When Prada wore Kolhapuri Chappal

The Kolhapuri chappal, a heritage leather craft dating back to the 12th century, was thrust into the global spotlight in June 2025 when Prada showcased sandals strikingly similar to these traditional shoes at Milan Fashion Week. Then began a debate on cultural appropriation vs cultural appreciation.

How Valuable is Toursim for Japan's Economy? 

Tourism has become a major economic driver for Japan, with total tourism spending—both domestic and international—reaching ¥34.3 trillion in 2024, or about 5.6% of the country’s GDP. However, the economic benefits remain uneven, with most tourism concentrated in a handful of urban prefectures, while infrastructure challenges and stagnant wages have limited broader public gains.

Seoul Time: There's A Tuesday in Korea

The indie Christchurch band There’s A Tuesday is in South Korea today for a ten-day music residency, made possible by the Asia New Zealand Foundation and CJ Cultural Foundation. So, what’s in store for their Korean journey? Music journalist and Asia Media Centre grant recipient Samantha Cheong follows the band’s adventure—and shares what fans should watch out for.

What interesting stories about our region are being reported? Here's a roundup from the past week:

FBI OPENING BASE IN WELLINGTON, AFTER DIRECTOR KASH PATEL MAKES SECRET VISIT TO THE CAPITAL | STUFF

The FBI has officially opened its first standalone office in Wellington, elevating its presence in New Zealand to a full legal attaché responsible for several Pacific nations. Director Kash Patel, who visited the capital in July, said the office would focus on countering cybercrime, organised crime, and influence Beijing. While the US framed the move as a strategic Indo-Pacific initiative, New Zealand officials downplayed the China angle.

Related news:

China hits back at FBI director's 'groundless assertions' in Wellington

INDIA-PHILIPPINES FIRST BILATERAL NAVAL EXERCISE IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA | THE INDIAN EXPRESS

India and the Philippines have conducted their first-ever joint naval exercise in the disputed South China Sea, marking a historic step in their deepening maritime cooperation. The two-day operation, held within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, involved Indian vessels, including the INS Delhi, INS Shakti, and INS Kiltan, and Philippine frigates BRP Miguel Malvar and BRP Jose Rizal. Chinese forces reportedly shadowed the drills and condemned the collaboration, urging that territorial disputes be resolved without third-party involvement.

THAILAND RETURNS TWO CAMBODIAN TROOPS IN ADVANCE OF KEY BORDER TALKS | AL JAZEERA

Thailand has returned two Cambodian soldiers to their country as a gesture of goodwill ahead of critical border negotiations between the two nations. The handover came before high‑level talks aimed at easing tensions following recent deadly clashes along their shared boundary. The move is seen as a step towards de‑escalation and building trust ahead of forthcoming discussions on a long‑standing border dispute.

AIR NZ's CEO APPOINTMENT STIRS RACIST BACKLASH | RNZ

Air New Zealand has revealed that Nikhil Ravishankar, its current Chief Digital Officer, will step into the role of CEO on October 20, a historic appointment as the first person of Indian descent to head the airline. While the decision has been welcomed by many as a progressive milestone in New Zealand’s corporate diversity, it also triggered a wave of racist backlash on social media, prompting major news outlets, including Radio New Zealand, TVNZ’s 1News, and the NZ Herald, to disable comments on related posts due to the volume of offensive remarks.

Southeast Asia is breathing a collective sigh of relief after the United States finalized new, lower tariff rates for the region. On Thursday, July 31, the White House published a sweeping executive order that set reciprocal tariffs for a number of nations, with the new duties set to take effect on August 7.

Most Southeast Asian countries received a percentage ranging from 19% to 20%, a massive cut in comparison to the initial rates threatened by the Trump administration on April 2, a day the president had dubbed “Liberation Day.”

When President Trump returned to power, the Trump 2.0 administration adopted a far more aggressive trade stance. Its new policy, branded as “reciprocal tariffs,” caught global markets off guard with both its scale and severity. While several countries were affected, Southeast Asian nations, many of which have maintained large trade surpluses with the US, were particularly exposed to the initial high-rate proposals.

This was a sharp reversal for a region that had previously benefited from the first Trump administration's trade war with China.

In 2018, when Trump imposed massive tariffs on China, Beijing responded with its "China Plus One" strategy. This tactic involved shifting some manufacturing to Southeast Asian countries, a practice often called "transshipping", to avoid the high tariffs. As a result, nations like Viet Nam, Thailand, Malaysia, and Cambodia saw an influx of manufacturing and investment.

However, with Trump’s second term, these countries became targets themselves. The initial tariffs threatened by the administration were as high as 46% for some nations, with the goal of both pressuring China and stamping out transshipping.

After a series of intense negotiations, most Southeast Asian countries secured a much lower number than the initial threat.

But what concessions did these countries have to make to strike a deal?

This summary highlights the new tariff arrangements for Viet Nam, Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Singapore, Laos, Myanmar, and Brunei.

Beofre diving in, here are a few key trade terms used throughout the article:

Trade - the buying and selling of goods and services between countries.

Trade deficit - when a country buys more from other countries that it sells.

Trade surplus - when a country sells more to other countries than it buys.

Reciprocal tariffs - when countries charge equal or matching fees on each other’s goods to keep things fair.

Continue reading on Asia Media Centre website

-Asia Media Centre

ASEAN FRONTIER

The ASEAN Frontier (TAF) is a youth-led media startup that helps make sense of Southeast Asia’s fast-changing landscape. As the region becomes a key player in global trade, tech innovation, and geopolitics, TAF highlights the trends reshaping everything from cities to traditional industries.

Its flagship newsletter, The Frontier Brief, comes out three times a week and offers bite-sized, curated updates on business, trade, policy, and international affairs from across the ten ASEAN countries—giving professionals, decision-makers, and curious readers the insights they need to keep up.