Tag - japanese-economy

 
 

JAPANESE ECONOMY

Business sentiment among major Japanese companies turned positive for the first time in two quarters in July to September, according to a government survey released Thursday.
BUSINESS / Economy
Sep 11, 2025
Sentiment among big Japanese firms turns positive for first time in two quarters
The business sentiment index represents the proportion of firms seeing their business conditions improve from the previous quarter minus that of those feeling the opposite.
Residential buildings in the Harumi district of Tokyo. Condominium associations have started to invest in bonds to try and keep pace with inflation.
BUSINESS
Sep 11, 2025
Japan’s condo associations start buying bonds to fund repairs
The move by the associations is meant keep pace with inflation amid rising repair costs.
The Bank of Japan's wait-and-see approach is likely to continue given the political climate and the tariff situation.
BUSINESS / Economy
Sep 11, 2025
Rate increase in Japan less likely following Ishiba's resignation
Political uncertainty will make a move higher in October difficult.
Traders in Tokyo celebrate an earlier record high closing of the Nikkei 225. The benchmark index has been rallying in recent days on trade optimism and political hope.
BUSINESS / Markets
Sep 10, 2025
Tokyo stocks achieve record close after strong performance on Wall Street
A sustained rally has followed Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s announcement of his resignation.
Ryosei Akazawa, Japan's chief negotiator, says that U.S. tariffs on Japanese autos will fall soon.
BUSINESS / Economy
Sep 9, 2025
Akazawa heralds U.S. trade deal as he moots wrinkle in it
He notes Japan cannot finance any project that contravenes its laws.
A customer shops at a Takeya store in Tokyo in July.
BUSINESS / Economy
Sep 9, 2025
Hidden inflation drives Japanese consumers to price-tracking sites
Consumer prices excluding fresh food rose 3.1% in July from the previous year.
The Nikkei Stock Average's opening, high and low prices on Tuesday are seen on a stock quotation board outside a brokerage in Tokyo.
BUSINESS / Markets
Sep 9, 2025
Nikkei 225 hits record on Ishiba resignation news, then falls back in afternoon
The benchmark reached a new all-time high in the morning of 44,185.73
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick argues that U.S. President Donald Trump has sole authority to invest Japan's promised $550 billion.
BUSINESS / Economy
Sep 8, 2025
Search is on for loopholes in Japan’s $550 billion investment pledge
The pledge was described over the weekend by U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick as essentially a blank checkbook for U.S. President Donald Trump.
Takeover offers by foreign firms are increasing in Japan, backed by government guidelines that instructed companies to give "sincere consideration” to such proposals.
BUSINESS / Companies
Sep 8, 2025
Japan set for record number of takeover offers from foreign firms
Foreign firms' proposals to buy or acquire majority stakes in Japanese companies are on pace to exceed last year’s record of 193.
Gross domestic product grew at an annualized pace of 2.2% last quarter, the revised report said, indicating that consumer spending is gaining momentum.
BUSINESS / Economy
Sep 8, 2025
Japan confirms GDP growth as spending holds up amid U.S. tariffs
The Japanese economy grew at an annualized pace of 2.2% in April-June, exceeding an initial estimate of a 1.0% expansion, the Cabinet Office said.
Minimum hourly wages in Japan's 47 prefectures are set to average ¥1,121, up by a record ¥66 from the previous year.
BUSINESS / Economy
Sep 5, 2025
Japan to hike minimum wage by record amount, backing BOJ’s rate hikes
A record 6.3% increase takes the minimum wage to an average of ¥1,121 per hour across the country's 47 prefectures, the largest increase since 1978.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Ryosei Akazawa, Japan’s chief tariff negotiator, sign trade agreements on Thursday in Washington.
BUSINESS / Economy
Sep 5, 2025
Japan's $550 billion investment pledge outlined in MOU
U.S. President Donald Trump will direct the investments and the projects funded by Japan will be controlled by the United States.
A former Bank of Japan chief economist says growing market speculation about a potential rate hike in October is underestimating the uncertainty caused by U.S President's Donald Trump's tariff campaign.
BUSINESS / Economy
Sep 5, 2025
BOJ’s October rate stance tough to call, its ex-chief economist says
Speculation over a potential rate hike underestimates the uncertainty wrought by U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff campaign, Toshitaka Sekine says.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Ryosei Akazawa, Japan’s chief tariff negotiator, shake hands.
BUSINESS / Economy
Sep 5, 2025
Trump signs order reducing tariffs on Japanese autos
The executive order signed by the U.S. president on Thursday in Washington sets auto tariffs on Japan at 15%.
Japan's nominal wages increased 4.1% in July from a year earlier, marking the steepest increase since December.
BUSINESS / Economy
Sep 5, 2025
Japan's wages make biggest gain in seven months, backing case for rate hike
Real wages also rose for the first time this year in July, edging up by 0.5%.
The Finance Ministry building in Tokyo's Kasumigaseki district
BUSINESS
Sep 4, 2025
Government agencies' fiscal 2026 budget requests hit record
The total requested amount rose sharply from ¥117.6 trillion in the previous year to ¥122.4 trillion.
Global markets are bracing for a shift as rising Japanese yields draw investors back home, says RBC Capital Markets.
BUSINESS / Economy
Sep 4, 2025
Japanese investors face ‘sea change’ in rising yields, RBC says
"For the first time since 2020, Japanese investors will have yields attractive enough to invest at home,” said Richard Cochinos, a currency strategist.
Former Suntory Holdings CEO Takeshi Niinami said he did not violate the law.
BUSINESS / Companies
Sep 3, 2025
Niinami, a tough and respected leader, remains at helm of Keizai Doyukai for now
He has championed fast wage increases and a tough approach to wrongdoing.
Ryosei Akazawa, Japan's chief tariff negotiator, is reportedly planning to travel to Washington on Thursday for another round of talks over tariffs.
BUSINESS / Economy
Sep 3, 2025
Akazawa likely to leave Thursday for 10th round of tariff talks with U.S.: report
Akazawa abruptly canceled a to the United States just before departure last week, raising concern that the trade deal reached by the two countries on July 22 was in danger.
Dan Kerrigan, CEO of Interactive Brokers Securities Japan, said inflation is here and more money is likely to move into stocks.
BUSINESS / Companies
Sep 3, 2025
Last man standing is bullish on Japanese stocks
Dan Kerrigan, the CEO of Interactive Brokers, has been here for decades and seen it all.

Longform

Mamoru Iwai, stationmaster of Keisei Ueno Station, says that, other than earthquake-proofing, the former Hakubutsukan-Dobutsuen (Museum-Zoo) Station has remained untouched.
Inside Tokyo's 'phantom' stations — and the stories they tell