Weak yen set to pull other currencies down

With a GDP of about one-and-a-half times as the rest of Asia combined – $4.5 trillion versus $3 trillion, in 2000 – Japan is a heavyweight with much influence over the region. In 1999, Japanese exports and imports accounted for 7.5% and 5.3% of world trade. The percentage share is likely to be larger in the case of manufactured goods.