The morning focused on the commencement of substantive budget deliberations, where editors prioritized Prime Minister Takaichi's defense of her catalog gift distribution. She characterized the ¥30,000 gifts as customary "wedding money," a narrative that competed for space with her reiteration of a male-line-only imperial succession. By midday, attention shifted to the Takaichi administration’s aggressive fiscal maneuvering. Outlets reported her intent to submit legislation during an extraordinary Diet session to reduce the consumption tax on food to zero for two years, despite opposition skepticism regarding the "National Conference" forum. Evening coverage was dominated by corporate realignment and foreign interference. Major papers tracked Netflix’s withdrawal from the Warner acquisition race, leaving Paramount as the victor. Simultaneously, reports from OpenAI highlighted Chinese state-linked efforts to use generative AI to discredit Takaichi, while Mizuho Financial Group announced a reduction of 5,000 administrative positions as it transitions toward AI-driven operations.