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Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba called for unity within the LDP to win the upcoming Upper House and Tokyo metropolitan assembly elections, despite the party's recent loss of its Lower House majority. He emphasized the need to address public distrust and work towards wage hikes, work-style reforms, and a stronger alliance with the United States.

Japan plans to export 350,000 tons of rice by 2030 to prevent future shortages, utilizing exports as an "adjustment valve" to stabilize domestic supply and mitigate price fluctuations. This initiative aims to address the current rice shortage and declining domestic demand, while also promoting international trade and ensuring food security.

The Japanese government's move to incorporate the Science Council of Japan while strengthening state oversight has raised concerns about academic freedom, particularly due to the unexplained refusal of six nominated candidates in 2020. This has been criticized as an attempt to cover up the incongruity of the selection process and comes amidst concerns about the SCJ's effectiveness in addressing Japan's declining scientific achievement...

The new regional political party Saisei no Michi, founded by Shinji Ishimaru, has received an overwhelming response with over 1,000 applicants for the upcoming Tokyo metropolitan assembly election. The party, which aims to field up to 60 candidates across all 42 electoral districts, will undergo a rigorous selection process involving document screening, written tests, and interviews.

A SpaceX crew capsule successfully docked with the International Space Station, delivering four new astronauts and replacing two NASA astronauts who had been stranded due to technical issues with their Boeing Starliner capsule. The newcomers will spend the next few days familiarizing themselves with the station's operations before taking over from the departing astronauts, who will return to Earth in a SpaceX capsule later this week.