Europe
Consumer
Japanese school bags redesigned as adult backpacks in Germany
Kobe-area maker targets professionals with first handcrafted line for Europe
Trade
Japan and UK to sign equal-to-EU trade deal by September
Duty on British cheese to be as low as that on European varieties
SoftBank
SoftBank sells US software provider OSIsoft in $5bn deal
Sale to UK Group is latest in Masayoshi Son-led tech group's defensive shift
Automobiles
Honda to shift some UK auto production to Japan
Move comes as two countries negotiate on ending auto tariffs by 2026
Pharmaceuticals
AstraZeneca starts trial of COVID-19 antibody treatment
Drug mimics body's natural defenses, similar to some cancer medicines
Opinion
UK and Japan race to reach free trade agreement
Deal would put spotlight on viability of "Global Britain"
Caixin
BMW's partner in China sees bonds plunge
Brilliance Auto hit by cocktail of rumors, legal trouble and future uncertainty
China tech
Tencent acquires stake in French game developer Voodoo
Chinese gaming leader diversifies portfolio toward 'hyper casual' mobile games
Asia Insight
Silk Road Redux: Greece courts China money in crisis revival bid
Surface love fest between ancient cultures masks economic and geopolitical aims
