The Japan News
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Abe, Trump agree to press N. Korea
http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0003909147
The Yomiuri Shimbun
Following the launch of a ballistic missile by North Korea on Tuesday morning, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and U.S. President Donald Trump agreed to step up pressure on North Korea by more strongly appealing to China and Russia.
After an about 40-minute telephone conversation, the first since Aug. 15, Abe said to reporters at the Prime Minister’s Office: “We had an in-depth discussion about what measures we should take. Japan and the United States are taking completely the same position on the issue. We must place strong pressure on North Korea to have it change its policy.”
Regarding the latest missile launch, Abe said during the telephone talks: “This is a serious threat that is at a different level from before. It is obvious North Korea is not ready to talk. Now is the time to step up pressure on the country.” Trump expressed support for Abe.
Trump again mentioned the U.S. involvement in Japan’s defense, saying the United States stands 100 percent with its ally Japan.
The two leaders also agreed on the importance not only of cooperation between Japan, the United States and South Korea, but also of roles to be played by China and Russia.
They also confirmed a plan to call for the U.N. Security Council to hold an emergency meeting
Tokyo stocks decline on growing DPRK risk
http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0003909155
TOKYO (Jiji Press) — Stocks lost ground on the Tokyo Stock Exchange on Tuesday, due to growing geopolitical concerns following North Korea’s firing the same day of a ballistic missile that flew over Japan.
The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average shed 87.35 points, or 0.45 percent, to end at 19,362.55. On Monday, the key market gauge fell 2.71 points.
The TOPIX index of all First Section issues closed down 2.36 points, or 0.15 percent, at 1,597.76, after gaining 3.13 points the previous day.
The Nikkei opened lower amid a risk-averse mood following the news that the North Korean missile, launched hours before the opening bell, fell into the Pacific Ocean at a point about 1,180 kilometers east of Erimomisaki cape in Hokkaido after flying over the Oshima Peninsula in the southwestern part of Hokkaido.
A wide range of issues met with selling as investor sentiment was also battered by the yen’s rise against the dollar, which was prompted by the missile launch by the reclusive nation, market sources said.
The Nikkei fell about 170 points briefly in early trading.
With the risk-off sentiment receding somewhat later, however, some stocks attracted buybacks, helping underpin the overall market, brokers said.
“Although the missile launch created a risk-off mood in the market, traders stayed calm to a certain extent,” with no “panic selling” taking place, said Chihiro Ota, general manager for investment research and investor services at SMBC Nikko Securities Inc.
Market players will be paying close attention to high-ranking U.S. government officials’ possible comments on the North Korean missile firing as clues for Wednesday’s trading, he added.
Falling issues outnumbered risers 989 to 881 on the First Section, while 144 issues were unchanged.
Volume inched up to 1,387 million shares from Monday’s 1,344 million shares.
In index futures trading on the Osaka Exchange, the key September contract on the Nikkei average fell 50 points to 19,380