Global Pulse

标签： Asia

亚洲

  • Australia’s drugmakers brace for new US tariffs

    Australia’s drugmakers brace for new US tariffs

    Australia’s $1.32 billion annual pharmaceutical export sector faces unprecedented uncertainty after the Trump administration imposed a sweeping 100 percent tariff on all imported patented pharmaceuticals, a policy designed to force global drugmakers to shift manufacturing operations to U.S. soil. Announced in late March 2026, the new levy only applies to patented medications produced outside U.S. borders, though the administration has offered a steep reduction to 20 percent for any company that relocates its production facilities to the United States.

    The tariff announcement marks the latest escalation in a series of trade restrictions the Trump administration has rolled out targeting Australian goods over the past 12 months, following a 10 percent baseline tariff on most Australian imports and a 50 percent levy on Australian steel and aluminum implemented last year. In justifying the new policy, U.S. President Donald Trump claimed the importation of foreign-made pharmaceuticals and active ingredients posed an unacceptable threat to U.S. national security and economic stability.

    Australian officials have slammed the new measures as a betrayal of decades of mutually beneficial free trade between the two nations. Speaking to reporters on April 3, Australian Health Minister Mark Butler described the tariff as deeply disappointing and out of step with the two countries’ long-standing friendly trade relationship. “For more than 20 years, we have shared free and fair trade in pharmaceutical products that flows both ways, delivering benefits to our mutual economies and to patients on both sides of the Pacific,” Butler said. “We are now working closely with Australian pharmaceutical exporters that serve the U.S. market, and we remain deeply concerned about the potential impact on their businesses and the thousands of Australian jobs they support.”

    Butler noted that one of Australia’s largest pharmaceutical exporters, biotech giant CSL, which is a leading supplier of blood plasma products to the U.S., does not expect a material impact on its operations in 2026, as the company has already invested heavily in expanding U.S.-based production capacity in recent years.

    Industry groups representing Australian drugmakers have issued firm opposition to the new tariff regime. Medicines Australia, the leading trade association representing the nation’s research-driven pharmaceutical sector, released a statement reaffirming its commitment to free, fair and open global trade and rejecting the new levies on Australian patented and branded drug exports to the U.S.

    Liz de Somer, chief executive officer of Medicines Australia, explained that the tariffs will disproportionately harm smaller Australian firms that are still working to break into the U.S. market, rather than large established players with existing U.S. production footprints. Data from the Australian government cited by the organization shows Australia already runs a pharmaceutical trade deficit with the U.S., exporting roughly A$1.91 billion ($1.32 billion) in pharmaceutical products annually while importing A$3.34 billion from U.S. manufacturers.

    De Somer added that the new tariff is not the only policy causing alarm for the Australian sector. The U.S. has also proposed a reference pricing benchmark that could undermine Australia’s long-standing Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), a public program that lets the federal government negotiate lower drug prices for Australian patients. U.S. trade lobbyists have repeatedly criticized the PBS as an unfair trade practice, and a U.S. reference policy could pressure Australia to raise drug prices, which currently sit far lower than prices in other wealthy nations. De Somer noted that other developed nations including the United Kingdom and Japan have already entered negotiations with the Trump administration to address both the tariff and reference pricing proposals, adding that “We must now consider the consequences of not addressing these global developments.”

    Economic analysts echo the concern that small and mid-sized Australian exporters face the greatest risk from the new policy. Ben Udy, lead economist at Oxford Economics Australia, told reporters that around 45 percent of all Australian pharmaceutical exports are destined for the U.S. market, with the vast majority of those shipments consisting of blood and plasma products. Udy explained that the “area of greatest uncertainty” created by the new tariffs centers on smaller exporters of patented branded medicines that do not qualify for any exemptions from the new levies. For these firms, Udy said, there are only two viable paths forward: lobbying the U.S. administration for individual tariff relief, or shifting their export focus to other alternative global markets.

  • China unveils large model for carbon emission accounting

    China unveils large model for carbon emission accounting

    In a landmark technological advance that reshapes global climate action infrastructure, China publicly launched a groundbreaking generative artificial intelligence large model dedicated to carbon emission accounting in Shanghai on Wednesday. This launch marks the first full-spectrum carbon accounting system in the world that integrates measurement across production-side emissions, consumption-side emissions, and natural carbon sources, according to its developer, the Shanghai Advanced Research Institute under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

    Carbon emission accounting serves as a non-negotiable foundation for global climate policy compliance, a core underpinning for international carbon pricing mechanisms, and a mandatory prerequisite for nations working to meet their peak carbon and carbon neutrality commitments. For decades, the field has been held back by persistent bottlenecks: steep knowledge barriers for practitioners, convoluted and time-consuming data processing workflows, long analysis timelines, and low spatial and temporal resolution in results. The new large model is specifically engineered to overcome these limitations, leveraging generative AI to rewrite the standard operating paradigm of carbon accounting.

    Built upon CAS’s existing foundational scientific model ScienceOne, the new carbon accounting model rests on three core technical pillars. First, it incorporates eight independently owned proprietary datasets that support high-frequency data updates and seamless cross-source data fusion. Second, it relies on a home-grown methodological framework powered by a large language model-based multi-agent collaboration system, which drastically improves the accuracy of accounting results. Third, it operates on a hybrid computing cluster that optimizes resource allocation across internal institutional servers and external high-performance computing centers.

    Currently, the model’s open service interface hosts a 32-billion-parameter vertical-domain large language model paired with an intelligent emissions database, offering access through both conversational user interfaces and open programming interfaces for developers and researchers. Five functionally distinct specialized intelligent agents have been integrated into the system, each tailored to handle specific core tasks: digital simulation and process optimization for industrial systems, accounting for carbon transfer embedded in cross-border trade, full product life cycle assessment, natural carbon source accounting, and systematic uncertainty analysis of results.

    Of particular note is the life cycle assessment agent, which can autonomously complete the entire end-to-end workflow of product carbon footprint accounting — from defining assessment goals and scope, compiling emissions inventories, conducting formal accounting, to interpreting final results — fully automating a process that previously required extensive manual input from specialized experts.

    Building on the model’s high-resolution calculation capabilities, research teams have already completed an initial high-precision national-level carbon holographic map. Using 2022 emissions data as a test case, the model’s new, scientifically more equitable accounting framework produced adjusted emission figures for major economies that differed significantly from traditional production-side calculations published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC): China’s total emissions were adjusted downward by 17.7%, while the United States’ emissions were adjusted upward by 15.2% and Japan’s by 7.2%.

    The model’s analysis also uncovered a key systemic bias in current international carbon policy: the default emission factors used in the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) systematically overestimate the carbon intensity of Chinese manufactured goods, a finding that underscores the urgent need for more accurate accounting and the adoption of localized, region-specific emission factors for trade policy.

    Beyond identifying structural gaps in global carbon governance, the model also quantifies the global climate benefits of China’s green technology exports. For example, it calculated that Chinese-produced wind turbines and photovoltaic products exported in 2024 generated roughly 2 million tonnes of carbon emissions during their domestic manufacturing phase, but will deliver an estimated 350 million tonnes of cumulative carbon emission reductions during their operational lifetime around the world.

    For China, the new model provides critical technical support for compiling national greenhouse gas inventories, developing the national carbon trading market, driving the green transition of high-emission key industries, and formulating evidence-based responses to international carbon-related trade policies. On the global stage, the breakthrough offers Chinese technical expertise to international efforts to build a fairer, more scientifically rigorous global system for carbon accounting and climate responsibility allocation, strengthening China’s technological influence in global climate governance.

  • Thousands of fans gather as BTS launches world tour in South Korea

    Thousands of fans gather as BTS launches world tour in South Korea

    SEOUL, South Korea – Thousands of dedicated BTS fans defied pouring rain Thursday to fill a Seoul-area stadium and witness the K-pop global supergroup officially open their first world tour in nearly four years, marking the band’s full return after all members completed South Korea’s mandatory military service requirements.

    The seven-member ensemble – RM, Jin, Suga, j-hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook – has prepared a career-spanning performance setlist that pulls from their years of hit records alongside their brand-new fifth studio album *ARIRANG*, the group’s first full release since every member finished their compulsory service. Six of the seven members completed active military duty, while Suga fulfilled his requirement as a social service agent due to a pre-existing shoulder injury; he was the final member to be discharged in June 2025.

    This opening show marks BTS’ first headlining tour stop since their 2021–2022 *Permission to Dance on Stage* tour. Even with steady downpour, the 40,000-capacity venue reached full occupancy, a testament to the unwavering loyalty of the group’s global fanbase, known officially as ARMY. The Seoul tour run is scheduled to continue through April 12, kicking off a global itinerary that includes dozens of shows across the United States, Europe, Asia, North America, South America and Australia. Industry analysts project the tour could generate hundreds of millions of dollars in quarterly revenue, a staggering figure that underscores the band’s enduring commercial power years after their last group performances.

    The stadium launch comes less than one month after BTS first celebrated their full group comeback with a free open-air concert at Seoul’s iconic Gwanghwamun Square, drawing hundreds of thousands of fans from across the globe to the city center. Their new album *ARIRANG*, named for the centuries-old Korean folk song widely considered the unofficial anthem of the Korean peninsula, has already claimed the number one spot on the Billboard 200 album chart, while the record’s lead single “Swim” has also topped the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.

    For context, South Korea’s mandatory conscription system requires all able-bodied men between the ages of 18 and 28 to complete up to 21 months of military service, a policy designed to maintain national defense readiness amid ongoing tensions with North Korea. The requirement had forced BTS to pause group activities starting in 2022, as members entered service one by one over the following years.

    First debuting in June 2013 under South Korea’s Big Hit Music, BTS – short for Bangtan Sonyeondan, translated as “Bulletproof Boy Scouts” – built their global following gradually. The group launched with the hip-hop focused single album *2 Cool 4 Skool*, released three full-length projects, and earned their first major career momentum with the 2016 album *Wings*. Their global breakthrough arrived in 2017, when their hit single “DNA” became the first track by a Korean boy band to enter the Billboard Hot 100 chart. A subsequent performance at the American Music Awards cemented their international popularity, turning their fanbase ARMY into one of the most engaged and widespread fan communities in the world.

    Following the conclusion of the South Korea shows, BTS will next travel to Tokyo for the next leg of the tour, before continuing on to stops across North America, Europe, South America, and the rest of Asia. The tour is scheduled to wrap in Manila next March, after a run of Australian shows scheduled for early 2027.

  • Japan’s arms export plan triggers concern

    Japan’s arms export plan triggers concern

    A controversial proposal to drastically roll back Japan’s decades-long restrictions on arms exports is triggering growing alarm among both policy experts and ordinary Japanese citizens, who warn the shift threatens the nation’s post-war pacifist foundations and risks inflating regional security tensions.

    Multiple Japanese media outlets, including Kyodo News, have confirmed that the ruling administration is on track to finalize revisions to the country’s Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology as early as April 2026, with core details of the overhaul already settled. The current framework strictly regulates international military transfers: it bans certain sales outright, permits only limited non-lethal transfers after rigorous, transparent reviews, and enforces strict oversight to prevent diverted use or unauthorized third-party resales.

    The draft revision, however, would upend this framework fundamentally. Under the new rules, lethal weapon exports would be permitted in principle — a sharp departure from the current ban on selling combat-capable equipment abroad. The changes would also allow arms exports to nations actively engaged in armed conflicts through a new exception system, and replace mandatory pre-approval from Japan’s parliament with weaker ex post facto reporting requirements.

    The proposal encountered no major pushback during an initial government meeting this week, and could be referred for review to the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s security affairs research council as early as next week, clearing the way for formal adoption.

    Makoto Konishi, a retired officer from Japan’s Self-Defense Forces, warned the rewrite would reposition Japan as a full-fledged major global arms exporter. Against a backdrop of years of stagnant economic growth, Tokyo has steadily ramped up military spending year after year, creating a trajectory that will be increasingly difficult to reverse, Konishi explained. The steady erosion of restrictions has also left the pacifist principles enshrined in Japan’s post-war constitution increasingly vague and unenforced, he added. The government’s ongoing expansion of defense spending and push to rewrite arms export rules go far beyond modest upgrades to national defense capabilities, Konishi argued, amounting to the slow, deliberate construction of a war-focused institutional framework. “This process will not only heighten public anxiety but also put Japan on a dangerous path,” he said.

    The push for arms export liberalization comes as Japan’s legislature has just approved a record-breaking national budget for fiscal year 2026, which runs through March 2027. The total budget crossed 122 trillion yen, equivalent to roughly $770 billion, with defense spending topping 9 trillion yen for the first time in Japanese history.

    Jusen Asuka, an emeritus professor at Tohoku University, pointed out that Japan is already grappling with a pressing energy crisis and widespread economic hardship that should take priority over expanding military outlays. From a macroeconomic perspective, he argued, increased investment in the defense sector will not deliver meaningful sustained growth to Japan’s GDP, because a large share of defense spending goes toward purchasing weapons from the United States, with capital ultimately flowing out of the domestic economy.

    Asuka has been a vocal opponent of revising the arms export principles, noting that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has pushed the overhaul forward aggressively since taking office. Changes to arms export rules, alongside ongoing discussions to revise Japan’s pacifist constitution, directly challenge the core post-war principles Japan has upheld for nearly 80 years, he said. He added that widespread opposition to such changes among the Japanese public has already translated to mass protests across the country.

    On Wednesday, hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside Japan’s National Diet building in central Tokyo, chanting anti-war slogans including “No to war” and calling on Takaichi’s administration to uphold the country’s pacifist constitution. Similar demonstrations were held at more than 100 locations across Japan this week. On the social platform X, organizers of the “Protect the Pacifist Constitution” initiative have called for broader public participation and pressured major Japanese media outlets, including national public broadcaster NHK, to cover the growing protest movement.

    Over the weekend, opposition politicians and thousands of citizens rallied near Tokyo’s Ikebukuro Station to oppose both the easing of arms export rules and the broader military expansion, voicing deep unease about the direction the country is taking. Tetsu Tatara, a spokesperson for the protest organizing committee, said the government’s push for large-scale military buildup and arms exports directly contradicts the will of the Japanese public.

    Tatara noted that the government has justified the changes by citing the so-called “China threat” narrative, a framing that has only deepened public anxiety and pushed more ordinary citizens to speak out against the shifts. Organizers of the Ikebukuro rally reported that more than 6,000 people attended the event, holding signs reading “Force does not bring peace” and “Takaichi step down” while chanting consistent anti-war messaging.

  • China’s anti-graft chief stresses high-quality disciplinary inspection for sound five-year plan launch

    China’s anti-graft chief stresses high-quality disciplinary inspection for sound five-year plan launch

    BEIJING – At a national work conference on disciplinary inspection held on April 8, 2026, Li Xi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chief of the central disciplinary inspection leading group, delivered a keynote address emphasizing that high-standard disciplinary inspection work is a critical guarantee for a solid and smooth start to China’s 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030).

    The conference did not only set priorities for this year’s disciplinary inspection work, but also officially marked the kickoff of the seventh round of disciplinary inspection carried out by the 20th Central Committee of the CPC. This round of inspection will cover Party organizations within 36 state institutions and key units, bringing the ongoing anti-corruption and disciplinary supervision drive to a new stage.

    In his remarks, Li stressed that advancing the high-quality development of disciplinary inspection is core to safeguarding the unity, solidarity and cohesion of the entire Party. He underlined that inspection teams must prioritize addressing corrupt practices and official misconduct that directly harm public interests, a measure that will further solidify the political foundation for the Party’s long-term governance.

    According to Li, this latest round of inspection will place a key focus on assessing whether Party officials across the covered institutions hold a correct and solid understanding of proper governance performance. This focus builds on a Party-wide education campaign launched earlier in 2026, which is aimed at cultivating and implementing a shared, correct understanding of competent governance across all levels of the Party.

    This new round of inspection aligns with China’s long-running efforts to tighten intra-Party supervision and root out systemic corruption, as the country enters a new five-year development cycle focused on high-quality economic and social progress. Official observers note that the push for robust disciplinary inspection ahead of the full implementation of the 15th Five-Year Plan reflects the Party’s commitment to clean governance that supports sustained national development.

  • China launches new internet satellite group

    China launches new internet satellite group

    On the morning of April 9, 2026 Beijing time, China successfully carried out a new orbital launch mission at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center located in northern China’s Shanxi Province, sending a freshly developed batch of low-orbit internet satellites into their pre-planned operational orbit. The mission utilized an upgraded variant of the Long March 6 carrier rocket, a workhorse of China’s domestic commercial and scientific launch fleet that has been repeatedly modified and optimized over years of operational use to improve payload capacity and launch reliability for low-orbit satellite constellation deployment. This specific satellite cluster marks the 21st batch of satellites launched for China’s expanding low-orbit internet constellation, a infrastructure project designed to deliver global high-speed internet coverage, particularly to remote and underserved regions that lack access to consistent terrestrial connectivity. The launch also marks a key milestone for China’s entire Long March carrier rocket program, standing as the 637th flight mission completed by the Long March series, the country’s most long-serving and versatile family of launch vehicles. Since the first Long March launch in 1970, the rocket series has supported nearly all of China’s space initiatives, from crewed space missions and lunar exploration to commercial satellite deployment, cementing its reputation as a reliable foundation for the country’s growing space sector. This latest launch continues China’s steady cadence of low-orbit satellite deployment, as countries around the world expand their space-based internet infrastructure to meet growing global demand for connectivity from aviation, maritime, remote industrial, and rural user bases.

  • High-speed rail pet transport service upgraded

    High-speed rail pet transport service upgraded

    China’s national railway operator has launched a fully upgraded pet transportation service for high-speed rail networks across the country, rolling out expanded coverage and flexible booking options to address rapidly growing demand from pet-owning travelers that emerged after a successful one-year pilot program.

    The updated service builds on the initial pilot scheme launched on April 8, 2025, which first allowed pet shipments on high-speed services. According to data from China Railway Express, the pilot operated without major disruptions over its 12-month run, moving more than 15,000 pets safely between destinations across the country. The national upgrade extends the service to 121 major high-speed railway stations and 228 regular high-speed train services, representing a key expansion of customized passenger amenities in China’s rail sector.

    To accommodate a wide range of travel needs, the upgraded service introduces two distinct shipping options: a companion travel model where passengers share the same train as their pets, and a separate cargo model that lets pets travel independently without their owners.

    Under the “travel with your pet” option, passengers can reserve both their own train tickets and pet transport slots directly through China’s official 12306 mobile ticketing app. Each passenger is permitted to bring up to two pets per trip. To avoid disrupting other passengers and maintain biosecurity standards, pets are not allowed in regular passenger cabins. Instead, they are secured in purpose-built dedicated transport containers and housed in a separate, sealed onboard compartment for the full duration of the journey.

    The second option, “pet travels alone”, caters to customers who need to ship a pet but do not plan to make the trip themselves. For this service, pets are integrated into the railway’s existing logistics network and transported to the destination station, where the designated recipient can collect them upon arrival.

    Pricing for the service follows a transparent distance-based structure with two tiers: standard rates and discounted rates for passengers traveling on the same train as their pet. For a benchmark trip between Beijing and Shanghai, one of China’s busiest high-speed rail corridors, the standard rate for a single pet is 658 yuan (approximately $96), while passengers traveling with their pet qualify for a reduced fare of 460 yuan for the same route. Every pet shipment automatically includes 2,000 yuan in basic insurance coverage to address unexpected incidents during transit.

    Veterinary experts note that high-speed rail pet transport offers notable advantages over air travel for animal welfare and efficiency. Zhao Enman, vice-dean of the Beijing University of Agriculture’s animal hospital, explained that commercial airlines typically require pets to go through multiple layers of strict security screening and extended waiting periods before departure. In contrast, high-speed rail operational processes are far more streamlined, which cuts down total transit time and reduces the stress and physical discomfort that pets often experience during long waits and complicated handling procedures.

    Early users of the service have also shared generally positive feedback. Cui Na, a pet owner who used the pilot pet transport service on a previous trip, praised the reliability of the service and the quality of the specialized shipping containers. “The transport box on high-speed rail is very professional. If it were available for purchase, I would consider using one at home,” she said, though she acknowledged that she still felt some anxiety about her pet’s wellbeing during the journey.

    Railway officials emphasized that the service adheres to a strict isolated transport protocol to ensure both passenger comfort and pet safety. All pets remain in sealed, climate-controlled containers in separate compartments for the entire trip, and trained railway staff monitor animals’ conditions through built-in sensor systems. All transport equipment is thoroughly disinfected after every trip to prevent the spread of pathogens.

    Looking ahead, Chinese railway authorities announced plans to continue refining the service based on user feedback and explore innovative new service models. One potential expansion being considered is integrating pet transport services with leisure tourism products, to allow pet owners to bring their animals on vacation trips more easily and further improve the overall customer travel experience.

  • Myanmar’s parliament approves cabinet mostly of former generals and holdovers

    Myanmar’s parliament approves cabinet mostly of former generals and holdovers

    Five years after Senior General Min Aung Hlaing led the 2021 military takeover that ousted Myanmar’s democratically elected civilian government, the country’s newly convened parliament has formally approved a cabinet stacked overwhelmingly with current and former military figures, leaving no realistic path to a swift return to civilian rule. The vote, held Thursday in the capital Naypyitaw, clears the way for Min Aung Hlaing to be sworn in Friday as Myanmar’s president, alongside two vice presidents and the full slate of 30 cabinet appointees. Parliament Speaker Aung Lin Dwe confirmed all 30 ministerial appointments passed without objections. An official breakdown of the approved cabinet shows 24 of the 30 nominees are either active or retired military officers, or politicians affiliated with the military-aligned Union Solidarity and Development Party. Furthermore, 18 of the incoming ministers held cabinet positions in the previous military junta government, while four additional appointees served as military or administrative officials under that same administration. Many of these newly appointed cabinet members are already the target of international sanctions, imposed by Western governments that have accused the officials of complicity in human rights violations and participation in the unelected military regime. Beyond cabinet appointments, the parliament also voted Thursday to reappoint senior judicial officials, including the chairman of the constitutional tribunal, the attorney general, and all sitting Supreme Court judges. The new government was formed following disputed general elections held in two phases across late December 2024 and early 2025, a vote that has been widely rejected by the international community. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is among the major regional and global bodies that have refused to recognize the election results. Critics note the vote was deeply flawed: nearly all major opposition parties were barred from participating, public dissent was harshly suppressed, and no voting could be conducted across large swathes of Myanmar where ongoing civil conflict between the junta and armed resistance groups continues to rage. ASEAN has already maintained that it will stick to its long-stalled five-point peace plan for Myanmar, even as the initiative has failed to end the years-long deadly civil war that has displaced millions of people across the country.

  • Elderly cautiously embrace new technology, but risks linger

    Elderly cautiously embrace new technology, but risks linger

    Across China, a quiet digital revolution is unfolding among the country’s aging population, as millions of senior citizens step beyond traditional lifestyles to integrate cutting-edge internet and artificial intelligence tools into their daily routines. What began as tentative exploration of digital platforms has evolved into widespread adoption, opening new personal, financial and social opportunities for older adults while raising pressing concerns about consumer protection and cybersecurity.

    One striking example of this trend is Liu Changling, a 68-year-old orchard farmer with 40 years of cultivation experience based in Jinan, Shandong province. By sharing his professional planting expertise and showcasing his fresh produce on popular Chinese short-video platforms, Liu has unlocked an entirely new revenue stream, expanded his customer base, and built a following of more than 100,000 engaged online users, earning him status as a grassroots digital influencer.

    Liu’s journey reflects a massive national shift in digital access for seniors. Official data released by the China Internet Network Information Center shows that as of June 2025, the total number of internet users aged 60 and older in China reached 161 million. According to Xinhua News Agency, this milestone means roughly one out of every two Chinese seniors is now connected to the digital world, marking an 18-fold surge in the elderly online population over the past 15 years.

    A 2025 survey led by Beijing Normal University, which polled 2,000 internet users between the ages of 55 and 83, offers deeper insight into how seniors engage with digital tools. The research found that more than 75% of respondents have hands-on experience creating short-form video content, with over 27% posting new content on a regular basis. Most of their content centers on accessible, relatable topics: family daily life, home cooking tutorials, general health guidance, and hands-on skill sharing with other users.

    As artificial intelligence moves from niche innovation to mainstream technology, it has further fueled older adults’ enthusiasm for exploring new digital tools. A joint report on senior AI adoption released in October 2025 by Alibaba Group and Zhejiang Open University identifies the elderly demographic as a rapidly growing group with untapped potential for deep participation in the AI-powered economy. The report notes that seniors can gain wide-ranging benefits from AI integration, from improved home-based elder care and personalized health management to professional nursing support, digital emotional companionship, and even extended working opportunities for those who wish to stay active in the workforce.

    Contrary to common stereotypes that frame older adults as passive or resistant to technology, data shows they are not just curious learners — they are active consumers of tech products tailored to their needs. For example, on Alibaba’s Tmall e-commerce platform, sales of AI-powered companion robots equipped with voice chat and remote video calling capabilities rose sharply between January and August 2025. During the same period, year-on-year sales growth for senior-friendly smart health bracelets hit over 200%, while sales of senior-focused smartwatches surged more than 350%.

    To match this fast-growing demand for digital and AI literacy, colleges for older learners across China have rapidly expanded their course offerings in emerging technology. China Youth Daily reports that Shanghai’s senior-focused universities added a significant number of new AI and digital literacy courses for the 2026 spring semester. In Shanghai’s Changning and Hongkou districts, local senior education institutions have partnered with private information technology companies to provide hands-on guidance that helps older students understand, learn, and apply AI tools in their daily lives.

    For many seniors, AI has already created deeply meaningful personal experiences. A 72-year-old student from Qitaihe, Heilongjiang province, identified only as Li, shared his emotional reaction after using AI technology to restore a collection of worn, faded old photographs. “These are pictures of me working at a factory more than 40 years ago,” Li told Heilongjiang Daily. “Seeing the restored images instantly through this technology brought me right back to those old days; it was deeply touching.”

    Despite the clear opportunities that digital and AI innovation bring to older adults, experts warn that growing adoption has also attracted bad actors, and new risks to seniors’ financial and personal security remain unaddressed. Zhu Wei, an associate professor at the China University of Political Science and Law, has cautioned that scammers increasingly exploit seniors’ enthusiasm for learning AI by running fraudulent training schemes that target vulnerable older users.

    To combat this threat, Zhu called for coordinated action: platforms should proactively shut down fraudulent accounts that pose as AI training providers to scam seniors, regulatory bodies should hold the operating companies behind these malicious accounts legally accountable, and broader, stricter oversight of senior-focused tech services should be enforced. “These measures are crucial for maintaining order in cyberspace and protecting the legitimate rights and interests of the elderly,” Zhu added.

  • Japanese town sours on the crowds coming to see cherry blossoms and Mount Fuji

    Japanese town sours on the crowds coming to see cherry blossoms and Mount Fuji

    In the shadow of Japan’s iconic snow-capped Mount Fuji, a single viral social media post showcasing a postcard-perfect scene of the mountain towering over a bright red pagoda and fleeting spring cherry blossoms has triggered an unprecedented crisis for the quiet riverside town of Fujiyoshida. What began as accidental digital fame quickly devolved into chaos, as throngs of sightseers desperate to capture their own version of the viral shot flooded the town’s narrow residential streets, overwhelming local infrastructure and upending the quiet daily lives of long-term residents.

    Local complaints mounted rapidly in the wake of the tourist influx: chronic gridlock that clogs small neighborhood roads for hours on end, overflowing trash bins and piles of litter left behind by visitors, uninvited foreign travelers knocking on the doors of private homes to beg for restroom access, and even cases of visitors relieving themselves directly in residential front yards. The situation grew so untenable that in February of this year, Fujiyoshida city officials announced the cancellation of the town’s annual cherry blossom festival — an event launched a decade ago specifically to drive tourism to the region.

    The crisis in Fujiyoshida lays bare a stark, growing contradiction at the heart of Japan’s national policy: as the country grapples with deepening long-term economic stagnation, national leaders are counting on inbound tourism to deliver a much-needed economic boost. But local communities across the country remain woefully unprepared for the massive influx of foreign visitors that marketing campaigns have succeeded in attracting, a problem locals have labeled “tourism pollution.”

    “This area is first and foremost an ordinary residential neighborhood, and balancing tourism with protecting the safety and quality of our residents’ living environment has become impossible,” explained Masatoshi Hada, manager of Fujiyoshida’s Economics and Environment Department, in an interview with the Associated Press. “We made the decision to cancel the festival because we cannot in good conscience encourage more visitors to come here.”

    Even without the festival drawing extra crowds, the region saw massive numbers of foreign tourists during the first week of April, when cherry blossoms hit their peak bloom. On one sunny weekend day, the narrow winding road leading to the popular Arakurayama Sengen Park — the most popular spot for the viral Mount Fuji photo — was completely packed with visitors queuing for a chance to capture the world-famous panoramic view. In recent years, daily tourist numbers in the area have regularly exceeded 10,000, a volume the city described in its February statement as a direct threat to residents’ daily lives.

    Fujiyoshida is far from the only Japanese destination grappling with overtourism. Other iconic cultural and scenic locations, including the ancient capital of Kyoto and the coastal historic town of Kamakura, have reported similar issues. In Kyoto, for example, locals regularly complain that out-of-town visitors dragging large rolling suitcases clog public city buses and make daily commutes nearly impossible for residents.

    The rise of “tourism pollution” coincides with another major demographic shift in Japan: as the country’s population ages and shrinks, the government has brought in a rapidly growing population of foreign workers to fill labor gaps. The combination of sudden mass tourism and increased immigration has fueled a rise in anti-foreign sentiment, and the current nationalistic administration of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has proposed stricter new regulations on foreign visitors and residents even as it pushes an aggressive target to grow inbound tourism. The government has pledged to address overtourism concerns while working to hit a goal of 60 million annual foreign visitors by 2030, up from the current 40 million.

    To manage the crisis ahead of this year’s cherry blossom season, Fujiyoshida implemented a series of emergency measures starting April 1. The city added dozens of additional security guards to residential areas near the park, banned most tour buses and private vehicles from entering the scenic neighborhood, and requires all visitors to walk the final distance to the viewing area.

    Working one recent shift directing crowds and enforcing rules, security guard Hiroaki Nagayama described the constant strain of the job. “It’s a constant struggle. I don’t speak foreign languages, so communicating with many visitors is really hard,” he said. “A lot of people buy food from local stalls and just leave their trash on the ground. This is exactly what overtourism looks like.”

    For long-term residents, the experience is a mixed burden. Sitting on a bench outside his home just a few blocks from the popular viewing spot, 93-year-old local Hitoshi Mori summed up the common resident perspective: having tourists is good for the area, but it’s also deeply annoying. “It’s so crowded outside that I can only go grocery shopping once a week now, just to avoid the crowds,” he explained.

    For the tourists themselves, the large crowds and long wait times have done little to dim enthusiasm for the iconic view. Despite numerous signs posted around the area asking visitors to follow local rules and multiple-hour lines to reach the top viewing spot, most visitors leave happy with the experience. “It’s actually pretty well organized. When they let you up, you get about five minutes to take all the photos you want, and it really is just amazing,” said Lisa Goerdert, a visitor from Paris.

    Vicky Tran, who traveled to the spot with her family and friends from Melbourne, Australia, said her group was not even able to reach the top viewing platform because of overcrowding, but still enjoyed the experience. “Even from where we were, the view was incredible, and the neighborhood was really lovely,” she said.

    The sudden influx of tourists has also created deep divisions within the local community, pitting residents who prize their quiet suburban lifestyle against locals who have been able to build new businesses catering to the flood of visitors. In a nearby shopping arcade that was once dotted with shuttered, closed small family stores, business has boomed after another viral social media post showed Mount Fuji framed perfectly by the arcade’s entrance. Now, hundreds of tourists crowd the street daily to take photos, often blocking traffic and prompting angry honking from frustrated local drivers.

    Masami Nakamura, who runs a decades-old school uniform shop in the arcade with her husband, said the sudden change has been jarring for long-term locals accustomed to quiet. “For people like us who have lived here our whole lives and are used to a quiet suburban way of life, this is a huge shock,” she said. “I just hope that tourists will respect our local rules and social manners.”

    Even for locals who are benefiting financially from the tourist boom, the sudden shift comes with constant frustrations. “I once almost hit a tourist who just jumped out into the street without looking both ways,” said Kyoko Funakubo, a 60-year-old employee at a local hotel who also sells Fuji-themed souvenirs part-time. “This place used to be almost abandoned, with so many shops closed down. But now, so many old shops have reopened and new ones have opened, and it feels good to see this area come alive again.”