The 17,000 level isn’t only the highest in more than five years, but it’s also technical resistance. It won’t be easy to break through (this level) and this created overall cautious sentiment.

Technology shares here got a lift from strong gains in the Nasdaq index as many investors here regard this sector as having lagged last year.

A sudden jump in trading volume like this would catch off-guard any exchange (in industrialized countries). I’m sure they will fix it.

I had expected a market correction of an almost 10 percent fall sometime between January and March.

We’re seeing a combination of concerns over the Bank of Japan and feedback from the futures side ahead of special quotation day weakening the market.

There’s increasing diversity in consumer demand. Automakers have to respond.

It’s the right strategy for niche brands like Mazda and Fuji Heavy. Improving outlets will directly lead to increasing sales.

Most members at Japanese golf courses are corporate, so investing in a golf-course stock is like investing in Japan’s economy. Still, the number of players isn’t growing, so some courses are having to cut fees...

The fact that investors are chasing commodity stocks on the back of higher oil prices, instead of selling stocks outright, suggests that market sentiment is quite strong.

Relatively speaking, Japan looks the least uncertain market in regard to politics and the economy.

When a catastrophic event happens, such as the Hurricane Katrina, there is always rebuilding demand after the disaster and that tends to be reflected in stock prices.

This market just keeps going and going and people are betting on even further gains. Strength in economic fundamentals is the biggest incentive.

(The takeover) helps us to anticipate future restructuring in the retail sector. For example, we cannot imagine that rival Aeon will not do anything after this.

Even though fees are falling, the online brokers only offer stock trading and have almost nothing else – there are no research departments or outlets to support.

While it may be temporary, the major risks we see for Japanese stocks right now are the Iranian situation and currency moves. That’s still going to keep a lid on the market.