Podcasts about liberal democratic party

自民党の総務部会・政治制度改革本部合同会議で発言する加藤勝信・政治制度改革本部長、１１日、東京・永田町の同党本部自民党と日本維新の会は１１日、衆院議員定数の１割削減に関する法案をそれぞれ了承した。 Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Thursday approved a bill to cut the number of proportional representation seats in the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the Diet, the country's parliament, by about 10 pct.

Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Thursday approved a bill to cut the number of proportional representation seats in the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the Diet, the country's parliament, by about 10 pct.

自民党本部、東京都千代田区自民党は９日の総務会で、国家安全保障戦略など安保関連３文書の年内改定に向けた提言を正式に了承した。 Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Tuesday officially adopted its proposal on an envisaged revision of the country's three key security-related documents.

自民党の政治制度改革本部の総会であいさつする加藤勝信本部長、９日午後、東京・永田町の同党本部自民党は９日、政治制度改革本部の総会を党本部で開いた。 Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party is looking at a proposal to automatically reduce the number of proportional representation seats in the House of Representatives if a ruling-opposition panel fails to reach a deal within a year.

自民党の総務会に臨む有村治子総務会長ら、９日、東京・永田町の同党本部自民党は９日の総務会で、日本の国旗を傷つける行為を罰する「国旗損壊罪」を新設する法案を了承した。 Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Tuesday adopted a bill that criminalizes vandalism of the Japanese national flag.

Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Tuesday officially adopted its proposal on an envisaged revision of the country's three key security-related documents.

Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party is looking at a proposal to automatically reduce the number of proportional representation seats in the House of Representatives if a ruling-opposition panel fails to reach a deal within a year.

Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Tuesday adopted a bill that criminalizes vandalism of the Japanese national flag.

Conservatives and Leftists both experienced party mergers after the 1955 general election. However, it was the Liberal Democratic Party who would emerge as the big winner for the foreseeable future.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Bookshop.org, and many other online platforms! 

Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party has called on the government to consider making My Number personal identification card ownership mandatory.

記者会見する自民党デジタル社会推進本部の平井卓也本部長、１９日午後、東京・永田町の同党本部自民党のデジタル社会推進本部は１９日、デジタル社会の進展に合わせた国家の在り方などに関する提言をまとめた。 Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party has called on the government to consider making My Number personal identification card ownership mandatory.

超党派の「えん罪被害者のための再審法改正を早期に実現する議員連盟」の総会であいさつする自民党の柴山昌彦会長、１９日午前、国会内超党派の「えん罪被害者のための再審法改正を早期に実現する議員連盟」は１９日、国会内で総会を開いた。 A suprapartisan group of Japanese lawmakers confirmed Tuesday that they will hold thorough discussions in the Diet on a bill to reform the country's retrial system, according to the group's head, Masahiko Shibayama of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

A suprapartisan group of Japanese lawmakers confirmed Tuesday that they will hold thorough discussions in the Diet on a bill to reform the country's retrial system, according to the group's head, Masahiko Shibayama of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

自民党の「国旗損壊罪」制定を検討するプロジェクトチーム会合であいさつする座長の松野博一元官房長官、１５日午前、東京・永田町の同党本部自民党は１５日、日本国旗を傷つける行為を罰する「国旗損壊罪」制定を検討するプロジェクトチームの会合を党本部で開き、法案骨子案を審査した。 Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Friday presented a draft outline of a bill that calls for punishing not only public vandalism of the Japanese national flag but also the posting on social media of videos and images showing such acts.

Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Friday presented a draft outline of a bill that calls for punishing not only public vandalism of the Japanese national flag but also the posting on social media of videos and images showing such acts.

自民党の臨時総務会に臨む有村治子総務会長ら。 Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party officially approved on Thursday a draft criminal procedure law amendment stipulating a basic ban on public prosecutors' appeals against court orders granting retrials in the main text of the law.

Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party officially approved on Thursday a draft criminal procedure law amendment stipulating a basic ban on public prosecutors' appeals against court orders granting retrials in the main text of the law.

自民党安全保障調査会の会合で発言する浜田靖一会長、１３日午後、東京・永田町の同党本部自民党は１３日の安全保障調査会で、安保関連３文書の年内改定に向けた論点整理案を提示した。 The Japanese ruling Liberal Democratic Party is poised to study a further hike in the country's security-related spending by taking account of initiatives of other nations and regional alliances, including a plan by NATO to increase such outlays to 3-5percentageof gross domestic product.

自民党の法務部会と司法制度調査会の合同会議であいさつする同調査会長の鈴木馨祐前法相、１３日午後、東京・永田町の同党本部自民党は１３日、法務部会と司法制度調査会の合同会議を党本部で開き、再審制度を見直す刑事訴訟法改正案を了承した。 Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Wednesday approved a government-drafted bill to basically bar prosecutors from appealing court orders granting retrials.

Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Wednesday approved a government-drafted bill to basically bar prosecutors from appealing court orders granting retrials.

The Japanese ruling Liberal Democratic Party is poised to study a further hike in the country's security-related spending by taking account of initiatives of other nations and regional alliances, including a plan by NATO to increase such outlays to 3-5pctof gross domestic product.

高市早苗首相、１日、首相公邸高市早苗首相は８日の参院本会議で、自身の陣営が自民党総裁選の対立候補らを中傷する動画を作成して拡散していたとする週刊文春の報道を否定した。 Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Friday denied a magazine report that her team had created and spread videos defaming her rivals in recent elections for her ruling Liberal Democratic Party and the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the Diet, the country's parliament.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Friday denied a magazine report that her team had created and spread videos defaming her rivals in recent elections for her ruling Liberal Democratic Party and the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the Diet, the country's parliament.

Key lawmakers of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party will form a parliamentary group to support Prime Minister and LDP President Sanae Takaichi, informed sources have said.

首相官邸に入る高市早苗首相、７日午前、東京・永田町自民党の麻生太郎副総裁や小泉進次郎防衛相が発起人となり、高市早苗首相を支持する議員連盟が発足することが７日分かった。 Key lawmakers of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party will form a parliamentary group to support Prime Minister and LDP President Sanae Takaichi, informed sources have said.

会談に臨む高市早苗首相と日本維新の会の吉村洋文代表、３月１７日、国会内自民党と日本維新の会は、衆院議員定数の１割削減に向けた与党の実務者協議を月内に再開する。 Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party, are slated to resume later this month working-level talks on cutting the number of the House of Representatives seats by 10 pct.

憲法改正条文起草協議会であいさつする自民党の新藤義孝氏。 Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party, remain apart over a revision of pacifist Article 9 of the Constitution.

衆院選挙制度協議会に臨む鈴木馨祐座長ら、１６日午後、国会内与野党各会派でつくる衆院選挙制度協議会が１６日、衆院選後では初めて開かれた。 Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party proposed Thursday that a House of Representatives council on the electoral system include a plan to reduce the number of seats in the lower chamber of parliament in future discussions.

記者会見する小泉進次郎防衛相、１４日午前、国会内１２日の自民党大会で、陸上自衛隊中央音楽隊の鶫真衣３等陸曹が国歌を斉唱した。 Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi on Tuesday denied claims that the national anthem performance by a Ground Self-Defense Force sergeant at a Liberal Democratic Party convention constituted a political act.

自民党の全国幹事長会議であいさつする高市早苗首相、１１日午後、東京・永田町の同党本部自民党は１１日、全国幹事長会議を党本部で開いた。 Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi pledged to press ahead with policies that she concedes could split public opinion, at a ruling Liberal Democratic Party meeting in Tokyo on Saturday.

日本維新の会の定期党大会であいさつする吉村洋文代表、２１日午後、東京都千代田区日本維新の会は２１日、自民党との連立政権発足後、初の定期党大会を東京都内のホテルで開いた。 The Japan Innovation Party, the junior coalition partner of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, approved its policy agenda for 2026 at its first party convention since becoming the LDP's new coalition partner last year.

記者会見する国民民主党の玉木雄一郎代表、１７日、国会内衆院選で歴史的大勝を収めた高市政権の陰で、国民民主党の存在がかすみがちだ。 The Japanese opposition Democratic Party for the People is struggling to maintain its relevance in national politics after the ruling Liberal Democratic Party won a historic victory in last month's general election.

松本純さん元国家公安委員長麻生太郎元首相の最側近として知られ、国家公安委員長を務めた元自民党衆院議員の松本純さんが１９日午前７時１分、東京都内の病院で死去した。 Jun Matsumoto, a former Liberal Democratic Party member of the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of Japan's parliament, who served as chairman of the National Public Safety Commission, died on Thursday at the age of 75.

In this episode of Current Account, Clay is joined by Nathan Sheets, Global Chief Economist at Citi and former U.S. Undersecretary of the Treasury for International Affairs, to explore Japan's shifting economic landscape following a historic political moment.* Just over 100 days into her term, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi called a snap election that delivered a rare supermajority for the Liberal Democratic Party. With such a decisive mandate, Japan enters 2026 with renewed political strength and major policy opportunities. Together, they discuss what Prime Minister Takaichi's victory means for economic policymaking, how the U.S.-Japan alliance is shaping the outlook, and the growing debate around possible U.S. intervention in the yen. Nathan offers insight into why intervention is being discussed now, what it would aim to accomplish, and whether it is truly likely given recent messaging from Washington. The conversation also examines the broader dollar debate, Japan's uniquely high debt levels, and the pressures facing both the U.S. and Japanese economies. Clay and Nathan conclude with a look at geopolitics, specifically the delicate triumvirate relationship between the U.S., Japan and China, and how this balance could impact the global economy in the year ahead. *Before jumping into Japan, Clay acknowledges the U.S. Supreme Court's decision striking down the administration's use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose sweeping global tariffs. For more on IEEPA and its implications, check out Current Account episodes [134](https://www.iif.com/Publications/ID/6450/Current-Account-with-Clay-Lowery---Episode-134--The-Best-of-Times-and-the-Worst-of-Times--A-Tale-of-Trump-s-Tariffs "https://www.iif.com/Publications/ID/6450/Current-Account-with-Clay-Lowery---Episode-134--The-Best-of-Times-and-the-Worst-of-Times--A-Tale-of-Trump-s-Tariffs"), [126](https://www.iif.com/Publications/ID/6360/Current-Account-with-Clay-Lowery---Episode-126--Stop--In-the-Name-of-Tariffs---The-Supremes--Court----IEEPA "https://www.iif.com/Publications/ID/6360/Current-Account-with-Clay-Lowery---Episode-126--Stop--In-the-Name-of-Tariffs---The-Supremes--Court----IEEPA"), [109](https://www.iif.com/Publications/ID/6166/Current-Account-with-Clay-Lowery---Episode-109--An-Eye-for-an-IEEPA--Trump-Tariffs---Where-Are-They-Now- "https://www.iif.com/Publications/ID/6166/Current-Account-with-Clay-Lowery---Episode-109--An-Eye-for-an-IEEPA--Trump-Tariffs---Where-Are-They-Now-"), and [96](https://www.iif.com/Publications/ID/6026/Current-Account-with-Clay-Lowery---Episode-96--Tariff-o-Rama--Explaining-U-S--Tariff-Implications "https://www.iif.com/Publications/ID/6026/Current-Account-with-Clay-Lowery---Episode-96--Tariff-o-Rama--Explaining-U-S--Tariff-Implications"). This IIF Podcast was hosted by Clay Lowery, Executive Vice President, Research and Policy, with production and research contributions from Christian Klein, Digital Graphics and Production Associate and Miranda Silverman, Senior Program Assistant.

Japan is at a turning point as the nation recently held a snap election that saw a huge gain for the right-leaning, Trump-endorsed Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. Ms. Takaichi's Liberal Democratic Party won a historic victory, securing a rare supermajority in the 465-member House of Representatives, explains Senator Sen Yamanaka to The New American’s Alex ... The post Anti-Globalist Coalition Grows in Japan Thanks to Help from Charlie Kirk: Japanese Senator appeared first on The New American.

Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party just won a two-thirds majority in the lower house. This gives Prime Minister Takaichi a rare personal mandate and practically total control of the government for the next few years.Join the Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/PeterZeihanFull Newsletter: https://bit.ly/3O0pf7c

In this week's episode, NK News' Lead Correspondent Shreyas Reddy joins John Lee. They  discuss Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's Liberal Democratic Party's landslide victory, delivering a two-thirds parliamentary supermajority that could pave the way for long-sought constitutional revisions. They delve into how uncertainty surrounding U.S. foreign policy and alliance commitments is influencing both Seoul and Tokyo as they reassess defense self-sufficiency and trilateral cooperation. The episode also covers South Korea's expanding defense partnership with Saudi Arabia, where a new memorandum of understanding signals a shift from one-off arms sales to longer-term joint research and development. The pair discuss how deeper industrial cooperation aligns with Riyadh's localization goals under Vision 2030 and Seoul's ambition to solidify its position in the Middle East, while also considering potential friction with U.S. defense exporters. Shifting to domestic politics, the episode examines contentious judicial reform proposals in South Korea's National Assembly. Lawmakers from the ruling Democratic Party are advancing plans to expand the Supreme Court and adjust the relationship between the Supreme Court and Constitutional Court.  The episode concludes with a look at the week ahead, including legislative maneuvering before the Lunar New Year holiday, continued developments surrounding U.S. tariff discussions and the unfolding Coupang saga.  About the podcast: The Korea Pro Podcast is a weekly conversation hosted by Korea Risk Group Executive Director Jeongmin Kim, Managing Editor John Lee and correspondent Joon Ha Park, delivering deep, clear analysis of South Korean politics, diplomacy, security, society and technology for professionals who need more than headlines. Uploaded every Friday. This episode was recorded on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. Audio edited by Alannah Hill

This week's show features stories from NHK Japan, France 24, Radio Deutsche-Welle, and Radio Havana Cuba. http://youthspeaksout.net/swr260213.mp3 (29:00) From JAPAN- The new Japanese PM, Sanae Takaichi, has sent her Defense Minister to attend an international security conference in Munich to explain their new defense policy. It has been 4 months since a ceasefire in Gaza was declared. 44 progressive politicians in Thailand are facing potential lifetime bans for wanting to change the royal insults law. Ukraine is expanding its drone strategy beyond its borders, with plans to produce and export its weaponized drones across Europe this year- Zelensky says the manufacturing of weapons is the largest industry in Ukraine. From FRANCE- 3 press reviews. First Zelensky announced plans for Spring elections and referendum on the peace deal. Then press from last Friday, before the Japanese snap elections called by the new ultra-conservative PM were held- the results were a landslide for her Liberal Democratic Party. Then press on the Trump announcement of revoking the EPA endangerment finding, and bringing back burning coal as a priority for military energy. One of France 24s best interview shows is called Tete A Tete and the week the guest was Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories. She discusses current Israeli maneuvers strengthening control over the West Bank. The host asks her about accusations that she is an anti-Semite. From GERMANY- The US blockade of fuel to Cuba has created many problems including loss of the ability to refuel commercial aircraft. From CUBA- Cuba denounced the blockade of fuel at the Human Rights Council in Geneva. More on Israel tightening controls on the Occupied West Bank. The Intercept reported that the Pentagon agreed to but $210 million worth of illegal cluster munitions from an Israeli firm. Thousands marched through the streets of Milan to protest the environmental and social impacts of the Olympics, and the presence of US ICE agents.. Available in 3 forms- (new) HIGHEST QUALITY (160kb)(33MB), broadcast quality (13MB), and quickdownload or streaming form (6MB) (28:59) Links at outfarpress.com/shortwave.shtml PODCAST!!!- https://feed.podbean.com/outFarpress/feed.xml (160kb Highest Quality) Website Page- < http://www.outfarpress.com/shortwave.shtml ¡FurthuR! Dan Roberts "We've moved from wisdom to knowledge, and now we're moving from knowledge to information, and that information is so partial - that we're creating incomplete human beings." --Vandana Shiva Dan Roberts Shortwave Report- www.outfarpress.com YouthSpeaksOut!- www.youthspeaksout.net

Silver, Gold and Crypto (oh my) Hang on – Wild ride here Superbowl, Olympics- Wait until you hear about the CAPex spending! Shakeup in Dietville PLUS we are now on Spotify and Amazon Music/Podcasts! Click HERE for Show Notes and Links DHUnplugged is now streaming live - with listener chat. Click on link on the right sidebar. Love the Show? Then how about a Donation? Follow John C. Dvorak on Twitter Follow Andrew Horowitz on Twitter Interactive Brokers  Warm-Up - Silver, Gold and Crypto (oh my) - Need a stock for CTP - Hang on - Wild ride here - Superbowl, Olympics- Wait until you hear about the CAPex spending! - Shakeup in Dietville Markets - Massive moved during the week - - Bitcoin clipped $60k before rebounding - DJIA tops 50,000 for the first time - Wait until you hear about the CAPex spending! - CAT == 1,100 points on the DJIA in 2026 Superbowl and Superbowl ads - Game review - Any ad stick out? - $10M per ad this year - Half Time with Bad Bunny? - Anthropic busting on OpenAi Last Week! - Massive moved - quick calc showed that about $1T was wiped from market caps in the sell-off, particularly in tech names. - HOWEVER - Friday alone is estimated to have added $1.5T to market cap AI Ripping Through - Plenty of names getting cooked over AI announcements - First it was the software companies - Now there are names in legal and finance that got clocked - Today - Altruist.ai can do tax planning and that hurt companies in financial space Earnings Season Update - Reporting so far: 59% of S&P 500 companies have reported Q4 2025 results. - Beat rate: 76% have topped EPS estimates (vs. 5-yr average: 78% (slightly lower) vs. 10-yr average: 76% (in line) - Magnitude of beats (aggregate): earnings are 7.6% above estimates vs. 5-yr average: 7.7% (about the same) vs. 10-yr average: 7.0% (a bit better) - Nothing great,  like Goldilocks Earnings Highlights - Palantir (PLTR): Reported strong Q4 results early in the week , beating estimates with revenue ~$1.41B (vs. ~$1.33B expected) and EPS $0.25 (vs. $0.23). Guidance for 2026 was upbeat (~61% revenue growth). Shares rallied sharply initially (~7–11% post-earnings), but gave back some gains amid broader tech volatility (e.g., down ~11–22% in parts of the week from peaks). - AMD: Reported mid-week, beating EPS (~$1.53 vs. lower expectations) with solid data center growth (~39%). However, Q1 guidance disappointed relative to high expectations in the AI chip space. Shares sank dramatically — down ~15–17% the next day, with some reports noting up to 20%+ drops at points, contributing to broader chip sector pressure. - Alphabet (GOOGL/GOOG): Reported beating on revenue (~$113.8B) and EPS (~$2.82), with strong core performance. But capex guidance for 2026 ($175–$185B, roughly double prior levels) sparked AI spending worries. Shares dipped post-earnings (down ~0.5–5% initially, flat to lower the next day, with some volatility pulling it below key moving averages). - Amazon (AMZN): Reported after hours on February 5, with mixed results — EPS ~$1.95 (narrow miss vs. ~$1.97 expected), but solid overall. The big negative was a surprise $200B capex forecast for 2026 (well above expectations), tied to AI/cloud buildout. Shares plunged sharply — down ~7–10% in after-hours/extended trading, with Friday moves around -5–8% in some sessions. Recent Tech CAPEX announcements - Amazon (AMZN) — Guided to approximately $200 billion in capex for 2026 (a massive jump from ~$125–131 billion in 2025, with ~80% likely AI-related per analyst commentary). This was the largest single-company figure and a major surprise, contributing heavily to the week's "wild" reactions. - Alphabet (GOOGL/GOOG) — Guided to $175–185 billion in capex for 2026 (roughly double the $91 billion spent in 2025, far above analyst expectations of ~$115–119 billion). Emphasis was on AI compute capacity, servers, data centers, and networking to meet demand for Gemini and cloud services. - Meta Platforms (META) — Guidance from late January (but heavily discussed last week): $115–135 billion for 2026 (up significantly from ~$70–72 billion in 2025, potentially an ~87% increase). - Microsoft (MSFT) — No new full explicit 2026 guidance in early February (fiscal year runs July–June), but recent quarterly run-rate and analyst projections put it around $97–145 billion (with some sources citing ~$105 billion or higher based on Q2 spending trends and signals of continued growth from prior levels of ~$88 billion in FY2025). ------!!!!Combined 2026 capex projected at $635–665 billion (low/high ends) or up to $650–700 billion in some reports — a ~60–74% increase from their collective ~$381 billion in 2025. Market Reaction from all of this.... - Markets were a bit spooked on the Anthropic announcement earlier in the week - software sold off and set a sour mood - Microsoft dumped pretty hard as the amount of spend was higher than anticipated, especially with some slower growth in Azure. - Amazon took a beating on the increased spend they anticipate *(extra by $50B) - BUT: Friday markets rallied as there was realization that the $200B spend by Amazon would seep into the economy and fuel infrastructure spending along with chips, tech etc. Other Earnings of Interest -  Reddit reported fourth-quarter earnings on Thursday in which the social media company beat on the top and bottom lines. - The company said it expects first-quarter sales to come in the range of $595 million to $605 million, which is higher than Wall Street expectations of $577 million. - Reddit also announced a $1 billion share repurchase program. - Reddit gets about $250 million a year from OpenAi and Google to have your data for training their LLMs While we are on the subject - Friday, DJIA hit 50,000 - first time ever! - Up 1,200 point of which approx 350 was from caterpillar and 280 was from Goldman Sachs Hats off to WalMart - Walmart Inc. shares pushed its market capitalization past $1 trillion on Tuesday for the first time ever| - Big transformation over the pst year - Walmart has maintained its appeal to households looking for value, its online offerings are drawing new, wealthier shoppers seeking convenience. Google Bond Offering - Issuing several tranches of bonds, denominated in Stirling - one as long as 100 years - Would you buy that? - The Google parent is set to raise $20 billion from a US dollar bond offering on Monday — more than the $15 billion initially expected — and is also pitching investors on what would be its first ever offerings in Switzerland and the UK. - The latter would include a rare sale of 100-year bonds, the first time a tech company has tried such an offering since the dotcom frenzy of the late 1990s Fat Profits in Dietville - Really interesting sequence of events happening... - Hims launches compounded pill at prices as low as $49 per month - Analysts cite questions on efficacy, legality of pill - Hims' move shifts focus from Novo's strong Wegovy pill launch - Broader obesity market whipsawed as pricing pressure rises THEN.. - Hims and Hers Health shares dive 14% after hours on Friday (Down 25% on Monday) - FDA cites concerns over quality, safety, federal law - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Friday it would take action against telehealth provider Hims & Hers, for its $49 weight-loss pill, including restricting access to the drug's ingredients and referring the company to the Department of Justice for potential violations of federal law. AND.... - Eli Lilly last Wednesday posted fourth-quarter earnings and revenue and 2026 guidance that blew past estimates, as demand for its blockbuster weight loss drug Zepbound and diabetes treatment Mounjaro soars. - The pharmaceutical giant anticipates its 2026 revenue will come in between $80 billion and $83 billion. Analysts expected revenue of $77.62 billion, according to LSEG. - Meanwhile, NOVO had a really bad outlook that took the shares down 13% after the report. Japan Markets Soar - Japanese stocks jumped to a record high Monday, leading gains in the region after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi won a landmark election victory. - The ruling Liberal Democratic Party captured a two-thirds supermajority in the 465-seat lower house, public broadcaster NHK reported. - Japan's Nikkei 225 jumped past 57,000 for the first time before paring gains to close 3.9% higher at 56,363.94, while the Topix also notched a record high, closing at 3,783.94, up 2.3%. Employment Report? - Government shutdown is forcing them to postpone again (Which is dumb) - Number due this Wednesday - Maybe because of this:U.S. employers announced 108,435 layoffs for the month, up 118% from the same period a year ago and 205% from December 2025. The total marked the highest for any January since 2009. - At the same time, companies announced just 5,306 new hires, also the lowest January since 2009, which is when Challenger, Gray & Christmas began tracking such data. - Also, job openings fell sharply in December to 6.54 million, to their lowest since September 2020. - Available jobs are down by more than 900,000 just since October. - NO! Ai and advancements in tech have noting to do with this! NO NO NO M&A - Texas Instruments Inc. has reached an agreement to buy Silicon Laboratories Inc. for about $7.5 billion, deepening its exposure to several markets for chips. - Silicon Labs investors will receive $231 in cash for each share of the company's common stock and the transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2027. - The transaction still needs to win approval by investors in Silicon Labs and shares of Silicon Labs surged by 51% to $206.48 after the announcement. Inflation - This helps - PepsiCo (PEP.O), opens new tab will cut prices on core brands such as Lay's and Doritos by up to 15% following a consumer backlash against several previous price hikes, the snacks and beverage maker said on Tuesday after it topped fourth-quarter results. Miran - Moving - Federal Reserve Governor Stephen Miran is leaving his post as chair of the Council of Economic Advisers, CNBC has confirmed. - He joined the CEA in January 2025, but had been on leave from that post since last September when he filled the unexpired term of former Fed Governor Adriana Kugler.- He reamins on Fed board No Biggie???? - There are some astonishing cased being reported of Bad AI in the operating room - JNJ's TruDi Navigation System - Since AI was added to the device, the FDA has received unconfirmed reports of at least 100 malfunctions and adverse events. - At least 10 people were injured between late 2021 and November 2025, according to the reports. Most allegedly involved errors in which the TruDi Navigation System misinformed surgeons about the location of their instruments while they were using them inside patients' heads during operations. - Cerebrospinal fluid reportedly leaked from one patient's nose. In another reported case, a surgeon mistakenly punctured the base of a patient's skull. In two other cases, patients each allegedly suffered strokes after a major artery was accidentally injured. Cuba - The main airport has putt out a bulletin that they are out of Jet Fuel - Blackouts and lack of other fuels are creating big problems - No airlines have stopped running at this point, but many will as they cannot refuel - This is a bigger problem for cargo planes (supplies) that may not be able to risk flying to Cuba as they will not be able to get out. Love the Show? Then how about a Donation? ANNOUNCING THE WINNER OF THE THE CLOSEST TO THE PIN CUP 2025 Winners will be getting great stuff like the new "OFFICIAL" DHUnplugged Shirt!     FED AND CRYPTO LIMERICKS   See this week's stock picks HERE Follow John C. Dvorak on Twitter Follow Andrew Horowitz on Twitter

Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and her Liberal Democratic Party dominated in a snap election on Sunday and the country's stock market loved it. This week, the Nikkei 225 hit an all-time high. Today on the show, Hakyung Kim joins Katie Martin and Rob Armstrong to discuss what the election means for markets in Japan, the US and Europe. Also, they go short Alphabet's 100-year bond, streaming services and the luge. For a free 30-day trial to the Unhedged newsletter go to: https://www.ft.com/unhedgedoffer.You can email Robert Armstrong and Katie Martin at unhedged@ft.com.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Amounting to essentially a death sentence for Jimmy Lai, the Hong Kong publisher is sentenced to 20 years in prison for violating China's national security law. What can Donald Trump do when he meets with Xi Jinping during his visit to China later this year? Plus, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi leads her Liberal Democratic Party to victory.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jimmy Lai, a pro-democracy media tycoon in Hong Kong, has been jailed for 20 years for colluding with foreign forces under the city's controversial national security law.Rights groups called it a death sentence for the 78-year-old, whose family has raised concerns about his health, but Hong Kong's leader said it was "deeply gratifying". We'll hear from Mr Lai's son about his father's situation.Also in the programme: We'll be reflecting on a historic election victory for the Japanese prime minister Sanae Takaichi with a member of the governing Liberal Democratic Party; how the DNA of identical twinas is complicating a murder trial in France; and we'll get the reaction to last night's half-time Superbowl show by the Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny, which has been criticised by President Trump.(Photo shows Jimmy Lai walking to a prison van to head to court in Hong Kong, China on 12 December 2020. Credit: Tyrone Siu/Reuters/File Photo]

Today, Les, Jamil, and Jess break down Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's sweeping victory in a snap election, a historic result that gives the Liberal Democratic Party a two-thirds majority in the lower house for the first time since World War II. The outcome dramatically strengthens Takaichi's political mandate and opens the door to significant shifts in Japan's national security policy. With a strong working relationship with Washington, the moment may be ripe for deeper U.S.–Japan coordination and a stronger coalition to counter China's growing military power, including its rapidly expanding nuclear arsenal.While Takaichi now has the authority to act on national security issues, economic concerns are what drove voters to the polls. Can she deliver economic results while advancing a more assertive defense agenda? And as China pushes regional red lines, how will Japan balance domestic pressures with the strategic realities ahead?Check out the answers to these questions and more in this episode of Fault Lines.@lestermunson@jamil_n_jaffer@NotTVJessJonesLike what we're doing here? Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe. And don't forget to follow @faultlines_pod and @masonnatsec on Twitter!We are also on YouTube, and watch today's episode here: https://youtu.be/BAf34HsixlI Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today's top stories, with context, in just 15 minutes.On today's podcast:1) The Seattle Seahawks won their second Super Bowl title on Sunday, beating the New England Patriots by a score of 29-to-13 at Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, CA. The Seahawks' defense came out strong, recording six sacks and forcing two interceptions against Patriots quarterback Drake Maye. Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker III was named Super Bowl MVP for his offensive efforts, becoming the first running back to win the award since the Denver Broncos' Terrell Davis in 1998.2) Chinese regulators have advised financial institutions to rein in their holdings of US Treasuries, citing concerns over concentration risks and market volatility, according to people familiar with the matter. Officials urged banks to limit purchases of US government bonds and instructed those with high exposure to pare down their positions, the people said, asking not to be identified discussing private deliberations. The directive doesn’t apply to China’s state holdings of US Treasuries. Communicated verbally to some of the nation’s biggest banks in recent weeks, the guidance reflects growing wariness among officials that large holdings of US government debt may expose banks to sharp swings, the people said. The worries echo those made by governments and fund managers elsewhere amid a brewing debate over the safe haven status of US debt and the appeal of the dollar.3) Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi secured a historic election triumph, positioning her as the nation’s strongest leader in the postwar era in an outcome that sent stock prices and bond yields soaring. Her ruling Liberal Democratic Party achieved the biggest post-war victory for a single-party in a general election in Japan, an extraordinary transformation of fortunes for a party that was on the ropes last summer before getting behind the nation’s first ever female premier in October. The LDP secured a two-thirds super majority in the 465-seat lower house by itself, according to public broadcaster NHK. A tally of results by NHK early Monday showed that the ruling coalition had won 352 seats in the lower house, expanding its previous razor-thin majority of 233 by a considerable margin. The LDP’s haul of 316 seats gives it a higher proportion of representatives in the lower house than any other party in post-war Japan.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Nikkei 225 index in Tokyo, which tracks the performance of Japan's largest companies, hit a new record on Monday after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's ruling Liberal Democratic Party secured a two-thirds majority in the lower house over the weekend. Takaichi ran on an ambitious big-spending agenda, welcomed by investors, although concerns over the country's debt load –around 230% of GDP – are likely to persist.

Japan's governing coalition led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, is projected to have won two-thirds of the seats in the House of Representatives. Ms Takaichi sought and got a clear public mandate in a general election she called just four months after becoming leader of the Liberal Democratic Party.Also, the Iranian Nobel peace laureate, Narges Mohammadi, has received another prison sentence - for what the court said was "collusion to commit crimes." And we speak to one of the Epstein survivors who had a relationship with him for two years.(Photo: Sanae Takaichi appeared at the LDP headquarters on Sunday night for the vote count. Credit: Getty Images)

The poll projects that the Liberal Democratic Party and its partner will have two-thirds of the 465 lower house seats.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.theflyingfrisby.comThis has been for ages one of those things that has been going to happen that never actually happens.But on Monday there were signs it is actually going to happen.I'm talking about some kind of financial crisis in Japan, whether in its currency, its debt markets or a bit of both. Because it's so far away, we tend to overlook in Western Europe what a big deal Japan is: but it's the world's 4th largest economy - only the US, China and Germany have greater GDP.But its debt-to-GDP is 230% - 4 times Germany's (~63%), more than double the UK's (100%) and almost double the US's (~124%). But it has sustained these “unsustainable” levels for so long it's now normal. Shorting the yen has been the great widow maker.In addition to roughly $10 trillion of government debt, Japan also carries around $8 trillion of non-financial sector debt, including corporate and household borrowing. This is not new. What may be new is the market's willingness to continue absorbing it at the margin.On Monday Japan Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi called a snap election for February 8th, seeking a stronger mandate for her coalition government. She has high approval ratings, I read, and is looking to capitalise on them, restoring the Liberal Democratic Party's majority in the powerful lower house. Even so, though she is favourite, this is also a gamble.If you live in a third world country such as the UK, I urge you to own gold or silver. The pound will be further devalued. The bullion dealer I recommend is The Pure Gold Company. Pricing is competitive, quality of service is high. They deliver to the UK, the US, Canada and Europe or you can store your gold with them. More here.Takaichi will run on a platform of more stimulus. The worry is how she “pays” for her proposed cuts to food taxes. It's not totally unlike the Liz Truss situation, when she proposed tax cuts without material cuts to spending.How much is enough?I just don't get it with governments. Something doesn't have the desired effect. Instead of stopping and reassessing, they do more. Ooh, this petrol isn't putting out the fire. Let's add more petrol.But the result of her announcement was that Japanese borrowing costs rose sharply to all-time highs (again). 30-year yields posted their biggest daily jump since 2003, and 10-year yields surged 19 basis points. Not quite such a record breaking rise but the sharpest since 2022.Japan's bond market, long regarded as the safest and dullest corner of global finance, is suddenly being treated as risky. Compounding the problem is the fact that Japanese insurers, historically reliable buyers of long-dated bonds when yields rose, have become net sellers. That removes a key stabilising force.Charlie Morris monthly gold report, Atlas Pulse is, in my view, the best gold newsletter out there. Get your copy here. No pay nada.At some point the Bank of Japan may step in and buy bonds to calm things down. That's what usually happens. The risk, however, is that Japan is deemed even more fiscally permissive, the yen weakens further, and inflationary pressures stoke.If the yen carry trade unravels - that is the financial world borrowing Japanese yen at low rates and using the money to invest elsewhere - then everything unravels, and we get the 2020s version of 2008. It's been threatening to happen a long time, but it never quite does. But hot money - aka liquidity - will get sucked out of everything from gold and silver to the stock market to the bond markets to bitcoin, and the world gets a massive margin call. The bottom line is that this raises the risk of more global market volatility. If Japan, long the calmest corner of global finance, becomes unstable, everything priced on the assumption of low and stable interest rates needs to repice. Risk-on flips to risk-off. Speculative assets get hit.Add all the Greenland stuff to the mix and everything looks very shaky all of a sudden.Periods like this are not necessarily about bold calls. They're about deciding where you refuse to be sloppy. So I am taking some action.

Read more insights from Morgan Stanley.----- Transcript ----- Political developments in Japan and France have brought more volatility to sovereign debt markets. Our Global Economist Arunima Sinha highlights the risks investors need to watch out for.Arunima Sinha: Welcome to Thoughts on the Market. I'm Arunima Sinha, from Morgan Stanley's Global and U.S. Economics teams.Today, I'm going to talk about sovereign debt outlooks and elections around the world.It's Wednesday, October 15th at 10am in New York.Last week we wrote about the deterioration of sovereign debt and fiscal outlooks; and right on cue, real life served up a scenario. Elections in Japan and another political upheaval in France drove a reaction in long-end interest rates with fiscal outlooks becoming part of the political narrative. Though markets have largely stabilized now, the volatility should keep the topic of debt and fiscal outlooks on stage.In Japan, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, the LDP, elected Sanae Takaichi as its new leader in something of a surprise to markets. Takaichi's election sets the stage for the first female prime minister of Japan since the cabinet system was established in 1885.That outcome is not assured, however. And recent news suggests that the final decision is a few weeks away. The landmark movement in Japanese post-war politics, in some ways further solidifies the changing tides in the Japanese political economy. Markets have positioned for Takaichi to further the reflation trade in Japan and further support the nominal growth revival.The Japanese curve twists steepened sharply as Tokyo markets reopened with the long-end selling off by 14 basis points amid intensifying fiscal concerns and the unwinding of pre-election flattener positions. Specifically, expectations appear to be aligning for a more activist fiscal agenda – relief measures against inflation, bolstered investment in economic security and supply chains, and stepped-up commitments to food security.Our strategists expect that sectors poised to benefit will include high tech exporters, defense and security names, and infrastructure and energy firms, as capital is likely to rotate towards these areas. Though, as our economists cautioned, the lack of a clear legislative maturity may hamper efforts for outright reorientation of fiscal policy.Meanwhile, we expect the implications for monetary policy to be limited. Our reading is that Taikaichi Sanae is not strongly opposed to Bank of Japan Governor Ueda's cautious stance reducing expectations for near term hikes. But we also reiterate that a hike late this year remains a possibility, particularly as the yen weakens.Economically, our baseline call has been supported by the election outcome given we did not expect the BoJ to raise rates in the near future. Indeed, market expectations of an increase in interest rates have been priced out for the next meeting.France is the other economy that saw long-end rates react to political shifts since we published our debt sustainability analysis. PM Lecornu's resignation was far quicker than markets expected, especially given the fact that he was only in office for a matter of weeks.A clear majority in the current parliament remains elusive pointing to continued gridlock, and ultimately snap elections remain a possibility for the next weeks or months. At the heart of the political uncertainty is division about how to proceed with fiscal consolidation against a moving target of widening deficits.The lack of fiscal consolidation in France has been a topic for many years. Though the ECB provides an implicit backstop against disruptive widening of OAT spreads through the TPI, our Europe economists view the activation of TPI as unlikely. As the spread widening has been driven by concerns around France's fiscal sustainability, a factor that is likely seen as reflecting fundamentals.In our rather mechanical projections on debt, we highlighted markets would ultimately determine what is and is not sustainable. These political events are the type of catalyst to watch for.So far, the risks have been contained, but we have a clear message that complacency could become costly at any time. With the deterioration in debt and fiscal fundamentals, we suspect there will be more risks ahead.Thanks for listening. If you enjoy the show, please leave us a review wherever you listen and share Thoughts on the Market with a friend or colleague today.

PREVIEW: Historic Election of Takaichi Sanae as LDP Leader and Presumed Next Prime Minister of JapanGuest: Scott Harold John Batchelor's conversation with Scott Harold focuses on the newly elected head of the LDP (Liberal Democratic Party) in Japan, Takaichi Sanae, who is presumed to be the next prime minister. Ms. Takaichi's political background is that of a conservative LDP member and an acolyte of the late Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo. Her victory was attributed to two main factors. First, she was the most conservative candidate at a time when the LDP was worried about losing conservative votes to another party that sought to emulate parts of the MAGA ideology. The party viewed her as the best candidate to retrieve those votes. Second, while her competitor was the younger, more liberal son of a former prime minister, LDP voters and legislative members were ultimately "more comfortable voting for an older conservative woman." Additionally, a major scandal involving derogatory remarks posted by her competitor's supporters helped drive down his support late in the race. This is a historic election as Ms. Takaichi will be the first female Japanese prime minister. She has described herself as an emulator of Margaret Thatcher and emphasizes boosting the Japanese economy with substantial spending, including on defense, to enhance the US-Japan alliance.