Takamatsu went on to lose to fellow Japanese Takahiro Nakai in the final while Burton had to settle for bronze.

BBC: Euan Burton throws Yoel Razvozov

That hardly sounds an environmentalist's prescription, but some argue the sustainable harvesting of the Nakai plateau's trees would bring Laos as much money as the dam, at less risk.

ECONOMIST: Laos

"Both the US and Japanese stock markets are seen requesting a cut in interest rates to their monetary authorities, " said Hiroyuki Nakai, investment research manager at Tokai Tokyo Securities.

BBC: Japan stocks hit 15-year low