01.01.2026

The Day of the Noto Second Anniversary

THE

HEAR

This page is an archive of main headlines from Japan for 01.01.2026.

It displays 27 headlines from many sources chronologically, as they appeared throughout the day, accompanied by AI overviews that were written in real time.

01.01.2026 ⇢ The Day of the Noto Second Anniversary

⌨On January 1, Japanese editorial priority focused on the intersection of imperial tradition and the somber second anniversary of the Noto Peninsula earthquake. Morning headlines were dominated by Emperor Naruhito’s New Year address, which balanced national encouragement with reflections on ongoing recovery. This narrative of continuity was bolstered by reports of Prince Hisahito’s debut at the New Year’s Greeting Ceremony.
By early afternoon, the editorial focus shifted heavily toward the Noto region. Coverage transitioned from official memorial ceremonies and a 16:10 moment of silence to personal accounts of grief among the 18,000 residents still in temporary housing. National outlets prioritized the slow pace of reconstruction and the rising toll of disaster-related deaths. Simultaneously, editors tracked a mass-casualty explosion at a Swiss ski resort and Prime Minister Takaichi’s policy interviews. Late evening reporting shifted toward domestic safety as the Kanto-Koshin region braced for heavy snow warnings.

01.01.2026

02.01.2026

00:15 (15:15)⇢Tremors in the Northern Night

⌨Japanese media have pivoted toward immediate seismic activity in Iwate Prefecture following a magnitude 4 earthquake (NHK, TBS, Yahoo). While no tsunami risk was reported, the event intensified the existing focus on disaster memory as Noto marks the second anniversary of its devastating quake with candlelit vigils (Chunichi, Mainichi). Editors are balancing these real-time alerts against year-end cultural and economic retrospectives.

00:16

朝日新聞

あなたは人？のぞき込む目玉　AIの先駆者が仕掛ける「人間の証明」

ネットでやりとりする相手が、AI（人工知能）かもしれない。そう思ったことはないですか。　もしかすると、相手もこう思っているかもしれない。　「あなたは人間ですか」　米サンフランシスコ中心部の目抜き通りに立つ施設。丸い舞台の上に、目玉のような球…

00:16 (15:16 in your timezone)

00:51

Yahoo! Japan

天皇陛下新年の感想を公表

00:51 (15:51 in your timezone)

09:45

Yahoo! Japan

能登地震2年仮住まい1万8000人超

09:45 (00:45 in your timezone)

09:51

Nikkei Asia

China signals military resolve with expanded exercises around Taiwan

Sudden, large operations raise difficulty of distinguishing between 'exercise or real thing'

09:51 (00:51 in your timezone)

10:18 (01:18)⇢Noto's Second Winter in Temporary Walls

⌨Japanese editors are marking the new year by intertwining imperial tradition with the somber second anniversary of the Noto Peninsula earthquake. While imperial reports focus on the Emperor's reflections (TBS), news desks are highlighting the 18,000 residents still in temporary housing, emphasizing a recovery that remains incomplete (NHK, Yahoo). Simultaneously, conservative outlets maintain focus on regional security as China expands military exercises around Taiwan (Nikkei Asia).

10:19

Kyodo News

FOCUS: N. Korea may pursue active diplomacy after ruling party congress in 2026

Emerging from years of isolation, North Korea may pursue active diplomacy in 2026, including the resumption of dialogue between leader Kim Jong Un and U.

10:19 (01:19 in your timezone)

11:16

朝日新聞

巨大テック企業に集中するAIの資源　国も管理できない「力」の行方

2026年も「第4次AI（人工知能）ブーム」と称されるうねりが続き、AIの普及が広がりそうだ。その熱狂とともに、ビッグテックと呼ばれる米巨大ITへの権力の集中が静かに進んでいる。　「2030年までには極めて強力なAIが実現する。人間社会に著…

11:16 (02:16 in your timezone)

12:17 (03:17)⇢Snow Dusts the Temporary Walls

⌨Japanese editors are marking the New Year by balancing imperial continuity with the somber second anniversary of the Noto Peninsula earthquake, where 18,000 residents remain in temporary housing (NHK, TBS, Yahoo). Outlets like Mainichi and Sankei shift focus toward structural societal challenges, reporting on historical political corruption and the local impact of Japan's growing foreign population, while Asahi warns of concentrated AI power.