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Hideyuki Sano
The National Stock Exchange of India building in Mumbai, India. Japanese investors are increasingly shifting their focus to the Indian stock market on bets that the South Asian nation will be the next China.
BUSINESS / Markets
Feb 2, 2024
Japanese retail investors pile billions into Indian equities
In contrast, flows into Chinese shares have dropped the most among 14 emerging markets covered by Japan’s data on international investment positions.
A screen displays the Nikkei 225 Stock Average figure on the trading floor at the Nomura Securities headquarters in Tokyo on Thursday.
BUSINESS / Markets
Jan 13, 2024
Tokyo stocks find their mojo as bubble-era highs draw nearer
The roaring start to 2024 looks to be on far more solid ground than last time stocks reached these levels as investors bet the country is escaping deflation.
Packages of tofu on the production line at the Yamami factory in Oyama, Shizuoka Prefecture
BUSINESS / Companies
Dec 18, 2023
Tofu-maker Yamami sees shares surge after automating ancient craft
At its newest factory at the foot of Mount Fuji, the company, one of the few that’s listed, can produce 15,000 units of the bean curd each hour.
With the 225-issue Nikkei stock average up by 28% this year and trading near its highest level since 1990, foreign investors who have plowed more than $35 billion into Japanese stocks in 2023 after years of shying away are seen as especially demanding.
BUSINESS / Markets
Nov 22, 2023
‘Tourist investors’ punish Japan’s earnings misses
Traders relatively new to the market with unrealistically high expectations have exited positions due to nervousness.
Members of the United Auto Workers pickett outside of the Michigan Parts Assembly Plant in Wayne, Michigan, on Tuesday.
BUSINESS / Companies
Sep 27, 2023
Japanese automakers stand to gain from Detroit’s labor strike
Many firms receive a large percentage of their overall revenue from U.S. markets, so the labor action there may give a tailwind to Japanese carmakers.
Hiromi Yamaji, chief executive officer of Japan Exchange Group, says the yen is too weak and its benefits for Japanese stocks are diminishing.
BUSINESS / Economy
Aug 24, 2023
Yen’s too weak and benefits are waning, Japan bourse chief says
The yen has slipped below the levels where Japanese officials intervened last September to rein in the weakness in the currency.
More investors in the Tokyo stock market are beginning to see higher pay as a useful barometer of a company’s strength.
BUSINESS / Markets
Aug 18, 2023
Stock pickers cheer for wage hikes in post-deflationary Japan
A group of companies that raised wages higher than many of their peers has outperformed the Topix index by 5 percentage points so far this quarter.
Hitachi CEO Keiji Kojima. The company’s metamorphosis belies the argument that the bastions of Japan Inc. are set forever in their ways.
BUSINESS / Companies
Aug 4, 2023
Hitachi reinvents itself in sign of hope for Japan
The old-school conglomerate revamped its governance, shrank its empire to focus on growth and evolved into a more global enterprise.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jul 19, 2023
Japan's retailers see earnings windfall as consumers tolerate inflation
Profits and rising share prices in the sector, undiminished by customer hesitancy, are adding to speculation the Bank of Japan may upgrade its inflation forecast next week.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Markets
Jun 22, 2023
Japanese startups are catching up to broader market rally
An upcoming rush of initial public offerings has lifted sentiment toward startups, with more than 10 new stocks expected to start trading in Tokyo between now and the end of June.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
Jun 13, 2023
Japan’s sticky inflation is key to a long-lasting bull market
Investors are hoping that under inflation, companies will be able to raise prices without encountering too much pushback from customers.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
May 22, 2023
Hedge funds pushing for Japan returns get help from Tokyo exchange
The number of proposals submitted for this year’s shareholder meetings has jumped about 60% from the same time last year.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
May 17, 2023
At three-decade high, Japan stocks expected to rally further 10% by year-end
Up more than 12% in 2023, the Topix is already among the best performing national equity gauges in Asia and is beating a broader regional index by more than 8 percentage points.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Mar 23, 2023
Nintendo family office sees success in engineering firm takeover
The saga pits Yamauchi No. 10 Family Office (YFO), which manages about ¥200 billion ($1.5 billion) in assets, against Toyo Construction, a firm known for its marine engineering operations.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Mar 15, 2023
SVB blowout may drive SoftBank shares below Son’s pain point and trigger buyback
Silicon Valley Bank's failure has fueled investor concern over the exposure of startup firms in the SoftBank Vision Funds.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Markets
Mar 14, 2023
SVB crisis drives concern over Japanese banks’ exposure to U.S. bonds
While there aren’t any major alarm bells ringing over the health of Japan’s banking sector, investors are nonetheless worried about potential losses.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Markets
Feb 3, 2023
Japan's GPIF, the world's biggest pension fund, posts longest loss in 20 years
The Government Pension Investment Fund lost 1% during the quarter ended December, or ¥1.85 trillion ($14 billion), reducing its total assets to ¥189.9 trillion.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Markets
Dec 22, 2022
Nippon Life may buy more domestic bonds after BOJ shift raises yields
Benchmark 10-year sovereign yields have almost doubled to 0.48% after policymakers raised the cap to 0.50% on Tuesday.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Nov 16, 2022
Top-performing Japan stock fund Arcus bets on metals and chemicals
The Arcus Japan Fund has beaten all of its peers this year, generating double digit returns even as they have averaged a loss of 7%.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Markets
Oct 25, 2022
Wage hikes cheered by BOJ becoming a bullish sign for Japan shares
Exchange-traded funds that invest in firms that are bolstering spending on human resources, capital expenditure and research are performing strongly.

Longform

Dul Saroth (left) and Soeum Samrach, deminers with the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority, practice using the Advanced Landmine Imaging System in Cambodia’s Siem Reap province in August.
The Japanese tech that could one day make Southeast Asia landmine-free