Australia

With rents up nearly 40% in the last five years and vacancies at under 2%, Australia residents are finding it increasingly hard to secure housing. (Nikkei montage/Source photo by Getty Images) 
The author on his latest adventure, a 3,000-kilometer ride through Sumatra, the largest island fully inside Indonesian territory. This photo was taken at sunset at a viewpoint overlooking Lake Maninjau in West Sumatra province. (All photos courtesy of Ian Lloyd Neubauer)
Life

From Tibet to PNG, touring Asia-Pacific on two wheels

Adventure biking yields a unique view of a diverse region

25 August 2024
Nippon Steel and JFE Steel will buy stakes in Whitehaven's Blackwater coal mine in Australia to secure supplies of high-grade coking coal. (Nippon Steel)
Business deals

Nippon Steel, JFE Steel to invest $1bn in Australian coal mine

Japanese steelmakers want higher quality coking coal to cut CO2 emissions

22 August 2024
Indonesia's President-elect Prabowo Subianto greets Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese ahead of a meeting at Parliament House in Canberra, on Aug. 20. (AAP Image via Reuters)
Defense

Australia and Indonesia seal treaty-level defense pact

Agreement allows militaries to operate from each other's countries

20 August 2024
Wagons filled with iron ore enter Rio Tinto's railyard near Karratha, 1,250 kilometers northeast of Perth, Australia, on Oct. 20, 2023. Australia shipped $138 billion of iron ore in the year through June.
Commodities

Australia warns of $2bn budget hole as iron ore slumps on China woes

Concerns elevated after bleak outlook from largest steelmaker

19 August 2024
The Asia Zero Emission Community will promote the switch to hydrogen fuel to cut carbon emissions. (Photo by Shinya Sawai)
Climate Change

Japan to coordinate decarbonization plans with ASEAN, Australia

Emissions-intensive power, transport, industrial sectors targeted in policy road map

17 August 2024
Pilbara Minerals is looking to diversify its portfolio with the acquisition of Latin Resources and its Brazilian lithium project. (Photo from Pilbara Minerals website)
Commodities

Australia's Pilbara Minerals makes $370m bid for Brazil lithium project

Lithium miner moves to diversify outside home market with eye on serving U.S. and EU

15 August 2024
The Mount Holland lithium mine in Southern Cross, Western Australia: Some producers of the key ingredient in EV batteries are scaling back production as others push ahead.
Commodities

As lithium slump drags on, some Australian miners look to grow

Operators push through gloom to position for long-term demand forecasts

14 August 2024
Kiribati President Taneti Maamau speaks during a plenary session at the COP28 U.N. Climate Summit, Saturday, December 9, 2023, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Indo-Pacific

Kiribati election poses test for China-friendly leader

Critics say pivot to Beijing hasn't solved Pacific island nation's core issues

14 August 2024
Australia's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defense Richard Marles speaks during a meeting with Canada's Minister of National Defense Bill Blair, not seen, in Vancouver, Canada on Aug. 8. (Photo by The Canadian Press via AP) 
Defense

Australian defense chief defends updated military deal with U.S., U.K.

Biden letter says agreement will allow nuclear material to be given to Australia

9 August 2024
Rakuten has invested more than 1 trillion yen in base stations and other infrastructure for its wireless business. (Photo by Mayumi Tsumita)
Business deals

Rakuten Mobile to raise up to $2bn from Macquarie-led consortium

Asset sale and leaseback aims to diversify funding for recovering wireless business

9 August 2024
Australia is putting its mining expertise to work on the moon and beyond. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by Reuters and AP)
Business Spotlight

Rockets and rocks: Australia's mining tech finds its way to space

Experts see potential for innovations to fight climate change, boost productivity

9 August 2024
From left: Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin hold a news conference at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, on Aug. 6.
Indo-Pacific

Australia and U.S. boost defense ties, push missile collaboration

U.S military to increase rotational presence in Australia

7 August 2024
Reserve Bank of Australia Governor Michele Bullock speaks during a news conference in Sydney on August 6. (Photo by AAP Image)
Economy

Australian central bank 'near-term' interest rate cuts not on agenda

Governor says market volatility needs to be monitored after decision to stand pat

6 August 2024
Artist and filmmaker Angus McDonald has been a finalist in Australia's most prestigious portrait competition, the Archibald Prize, seven times. "The Archibald transcends the art world," McDonald says. "It has so much power to engage people," (Photo by Nolan Verheij)
Arts

Acclaimed Australian painter spotlights art of human rights

From economics to campaigns for asylum seekers, Angus McDonald makes a mark in diverse worlds

4 August 2024
Lithium giant Albemarle is cutting back operations at its lithium processing plant in Australia.(Source photos by Reuters and Albemarle)
Commodities

Albemarle cuts back lithium processing in Australia amid price slump

Move deals another blow to country's critical mineral ambitions

1 August 2024
Drilling at Filo del Sol shows promise for high-grade copper deposits. (Photo from Filo Corp. website)
Commodities

BHP and Canada's Lundin join forces in $3bn South American copper play

Australian giant shows ambition to mine the energy transition metal

30 July 2024
From left, Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken pose as they attend a Quad foreign ministers' meeting in Tokyo on July 29.  
International relations

Quad countries agree to expand Indo-Pacific cyber, maritime initiatives

Australia, India, Japan, U.S. 'seriously concerned' about East and South China seas

29 July 2024
Members of the World Trade Organization released an agreement on e-commerce rules following negotiations that began in 2017.
Trade

WTO members reach digital trade deal to ban tariffs on data

Proposed e-commerce rules also cover cybersecurity and regulatory transparency

27 July 2024
Coal accounted for 50% of Australia's energy mix in 2022. 
Energy

Australia debates building first nuclear plant ahead of 2025 election

Opposition party pushes alternative to renewables as public opinion shifts

26 July 2024
Asahi Group Holdings President Atsushi Katsuki said the brewer currently has no major deals in the pipeline in Australia. (Photo by Rurika Imahashi)
Food & Beverage

Japanese brewer Asahi taps Australia for growth

5 years after Carlton & United deal, beverage maker shifts focus beyond beer

23 July 2024
Pacific Islands leaders gathered in Tokyo for PALM10 to discuss various issues, from security to climate change. (Photo by Yuki Kohara)
Interview

PALM10: Pacific leaders discuss China, trade, and climate change

Triennial gathering provides chance for Japan to deepen ties with strategic region

21 July 2024
Tuvalu Prime Minister Feleti Teo tells Nikkei Asia on July 18 that he is aware that pressure from China is "forthcoming." (Photo by Takuya Fujisawa)
Interview

Tuvalu welcomes subsea cable but worries about possible China cyberattack

Japan to provide equipment to counter 'forthcoming' threat

19 July 2024
BHP has struggled with plunging nickel prices recently. 
Commodities

BHP reports record output at Australian iron ore mines

Push into copper pays off as volumes grow by 9%

17 July 2024
About a third of Inpex's additional spending will go to developing onshore wind power in Australia. (Inpex)
Energy

Japan's Inpex picks Australia for $1.25bn renewable energy buildup

Gas and oil driller seeks to create export hub for green hydrogen

13 July 2024