FT in Talks on Acquisitions Year After Nikkei Deal

The Financial Times is in talks to buy companies that strengthen its digital subscription business as the newspaper capitalizes on greater financial support from its new owner, Japan’s Nikkei Inc., FT Chief Executive Officer John Ridding said. ( read original story ...)

Japan boosts ties with Argentina

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe vowed to boost trade and investment with Argentina during a state visit Monday to the country with Latin America's third-biggest economy. Argentina currently lags behind its neighbors Brazil and Chile in doing business ... ( read original story ...)

Japan to form $900 mln investment fund with Russia – Nikkei

The Japan Bank for International Cooperation and the Russian Direct Investment Fund will form an about 100 billion yen ($901 million) fund, and each will contribute roughly half of the total amount to launch the development projects in 2017, the report said. ( read original story ...)

Bank of Japan is in charge not the bond markets

… bond investors who sell their holdings in an effort to enforce fiscal discipline. Fewer buyers drive prices down — and drive yields up — in the fixed income market. That in turn makes it more expensive for the government to borrow and spend. ( read original story ...)

Rising US dollar reduces pressure on Bank of Japan to act

Bank of Japan at the start of the year reacted by surprisingly lowering its interest rates on part of the bank reserves into negative territory. In its September meeting, the central bank changed its monetary policy strategy. According to the new strategy ... ( read original story ...)

Japan Post Bank cuts back its holdings in JGBs

Japan Post Bank (JPB), the banking unit of Japan Post Holdings, reported a decline in net interest income for the six months ended September 30, following its decision to trim its holdings in Japanese government bonds (JGBs). According to JPB’s latest ... ( read original story ...)

Japan logs $4.47 bn trade surplus in October

Japan saw its second consecutive trade surplus in October ... it was up almost 15 percent on-year against the dollar last month, which the finance ministry said hit export values for key products such as vehicles and steel. However, the weak reading ... ( read original story ...)

Japan Imports Continue Decline, Exports Fall More Than Forecast

(Bloomberg) -- Japan posted a trade surplus for a second straight month in October, according to data released by the Ministry of Finance on Monday. The surplus was driven by a continued decline in the value of imports, which have fallen faster than exports. ( read original story ...)

Tokyo Launches New Drive to Become Leading Financial Centre

Tokyo is set to relaunch a bid to establish itself as Asia’s leading financial centre, according to a report today in the Financial Times. The effort is being spearheaded by Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike and will call on global investment banks to reverse ... ( read original story ...)