December 31, Sunday, 2017 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Mr. Hirokazu Sakamaki and Ms. Keiko Kitagawa

1. Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent a personal New Year’s message to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, as well as to other world leaders on Saturday.
2. Major cities in Europe and the U.S. are tightening security on New Year’s Eve amid growing concerns in the wake of terrorist attacks over the past year.
3. Japan’s land ministry says this year has seen the highest number of land-related disasters in Japan in a decade.