Tokyo stocks fell sharply on June 26 as investors locked in profits from Japan’s record-setting AI-driven rally, with SoftBank Group and chip-related shares leading a broad retreat after reports that OpenAI may delay its initial public offering. (News On Japan)

Japanese households held 2,386 trillion yen in financial assets at the end of March, up 7.1% from a year earlier, as rising share prices, wider use of the new NISA investment program and the weaker yen lifted the value of assets held by individuals. (News On Japan)

The Nikkei Stock Average fell for a second straight session in Tokyo as investors locked in profits from a rapid rally in artificial intelligence and semiconductor-related shares, briefly sending the benchmark down more than 1,300 yen before bargain hunting helped it recover part of the loss. (News On Japan)

The sale of religious corporations that operate temples and shrines across Japan is drawing growing scrutiny from authorities, who fear the transactions could be used for tax evasion and money laundering, as brokers openly advertise properties and corporate status for tens or even hundreds of millions of yen. (News On Japan)

Imabari Shipbuilding, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, and Namura Shipbuilding are aiming to resume construction of liquefied natural gas carriers around 2035, as Japan’s shipbuilding industry looks for a path to recovery after losing much of the global market to lower-cost rivals in South Korea and China. (News On Japan)

Every year, thousands of people save money by buying through the Japanese auction process. But many do not realize they've paid too much until the vehicle arrives. (News On Japan)

Finance Minister Katayama held online talks with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent as the yen approached its weakest level in about 39 years, with the two sides believed to have discussed possible responses, including foreign exchange intervention. (News On Japan)

Tokyo stocks surged at the start of the week, with the Nikkei Stock Average closing above 72,000 for the first time and extending its record-setting streak to a sixth consecutive trading day. (News On Japan)

Sugar prices are on a firmer upward trend as concerns grow over the impact of Middle East tensions and the weaker yen, raising the prospect of further cost pressure on confectionery and other food products. (News On Japan)

The Bank of Japan's decision on June 16 to raise its policy interest rate to 1%, the highest level in roughly 30 years, is expected to increase annual net burdens by more than 20,000 yen for households in their 30s with two or more members once higher interest income on deposits and increased mortgage repayment costs are both taken into account, according to estimates by an economist. (News On Japan)

A major pet-related product fair opened in Osaka on June 20, bringing together more than 400 companies and showcasing new technologies and products ranging from a bone-conduction hearing device for dogs to furniture designed for cats and their owners to relax together. (News On Japan)

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda has been discharged from hospital after receiving treatment for an infected liver cyst and is expected to return to work on June 23 while continuing outpatient care for about two weeks. (News On Japan)

Japan's nationwide consumer price index rose 1.4% in May from a year earlier, staying below 2% for the fourth straight month as lower rice, gasoline, utility and school tuition costs helped curb the overall increase. (News On Japan)

The Nikkei Stock Average surged past 71000 on Thursday, closing at a record high for the fourth straight session, as easing tensions in the Middle East lifted investor sentiment while the yen weakened to a nearly two-year low against the dollar. (News On Japan)

Nissan Motor announced that it will launch the fully redesigned Kicks compact SUV on June 18, marking the model's first full overhaul in six years as the automaker seeks to strengthen its position in Japan's highly competitive small SUV market. (News On Japan)

Japan's return to a world of higher interest rates is reshaping household finances, with a growing number of young homebuyers turning to 40- and 50-year mortgages to afford rapidly rising apartment prices, according to a discussion aired on BS-TBS's Report 1930 on June 17. (News On Japan)

Japan's Fair Trade Commission has conducted on-site inspections of six major food manufacturers over suspicions they formed a cartel to coordinate ice cream prices, with authorities investigating whether the companies exchanged information and unfairly adjusted planned retail price increases in response to rising costs. (News On Japan)

The Nikkei Stock Average briefly topped the 70,000 mark for the first time on June 16, rising as much as 700 points to an intraday high of 70,020 after the Bank of Japan's decision to raise interest rates matched market expectations, before retreating as investors locked in profits, though the benchmark still ended the day at a record high. (News On Japan)

The Bank of Japan is set to begin a two-day monetary policy meeting on June 16th, with financial markets widely expecting the central bank to raise its policy interest rate to 1%, the highest level in 31 years, despite the unusual circumstance of Governor Kazuo Ueda being absent from the meeting. (News On Japan)

Okinawa Coca-Cola Bottling has begun operating a large-scale solar power generation system at its Urasoe plant, aiming to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 330 tons annually while expanding the use of renewable energy in the prefecture. (News On Japan)