Tokyo - Japanese workers put in an average of 1,792 hours in 2008, a fall of 0.9 per cent from a year before, the government said Tuesday.
The average work hours per employee at Japanese firms with at least five employees fell below 1,800 hours for the first time since 1990, when the government began taking data, the labour ministry said.
The average work hours shortened in the reporting year since the global recession slowed business operations, especially in the latter half of the year, the ministry said.
Tokyo - Stocks opened slightly higher Tuesday in Tokyo amid a wait-and-see mood among investors ahead of corporate earnings reports and forecasts.
The benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average inched up 7.62 points, or 0.1 per cent, to 7,881.6.
The broader Topix index of all first section issues was also up 0.87 points, or 0.11 per cent, at 778.72.
Tokyo players moved to buy some shares battered during the previous day, but gains were limited because of pessimistic earnings outlooks of Japanese firms.
Tokyo - The volcano Mount Asama in north-central Japan erupted Monday, spewing smoke 2,000 metres above its crater and sending ash as far away as Tokyo, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.
The agency issued a warning of continued large ash deposits in the surrounding 4-kilometre area. No casualties were reported.
The volcano erupted at 1:51 am (1651 GMT Sunday), and volcanic smoke was detected until around 8 am.
A thin layer of ash fell on rooftops and car windows in Tokyo's Tachikawa city, about 100 kilometres south-east of Mount Asama.
Tokyo - Tokyo stocks ended Monday morning trading lower as Japanese companies reported gloomy earnings results and downward revisions of full-year earnings projections.
The benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average edged down 38.3 points, or 0.48 per cent, to 7,955.75.
The broader Topix index of all first-section issues was down 8.63 points, or 1.09 per cent, to 785.4.
On currency markets at 9 am (0000 GMT), the dollar traded at 89.67-72 yen, up from Friday's 5 pm quote of 89.49-52 yen.
Tokyo - Japanese workers put in an average of 1,792 hours in 2008, a fall of 0.9 per cent from a year before, the government said Tuesday.
Tokyo - Stocks ended lower Tuesday in Tokyo amid a wait-and-see mood among investors ahead of corporate earnings reports and forecasts.
Tokyo - Stocks opened slightly higher Tuesday in Tokyo amid a wait-and-see mood among investors ahead of corporate earnings reports and forecasts.
Tokyo - The volcano Mount Asama in north-central Japan erupted Monday, spewing smoke 2,000 metres above its crater and sending ash as far away as Tokyo, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.
Tokyo - 
