- Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has expressed his resolve to advance negotiations for a peace treaty with Russia ahead of his planned meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
- The leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations have reportedly confirmed that the 10-nation bloc will take the lead in the region’s development while seeking benefits from international initiatives.
- Japan’s economy contracted for the first time in two quarters. Government officials say a string of natural disasters in the period dented exports and consumer spending.