Relations between the two Koreas are likely to deteriorate as the South's new president, Yoon Suk-yeol, is expected to take a less conciliatory approach

One risk is that export bans by countries that rely heavily on food imports could prompt neighbours to retaliate, an analyst told the Times

The factory in the city of Suzuka will also slash its production by half for the month of April, expanding the scale of the cutback

Consul General Shuichi Akamatsu's letter comes as most of Shanghai's 25 million residents remain under strict lockdowns

From April 18, the midnight curfew on restaurants and other businesses will be scrapped, along with the cap on private gatherings which was set at 10

The central bank said in a statement its biggest rate increase in more than 20 years was intended to take the cash rate to a more neutral stance

Shanghai has fallen silent after it imposed harsh movement curbs to stem the spread of Covid, with only health workers, delivery personnel or people with special permission allowed outside

Shanghai has battled a new Covid-19 surge for nearly a month and for Saturday it reported its highest daily number of cases since the initial outbreak in China receded

Infections in South Korea have skyrocketed after the government began to ease curbs under a so-called "living with Covid-19" scheme last month