Tokyo - Japan's consumer prices stopped their increase as a February's core index remained flat, making it the second straight stable month, the government said Friday.

The nation's key consumer price index (CPI), which excludes fresh food prices, remained unchanged in February year-on-year at 100.4 against 100 for the base year of 2005, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications said in a preliminary report.

Tokyo  - Tokyo stocks extended its winning streak to end Friday morning trading higher after Wall Street advanced overnight on continued hopes of an improved economic outlook in the United States.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average inched up 83.22 points, or 0.96 per cent, to 8,719.55, as US companies posted better-than-expected earnings figures.

The broader Topix index of all first-section issues was also up 7.67 points, or 0.93 per cent, to 834.48.

Tokyo  - Japan on Friday readied its defence for North Korea's planned rocket launch, ordering its military to destroy any fragments that might fall on its territory if the launch goes wrong.

Defence Minister Yasukazu Hamada's orders came after the nation's Security Council met earlier in the day as North Korea prepares what it says is a satellite launch between April 4 and 8, Japanese media reported.

Tokyo  - Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso is enjoying a boost in public support as opposition leader Ichiro Ozawa is dragged down by a scandal over party funding, media reports said Thursday.

The support rate for Aso's administration increased 7.7 percentage points to 23.7 per cent from early March, according to a survey by the Kyodo News Agency.

It once tanked to single-digits, going as low as 9.7 per cent in February.

Tokyo  - In the West, most people his age enjoy their well-deserved retirement. But 80-year-old Kazuo Kashio has no time for that.

"I have to continue for now, until the prospects for our company improve again," the president of Japanese electronics company Casio Computer Co says.

Kashio has been on the helm of the company, which he founded together with his three brothers in 1957, for more than 20 years.

Tokyo  - Tokyo stocks ended Thursday morning trading higher on a more positive outlook of the US economy.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average rose 43.1 points, or 0.51 per cent, to 8,523.09.

The broader Topix index of all first-section issues was up 1.26 points, or 0.15 per cent, to 819.75.

On currency markets at 9 am (0000 GMT), the dollar was quoted at 97.75-80 yen, up from Wednesday's 5 pm quote of 97.71-74 yen.