WHO declares China malaria-free after 70 years of efforts
China has become the 40th country to be declared malaria-free. It has not had an indigenous case for four years.
East Asia
East Asia spans countries including China, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. This archive gathers reported milestones from the region — covering public health, environmental efforts, technology, and social progress. Each entry highlights specific, verifiable developments worth knowing about.
South Korea’s three major insurers say will stop underwriting new coal power
The confirmation follows pressure from a network of civic groups named Korea Beyond Coal, which has advocated for a complete coal phase-out in Korea by 2030.
South Korea to plant 3 billion trees to help reach carbon neutrality by 2050
The South Korean Forest Service is planning to make a massive contribution to World Economic Forum’s global initiative the Tree Trillion campaign that aims to plant one trillion trees by 2030.
Hyundai commits $7.4 billion to build electric cars
On May 13, the company announced it plans “to invest $7.4 billion in the U.S. by 2025 to produce future EVs, enhance production facilities, and further its investments in smart mobility solutions.”
Honda aims for 100% EV sales by 2040, zero road fatalities by 2050
Honda’s new commitment to electrification was announced by CEO Toshihiro Mibe on Friday, and forms part of the company’s wider goal of achieving carbon neutrality across its entire operation by 2050.
Japanese doctors perform world’s first living donor lung transplant
Dr. Hiroshi Date—who led the operation—said in a statement that the success of this transplant from living donors can provide optimism among others suffering severe lung damage caused by COVID-19.
South Korea unveils $43 billion plan for world’s largest offshore wind farm
Offshore wind is about to get a new heavyweight: South Korea is investing $43 billion to build what would become the world’s largest offshore wind farm, planted in the shallow, breezy waters of the country’s Southwest Sea. The plan is remarkable not just for its scale but for how it came together. Local fishing leaders representing around 200 vessels — many initially opposed — signed on after winning compensation and equity stakes in the project itself. One cooperative leader who fought the plan now calls it something to work with, not against. For a mountainous country with little room for sprawling land-based renewables, this is a real path to displacing coal — and a template other coastal nations chasing net-zero will be watching closely.
Japanese court rules same-sex marriage ban is unconstitutional
The court ruled that sexual orientation, like race, is not a matter of individual preference and therefore denying same-sex couples the same benefits as straight couples is unconstitutional.
Japanese knife maker Kai develops the world’s first disposable paper razor
Designed with eco-friendliness in mind, the disposable razor uses paper throughout its body and metal for the blade — reducing plastic by 98 percent compared to conventional razors.
Honda, Yamaha, KTM, and Piaggio team up in swappable battery consortium
Four major manufacturers have committed to developing a standardized swappable battery system for electric motorcycles, opening up the possibility of quick-swap battery banks at service stations, servicing a range of brands and models.