Japan's Stock Market Surged on Chips — Then Stumbled

Japan's main stock index, the Nikkei 225, jumped 64% from August 2025 to a June 2026 record of 70,062 — then fell 8.5% to 64,141 by July 17. Computer-chip companies drove both the rise and the fall. On August 12 it closed at 67,524, up 0.83%, again led by chips. Where the market heads next depends on that one industry.