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Japan Shares Rise as Policymakers Flag Stability amid Global Uncertainty

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Japanese shares closed higher on Thursday, supported by policy reassurance after Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said she flagged currency volatility and broader market swings to G7 counterparts.

The Nikkei 225 rose 2.4%, or 1,384.10 points, to close at 59,518.34.

Central banks are largely adopting a wait-and-see stance on policy amid uncertainty over the Middle East conflict and the impact of rate moves on growth, Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said after a G7 meeting.

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda also attended, though Katayama did not comment on implications for rate decisions.

On the corporate front, SoftBank Group (TYO:9984) jumped 5% after pricing about 516.8 billion yen in dollar and euro senior notes to refinance debt and fund OpenAI-related investments.

Toridoll (TYO:3397) fell 1% after saying it will restructure its UK unit via a company voluntary arrangement to cut costs and improve profitability.

Daikin Industries (TYO:6367) surged 9% after Elliott flagged undervaluation and pushed for margin gains, higher returns and a review of non-core assets.

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