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Wall Street stocks rose again Friday, adding to weekly gains fueled by deescalation of the China-US trade war and hopes for additional international trade deals.Equity markets have enjoyed one of their best weeks since US President Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariff bazooka last month caused indices to slump.FHN Financial’s Chris Low also pointed to a “growing sense of relief” over benign US inflation data that has helped counter worries that Trump’s tariffs will dramatically reignite pricing pressure.The United States and China on Monday announced they would slash their tit-for-tat tariffs for 90 days to allow for talks, but considerable levies remain in place.Investors are now awaiting signals from the US president on progress in trade talks, as countries seek deals to avoid his steeper levies, as well as more information about their economic impact.The broad-based S&P 500 rose for the fifth straight session, adding 0.7 percent.Investors largely shrugged off weaker consumer sentiment data from the University of Michigan that reflect consumers’ “somber” economic outlook and expectations of higher inflation.FHN Financial’s Low also cited worries about the fate of Trump’s budget legislation in Washington.Oil prices rebounded after tumbling Thursday on the possibility a breakthrough in Iran nuclear talks, fueled by Trump saying progress had been made on a deal. The uptick rode resurgent concern on India-Pakistan tensions.The dollar rose against major rival currencies as investors weigh whether the US Federal Reserve will still cut interest rates this year following mixed inflation data.Shares in Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk, known for its blockbuster diabetes and weight-loss treatments Ozempic and Wegovy, dropped more than three percent after it announced the departure of its chief executive, before cutting losses.Novo Nordisk’s share price has fallen by more than half since June 2024 as it faces more competition.E-commerce titan Alibaba shed over six percent in Hong Kong after reporting a disappointing rise in first-quarter revenue amid sluggish consumer spending in China.Take-Two Interactive fell 2.4 percent after announcing $3.55 billion in one-time costs connected to the delay of the launch of its new “Grand Theft Auto” video game. The game developer recently pushed back the timeframe on the unveiling to May 2026.- Key figures at around 2030 GMT -New York – Dow: UP 0.8 percent at 42,654.74 (close)New York – S&P 500: UP 0.7 percent at 5,958.38 (close)New York – Nasdaq Composite: UP 0.5 percent at 19,211.10 (close)London – FTSE 100: UP 0.6 percent at 8,684.56 (close)Paris – CAC 40: UP 0.4 percent at 7,886.69 (close)Frankfurt – DAX: UP 0.3 percent at 23,767.43 (close)Tokyo – Nikkei 225: FLAT at 37,753.72 (close)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: DOWN 0.5 percent at 23,345.05 (close)Shanghai – Composite: DOWN 0.4 percent at 3,367.46 (close)Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1154 from $1.1187 on ThursdayPound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3278 from $1.3305Dollar/yen: UP at 145.92  yen from 145.67 yenEuro/pound: DOWN at 83.97 from 84.08 penceBrent North Sea Crude: UP 1.4 percent at $65.41 per barrelWest Texas Intermediate: UP 1.4 percent at $62.49 per barrelburs-jmb/mlm

Global stock markets struggled for direction on Friday as they sought to hold onto weekly gains fuelled by the China-US trade war hiatus.Equity markets have enjoyed one of their best weeks since US President Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariff bazooka last month caused indices to slump.”The chief driver of global markets this week has been improving US trade relations, especially with China,” said Kathleen Brooks, research director at XTB.”However, as we end the week, this is fading,” she added.The United States and China on Monday announced they would slash their tit-for-tat tariffs for 90 days to allow for talks, but considerable levies remain in place.Investors are now awaiting signals from the US president on progress in trade talks, as countries seek deals to avoid his steeper levies, as well as more information about their economic impact.Analysts warn that initial optimism of the US-China trade truce may have been overdone given that tariffs remain in place and pose a threat to economic growth. A “baseline” 10-percent tariff on US imports of goods from nearly every country remains in place.”Even if more trade deals are announced, it is still the case that tariffs on goods entering the US will be much higher than anyone dared to contemplate,” said IG chief market analyst Chris Beauchamp.Analysts and investors worry that higher prices will lead to economic growth slowing.April US inflation data released this week came in lower than expected, although analysts said the impact of tariffs is more likely to be visible in May or June data. Top US retailer Walmart warned Thursday that it will begin raising prices soon due to the tariffs.Preliminary data showed US consumer confidence data dipped in May, but the snapshot was taken before the US-China tariff pause was announced.US consumer sentiment is now down nearly 30 percent from the start of the year, with trade policy dominating the thinking of consumers, as nearly three-quarters spontaneously mentioned tariffs, researchers at the University of Michigan said.Oil prices rebounded after tumbling Thursday on the possibility a breakthrough in Iran nuclear talks, fuelled by Trump saying progress had been made on a deal. The uptick rode resurgent concern on India-Pakistan tensions.The dollar rose against major rival currencies as investors weigh whether the Federal Reserve will still cut interest rates this year following mixed inflation data. Shares in Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk, known for its blockbuster diabetes and weight-loss treatments Ozempic and Wegovy, dropped more than three percent after it announced the departure of its chief executive, before cutting losses.Novo Nordisk’s share price has fallen by more than half since June 2024 as it faces more competition.E-commerce titan Alibaba shed over six percent in Hong Kong after reporting a disappointing rise in first-quarter revenue amid sluggish consumer spending in China. – Key figures at around 1530 GMT -New York – Dow: UP less than 0.1 percent at 42,348.77 pointsNew York – S&P 500: UP 0.2 percent at 5,422.09New York – Nasdaq Composite: UP less than 0.1 percent at 19,121.22London – FTSE 100: UP 0.6 percent at 8,684.56 (close)Paris – CAC 40: UP 0.4 percent at 7,886.69 (close)Frankfurt – DAX: UP 0.3 percent at 23,767.43 (close)Tokyo – Nikkei 225: FLAT at 37,753.72 (close)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: DOWN 0.5 percent at 23,345.05 (close)Shanghai – Composite: DOWN 0.4 percent at 3,367.46 (close)Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1143 from $1.1185 on ThursdayPound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3258 from $1.3304Dollar/yen: UP at 145.99 yen from 145.65 yenEuro/pound: DOWN at 84.05 from 84.07 penceBrent North Sea Crude: UP 0.8 percent at $65.02 per barrelWest Texas Intermediate: UP 0.8 percent at $61.62 per barrelburs-rl/rmb

A Thai construction tycoon turned himself in on Friday to face charges of alleged negligence over the collapse of a skyscraper that killed dozens of people in a powerful earthquake, police said.The 30-storey Bangkok tower crumbled in seconds, killing 89 people, mostly construction workers, when a magnitude-7.7 tremor hit neighbouring Myanmar on March 28.The building being constructed to house the State Audit Office was the only structure to collapse in the Thai capital, raising serious concerns about safety standards and oversight.A Thai court on Thursday issued arrest warrants for 17 people on charges of “professional negligence causing death”, including Premchai Karnasuta, CEO of Italian-Thai Development (ITD), one of the kingdom’s largest construction firms.Premchai and 14 other suspects reported to Bangkok’s Bang Sue Police station where “they denied all charges”, district police chief Sanong Sangmanee told AFP, adding the remaining suspects were due Monday.If convicted, the 71-year-old magnate faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of 200,000 baht ($6,000).Livestream footage from local outlet The Reporters showed Premchai in a wheelchair as officers escorted him from the police station to court.A court official told AFP that Premchai will be held in pre-trial detention while prosecutors continue their investigation.This is not the tycoon’s first legal tangle. In 2021 a Thai court sentenced him to three years and two months in prison for poaching protected wildlife, including a black panther. He was released early in 2023 as part of a group of inmates granted clemency for good behaviour.According to public filings with the Stock Exchange of Thailand, Premchai owns nearly 12 percent of ITD’s shares.Thai justice department investigators said Friday they will probe cement plates used in the tower’s construction to gather further evidence for their case.

Stock markets were calmer Friday, with European stocks consolidating weekly gains fuelled by the China-US trade war hiatus and as investors awaited further developments over tariffs.Asian markets lost steam after enjoying one of their best weeks since US President Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariff bazooka last month caused indices to slump.”European shares are largely holding onto yesterday’s gains, which saw Germany’s DAX reach a record high” at the close, said Derren Nathan, head of equity research at Hargreaves Lansdown. London, Paris and Frankfurt were all higher Friday. Luxury stocks were bolstered after Cartier-owner Richemont posted higher net profit and sales, driven by resilience in its jewelery business, despite the sector struggling with weak demand from China. Pharmaceutical and energy stocks were up in London, as “investors were fishing for opportunities among areas that have recently been weak”, said AJ Bell investment director Russ Mould. “Pharma stocks have been volatile of late amid fears of tariffs on the sector, while a pullback in oil prices dragged down the big oil producers yesterday,” he added.Oil prices steadied after tumbling Thursday on the possibility a breakthrough in Iran nuclear talks, fuelled by Trump saying progress had been made on a deal.The dollar edged down against the euro and the yen on raised expectations that the Federal Reserve would still cut interest rates this year following mixed inflation data.Investors are now awaiting signals from the US president on trade talks, as countries seek deals to avoid his steep levies.However, analysts warn that initial optimism over the US-China truce — which saw them slash tit-for-tat tariffs for 90 days to allow for talks — has faded, given that levies are still elevated and pose a threat to economic growth. “Even if more trade deals are announced, it is still the case that tariffs on goods entering the US will be much higher than anyone dared to contemplate,” said IG chief market analyst Chris Beauchamp.In Asia, markets were more negative, with Shanghai and Hong Kong falling. Japan’s economy suffered its first quarterly contraction for a year in January-March, which analysts said did not help market sentiment.The Nikkei index closed flat.E-commerce titan Alibaba shed over six percent in Hong Kong after reporting a disappointing rise in first-quarter revenue amid sluggish consumer spending in China. Other tech firms were also lower, with e-commerce rival JD.com down along with Tencent and Meituan.- Key figures at around 1100 GMT -London – FTSE 100: UP 0.5 percent at 8,675.25 pointsParis – CAC 40: UP 0.7 percent at 7,904.83Frankfurt – DAX: UP 0.7 percent at 23,851.57Tokyo – Nikkei 225: FLAT at 37,753.72 (close)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: DOWN 0.5 percent at 23,345.05 (close)Shanghai – Composite: DOWN 0.4 percent at 3,367.46 (close)New York – Dow: UP 0.7 percent at 42,322.75 (close)Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1203 from $1.1185 on ThursdayPound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3296 from $1.3304Dollar/yen: DOWN at 145.49 yen from 145.65 yenEuro/pound: UP at 84.25 from 84.07 penceBrent North Sea Crude: UP 0.5 percent at $64.86 per barrelWest Texas Intermediate: UP 0.5 percent at $61.93 per barrel

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation group said Friday that it was “concerned” over the challenges to global trade, as ministers from APEC countries met in South Korea in the shadow of growing woes from US tariffs.Trade ministers from the top economies that make up APEC are meeting on South Korea’s Jeju Island amid concerns for the global trading system since US President Donald Trump unveiled bombshell levies on most partners.The United States is a key APEC member and was represented by Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, who held a series of bilateral meetings with nations eager to soften the blow of Washington’s tariffs.”We are concerned with the fundamental challenges faced by the global trading system,” trade ministers from the 21-member group, which includes China, said in a joint statement.They urged greater cooperation, saying they “remain committed” to APEC as a means of “bringing us together to address the economic challenges facing our region”.South Korea’s Minister for Trade, Cheong In-Kyo, said the joint statement was hard-won, with “significant differences” in positions clear early on in the talks.But at the last minute, the countries “dramatically” reached an agreement, he said, with the APEC emphasising the importance of global trading mechanisms such as the World Trade Organisation (WTO), as well as sustainable supply chains. This “sends a highly positive signal to global markets”, he said, adding that “APEC members can work together to navigate the current highly uncertain global trade environment effectively”.- No joint response to US -Cheong said there had been no discussion of “joint responses” to US tariffs, saying it was not possible as “each country faces significantly different circumstances”.South Korea recorded a $66 billion trade surplus with the United States last year — behind only Vietnam, Taiwan, and Japan — making it a key target of Trump’s trade tirade.Highly dependent on exports, the country has been hit hard by the 25 percent tariffs on automobiles imposed by Trump in early April. Greer also met South Korea’s Trade, Industry and Energy minister, Ahn Duk-geun, later in the day.Ahn said in a press conference that the two sides agreed to hold a “second round of technical consultations”.The South Korean delegation will fly to Washington next week to discuss issues such as trade and economic security.Ahn said he emphasised to Greer that South Korea has a free trade agreement with the United States.  “I made it clear that, against this backdrop of strong industrial cooperation, the current tariff issue has become a significant concern.”Trump announced additional “reciprocal” tariffs of up to 25 percent on South Korean exports last month, but later suspended them until early July.”Our objective is to finalise an agreement before that date, and we are making every effort to meet this timeline,” said Ahn. “I believe other countries are in a similar situation, and the United States has no reason to delay either.”Seoul aims to leverage the talks with commitments to purchase more US liquefied natural gas (LNG) and offer support in shipbuilding, a sector in which South Korea is a leader, after China.Earlier on Friday, Greer met Chung Ki-sun, the vice chairman of HD Hyundai, which owns South Korea’s largest shipbuilding company.HD Hyundai said in a statement that discussions covered cooperation with US shipmaker Huntington Ingalls Industries.Greer also met the CEO of South Korean shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean, which provides maintenance, repair and overhaul services for US Navy vessels.Shares of Hanwha Ocean rose nearly three percent on Friday morning, while HD Hyundai Heavy Industries gained as much as 3.6 percent.

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation group said Friday that it was “concerned” over the challenges to global trade, as ministers from APEC countries met in South Korea in the shadow of growing woes from US tariffs.Trade ministers from the top economies that make up APEC are meeting on South Korea’s Jeju Island amid concerns for the global trading system since US President Donald Trump unveiled bombshell levies on most partners.The United States is a key APEC member and was represented by Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, who held a series of bilateral meetings with nations eager to soften the blow of Washington’s tariffs.”We are concerned with the fundamental challenges faced by the global trading system,” trade ministers from the 21-member group, which includes China, said in a joint statement.They urged greater cooperation, saying they “remain committed” to APEC as a means of “bringing us together to address the economic challenges facing our region”.South Korea’s Minister for Trade, Cheong In-Kyo, said the joint statement was hard-won, with “significant differences” in positions clear early on in the talks.But at the last minute, the countries “dramatically” reached an agreement, he said, with the APEC emphasising the importance of global trading mechanisms such as the World Trade Organisation (WTO), as well as sustainable supply chains. This “sends a highly positive signal to global markets”, he said, adding that “APEC members can work together to navigate the current highly uncertain global trade environment effectively”.- No joint response to US -Cheong said there had been no discussion of “joint responses” to US tariffs, saying it was not possible as “each country faces significantly different circumstances”.South Korea recorded a $66 billion trade surplus with the United States last year — behind only Vietnam, Taiwan, and Japan — making it a key target of Trump’s trade tirade.Highly dependent on exports, the country has been hit hard by the 25 percent tariffs on automobiles imposed by Trump in early April. Greer also met South Korea’s Trade, Industry and Energy minister, Ahn Duk-geun, later in the day.Ahn said in a press conference that the two sides agreed to hold a “second round of technical consultations”.The South Korean delegation will fly to Washington next week to discuss issues such as trade and economic security.Ahn said he emphasised to Greer that South Korea has a free trade agreement with the United States.  “I made it clear that, against this backdrop of strong industrial cooperation, the current tariff issue has become a significant concern.”Trump announced additional “reciprocal” tariffs of up to 25 percent on South Korean exports last month, but later suspended them until early July.”Our objective is to finalise an agreement before that date, and we are making every effort to meet this timeline,” said Ahn. “I believe other countries are in a similar situation, and the United States has no reason to delay either.”Seoul aims to leverage the talks with commitments to purchase more US liquefied natural gas (LNG) and offer support in shipbuilding, a sector in which South Korea is a leader, after China.Earlier on Friday, Greer met Chung Ki-sun, the vice chairman of HD Hyundai, which owns South Korea’s largest shipbuilding company.HD Hyundai said in a statement that discussions covered cooperation with US shipmaker Huntington Ingalls Industries.Greer also met the CEO of South Korean shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean, which provides maintenance, repair and overhaul services for US Navy vessels.Shares of Hanwha Ocean rose nearly three percent on Friday morning, while HD Hyundai Heavy Industries gained as much as 3.6 percent.

Asian markets limped into the weekend as investors consolidated gains fed by the China-US trade war hiatus, having enjoyed one of their best weeks since Donald Trump unloaded his “Liberation Day” tariff bazooka last month.The dollar edged down after data showed US wholesale prices rose less than expected last month and retail sales were flat — following below-forecast consumer inflation figures — providing hope the Federal Reserve could cut interest rates this year.Oil prices extended losses after tumbling Thursday on hopes for a breakthrough in Iran nuclear talks after Trump said progress had been made on a deal.Investors are now awaiting signals from the US president on the progress of talks with his country’s trading partners as governments line up to strike deals to avoid his steep levies.However, analysts warn that the euphoria over Beijing and Washington’s detente — which saw them slash tit-for-tat tariffs for 90 days to allow for talks — has likely given way to the fact that levies are still elevated and pose a threat to economic growth.”Even if more trade deals are announced, it is still the case that tariffs on goods entering the US will be much higher than anyone dared to contemplate,” said IG chief market analyst Chris Beauchamp.”This should result in a not insignificant hit to earnings, though the impact will only start to become clear in future earnings reports.”The question for all investors is, have markets already priced in enough bad news following their big losses in the first half of April to avoid further falls later in the year?”The head of US retail titan Walmart highlighted the threat to consumers as he warned of price increases caused by Trump’s tariffs on imports from around the world.CEO Doug McMillon welcomed the dialling down of tensions with China but said the levies remained too high for his firm to absorb.”We will do our best to keep our prices as low as possible, but given the magnitude of the tariffs, even at the reduced levels, we aren’t able to absorb all the pressure,” he told analysts after reporting a solid quarter of earnings.Hong Kong fell on Friday, with e-commerce titan Alibaba shedding more than six percent at one point after reporting a disappointing rise in first-quarter revenue as Chinese consumer spending remained sluggish. Other tech firms were also lower, with e-commerce rival JD.com down along with Tencent and Meituan.The Nikkei index was flat after the release of figures showing Japan’s economy saw its first quarterly contraction for a year from January to March.Shanghai, Singapore, Wellington, Mumbai and Manila were all lower, but Sydney, Seoul, Bangkok, Jakarta and Taipei rose, with London, Paris and Frankfurt also up.- Key figures at around 0810 GMT -Tokyo – Nikkei 225: FLAT at 37,753.72 (close)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: DOWN 0.5 percent at 23,345.05 (close)Shanghai – Composite: DOWN 0.4 percent at 3,367.46 (close)London – FTSE 100: UP 0.5 percent at 8,673.14 Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1208 from $1.1185 on ThursdayPound/dollar: UP at $1.3314 from $1.3304Dollar/yen: DOWN at 145.19 yen from 145.65 yenEuro/pound: UP at 84.18 from 84.07 penceWest Texas Intermediate: DOWN 0.1 percent at $61.54 per barrelBrent North Sea Crude: DOWN 0.1 percent at $64.48 per barrelNew York – Dow: UP 0.7 percent at 42,322.75 (close)

Japan’s economy suffered its first quarterly contraction for a year in January-March, preliminary data showed Friday, and analysts warned Donald Trump’s tariffs could tip it into recession if a deal is not struck.The 0.2 percent on-quarter shrinkage was more than expected and will deal a blow to Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba ahead of parliamentary elections in July, with voters already angry over inflation and corruption within the ruling party.Observers said the figures — which compared with 0.6 percent growth in the final three months of 2024 — could also mean the Bank of Japan will have to wait a little longer before resuming its monetary tightening programme.The last time the world’s number four economy shrank was in January-March 2024 — when it contracted 0.4 percent.On an annualised basis, the economy shrank 0.7 percent in the first quarter.Ahead of the data, experts said Japan would face headwinds as the US president’s trade war roils the global economy, and while Tokyo is in discussions with the White House to avert the full impact there are still plenty of concerns.”Uncertainty is greatly heightened by the Trump tariffs, and it is likely that the economic slowdown trend will become clearer from (the second quarter) onward,” said BNP Paribas chief economist Ryutaro Kono.Trump’s hardball campaign to rectify what he says are unfair trade imbalances includes tariffs on trading partners and imports including steel and automobiles.But Japan’s economic woes run deeper than the trade war.With domestic and foreign demand flagging, the economy “remains without a driving force”, said Yoshiki Shinke of Dai-ichi Life Research Institute.”The possibility of the economy entering a recession cannot be ruled out, depending on the degree of downward pressure caused by the tariff issue,” he warned before Friday’s release.The data showed exports, a key driver of growth, fell 0.6 percent on-quarter while imports jumped 2.9 percent, weighing on overall GDP.The Bank of Japan this month revised down its growth forecasts and held interest rates steady, warning that trade tariffs were fuelling global economic uncertainty.”With US tariffs set to weigh on export growth, the Bank of Japan’s decision to become more downbeat about the economic outlook at its previous meeting seems to be vindicated,” Marcel Thieliant of Capital Economics said Friday.The central bank “will probably wait even longer before resuming its tightening cycle than we had anticipated”, he predicted.Stefan Angrick of Moody’s Analytics said government policies could compound the risk posed to its economy by the US tariffs.”Ishiba’s government has so far opposed fiscal support for the economy, a strategy that looked untenable even before the trade war ramped up,” he wrote Friday.”With public support slipping, a policy pivot may become unavoidable, but could arrive too late to make a difference.”The figures come as Ishiba prepares for elections for Japan’s upper house of parliament in two months.His coalition was deprived of a majority in the powerful lower house in October as voters vented their anger at rising prices and political scandals.It was the worst election result in 15 years for the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which has governed Japan almost continuously since 1955.

Calligraphy by a South Korean independence hero, created while awaiting execution for assassinating a Japanese statesman, is breaking new auction records in Seoul, as the country’s ultra-rich seek to bring historic artwork home.Revered in the South for his efforts to defend the country against Japanese encroachment, Ahn Jung-geun is best known for his dramatic, high-stakes assassination of Japan’s first prime minister, Ito Hirobumi, in 1909 at a railway station in Harbin.He was hanged for the killing by Japanese authorities in 1910, just months before Tokyo formally annexed the Korean peninsula, ushering in a brutal period of occupation that lasted until the end of the Second World War.Now, more than a century after his death, the calligraphy Ahn created in his prison cell during his final days — typically at the request of Japanese officials — is drawing fresh attention in Seoul’s glitzy art scene.In South Korea, Ahn’s life has long inspired artists across generations, giving rise to a highly celebrated musical, multiple novels, and films — including one starring “Crash Landing on You” actor Hyun Bin.Ahn was held in his prison cell in China for about 40 days leading up to his execution and he kept himself busy writing an autobiography and making hundreds of calligraphy pieces, including one requested by his own prison guard.”The court and prison officials, saying they wanted to keep my calligraphy as a memento, brought me hundreds of sheets of silk and paper and asked me to create for them,” Ahn wrote in his autobiography.”I ended up spending several hours each day doing calligraphy, even though I wasn’t particularly skilled in it.”Even though Ahn had assassinated their top official Ito, the Japanese who took his calligraphy preserved them with care, and some of their descendants have donated them to the South Korean government, which subsequently designated them as national treasures. Now, more of the calligraphies are surfacing in the private art market, with the latest being auctioned last month in Seoul for 940 million won (US$674,098) — more than three times its opening bid.The piece, which says “green bamboo” — a traditional symbol of integrity — had been owned by a Japanese individual who did not wish to be identified, and they had done an impeccable job preserving it, said Kim Jun-seon, art valuation specialist at Seoul Auction.”It wasn’t even mounted and was still rolled up, but when we opened the case, the scent of ink still lingered in the air,” she told AFP.- ‘Terrorist’ – Japan said Ahn was a criminal and terrorist and refused to hand over his remains. They have never been located.Moves to honour Ahn by Seoul and Beijing have previously strained ties with Tokyo, even briefly sparking a diplomatic row in 2013. The fact that his Japanese captors preserved his calligraphy “reflects the cultural and political contradictions of early twentieth-century East Asia,” said Eugene Y. Park, a history professor at University of Nevada, Reno.At his trial, Ahn identified himself as a soldier for Korea, defined his assassination of Ito as a military operation, and envisioned a united East Asia — comprising Korea, China, and Japan — somewhat akin to today’s European Union.”Some Japanese may have seen him as a misguided but principled idealist,” Park told AFP.His calligraphy, which focused on values such as peace and ethics, “resonated culturally, even if he opposed them politically,” he said.”At a time when Japan’s own imperial identity was unsettled, preserving his works revealed deeper tensions between respect for moral courage and the pursuit of colonial domination.”- Go in peace – In 2023, the Global Sae-A Group, a South Korean conglomerate, purchased one of Ahn’s calligraphies for a record-breaking 1.95 billion won.The piece “Green Bamboo” was sold at auction last month to the family of South Korea’s LS Group.”We expressed our intention to bring the piece back to Korea and share it with the public,” Joung Tae-hee at Seoul Auction said, adding that the Japanese owner agreed to sell after hearing their proposal.Lee Sang-hyun, of the LS Group family, told AFP that his mother “hopes many citizens will be able to see this piece and that it will also be studied,” and they are considering donating it to a national institution.Ahn became a catholic as a teenager and ends his autobiography with the words of Nicolas Joseph Marie Wilhelm, a French priest and missionary stationed in Korea, who travelled to his prison to see the activist and give him confession.The priest — who had also baptised Ahn and was a long-time friend — was disciplined for his trip, and was later forced to return to France.”The gracious lord will never abandon you,” Wilhelm told Ahn. “He will surely take you in, so rest your heart and go in peace.”