Hello from Tokyo. The world is becoming smaller with the steady development of the internet and other communications technologies, thanks in large part to the rapid expansion of subsea cables. This week's Big Story delves into this growing undersea network, the backbone of global communications that now stretches 1.4 million kilometers -- long enough to encircle the Earth more than 30 times.
Supported by maps and visual data, our story explains how escalating tensions between the U.S. and China are complicating the laying of undersea cables essential to the internet age. The balance of power between Washington and Beijing is perhaps nearly equal when it comes to installing these cables, which does not require the same level of technology as, say, cutting-edge semiconductors. If this superpower standoff continues, two separate submarine cable networks may emerge, a phenomenon that's been described as "one world, two systems."
Securing the necessary infrastructure is essential to keep technology in use and advancing. Like subsea cables, the data centers now being built around the world are a key part of that. Our Business Spotlight in this week's magazine explains the significance of plans announced by Japanese telecom companies KDDI and SoftBank to turn Sharp's struggling LCD panel factory in Sakai, Osaka, into an AI data center.
It has been almost four weeks since India's elections, in which opposition parties surprised the world by making significant gains. History, including Japan's, has shown us that when the opposition is weak, checks and balances don't work and the government can turn authoritarian. For India, will the ruling party's loss of seats be seen as a plus for the nation? Our Asia Insight this week looks at what the newly constituted parliament means for the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and how it will influence the strategy of opposition leader Rahul Gandhi's Indian National Congress party.
When I think of India, the first thing that comes to this food lover's mind is curry. However, the curry we eat in Japan is very different from authentic Indian curry. In fact, it is said to have been introduced to Japan by the British Navy. The Tea Leaves column in the latest issue of the magazine explores the history of Japanese naval curry and the problems facing Japan's Self-Defense Forces amid a shrinking population. The author was inspired to write about these matters after paying a visit to Kure, a western port town where Japanese Maritime SDF ships are based.
Wishing you a wonderful weekend!
Shin Nakayama
Editor-in-chief, Nikkei Asia
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