Tokyo stocks dive after Abe's tax hike delay

Tokyo

JAPANESE Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's decision to further postpone a scheduled increase in the national sales tax - raising questions over the nation's fiscal health - sent Tokyo stocks plunging on Thursday while the yen climbed on market doubts about the future of the Bank of Japan's monetary policy.

At the same time, it became clear that the July 10 election to the Upper House of Japan's Parliament, which Mr Abe announced on Wednesday along with his decision to delay the tax hike, is going to be a p…