Japan

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe plans to hold a news conference on Friday at 5 p.m. (0800 GMT), his office said, amid growing concerns over his health, following two hospital examinations within a week.

Ruling party officials have said Abe’s health is fine, but the visits, one of which ran nearly eight hours, have fanned speculation whether he will be able to continue in the job until the end of his term in September 2021.

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will consult with doctors before holding a news conference on Friday, three sources familiar with the situation told Reuters, amid worries about his health after two recent hospital examinations.

Abe plans to hold the news conference on Friday afternoon, the sources said on Wednesday. He is expected to provide an explanation about his health and talk about the government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic, local media reported.

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is likely to fulfill his tenure as head of the ruling party, and therefore premier, until his term ends in September next year, one of his closest aides told Reuters on Tuesday.

Akira Amari dispelled concerns over the premier’s health, saying Abe now appeared to be in much better shape than the last time Amari saw him, in mid-August. On that occasion, Abe was “probably exhausted mentally”, he said.

TOKYO (AP) — Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday became Japan’s longest-serving leader in terms of consecutive days in office, but there was little fanfare, as he visited a hospital for another checkup amid concerns about his health.

Abe marked his 2,799th consecutive day in office since bouncing back to leadership in late 2012 for a second term, surpassing the previous record set by Eisaku Sato, his great-uncle, who served 2,798 straight days from 1964 to 1972.

TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares were higher Friday on hopes for development of a coronavirus vaccine, although worries remained about long-term economic damage from the pandemic.

The rise in regional benchmarks echoed the gains on Wall Street, which were led by big technology companies that are benefiting from people staying home during the outbreak.

TOKYO (AP) — The case against former Nissan executive Carlos Ghosn may have taken another turn as Japanese media report allegations that the automaker declared as expenses 1.15 billion yen ($10.8 million) in his taxable personal income.

Japan’s National Tax Agency said Thursday it was aware of the reports but declined comment on an individual case.

Nissan Motor Co. confirmed it had received a notice of a tax investigation from Japanese authorities.

TOKYO/LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices eased on Wednesday on concerns U.S. fuel demand will face a slow recovery amid stalled talks on an economic stimulus package and despite support from a bigger-than-expected drawdown in U.S. crude stocks.

Brent crude futures LCOc1 were down 32 cents, or 0.7%, to $45.14 a barrel at 1005 GMT, but still not far off a 5-month high above $46 a barrel reached earlier in August.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude CLc1 futures were down 32 cents, or 0.75%, at $42.57 a barrel.

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s exports plunged 19.2% in July from a year earlier, as the coronavirus pandemic sapped global demand for goods from the third largest economy, government data showed Wednesday.

The Finance Ministry’s provisional numbers showed Japan’s imports fell 22.3% in July.

Exports to the U.S. especially suffered, declining 19.5%. Shipments of plastic goods, iron and steel and computer parts weakened.

But Japan recorded its first trade surplus in four months on the back of a recovery in China, where the coronavirus outbreak began.

TOKYO, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe left a hospital in Tokyo on Monday evening after a seven-hour checkup amid concerns from inside his own camp over his physical condition.

The Japanese leader checked into the Keio University Hospital for what one of his aide's described as a "health checkup" although rumors have been swirling about his deteriorating health, amplified by both his colleagues and members of his inner circle offering mixed views as to Abe's condition.

Tokyo, Aug 17 (AP/PTI) Japan's economy shrank at annual rate of 27.8% in April-June, the worst contraction on record, as the coronavirus pandemic slammed consumption and trade, according to government data released on Monday.

The Cabinet Office reported that Japan's preliminary seasonally adjusted real gross domestic product, or GDP, the sum of a nation's goods and services, fell 7.8% quarter on quarter.