesia Maruti Suzuki India begins exporting S-Presso compact car to emerging markets Thailand’s Amata to develop industrial park near Yangon, seeking Japanese investors
Japan's Kodama Chemical Industry closing China unit on continued loss

January 24

Japan’s Belluna launching doctors, nurses staffing service via takeover of Singapore firm Toyota Tsusho opens Singapore unit for R&D on connected mobility service Japan realtor Yamaman to open 1st overseas hotel in Yangon in Feb.
Thailand’s 2019 new vehicle sales dip 3.3% to 1 mil. units
Japanese telecom giant NTT opens Myanmar unit to offer equipment Indonesia expects commercial vehicle rebound, 2019 sales fell 18.3%

January 23

Mitsubishi’s Xpander beats Toyota’s Avanza in Indonesian vehicle production
Japanese auto parts maker Hirotec to expand Indian plant
Konoike to buy stake in apparel inspection firm in Bangladesh
Thai vehicle exports in 2019 fall below 1.1 mil. for 1st time in 7 years
Sluggish exports trim Thailand’s 2019 vehicle output
German chemical giant BASF to build Asia-Pacific agrichemical hub in Singapore
Toyota Indonesia's 2019 car export best-ever in 5 years

January 22

Malaysian automaker Perodua plans 86% boost in capital investment Japan firms in Indonesia to increase pay at slower pace in 2020: NNA survey Conveyor-belt sushi dining chain Kura Sushi to open outlet in Shanghai Mitsui, PTT to form robotics, AI venture in Thailand
Developer Takara Leben group opens Vietnam unit to manage its condos in Haiphong
Dental clinic equipment maker Shofu to produce abrasives in Vietnam for global market

January 21

Japanese pawnshop firm Sou to set up China, Singapore, Europe units Mitsui Fudosan to open 1st outlet mall in southern Taiwan in 2022 Samsung to build $500 mil. smartphone display plant in India: report Yusen Logistics wins AS9120 certification for aerospace, defense parts in Singapore
China to ban output and sales of single-use plastic items from 2025
China’s new car sales this year likely to remain flat at 25 mil.: industry minister

January 20

Toyota gets approval for EV, plug-in hybrid vehicles production in Thailand Hon Hai Precision, Fiat Chrysler to form EV venture in China
Indonesia new car sales in 2019 fall 11% to 1.03 mil. units, 1st drop in 4 yrs
SE Asian travelers to Japan hit record high for 8 yrs in row, total 3,83 mil. in 2019
Singapore exports mark 1st increase in 10 months in Dec. 2019 on growth for China
China's GDP growth slows to 6.1% in 2019, lowest level in 29 yrs
India’s Mahindra to buy online car sales platformer Fifth Gear Ventures Diplomatic row throws Malaysia’s palm oil export to India into headwinds

January 17

Japan's Meidensha to acquire 41% stake in Vietnamese switchboard maker Japanese staffing agency Copro to launch Singapore unit to send Southeast Asian workers to home Honda Indonesia launches latest scooter in stable 2020 market Hitachi completes elevator test tower at world’s highest level in Guangzhou, China
Japan's bridal jewelry dealer New Art to open Singapore unit to tap SE Asian market
Sompo Indonesia to launch malaria insurance as part of disease eradication effort Semiconductor giant TSMC upbeat on 2020 sales for 5G phones and fast computers

January 16

NNA survey: Japan firms in India eye average 8% wage hike in 2020, against 9.4% last year Mitsubishi Motors to launch showroom in the Philippines to supply solar power to EVs
76% of British accountant body members predict worsening H.K. economy in 2020
Taiwan’s JKOS Network begins mobile payment service in Japan
Chinese steel industry vows to shift emphasis from quantity to quality

January 15

NNA survey: Japan firms in Thailand plan average 4.0% wage hike, down 0.2 point Japan's Obayashi, Salim Group to launch farm project in Indonesia Sumitomo Rubber to open natural rubber procurement specialty unit in Singapore Japan's Sompo Holdings to begin selling malaria insurance in Indonesia by Sept.
China 2019 exports at $2.49 tril. with growth slowing to 0.5% amid trade row with U.S.
Taiwan Walsin Lihwa to build $500 mil. nickel pig iron processing plant in Indonesia: report
Sluggish commercial vehicle sales in India to continue amid slowdown, regulatory changes Taiwan New Kinpo Group expanding printer capacity in China despite trade row Japan’s Mos Burger to open 5 outlets in Philippines this year

January 14

Hisamitsu Pharmaceutical to set up sales unit in Malaysia Japanese "matchmaking restaurant" chain Aisekiya taps Southeast Asia Japan’s Daihatsu Motor increasingly hiring Vietnamese auto technicians China’s 2019 new vehicle sales suffer 2nd straight annual drop
Labor union applications in H.K. in 2019 June-Dec. period total 135, up from only 10
8 Japanese carmakers sell 960,000 vehicles in Indonesia in 2019, off 12%: NNA survey

January 10

Ricoh to launch digital printer plant in China in April JXTG Energy opens lubricant sales company in Philippines Japanese civil engineer Nippon Koei to embark on India’s infrastructure projects
Japan's Arakawa Chemical Industries to build factory for paper-reinforcing chemicals in Vietnam
Over 60% of Myanmar middle class in Yangon hopes to buy cars in 3 yrs
Philippines eager for swift creation of Japan's masterplan for Subic development Japanese robotics firm Fuji launches Indian arm to beef up sales Bandai Namco opens its largest amusement arcade in India Japan provides extra loan to strengthen 2 Manila bridges against earthquakes

January 9

Toyota new car sales in China in 2019 log record 1.62 mil. units, topping Japan for 1st time
Showa Denko to build new high-purity gas plant for electronics in Shanghai
Mitsubishi, Shinkong Synthetic to boost PET chemical recycling capacity in Thailand Kyushu Electric to run micro grids on Philippine remote islands with PowerSource Call center operator Bellsystem24 buys stake in True Touch to enter Thai market Kameda Seika and local partner launch premium rice snacks in India Severe flooding in Indonesia hurts suppliers, employees of Japanese-invested companies Isuzu investing $131 mil. to produce low-emission trucks in Taiwan

January 8

Competing growth strategies for Taiwan as Tsai leads in election poll Aozora Bank to acquire 15% stake in Vietnamese bank OCB Japan's Air Water allies with Vietnam's Pacific Petro to launch LPG sales
Isuzu Motors to build eco-truck plant in Taiwan amid tightening emission rules
Japan's Central Nippon Expressway to join service area operation in Taiwan
Malaysia, China team up in next generation vehicle development
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