AJA Newsbites is a curated roundup of major news and developments from across Asia, brought to you by members of Asia Journalist Association (AJA)
Lee Sang-ki, THE AsiaN, Korea
On the second day of early voting, concerns over lax election management resurfaced in South Korea. Misplaced ballots from last year’s general election were discovered in Gimpo and Bucheon. In Seoul, a poll worker was caught casting a vote on behalf of her husband. In Yongin, a return envelope contained a ballot already marked for a presidential candidate. The National Election Commission acknowledged the lapses and has requested a police investigation. Political parties are calling for accountability.
Chhay Sophal, Cambodia News Online, Cambodia
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet emphasized his country’s dedication to peace, reflecting on Cambodia’s long struggle to overcome war.
Speaking at the Nikkei Forum 30th Future of Asia in Tokyo, Japan—held under the theme “Asia’s Challenge in a Turbulent World”—Hun Manet said, “In Cambodia, we put peace above all else. It took us 30 years to end our past war. From this experience, we’ve learned it is more important to protect existing peace than to try to recover it once lost.”
Broadcasting his speech live on Facebook, the Prime Minister added, “All countries share a common responsibility to avoid putting their people and nations into the path of war. We must not provoke conflict or chaos that could jeopardize peace.”
He further stressed the importance of peace and people-centered development, especially in the current climate of global economic integration.
Nasir Aijaz, Sindh Courier, Pakistan
On Friday, President Asif Ali Zardari of Pakistan signed into law the Child Marriage Restraint Bill, 2025, setting the minimum legal age for marriage at 18 for both girls and boys.
Under the new legislation, no marriage may be solemnized if either party is under 18. Anyone found violating this law may face up to one year in prison and a fine of 100,000 Pakistani rupees. In addition, if an adult male marries an underage girl, he could be sentenced to up to three years of rigorous imprisonment.
The law also empowers the courts to intervene if they become aware of an underage marriage, issuing orders to prevent it. Furthermore, individuals reporting such cases may request confidentiality, and the court is obligated to protect their identity.
Bhanu Ranjan, THE AsiaN, Bangladesh
Japanese authorities and business leaders have announced plans to recruit at least 100,000 workers from Bangladesh over the next five years to address the country’s growing labor shortage.
The commitment was made during the Bangladesh Seminar on Human Resources held in Tokyo on Thursday. Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser to the interim government of Bangladesh, attended the seminar as the chief guest.
Dr. Yunus stated, “The interim government will do everything necessary to create employment opportunities for Bangladeshis in Japan. This is the most exciting and inspiring day for me. It will open doors not only for work but also for the people of Bangladesh to get to know Japan.”
In the presence of the Chief Adviser, Bangladesh’s Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training (BMET) signed two Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), according to BSS, the state-owned news agency in Bangladesh.
One MoU was signed with Kaicom Dream Street (KDS), a Japan-Bangladesh joint venture. Under this agreement, a special training unit will be established at the Monohardi Technical Training Center (MTTC) in Bangladesh. This center will support Japan’s Technical Intern Training Program (TITP) and Specified Skilled Workers (SSW) initiatives through collaboration between KDS and BMET.
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