Although calm has returned to the Tokyo stock market, share prices remain at a depressed level.
The ruling coalition's victory in last month's Upper House election gave Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi a mandate to push ahead with his economic reform initiative, but investors remain unconvinced.
While government officials have not publicly focused on day-to-day developments in the market, the serious impact stock market volatility could have on the real economy suggests they cannot continue to remain aloof very much longer.
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