Overview
- The government said Prime Minister Takaichi will hold a Jan. 19 evening news conference at the Kantei to explain his reasons for an expected early dissolution of the House of Representatives.
- Chiba University Hospital reported that in a phase‑1 trial of iPS‑derived NKT immune cells for head and neck cancer, tumors shrank in 2 of 8 patients and disease growth was curbed in 3 others, with safety the primary focus.
- The Fukuoka High Court approved a settlement in B‑hepatitis litigation that adds patients with a "re‑recurrence" pattern to the relief scheme, extending compensation to about 160 people nationwide.
- Hokkaido Police tallied nine backcountry incidents through Jan. 15, including one death and five injuries, and urged climbers and skiers to enter mountain areas in groups.
- Tokyo police are probing a Yoyogi Park blaze that burned a tent and nearby trees, where one body was found, with the cause of the fire and the victim’s identity still under investigation.