The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan elected former Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda as its new leader in a runoff vote against Yukio Edano. Noda emphasized his commitment to winning power in the upcoming election. Meanwhile, a Russian military aircraft violated Japanese airspace near Rebun Island in Hokkaido three times, prompting Japanese fighter jets to scramble and use flares as a warning for the first time. The ongoing search and rescue efforts continued in Ishikawa Prefecture following recent heavy rains, with the death toll rising to seven and several people still missing. The SoftBank Hawks clinched their fourth Pacific League title in Japanese professional baseball. These events unfolded against the backdrop of ongoing tensions with Russia and domestic political realignment.