Koizumi&#39;s approval rating rises, pension reform tops concern
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The approval rating for Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi&#39;s cabinet edged up slightly on a latest survey, with the unpopular pension reform program advocatedby him remaining
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The Bank of Japan raised its main  interest rate on Wednesday by a quarter percentage point to  0.50 percent, the highest in more than a decade, but the yen  retreated as the central bank signaled caution on further  increases.
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The Nikkei average rose 0.33 percent by midday on Tuesday, poised to hit a five-month closing high after economic data supporting the view that Japan&#39;s economic slowdown is temporary bolstered banks and brokers.
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A majority of Japanese want their government to get tougher with China and North Korea as support for Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has dipped, an opinion poll showed.
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The Bank of Japan raised its main interest rate on Wednesday by a quarter percentage point to 0.50 percent, the highest in more than a decade, but the yen retreated as the central bank signaled caution on further increases.
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Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi  reshuffled his cabinet Monday to boost his popularity and give  impetus to reform -- especially postal reform -- but the mix of  familiar faces with unknowns raised doubts about whether he  would achieve those goals.
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The Bank of Japan made an &quot;appropriate&quot; decision to raise interest rates Wednesday for the first time since last July, the top government spokesman said.
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To keep the economy rolling, Japan's new leader must push ahead with reform
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Japan's Nikkei average rose on Wednesday  after the Federal Reserve indicated the U.S. economy was  growing moderately, boosting exporters such as Matsushita  Electric Industrial Co. and Toyota Motor Corp.
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Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi reshuffled his Cabinet and the ruling party leadership Monday in hopes of solidifying his flagging political power and boosting his ability to carry out reforms.
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Tokyo stocks rose by mid-morning on Monday with a broad range of issues getting a lift from a key survey that boosted optimism on Japan&#39;s economic outlook, with expectations rising that growth figures will be revised up.
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Confidence at major Japanese companies remained the same as three months ago, a closely watched Bank of Japan survey showed Monday, possibly reinforcing expectations that the central bank will raise interest rates in August.
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TOKYO Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi reshuffled his Cabinet yesterday for the third time since taking power in 2001, replacing several top ministers in an effort to boost his popularity, consolidate political support and quicken the pace of reforms.
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The support rate for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe&#39;s cabinet registered at 34 percent, around half what it was when he took office in September, a poll showed Tuesday.
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Healthy company results and outlooks lifted Japanese shares on Tuesday and stocks elsewhere in Asia hit a record, while the yen strengthened ahead of a Group of Seven meeting this weekend.
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The Nikkei average rose 0.53 percent by midsession on Tuesday as investors remained optimistic about Japan&#39;s economy, buying banks such as Mizuho Financial Group and shares in firms tied to domestic business.
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Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's brand-new cabinet including heavyweight veterans won an approval rating of around 40 percent in a survey released in Tuesday, more than 10 points higher than the previous cabinet.