17:53 (08:53)â¢US Government Stalls
âšJapanese media prominently reports the partial shutdown of the US government due to budget disputes, with 750,000 workers on standby (Yahoo News Japan). This ongoing situation, previously highlighted by Nikkei Shimbun, is a key focus, while the LDP presidential race continues to see Koizumi and Takaichi leading in polls (The Japan Times). Separately, Nikkei Shimbun discusses Japan's decline in per capita GDP.