Tokyo - Japan's key Nikkei 225 Stock Average ended slightly higher in a mixed day of trading Monday on the back of Wall Street's rise before the weekend and a weaker yen.

But the Tokyo market lost momentum in the afternoon session in a wait-and-see mood ahead of Tuesday's inauguration of Barack Obama as the US president.

The Nikkei 225 Stock Average edged up 26.7 points, or 0.32 per cent, to close at 8,256.85.

But the broader Topix index of all First Section issues dipped 0.16 points, or 0.02 per cent, to 817.73.

Tokyo  - Stocks opened higher Monday on Wall Street's Friday rises and a weaker yen.

The Nikkei 225 Stock Average went up 62.92 points, or 0.76 per cent, to 8,293.07.

The broader Topix index of all First Section issues was up 3.04 points, or 0.37 per cent, to 820.93.

On currency markets at 9 am (0000 GMT), the dollar was quoted at 91.19-24 yen, up from Friday's 5 pm quote of 90.29-32 yen. A weaker yen helps boost earnings of Japanese exporters and makes Japanese products cheaper overseas.

Tokyo  - Demanding better job and housing security, a demonstration by 300 Brazilians and their supporters in Tokyo Sunday is just the latest sign of the impact that the global economic slowdown is having on Japan's Brazilian-based workforce.

Waving their national flags across the busy streets of central Tokyo, the demonstrators called out, "Give us a chance of employment," "Stop abandoning us" and "We don't have secured housing."

Many temporary Brazilian workers have lost jobs recently, primarily in the car and electronics industries, as Japanese exports have slumped due to the sluggish economy and the Japanese yen's gains against other currencies. Others have been informed of planned layoffs in the spring.

Tokyo  - Demanding better job and housing security, a demonstration by 300 Brazilians and their supporters in Tokyo Sunday is just the latest sign of the impact that the global economic slowdown is having on Japan's Brazilian-based workforce.

Waving their national flags across the busy streets of central Tokyo, the demonstrators called out, "Give us a chance of employment," "Stop abandoning us" and "We don't have secured housing."

Many temporary Brazilian workers have lost jobs recently, primarily in the car and electronics industries, as Japanese exports have slumped due to the sluggish economy and the Japanese yen's gains against other currencies. Others have been informed of planned layoffs in the spring.

Dusseldorf - Fujifilm, the Japanese group, said Friday its total sales in Europe had been steady last year, slightly increasing to 2.8 billion euros (3.7 billion dollars).

Fujifilm offers its products in 20 European nations. A Fujifilm spokeswoman said European sales made up 16 per cent of Fujifilm's world sales and this proportion was tending upwards.

Fujifilm Europe chief executive Shigehiro Nakajima said he was "cautiously optimistic" about sales, despite a difficult market environment and the recession.

Tokyo - Bank of Japan Governor Masaaki Shirakawa expressed concerns on Friday that "the nation's economic conditions have been deteriorating" and its financial conditions are getting "rapidly severe" in a quarterly report.

Companies have reduced production, reported lower earnings and cut capital investments as exports slowed down and yen gained strength against major foreign currencies, the bank's report said after Shirakawa met with nation's regional branch managers.