Japanese trading houses record net profits on the back of interests abroad

According to The Asahi Shimbun, Japanese trading and other companies outside the manufacturing sector benefitted enormously from the steep fall in the value of the Japanese currency in recent months, whereas the performance of manufacturers was patchy due to a surge in prices of materials caused by the cheaper yen.
But overall, bottom-line profits posted by Japanese companies listed in the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange before the regrouping of the TSE this spring, are projected to be a record for any six-month period, according to SMBC Nikko Securities Inc.

https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14764902