South Korea’s lost Canadian deal; BN’s election win in Malaysia’s Johor: 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. Why South Korea is celebrating a Canada submarine deal it lostSouth Korea may have lost Canada’s multibillion-dollar submarine order, but analysts say its close-run contest with Germany has handed Seoul a different prize: proof that it can challenge one of the world’s traditional undersea warfare powers on a stage watched closely by defence buyers.2. BN cruises to victory in Malaysia’s Johor, in blow to Anwar and PHBarisan Nasional leaders cheer at the coalition’s command centre in Johor Bahru as unofficial results show BN leading in the state election in Malaysia on Saturday. Photo: Iman Muttaqin YusofThe coalition of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim was dealt a blow after state rival Barisan Nasional (BN) trounced Pakatan Harapan (PH) in the Johor election.3. Why the Philippines is losing out in Southeast Asia’s investment boomThe Philippines still lags behind its neighbours in attracting foreign direct investment, with inflows stagnating in 2025 even as a financing influx swept the region.4. Japan wants 60 million tourists, but China isn’t sending themTourists throng a shopping street in front of Sensoji Temple in the popular Asakusa district of Tokyo, Japan, last month. Photo: KyodoJapan has found a new export industry and it does not come off an assembly line. It arrives by plane, spends freely and is, increasingly, what Tokyo is banking its economic future on.5. Wombs for hire: the painful price of Asia’s lawless baby tradeMedia attend a press briefing where Thai police showed pictures of surrogate babies in 2014, the year before Thailand banned commercial surrogacy. Photo: APCommercial surrogacy is illegal in Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. It is also worth an estimated US$15 billion a year.6. Do Singapore ministers watch films? Joke raises hackles amid dialect debateA Singapore minister’s quip in parliament that top officials had no time to go to the cinema has drawn heated public discussion, with some in the local arts scene saying the comment risked downplaying the importance of the cultural sector.7. After China sanctions Philippines’ defence chief, Marcos breaks his silencePhilippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr pictured on Thursday during his visit to Vancouver, Canada. Photo: The Canadian Press/APPhilippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr has broken his silence on China’s sanctions against his defence chief, in remarks seen as a closing of ranks that could complicate diplomacy between Manila and Beijing in the near term.Further Reading