Bank accounts breached via e-money accounts

A series of bank account breaches through e-money accounts at major Japanese mobile carrier NTT Docomo Inc. <9437> have been reported across the country.

In the cases, someone used stolen personal bank account information to set up NTT Docomo accounts linked to bank accounts and withdrew cash from the bank accounts through the NTT Docomo accounts, informed sources said.

Such cases have been confirmed at 77 Bank <8341>, based in the northeastern city of Sendai, Chugoku

Bank <8382>, based in the western city of Okayama, and Toho Bank <8346>, based in the northeastern city of Fukushima.

Similar cases are also suspected at Ogaki Kyoritsu Bank <8361>, based in the central city of Ogaki, Gifu Prefecture.

The regional banks have suspended their services of allowing customers to link their bank accounts to NTT Docomo accounts. Tokyo stocks opened higher on Tuesday, encouraged by rallies in major European markets with US markets closed for the Labor Day holiday.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 index was up 0.33 percent or 75.62 points to 23,165.57 in early trade, while the broader Topix index gained 0.16 percent or 2.60 points to 1,612.34.

"Japanese shares are seen supported by rallies in major European bourses," senior market analyst Toshiyuki Kanayama of Monex said in a commentary. Some investors may be taking a wait-and-see approach with US markets closed for the day.

Traders were also watching the beginning of the race to decide Japan's next prime minister through the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election, Mizuho Securities said in a note.

Three candidates are likely to officially register their candidacy, with Shinzo Abe's right-hand man Yoshihide Suga widely expected to win. The dollar fetched 106.28 yen in Asian trade, against 106.27 yen in London.

In Tokyo, Uniqlo casual wear operator Fast Retailing was up 1.39 percent at 66,990 yen, industrial robot maker Fanuc was up 2.20 percent at 21,095 yen, while chip-making equipment manufacturer Tokyo Electron was down 1.04 percent at 26,125 yen. Japan's economy shrank 7.9 percent in April-June from the previous quarter, more than the initial 7.8 percent in preliminary data, the cabinet office said 10 minutes before the opening bell.

Yoshihide Suga, the man expected to become Japan's next prime minister, is a farmer's son with a reputation for inscrutability, who has become a key government adviser, spokesman and policy enforcer.

The 71-year-old is widely expected to win the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's leadership race, which kicked off Tuesday, and be endorsed by parliament to replace outgoing premier Shinzo Abe.

If he succeeds, the election will cap a career that has seen Suga serve in key political roles, including most recently as chief cabinet secretary-an office that involves coordinating policy and bringing government agencies and the bureaucracy to heel.

He has also effectively been the face of Abe's government, serving as its top spokesman and defending decisions in daily press conferences, including in sometimes testy exchanges with reporters.

While the role has in the past been a stepping stone to the prime minister's office, Suga had regularly said he was not interested in the top job.

But not long after Abe announced in late August that he would resign over health issues, Suga emerged as the leading choice to succeed him, with key LDP factions throwing their support behind him.