TOKYO – Twenty-six of 33 sectors in Japan saw profit growth or a return to profitability in the April-September period from the previous year, a tally showed Monday, as both manufacturers and nonmanufacturers are recovering from the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic.   Based on earnings results released by listed Japanese companies on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock….Read more

Tokyo, Nov. 8 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s composite index of coincident economic indicators fell for the third straight month in September, marking its fastest decline since May last year, due to a sharp decline in auto production amid supply chain disruptions, preliminary government data showed Monday.   The Cabinet Office lowered its basic assessment on the index, which reflects current economic conditions,….Read more

Tokyo, Oct. 29 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stood at 2.8 pct in September, unchanged from the previous month, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications said Friday.   The number of jobless people decreased by 20,000, or 1.0 pct, from the previous month to 1.89 million after seasonal adjustment, the ministry also said.   Separately, the Ministry of Health,….Read more

Tokyo, Oct. 28 (Jiji Press)–The Bank of Japan lowered its fiscal 2021 growth projection for the domestic economy on Thursday, in light of supply chain constraints and sluggish consumption this summer amid a resurgence of the coronavirus.   Japan’s gross domestic product in the year through March 2022 is expected to rise 3.4 pct from the previous year in price-adjusted….Read more

Tokyo, Oct. 20 (Jiji Press)–Japan posted a customs-cleared trade deficit of 389.8 billion yen in April-September, as crude oil imports jumped due to the yen’s weakening and an oil price surge, government data showed Wednesday.   The deficit, down 67.6 pct from a year before, came after the country logged a surplus of 2,501.1 billion yen in the previous six-month….Read more

Tokyo, Oct. 13 (Jiji Press)–The average retail price of regular gasoline in Japan as of Monday came to 162.1 yen per liter, the highest level since October 2014, the industry ministry said Wednesday.     The average pump price rose 2.1 yen from a week before to mark the sixth straight week of increase, reflecting soaring crude oil prices traced to….Read more

TOKYO — Japan’s real gross domestic product contracted 0.9% in August from the previous month, according to data released on Monday by the Japan Center for Economic Research.   The contraction — the first in three months — was driven by a fall in domestic demand. Household consumption fell 0.9% while corporate capital investment declined 1.7% in August from a month….Read more

Tokyo, Oct. 8 (Jiji Press)–The number of corporate bankruptcies in Japan in April-September hit a 57-year low, thanks to the government’s financing support amid the coronavirus pandemic, a private survey showed on Friday.   The bankruptcy number plunged 23.8 pct from a year before to 2,937, the lowest level on a fiscal first-half basis since it stood at 1,938 in….Read more

Tokyo, Oct. 5 (Jiji Press)–Business sentiment in Japan improved in September due to a decrease in new COVID-19 cases amid progress in vaccinations, credit research company Teikoku Databank Ltd. said Tuesday.   The business sentiment diffusion index rose 0.7 point from the previous month to 39.9 after a decline of 1.5 points in August.   Sentiment improved in seven of….Read more