Australia & Asia

AUSTRALIA: Move over, mate. The number of women in Australia’s corporate boardrooms has risen significantly in the past year — there are now 140 female directors.

JAPAN: Traditionally, young people have left farms for the city in search of work. Now, facing an economy that offers less job security, some are returning to rural life.

JAPAN: A team of Japanese scientists have found large deposits of rare-earth elements in the Pacific. The discovery could be good for the economy, but bad for the environment. 

ASIA: A national Chinese news magazine named him the "most influential foreign figure of the year”. Hundreds of thousands of fans watch his television show. Tickets to his live appearances in China, Japan and Korea sell out quickly. Is he a rock star? Sort of.

CHINA: Two years ago, the world's largest Barbie superstore opened in Shanghai. With clothing, a day spa and even cocktails for the ladies, the store offered a Barbie lifestyle. Now it has closed.

After the oil crisis in the 70s, Japan made the conscious decision to invest in nuclear-power plants. The recent explosions at Japan’s Fukushima plant have serious implications for the nuclear industry in Japan and the world, the media comment. 

Japan is facing a humanitarian crisis of epic proportions. The Japanese have reacted with typical stoicism, patience, and a determination to cope. The international community has sent aid, experts and equipment.