Japan Financial News

Investing.com-- Most Asian currencies moved little on Thursday as mild consolidation in the dollar offered some relief, while the Japanese yen firmed as expectations of government intervention offset data indicating an economic recession.

Investing.com-- Most Asian stocks rose on Thursday as major technology shares tracked a rebound in their U.S. peers, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 neared record highs even as the economy unexpectedly entered a recession. 

Investing.com-- The Japanese economy unexpectedly shrank in the fourth quarter of 2023, entering a technical recession as sticky inflation and a weak yen weighed on private spending, which largely offset improved export demand. 

Investing.com-- Oil prices fell in Asian trade on Thursday, extending losses after a substantially bigger-than-expected build in U.S. inventories pointed to well-supplied markets, while Japanese recession signals drove up concerns over slowing demand. 

Japan's economy slipped into a recession as it unexpectedly shrank for a second straight quarter on weak domestic demand, data showed on Thursday, raising uncertainty about the central bank's plans to exit its ultra-easy policy sometime this year. The surprisingly weak performance saw Japan lose its title as the world's third-largest economy, replaced by Germany.

economy, Japan slipped below Germany last year to fourth place, official data showed Thursday, although India is projected to leapfrog both later this decade. Despite growing 1.9 percent, Japan's nominal 2023 gross domestic product in dollar terms was $4.2 trillion, government data showed, compared with $4.5 trillion for Germany, according to figures released there last month.

Benchmark U.S. crude oil for March delivery fell $1.23 to $76.64 per barrel Wednesday

By Caroline Valetkevitch

Japan’s leading financial regulator, the Financial Services Agency (FSA), is urging institutions to place tighter scrutiny on crypto transfers, according to an official note published today.

Japanese electronics and entertainment company Sony’s profit rose 13% in October-December on growing sales of music, image sensors and video games

Blue Eye Samurai, Netflix has a ninja-packed surprise in store – the debut of the all-new Japanese action series, House of Ninjas. Crafted, written, and directed by Dave Boyle, this gripping series unfolds the tale of the Tawara family, seemingly ordinary but wielding the lethal skills of ninjutsu. With a blend of action and family dynamics, House of Ninjas promises to be a captivating addition to Netflix's international streaming lineup.

Japan’s principal financial regulator has unveiled a series of proposed measures that could negatively impact the peer-to-peer (P2P) transactions market.

Sony Group and Honda Motor will introduce three electric vehicle (EV) models by the second half of this decade, the Nikkei business daily reported on Wednesday. Sony Honda Mobility will roll out a sedan in 2025, a sports utility vehicle in 2027 and a compact some time in 2028 or after in a bid to compete with Tesla, the Nikkei reported without citing its sources. A spokesperson for Sony Honda Mobility could not immediately be reached for comment.

The proportion of investors expecting a weaker economy in the next 12 months decreased to a net 25%, from January’s 40%, the survey found.

Japanese automaker Daihatsu has named a veteran at its parent company Toyota to replace its president as it tries to repair the damage from a scandal over cheating on vehicle safety tests

Benchmark U.S. crude oil for March delivery rose 95 cents to $77.87 per barrel Tuesday

Asian shares tracked a negative lead from Wall Street on Wednesday, while the dollar and Treasury yields jumped as traders pared back expectations for the pace and scale of rate cuts by the Federal Reserve this year. The latest shift in rate expectations came after an upside surprise in U.S. inflation on Tuesday which showed the consumer price index (CPI) rising 3.1% on an annual basis, above forecasts for a 2.9% increase.

dollar traded near three-month highs to major peers on Wednesday as traders pushed back bets for a first Federal Reserve interest rate cut following surprisingly hot U.S. inflation figures overnight. The U.S. currency's push above 150 yen for the first time since Nov. 17 spurred Japan's top currency diplomat to hint at the risk of intervention if «rapid,» «speculative» yen declines continue.

Investing.com-- Most Asian shares tumbled on Wednesday, tracking an overnight decline on Wall Street after sticky U.S. inflation data spurred renewed concerns over higher for longer interest rates.

Korean instant noodles and when neighbourhood kirana stores stock Korean packaged food, it reflects the winds of change blowing through culinary preferences of young, affluent Indians. From savouring fiery Buldak noodles to munching shrimp flavoured Nongshim chips, watching K-dramas, listening to K-pop, and using K-beauty products, the K-wave is captivating a growing number of teenagers in India. «What young affluent India is adapting to and influenced by, is a direct downstream impact of the culture they are engaging with and the screens they are watching. From K-serials and K-pop, preferences have evolved to K-food, which has overtaken previous favourites like Japanese sushi,» Sandeep Goyal, chairman of ad agency Rediffusion. He said the surge in mainstream companies launching Korean packaged foods is a direct consequence of the increasing popularity of the number of restaurants serving Korean cuisine not only in metros but even smaller cities.

Sensex gained 482.70 points, or 0.68%, to close at 71,555.19, while the Nifty 50 ended 127.20 points, or 0.59%, higher at 21,743.25. “Going ahead Nifty is expected to remain in the broader range given the lack of positive triggers globally and mixed set of domestic Q3 earnings which too is unable to provide any support.