World Economic News

The strength of the yen against other currencies is a worry for the Japanese economy

The Bank of Japan (BOJ) has announced measures to boost lending aimed at combating

Consumers hunting for bargains in Japanese shopping centres have seen months of falling prices

Japan’s core consumer prices index fell for the 17th month in a row in July, underlining the… more...

The yen has hit a new 15-year high against the dollar amid continued uncertainty about whether the government will intervene.

Speaking at an emergency press conference, Japanese Finance Minister, Yoshihiko Noda, declined to comment on any potential currency intervention.

But said that he was monitoring the situation “extremely closely, with grave concern”.

The strength of the yen is a major worry as it puts… more...

Japan traditionally relies on strong exports to fuel economic growth

Economic growth in Japan weakened significantly in the last financial quarter, official figures show.

Between April and June this year gross domestic product - the sum of the… more...

Japanese exports rose in June but at a slower pace than in recent months, raising questions about the strength of Japan’s economic recovery.

Exports climbed 27.7% to 5.87 trillion yen ($67bn; £43.4bn), the Finance Ministry said.

However, analysts warned that exports would slow in the coming months as rises in the yen started to bite.

Separately, figures showed that economic growth in South Korea slowed in the… more...

Japanese business confidence has hit its highest level in two years, a central bank survey suggests.

The closely watched Tankan survey of more than 11,000 manufacturers found that optimists about Japan’s economy outweighed pessimists for the first time since June 2008.

Firms predicted rising profits and increased investment.

It comes as the world’s second-largest economy battles to recover from its worst slump in decades.

The… more...

Prime Minister Naoto Kan wants to cut Japan

Japan has set targets to rein in its national debt, the biggest in the industrialised world.

New Prime Minister Naoto Kan has made fiscal reform a top priority, saying that without it the country could face the… more...

Japan is at “risk of collapse” under its huge debt mountain, the country’s new prime minister has said.

Naoto Kan, in his first major speech since taking over, said Japan needed a financial restructuring to avert a Greece-style crisis.

“Our country’s outstanding public debt is huge… our public finances have become the worst of any developed country,” he said.

After years of borrowing, Japan’s debt… more...