Japan steps up response to China’s weaponization of rare earths, declares supply-chain overhaul with G7 Supply-chain self-reliance push dating back to the 2010s expands to deep-sea mining Political calculations cited amid parliament dissolution and early election prospects

China’s EV-heavy support leaves gasoline cars stranded, fueling an export glut Over-subsidization sickens China’s EV sector as oversupply and price wars persist Local governments prop up zombie firms, distorting markets as debt pressure mounts

Korean Shipbuilding assets pile up in M&A market, but deals move slowly MASGA hopes and the supercycle inflate valuations, raising acquisition burden Capex pressure, Japan’s catch-up and other risks remain piled up K

U.S. invasion of Venezuela unlikely to have major short-term impact on global oil prices Despite holding the world’s largest reserves, output accounts for just 1% as infrastructure collapse and U.S.

December FOMC deepens internal Fed rift over whether to cut rates Judgment grows opaque as polarization runs through the U.S.

Korean regulators and parliament move in tandem to strengthen CISO authority at financial firms Repeated hacking and data breaches fuel growing consumer concerns Financial sector revamps security systems, but market says “lenient penalties are the real problem”

China’s Debt Ratio Climbs to 302.3% by End-September, Liabilities Top 400 Trillion Yuan Surge in Local Government Debt and Deflation-Driven Nominal Growth Slowdown Push Ratio Higher Authorities Move on Debt Rollovers and Demand Stimulus, but Doubts Linger Over Short-Term Impact

Harman to Buy ZF ADAS Unit for €1.5bn, Stepping Up SDV Push Samsung Electronics on M&A Spree With Fläkt, Sound United, Xealth Legal Risks Cleared, New M&A Team in Place — Questions Linger Over Scale and Direction

Baidu Teams Up with Uber and Lyft to Roll Out Robotaxi Services in the UK “Is It Safe to Expand This Fast?” Safety Concerns Linger With Safety Data Already Accumulated, Robotaxis Push Past Controversy Toward Commercialization

Surging ESS Demand Driven by Renewables and Data Centers, Reshaping the Power Market Battery Makers Hit by the EV “Chasm” Turn to ESS as the Next Growth Engine China’s Price Edge Helps It Dominate the Global Battery Market, Korea Moves to Catch Up <

South Korea’s Five Guys to Be Acquired by H&Q Equity Partners at an Estimated $45–55 Million After a String of Failed Bets Including Esquire and 11st, Is Five Guys a Comeback Play? Securing Japan Rights Through Equity Purchase—Could It Become the Next Burger King Japan?

“Will Allow Nvidia H200 Exports to China” Trump’s Hardline Move US Pushback Grows, While Self-Reliant China Responds Coolly US Chip Export Strategy Seen as Losing Leverage Over China As US President Donald Trump moves to ease semicondu

China Imposes 4.9%–19.9% Anti-Dumping Tariffs on EU Pork Beijing Strikes Back as the EU Uses Tariffs to Push Out Chinese EVs EU and China, Once Hinting at Cooperation Against US Tariff Barriers, See Ties Cool Again China is set to impose ant

Google’s “Gemini 3” rapidly gains ground, prompting OpenAI to move up the release of “GPT-5.2” As the generative AI race heats up, Google holds an edge when model performance is broadly comparable OpenAI steps up its counterplay, from a Disney licensing deal to an intensified talent push

Japan joins the humanoid race late after ceding early ground to China China leads the humanoid market on volume, but questions linger over performance Shunning EV hype, Japan again bets on perfectionism in humanoids Japan, long a leader in r

LP capital piles into big-name VCs in Korea, squeezing smaller firms Sanctions mount as access to the fund of funds tightens, feeding a vicious cycle Cash-starved Korean startups fall into “death valley,” one after another Korea’s venture cap

AI boom sends DRAM and HBM prices soaring Data-center investment surges across Asia, keeping memory demand on a steady rise U.S.

South Korea’s not-so-quiet year in cybersecurity: it’s not just Coupang Many Korean companies still hesitate to invest more in security—and post-incident response often falls short The React incident that shook the industry: could it expose deeper weaknesses in Korean business?

China Moves to Dodge U.S.

Germany Drafts a 1,200-Page Secret Operational Plan to Prepare for a Possible Russian Attack Military Tensions Rise Across NATO’s Eastern Flank, Including Poland European Nations Begin Expanding Forces and Procuring Weapons as They Strengthen Defense Capabilities