A collection of articles provided by The Wall Street Journal's Tokyo Bureau focusing on Japan's economic, corporate and political backdrop. Pulled together the best of what we can offer readers throughout the world: thoughtful, analytical journalism that breaks news and delves deep to explain what's at stake to the world's second largest economy.

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Dear Reader,
The yen is rising; the population is aging; consumption is sluggish; Yasuo Fukuda rises to power. Japan’s economic, corporate and political backdrop this year provided The Wall Street Journal’s Tokyo Bureau with the opportunity to paint you a complex and compelling portrait of a nation grappling with change.

We are happy to pull together the best of what we offer readers throughout the world: thoughtful, analytical journalism that breaks news and delves deep to explain what’s at stake. At the center of our political and economic coverage stand deputy bureau chief Sebastian Moffett and correspondent Yuka Hayashi.

In this package you can follow them as they explore the economic challenges facing Prime Minister Fukuda; the global impact of the yen “carry trade”; and how Japan is starting to warm up to the idea of importing foreign workers.

Strong corporate coverage always starts by getting deep inside a company.

Journal reporters gain the access to industry titans that provide the insights readers can rely on. In their interviews with Sony’s Howard Stinger and other Sony executives, reporters Yukari Iwatani Kane and Phred Dvorak revealed a man caught between two worlds and the management issues at stake. Keep reading and reporters Andrew Morse and Amy Chozick will help you to better understand the dynamic market forces driving Citigroup into Japan; driving Nissan to build smaller, cheaper cars; and driving Sanyo away from family control.

We’ve also included a few installments of our popular series on Managing in Asia. These interview sessions present valuable advice and revealing insights from Japanese entrepreneurs and corporate leaders. Who knew that the seeds of Shintaro Tsuji’s success in founding giftware giant Sanrio can be traced back to his experiences in kindergarten? And if you’re fond of the classic offbeat Journal feature story, don’t miss our take on driving oversized Hummer vehicles down Tokyo’s narrow streets and the tale of young novelists practicing their craft entirely on cellphones.

We’re pleased to have the opportunity to collect this work in one place to show the sweep and import of Japan’s story. As the world seems transfixed with the developing regional giants China and India, it is well worthwhile to concentrate on the world’s second-largest economy.

Regards,
Christine Glancey, Managing Editor, The Wall Street Journal Asia
Yumiko Ono, Tokyo/Seoul Bureau Chief, The Wall Street Journal

Download Dispatches from Japan: Spotlight on Economic and Corporate Coverage

PDF format, 13.5MB, 52Pages.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Japan’s Economy 02 - 21
Interviews 24 - 29
Corporate News 30 - 43
On a Lighter Note 45 - 48

Speculation in yen lures small investors in Japan
Currency trading by individuals adds to market swings

TOKYO–There is an aggressive new type of trader pushing around the yen on global currency markets: Japanese individuals.

Traditionally, currency speculation was the domain of big-money professional investors or global corporations engaged in export and import businesses, as well as hedge funds, which are investment pools catering to the rich.

Among them the strategy of borrowing in yen to invest in another country is widely practiced and has become known as the carry trade. It can be a lucrative way to cash in on Japan’s super-low interest rates. ...

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The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) is an English-language international daily newspaper published by Dow Jones & Company in New York City with Asian and European editions.

As of 2007, It has a worldwide daily circulation of more than 2 million, with approximately 931,000 paying online subscribers. It was the largest-circulation newspaper in the United States until November 2003, when it was surpassed by USA Today.

Its main rival is the London-based Financial Times, which also publishes several international editions. (wikipedia.org)

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