1. South Korean government sources report troop movements in North Korea appear to be drills for a military parade, which may be scheduled for the day before the Olympic Games.
2. U.S. President Donald Trump is in last-minute negotiations to avert a partial government shutdown before a midnight deadline on Friday.
3. Japanese government officials have upgraded their monthly economic assessment for the first time in seven months.
日: 2018年1月20日
January 19, Friday, 2018 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Sara Mcdonald and Ms. Eriko Kojima
1. North Korea has denounced Japan’s prime minister and foreign minister for urging the international community to increase pressure on Pyongyang.
2. Japan’s prime minister and his Australian counterpart have agreed that denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula is dispensable for safety in Asia.
3. Japan’s Defense Ministry has released footage that appears to show 3 U.S. military helicopters flying above an elementary school in the southern prefecture of Okinawa.