Megumi Fujikawa

Fuji Soft said it would sincerely consider Bain Capital’s tender offer, which beat private-equity firm KKR’s offer, possibly setting the stage for a bidding war for the Japanese software developer.

TOKYO—Japan's exports dropped for the first time in 10 months in September, with weak shipments to its major trading partners casting some doubt over the nation's economic recovery path.

The consumer price index for the Tokyo metropolitan area rose 1.8% in October from a year earlier.

As a Canadian company offers $47 billion, some fans of the Japanese-owned convenience chain question whether the bidder understands local tastes.

More money is set to flow into European assets and away from American ones as political uncertainty clouds the U.S. policy outlook ahead of the presidential election, AXA Investment Managers said.

The Bank of Japan held its policy interest rate steady as widely expected, while reaffirming that it’s on track to achieving the goal of stable inflation and economic growth.

The Japanese economy managed to continue growing for a second straight quarter thanks to a recovery in consumption, although the pace slowed amid the impact of natural disasters during the summer.

The Bank of Japan’s governor affirmed that the door remains open to more rate hikes, saying they could come before clarity emerges on U.S. economic policy.

Japan’s overall consumer inflation continued to grow at a slower pace in October due to the effect of the government’s energy subsidies.

The package is aimed at easing rising living costs and promoting business innovation and investment.