Water Shortages Loom as Dam Levels Across Japan Plummet

Japan's trade deficit nearly doubled in the first half of fiscal 2026 to 2.8184 trillion yen, driven largely by surging crude oil prices following turmoil in the Middle East, while the value of oil imports from the United States increased nearly ninefold as Japan sought alternative sources of supply.

Tokyo stocks rebounded on October 21, with the Nikkei 225 closing 545.82 points higher at 64,621.24, a gain of 0.85%, as stronger U.S. equities, renewed buying in technology shares and encouraging Japanese export figures helped the market recover from two consecutive sessions of losses.

Japanese banks and securities firms are moving to stop using facial photographs from driver's licenses to verify customers opening accounts online, following a series of personal information leaks that have raised concerns about fraudulent account applications.

Japan's Nikkei 225 Stock Average closed at 64,075.42 on October 20th, falling 841.28 points, or 1.30%, as renewed selling in semiconductor and artificial intelligence-related shares, rising oil prices and concerns over inflation pushed Tokyo stocks lower for a second consecutive session.

Nearly one in three large companies in Japan have experienced a data leak or a suspected breach, according to a survey released by Teikoku Databank on October 19th, highlighting growing concerns over corporate information security as unauthorized access incidents continue to affect businesses across the country.

Japan's Nikkei Stock Average closed 407.59 points lower at 64,916.70 on October 19, a decline of 0.62%, recovering from an intraday plunge of more than 1,400 points as concerns over artificial intelligence investment weighed on semiconductor and technology shares, while buying in banks, utilities and other domestic sectors helped the broader TOPIX index finish slightly higher.

International hacking group Qilin has claimed responsibility for a ransomware attack on subsidiaries of Keio Railway in late September, publishing images allegedly showing internal company documents and displaying a countdown believed to indicate a deadline for releasing stolen data, while the railway operator said it is investigating the claims.

Japanese stocks rebounded sharply on October 16, with the Nikkei 225 closing 898 points higher at 65,324, a gain of 1.39%, as investors returned to technology, semiconductor and financial shares following six consecutive sessions of losses. The recovery came after a dramatic sell-off the previous day, when the benchmark plunged 3,318 points, its third-largest point decline on record, reflecting growing concerns about the sustainability of global artificial intelligence investment and its impact on corporate earnings.