Economy

Japan's government edged away on Tuesday from its self-imposed goal of balancing the budget, acknowledging that the target was becoming harder to meet as the global financial turmoil pushes the economy deeper into recession. (guardian.co.uk)

(Kyodo)

(moneynews)

Japan's fiscal status is in dire straits. As of the end of 2007, the ratio of governmental debt to GDP stood at 180.3 percent, the worst among OECD countries. Considering that the average ratio for six major industrialized countries stood in the range of 70 percent to 75 percent, Japan's fiscal health is in serious condition. The ratio of Japan's fiscal deficit to GDP is also the worst among major industrialized countries. (Korea Herald)

(Daily FX)

In Japan, rape is often kept hush-hush. But the high-profile case of one rape victim is challenging the silent treatment and raising questions about police practices. 'Jane,' as the victim is known, is suing police who required her to re-enact the crime. (Motley Fool)

Not a day goes by without Japan's so-called "lost decade" being wheeled out in support of pleas for bigger and faster injections of government money into wobbly financial systems and weakening economies. (hispanicbusiness.com)

A tent village set up in a Tokyo park for the country's growing number of jobless filled up so fast that it was moved Saturday to a government building to accommodate the overflow. (AP)

(Stars & Stripes)

(Reuters)

(Kyodo)

In Japan, more than 85,000 non-regular workers are expected to lose their jobs by the end of next March. The number has nearly tripled over the past month. (NHK)

(Kyodo)

(Bloomberg)

(Reuters)

(Yomiuri)

(Wall Street Journal)

(Bloomberg)

(Asahi)

(Kyodo)