Japan's central bank says economy picking up |

Japan's central bank says economy picking up

FILE - In this April 30, 2013 file photo, automobiles for export and import park at a port in Kawasaki, south of Tokyo. Japan's trade deficit widened to a larger-than-expected 879.9 billion yen ($8.6 billion) in April as its weakening currency accentuated surging import costs. Exports rose 3.8 percent from the same month a year earlier to 5.78 trillion yen ($56.3 billion), while imports jumped 9.4 percent to 6.66 trillion yen ($64.9 billion), according to preliminary figures reported by the Finance Ministry on Wednesday, May 22, 2013. (AP Photo/Itsuo Inouye, File)

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Japan's central ... FILE - In this April 30, 2013 file photo, automobiles for export and import park at a port in Kawasaki, south of Tokyo. Japan's trade deficit widened to a larger-than-expected 879.9 billion yen ($8.6 billion) in April as its weakening currency accentuated surging import costs. Exports rose 3.8 percent from the same month a year earlier to 5.78 trillion yen ($56.3 billion), while imports jumped 9.4 percent to 6.66 trillion yen ($64.9 billion), according to preliminary figures reported by the Finance Ministry on Wednesday, May 22, 2013. (AP Photo/Itsuo Inouye, File)
Asia stocks rise... A visitor takes a picture of an electronic stock board on the Tokyo Stock Exchange in Tokyo, Wednesday, May 22, 2013. Asian stock markets were mostly higher Wednesday after investor confidence was boosted by a Federal Reserve official's comments that the U.S. central bank should stick with its super-easy monetary policy. (AP Photo/Itsuo Inouye)
Markets choppy a... A man under an umbrella walks past an electronic stock board of a securities firm in Tokyo Monday, May 20, 2013. Japan's Nikkei 225 index jumped 1.4 percent to 15,352.84 as evidence of a steady economic recovery in the U.S. helped push Asian stock markets higher Monday. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)
Pakistani cricke... Supporters of former Pakistani cricket star and chief of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party (PTI) Imran Khan attend a sit-in-protest to condemn the killing of Zohra Shahid, a senior member of PTI in Karachi, Monday, May 20, 2013 in Islamabad, Pakistan. Police said gunmen on a motorcycle shot and killed Shahid outside her home on Saturday. (AP Photo/B.K. Bangash)
North Korea send... High-ranking North Korean party and military official Choe Ryong Hae, second left, prepares to depart for China as a special envoy of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, at Pyongyang airport, North Korea Wednesday, May 22, 2013. The trip by Choe, a vice marshal who is director of the General Political Bureau of the Korean People's Army, is the highest-profile visit by a North Korean official to neighboring China this year and takes place at as Beijing is under pressure to rein in Pyongyang’s provocations. (AP Photo/ Kim Kwang Hyon)
China's Li seeks... Chinese Premier Li Keqiang waves at the media in front of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during his ceremonial reception at the Indian President's palace in New Delhi, India, Monday, May 20, 2013. Li said Monday he chose India for his first foreign visit because cooperation between the world's two most populous nations is crucial to world stability and economic growth. He was visiting India just weeks after the two nations resolved a tense standoff between their troops over the disputed Himalayan border between their two countries. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das)
Myanmar Muslims ... President Barack Obama gestures toward Myanmar's President Thein Sein during their meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Monday, May 20, 2013. Thein Sein is the first Myanmar president to be welcomed to the White House in almost 47 years. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Hundreds seek co... Koji Otani, a lawyer representing hundreds of residents and evacuees from just outside Fukushima, points at the Hippo district of Miyagi prefecture as he speaks during a press conference in Tokyo, Tuesday, May 21, 2013. The residents said Tuesday they have been unfairly denied full compensation despite high radiation levels in their area caused by Japan’s 2011 nuclear disaster. Nearly 700 residents from Hippo, just northeast of Fukushima, are demanding equal compensation to the residents of Fukushima prefecture who are in similar environment after the accident occurred. They demanded that the nuclear plant’s operator, Tokyo Electric Power Co., pay them an additional 70 million yen ($690,000) in damages from the Fukushima Dai-ichi meltdowns and radiation fallout. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)
Philippines prot... With Philippine Marines in the background, Philippine President Benigno Aquino III addresses the media shortly after leading the 115th Philippine Navy anniversary celebration at Fort San Felipe, Cavite city, southwest of Manila, Philippines Tuesday May 21, 2013. The Philippine givernment is embarking on a $1.8 Billion dollars to modernize the Philippine Navy with acquisition of additional ships and anti-submarine helicopters. At right is Philippine Navy Chief Vice Admiral Jose Luis Alano.(AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)