October 31, Wednesday, 2018 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Mr. Michael Resse and Ms. Mariko Kojima

  1. The New Zealand government says the Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade agreement will go into effect on December 30th.
  2. Japan plans to urge South Korea to respond appropriately to the ruling by its Supreme Court on wartime compensation.
  3. U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that his administration will impose additional tariffs on China if the 2 countries fail to reach a deal on trade.

October 30, Tuesday, 2018 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Fumiko Konoe and Ms. Hiroko Kitadai

  1. The prime ministers of Japan and India have agreed on enhanced cooperation in security and digital technology.
  2. Indonesian authorities expect there will be no survivors from a passenger plane that crashed off Jakarta on Monday.
  3. The German chancellor says she won’t seek re-election in 2021 and will retire from politics, following heavy losses in the recent regional election.

October 29, Monday, 2018 (2:00 p.m.) Ms. Emma Howard and Mr. Yoshi Ogasawara

  1. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi will hold their 12th summit in Tokyo on Monday.
  2. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has expressed hope that discussions will begin with the United States on the possibility of a new treaty.
  3. Indonesia’s government says a Lion Air passenger plane has lost contact and is believed to have crashed in the Ocean off Jakarta shortly after taking off on Wednesday morning.

October 28, Sunday, 2018 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Mr. Hirokazu Sakamaki and Ms. Keiko Kitagawa

  1. U.S. law enforcement authorities are treating the deadly mass shooting at a synagogue in Pittsburgh as a hate crime.
  2. Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister has said the media outcry over the killing of a Saudi journalist has become “hysterical.”
  3. The Japanese foreign minister has vowed his country’s commitment to help stabilize the Middle East region by assisting with its human resource development.

October 27, Saturday, 2018 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Fumiko Konoe and Ms. Risa Shimizu

  1. Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese President Xi Jinping have shared the view that they are determined to turn a new page in the relationship between the two countries.
  2. India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has told NHK that he wants to work with Japan to help create a free and open Indo-Pacific region, adding that Japan is an essential partner.
  3. U.S. investigators say they have arrested a man in connection with the suspected mail bombs sent to Democratic politicians and critics of President Donald Trump.

October 26, Friday, 2018 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Emma Howard and Mr. Raja Pradhan

  1. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has held talks with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.
  2. A public prosecutor in Saudi Arabia says the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi was premeditated.
  3. South Korea’s Defense Ministry reports the North and the South militaries together with the U.N. Command have finished removing firearms from a jointly controlled area at the truce village of Panmunjom.

October 25, Thursday, 2018 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Mr. Raja Pradhan and Ms. Hiroko Kitadai

  1. Tokyo’s benchmark stock index plunged in the morning session on Thursday after steep declines in New York. The Nikkei Average briefly fell more than 800 points.
  2. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is making an official visit to China on Thursday. He is the first Japanese leader to do so in 7 years.
  3. Japanese freelance journalist Jumpei Yasuda is on his way home after being held captive by militants in Syria for more than 3 years.

October 24, Wednesday, 2018 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Mr. Raja Pradhan and Ms. Mariko Kojima

  1. The Japanese government says it is highly likely that freelance journalist Jumpei Yasuda has been released by militants in Syria.
  2. Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is to appear at an economic forum amid allegations that he was behind the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
  3. White House National Economic Council director said U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet next month.

October 23, Tuesday, 2018 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Ms. Fumiko Konoe and Ms. Hiroko Kitadai

  1. Japan is to stop providing China with government aid next year and start jointly helping developing countries.
  2. U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton met Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow on Monday. They likely discussed the U.S.’s intention to withdraw from a treaty with Russia on the elimination of intermediate-range missiles.
  3. Taiwanese prosecutors reportedly believe Sunday’s deadly derailment was caused by the train breaking the speed limit.

October 22, Monday, 2018 (2:00 p.m.) Read by Mr. Yoshi Ogasawara and Ms. Emma Howard

  1. Taiwanese railway authorities say the driver of the derailed express train had reported problems with the train before the accident.
  2. U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton is scheduled to explain the U.S. withdrawal from a nuclear missile treaty with the Soviet Union to Russian officials in Moscow.
  3. Reuters news agency has quoted a senior Saudi official as saying that journalist Jamal Khashoggi was choked to death.