Hanoi - Vietnam said Thursday that a possible resumption of Japanese official development aid (ODA) showed Hanoi was doing everything possible to cooperate with investigations of corruption in its foreign aid projects.

Japanese press reported Wednesday that the Foreign Ministry was considering resuming ODA to Vietnam. Japan halted all new aid in December, saying Vietnam had not cooperated in investigating a million-dollar kickback scandal involving Vietnamese officials and the Japanese consulting firm Pacific Consultants International (PCI).

Tokyo - Sanyo Electric Co on Thursday reported a net loss of 14.33 billion yen (160.33 million dollars) during the quarter that ended December 31 amid the global economic downturn and the yen's surge against the dollar.

The Japanese electronics company logged a net profit of 12.78 billion yen during the same quarter a year earlier.

Sanyo's operating income plunged in its third quarter to 6.87 billion yen from 28.96 billion yen a year earlier.

Sales dropped 22.4 per cent to 427.52 billion yen.

Tokyo - Tokyo stocks ended lower Thursday as investors sold shares to lock in profits from the previous day's gains amid spreading concerns about the Japanese economy.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average dipped 89.29 points, or 1.11 per cent, to close at 7,949.65. The index had snapped a three-day losing streak Wednesday, rising more than 2 per cent to close above 8,000.

But market sentiment was dampened Thursday after a series of sluggish corporate earnings reports and by the economic outlook at home and abroad.

Bangkok - Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva departed Thursday for Japan on a roadshow designed to restore confidence in the kingdom, which was plagued by political chaos last year.

Tokyo - Tokyo stocks ended Thursday morning trading lower, after investors sold shares to lock in profits from the previous day's gains amid spreading concerns over the Japanese economy.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average fell 66.88 points, or 0.83 per cent, to 7,972.06. The index snapped a three-day losing streak Wednesday, rising more than 2 per cent to close above the 8,000 level.

But the market sentiment was dampened after a series of sluggish corporate earnings results and by the outlook at home and abroad.

Tokyo - Mitsubishi announced Wednesday that it is quitting the Dakar Rally due to the global economic crisis.

"The sudden deterioration of the global economy made it necessary for the company to focus its resources more tightly, leading to today's announcement," said the carmaker in a statement.

Mitsubishi quit the Dakar, and other cross-country rallying events, as it announced a projected net loss of 60 billion yen (670 million dollars) and an operating profit of
5 billion yen for 2008/09.