The extraordinary session of the Diet has closed, with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi using a press conference to highlight what she described as concrete achievements by her administration. (News On Japan)

Shizuoka Prefecture announced that it held a public auction on December 16 for the governor’s official residence in Aoi Ward, Shizuoka City, with housing manufacturer Sekisui Heim Tokai winning the bid at 710.35 million yen. (News On Japan)

The White House officially released the "National Security Strategy" report at the beginning of the month, outlining the adjustments made by the current US administration in foreign policy. (News On Japan)

"To save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime brought untold sorrow to mankind," the statement in the preamble to the Charter of the United Nations regarding its founding purpose is thought-provoking. (News On Japan)

The extraordinary session of the Diet closed on December 17th, with Prime Minister Takaichi using a press conference to stress inflation relief as her top priority, defend the government’s handling of cost-of-living pressures through a supplementary budget, reaffirm her determination to pass a bill cutting the number of lawmakers, and signal a dual-track approach toward China that combines dialogue with vigilance over security concerns. (News On Japan)

The Japanese government is preparing to end support for new large-scale solar power projects starting in fiscal 2027, as policymakers move to revise the framework used to promote renewable energy in the years following the Fukushima Daiichi accident. (News On Japan)

Belarus carried out a large-scale amnesty on December 13th, releasing 123 detainees that included a Nobel Peace Prize-winning human rights activist and a Japanese national. (News On Japan)