Japan News

The best forecaster on the yen says he hasn't recommended selling the Japanese currency in a few months as lower oil prices provide solace for Japan's deteriorating trade balance.

Japanese stocks fell, led by energy explorers, following U.S. shares lower after oil prices slumped to a 5 1/2-year low. The Topix index pared losses late in the day as the yen reversed gains.

Japanese corporate bankruptcies fell in 2014 to the lowest level since the final year of Japan's asset bubble, as a government request for banks to alter loan conditions for smaller firms helped companies stay afloat.

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