Asia is heating up, and it’s happening at nearly twice the pace of the rest of the world. A new report released by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) on Monday reveals that the continent is experiencing a rapid rise in temperatures, making the effects of climate change harder to ignore.
The year 2024 was one of the hottest ever recorded in Asia, with average temperatures about 1.04 degrees Celsius above the 1991-2020 baseline. The report highlights that Asia’s vast landmass is a significant factor, as land areas tend to warm faster than oceans.
“Variations in surface temperature have a large impact on natural systems and on human beings,” the WMO report stated.
The surrounding oceans aren’t spared either. Surface temperatures in the Indian and Pacific Oceans reached record levels in 2024, adding to the region’s climate challenges.
Other News from Around Asia
China’s Reusable Rocket Advances Towards 2025 Launch
China’s commercial rocket company, LandSpace, achieved a significant milestone on Friday. They successfully conducted a ground ignition test of the first-stage propulsion system for their reusable rocket, Zhuque-3. This moves the rocket closer to its planned debut flight in 2025.
The test, carried out in the Dongfeng commercial space innovation zone in northwest China, was China’s largest and most automated parallel-cluster hot-fire test to date.
Tokyo Elections Shake Up Japan’s Ruling Party
In a surprising turn of events, voters in Tokyo have shifted the political landscape. The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Japan’s ruling party since 1955, secured only 21 seats in the city’s assembly elections held on Sunday. Tomin First no Kai, a party founded by Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike, won 32 seats, becoming the largest group in the assembly.
This record-low result for the LDP serves as a warning to Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s government ahead of the July elections. Public support for Ishiba has been waning, partly due to high inflation, with essentials like rice prices doubling over the past year.
South Korea Nominates Train Driver as Labor Minister
In an unprecedented move, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has nominated Kim Young-hoon, a train driver and former labor activist, as the Minister of Labor and Employment. Kim was reportedly operating a train between Gimcheon and Busan when he learned of his nomination.
If confirmed, Kim will be the first blue-collar worker to head the ministry. He brings with him a decade of experience in labor activism, including leading the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), which represents 1.2 million workers.
The nomination has received mixed reactions from the public, ranging from congratulations to skepticism about his union background.
Thailand Recriminalizes Recreational Cannabis Use
Thailand is reversing its stance on cannabis, recriminalizing its recreational use after a pro-marijuana party left the coalition government. The new regulation reclassifies cannabis flower as a controlled herb allowed only for medical purposes.
Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin stated that the lack of regulations following decriminalization in 2022 led to over 10,000 dispensaries and widespread recreational use. “It’s a festering problem, and we have received so many complaints,” he said.
Cover Photo: People cross Shibuya Crossing under an intense heatwave in Tokyo, Japan, June 17, 2025.
