
About Asia
Let’s talk… About Asia by looking deep into the stories unfolding on the world’s most populous continent. Each episode showcases the reportage of SCMP’s journalists across Asia and in-depth interviews with experts, putting context and analysis to current affairs.
Latest episodes

Jul 22, 2024 • 18min
‘Anti-woke’ movement recruits teen boys across Asia
Kimberly Lim, a Post reporter, delves into the rise of the 'anti-woke' movement among young men in Southeast Asia. She is joined by experts Munira Mustaffa, Jo Krishnakumar, and Rizky Rahadianto, who discuss the divisive nature of the internet and the influence of far-right ideologies. They highlight how historical contexts shape identities and how social media fosters echo chambers. The conversation touches on gender politics and the evolving views on LGBTQ+ identity, emphasizing local activism over external narratives. It's a fascinating exploration of contemporary socio-political dynamics.

Jun 17, 2024 • 28min
Anwar Ibrahim on navigating Malaysia through China-US tensions
How does a country deepen its relationship and do business with China without risking retaliation by the US and its allies? How can a nation protect its territorial claims in the South China Sea yet maintain a delicate balancing act with its neighbours with their own views and claims? Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim discusses these issues and more, including his deep anguish over the Israel-Gaza war, in this extended version of Talking Post with Yonden Lhatoo.

May 27, 2024 • 20min
Why Japan’s Harajuku is enjoying a surprising fashion revival
Harajuku, a neighbourhood in the Japanese capital Tokyo, has long been known as the birthplace of some incredibly colourful and unique fashion subcultures. The district had gone relatively quiet for years, but now one of its best-known styles called decora is staging a surprise comeback. In this episode of About Asia, we chart the rise, fall and rebirth of Harajuku’s fashion scene.
Read more: https://sc.mp/cdeb24

Apr 12, 2024 • 20min
Unravelling China and India’s roles in the US fentanyl crisis
The US has been grappling with an opioid crisis for decades, but the problem has been exacerbated by the arrival of fentanyl – a synthetic drug 50 times more potent than heroin. What roles do China and India play in the global illicit fentanyl trade? Post correspondent Khushboo Razdan and independent investigative journalist Ben Westhoff walk us through their reporting.
For more on this: https://sc.mp/8c9626

Mar 26, 2024 • 28min
Will Japan give Oppenheimer a chance?
Oppenheimer will finally make its Japan premier on March 29, 2024, eight months after the film’s world debut. How will the only country to suffer wartime atomic bombings react to a biopic about the American physicist who led efforts to build the first such weapons of mass destruction? Yuki Miyamoto, a nuclear ethics professor at DePaul University who has seen Oppenheimer three times, discusses her reservations about the film.
Read more: https://sc.mp/92s0

Mar 20, 2024 • 27min
Why India’s Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) is so controversial
Protests continue in India against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), which many say is a Hindu nationalist campaign targeting Muslims, spearheaded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Post spoke with independent journalist Angad Singh for more.
Read more on this: https://sc.mp/5396d3

Mar 15, 2024 • 28min
Why Japan’s yakuza crime groups are on the verge of disappearing
The yakuza are seeing a pop cultural renaissance with hit TV shows like Tokyo Vice and video games such as Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. In reality, however, the Japanese organised crime groups are in serious decline. But do their shrinking numbers tell the whole story? To learn more, the Post’s Jonathan Vit spoke with Dr Martina Baradel, a criminologist at the University of Oxford.
Read more on this: https://sc.mp/r6law

Mar 5, 2024 • 37min
Inside China: What if Trump wins?
Analyses of how a second Trump presidency could impact US relations with China, Asia alliances, and global conflicts. Comparisons between Biden's strategic planning and Trump's transactional approach. Exploration of US-India relations under Trump and Beijing's preferences between the two presidents.

Mar 4, 2024 • 22min
Ageing and fertility: why Asian women are freezing their eggs
Dr. Geetha Venkat discusses the rising trend of Asian women freezing their eggs, touching on topics like the obstacles they face, the cost and success rates of the procedure, and the importance of government intervention in improving fertility accessibility and education.

Feb 22, 2024 • 18min
Why the Philippines’ Duterte-Marcos alliance is disintegrating
The political marriage of the Philippines’ two most powerful families appears to be crumbling. Lucio Blanco Pitlo III, research fellow at the Asia-Pacific Pathways to Progress Foundation, explains the history behind the apparent feud between President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr and his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte, and its potential implication to the country’s political future.
For the latest on the Philippines: https://sc.mp/ca9d66