Japan formally requested exemption from Trump's steel tariffs, with Nippon Steel executives heading to Washington for direct negotiations. The diplomatic shift followed confirmation that the issue wasn't discussed during recent summit talks.
The rescue operation at Tsuchiyu Onsen successfully evacuated 40 people trapped by avalanches, while winter casualties reached 12 deaths and 158 injuries nationwide. The University of Tokyo announced record-high female admission rates approaching 50% through recommendation-based selection.
By afternoon, debate intensified over surname system reform within LDP, with conservative members proposing expanded maiden name usage as alternative to separate surnames. SoftBank Group reported ¥369.1 billion quarterly loss, while adding ¥230 billion investment in OpenAI. Evening reports warned of another intense cold wave approaching.
