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- The number of foreigners employed in Japan hit a record high last year, surpassing the 2.5 million mark for the first time and highlighting the country’s labor shortages. The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry said as of the end of October, 2,571,037 foreign nationals were employed in Japan.
- An international conference at the United Nations has discussed how online games are being used to spread violent extremism and radicalize young people.
- Ten US warships, including a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, are reportedly deployed near Iran as Washington demands that Tehran enter into negotiations over its nuclear program.
- A rally in the Japanese currency has stalled following remarks from US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. He said the administration has a strong dollar policy, tamping down speculation of currency intervention.
- A strong winter pressure pattern is expected to bring heavy snow to wide areas along the Sea of Japan coast through Friday. Snow may even accumulate in some flatlands on the Pacific side.
- Early voting is now underway, one day after campaigning for Japan’s Lower House election began on Tuesday. In this election, there are only 16 days from dissolution to election day. As a result, distribution of admission tickets to polling stations will be delayed to next Monday or later.
- Atomic scientists set their “Doomsday Clock” closer to midnight. It symbolizes how close the world is to destroying itself. They cited a growing number of “apocalyptic dangers.”
- The United States has formally withdrawn from the Paris Agreement, an international framework to tackle global warming. The White House described the move as another “America First victory.”
- A spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry has announced that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will visit the country from Wednesday. The visit will be the first by a UK prime minister to China in eight years.
- It’s officially election season in Japan. Candidates are about to begin their campaigns to win a seat in the Lower House. Voters will cast ballots in February to choose their next government. Filing for candidacy will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday. It’s the first general election for Takaichi Sanae as prime minister, who has held office since October. It’s also the first Lower House election since late 2024. All 465 seats in the Lower House are up for grabs. 289 of them will be from single-seat constituencies. The remaining 176 will be elected through a system of proportional representation. Two-hundred-thirty-three seats are needed for a majority.
- Two giant pandas at Tokyo’s Ueno Zoological Gardens will depart for China on Tuesday. Their departure will leave Japan with no giant pandas for the first time since two arrived in 1972 to commemorate the normalization of diplomatic ties between the two countries.
- The Israeli military said the body of the last hostage in Gaza has been brought home. This milestone brings an end to the hostage crisis for the country, which started with the October 7th attacks more than two years ago.
- Japan’s weather officials say intermittent snowfall continues in Hokkaido and northern Tohoku due to lingering cold waves, even though their peak has passed. A series of cold waves has swept across the country, bringing heavy snow. People are advised to stay alert for possible traffic disruptions.
- New York gold futures topped 5,000 dollars an ounce to set all-time high on Monday. Demand for the safe-haven asset is surging amid rising geopolitical risk. Investors are concerned US President Donald Trump’s comments on acquiring Greenland will continue to create friction with Europe. US tensions with Iran are another uncertainty.
- Ozeki champion Aonishiki has won the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament after a playoff. This is the Ukrainian wrestler’s second title in a row and the second of his career. He secured victory by beating rank-and-file wrestler Atamifuji in Tokyo on Sunday. They faced off with 12 winds and three losses on the final day of the tournament.
- US President Donald Trump has warned Iran, saying that “a massive fleet” is moving toward the country. Trump said, “We have a lot of ships going that direction, just in case.” But he also said he would “rather not see anything happen.” He said the fleet may not have to be used, adding, “We’ll see.”
- The Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association says it has developed a system to help carmakers avoid semiconductor supply shortages. JAMA’s Chairman and Toyota Motor President Sato Koji says the system will show supply data from chipmakers. This will give a warning of possible shortages and allow car makers to take early action to find other suppliers.
- The Japanese box office sensation “Kokuho” has been nominated for the Best Makeup and Hairstyling category in this year’s Oscars. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the nominees for the 98th Academy Awards on Thursday.
- The man sentenced to life in prison for fatally shooting former Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo has reportedly said he expected the ruling and will discuss with his lawyers whether to appeal.
- Prices of used condominiums in Tokyo’s 23 wards continue to surge with the average topping 119 million yen in December. Real estate research firm Tokyo Kantei says the average listing price of a 70-square-meter unit was roughly 755, 000 dollars last month. That is up 37.1 percent in yen terms from a year earlier.
- A traditional display of handcrafted hanging ornaments and “Hinamatsuri” dolls is attracting visitors to Shizuoka Prefecture, central Japan. Hinamatsuri is an annual event to wish for health and happiness of young girls. The Hina Doll Hanging Decoration Festival is underway in Higashi Izu Town.
- Bad weather and volcanic gases are hampering a search and rescue effort for a sightseeing helicopter that is feared to have crashed on Mount Aso in southwestern Japan.
- Tokyo’s Shibuya district is testing an artificial intelligence system linked to street security cameras. It’s the area’s latest attempt to curb rowdiness and littering caused by public drinking of alcohol.
- An inn located in the central Japanese city of Takayama has created an ice forest, taking advantage of the freezing cold weather. The inn is situated in Gifu Prefecture at an altitude of about 1,000 meters. Every year around this time, it creates what it calls a “Subzero Forest” by spraying water onto trees and mountain slopes.
- Japan’s tourism minister says a record number of foreigners visited Japan in 2025, topping the 40 million mark for the first time. That is partly due to the weak yen. Kaneko Yasushi told reporters on Tuesday that inbound foreign travelers totaled 42.7 million last year.
- Heavy snow is being forecast for wide areas from western to northern Japan from Wednesday to around Sunday.
- The yield on Japan’s benchmark government bond shot up in early trading on Tuesday to the highest level in 27 years. Traders placed sell orders on concern that Japan’s fiscal health will worsen. The yield on the 10-year JGB rose to 2.33 percent at one point, the highest since February 1999. When the price of a bond falls, its yield goes up.
- People in Japan will head to the polls on February 8. Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae says she is seeking a stronger mandate for her coalition government. The starting gun for the snap race will fire next week, after Takaichi dissolves the Lower House this Friday. Speaking on Monday, she said her Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party, are aiming for a majority.
- Two opposition parties in Japan have announced the platform of the new party they have jointly formed. The Centrist Reform Alliance says it will push for policies that put top priority on people. The Centrist Reform Alliance says what is now required is the power of centrist politics to steadily push people-first policies forward by repeatedly building consensus, rather than politics that incites confrontation and deepens rifts.
- Thailand’s foreign minister said his government has sent monitors to observe the general election organized by the military authorities of neighboring Myanmar. Pro-democracy groups have been excluded from taking part in the election. The international community has widely condemned the vote as a sham.