Tension between Japan and China has escalated over the new Japanese leader's suggestion Tokyo could intervene militarily if Beijing attacks Taiwan.

Firefighters are battling a fire that has burned through a neighborhood in southwestern Japan and forced more than 170 people to evacuate.

Yields on the benchmark 10-year bonds, which move inversely to price, climbed 2 basis points to 1.765 per cent on Wednesday — the highest level since June 2008 and the global financial crisis. The sell-off extended to longer-dated notes. Yields on 40-year JGBs rose to a record high of 3.695 per cent.

Bear sightings and attacks have increased in parts of Japan, especially in municipalities close to or adjacent to populated zones,” the U.S. Embassy said in a wildlife alert.

Banijay Americas' BD4 has partnered with Fathom Entertainment and MLB Studios to produce the doc 'Homecoming: The Tokyo Series.'

In the west, we tend to treat socks as an afterthought. Most of the time when we are out and about, they are covered by trousers. Women are accustomed to not wearing socks with leather shoes, and loafers without socks have been a menswear staple since the mid-20th century.

Japan has reported its economy contracted at a 1.8% annual pace in July-September as President Donald Trump’s tariffs hurt exports.

Foreign holdings of U.S. Treasuries slipped in September, data from the Treasury Department showed on Tuesday, declining for the first time in six months. The Treasury finally released capital flows data after the federal government's 43-day shutdown.

Also in today’s newsletter, Philippine corruption scandal escalates, and US House votes to release Epstein files