NHK gave top play to a report that Prime Minister Abe and Chinese Premier Li met in Manila on Monday and agreed to deepen economic relations and strengthen cooperation in dealing with North Korea. All commercial networks led with reports that a man was arrested after engaging in an hour-long car chase in Ehime on Monday.

Top stories in national dailies included reports on the draft of a chairman’s statement to be issued by the ASEAN nations (Asahi, Yomiuri); a North Korean soldier’s defection to South Korea at Panmunjom on Monday (Sankei); a Health Ministry plan to lift a ban on blood product exports (Mainichi); and money easing policies being employed by central banks worldwide (Nikkei).