Tokyo stocks fell on October 2, with the Nikkei 225 closing at 68,309, down 647 points, as investors took profits after the previous day’s sharp rally and turned cautious ahead of U.S. employment data, rising global bond yields and renewed concern over energy prices. (News On Japan)

Japan's unemployment rate rose to 2.5% in August, up 0.1 percentage point from July, marking the first deterioration in five months, according to data released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. (News On Japan)

Pan Pacific International Holdings (PPIH), the operator of discount retail chain Don Quijote, has announced plans to acquire the Japanese operations of Toys R Us, the American-founded toy retail giant, taking over approximately 150 stores nationwide while maintaining employment for existing workers. (News On Japan)

Tokyo stocks surged on October 1, with the Nikkei 225 closing at 68,957, up 2,203 points, as investors rushed back into artificial intelligence and semiconductor-related shares after Micron Technology’s strong earnings outlook reinforced confidence in global chip demand. (News On Japan)

TOKYO - Tokyo stocks fell on September 29, with the Nikkei 225 closing at 65,481, down 396 points, as the September-end ex-dividend adjustment, U.S. stock weakness, higher bond yields and oil-related inflation concerns weighed on investor sentiment. (News On Japan)

Osaka Prefecture's minimum wage will rise to 1,231 yen per hour in October, providing welcome relief to part-time workers struggling with higher living costs while placing growing financial pressure on businesses, some of which are responding by reducing employee hours and introducing robots that can perform certain tasks for the equivalent of just 94 yen an hour. (News On Japan)

The average annual salary for employees at private-sector companies in Japan rose 1.9% to a record 4.87 million yen last year, marking the fifth consecutive annual increase, according to the National Tax Agency. (News On Japan)

Toyota Motor's global vehicle sales fell 6.4% from a year earlier to 790,743 units in August, marking the second consecutive month of year-on-year declines as high gasoline prices linked to the Middle East crisis continued to weigh on demand for gasoline-powered vehicles in China. (News On Japan)

Tokyo stocks fell on September 29, with the Nikkei 225 closing at 65,481, down 396 points, as the market adjusted for September interim dividends and investors remained cautious over high Japanese bond yields, a weak yen, oil prices and profit-taking after the recent rebound. (News On Japan)

Japan will unify liquor tax rates on beer, happoshu and other beer-like beverages from October 1, lowering the tax on regular beer while raising it on cheaper alternatives in a reform expected to reshape prices and competition across the domestic beer market. (News On Japan)

Beaujolais Nouveau, France's newly produced wine traditionally associated with autumn, arrived in Japan on September 28 about a month earlier than usual after a record-breaking heatwave accelerated this year's grape harvest. (News On Japan)

Tokyo stocks fell on September 28, with the Nikkei 225 closing at 65,878, down 486.58 points, as an early rally above 67,000 faded into profit-taking despite dividend-related buying and continued support for banks and insurers. (News On Japan)

Pawn shops in Japan are seeing growing demand as rising living costs push more people to borrow against their valuables, with customers pledging everything from family jewelry to luxury watches and gold coins to cover everyday expenses, medical bills and business costs. (News On Japan)

Tokyo stocks head into September 28 with the Nikkei 225 sitting at 66,364 after a five-session winning streak, as investors weigh strong artificial intelligence and semiconductor momentum against dividend-related trading, a weak yen, high bond yields and lingering uncertainty over the Bank of Japan’s next move. (News On Japan)

A levee collapse at Lake Inbanuma in Chiba Prefecture following heavy rain from Typhoon No. 25 has devastated a koi breeding facility in Narita, leaving nearly 100,000 fish lost and causing an estimated 1 billion yen in damage to livestock and equipment. (News On Japan)

Japan's benchmark long-term interest rate climbed to 3.115% during trading, reaching its highest level in nearly 30 years for the second consecutive day as persistent inflation concerns and expectations of further interest rate hikes fueled selling in government bonds. (News On Japan)

Tokyo stocks rose strongly on September 25, with the Nikkei 225 closing at 66,364, up 850 points, as buying in semiconductor and artificial intelligence-related shares combined with demand for dividend-paying financial stocks ahead of the September 28 interim dividend deadline. (News On Japan)

SoftBank Group announced on September 24 that it will issue approximately 1.76 trillion yen worth of foreign currency-denominated bonds, the largest simultaneous bond offering in its history, to finance a further $10 billion investment in OpenAI as founder Masayoshi Son accelerates his strategy of building a global business spanning artificial intelligence, semiconductors and data centers. (News On Japan)

Prices of used condominiums in Tokyo fell for the first time in two years and four months in August, ending a 28-month streak of increases, while neighboring Chiba and Kanagawa prefectures recorded their fourth consecutive month of gains. (News On Japan)

Tokyo stocks rose on September 24, with the Nikkei 225 climbing to 65,647, up 628 points, as investors returned from the Silver Week break with renewed appetite for artificial intelligence and semiconductor-related shares, while the broader TOPIX edged lower as value and financial stocks came under pressure. (News On Japan)