Japan’s new leader, Vietnam GDP, Samsung chairman fraud case

Welcome to your Week in Asia.

Former Japanese Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba will succeed Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Vietnam reports quarterly economic growth figures and China begins a week-long holiday.

Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong is on trial in Seoul for accounting fraud and stock manipulation, while Singapore's former transport minister will be sentenced after pleading guilty to corruption charges.

Get the best of our Asia coverage and more by following us on X, @NikkeiAsia.

Monday

Samsung chairman fraud case

Lee Jae-yong, chairman of Samsung Electronics, is on appeal over charges of stock manipulation and accounting fraud brought against him. The case involved the merger of two Samsung affiliates in 2015. Prosecutors and Lee's lawyers are expected to argue over the evidence presented at the business mogul's trial after his acquittal in February.

Chinese industry

China releases its latest factory activity figures after mixed results in August highlighted the challenges facing the world's second-largest economy.

Tuesday

Japan's new prime minister

Former defense minister and ruling Liberal Democratic Party heavyweight Shigeru Ishiba will be appointed as Japan's new leader. The 67-year-old banker-turned-politician, who has long aspired to high office, has spent his nearly four-decade political career working mainly on security issues and revitalizing Japan's rural communities.

China's golden week

It celebrates the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and begins a series of “golden week” holidays. This period is usually one of the country's busiest travel seasons, although early signs are that demand is easing.

Tankan survey

The Bank of Japan will release its quarterly Tankan business sentiment survey, which is a key influencer on the central bank's policy decisions. The median forecast for the headline index among major manufacturers in the QUICK survey of economists was unchanged from the previous quarter.

WEDNESDAY

US Vice Presidential Debate

As Asia Day begins, the US vice presidential candidates will meet in New York on Tuesday night local time for the first and possibly only debate of the 2024 race. Democrat Tim Waltz will make a case for Vice President Kamala Harris to move into the Oval Office, while Republican JD Vance will push for the return of former President Donald Trump.

THURSDAY evening

Iswaran, the former minister of Singapore, was sentenced

Singapore's former transport minister S Iswara is expected to face jail after pleading guilty to receiving expensive gifts while a civil servant. The trial of a veteran ex-politician from the ruling People's Action Party has cast a shadow over the organization that built its support on promises of clean governance.

MARKET

GDP of Vietnam

Vietnam releases gross domestic product data for the third quarter. Observers will look to the center of the supply chain for signs of the impact of Supertyphoon Yagi and the US interest rate cut.

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