The outlook for Japan's economy darkened further yesterday as the dollar slid past the Y100 mark for the first time in more than 12 years, adding to the litany of economic headaches facing Japan's government.

The dollar fell to Y99.77 in Europe after earlier testing the Y100 level during Japan's trading day. It last went below Y100 in September 1995. "It makes you wonder how far the dollar can fall," said Yuji Saito, head of the foreign exchange sales department at Société Générale in Tokyo.