Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) lost its majority for the first time in 15 years after the country’s prime minister, Shigeru Ishiba, called a snap election. The LDP and its coalition partner Komeito won a combined 215 seats, short of the 233 majority they needed. The Constitutional Democratic Party – the largest opposition party – increased its seats from 98 to 148. For the latest news and analysis from Tokyo, tune in to The Globalist on Monocle Radio at 07.00 London time.

As long as the US is the world’s pre-eminent economic and military power, its presidential election will always be consequential to international affairs. This year, however, is probably the most geopolitically significant contest since the end of the Second World War. Many, especially those in Europe, believe it is a question of Republican isolationism vs Democratic interventionism; that a victory for Donald Trump will see a diminishment of the Atlantic alliance, both materially and politically; while a triumph for Kamala Harris will mean continuity, or even a strengthening of institutions such as Nato.

As the US marches toward the 2024 election, all eyes will be on Wisconsin – a key swing state whose modest 10 electoral votes have outsized influence. Once a Democratic stronghold, it flipped to Trump in 2016, only to return to Biden in 2020 by a wafer-thin margin. This year, Wisconsin’s outcome could once again set the tone for the nation. At the heart of voter concerns are economic shifts.

Italian naval training ship Amerigo Vespucci will be raising its sails to depart Singapore this afternoon, after spending four days docked in the city’s harbour. The full-rigged vessel, which has been in service since 1931, is on a two-year world tour that will conclude when it returns to Italy next summer. During its stay in Singapore, a sprawling “Villaggio Italia” pop-up appeared near the docks, where visitors could sip Italian wine, feast on pizza and cool down with a gelato. There was also an Italian design exhibition and Singapore-based Italian pop singer Matilde G performed a concert.

Encouraged by a teacher who had lived in Paris, bookseller Penelope Fletcher moved to France and, in 2001, opened The Red Wheelbarrow bookshop in the 4th arrondissement. After closing for a few years, it reopened in 2018 at its current location opposite the Jardins du Luxembourg. The Canadian has now been a Parisian bookseller for almost two decades. “There is a culture of bookshops here,” Fletcher told The Monocle Minute on a recent visit.

The Red Wheelbarrow’s eclectic offering has grown to span three adjacent shopfronts, including one dedicated to children’s titles. Fletcher floats from one to the other, fetching copies or warmly guiding customers. “People see bookshops like pharmacies,” says Fletcher. “They’ll come in and say, ‘I’m not feeling very happy right now, I’d like something light’.” But the idea of a universal literary prescription doesn’t seem feasible to Fletcher: “It’s like asking a dentist, ‘What dental work do you think everyone should get?’ You can’t do that.”

For more Parisian literary business stories, pick up a copy of Monocle’s November issue, which features our dedicated series on beloved bookstores in the French capital.

Monocle travels to Johannesburg, South Africa’s largest (and Africa’s richest) city. In recent years the city’s image has been one of dysfunction. Big businesses moved to the suburbs in the 1980s and 1990s. During the coronavirus pandemic its politics imploded and several long-brewing infrastructural crises spilled over simultaneously. The May national elections did little to steady the ship. Yet Monocle meets a slew of creatives and entrepreneurs who are stubbornly pushing back with new initiatives aimed at rebuilding the city’s brand.

Subscribe to read the full article or pick up a copy of Monocle’s November issue, which is available online and on newsstands now.

This week’s episode is dedicated entirely to umami. First up, we sit down with Christopher Beckman, whose new book dives into the history and potency of anchovies. Also on the programme: Monocle’s Canberra correspondent, Aarti Betigeri, tastes Australia’s divisive spread, Vegemite. Plus: we unearth the bountiful possibilities of cooking with fungi with Sam White, executive chef at Fortnum & Mason.