Asia in 3 minutes: An umbrella revolution in Japan, Spiderman comes unstuck in Seoul
French Spiderman Alain Robert is arrested after climbing the Lotte World Tower in Seoul. Photo: AFP
French urban free-climber Alain Robert attempted to scale the world's fifth-tallest building, getting more than halfway up the 123-storey Lotte World Tower in Seoul before security staff forced him to abandon the ascent. The 55-year-old, dubbed the "French Spiderman", made his way up the building bare-handed and without ropes as staff pursued him from inside. "I climbed about 75 stories and then after that, it was a bit like cat and mouse," Robert said. "Finally, I decided to surrender." He was taken to the rooftop on a maintenance cradle and arrested. As he awaited processing by police he said his climb was to celebrate the recent peacemaking efforts between the two Koreas and he hoped the authorities would take that into account. "I did it because of what is happening now between South Korea and North Korea," Robert said.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte kisses overseas worker Bea Kim in Seoul, South Korea. Photo: AP
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte brushed off claims of misogyny after he kissed a woman on the lips on stage in Seoul " saying they had both "enjoyed it". The 73-year-old grandfather had offered a free book in exchange for a kiss during a trip to South Korea. He called Bea Kim onto the platform during a speech on Sunday and pointed to his lips. She initially hesitated, saying she had a husband, but offered no protest as Duterte kissed her on the lips while the mostly Filipino crowd cheered in apparent approval. "We enjoyed it. It was a showbiz [thing] and everybody enjoyed it," Duterte told reporters. Duterte even said he was willing to step down over the issue if complaints mounted. "I think if all women here would sign a petition for me to resign, I will resign," he said.
Petersons Winery in the Hunter Valley, north of Sydney in Australia. Winemakers fear tensions with China could hurt their bottom line. Photo: Reuters
Australian winemakers on Wednesday urged Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to visit China to resolve diplomatic tensions blamed for trade obstacles that have raised concerns about the future of the nation's wine exports. As many as six Australian wine companies have faced delays at Chinese customs this year amid the diplomatic rift between Canberra and Beijing. Australian beef and citrus producers are also calling on the government to do more to resolve the tensions with Australia's largest trading partner, sparked by Canberra's allegations of Chinese economic coercion and political meddling. Tony Battaglene, chief executive of industry body the Wine Federation of Australia, said: "There is obvious concern about China from the government but for us, we must all be aware that they are an extremely important strategic partner for us."
A car driven by a 90-year-old driver is carried away after it rammed into pedestrians in Chigasaki city, a coastal town southwest of Tokyo. Photo: Kyodo
About 60,000 drivers aged 75 and over who were in the process of renewing their licences were judged as possibly suffering dementia, Japan's National Police Agency said, in the first year of stricter screening for the disease. Fatal accidents involving senior citizens have become a major social issue as Japan's population ages rapidly. A revised road traffic law, which requires elderly drivers to consult doctors if dementia is suspected in a preliminary screening, took effect on March 12 last year. The agency said in a report that of 2,105,477 licence holders who took cognitive function tests, 57,099 of them were suspected of having dementia. A total of 1,892 of them had their licences suspended or nullified, up about threefold from 597 in 2016.
Compiled by Thomas Sturrock
This article originally appeared on the South China Morning Post (SCMP).
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