DailyDrop Japan edition No. 16 · Morning · TUE., OCT. 20, 2026 · Prime Minister Takaichi Makes Privately Funded Tamagushi Offering…

On the 19th, to mark Yasukuni Shrine's autumn grand festival, Prime Minister Takaichi made a privately funded tamagushi offering as LDP president (NHK, Kyodo News). General Council chair Hiroshi Kajiyama delivered it on her behalf and said, “I took charge of delivering her sentiments as a tamagushi offering” (NHK). On the 17th she had sent a masakaki offering in her name as prime minister (Yomiuri Shimbun). Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Minister Tatsunori Ibayashi visited as a member of the cross-party league of lawmakers, the second minister to visit after Growth Strategy Minister Minoru Kiuchi (Jiji Press, Kyodo News). About 70 members of the league visited (NHK). Election strategy committee chair Yasutoshi Nishimura and upper house Budget Committee chair Haruko Arimura also visited (Kyodo News). The prime minister's skipping of a visit was the third in a row (JoongAng Ilbo).

How Yasukuni Shrine is handled is a diplomatic issue tied directly to relations with China and South Korea. The form in which the prime minister does not visit herself and limits her part to a privately funded tamagushi offering and a masakaki offering is also a method that past prime ministers have used to avoid souring ties with neighboring countries while taking their supporters into account.

When ties with China and South Korea chill, it can affect tourist traffic and corporate dealings. Whether the prime minister visits also bears on the schedule of future summit diplomacy.

Nikkan Sports and others reported that the prime minister skipped a visit out of consideration for China and South Korea. The view is that avoiding a direct visit by the prime minister is the realistic decision for keeping relations with neighboring countries stable.

On the other hand, some among conservatives argue that conditions should be put in place so that the prime minister and the Emperor can visit. The visits by ministers and about 70 lawmakers show that the position that visits should continue remains strong.

What can be confirmed is that the prime minister made a tamagushi offering and a masakaki offering and did not visit herself. The substance of the official reactions of the Chinese and South Korean governments has not yet been reported in detail. Today we want to watch the statements of both countries' diplomatic authorities and the Japanese government's explanation.

NHK (prime minister's tamagushi offering and skipped visit, 10/19) · Kyodo News (carried in Chunichi Shimbun, ministers' visits, 10/19) · Jiji Press (Minister Ibayashi's visit, 10/19) · Asahi Shimbun (tamagushi offering, 10/19) · Yomiuri Shimbun (masakaki offering, 10/19) · JoongAng Ilbo (third straight skipped visit, 10/19)

Politics · Yasukuni ShrinePress ✓ 8 outlets · details of the Chinese government's reaction are unconfirmed

Prime Minister Takaichi Makes Privately Funded Tamagushi Offering at Yasukuni Shrine's Autumn Grand Festival but Skips a Visit; About 70 Lawmakers, Including Transport Minister Ibayashi, Pay Respects

Before and after taking office, the prime minister has kept skipping visits at the grand festivals and on the anniversary of the end of the war; this makes three in a row.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, as president of the Liberal Democratic Party, made a privately funded tamagushi offering on the 19th to mark the autumn grand festival that had been under way at Yasukuni Shrine in Kudankita, Tokyo. According to NHK and Kyodo News, the offering was delivered on the prime minister's behalf by the LDP's General Council chair Hiroshi Kajiyama, who told reporters, “I took charge of delivering her sentiments as a tamagushi offering.” Yomiuri Shimbun reported that two days earlier, on the 17th, the prime minister had sent a masakaki offering in her name as prime minister. The prime minister herself did not visit during the festival, and NHK reported that the decision was to forgo a visit. Nikkan Sports reported that consideration for China and South Korea was involved, and South Korea's JoongAng Ilbo reported that the prime minister, who upholds the Murayama Statement, skipped a visit for the third time in a row. According to Yomiuri Shimbun, the tamagushi offering was made as LDP president rather than as prime minister, and the name was kept separate from that on the masakaki. According to NHK, Mr. Kajiyama, who delivered the offering, also visited the shrine himself. Asahi Shimbun and Nikkei also reported that the prime minister made a tamagushi offering. According to Kyodo News, the prime minister also sent a masakaki offering to the spring grand festival in April this year and made a privately funded tamagushi offering then.

Among cabinet ministers, Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Minister Tatsunori Ibayashi visited. According to Jiji Press and NHK, Mr. Ibayashi went as a member of the cross-party league of lawmakers “Minna de Yasukuni Jinja ni Sanpai suru Kokkai Giin no Kai” (the Diet Members' Group to Visit Yasukuni Shrine Together), and Kyodo News said it was the second visit by a minister in the Takaichi cabinet during a festival period, following Growth Strategy Minister Minoru Kiuchi. According to NHK, about 70 members of the league visited. 47NEWS and NHK reported that LDP election strategy committee chair Yasutoshi Nishimura also visited, and Kyodo News reported a visit by Haruko Arimura, chair of the upper house Budget Committee. Sankei Shimbun described the league's members heading together into the grounds on the morning of the 19th. According to Kyodo News, the prime minister also skipped visits at the autumn grand festival in October last year, just before taking office, at this year's spring festival, and on the anniversary of the end of the war in August. ABEMA and others flashed news of the tamagushi offering, and Jiji Press reported Mr. Ibayashi's visit and the prime minister's offering side by side.

Open the story and DailyDrop's take

On the 19th, Prime Minister Takaichi said of the funding for the consumption tax cut, “I will control the amount of government bond issuance appropriately. I do not rule out issuing government bonds” (Jiji Press, Asahi Shimbun). The prime minister also indicated she would review both spending and revenue (Yomiuri Shimbun, NHK). She then posted on social media that the funding would be arranged “without relying on special deficit bonds” (Asahi Shimbun). The bill would cut the tax rate on food and beverages from 8% to 1% for two years only (Kyodo News). The ruling parties proposed that after the lower house plenary session on the 20th, deliberations begin at the Financial Affairs Committee on the 21st (NHK). The opposition is calling for full deliberations, including the prime minister's attendance at the committee (NHK).

Whether a tax cut is funded by government bonds bears on the credibility of the nation's finances and on long-term interest rates. Because the prime minister's testimony in the Diet and her later post were worded differently, which of the two is the government's policy is likely to become the focus of the deliberations ahead.

If the tax rate on food items becomes 1%, what you pay on everyday shopping goes down. On the other hand, depending on how the funding is arranged, it could come back as a future burden or as a move in interest rates.

The ruling side wants to move quickly on what it treats as the most important bill of this Diet session. It explains that the funding can be secured by reviewing spending and revenue, and that it will not rely excessively on government bonds.

Yuichiro Tamaki, leader of the Democratic Party for the People, voiced concern that the return of the tax rate after two years would amount to a “big tax increase” (San-in Chuo Shimpo). The opposition sees it as a problem that deliberations are moving ahead while the funding remains unclear.

It is confirmed that the prime minister gave testimony that did not rule out issuing government bonds and later posted that she would not rely on special deficit bonds. The specific breakdown of the funding has not yet been shown. We want to watch the prime minister's answers at the lower house plenary session today.

Jiji Press (remarks on issuing government bonds, 10/19) · Asahi Shimbun (prime minister's post, 10/19) · Yomiuri Shimbun (review of spending and revenue, 10/19) · NHK (talks on committee schedule, 10/19) · San-in Chuo Shimpo (interview with Mr. Tamaki, 10/19)

Politics · Consumption Tax CutPress ✓ 5 outlets · the specific breakdown of funding is unconfirmed

On Funding the Consumption Tax Cut, Prime Minister Says “I Do Not Rule Out Issuing Government Bonds,” Later Posts “Without Relying on Special Deficit Bonds”; Bill Goes to Lower House Debate on the 20th

In Diet deliberations on the 19th, Prime Minister Takaichi said of the funding for the consumption tax cut on food items, “I will control the amount of government bond issuance appropriately. I do not rule out issuing government bonds,” Jiji Press and Asahi Shimbun reported. According to Yomiuri Shimbun and NHK, the prime minister also indicated she would review both spending and revenue. Asahi Shimbun reported that the prime minister then posted on social media, in connection with her remarks at the Budget Committee, that the funding would be arranged “without relying on special deficit bonds.” According to NHK, the Diet also pressed her on matters concerning former Agriculture Minister Yana and Education Minister Seki. The bill would cut the tax rate on food and beverages from 8% to 1% for two years only, and the ruling parties proposed that after the lower house plenary session on the 20th, deliberations begin at the Financial Affairs Committee on the 21st. NHK reported that the opposition is calling for full deliberations, including the prime minister's attendance at the committee. According to Asahi Shimbun, LDP acting secretary-general Koichi Hagiuda indicated that talks with the opposition on the bill would be held “at the lower house stage.” NHK reported that in the upper house as well, the Diet affairs committee chairs of the LDP and the Constitutional Democratic Party discussed how to proceed with deliberations.

Open the story and DailyDrop's take

Inside

Empress Emerita Michiko Turns 92, Living Quietly With the Emperor EmeritusThe Empress Emerita turned 92 on the 20th. Her strength has declined, but she spends her days calmly, including walks with the Emperor Emeritus (Jiji Press, Asahi Shimbun).Imperial Family · Press ✓ 4 outlets

Seoul High Court Orders Bail for Han Hak-ja, Head of the Former Unification ChurchThe Seoul High Court decided to grant bail to Han Hak-ja, head of the former Unification Church. According to Mainichi Shimbun, the bail amount is about 23 million yen in Japanese currency.World · Press ✓ 1 outlet

Online Requests for Arrest Warrants Known as “Electronic Warrants” to Be Introduced First in Tokyo and Three Prefectures Within the Fiscal YearThe Supreme Court decided to handle requests for and issuance of arrest warrants online, known as “electronic warrants.” According to Yomiuri Shimbun, it will extend to all cases nationwide next summer (NHK).Justice · Press ✓ 3 outlets

Jun Maeda of “CLANNAD” and Other Works Discloses Pharyngeal Cancer, Will Focus on Creative WorkVisual Arts announced Jun Maeda's diagnosis of pharyngeal cancer. He will not undergo aggressive treatment and will keep working while receiving palliative care (Sankei Shimbun, Famitsu).Culture · Press ✓ 4 outlets

Small Animal in Cockpit Before Departure at Fukuoka Airport, Kagoshima-Bound Flight CanceledOn a Japan Air Commuter flight from Fukuoka to Kagoshima, a small animal got into the cockpit and the flight was canceled. The animal has not been found (NHK, Asahi Shimbun).Society · Press ✓ 3 outlets

Science · SpacePress ✓ 5 outlets · the probe's condition after separation is unconfirmed

Mars Moons Probe “MMX” Launched on H3 Rocket No. 10 From Tanegashima Space Center

Japan's Martian moons probe “MMX” was launched shortly before 5 a.m. on the 20th from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture aboard H3 rocket No. 10, NHK reported. According to NHK, the probe was scheduled to separate from the rocket about 1 hour 11 minutes after liftoff. JAXA had announced in August that launch would be at 4:41 a.m. on the 20th (Kyodo News). According to Kyodo News, No. 10 is the “2-4 configuration,” the most powerful version of the H3, and the probe is to enter orbit around Mars in about a year, collect sand from the moon Phobos and bring it back to Earth in fiscal 2031. The return craft is to come back near Earth, drop a capsule holding the samples, and the capsule will be recovered in Australia. Yomiuri Shimbun and Sankei Shimbun had reported on the rocket's move to the launch pad before liftoff.

Open the story and DailyDrop's take

In brief

First hearing over found 22 million yenA man charged with embezzlement of lost property for taking a bag containing 22 million yen in cash from a street in Aoba Ward, Sendai, admitted the charge at his first hearing at Sendai District Court (Kahoku Shimpo).
My Number Card on AndroidThe Digital Agency has published the Android models that support the My Number Card function on smartphones. Models that can use the attribute certification function are limited (ITmedia Mobile).
Switching to septic tanksNearly 120 local governments nationwide are considering switching to wastewater treatment by household septic tanks, citing aging sewer facilities and population decline (Yomiuri Shimbun).
Kim Yo Jong warnsNorth Korea's Kim Yo Jong issued a statement denouncing South Korean military warning shots and other actions and warning that loudspeaker broadcasts could resume (NHK, Asahi Shimbun, Mainichi Shimbun).
A 350-gram babyShizuoka Children's Hospital announced that it successfully treated an extremely low birth weight infant weighing a little over 350 grams by placing a stent to widen the aorta (NHK).
Zelensky's proposalPresident Zelensky said he is ready to stop attacks on Russian refineries in exchange for additional supplies of Patriot interceptor missiles (Yomiuri Shimbun).
Curfew in FranceFollowing riots, the French prime minister instructed prefects to issue curfew orders in some cities (Mainichi Shimbun, Jiji Press).
Snake that rolls to escapeA research team including Toho University has worked out the mechanism of a snake that coils its body into a loop and rolls to flee at high speed (Mainichi Shimbun).

Seven minutes every morning, one front page

DailyDrop.

Prime Minister Takaichi Makes Privately Funded Tamagushi Offering at Yasukuni Shrine's Autumn Grand Festival but Skips a Visit; About 70 Lawmakers, Including Transport Minister Ibayashi, Pay Respects

On Funding the Consumption Tax Cut, Prime Minister Says “I Do Not Rule Out Issuing Government Bonds,” Later Posts “Without Relying on Special Deficit Bonds”; Bill Goes to Lower House Debate on the 20th

About 1.26 Million Records at Hankyu Hanshin Department Stores, a Total of About 9 Million at Email Delivery Firm Yumirlink: Data Leak Announcements Come One After Another

Accident Involving Four Vehicles, Including a Bus and a Passenger Car, at Intersection in Fujisawa; 14 Taken to Hospital, One in Cardiopulmonary Arrest

Mars Moons Probe “MMX” Launched on H3 Rocket No. 10 From Tanegashima Space Center

In brief

Unverified — what we could not confirm

Influencer watch

What to watch today