Try the Daily Briefing
Try the Daily Briefing for your country of choice for two weeks--free of charge and with no obligation.
Have a service or subscription question? We'd be happy to hear from you.
Japan
Intelligence for Better Decision Making
Japan Poised for Early Election as Takaichi Weighs House Dissolution
Jan. 13, 2026 | PoliticsJapan’s political leadership faces a pivotal decision as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi considers dissolving the House of Representatives to coincide with the opening of the Diet session on January 23, 2026.
**Takaichi’s advisers, citing domestic and international uncertainties, have urged her to call a snap election to secure an outright LDP majority.**
She spent several days in seclusion at the official residence before embarking on high-profile diplomatic visits—meeting South Korean President Lee Jae-myung on January 13 and hosting Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni from January 15 to 17. Officials expect her formal announcement after the three-day Coming of Age Day holiday, with two possible schedules under discussion: issuing a public notice on January 27 for a February 8 vote, or on February 3 for a February 15 vote.
**Proceeding with dissolution before budget deliberations will delay passage of the initial fiscal 2026 budget bill, a measure critical for curbing high inflation and safeguarding people’s livelihoods.**
Opposition leaders warn that missing the fiscal-year deadline could push anti-inflation measures and social welfare programs into limbo. Komeito leader Tetsuo Saitō argues that dissolving parliament now would create a political vacuum during a key economic period, and Constitutional Democratic Party figure Yoshihiko Noda suggests the timing reflects deeper governance challenges in the administration.
**Within the ruling coalition, the election plan has generated surprise and tension.**
Many LDP members assumed dissolution would follow the April budget passage—particularly after the Democratic Party for the People signaled its willingness to cooperate—and were unsettled by the shift in Takaichi’s schedule. The Japan Innovation Party, under Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura, reports insufficient public trust in the coalition and plans to oppose the move outright. LDP Policy Affairs Committee Chairman Keiji Furuya says the party is preparing for all scenarios, though roughly 30 of 289 single-member districts still lack LDP candidates and cooperation with the Innovation Party remains unsettled in about 60 districts.
**Opposition parties are mobilizing for the potential early election.**
The Constitutional Democratic Party has declared itself combat-ready for a February vote, aiming to become the largest force in the lower house and seeking collaboration with Komeito. Meanwhile, the Democratic Party for the People—having reached a December agreement with the LDP on raising the annual income ceiling and passing the fiscal 2025 budget—now indicates it cannot guarantee support if the dissolution breaches that commitment. The stage appears set for a snap general election, pending the prime minister’s forthcoming formal decision.
Protests Intensify in Iran Amid Economic Crisis and Escalating Government Crackdown
Jan. 13, 2026 | PoliticsWidespread protests in Iran have erupted in response to economic hardship and mounting political tensions.
**Anti-government demonstrations began on December 28 as a severe currency crisis and surging inflation, driven largely by European and US sanctions, intensified public frustration.**
While protesters first took to the streets over rising prices and dwindling living standards, their demands have expanded to call for broader political reforms. Now in their third week, large-scale rallies continue across major cities, including Tehran.
**To suppress the protests, security forces have detained 2,638 people, among them medical personnel and seven minors.**
Human rights observers report heavy casualties: a US-based group records 116 fatalities—many victims of live ammunition or pellet guns—while Reuters tallies 490 protesters and 48 security personnel killed since the unrest began. According to medical workers in Tehran, a significant share of these deaths occurred in the capital.
**Amid the government’s crackdown, exiled former crown prince Reza Pahlavi has urged protesters to occupy city centers and launch strikes in vital sectors such as transportation and industry.**
His calls have coincided with intensifying demonstrations and growing public support for coordinated action against the government’s economic and political policies.
**On the international stage, President Donald Trump has condemned Iran’s use of force against demonstrators and affirmed his administration’s willingness to support them.**
The New York Times reports he has been briefed on potential military options against Iran, though he has not authorized any strikes. Through social media, he has reiterated his backing for the protesters and warned of possible military repercussions if Tehran escalates its crackdown.
**Responding to US statements, Iranian officials have threatened the United States and Israel against any intervention.**
Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that US military and maritime facilities would become legitimate targets if attacked, stressing Iran’s right to preemptive self-defense. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused the US and Israel of fomenting unrest and cautioned that any hostile action against Iran would bring negative repercussions for those countries.
**Within Iran, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has described preserving internal order as a non-negotiable red line, indicating its readiness to use force if necessary.**
President Masoud Pezeshkian denounced US and Israeli involvement, accusing them of orchestrating chaos and even mosque attacks while affirming citizens’ right to protest. Meanwhile, Qalibaf reiterated that any US assault would prompt retaliatory strikes on American bases in Israel and across the region.
**With tensions escalating on both fronts, Trump plans to meet senior officials to consider potential responses, including military options.**
The international community remains deeply concerned about the unfolding crisis, where domestic unrest and geopolitical stakes continue to rise in tandem.
Monitored Intelligence for Japan - Jan. 13, 2026
News
Media
214
Government
Releases
1
City/State
Releases
6
Embassy
Releases
0
Foreign
Service
Advisories
0
Service
Advisories
0
Academic/
Think
Tank
0
Think
Tank
0
Podcasts
0
Videos
0
Social
Media
0
Business
Releases
0
Erudite Risk takes an all risks approach to intelligence reporting. We categorize key intelligence into one of 40 different risk intelligence categories.
The goal is to provide intelligence that allows decision makers to avoid being blindsided by what they may have missed, while informing them to make better decisions as well.
Risk Categories Reported on Today
Risk Category
Items Reported On
Accidents
6
Critical Infrastructure Failure
2
Geopolitical Conflict and Disputes
7
Political Scandal or Corruption
1
North Korea
2
Natural Disasters
4
Extreme Weather Events
5
Protest, Demonstration, Dissent
3
Shifting Geopolitical Alliances
1
Man-made Environmental Disasters
1
Regulation
2
Epidemics and Pandemics
1
Erudite Risk also includes operations categories so you can monitor the environment for better decision making. Everything is tied together--what happens in risk affects operations and what happens in the market impacts risk profiles.
We categorize key intelligence into one of 30 different operations intelligence categories.
Different roles and functions within the organization can monitor different key issue areas. HR may monitor employment, wages, regulations, labor and management relations, etc., while P&L leaders may monitor overall developing trends.
Operations Categories Reported on Today
Operations Category
Items Reported On
Legal Exposure
2
Tech Development/Adoption
2
Politics and Elections
6
Operating Results
2
Political Policy Resistance
1
Asset Price Change
1
Bizdev-Partnering
1
Inflation
1
Budgets-Budgeting
1
North Korea demands South Korea's accountability for drone 'provocation'
NHK | English | News | Jan. 13, 2026 | North Korea
Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, accused South Korea of infringing on North Korean sovereignty through drone incursions. She issued a statement via state media demanding South Korea take responsibility and provide concrete explanations.
North Korea's military claimed that South Korean drones violated its airspace on January 4, 2026, and previously in September 2025, and said it shot down the unmanned aerial vehicles. South Korea's Defense Ministry denied involvement and stated that the drones in North Korean photos are not among the models it uses, noting they are common civilian drone types.
Kim Yo Jong emphasized that the issue is not whether the drones were military or civilian but stressed that the drones had filmed a uranium mine. She labeled the incidents a grave provocation and insisted South Korea cannot evade responsibility. South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has directed relevant agencies to investigate the matter, with the inquiry currently ongoing.
小泉防衛相、島しょ防衛を重視 安保３文書改定巡り
Defense Minister Koizumi Emphasizes Island Defense Amid Revisions to the Three Security Documents
Tokyo Shimbun | Local Language | News | Jan. 13, 2026 | Geopolitical Conflict and Disputes
Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi inspected training conducted by the Ground Self-Defense Force's 1st Airborne Brigade at the JGSDF Narashino Training Area in Chiba Prefecture on January 11, 2026. The training focused on island defense, reflecting renewed emphasis on strengthening Japan’s defense posture in the southwest region. Koizumi stressed the importance of this focus as revisions to Japan's three key security documents are planned within the year.
The training included participation from militaries of a record 14 countries, including the United States, Australia, and Turkey, highlighting strong cooperation between Japan and allied nations. Although a parachute drop was scheduled, it was canceled due to strong winds. Prior to the training, Koizumi himself practiced basic parachute descent by jumping from an 11-meter tower at the nearby JGSDF Narashino Garrison.
India mulls forcing smartphone makers to give source code in security overhaul
Japan Times | English | News | Jan. 13, 2026 | Regulation
India is proposing new security measures that would require smartphone manufacturers to provide the government with access to their source codes and implement various software changes. These measures include a package of 83 security standards and a mandate to notify the government about major software updates.
Technology giants such as Apple and Samsung have expressed strong opposition to the proposal, arguing that the requirements lack global precedent and could expose proprietary information. The initiative is part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's efforts to strengthen data security amid rising online fraud and data breaches in India, which is the world's second-largest smartphone market with nearly 750 million devices.
Contact us for a free trial of the Daily Briefing for your country of choice.
We currently cover:
South KoreaJapan
China
Taiwan
Vietnam
India
info@eruditerisk.com
The Daily Briefing is delivered Monday through Thursday via email.
Each day's reports include a combination of:
Takes
Takes are our deep dives into a topic of enduring interest or concern. Takes include copious references to all the media resources we gathered to build them.
Developments
Developments are key issues and incidents being heavily reported on in country. These are the centers of local thought gravity around which everything else revolves.
Risk Media
Summaries and analysis of the most important risk issues reported on in media, arranged by risk category. Learn about risk trends and issues while they are developing--before they blow up.
Ops Media
Summaries and analysis of the most important operational issues reported on in media, arranged by operations category. See what's changing in your market, and what's not.
Government Releases
Government press and data releases on key economic data, regulation, law, intiatives, incidents. Straight from the government's press to your eyes in less than a day.
Embassy and Business Association Releases
Statements and news releases from foreign embassies and business/industry associations, including chambers of commerce.
The Daily Briefing is comprehensive!
The Daily Briefing can run 50-100 pages each day!
Luckily, Erudite Risk tailors every report specifically to you.
Content Filtering
We try hard to ensure that every piece of information included in each day's reports will be of interest to our readers.
To fulfill our goal of comprehensively monitoring the intelligence landscape and also keeping reports readable, we build big reports--then deliver only the information that applies to you.
Each Daily Briefing is a bespoke report matched to your concerns. Tell us what you want in it, or we can match it to your professional needs. It's that easy.