Tokyo, May 8 - Radiation levels have dropped inside the No. 1 reactor building at the tsunami-hit Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan, Kyodo News reported.

The plant's operator, Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO), said the drop was due to a ventilator installed in the building Thursday to filter out radioactive substances.

Workers would soon be able to re-enter the site to stabilise the reactor, the company said, adding that it expects radioactivity levels at the plant to stabilise within six to nine months.

Tokyo, April 9 - The Toyota Motor Corporation will resume vehicle production at all of its plants in Japan starting April 18, but would reduce the activity in North American plants due to unavailability of parts.

"The production volume is planned to be approximately 50 percent of the normal level," Xinhua reported citing a company statement.

The company halted vehicle production at all its Japanese plants March 14. But it resumed production of three hybrid models in Japan March 25.

Tokyo, March 31 : Japan's Nissan Motor Co and French carmaker Renault SA are considering establishing a joint holding company, a media report said Thursday.

The proposed company would put Nissan and Renault under a single umbrella, Nissan President Carlos Ghosn told the Nikkei business daily.

The process could take place in two or three years, Ghosn, who is also chairman of Renault, told the daily.

Tokyo, March 25 - Japanese stocks rose in Friday morning trading following overnight gains on Wall Street with some high-tech shares leading the advance.

The Nikkei 225 Stock Average gained 94.13 points, or one percent, to trade at 9,529.14 while the broader Topix index was up 4.12 points, or 0.48 percent, at 858.07.

Tokyo stocks opened higher with high-tech shares getting a boost after the US technology-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index soared 1.41 percent Thursday.

Tokyo, March 24 - Japanese stocks fell in Thursday morning trading as fear of radioactive contamination spread while workers scrambled to stabilise a stricken nuclear power station in northeastern Japan.

The Nikkei 225 Stock Average lost 18.97 points, or 0.2 percent, to trade at 9,430.5 while the broader Topix index was down 5.11 points, or 0.59 percent, at 855.99.

Tokyo, March 23 - Japanese stocks fell in Wednesday morning trading after overnight losses on Wall Street and profit-taking following sharp gains in Tokyo the previous day.

The Nikkei 225 Stock Average lost 153.26 points, or 1.6 percent, to trade at 9,455.06 while the broader Topix index was down 6.99 points, or 0.81 percent, at 861.14.

Tokyo, March 22 - Japanese stocks soared nearly three percent in Tuesday morning trading as some progress at Japan's troubled nuclear plant and an overnight rally on Wall Street improved investor sentiment.

The Nikkei 225 Stock Average gained 270.74 points, or 2.94 percent, to trade at 9,477.49 while the broader Topix index was up 28.11 points, or 3.39 percent, at 858.5.

Tokyo, March 17 - Japanese stocks fell sharply in Thursday morning trading as the yen surged against major currencies amid growing fears of a potential meltdown at a nuclear plant in northeastern Japan.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average lost 189.86 points, or 2.09 percent, to trade at 8,903.86 while the broader Topix index was down 15.04 points, or 1.84 percent, at 802.59.

Tokyo, March 16 - Japan's major stock index rebounded about six percent Wednesday's opening bell after the benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average lost more than 10 percent in the previous trading session.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average gained 520.7 points, or 6.05 percent, to trade at 9,125.85 at 9:15 am (0015 GMT), while the broader Topix index was up 46.45 points, or 6.06 percent, at 813.18.

Tokyo, March 15 - Stocks in Japan dived in Tuesday morning trading, extending a similar fall the day before, as concerns that last week's quake and tsunami, which unleashed devastation and a nuclear accident, would put a halt to Japan's lacklustre recovery.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average plunged 606.61 points, or 6.31 percent, to 9,013.88 while the broader Topix index dropped even further by 61.35 points, or 7.24 percent, to 785.61.

Tokyo, March 14 - Japanese shares plummeted Monday morning, falling below the 10,000-point level after the magnitude 9 earthquake and devastating tsunami that hit Friday in northeastern Japan.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average lost 529.92 points, or 5.17 percent, to 9724.51 at 9.39 a. m. (0039 GMT). The broader Topix index was down 64.8 points, or 7.08 percent, at 878.87.

On currency markets at 9.20 a. m. (0020 GMT), the dollar traded at 81.61-64 yen, down sharply from Friday's 5 p. m. quote of 82.78-81 yen.

Tokyo, March 11 - Japanese shares dropped in Friday morning trading following an overnight plunge on Wall Street as investors were concerned about planned protests in Saudi Arabia as well as ongoing conflict in major oil producer Libya.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average lost 87.04 points, or 0.83 percent, to trade at 10,347.34 while the broader Topix index was down 9.07 points, or 0.97 percent, at 921.77.

Investors feared that planned protests in Saudi Arabia Friday could cause the unrest in the Middle East to continue to spread.

Tokyo, March 10 : Japanese shares dropped more than one percent in Thursday morning trading following overnight falls on Wall Street as investors were concerned about higher oil prices amid ongoing conflict in major oil producer Libya.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average lost 115.69 points, or 1.09 percent, to trade at 10,473.81 while the broader Topix index was down 12.18 points, or 1.29 percent, at 932.11.

Technology shares were hurt after the US technology-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index declined 0.51 percent overnight.

Tokyo, March 9 - Japanese shares rose 1 percent in Wednesday morning trading as investor sentiment was boosted by better-than-expected machinery orders and an overnight rally on Wall Street.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average added 108.27 points, or 1.03 percent, to trade at 10,633.46 while the broader Topix index was up 9.37 points, or 1 percent, at 948.53.

Japanese machinery orders rose a seasonally adjusted 4.2 percent in January from the previous month on a recovery in manufacturing sectors, the government said before the market opened.

Tokyo, March 8 : Japanese shares rose in Tuesday morning trading as investors picked up bargain stocks after sharp falls on the previous day.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average added 40.42 points, or 0.38 percent, to trade at 10,545.44 while the broader Topix index was up 1.23 points, or 0.13 percent, at 942.86.

Tokyo, March 4 - Japanese shares rose strongly in Friday morning trading following an overnight rally on Wall Street bolstered by positive US employment reports and retreating oil prices.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average gained 165.35 points, or 1.56 percent, to trade at 10,751.37 while the broader Topix index was up 11.33 points, or 1.19 percent, at 960.02.

Export-oriented shares got a boost as the yen fell against major currencies, hovering around the mid-82-yen level to the dollar.

Tokyo, Feb 24 - Japanese stocks declined in Thursday morning trading after intensifying turmoil in Libya added to higher oil prices overnight in New York, prompting US stocks to slip further.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average lost 44.55 points, or 0.42 percent, to trade at 10,534.55 while the broader Topix index was down 4.62 points, or 0.49 percent, at 942.26.

Tokyo stocks opened lower after the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.88 percent.

Tokyo, Feb 22 - Japanese stocks dropped nearly two percent in Tuesday morning trading as investor sentiment was hurt by turmoil in Libya.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average lost 213.15 points, or 1.96 percent, to trade at 10,644.38 while the broader Topix index was down 17.46 points, or 1.79 percent, at 957.17.

Intensifying unrest in Libya, a major oil producer, prompted investors to sell shares to lock in quick profits after recent gains. On Monday, the Nikkei had extended its winning streak to six trading days.

Tokyo, Dec 21 - Toyota Motor Corp Tuesday said it would pay a record $32.4 million in additional fines under an agreement with the US Transportation Department.

The world's largest carmaker agreed to pay the civil penalties as the result of two separate investigations into its recall process, the US agency said late Monday.

"Safety is our top priority and we take our responsibility to protect consumers seriously," US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said.

Tokyo, Dec 8 - Japanese shares rose in Wednesday morning trading, hitting a seven-month high as export-oriented issues were bolstered by a weaker yen.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average gained 69.58 points, or 0.69 percent, to trade at 10,210.68 while the broader Topix index was up 4.2 points, or 0.48 percent, at 883.3.

Japan's core private-sector machinery orders declined a seasonally adjusted 1.4 percent in October from the previous month to 745.7 billion yen ($8.9 billion), the government said.