Japan Week Ahead: PM Ishiba in Rough Waters amid High Costs After Ruling LDP’s Tokyo Assembly Poll Setback Ahead of Upper House Election Next Month
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Here are the key Japanese economic and political events for the coming week following no change in the Bank of Japan’s policy interest rate and a slower tapering pace for the bank’s government bond purchases in fiscal 2026. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party suffered a setback in Sunday’s Tokyo assembly […]
Japan Weekahead: Bank of Japan Set to Keep 0.5% Policy Rate, Focus on Possible Moderation in FY26 Balance Sheet Trim; Exports Hit by Trump Tariffs, Underlying Inflation Still Below 2%
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Here are the key Japanese economic and political events for the coming week. – Monday, June 16 1400 JST (0500 GMT/0100 EDT) – The Bank of Japan’s nine-member board begins its two-day policy meeting. On day one, board members compare notes on the economic and financial conditions in Japan and […]
Japan Finance Minister Kato: Didn’t Discuss FX Levels, Framework with US Counterpart Treasury Sec Bessent
–BOJ Governor Ueda: To Hike Interest Rates Gradually If Outlook for 2% inflation Sets in By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japanese Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato told a news conference on Thursday in Washington that he and his U.S. counterpart didn’t discuss guiding the currency market toward a weaker dollar against yen to help trim the […]
Japan Seeks to Tide Over Trade War by Shoring Up Consumption, Keeps Gradual Economic Recovery View Despite Mixed Business Sentiment, Rising Inflation Risks
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s government maintained its cautiously optimistic assessment for the eighth straight month, saying the economy is expected stay on a “modest recovery” track, but highlighted the growing uncertainty around the world triggered by the protectionist U.S. trade policy under President Trump. In its monthly report for April released Friday by […]
Japan’s Government Keeps Economic Recovery Scenario, Warns of Downside Risks Arising from High Costs of Living, Trump Tariffs
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s government maintained its cautiously optimistic assessment for the seventh straight month, saying the economy is expected to stay on a “modest recovery” track, but also warned about downside risks arising from high costs of living hurting consumption and the trade war launched by the Trump administration. In its monthly […]
Japan’s Government Keeps Economic Recovery Scenario Despite Headwinds of High Costs of Living, Trump Tariffs, Sluggish China Pickup
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s government maintained its cautiously optimistic assessment for the sixth straight month, saying the economy is expected to stay on a “modest recovery” track, overcoming the lingering headwinds of high domestic costs of living, the risk of a global trade war initiated by the Trump administration and wobbly Chinese growth. […]
Japan’s Government Still Sees Modest Economic Recovery Despite Sluggish Consumption, Flat Real Wage Growth Amid Food-Led Inflation
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s government maintained its overall assessment that the economy’s “modest recovery” is set to continue despite sluggish consumer spending and flat real wage growth amid high costs for food and other necessities. In its monthly report for December released Friday by the Cabinet Office, the government said the economy is […]
Japan Still Sees Modest Economic Recovery but Warns It Now Needs to Watch Future US Policy amid Headwinds of Inflation, Middle East Tensions, Weak Yen
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s government maintained its overall assessment that the economy’s “modest recovery” is set to continue thanks to wage hikes amid widespread labor shortages, but urged a close watch on the future U.S. government policy as well as lingering high costs for necessities, geopolitical risks and the weak yen. In its […]
Japan Government Slightly Upgrades Its View on Economic Recovery after BOJ Conducts 2nd Rate Hike in July
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s government upgraded its overall economic assessment for the first time in six months, noting consumer spending is supported by wage hikes and temporary income tax credits, but the change in wording is subtle and it continues to say the economy is recovering “moderately.” In its monthly report for August […]
Bank of Japan Hikes Overnight Rate Target to 0.25% from Range of 0% to 0.1% in 7 to 2 Vote
–BOJ Releases Specific Plans to Trim its Monthly JGB Purchases to Y3 Trillion from Y6 Trillion by end of Q1 2026–BOJ Governor Ueda: Raised Rates Because Economy, Prices Have Been on Track–Ueda: Weak Yen Impact on Prices ‘Not Necessarily Biggest Reason’ for Rate Hike By Max Sato (MaceNews) – The Bank of Japan said Wednesday […]