By Wayne Arnold

The author is a Reuters Breakingviews columnist. The opinions expressed are his own.

Squabbles over remote islands have sparked a Chinese backlash against Japanese brands. But China’s slowing economy is having an even bigger impact on Japan’s exports. And while China has toppled the U.S. as Japan’s biggest market, both nations face a common economic enemy in the form of plunging demand from Europe.

The author is a Reuters Breakingviews columnist. The opinions expressed are his own.

By Wayne Arnold

It sometimes seems like every little thing is conspiring against Indonesia’s economy: poor infrastructure, political corruption, regulatory caprice and bureaucratic inertia. Falling commodity prices threaten to reverse the spread of wealth to poorer parts of the archipelago. But Indonesia’s very immaturity gives it resilience to muddle through.

The author is a Reuters Breakingviews columnist. The opinions expressed are his own.

By Wayne Arnold

Corporate China appears to be beating the country’s lenders at their own game. Even as banks heap credit into China’s economy to keep its credit-fuelled growth from crashing, companies are handing out credit to their own customers. That may help keep the economy revving, but the risk is that past-due bills make it harder for companies to service mounting debt.

By Wayne Arnold

The author is a Reuters Breakingviews columnist. The opinions expressed are his own.

It may take just 40 minutes to replace the gizmo responsible for Toyota’s latest embarrassment, but with 7.4 million cars to fix, that’s 565 years of mechanic time. Actually it is neither the first nor the most serious of Toyota’s recent difficulties. But the Japanese automaker’s problems are beginning to look unending.

By Wayne Arnold

The author is a Reuters Breakingviews columnist. The opinions expressed are his own.

How do India’s investors spell relief? Palaniappan Chidambaram. Stocks have soared since word broke in June that the urbane lawyer might take a third turn as finance chief. His return in August has proved an antidote to the errors of his predecessor Pranab Mukherjee, and has revived foreign buying. But the rally will only last if the latest reforms boost flagging growth.

By Wayne Arnold

The author is a Reuters Breakingviews columnist. The opinions expressed are his own.

Bumi Resources is not a metaphor for Indonesia. The heavily indebted coal miner, currently at the centre of a financial probe and corporate governance spat, has said it may have to sell assets or shares. With coal prices weak, the drama at Bumi Resources spells more trouble for creditors and shareholders, including those of its London-listed parent. Indonesia must hope it is not unfairly tarred by the association.

By Wayne Arnold

The author is a Reuters Breakingviews columnist. The opinions expressed are his own.

Investors aren’t particularly bothered by China’s anti-Tokyo protests. While smashed cars and shuttered factories are worrying, the two countries have more to lose in trade and investment than to gain from tit-for-tat reprisals. Companies that are big in China like Nissan may suffer in the short-term, but Japan Inc. has more to fear from U.S. Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke than from Beijing.

By Wayne Arnold

The author is a Reuters Breakingviews columnist. The opinions expressed are his own.

The QE3 honeymoon may be disappointingly brief for emerging markets. The U.S. Federal Reserve’s promise to buy mortgage-backed bonds into the indefinite future could lift all boats for a while. But the flood of dollars might soon frighten investors, as well as vexing central bankers everywhere but the United States.

By Wayne Arnold

The author is a Reuters Breakingviews columnist. The opinions expressed are his own.

Coal’s slide poses a problem for Indonesia. As the biggest exporter of coal used for generating power, the country’s fortunes might seem directly tied to China and India’s economic slowdown. In fact, exports account for only a sliver of GDP. The bigger risk is that falling demand spooks foreign investors, undermines a provincial boom, and hurts poor workers.