Japanese financial regulators appear set to penalize the Tokyo Stock Exchange and parent firm the Japan Exchange Group for last month's full-day trading halt.

The Financial Services Agency plans to issue a business improvement order on Monday to prevent a similar shutdown from happening again.

Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide has made a speech in favor of free trade in the Asia-Pacific region to an online summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.

Suga told APEC leaders on Friday that an increase in free trade, investment and connectivity based on international rules will help to protect a free and open region.

Japan and Britain have reached a broad agreement on a new economic partnership.

The two sides aim to bring the pact into force on January 1, 2021.

A Japanese government survey shows that the country's exports declined 19.2 percent in July from a year earlier.

The Finance Ministry released the preliminary trade data on Wednesday.

Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu is visiting Britain from Wednesday to discuss a bilateral trade agreement.

Motegi will hold talks with British International Trade Secretary Liz Truss in London.

Officials with Japan's biggest trade union group say the coronavirus outbreak is causing a great deal of anxiety for workers. They say that in response to the growing number of inquiries they've been getting on the matter, they've set up a dedicated hotline to answer questions.

The officials say in recent weeks they've been receiving more and more calls, mainly from contract and part-time staff.

The Japanese government says it will hold talks with South Korea next month to discuss trade.

The two sides will meet for negotiations on March 10th in Seoul. They previously met in December for the first time in three-and-a-half years.