Japan Week Ahead: Lawmakers to Kick Off Debate on Fiscal 2026 Budget as PM Seeks Closer Alliance with Trump to Trim Reliance on Chinese Rare Earths
–Tokyo CPI to Show Inflation Trending Lower Below BOJ’s 2% Target, Factory Output Set to Rebound While Retail Sales Remain Sluggish By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Here are the key Japanese events for the coming week. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has been sworn in after being re-elected in the Diet where lawmakers will start debating […]
Japan’s December Core Machine Orders Soar Record 19.1% to 18-Year High, Driven by Large Industrial Orders, Persistent Computer Demand from Services Sector
–Cabinet Office Keeps View After October Upgrade: Orders Showing Signs of Pickup –Official: December Rise After November’s 11.0% Dip Indicates Trend Not Strong Enough to Revise Up View By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japanese core machinery orders, a key leading indicator of business investment in equipment and software, surged a record 19.1% on the month […]
Preview: Forecasters See Slower CPI Inflation in January
Friday, Feb. 20, 2026 0830 JST (2330 GMT/1830 EST Thursday, Feb. 19) The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications releases January CPI.Mace News median: total CPI +1.6% y/y (range: +1.5% to +1.7%) vs. Dec+2.1%; core CPI (ex-fresh food) +2.1% y/y (range: +2.0% to +2.1%) vs. Dec +2.4%; core-core CPI (ex-fresh food, energy) +2.7% y/y (range […]
Preview: Forecasters See Machinery Orders Rebounding in December as Capex Seen Solid
Thursday, Feb. 19, 20260850 JST (2350 GMT/1850 EST Wednesday, Feb. 18) The Cabinet Office releases December machinery orders.Mace News median: core orders +3.2% m/m (range: +1.0% to +5.0%) vs. Nov -11.0%; +1.0% y/y (range: -0.5% to +4.4%) vs. Nov -6.4% By Chikafumi Hodo TOKYO (MaceNews) – Japan’s core machinery orders, a key leading indicator of […]
Update: IMF Official: BOJ Expected to Raise Policy Rate to 1.5% by Two 25-Basis Point Hikes This Year, One Next Year
–Updates with Official Remarks at Briefing, Background –IMF: BOJ Policy Interest Rate Below Estimated Neutral Rate, Echoing Recent Comments of BOJ Governor Ueda –IMF: Continued Unwinding of Monetary Stimulus to Lift BOJ’s Overnight Rate to Neutral In 2027 –IMF Advises Against Lowering 10% Sales Tax, Hails PM Takaichi Plan to Suspend it for 2 Years […]
Preview: Forecasters See Japan Exports Up 11.9%, Imports Up 3.1% on Year in January
Wednesday, Feb. 18, 20260850 JST (2350 GMT/1850 EST Tuesday, Feb. 17) The Ministry of Finance releases January trade.Mace News survey median: exports +11.9% y/y (range: +4.9% to +14.5%) vs. Dec. +5.1%; imports +3.1% y/y (range: -2.4% to +7.0%) vs. a revised +5.2% in December from +5.3; trade deficit ¥2,211.45 billion (range: a deficit of ¥2,461.70 […]
Japan Week Ahead: Prime Minister Takaichi Set to Be Re-Elected in Diet After Ruling Conservative Party LDP Clinches Supermajority in General Election
–Q4 GDP to Confirm Tepid Rebound, January Trade to Indicate Solid Export Growth, Q4 Machine Orders Seen Up, Inflation Easing Further By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Here are the key Japanese events for the coming week. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will go through a largely ceremonial parliamentary vote on Wednesday to be re-elected after the […]
Japan Week Ahead: Prime Minister Takaichi’s Landslide Win in General Election to Keep Economic Stimulus Hopes, Rising Debt Jitters Amid Wobbly Consumer Sentiment
–Producer Inflation Seen Easing Further on Lower Fuel Costs but at Gradual Pace amid Rising Copper Prices By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Here are the key Japanese events for the coming week. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi led the conservative Liberal Democratic Party to a historic landslide victory in Sunday’s lower house election, paving the way […]
Preview: Forecasters See Japan Producer Price Rise Slowing to 2.3% Y/Y in January
Thursday, Feb. 12, 20260850 JST (2350 GMT/1850 EST Wednesday, Feb.11) The Bank of Japan releases the January corporate goods price index.Mace News median: CGPI +2.3% y/y (range: +2.0% to +2.4%) vs. Dec +2.4%; +0.2% m/m (range: -0.1% to +0.3%) vs. Dec +0.1% By Chikafumi Hodo (MaceNews) – Japan’s producer inflation is expected to rise on […]
Preview: Japan Q4 GDP to Rebound on Gains in Capex, Consumption, Exports, but Momentum Remains Weak
By Chikafumi Hodo TOKYO (MaceNews) – Backed by gains in capital investment, gradual rises in exports, and continuing modest recovery in private consumption, Japan’s real gross domestic product is expected to rebound and post its first positive growth in two quarters in the October–December period, following a sharp contraction in the previous quarter. Still, the […]