At a time when so much seems to be going wrong, it is reassuring to feel the arrival of spring. Not least in Japan, where the cherry blossoms are now in full bloom. Millions of Japanese have already taken part in the celebrations, and many more look forward to experiencing the annual enchantment known as hanami – “flower viewing.”
“The event is not merely a natural experience, but a way of contemplating existence,” says the cultural historian Haruo Shirane. “It reflects who we Japanese are – spontaneous, playful, and philosophical.”
The celebration begins, naturally, in the far south, where spring arrives first. On the islands of Okinawa, the cherry trees may bloom as early as January. The climate there is subtropical and mild, and the blossoms are often a deeper shade of pink than on the mainland. From Okinawa, the bloom spreads northward, and by late March it reaches cities such as Kyoto, Osaka, and Tokyo. The most famous place in Tokyo for cherry blossom viewing is undoubtedly Ueno Park, where thousands of trees form a pale pink canopy over the paths.
As the colorful climax approaches, competition for picnic spots becomes fierce. Many companies send employees out early in the morning to check the trees, the sun, and the shade. The best spots are quickly claimed with large blue tarps marked with messages: “Mitsubishi 6 p.m.,” “Nikon Sales Department 7 p.m.,” or “Subaru 6–10 p.m., please do not remove this sign!”
But the festivities do not end there. After Tokyo, the blossoms continue their journey northward, all the way to the island of Hokkaido. In the winter sports city of Sapporo, the celebration does not begin until late April or early May. The Japanese follow the weather forecasts closely, and for the most devoted, the weather becomes an obsession.
A hanami is, above all, a social gathering filled with smiles and laughter, and the food is almost as important as the blossoms themselves. It is not a single dish, but a universe of small delicacies carefully arranged in square boxes – grilled fish or chicken, eggs, boiled, fried, and pickled vegetables, and, of course, rice. Colorful rice dumplings on skewers are also part of the feast, as is pink rice cake filled with bean paste, wrapped in a salted cherry leaf. Everything is washed down with beer – or sake, though usually in more moderate quantities.
fredag 10. april 2026
US isn’t losing soft power in SE Asia — it’s ceding it to China
Commentators increasingly warn that the United States is losing its soft power – and the data backs them up. The Brand Finance Global Soft Power Index 2026 ranked the US as the steepest decliner among the 193 countries surveyed, with China now less than 1.5 points behind.
Richard Stengel, undersecretary of state for public diplomacy in the Obama administration, recently likened Trump’s America to post-war Britain – an imperial hegemon shrinking into “Little America.” The analogy is vivid, though slightly misleading. And it risks obscuring a more consequential story playing out, at least in Southeast Asia.
Richard Stengel, undersecretary of state for public diplomacy in the Obama administration, recently likened Trump’s America to post-war Britain – an imperial hegemon shrinking into “Little America.” The analogy is vivid, though slightly misleading. And it risks obscuring a more consequential story playing out, at least in Southeast Asia.
The deal to reopen Hormuz is nowhere near done
Wednesday’s ceasefire announcement by President Donald Trump, linked to Iran reopening the Strait of Hormuz, prompted immediate optimism shipping would quickly resume. It didn’t. The following morning, traffic remained minimal. A handful of vessels, largely linked to Iran, made the transit. But most of the ships waiting in the Gulf stayed put. Iran announced shortly afterwardsthat it would effectively close the strait because of Israel’s attacks on Lebanon.
The reality is the strait was never closed. Framing the issue as “open” or “closed” misses the point. Ships are not being physically blocked. They are being deterred.
Over recent weeks, Iran has demonstrated both the capability and intent to target commercial shipping. Attacks and credible threats against vessels have driven daily transits down from around 130 to just a handful. Until that risk changes, ships will not return in meaningful numbers.
So what can be done to turn this around?
The reality is the strait was never closed. Framing the issue as “open” or “closed” misses the point. Ships are not being physically blocked. They are being deterred.
Over recent weeks, Iran has demonstrated both the capability and intent to target commercial shipping. Attacks and credible threats against vessels have driven daily transits down from around 130 to just a handful. Until that risk changes, ships will not return in meaningful numbers.
So what can be done to turn this around?
China factory prices return to growth after 3 years, beating expectations on surging oil prices
China’s factory-gate prices rose for the first time in more than three years while consumer inflation moderated in March, amid a surge in oil prices as the Iran war upended global energy markets. The producer price index grew 0.5% from a year earlier, the first growth since September 2022, ending the longest deflationary streak in decades. For the first quarter, the PPI fell 0.6% year on year.
Consumer prices climbed 1% in March from a year earlier, missing economists’ forecast of 1.2% growth in a Reuters poll and slowing from a 1.3% rise in February, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics on Friday. Core CPI, which excludes volatile items like food and energy, grew 1.1% in March from a year earlier.
Consumer prices climbed 1% in March from a year earlier, missing economists’ forecast of 1.2% growth in a Reuters poll and slowing from a 1.3% rise in February, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics on Friday. Core CPI, which excludes volatile items like food and energy, grew 1.1% in March from a year earlier.
Behind China’s ‘active efforts’ for an Iran ceasefire: Business trumps politics
China’s ties with countries such as Iran and Russia have raised expectations of a bigger diplomatic role, but Beijing remains focused on protecting its own domestic interests, including global exports.
That stance underpins Beijing’s circumspect acknowledgment of reports that it pushed Iran toward this week’s temporary ceasefire. A New York Times report cited three Iranian officials as saying China played a role, while AFP cited U.S. President Donald Trump.
China has made “active efforts” to end the conflict, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said Wednesday, when asked by the press about the reports. She emphasized that Foreign Minister Wang Yi had made 26 phone calls to representatives of countries including Russia, Saudi Arabia, Germany and Iran since the U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran began on Feb. 28.
But Beijing stopped short of confirming direct mediation.
That stance underpins Beijing’s circumspect acknowledgment of reports that it pushed Iran toward this week’s temporary ceasefire. A New York Times report cited three Iranian officials as saying China played a role, while AFP cited U.S. President Donald Trump.
China has made “active efforts” to end the conflict, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said Wednesday, when asked by the press about the reports. She emphasized that Foreign Minister Wang Yi had made 26 phone calls to representatives of countries including Russia, Saudi Arabia, Germany and Iran since the U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran began on Feb. 28.
But Beijing stopped short of confirming direct mediation.
China’s Xi touts peace - and points to global conflicts - in rare meeting with Taiwan opposition leader
Chinese leader Xi Jinping invoked ongoing global conflicts and the need for peace during a landmark meeting with the leader of Taiwan’s opposition on Friday and reiterated Beijing’s opposition to the independence of the self-ruled island.
The visit to Beijing by Cheng Li-wun, the leader of Taiwan’s Kuomintang (KMT), was the first such meeting in a decade and comes weeks before US President Donald Trump is set to visit China for talks with Xi where Taiwan is expected to be high on the agenda.
“Today’s world is far from peaceful, and peace is all the more precious.” said Xi at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
The visit to Beijing by Cheng Li-wun, the leader of Taiwan’s Kuomintang (KMT), was the first such meeting in a decade and comes weeks before US President Donald Trump is set to visit China for talks with Xi where Taiwan is expected to be high on the agenda.
“Today’s world is far from peaceful, and peace is all the more precious.” said Xi at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
How Pakistan became an unlikely bridge between the United States and Iran
The streets of Islamabad have been emptied by a sudden two-day public holiday, declared to enforce a strict security lockdown in the Pakistani capital. Behind the barricades, diplomatic activity is operating at a fever pitch as the world holds its breath for this weekend’s make-or-break ceasefire talks between the United States and Iran.
Pakistan, a nation more frequently making international headlines for its heightened militancy and shaky economy, is hosting the first direct talks between Washington and Tehran, working to end a weeks-long war that has left thousands dead and sent shockwaves across the globe.
Pakistan, a nation more frequently making international headlines for its heightened militancy and shaky economy, is hosting the first direct talks between Washington and Tehran, working to end a weeks-long war that has left thousands dead and sent shockwaves across the globe.
North Korea says its latest tests included missiles armed with cluster-bomb warheads
North Korea on Thursday said its testing spree this week involved various new weapons systems, including ballistic missiles armed with cluster-bomb warheads, as it pushes to expand nuclear-capable forces aimed at rival South Korea.
The report by North Korean state media came a day after South Korea’s military said it detected North Korea firing multiple missiles from an eastern coastal area in its second round of launches in two days. North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency said the tests lasted three days starting Monday and also included demonstrations of anti-aircraft weapons, purported electromagnetic weapons systems and carbon-fiber bombs.
The report by North Korean state media came a day after South Korea’s military said it detected North Korea firing multiple missiles from an eastern coastal area in its second round of launches in two days. North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency said the tests lasted three days starting Monday and also included demonstrations of anti-aircraft weapons, purported electromagnetic weapons systems and carbon-fiber bombs.
India news: Marco Rubio to visit India for trade talks
India and Qatar discussed the importance of putting an early end to the disruption in global energy supplies, said Indian petroleum minister Hardeep Singh Puri, as a fragile ceasefire between the US and Iran takes hold. Puri is currently on a two-day visit to Qatar, the single largest supplier of liquified natural gas (LNG) and liquified petroleum gas (LPG) to India.
The minister met with Qatar's Minister of State for Energy Affairs and the President and CEO of QatarEnergy, Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi in Doha.
In a social media post on Friday, Puri wrote: "My friend H.E. Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi has reaffirmed the State of Qatar’s commitment to remain a reliable energy supplier and looked forward to continuing and strengthening energy relations and cooperation with India."
The minister met with Qatar's Minister of State for Energy Affairs and the President and CEO of QatarEnergy, Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi in Doha.
In a social media post on Friday, Puri wrote: "My friend H.E. Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi has reaffirmed the State of Qatar’s commitment to remain a reliable energy supplier and looked forward to continuing and strengthening energy relations and cooperation with India."
China's Xi Jinping hosts Taiwan opposition leader in Beijing
Cheng Li-wun, the leader of Taiwan's opposition Kuomintang (KMT) met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Friday, capping off her trip to China this week that she has called a "peace" mission to reduce tensions.
Considered a proponent of closer ties with Beijing, Cheng is the first KMT leader to visit China in a decade, amid tensions over Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), whose leadership Beijing doesn't recognize.
Beijing has framed Cheng's visit as a signal that there is political space in Taiwan for Chinese interests. Beijing considers Taiwan to be a breakaway Chinese province that should be "reunited" with the mainland. Xi has said that he prefers this be done diplomatically, but also frequently threatens the use of force.
Considered a proponent of closer ties with Beijing, Cheng is the first KMT leader to visit China in a decade, amid tensions over Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), whose leadership Beijing doesn't recognize.
Beijing has framed Cheng's visit as a signal that there is political space in Taiwan for Chinese interests. Beijing considers Taiwan to be a breakaway Chinese province that should be "reunited" with the mainland. Xi has said that he prefers this be done diplomatically, but also frequently threatens the use of force.
torsdag 9. april 2026
India's digital census prompts fear of hidden agendas
India has been conducting a fully digital census since April 1, deploying over 3 million enumerators while also providing people with an opportunity to enter their data into a self-enumeration portal.
In the first phase, the officials will focus on house listing and housing conditions. This involves collecting data on 33 parameters, including building materials, access to basic amenities like electricity and clean water, and ownership of assets such as smartphones and vehicles.
Every building will also be geo-tagged to ensure complete geographic coverage and an accurate reflection of the country's infrastructure.The second phase, scheduled for early next year, is to focus on the population, gathering detailed demographic and socio-economic data. This includes recording age, education, and occupation for every individual. By capturing migration patterns and fertility data digitally, the officials hope to form a comprehensive profile of India's evolving population, which is already considered the largest in the world.
In the first phase, the officials will focus on house listing and housing conditions. This involves collecting data on 33 parameters, including building materials, access to basic amenities like electricity and clean water, and ownership of assets such as smartphones and vehicles.
Every building will also be geo-tagged to ensure complete geographic coverage and an accurate reflection of the country's infrastructure.The second phase, scheduled for early next year, is to focus on the population, gathering detailed demographic and socio-economic data. This includes recording age, education, and occupation for every individual. By capturing migration patterns and fertility data digitally, the officials hope to form a comprehensive profile of India's evolving population, which is already considered the largest in the world.
China’s Economic Sanctions Against Japan: An Assessment
On February 24, 2026, China placed twenty Japanese companies on its Entity List. This move marked a significant shift in China’s posture: Having previously sought to keep Japan’s security status deliberately ambiguous, Beijing has now explicitly designated Japan a country of security concern and publicly identified specific firms it views as threats. By framing the measure under the national security exceptions recognized by the WTO framework, China has made it considerably more difficult for Japan to establish a clear trade rule violation.
Until now, China had pursued a different strategy. Rather than openly categorizing Japan as a security adversary, it engaged in “economic coercion” – discriminating against and pressuring specific countries for political, non-commercial reasons in violation of the WTO’s most-favored-nation (MFN) principle.
Until now, China had pursued a different strategy. Rather than openly categorizing Japan as a security adversary, it engaged in “economic coercion” – discriminating against and pressuring specific countries for political, non-commercial reasons in violation of the WTO’s most-favored-nation (MFN) principle.
In Strait of Hormuz, Iran and China take aim at US dollar hegemony
As the United States-Israel war on Iran — paused for two weeks on Wednesday amid fresh diplomatic talks — has roiled the global economy for more than a month, Iran and China have seized the opportunity to address a shared gripe about the global financial system.
Their common cause: ending the hegemony of the US dollar. For years, they say, Washington has leveraged the dominance of the dollar in international trade to exert influence and inflict pain on enemies and competitors, Iran and China included.
The supremacy of the dollar is especially apparent in the global oil market, where about 80 percent of transactions are settled in the currency, according to a 2023 estimate by JP Morgan Chase.
Their common cause: ending the hegemony of the US dollar. For years, they say, Washington has leveraged the dominance of the dollar in international trade to exert influence and inflict pain on enemies and competitors, Iran and China included.
The supremacy of the dollar is especially apparent in the global oil market, where about 80 percent of transactions are settled in the currency, according to a 2023 estimate by JP Morgan Chase.
On rare China visit, Taiwan’s opposition leader calls for reconciliation
Taiwan’s main opposition leader has used a high-profile visit to China to push for dialogue with Beijing, invoking the legacy of revolutionary figure Sun Yat-sen amid rising cross-strait tensions.
Cheng Li-wun, chairwoman of the Kuomintang (KMT) party, laid a wreath at Sun’s mausoleum in Nanjing on Wednesday, in a gesture steeped in historical symbolism.The city once served as the capital of the Republic of China before the KMT retreated to Taiwan in 1949 after losing the civil war to the communists led by Mao Zedong.
“The core values of Sun Yat-sen’s ideal that ‘all under heaven are equal’ have always been equality, inclusiveness, and unity,” Cheng said, in remarks broadcast live on Taiwanese television. “We should work together to promote reconciliation and unity across the [Taiwan] Strait and create regional prosperity and peace.”
Cheng Li-wun, chairwoman of the Kuomintang (KMT) party, laid a wreath at Sun’s mausoleum in Nanjing on Wednesday, in a gesture steeped in historical symbolism.The city once served as the capital of the Republic of China before the KMT retreated to Taiwan in 1949 after losing the civil war to the communists led by Mao Zedong.
“The core values of Sun Yat-sen’s ideal that ‘all under heaven are equal’ have always been equality, inclusiveness, and unity,” Cheng said, in remarks broadcast live on Taiwanese television. “We should work together to promote reconciliation and unity across the [Taiwan] Strait and create regional prosperity and peace.”
China Could Dominate the Physical AI Future
On Feb. 16, hundreds of millions of households watched as humanoid robots from four different Chinese companies danced, acted in a comedy skit, did parkour, and performed martial arts onstage at the Spring Festival Gala, China’s most-watched television broadcast. Across the country, drone shows lit up the night skies as China celebrated Lunar New Year, the synchronization of tens of thousands of drones coordinated by artificial intelligence.
The physical AI fervor has traveled across the Pacific. At the glitzy Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas earlier this year, Chinese startups dominated the convention with AI-enabled hardware from smart home appliances and wearables to all kinds of robots.
The physical AI fervor has traveled across the Pacific. At the glitzy Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas earlier this year, Chinese startups dominated the convention with AI-enabled hardware from smart home appliances and wearables to all kinds of robots.
‘Weeks, if not months’: Strait of Hormuz tanker traffic won’t normalize anytime soon
The U.S. and Iran’s “fragile truce” has lifted hopes that a full reopening of the Hormuz Strait can end the energy supply crunch that threatens to cripple the global economy. But shipping and maritime experts say traffic through the critical energy artery will not normalize anytime soon.
President Donald Trump said Tuesday the ceasefire is contingent on the “complete, immediate, and safe opening” of the Strait, which typically carries around one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas supplies. Vice President JD Vance reiterated on Wednesday that the Iranian leadership has agreed to open the Strait of Hormuz. Iran, however, has made it clear that the reopening would be conditional, subject to coordination with the country’s armed forces and technical limitations.
President Donald Trump said Tuesday the ceasefire is contingent on the “complete, immediate, and safe opening” of the Strait, which typically carries around one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas supplies. Vice President JD Vance reiterated on Wednesday that the Iranian leadership has agreed to open the Strait of Hormuz. Iran, however, has made it clear that the reopening would be conditional, subject to coordination with the country’s armed forces and technical limitations.
Trump Made a Deal That Gives Him Nothing He Wanted
President trump said he went to war to ensure that Iran never acquired a nuclear bomb. The war ended—for now, at least—with a demonstration that Tehran possesses an arguably more powerful weapon of deterrence against future attacks, one that is cheaper to use, gives Iran enormous sway over the global economy, can bring in revenue, and can’t be negotiated away: the Strait of Hormuz.
More than 12,000 U.S. missiles, bombs, and drones hit Iranian targets over the past five weeks, destroying the country’s navy and much of its military infrastructure. Several of Iran’s leaders and some 1,500 of its citizens were killed, including more than 170 who died in a strike on a girls’ school that was the apparent result of errant targeting.
More than 12,000 U.S. missiles, bombs, and drones hit Iranian targets over the past five weeks, destroying the country’s navy and much of its military infrastructure. Several of Iran’s leaders and some 1,500 of its citizens were killed, including more than 170 who died in a strike on a girls’ school that was the apparent result of errant targeting.
Iran is holding the world economy hostage. Trump’s truce proves its leverage
President Donald Trump has cast a fragile two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran as a “total and complete victory.” But the terms of the truce highlight how Iran has used control of the Strait of Hormuz to gain enormous leverage over the global economy.
That the ceasefire is conditional on Iran agreeing to reopen the vital waterway is a tacit acknowledgement of Tehran’s influence over the world’s most important oil chokepoint – and, with it, significant chunks of the global economy. “Iran doesn’t need a lot of military might to cause a huge disruption in the global economy,” Brookings energy expert Samantha Gross said last month.
That the ceasefire is conditional on Iran agreeing to reopen the vital waterway is a tacit acknowledgement of Tehran’s influence over the world’s most important oil chokepoint – and, with it, significant chunks of the global economy. “Iran doesn’t need a lot of military might to cause a huge disruption in the global economy,” Brookings energy expert Samantha Gross said last month.
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