Japan observed the end of World War II on Monday, an anniversary that even 77 years later remains a source of contention both domestically and overseas. Statements by the country’s leaders are routinely examined for whether their level of contrition matches expectations. In the not-too-distant past, it was often a day for prime ministers to visit Tokyo’s Yasukuni Shrine, the ...

As one of the 21st Century’s most powerful data brokers, Facebook is best known for its role in sucking up the personal information of billions of users for its advertising clients. That lucrative model has led to ever-heightening risks — Facebook recently shared private messages between a Nebraska mother and her teenage daughter with police investigating the girl’s at-home abortion. ...

  China’s faltering economy requires a lifeline from the central bank, regardless of admonitions that inflation is creeping higher and needs to be contained. With growth struggling and demand for credit cratering, the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) has made clear that it’s the recovery first. Price increases might be worrying, but are a second order problem — for now. ...