I've been saying for while that the soaring yen in the face of the financial crisis was choking the life out of the Japanese economy, so I'm feeling pretty vindicated right now.

While they may benefit in the short term, I don't see how it can be a good thing to print money you don't have long term. Japan and the USA in particular seem to be getting into ever increasing debt.

Last time I checled the US government was in debt to the tune of $16.7 trillion. Not sure how they are ever going to repay their debts.

Never doubted his genius.

He earned this one.

How are people congratulating Kaz on any of this considering the Japanese Prime Minister is the one who put this into affect? Even if Kaz deserved ridicule, this article wouldn't be about him. (Nor is it about any of the companies CEO's.)

Anyhow, Japan needed something to help their economy. It was sliding right into the depths of hell for awhile there. I wonder how long this'll work for them.

So.

Everyone else in the world has only 9 fingers (some 7), so Japan cuts off a finger so it can be more similar?

I don't see the point in devaluing your money just because everyone else tanked. Seems to risky. Would be better to stabilize yours and then help them come up to you by getting them to follow your lead.

Iwata and Kaz both are extremely fortunate to have a weakened yen on their side as without such, they both would of posted a net loss.

Regarding Nintendo and Sony earnings this week, I'm expecting an operating loss for both but a positive results nonetheless due to abenomics - shares should fall.

• Social Security (Social Security Trust Fund and Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund) - $2.72 trillion

• Office of Personnel Management (Federal Employees Retirement, Life Insurance, Hospital Insurance Trust Funds, including Postal Service Fund) - $1.12 trillion

• Dept. of Health and Human Services (Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund) - $69 billion

• Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation - $35 billion

• Department of Transportation (Airport and Highway Trust Fund) - $20 billion

• Department of the Treasury (Exchange Stabilization Fund) - $23 billion

• Department of Labor (Unemployment Trust Fund) - $21 billion

• Foreign - $5.311 trillion

• Federal Reserve - $1.66 trillion

• State and Local Government, including their pension funds - $709.1 billion

• Mutual Funds - $864.9 billion

• Private Pension Funds - $605.2 billion

• Banks - $305.2 billion

• Insurance Companies - $259.1 billion

• U.S. Savings Bonds - $184.7 billion

The United States will likely not repay the debt for a long long time.  At best we can hope is the debt's growth will be reduced to a more manageable number (one that is hopefully under the 100% annual GDP number) down the road.  Personally I see Social Security being the big casualty of the 21st century with pensions being the second (why I am planning my retirement now fully expecting to have to dpeend on myself for 100%).

 
Of for our major foriegn debtors (China at 1.25 trillion and Japan at 1.1 trillion) they are now so invested in the US success they know how much a failed US would cost them.  Essentially there are about 20 nations that have achieved "too big to fail" status and among them the US is the biggest.  Sadly, this means the US will not really ever fully address its debt problem as it will not be held accountable by anyone. 

It's pretty simple. Japan built its economy on exports. If other currencies around the world drop 20% relative to the yen, those export companies are facing a penalty that makes goods from other countries more attractive. Being better isn't good enough, you have to be 20% better just to compete. And you don't get to keep the margin for being 20% better, it all gets eaten up by the currency exchange. It's a handicap that is more than Japan could bear, and there's no magic spell to make Japanese industry 20% better than competing firms elsewhere in the world.

Your analogy is a little silly in that it implies having a more valuable currency should be intrinsically superior somehow. That obviously isn't the case. Like so many other economic factors, there are winners and there are losers when currencies are high or low, and whether you win or lose depends on your position in the market.

I'll add that devaluing the currency should also help fight off the deflationary pressure that's been plaguing Japan. People are used to thinking of inflation as something evil, but positive inflation is absolutely essential for economic activity. WIthout it, it becomes more worthwhile to stuff cash in your mattress than to spend or invest it.

Just buying time. This may actually just be the beginning of something worse to come. The part about PS4's development is really interesting, and it may cause Sony to begin this gen similarly to how it started Gen 7 (in terms of losses). Not smart. They are still using the Razors/Blades approach?

Kaz no doubt had a hand in this. What a guy.