Time to go back into Japan

Many observers have written off Japan as the basket case of the industrialised world, and the past year has certainly been very disappointing for investors in Japan. Over calendar year 2000, the broad-based Topix Index fell by 25% Ã one of the worst performances of the post-war period. Today the market is no higher than 15 years ago, and sentiment is at rock bottom. Foreigners and private investors have retreated from the market, and many observers are writing off equity investment in Japan for another five to ten years. What went wrong? Do today's depressed levels offer another opp...