Akira Amari

Japan's economy minister resigned Thursday over a corruption scandal, dealing a blow to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as he looks to build support for a massive trade deal and changes to the country's constitution.

A dozen Pacific nations closed in on a sweeping free-trade pact on Sunday in Atlanta but failed to finalize terms on the fifth day of round-the-clock talks, dashing hopes raised by an earlier breakthrough on protections for new biotech drugs.

Trade ministers of 12 Pacific Rim countries failed again to conclude a deal on a huge free-trade area and will meet one more time today in hopes of reaching agreement.

Data earlier on Friday showed Japan's inflation slowed for a second straight month in September and is just half the BOJ's target of 2 per cent, while job growth showed signs of peaking, in a reminder of the challenges the central bank faces in its quest to pull the economy out of nearly two decades of deflation.

Asian shares steadied as investors awaited a parliamentary vote in Cyprus on a bailout plan crucial to avert bankruptcy, but potential political instability in India emerged as a fresh worry.

Japan's Nikkei share average edged down on Tuesday as Japanese finance minister Taro Aso played down talk of foreign bond buying by the central bank, while index heavyweight Fanuc Corp dropped on weak machine tool orders from China.

Japan's economy minister resigned Thursday over a corruption scandal, dealing a blow to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as he looks to build support for a massive trade deal and changes to the country's constitution.

A dozen Pacific nations closed in on a sweeping free-trade pact on Sunday in Atlanta but failed to finalize terms on the fifth day of round-the-clock talks, dashing hopes raised by an earlier breakthrough on protections for new biotech drugs.

Trade ministers of 12 Pacific Rim countries failed again to conclude a deal on a huge free-trade area and will meet one more time today in hopes of reaching agreement.

Data earlier on Friday showed Japan's inflation slowed for a second straight month in September and is just half the BOJ's target of 2 per cent, while job growth showed signs of peaking, in a reminder of the challenges the central bank faces in its quest to pull the economy out of nearly two decades of deflation.

Asian shares steadied as investors awaited a parliamentary vote in Cyprus on a bailout plan crucial to avert bankruptcy, but potential political instability in India emerged as a fresh worry.

Japan's Nikkei share average edged down on Tuesday as Japanese finance minister Taro Aso played down talk of foreign bond buying by the central bank, while index heavyweight Fanuc Corp dropped on weak machine tool orders from China.