Tokyo shares rebound on easing North Korea fears

Tokyo shares rebounded Tuesday after four days of losses, as fears over a US-North Korea military conflict began to recede. Before the Japanese market opened, North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un said he would hold off on a provocative missile strike near the US Pacific territory of Guam.

That came after US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson wrote in The Wall Street Journal that America has "no interest" in regime change in Pyongyang, and stressed the importance of a diplomatic solution.

The exchanges were part of gradual efforts to restore calm after North Korea last week spooked markets by threatening to test-fire missiles toward the palm-fringed island and Trump vowed to respond.

-AFP, Tokyo