51.   Soaring Japanese investment in the United States was a red-hot issue just a few years ago.

52.   Some traders say the stalemate in Washington over the U.S. debt ceiling may curb Japanese investment and hurt the dollar.

53.   Soon after the flood of Japanese investment, the U.S. economy started losing steam and property values skidded.

54.   Such speculation grew after the Ministry of Finance yesterday unveiled new measures to encourage Japanese investment overseas and weaken the yen.

55.   Speculation that funds freed up by maturing Japanese investments will be invested in Australia in the weeks ahead is also helping the Australian currency, traders and analysts said.

56.   Still, few see the package as prompting significant changes in Japanese investment patterns.

57.   Still, some traders said the stalemate in Washington over the U.S. debt ceiling may be curbing Japanese investment this month, and could hurt the dollar.

58.   That pushed the dollar, U.S. Treasuries and European securities decisively higher amid hopes for increased Japanese investment.

59.   That group came to Canada to see how the Canada-U.S. free trade agreement would affect Japanese investment.

60.   That may accelerate the shift of Japanese investment overseas, where brokerage transactions are not taxed and the unregulated brokerage fees are cheaper than in Japan.