Japanese industrial giant Itochu has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with engineering firm Orascom Construction for the joint development of ammonia.
China shares ended mostly higher after Beijing announced a slew of property easing measures to boost consumption and rescue the troubled sector, with analysts saying the moves exceed market expectations and should lift investor confidence.
Japan continues to suffer from slow growth and an aging population. But beyond those macro problems, a stronger yen and tighter monetary policy could catalyze a much-needed shift from exports to domestic consumption.