Toyota Motor assumes an average USD/JPY of 157 yen for the current fiscal year, revised from 160; assumes an average EUR/JPY of 182 yen, revised from 181.

Saudi sources said on the 4th Saudi Arabia and Syria signed a defense cooperation agreement between their defense ministries during the visit to Riyadh by Syria’s transitional government president Ahmad Shala; details were not disclosed. Shala met Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman — their second Riyadh meeting in under a month — and Syria began last month to cautiously weigh providing military assistance to Saudi Arabia. The pact was announced as Yemen’s Houthi militants continue missile and drone attacks on Saudi territory; Riyadh is seeking offensive and defensive support from the United States, European states and regional partners.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has published a draft Interim Provisions on Digital ID Management for New Energy Vehicle (NEV) power batteries for public comment. The draft, aimed at implementing the NEV battery recycling action plan and interim recycling measures, seeks to strengthen full-chain supervision of power batteries and raise recycling and reuse capacity.