Trump's executive order imposing steep tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China dominated coverage from midnight, with markets reacting sharply. Canada's immediate 25% retaliatory tariffs marked the first major response, while China expressed "strong dissatisfaction." Economic analysis projected $50 billion losses for US automakers.
The H3 rocket's fifth successful launch from Tanegashima, deploying the Michibiki-6 GPS satellite, provided temporary respite from economic concerns. SoftBank and OpenAI's announcement of plans to build AI infrastructure across 500 Japanese companies emerged as a strategic response to China's DeepSeek AI system.
The Yashio sinkhole rescue remained stalled as water continued flooding the cavity, forcing evacuation of five additional households. Weather services warned of heavy snowfall starting February 4, particularly affecting the Sea of Japan regions. The Sapporo Snow Festival's preparations highlighted ongoing challenges with warming temperatures.
