Japan PM’s fawning sparks backlash, Philippines’ work-life balance fails: 7 Asia highlights

We have selected seven stories from the SCMP’s coverage of Asia over the past week that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing.

1. Trump’s ‘wind-up doll’? Japan’s PM faces backlash over White House fawning

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is facing accusations of diplomatic sycophancy after White House footage showed her giggling at a portrait of an autopen – placed by US President Donald Trump in the spot reserved for his predecessor Joe Biden – during summit talks last week.

2. Philippines scores poorly on work-life balance. Filipinos are not surprised

Heavy traffic on the streets of Manila. Photo: Shutterstock

In New Zealand, Keisha Constantino likes to start her morning at a leisurely pace. In when she was in the Philippines, she had to handle unpaid tasks like thesis advising as a faculty member. Getting to and from the workplace was a chore as she lost precious time daily due to heavy traffic and poor public transport options.

3. Malaysia’s weather is so hot that it can warp a payment card

Across peninsular Malaysia, the heat is getting unbearable and posing health risks for many, and nowhere is this felt more sharply than in Kedah and Perlis, two northern states at the centre of Malaysia’s food-growing belt.