Japan Week Ahead: Resilient Economy Faces Inflationary Pressures, Structural Fragility as Mideast Conflict Rages on, Weak Yen Keeps Imports Expensive
–June Exports Forecast to Post 10th Straight Y/Y Rise, CPI Seen Up Slightly but Still Below BOJ’s 2% Inflation Target By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s economy has shown resilience in the face of protectionist U.S. trade policy and the lingering Mideast conflict. Exports have weathered the drag from stiff Trump tariffs on autos and […]
Japan Week Ahead: Markets Continue to Expect BOJ Rate Hike Toward Yearend after Tankan Business Survey, Branch Managers Report Points to Resilient Economy amid Mideast Uncertainty
–May Machinery Orders Set for Pullback after April Surge but Strong Demand for Computers, AI-Linked Equipment Seen Intact By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Bank of Japan policymakers have received evidence this month that the domestic economy has been resilient, overcoming high fuel costs and material shortages triggered by the Middle East conflict amid the global […]
Japan Week Ahead: BOJ June Quarter Tankan Business Survey to Show Mideast Conflict Dented Confidence Slightly, Pushed Up Costs for Many Sectors
–Hot Weather, Rising Stock Markets Seen Lifting Retail Sales in May, Job Creation Continues, Factory Output to Extend Monthly Gain on Export Demand By Max Sato (MaceNews) – The tentative U.S.-Iran peace agreement has led crude oil prices lower to pre-war levels, calming jitters among policymakers and investors, but Japanese households and businesses will still […]
Preview: Forecasters See Japan Tokyo CPI Accelerating in June as Commodity Prices Rise
By Chikafumi Hodo TOKYO (MaceNews) – Tokyo’s consumer price index, a leading indicator of the national inflation trend, is expected to accelerate in June, reflecting higher energy costs and supply concerns surrounding naphtha, other oil products and chemicals amid heightened geopolitical tensions in the Middle East following the conflict involving the United States and Iran. […]
Update: Japan Week Ahead: Markets Look for Signs of Follow-Up BOJ Move in A Few Months After Milestone Rate Hike in June, Warning about Inflation
–Updates to Show New Date for Monthly Economic Report –June Tokyo CPI Inflation Seen Accelerating on Rising Costs for Plastics, Other Goods amid Mideast Materials Supply Squeeze but Still Below 2% BOJ Target By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Financial markets are expected to be volatile in the coming week after Iran announced on the weekend […]
Preview: Forecasters See Japan Machinery Orders Up Again on Year in April as AI Spending Boom Continues
Consensus outlook for Mace News 0850 JST (2350 GMT/1950 EDT Tuesday, June 16) The Cabinet Office releases April machinery orders.Mace News median: core orders -0.3% m/m (range: -2.0% to +6.5%) vs. Mar -9.4%; +9.9% y/y (range: +8.5% to +17.4%) vs. Mar +5.9% By Chikafumi Hodo TOKYO (MaceNews) – Japan’s core machinery orders, a key leading […]
Preview: Forecasters See Japan’s Household Spending Hit By Rising Costs in April Report
Friday, June 5, 20260830 JST (2350 GMT/1930 EDT Monday, May 11) The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications releases the April average household spending.Mace News median forecasts: -1.6% y/y (range: -2.7% to 0.3%) vs. Mar -2.9%; +0.4% m/m (range: -0.5% to +2.0%) vs. Mar -1.3% By Chikafumi Hodo TOKYO (MaceNews) – Persisting geopolitical tensions in […]
Preview: Forecasters See Japan Unemployment Stable in April Data with Job Market Firm
Friday, May 29, 2026 0830 JST (2330 GMT/1930 EDT Thursday, May 28) The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications releases April jobs. Mace News median: 2.7% (range: 2.6% to 2.7%)vs. 2.7% in March after posting 2.6% in February. By Chikafumi Hodo TOKYO (MaceNews) – Japan’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is expected to be little changed […]
Japan Government Still Sees Gradual Economic Recovery but Also Warns that High Import Costs, Tight Materials Supply to Weigh on Growth
–Some Economists Project Q2 GDP Dip as Effects of Mideast Conflict on Consumption, Capex to Become More Pronounced By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s government is sticking to its gradual economic recovery scenario after the January-March GDP data confirmed a steady recovery from a mild slump two quarters earlier but officials continued to warn about […]
Japan Week Ahead: Consumer Inflation in Capital, Jobless Rate Seen Tame, Iran War Squeezing Factory Output, Retail Sales Sluggish on Falling Real Wages
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Here are the key Japanese events for the coming week. The preliminary GDP data for the January-March quarter released last week showed the economy has overcome a temporary contraction recorded in July-September last year, thanks to rebounds in net exports and public works as well as sluggish but resilient private […]