Duterte Plans Japan Visit | March 22, 2019, 9:06 a.m.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte will visit Japan in late May to discuss infrastructure projects the Japanese government is supporting in the Philippines, including the country's first-ever subway line in Manila. Duterte has also recently confirmed through a spokesman that he will attend April's international Belt and Road conference in Beijing, reports the Nikkei Asian Review.

Japan to Check BRI at G20 | March 18, 2019, 9:03 a.m.

Japan plans to propose new guidelines on development assistance, tentatively titled the "G-20 principles on quality infrastructure investment,” when it hosts the Group of 20 summit in June. The proposal, which will frame anti-corruption and fiscal sustainability as key principles of infrastructure investment, is seen as an attempt to check China’s Belt and Road Initiative, reports Nikkei.

Duterte Plans Philippines' First Subway | March 8, 2019, 9:16 a.m.

The Philippines held a groundbreaking ceremony for the country's first subway line under President Rodrigo Duterte's infrastructure push. The Japanese government is giving full backing to the project. The design and construction work will be implemented by a four-member consortium of Japanese contractors, reports the Nikkei Asian Review.

Calibrating a U.S. Infrastructure Strategy for the Indo-Pacific | March 5, 2019, 9:51 a.m.

Given the economic and strategic importance of connectivity, many governments and regional organizations have launched infrastructure programs in the Indo-Pacific in the last few years. The U.S.’s new infrastructure strategies must not only respond to China’s Belt and Road Initiative, but also consider the complex landscape of overlapping initiatives already on offer in the Indo-Pacific.

Japan-EU Agreement Sets Precedent for Digital Rules | Feb. 4, 2019, 11:59 a.m.

Taking effect Friday, The economic partnership agreement between Japan and the European Union incorporates wide-ranging regulations on data transfer and intellectual property protection. The trade deal could help establish precedent for the digital field, Nikkei reports.

Japan To Build "Smart Cities" in ASEAN Nations | Jan. 3, 2019, 9:18 a.m.

In an effort to provide an alternative to China's Belt and Road Initiative, Japan will help build "smart cities" across Southeast Asia, using artificial intelligence and networked devices to tackle problems like road congestion and energy conservation, reports the Nikkei Asian Review.

19 Projects to Watch in 2019 | Dec. 21, 2018, 11:20 a.m.

Reconnecting Asia tracks infrastructure developments across Eurasia, a vast landmass that includes 60 percent of the global economy. Every day, new infrastructure projects are announced, some are advanced, and others encounter obstacles. Here is a selection of projects and trends we will be watching in 2019.

France Halts Japanese Nuclear Project | Dec. 19, 2018, 10:09 a.m.

The French government recently informed Tokyo of plans to freeze a fast reactor joint project amid rising uranium reserves, which threatens to make redundant Japan's long-standing policy of recycling spent nuclear fuel.

China, Japan Vie For Philippines' LNG Terminal | Dec. 18, 2018, 9:15 a.m.

Tokyo Gas and China National Offshore Oil Corporation both partnered with Filipino companies to compete for the building of the Philippines' first liquefied natural gas terminal. Though Japan and China's leaders agreed to jointly advance third-country infrastructure projects, companies have not been able to shift from competition to collaboration in the field, reports the Nikkei Asian Review.

Japan Unveils Faster Bullet Train | Dec. 13, 2018, 9:13 a.m.

East Japan Railway unveiled a cutting-edge shinkansen bullet train that is expected to slash the travel time between Tokyo and Sapporo by nearly 40 percent when the route goes into service in 2030.

India Boosts Subway Network | Dec. 6, 2018, 9:19 a.m.

Indian cities are vastly expanding their subway networks to reduce road congestion and gasoline consumption. The Delhi Metro is expected to reach 378 kilometers of track this year, catching up with New York--the world's fourth-largest subway system.

Japan To Spend $26.5B On Infrastructure Repairs | Dec. 5, 2018, 10:32 a.m.

Japan's government has decided to spend over $26.5 billion on infrastructure repairs through March 2021 after identifying 132 existing infrastructure problems at airports, along rivers, at hospitals and with the power grid.

Japan To Scrap $44B Nuclear Project | Dec. 4, 2018, 9:33 a.m.

A Japan-led consortium is set to abandon a Turkish nuclear power project that had been touted as a model for Tokyo's export of infrastructure. The delayed project's construction costs have doubled to around $44 billion, making it difficult for lead builder Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and its partners to continue with the plans.

Japan Develops Floating Power Plant | Dec. 3, 2018, 9:06 a.m.

Japan's Kawasaki Heavy Industries has created a floating, gas-fired power plant that it hopes to sell to power companies in rapidly growing economies in Asia and as an emergency source of power in areas hit by natural disasters where infrastructure remains underdeveloped, reports the Nikkei Asian Review.

APEC To Address Infrastructure Debt | Nov. 14, 2018, 9:13 a.m.

Japan and several other members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum will propose updating the "APEC Guidebook on Quality of Infrastructure Development and Investment" to include new rules that take into consideration the financial sustainability and transparency of infrastructure debt.

Japanese Firms Expect Infrastructure Losses | Nov. 9, 2018, 9:11 a.m.

Japan To Aid Malaysian Rail | Nov. 6, 2018, 9:43 a.m.

Japan will send experts from Kyushu Railway Co. and Japan Freight Railway Co. to Malaysia later in the month to study ways to improve the country's railway transportation system.

China To Build Large Offshore Wind Project | Nov. 5, 2018, 9:13 a.m.

China is starting to build its largest offshore wind-power facility in the latest move in an accelerating shift in Asia away from solar to wind and other renewable energy sources.

Abe, Modi Seek Infrastructure Cooperation | Oct. 30, 2018, 9:05 a.m.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Indian counterpart Narendra Modi agreed to collaborate on infrastructure, such as port and road projects in third countries like Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and Bangladesh.

Xi, Abe to Cooperate on Infrastructure | Oct. 29, 2018, 9:13 a.m.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to accelerate cooperation on overseas infrastructure projects and finance as a symbol of their revamped ties.

Japan To Partner With China | Oct. 24, 2018, 9:17 a.m.

Japan plans to stop offering development aid to China after nearly 40 years, seeking instead to establish a framework for the two countries to cooperate as equal partners on infrastructure and other projects in developing countries.

JBIC Lends To Indonesian Power Plant | Oct. 22, 2018, 8:55 a.m.

A Japanese-led consortium of international banks will jointly lend $1.31 billion for a thermal power station in West Java, Indonesia fueled by liquefied natural gas.

Japan To Expand Cheap Infrastructure Loans | Oct. 19, 2018, 9:54 a.m.

Japan drafted a plan to offer greater assistance for infrastructure development overseas ahead of a key summit with China next week, as it prepares to pursue joint projects with Beijing in third countries, reports the Nikkei Asian Review.

Japan, EU To Jointly Fund Infrastructure | Oct. 17, 2018, 9:11 a.m.

The Japan Bank for International Cooperation and the European Investment Bank will collaborate to extend loans for infrastructure projects in the Middle East and Africa, in an apparent effort to offer an alternative model to China's Belt and Road Initiative and U.S. protectionism, reports the Nikkei Asian Review.

India To Partially Open HSR in 2022 | Oct. 15, 2018, 9:14 a.m.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi aims to launch India's first high-speed railway by August 2022. Faced with challenges in domestic procurement and land acquisition, project leaders are considering a partial opening to coincide with the 75th anniversary of India's independence.

Japan, Mekong Nations Push Infrastructure | Oct. 10, 2018, 9:18 a.m.

The leaders of Japan and five Southeast Asian countries agreed to adopt a new policy that pushes forward more than 150 projects in the Mekong region using official development assistance from Japan.

Saudis Shelve $200B Solar Project | Oct. 2, 2018, 10:50 a.m.

Saudi Arabia has shelved a $200 billion plan to build a 200GW solar farm with Japan's SoftBank Group.

Japan’s Nippon Express Launches China-Europe Train Service | Sept. 27, 2018, 11:02 a.m.

Japan’s Nippon Express will begin offering regular freight train shipping between China and Europe in February, as China’s Belt and Road Initiative accelerates the transfer of goods between the two markets, reports the Nikkei Asian Review.

China, Japan Start Infrastructure Effort | Sept. 26, 2018, 9:24 a.m.

China and Japan announced plans to sign dozens of agreements on infrastructure and other projects when Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe visits China next month.

View All Analysis | Sept. 17, 2018, 8:57 a.m.

Browse our analysis section for news and articles on topics such as China's Belt and Road Initiative (OBOR), the Competing Visions of Japan, India, and other regional powers, and the stakes for U.S. policy.

Xi, Abe to Talk Infrastructure at Summit | Sept. 13, 2018, 11:50 a.m.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Russia this week. Both leaders decided to further pursue collaboration on infrastructure projects during Abe’s visit to Beijing next month, the first bilateral visit by a Japanese Prime Minister to China since 2011.

Japan Requests Record Infrastructure Budget | Sept. 7, 2018, 10:43 a.m.

Japan's infrastructure and transport ministry is seeking a record-high 19 percent budgetary increase for the upcoming fiscal year to fund domestic infrastructure improvements. The upgrades are expected to help cope with natural disasters such as typhoons, torrential rains and earthquakes.

Japan, China to Cooperate on Infrastructure | Sept. 4, 2018, 9:10 a.m.

Japan and China are moving ahead with plans to cooperate on overseas infrastructure projects, with a public-private committee scheduled to hold its first meeting in Beijing.

Malaysia Halts China-Backed Projects | Aug. 21, 2018, 9:24 a.m.

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir claims that Chinese leaders have accepted his government's request to stop three China-backed infrastructure projects due to debt concerns.

China, Japan To Cooperate on BRI | Aug. 3, 2018, 9:06 a.m.

China and Japan agreed Thursday to encourage deeper economic cooperation in the private sector and to launch a public-private committee to advance joint infrastructure development in the region as part of Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative.

Japan Flood Damages Major Infrastructure | July 20, 2018, 9:28 a.m.

Japan estimates it will cost $2.39 billion to rebuild critical infrastructure destroyed in floods earlier this month, straining an already overstretched government budget.

Japanese Companies Join BRI | July 16, 2018, 8:18 a.m.

Japanese companies look to the Belt and Road Initiative as a source of new business opportunities, participating in construction, logistics, shipping, and energy projects.

AIIB, ADB Point to Cooperation | June 13, 2018, 9:52 a.m.

Executives from the ADB and AIIB converged on The Future of Asia conference in Tokyo to discuss how their banks complement, rather than compete with one another.

Malaysia Seeks Japanese Yen to Reduce Infrastructure Debt | June 12, 2018, 10:46 a.m.

Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad has asked Japan for yen-denominated loans as Kuala Lumpur seeks to pare down its hefty debt load of $272 billion, 80 percent of total GDP, which has been blamed on the previous government for corruption and lavish spending on infrastructure projects.

Japan Aims to Boost Infrastructure Exports | June 8, 2018, 9:13 a.m.

Japan will offer new loan terms to more businesses with an eye toward its 2020 target of $272 billion in infrastructure exports. The new government infrastructure policy expands low-interest loan eligibility to businesses where Japanese companies have stakes as low as 20 percent.

Southeast Asia Financial Integration and Infrastructure Investment | May 30, 2018, 9:52 a.m.

This report highlights recommendations on how the U.S. might effectively engage Southeast Asia's infrastructure challenges to foster greater stability and financial integration in the region.

Malaysia Cancels Kuala Lumpur-Singapore HSR | May 30, 2018, 9:46 a.m.

Malaysia has canceled plans for a $14.8 billion high-speed rail project that would have connected Kuala Lumpur with Singapore.

Vietnam Looks To Japan For Quality Infrastructure | May 25, 2018, 10:41 a.m.

Vietnamese president Tran Dai Quang said he expects Japan will help Vietnam improve the quality of his country's infrastructure through the use of private funds, public-private partnerships, and build-operate-transfer schemes.

Japan Helps Build Indonesian Port | May 22, 2018, 10 a.m.

The port of Patimban, estimated to cost $3 billion, is going to be financed by a Japanese loan and may be built by a Japanese-Indonesian team. The port is envisioned to become a transport hub and alleviate problems for Japanese companies operating in the West Java industrial park.

Japan’s Investors Eye Infrastructure in Myanmar | May 17, 2018, 9:31 a.m.

Japan's businesses were approved to devote a record $1.47 billion to Myanmar in this fiscal year, including investments in infrastructure.

China's Premier Invites Japanese Businesses to Join BRI | May 11, 2018, 10:33 a.m.

During his four-day visit to Japan, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang touted China's Belt and Road Initiative at a reception hosted by Japanese business leaders, inviting businesses to join Belt and Road projects and to promote bilateral cooperation.

China, Japan To Bolster Joint Infrastructure Exports | May 10, 2018, 9:55 a.m.

In a meeting between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, Japan and China have agreed to set up a forum to bolster joint exports in infrastructure.

ADB Pressed on Belt & Road, Quality Infrastructure | May 7, 2018, 10:10 a.m.

The Asian Development Bank hosted its annual meeting on May 3, during which representatives from China and Japan lobbied the bank about future lending strategies.

Uncertainty for Japan's Nuclear Infrastructure Export Ambitions | April 26, 2018, 12:05 p.m.

Japan's infrastructure export ambitions face an uncertain future following a move by Japanese trading house Itochu to pull funding for the construction of a nuclear power plant in Turkey. Itochu's departure was driven by a sharp increase in safety-related costs following the Fukushima nuclear disaster, which caused the estimated total project cost to balloon from two to five trillion yen.

Japan Pledges Conditional BRI Support | April 17, 2018, 10:31 a.m.

Following a high-level economic dialogue in Tokyo this week, Japan has said that it will support China’s flagship foreign policy initiative, the Belt and Road, provided that it prioritizes the fiscal health of developing countries.