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
Japan’s decision to triple its departure tax from next year and to introduce a new pre-entry screening fee system, JESTA, by 2028 is expected to significantly increase travel costs for Korean travelers.
While Tokyo cites “overtourism” as the official justification, critics argue that the policy is driven more by Japan’s deepening fiscal strain than by concerns over crowd control. Although Koreans will continue to be exempt from tourist visas for short stays, the combined impact of higher departure taxes and JESTA fees could add the equivalent of USD 40–50 per person.
Given that Japan remains the most popular overseas destination for Korean travelers, the move goes beyond tourism management and may affect people-to-people exchanges and overall travel demand between the two countries.
From Seoul’s perspective, the issue underscores the need to address rising travel costs for Korean citizens through diplomatic engagement and tourism policy consultations with Japan.
Norila Daud, Malaysia World News, Malaysia
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim welcomed the ceasefire agreed between Cambodia and Thailand, bringing an end to a deadly border crisis that killed 47 people and displaced more than one million during three weeks of fighting involving artillery, tanks, drones and jets.
“I welcome the ceasefire agreed by Cambodia and Thailand. The decision to halt the fighting and hold forces in place reflects a shared recognition that restraint is required, above all in the interest of civilians,” Anwar said in a social media post.
In a joint statement, Thailand and Cambodia agreed to an “immediate” ceasefire on Saturday, pledging to end weeks of deadly border clashes. Anwar said the joint statement also outlined practical and positive measures, including verification by the Asean Observer Team (AOT) and direct communication between defence authorities. “These provide a basis for stability, and I am hopeful that both sides will carry them out faithfully,” he said.
According to Anwar, he supports all efforts to ensure the ceasefire is honoured and to safeguard Asean’s prestige and credibility as a “region of peace.”
Shakil Yamin Kanga, APNEC, Pakistan
The annual elections of the Karachi Press Club for the year 2025–2026 were held on Sunday, December 27, with a large number of club members participating.
According to the results announced by the head of the Election Committee, Dr. Tauseef A. Khan, Fazil Jamili of The Democrats panel was elected President, while Aslam Khan was elected Secretary. Other successful candidates included Vice President Irshad Khokhar, Treasurer Imran Ayub, and Joint Secretary Farooq Sami.
In addition, seven members were elected to the Governing Body: Abdul Jabbar Nasir, Akhtar Hussain Soomro, Shima Siddiqui, Faryal Arif, Javed Saba, Syed Farid Alam, and Javed Mehar.
ⓒ THE AsiaN | All rights reserved
This content is copyrighted by THE AsiaN. If you wish to share it, please do so without modifying the original text and always include the source link. Unauthorized editing or sharing without proper attribution may result in legal consequences.
