Nikkei reports Nitori President Shirai said exchange-rate fluctuations will not have a "significant" impact on the company's earnings.

Japan has finalised a tax reform outline that cuts the food consumption tax from 8% to 1% effective next April, the first consumption-tax reduction since the levy was introduced in 1989. Meiji University economist Kobayashi said the cabinet’s policy risks increasing the public burden, noting consumption tax is a long-standing key revenue source for social welfare and that an easy tax cut could erode fiscal receipts and jeopardize social-security stability.

Market sources say NVIDIA (NVDA.O) partner GMI Cloud is seeking a $300 million loan to purchase chips for its Thailand plant.