On January 29, Japanese editorial priority shifted from election logistics to a historic economic milestone as gold prices surged past 30,000 yen per gram for the first time. Morning headlines across major outlets like Asahi and Yomiuri highlighted this 2,200-yen single-day spike, framing it as a symptom of global currency instability. Simultaneously, the political desk focused on early polling for the February 8 election, with Yomiuri and Mainichi reporting that the LDP is on track for a single-party majority, while the Centrist Reform Alliance struggles to gain traction. In the afternoon, attention turned to electoral integrity following Mainichi’s reports of systemic ballot manipulation in Tokyo, and a major 400-million-yen robbery in Taito Ward. The day concluded with urgent meteorological warnings as record-breaking snowfall reached central Tokyo and the Kanto region, forcing further voting hour reductions and disrupting national transport infrastructure.
