PRESS DIGEST-Financial Times, Wall St Journal Asia editions

SINGAPORE, April 1 (Reuters) - The Financial Times and the Wall Street Journal carried the following stories in their Asia print and/or Web site editions on Tuesday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

FINANCIAL TIMES (www.ft.com)

-- Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda warned that Japan faced a budgetary crisis after the opposition forced the withdrawal of a petrol tax, depriving the government of 2,600 billion yen ($26 billion) in revenue, equivalent to 1 percent of gross domestic product.

-- The Philippines, the world's largest rice importer, is considering more than halving duties on rice imports in the hope of attracting private sector buyers and breaking a long-standing de facto state monopoly on imports.

WALL STREET JOURNAL (www.wsj.com)

-- Tata Motors Ltd. (TAMO.BO) and Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. (MAHM.BO) separately pledged to invest a total of 75 billion rupees ($1.87 billion) to expand their operations in India's growing automobile market.

-- Credit Suisse Group (CSGN.VX) is looking to expand into Vietnam's share-underwriting market and aims to decide on joint-venture plans by the end of this year, according to its chief executive for the Asian-Pacific region.

-- Sony Corp. (6758.T) is replacing its top television executive as part of efforts to strengthen the division, one of the company's last remaining areas of weakness. ($1=99.78 Yen) ($1=40.02 Indian Rupee)