The Nikkei average started the day with a 355 yen drop, weighed down by a decline in TSMC and a rise in long-term U.S. interest rates.

Top news of individual stocks
Finance Minister Suzuki: The exchange rate of the yen is not determined by interest rate differentials alone, in a joint press conference
On the 18th, Finance Minister Suzuki Shunichi expressed the view that the interest rate differential between Japan and the United States is just one of the many factors pushing down the yen exchange rate. The yen is at its lowest level against the dollar in about 34 years. Finance Minister Suzuki, at a press conference after the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting held in Washington, D.C., stated, "The exchange rate level is not determined solely by the interest rate differential."

Bank of Japan Governor Ueda: If the yen weakens and prices rise, "policy changes are possible"
Bank of Japan Governor Ueda Kazuo said at a press conference on the 18th that if the weakening yen leads to a significant increase in overall prices, "it could have a significant impact and could lead to changes in monetary policy." He indicated that if the overall price level rises through the increase in import prices, it could lead to additional interest rate hikes in some cases.

Bank of Japan can make additional interest rate hikes to achieve full inflation target, according to IMF Japan specialist
The Bank of Japan could raise interest rates further to achieve the inflation target completely and sustainably over the next two years, according to Nada Shueiri, head of the IMF's Japan mission.

Consumer prices rise by 2.6% in March, the slowest increase in 2 months, Bank of Japan continues to assess interest rate hikes
The year-on-year growth rate of the nationwide consumer price index (core CPI excluding fresh food) in March has slowed down for the first time in two months. After the Bank of Japan's interest rate hike in 17 years, the market's attention is shifting to the timing and pace of raising the policy interest rate, and the situation of assessing the economic and price situation is expected to continue.

Sony is in negotiations with Apollo toward a joint acquisition proposal to Paramount, according to sources.
$Sony Group (6758.JP)$and a US investment firm $Apollo Global Management (APO.US)$the American movie and television giant $Paramount Global-B (PARA.US)$It has been revealed by a source familiar with the matter that they are in discussions to make a joint proposal for the acquisition.

Sakura Internet - buying bias. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry will provide a subsidy of 72.5 billion yen to five companies for the development of AI supercomputers, according to Nikkei.
$SAKURA Internet (3778.JP)$Buying bias. The morning edition of the Nihon Keizai Shimbun on the 19th reported that the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry will embark on the domestic development of supercomputers to be used in the development of artificial intelligence (AI).

Advantest - selling bias. SOX index down 1.66%. TSMC has lowered its semiconductor market outlook for 2024.
$Advantest (6857.JP)$It is selling. The decline in the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index (SOX Index) and other factors are causing pessimism. In the US market on the 18th, there was a series of hawkish comments from the President of the New York Federal Reserve, which further lowered expectations of rate cuts.

Nippon Yusen K.K. is up for the third consecutive day. The company announced that it will cancel 49.17 million shares of its own stock, accounting for 9.64% of the total shares issued, on April 30th.
$Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (9101.JP)$It is up for the third consecutive day. On the 18th, the company announced that it will cancel 49.16 million 5294 shares of its own stock. The cancellation is scheduled for April 30th, and the ratio to the total number of issued shares before cancellation will be 9.64%.