19:18⇢Southeast Asian Pop Music Surpasses American Hits
⌨The newspapers report on Southeast Asian music scene developments, with local pop songs gaining prominence over U.S. music in countries like Indonesia (Nikkei Shimbun). Digital technology has lowered production costs, enabling more original music creation in native languages, supported by growing middle-class consumers. Meanwhile, news of a magnitude 4 earthquake in northern Amami islands is reported, with no tsunami threat (Yahoo News Japan). Coverage continues on former BOJ chief Kuroda addressing yen manipulation concerns (Japan Times) and South Korean President Yoon's release after 52 days in detention (Kyodo News English).