Business Topics

Jun 20, 2013

Trade deficit in May was the third-highest ever recorded

Japan’s trade balance in May showed the third-largest deficit ever for any month, with the red-ink streak extending to a record 11th month as the depreciation of the yen continued to push up import prices despite a sharp gain in exports, the government said ...

Economists split on Abe plan

Jun 18, 2013

Economists split on Abe plan

by Jun Hongo

Top economists remained divided Monday over whether Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s “Abenomics” policies will bear fruit but all saw eye-to-eye on the need for deregulation and new growth strategies. “You can only buy so much time with monetary policies,” Yuichi Kodama, chief economist at ...

Jun 15, 2013

Energy report skips nuclear phase-out

Japan’s annual energy report released Friday barely refers to the fact that the previous government upheld a goal to phase out nuclear power in the 2030s, reflecting the pro-nuclear stance of the current government. The latest Energy White Paper covers a period between last ...

Jun 14, 2013

Japan growth estimate gets World Bank boost

The World Bank on Wednesday cut its global economic growth projection for 2013 due to the weak performance of the eurozone and the slowing growth in emerging economies, while boosting the growth estimate for Japan substantially on the back of policy effects. In its ...

Jun 14, 2013

Economy assessment upgraded despite chaos

The government on Thursday upgraded its basic assessment of the economy for the second straight month in June as the weaker yen has helped exports and despite growing uncertainties over the economic outlook due to recent financial market turmoil. The economy is “picking up ...

Jun 12, 2013

Big firms' sentiment soaring, before dive

Business sentiment at large companies in the second quarter sharply improved from the previous three months, as the yen’s slide triggered hopes of an export rebound and boosted stock prices, a government survey showed Tuesday. The index, covering firms capitalized at ¥1 billion or ...

Jun 10, 2013

GDP revised up to annual 4.1% in first quarter

The economy grew at an annualized rate of 4.1 percent during the first three months of the year in inflation-adjusted terms, upgraded from preliminary data on the back of an upward revision to business investment.

Jun 10, 2013

Abe to finalize tax break for corporate investment by fall

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Sunday his government will finalize a tax break for corporate investment by this fall in addition to its already announced growth strategy. Abe, appearing on a television program aired by public broadcaster NHK, called the series of measures he ...