1.   Healthier banks will help the economy as a whole, giving investors more confidence in the market, said traders.

2.   Tokyo announced plans to take over or close failing banks and to pump money into healthier banks to encourage them to lend money to the public again.

3.   Under a separate trustee fund, the central bank will transfer the assets of troubled institutions, including accounts and deposits, to healthier banks.

4.   The minister said in a statement that the merger would result in a healthier bank.