Japan's Cabinet has approved a proposal to revamp its troubled electricity industry and foster more competition by obliging utilities to split power generation and distribution into separate businesses.

The Bank of Japan's (BOJ) new chief said Tuesday policymakers would live up to market expectations for “bold” monetary easing, ahead of his first policy meeting since taking up the post last month.

Japan's jobless rate edged higher and industrial production fell slightly in February as consumer prices also fell, underscoring the fragility of the recovery of the world's third-largest economy.

Japan's economy has stopped weakening and should show signs of recovery by midyear, the newly appointed central bank governor said Thursday, as weaker-than-expected retail sales for February underscored the challenge he faces in restoring consumer confidence.

The Philippines said Tuesday it would borrow more than US$570 million from Japan to fund an expansion of the capital's light rail system and a new airport for one of the nation's top tourist attractions.

Japan logged another trade deficit in February, this time of US$8.1 billion according to figures released Thursday, reversing a year-earlier surplus and underscoring the uncertain state of the world's third-largest economy.

Japan must open up its auto market and be granted no special exemptions if it is to be admitted into a regional trade pact championed by the Obama administration, U.S. senators said Tuesday.

The Bank of Japan's outgoing governor on Tuesday acknowledged he failed to end the country's long-running deflation, but pointed to better times ahead as he steps down from the post.

The Bank of Japan's outgoing governor on Tuesday acknowledged he failed to end the country's long-running deflation, but pointed to better times ahead as he steps down from the post.

Progress is being made in Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade talks but hurdles remain and Japan is unlikely to be set to join the next round in May, negotiators said on Wednesday, pointing to a tough road for the 11 nations hoping for a deal this year.