The Day Energy Pacts and Bid-Rigging Raids Dominated

The day was defined by two major stories. In the morning, Prime Minister Takaichi departed for South Korea, arriving in Andong for a summit with President Lee Jae-myung. By early afternoon, the two leaders agreed to launch a policy dialogue on energy security, including mutual oil and LNG assistance, and reaffirmed Japan-US-Korea cooperation on North Korea. Separately, the Fair Trade Commission raided nine construction companies and the ordering agency over suspected bid-rigging in the Hokkaido Shinkansen extension project, a scandal that threatens to delay the already troubled project. Meanwhile, the Tochigi robbery-murder case continued to develop, with new evidence of a high school student's clothing found near the scene and reports that the suspects met for the first time on the day of the crime. The GDP data released in the morning showed 2.1% annualized growth, beating expectations and marking two consecutive quarters of expansion, driven by exports.