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- THE WEEK, Page 22BUSINESSBut Will It Work?
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- Japan's government announces an $86 billion economic rescue
- plan
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- Japan has been facing one of its most serious economic
- downturns since World War II, with the stock market trading at
- less than half its peak value of late 1989 and investors
- convinced that the government would do little to stop the slide.
- But last week officials announced an unprecedented $86 billion
- rescue package. Amounting to 2.3% of GNP, the bailout will
- increase public works programs, assist small- and medium-size
- businesses and provide tax incentives for industrial investment.
- The government also promised to ease stock-purchase regulations
- and help banks sell real estate they now hold as collateral on
- bad loans.
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- Investors quickly voted with their money to support the
- plan. The Nikkei stock average soared even before the details
- were announced, closing the week at 17,970.79 points, an 11%
- gain. But most economists remain skeptical. Said one: "The
- Nikkei is just being deceived. There remains a lot of
- uncertainty about what results the package will bring."
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