Aeon Co. said Thursday it has set up a committee of outside experts to investigate a fatal blast that occurred at a shopping mall in Kumamoto Prefecture shortly after last month's earthquake in the southwestern Japan prefecture.

Dak Lak province is implementing a project to seek UNESCO Global Geopark recognition for Phu Yen Geopark, aiming to preserve its rich geological, natural, cultural and historical heritage while leveraging these values to promote sustainable tourism, improve local livelihoods and showcase the eastern part of the province.

The Asian Games are returning to Japan for the first time in 32 years, with the 2026 Games slated to kick off on Sept. 19 in the central prefecture of Aichi.

Ho Chi Minh City is studying the development of multiple outlet centers that would go beyond year-round discount retail to become part of a broader commercial, service and tourism ecosystem, as international visitors to Vietnam spend considerably less on average than tourists in many other countries.

A new Rixos resort is taking shape on Hon Thom Island in Phu Quoc, featuring a landmark tower inspired by Empress Nam Phuong, Vietnam’s last empress, as the island expands its luxury tourism offerings.

Japan's imports hit a monthly record in July as elevated oil prices drove up energy costs and inflationary pressures, while exports also climbed to an all-time high on a weaker yen and robust semiconductor-related demand.

South Korea will flag off on Saturday a container ship bound for Europe via the Arctic, testing whether a route opened by melting sea ice can be commercially viable, but risking friction with Western allies, as the voyage requires Russian cooperation.

Vietnam and Thailand will meet in the ASEAN Cup final for a record fourth time, renewing one of Southeast Asia’s most familiar football rivalries after both sides advanced from the 2026 semifinals.

Vietnam's seafood industry is targeting US$12 billion in exports in 2026, but exporters face growing demands from import markets for animal welfare standards, including stunning shrimp and fish before slaughter.

Good morning from Vietnam!

The annual flood season is an important part of life in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, but the natural cycle of rising waters has changed in recent years, with floods tending to arrive later and reach lower levels.

Vietnam defeated Malaysia 2-0 in the second leg of their 2026 ASEAN Cup semifinal at My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi on Wednesday, completing a 4-0 aggregate victory to reach the final.

Investigators in Khanh Hoa Province, home to the famed beach destination of Nha Trang in south-central Vietnam, are searching for two men allegedly linked to the transfer of US$12 million overseas through suspected fraudulent customs and banking documents.

A waste-to-energy plant that will convert waste into electricity, with an investment of about US$155 million and a capacity to process 1,500 metric tons of waste per day, broke ground in Nghe An Province on Wednesday, with the project expected to become the largest facility of its kind in central Vietnam.

Thai schools conducted active shooter drills on Wednesday, as authorities moved to strengthen security measures two weeks after a 14-year-old opened fire at a school and killed at least eight people.

Northern Vietnam is forecast to see widespread heavy rain through Thursday as a tropical depression moves westward over the East Vietnam Sea. A new direct air route between Can Tho and Da Lat began operating. The government has proposed reducing the number of offenses subject to the death penalty from 10 to four while adding nine new criminal offenses to the country's Penal Code. And more in our podcast.

Vietnam will look to overturn a long-standing struggle at My Dinh Stadium in Hanoi when they host Malaysia in the second leg of their 2026 ASEAN Championship semifinal on Wednesday evening.

At a ceremony marking India’s 80th Independence Day this week, Ho Chi Minh City chairman Nguyen Van Duoc and Indian Consul General Vipra Pandey emphasized closer cooperation toward a shared future.

Vietnam’s Cong An Ha Noi FC will face five Japanese clubs, along with two Chinese sides and one Malaysian opponent, in their debut AFC Champions League Elite campaign, setting up a demanding test for the Vietnamese club but also a valuable opportunity to compete against some of Asia’s best teams.

As younger villagers leave for better-paying jobs, elderly women in a rural village in Quang Ngai Province, central Vietnam, continue hand-weaving hammocks during their spare time, preserving a craft that has been passed down for nearly a century while earning a modest extra income.

Northern Vietnam is forecast to see widespread heavy rain through Thursday as a tropical depression moves westward over the East Vietnam Sea, while strong winds are expected in the northern waters, according to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

An Indonesian court began a trial on Tuesday for 11 daycare staffers alleged to be involved in a high-profile case of abuse against children in their care, as the chairperson of the daycare faced a separate hearing.

Japanese households will likely receive a further blow as companies reflect rising costs, stemming from high crude oil prices, in their goods and services prices in and after summer, putting a drag on economic growth.

Good morning from Vietnam!

Thailand secured a place in the final of the ASEAN Championship on Tuesday despite losing 2-1 to Singapore in Bangkok as the seven-times champions completed a narrow 4-3 aggregate victory.

A coalition of states suing Meta Platforms (META.O), opens new tab over claims Facebook and Instagram were designed in ways that harmed young users' mental health will begin making its case on Tuesday in California federal court in a trial that could reshape some of the most popular apps on the planet.

WASHINGTON -- The Milky Way, a large and spiral-shaped galaxy that is home to hundreds of billions of stars including our sun, has taken a long and complicated path to achieve its current dimensions, as illustrated by new research documenting a milestone event early in its history.

The two sides expressed their delight at the positive and substantive development of traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation between Vietnam and the Czech Republic, and welcomed the elevation of bilateral ties to a strategic partnership in January 2025, which has created a new framework and impetus for deeper, more effective and sustainable cooperation.

More than 500 durian pickup trucks in Dak Lak have set a Guinness World Record. The 66-kilometer La Son-Hoa Lien expressway linking Hue City and Da Nang City is slated to open to four-lane traffic this month. A Nigerian man has been arrested in Ho Chi Minh City over a shipment of methamphetamine and heroin. And more in our podcast.

Soldiers and military forces from various units under the Air Defense and Air Force Service began a large-scale exercise in the central region of Vietnam on Tuesday morning.

Vietnam Post has launched Pottel, a new mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) targeting international tourists seeking convenient Internet access during their stay in Vietnam.

Ho Chi Minh City should develop transit-oriented development (TOD) corridors in tandem with the 15-minute city model as it moves toward a polycentric megacity, experts said at a consultation conference on Tuesday to discuss the city's master planning for 2025-50 with a 100-year vision.

Dong A University has partnered with the Korean Language Education Center under South Korea’s Ministry of Education to launch free Korean language classes for local residents in Da Nang City, central Vietnam.

Visitors to the 2026 Dak Lak Durian Festival will have the chance to venture into the forest for free elephant viewing and learn about local wildlife at the Elephant Conservation, Animal Rescue and Forest Protection Center.

Ho Chi Minh City will spend VND288 billion (nearly US$11 million) providing textbooks free of charge for all disadvantaged students across all grades and lending the books to all students who need them during the 2026-27 school year.