Japan–OAS ID Push in Haiti: Japan signed a $3M deal with the Organization of American States to expand Haiti’s biometric ID system ahead of elections, targeting 350,000 new cards and an updated electoral registry. AI Infrastructure in Japan: NVIDIA says it has locked in multi-billion-dollar “AI factory” partnerships across Japan, aiming to supply GPU clusters and build local data-processing capacity for generative AI. Retail Investing Competition: SoftBank is pulling ahead in Japan’s race for retail investors, adding more younger shareholders than any other listed company. Data Centers Go Mainstream: Itochu plans to invest several hundred billion yen by 2030 to develop about 10 data centers in Japan for leasing to U.S. tech giants and others. Defense-Industrial Shift: Japan’s defense minister visit to India signals deeper cross-border defense-industrial cooperation as both countries launch new co-development work. Middle East Shipping Costs: Japan and Turkey oppose any transit fees on Hormuz passage, warning against added costs for energy navigation. Disaster Costs Hit Drivers: Chiba’s rain floods left many car owners without insurance coverage, raising fears of large repair and loan burdens. Markets Watch: Japan’s bond-and-stock jitters continue as AI-related trading lifts volatility and global rates pressure sentiment. Cyber Insurance Softens: Asia’s cyber pricing fell 8% as capacity stayed available and insurers competed. Corporate/Tech Deals: Rakuten is brokering German drone startup Helsing into Japan’s defense procurement system, while Jollibee’s Tim Ho Wan moves to take full control of its North America platform.