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China's economic data release, including retail sales for the first two months of the year, will offer crucial insights into the health of the world's No. 2 economy as it navigates the complexities of a brewing trade war with the United States. This data will be closely scrutinized by analysts and policymakers alike, providing valuable indicators of consumer spending and overall economic activity in the face of these external challenges.

U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs on steel and aluminum imports have sparked a range of responses from Asian countries, with some expressing disappointment and others vowing to take action to protect their interests. China, a major target of the Trump administration's policy, has already retaliated with levies of its own against U.S. goods, raising concerns about a wider trade war.

Japan's trade balance returned to a surplus in February 2024, driven by a 11.4% annual growth in exports, despite concerns over President Donald Trump's proposed tariff hikes. The February trade surplus amounted to 584 billion yen ($3.9 billion), a significant improvement from the 415 billion yen deficit recorded in the same month the previous year.

The world's first hydrogen-powered vending machine, installed at the Osaka Kansai Expo, generates its own electricity through a chemical reaction of oxygen and hydrogen, causing zero carbon emissions and using half the electricity of a typical machine. This environmentally friendly innovation offers a glimpse into the future of sustainable vending.

Alaskan officials are visiting Japan to court investors for a natural gas project that President Trump believes could pump trillions of dollars into the U.S., but Japanese energy firms remain skeptical of its feasibility. Despite Trump's support and pressure on Japan to ease trade frictions, Japanese energy firms have yet to commit due to concerns about the project's high cost and feasibility.