Reuters Asia Business

TOKYO, Dec 16 (Reuters) – Japan’s upper house passed an 18.3 trillion yen ($118 billion) extra budget on Tuesday, giving Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi the green light to roll out the country’s largest stimulus package since the COVID-19 pandemic despite fiscal concerns. The fiscal 2025 supplementary budget, already approved by the lower house of parliament …

Japan passes $118 billion extra budget to fund its biggest post-COVID stimulus Read More »

TOKYO, Dec 16 (Reuters) – Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Japan’s largest bank, has appointed Junichi Hanzawa as its new president, succeeding Hironori Kamezawa, who will become chairman, the company said in a statement on Tuesday. Hanzawa is currently president of the group’s commercial banking arm, MUFG Bank, and has spent much of his career in …

Japan’s MUFG appoints Junichi Hanzawa as new president Read More »

SEOUL, Dec 16 (Reuters) – Shares of South Korean battery maker LG Energy Solution fell 6% by 0554 GMT after customer Ford Motor said on Monday it is killing several electric vehicle models. LG Energy peer Samsung SDI dropped 3.5% and cathode maker Posco Future M plunged 8.2%. (Reporting by Heejin Kim; Editing by Tom …

Shares of LG Energy Solution fall 6% after Ford retreats from EV push  Read More »

SEOUL, Dec 16 (Reuters) – South Korea’s central bank said on Tuesday it would be an “overstatement” to blame ample liquidity conditions in the domestic market for a weaker won currency and price upswings in the residential property market. “Looking at exchange rates, it appears that factors such as increased overseas securities investment by residents …

Bank of Korea says excessive liquidity alone not behind FX, property market volatility Read More »

By Leika Kihara TOKYO, Dec 16 (Reuters) – The Bank of Japan is set to raise interest rates on Friday to a three-decade high and pledge to keep hiking borrowing costs, closing the year with two rate hikes despite headwinds from U.S. tariffs and the inauguration of a dovish prime minister. While a hike still …

Bank of Japan to take interest rates to 30-year high Read More »

TAIPEI, Dec 16 (Reuters) – Taiwan’s global credibility is on the line and parliament should withdraw a series of laws the government opposes, President Lai Ching-te said amid a deepening dispute with the opposition, which has slammed him for ignoring the will of the people. While Lai won the presidential election last year, his Democratic …

Taiwan’s global credibility on the line with disputed laws, president says Read More »

By Satoshi Sugiyama TOKYO, Dec 16 (Reuters) – Japan’s manufacturing activity contracted at a slower pace while the service sector lost some steam in December, private-sector surveys showed, weighing on the economy at the end of 2025. Looking ahead to 2026, business confidence was robust but waned from the previous month particularly in manufacturing, attributing the …

Japan’s manufacturing sector contracts at slower pace in December, PMI shows Read More »

TOKYO, Dec 16 (Reuters) – Japan will revise rules to require foreigners buying domestic property, including for residential purposes, to file a report to the government, Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said on Tuesday. Under current rules, the government only requires foreigners buying property for investment purposes to file a report. The government will expand the …

Japan to expand rules on foreigners’ property purchases, finance minister says Read More »