Singapore’s ‘undesirable’ visitor ban, Japan’s Chinese tourist drought: 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. Singapore begins ban on ‘undesirable’ visitors, airlines to comply or face fineSingapore’s move to bar undesirable visitors from boarding planes to the city state has begun, with airlines flying into its airports required to deny access to passengers flagged as risks.2. Malaysians lampoon minister linking work stress to gay peopleA Malaysian minister has become the butt of jokes for claiming that work stress can turn people gay, as continued government intervention of what it describes as sexually deviant behaviour piles pressure on the country’s LGBTQ community.3. Why Japan’s public is ‘happy’ to see a Chinese tourist droughtA Chinese tourist group is led by a tour guide in Asakusa, a popular sightseeing spot in Tokyo, Japan, in November 2025. Photo: ReutersChina’s instructions to citizens not to visit Japan during the coming Lunar New Year holiday has been welcomed by some Japanese weary of overcrowding at tourist hotspots, while local travel operators say the immediate impact on business is likely to be limited.