Election Integrity: Japan’s parliament passed a bill to tighten social media rules in elections, aiming to curb fake candidate misinformation and require platforms to limit its reach, with enforcement targeted for March 1, 2027. AI Rights: Japan’s Justice Ministry is drafting protections for celebrities’ and voice actors’ voices and likenesses, after reports of tens of thousands of AI-made impersonations. South China Sea: China formally protested Japan’s role in a 14-country statement reaffirming the 2016 arbitration ruling as final and legally binding, calling it illegal and warning it undermines stability. Energy & Markets: Tokyo stocks slid on profit-taking and renewed U.S.-Iran tensions that pushed oil higher, feeding inflation worries. Economy & Pensions: Japan signaled a push to steer more state retirement money into domestic assets, raising questions for foreign fund managers. Culture & Tech: Dai Nippon Printing will test an AI-powered, smartphone/tablet heritage guide using augmented reality to visualize buried ruins in Nara, targeting a 2028 launch. Sports: Japan’s Oda Tokito defended his Wimbledon wheelchair singles title for a second straight year. Food Policy: Japan is urging more rice-flour sweets as rice consumption hits a seven-year low.