Morning reports revealed that 81% of Japanese feel "uneasy" about Trump's second presidency as he declared intentions to speak with Putin about ending the Ukraine conflict. Nissan's restructuring plans expanded beyond the previous day's considerations, now explicitly soliciting early retirements while eyeing plant closures in Japan, continuing the automotive industry's struggle amid economic headwinds.

Tokyo's office vacancy crisis intensified, with empty buildings increasing twelvefold over three years, particularly in waterfront areas, despite some post-COVID return to offices. By midday, the political situation deteriorated as Prime Minister Ishiba's approval rating hit a record low of 27.4%, reflecting growing domestic discontent.

International tensions escalated when China imposed anti-dumping tariffs against Japan, US, Taiwan and Europe, potentially part of a strategic "protracted war" using rare earth materials. Late afternoon reports indicated Israel launched a large-scale ground invasion of Gaza despite earlier news of resumed Hamas negotiations.