Japan Prepared to Help Nations

Dow Jones Reprints: This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. To order presentation-ready copies for distribution to your colleagues, clients or customers, use the Order Reprints tool at the bottom of any article or visit Japan Prepared to Help Bail Out Nations TOKYO - Japan's finance minister said his country -- flush with nearly $1 trillion in foreign exchange reserves -- is prepared to help bail out nations running out of funds amid the worsening global financial crisis. Speaking in advance of Friday's Group of Seven meeting of finance and central bank officials in Washington, Japanese Finance Minister Shoichi Nakagawa said he will call on the International Monetary Fund to set up a program to extend loans to nations in need of rescue. "We are ready to provide our funds to the IMF," Mr. Nakagawa said. Such a... [read full story]