July 18, 2025July 18, 2025 Japan’s inflation eased slightly in June but remained above the Bank of Japan’s (BOJ) target, keeping pressure on Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba ahead of Sunday’s national election. Core consumer prices (excluding fresh food) rose 3.3% year-on-year, down from May’s 3.7%—a…
May 12, 2025May 12, 2025 Japan’s economy likely contracted 0.3% in the year’s first quarter, showing weakness even before US tariffs took effect. The potential contraction could hurt the Bank of Japan’s policy plans and Prime Minister Ishiba’s election prospects. Economists cite weak consumer spending,…
February 21, 2025February 21, 2025 Japan’s inflation surged past expectations in January, rising 3.2%—the highest since June 2023—driven by soaring food prices, including a record 70.9% jump in rice costs, reinforcing the Bank of Japan’s rate hike path. Overall inflation accelerated to 4%, the first…
August 7, 2024August 7, 2024 Shinichi Uchida, the Deputy Governor of the Bank of Japan, sent a strong dovish signal amid historical financial market volatility by pledging to refrain from hiking interest rates when the markets are unstable. The yen dropped over 2% against the dollar, bond futures surged,…