Japan's severe labor shortage is at levels last seen about a quarter-century ago, states a government white paper presented to the Cabinet on Friday which also highlights the country's need to resolve the issue in order to achieve sustainable economic growth. (Japan Times)

Over the years, numerous reasons have been provided for Japan's prolonged deflation problem. These have ranged from automation to mindset problems. Amazon.com, Inc. is the latest culprit to be assigned the blame. (investopedia.com)

Policymakers at the Bank of Japan have decided to continue with their easing program in a bid to achieve a 2-percent inflation target. But the officials have revised the forecast date for meeting the target. They say an extra year is needed. (NHK)

Even unrealistically robust economic and productivity growth would not be enough to bring Japan's primary balance into the black by fiscal 2020, government estimates released Tuesday show. (Nikkei)

Japanese manufacturers' and service providers' business confidence held steady at high levels in July, a Reuters poll found on Wednesday, underlining the central bank's upbeat view on the economy. (Reuters)

Japan's gross domestic product in fiscal 2018 is forecast to increase 1.4 pct from the previous year in price-adjusted real terms, the Cabinet Office said Friday. (Jiji)

Chief negotiators from the 11 Trans-Pacific Partnership countries met Wednesday in the hot-spring resort town of Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture, to discuss how to breathe fresh life into the massive free trade deal after the U.S. withdrew. (Japan Times)

Japan will be holding talks on a Pacific Rim trade initiative rejected by U.S. President Donald Trump beginning Wednesday in the mountain resort town of Hakone, west of Tokyo. (Japan Today)

Japanese companies have never been in better financial shape. Their sky-high ratio of capital to assets testifies to that fact, with the average figure topping 40% for the first time last fiscal year. There's a catch, however: They are inveterate hoarders, which critics say points to a corporate governance problem. (Nikkei)

Japanese companies have never been in better financial shape. Their sky-high ratio of capital to assets testifies to that fact, with the average figure topping 40% for the first time last fiscal year. There's a catch, however: They are inveterate hoarders, which critics say points to a corporate governance problem. (Nikkei)

Japan's fiscal 2016 tax revenue came in around 2.1 trillion yen ($18.5 billion) below the initial forecast, casting doubt over Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's plan to replenish government coffers by spurring growth in the corporate sector. (Nikkei)

Japan's labor shortage has pushed the number of people changing jobs and employers during their career to its highest level since the global financial crisis, as companies scramble for workers with experience amid a rapidly-aging economy. (Japan Times)

Japan is seen boosting subsidies and other assistance to dairy farmers after the country reached a broad accord on its envisioned economic partnership agreement with the European Union, informed sources have said. (Jiji)

Japan and the European Union reached a broad accord in their four-year-old trade negotiations on Wednesday, set to create a free trade zone that covers 40 pct of trade around the globe. (Jiji)

Japan's blue chips managed to hold the line above 20,000 Tuesday despite North Korea's best efforts to rain on the parade. But the real test lies in whether the market value can last long beyond the 600 trillion yen ($5.29 trillion) barrier, which has proved the downfall of many a rally. (Nikkei)

Salarymen have taken a pummeling in recent years - with pay stagnating and rising numbers of working women and mothers eroding their once-dominant position as the family's breadwinner. (Japan Times)

Prices of land facing major streets in Japan as of Jan. 1 grew 0.4 pct from a year before on average, up for the second consecutive year, the National Tax Agency said Monday. (Jiji)

Japan and the European Union will continue talks on a proposed economic partnership agreement after they failed to narrow gaps over key issues at a two-day ministerial meeting ended in Tokyo Saturday. (Jiji)

Japan's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stood at 3.1 pct in May, up 0.3 percentage point from the previous month, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications said Friday. (Jiji)

A Bank of Japan policymaker praised Adolf Hitler's economic policies on Thursday, but said they enabled the Nazi dictator to do "horrible" things to the world. (Japan Times)