Tokyo  - The Japanese government on Monday announced the steepest-ever downward projection of the nation's economic growth as the world's second-largest economy suffers its worst recession in postwar history.

The Cabinet Office said the nation's economy would contract 3.3 per cent for the current fiscal year that began April 1, revising downward from zero growth it predicted in December.

Sydney  - Shares in Lion Nathan Ltd leapt 40 per cent Monday after Australia's second-largest brewer agreed to a 6.5-billion-Australian-dollar (4.6-billion-US-dollar) takeover offer from Japanese beer maker Kirin Holdings Co Ltd.

Lion Nathan's board has agreed to sell Kirin the 54 per cent of shares it doesn't already own in the brewer that counts the beer brands Tooheys, James Boag, James Squire, Heineken, Hahn and XXXX in its stable.

The deal needs the approval of the Foreign Investment Review Board and non-Kirin shareholders.

Tokyo  - Japan on Monday decided to upgrade health inspections on travellers returning from Mexico to prevent swine flu outbreaks in the nation while pushing to develop vaccines to prevent an epidemic.

As Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso ordered his cabinet ministers at a crisis meeting held Monday to ensure public safety, the Health Ministry vowed to begin developing vaccines against swine influenza.

Tokyo  - While the Tokyo market ended Monday morning trading higher, tracking Wall Street's rises before the weekend, gains were capped due to concern over the spead of Mexico's swine flu outbreak.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average rose 68.64 points, or 0.79 per cent, to 8,776.63.

The broader Topix index of all first-section issues was also up 8.88 points, or 1.07 per cent, at 838.93.

The market sentiment was boosted in Tokyo after US carmaker Ford Motor Co reported better-than-expected earnings.

Tokyo - Japan began checking temperatures of passengers arriving from Mexico Saturday after a swine influenza outbreak killed more than 60 people in Mexico and infected at least eight in the United States. The Japanese government on Saturday began tightening health checks on travellers entering the country through Narita and Kansai airports directly from Mexico or via the United States.

Tokyo  - Japan's Narita Airport began checking temperatures of passengers arriving mainly from Mexico Saturday after a swine influenza outbreak killed at least 20 people, media reports said.

The quarantine office's thermographic imaging device detected no signs of infection on 177 passengers and crew members who arrived at Narita Saturday morning from Mexico, Jiji Press quoted airport authorities as saying.