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1. The US trade representative says Washington is set to raise import tariffs to 15 percent from 10 percent, a move that could affect Japan and many other countries. The levies replace some of the previous tariffs imposed by the Trump administration, which were struck down by the Supreme Court last week.
2. Senior US and Iranian officials wrapped up their nuclear talks on Thursday in Geneva.  The Iranian side described the session as “one of the most serious” exchanges they have had.
3. Private-sector weather firms in Japan have released their latest forecasts for when the buds on cherry trees in the country will start to open this spring.

1. North Korean media report that leader Kim Jong Un has said Pyongyang will continue to pursue nuclear and missile development, but indicated it could improve relations with the United States.
2. Chinese President Xi Jinping and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz have confirmed that their countries will strengthen economic and other cooperation.
3. Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae has said there is no legal problem with her distribution of gift catalogs to lawmakers of her Liberal Democratic Party. Takaichi posted on the social media platform X on Tuesday night that she sent the catalogs to all LDP lawmakers in the Lower House of the Diet after this month’s general election.

1. US President Donald Trump is delivering the annual State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress.  He will likely use the speech to tout his achievements since taking office last year. The address comes at the midterm elections are looming in November. Last week, the US Supreme Court struck down the tariffs he had imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.  He reacted quickly and signed an order for a new 10-percent global duty using a different law.
2. European leaders have gathered in Kyiv to mark a somber milestone, the 4^th anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.  They also held a summit to discuss how to boost support for the country. During the summit, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the leaders for the latest air defense package.  He also said Ukraine needs a European Union loan package, worth 90 billion euros, or about 106 billion dollars.
3. The UN General Assembly passed a resolution calling for an immediate, full and unconditional ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine on Tuesday. The United States abstained, after expressing reservations about parts of the text. Ukraine’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mariana Betsa submitted a draft resolution stressing the importance of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

1. A survey by a private researcher suggests that only about a quarter of firms expect positive effects from a possible cut in Japan’s consumption tax.  Nearly half of respondents anticipate no impact.
2. Japan’s Trade Minister Akazawa Ryosei said he asked his US counterpart to make sure the latest developments on tariffs will not affect existing agreements between the nations.
3. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will visit Japan next week for talks with Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae. It will be his first visit to Japan since he took office.

1. The UNESCO world heritage city of Verona in northern Italy was the stage for the closing ceremony of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games on Sunday. Athletes and volunteers carrying the flags of participating countries and territories marched into the arena.  They included Japanese figure skater Sakamoto Kaori, who won two silver medals, and Japanese speed skater Morishige Wataru.
2. Ukraine says Russia’s forces attacked railway and water facilities in the country ahead of the fourth anniversary of Moscow’s military invasion.  The Ukrainian Air Force says Russia’s forces launched an attack on the capital Kyiv and other places through Sunday morning.  It notes the forces used 50 missiles and nearly 300 drones.
3. Japan’s Emperor Naruhito turned 66 on Monday.  Ahead of his birthday, he spoke to reporters at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo.  This year marks 15 years since the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and 10 years since the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake. The Emperor said his heart aches even now to think that the disasters caused enormous damage in various places.

1. Japan has collected two medals in the women’s single figure skating at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games.  Sakamoto Kaori won the silver and Nakai Ami won the bronze. The gold medal went to Alysa Liu of the United States.
2. Japan’s government has submitted a record draft budget to the Diet for the fiscal year starting in April.  It amounts to 122.3 trillion yen, or 789 billion dollars. More than 30 percent of the expenditure is allocated to social security, reflecting the aging of the population.  Almost 58 billion dollars is earmarked to significantly upgrade defense capabilities.
3. A Japanese health ministry expert panel has conditionally endorsed two products using iPS cells, paving the way for the world’s first practical use of iPS cell-derived products.

1. Former South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has been sentenced to life in prison on a charge of leading an insurrection by declaring martial law.
2. A court in South Korea has sentenced former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo to 23 years in prison for playing a key role in an insurrection related to former President Yoon Suk-yeol’s declaration of martial law in December 2024.
3. Japan’s education ministry has decided to allow three national universities to take in more students from abroad, amid intensifying international competition to attract foreign students. The ministry says there were a record 336,708 foreign students in Japan in 2024.  It aims to increase the figure to 400,000 by 2033.

1. The Japanese Diet is soon expected to re-elect Takaichi Sanae as prime minister.  Her Liberal Democratic Party achieved a landslide victory in the Lower House election.  There are now 106 first-time Lower House members, which is seven more than the last election two years ago.  After every Lower House election, lawmakers in both chambers have to vote to choose a prime minister.
2. The Japanese government has announced that it will make additional financial contributions to support UNESCO projects in Ukraine, Palestine and elsewhere. Japan’s government says it will provide about 1.378 billion yen, or over 8.9 million dollars, to support 27 countries and regions.
3. Warner Bros. Discovery says it is reopening merger talks to give Paramount Skydance a one-week deadline to come up with a final buyout offer. The move comes after rival Netflix in December agreed to buy Warner’s video-streaming and studio businesses for 72 billion dollars.

1. Japan’s Miura Riku and Kihara Ryuichi won the gold medal in the pairs figure skating competition at the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games on Monday. It is the first time ever that a Japanese pair has won a medal in Olympic pairs figure skating. Miura and Kihara slipped to fifth after an error on a lift in Sunday’s short program.
2. Japan’s transport ministry has simplified inspections for US automobile imports based on a bilateral tariff agreement.  The transport ministry revised an ordinance on automotive safety standards to allow imports of US vehicles without additional tests as long as they confirm to US safety standards.
3. Tokyo police have arrested three Chinese men in connection with what they believe is a group cheating scheme targeting the Test of English for International Communication, also known as the TOEIC exam.

1.A district court in Tokyo has sentenced a 41-year-old man to life in prison as requested for his alleged involvement in a series of robberies by a group with a mastermind who used the name “Luffy.” The Tokyo District Court handed down the ruling on Monday against Fujita Toshiyas, a senior member of the group that was based in the Philippines.

2.Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae has met with Bank of Japan Governor Ueda Kazuo for the first time after the Lower House election on February 8.  They reportedly discussed the state of the economy and finance in general. Asked about whether Takaichi had asked for any BOJ policies, Ueda said there were no specific requests.

3. Japan collected two more medals on Sunday, Day 10 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games. Freestyle skier Horishima Ikuma won the silver in the men’s dual moguls competition.  Speed skater Takagi Miho won the bronze in the women’s 500 meters.