Nikkei edges higher, Prime Minister's sudden resignation impact seems
limited.

TOKYO, JAPAN (SEPTEMBER 02, 2008) REUTERS - 
The Japanese benchmark Nikkei average opened down 0.4 percent on
Tuesday (September 2) in the wake of Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda's sudden
resignation, but soon turned positive.
    The benchmark Nikkei Average rose 0.2 percent as tech shares such as
Kyocera Corp rebounded and lower oil prices provided a boost, with Prime
Minister Fukuda's resignation having only a limited impact at best.
    Oil slid over $4 dollars on Monday (September 1) as worries about
damage from Hurricane Gustav faded, battering trading houses such as
Mitsubishi Corp and energy shares such as oil and gas field developer Inpex
Holdings Inc.
    Investors were grappling with the implications of Fukuda's resignation,
which made him the second Japanese leader to resign in less than a year and
threatened policy vacuum as the economy hangs on the brink of recession. 
    Japan's stock and bond markets were expected by some analysts to suffer
another blow from the sudden resignation of Prime Minister Fukuda, whose
departure is seen clouding the reform outlook and potentially spurring
debt-funded spending.
    Japanese markets, grappling with a possible economic recession in the
credit crisis fall-out, have also been dragged down by impressions that reform
drive has faded since former premier Junichiro Koizumi left the political
scene in 2006.