• By   • Eleanor Warnock  Countries around the world watched
nervously when Prime Minister Shinzo Abe took power last
December advocating a weaker currency to help lift growth.
Leaders of other nations, especially Japan’s closest
competitors, suspected Tokyo might be seeking an unfair trade
advantage.  In a report published Thursday, the International
Monetary Fund tries to put those fears to rest, saying that most
of the effects of a weaker yen on the competitiveness of other
nations would be offset if Mr. Abe successfully implements his
pro-growth policies, known as Abenomics.  While a drop in the
value of the yen makes Japanese goods such as televisions, cars
and cameras cheaper overseas, the report says the impact of the
lower prices on competition would be outweighed if Japan
achieves stronger growth that boosts the global economy. That in
turn would help smooth out any competitive differences, the
report said. In addition, Mr. Abe’s policies could push more
Japanese money into overseas assets and contri