Bank of Japan

The Bank of Japan decided Tuesday to remove its strict ceiling on long-term interest rates, but its negative-rate policy remains in place.
Bank of Japan

After BOJ policy tweak, focus turns to exit from negative rates

Inflation, wages and politics factor into decision on monetary tightening

1 November 2023
The BOJ's policy decision was viewed by market participants as a change to its long-standing ultraloose monetary policy, but it did not trigger yen buying 
Currencies

Yen weakens past 151 against dollar after BOJ tweaks policy

Revelation that Japan didn't intervene in October spurs yen-selling

1 November 2023
The Bank of Japan on Tuesday made its second adjustment to its yield curve control (YCC) framework in three months. (Nikkei montage)
Bank of Japan

BOJ discards explicit 1% ceiling for 10-year JGB yields

Central bank raises inflation projections but not as much as market expected

31 October 2023
Currency traders had been watching for signs of another change to the Bank of Japan's yield curve control.
Currencies

Yen jumps to 2-week high against dollar as BOJ weighs policy change

Japanese currency regains 148 level on expectations of narrower rate gap

31 October 2023
The BOJ hopes to deter speculators from targeting the ceiling it has set on Japanese government bond yields, sparing itself the need to buy droves of JGBs. (Photo by Konosuke Urata)
Bank of Japan

BOJ to tweak policy again to allow 10-year yields to exceed 1%

Central bank to also take a more flexible stance on JGB-buying operations

30 October 2023
The BOJ will release a quarterly update to economic projections among the nine board members after the policy meeting, which will give a clue to the BOJ's view on the durability of inflation. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by Suzu Takahashi and pool)
Market Spotlight

Japan yen poised for a big move as the BOJ discusses its next step

Policy meeting follows rate hikes by Indonesia and the Philippines

30 October 2023
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will travel to China from Nov. 4 to 7 to meet with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang.
Your Week in Asia

BOJ policy meeting, Hong Kong FinTech Week, Australia PM visits China

Your weekly lineup of Asia's biggest business and political events

29 October 2023
The BOJ has sought to guide Japan's economy to a stable level of inflation around 2%. (Photo by Konosuke Urata)
Bank of Japan

BOJ to discuss raising fiscal 2024 inflation outlook over 2%

Revision would mean 3 consecutive years of CPI increase above target

28 October 2023
Large banks will have an easier time earning money in a high interest rate environment, the BOJ said.
Finance

Japan bank profits would rise under 1-point rate increase, says BOJ

Report shows major lenders benefiting sooner from higher interest income

22 October 2023
Pedestrians walk in Ginza, a popular shopping area in Tokyo. (Photo by Suzu Takahashi)
Inflation

Japan inflation hits 13-month low, stays above BOJ target

September's index increase eased to 2.8% as food price hikes slow

20 October 2023
Kazuo Ueda, left, took over as head of the Bank of Japan in April. (Photo by Tomoki Mera) 
Editor-in-Chief’s Picks

Letter from Nikkei Asia's editor: Japan's yen dilemma

Shin Nakayama shares his weekly reflections and recommendations

13 October 2023
A weak yen, post-pandemic inflation and the Russia-Ukraine war are putting pressure on Japan's central bank to reconsider its longtime commitment to ultraloose monetary policy. (Photo by Tsuyoshi Tamehiro)
The Big Story

Japan's yen dilemma in charts: BOJ juggles deflation and inflation

Rising U.S. rates and tumbling currency test Japan's monetary easing resolve

11 October 2023
Screens at a foreign exchange trading company in Tokyo show the U.S. dollar trading above the 150 yen mark on the night of Oct. 3.
Currencies

Yen's jump after hitting 150 sparks intervention speculation

Authorities not drawn on whether stepped in: currency weakens again Wednesday

4 October 2023
Stream article image
Datawatch

Japan's preference for floating-rate mortgages stokes market fears

Sweden's experience a warning as speculation rises over a BOJ policy U-turn

30 September 2023
With the Fed signaling interest rates will remain higher for longer, conditions will continue to favor a strong dollar, currency watchers say.
Currencies

Yen intervention watch redoubles after Fed, BOJ meetings

Currency under pressure with Japan-U.S. yield gap at 10-month high

25 September 2023
Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda speaks in Tokyo on Sept. 22. (Photo by Yuki Nakao) 
Bank of Japan

BOJ chief plays down talk of early policy shift

Japanese central bank sticks to ultraeasy policy despite yen weakness

22 September 2023
Gov. Kazuo Ueda is expected to end Bank of Japan's negative rate policy. (Photo by Satoko Kawasaki)
Inflation

BOJ meets as Japan weighs declaring victory over deflation

Recent central bank and government remarks spark expectations of a turning point

21 September 2023
Speculation is mounting that the Bank of Japan will end its negative interest rate policy in early 2024, or even late this year.
Bonds

Japan 10-year bond yields hit 9-year high on lookout for BOJ shift

Interest rate derivatives start to price in expectations of early end to negative rates

13 September 2023
Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda's recent comments have sparked speculation over the outlook for the central bank's negative interest rate policy.
Comment

Japan's negative interest rates: How soon will they end?

Early-2024 scenario emerges as December move faces political risk

13 September 2023
Market watchers see BOJ Gov. Kazuo Ueda's recent comments as an effort to stem the yen's slide. (Photo by Yumi Kotani)
Bank of Japan

Yen, yields rise after BOJ's Ueda hints at end to negative rates

Central bank chief's remarks seen as stronger push against weakening currency

12 September 2023
Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda speaks at a group interview with reporters in Tokyo on May 25.
Economy

Japan's 10-year bond yield hits highest since 2014 on Ueda remark

BOJ chief's comment reinforces speculation about early lifting of negative rates

11 September 2023
The yen finds itself at the mercy of Bank of Japan policy and overseas investors eager to borrow currency at ultra-low interest rates while their home currencies are subject to rates almost 5 percentage points higher.
Currencies

Largest policy rate gap in 22 years pins yen near last year's low

Japan's currency ambassador steps up verbal fusillade, fueling war of nerves

7 September 2023
Overseas investors last month logged their highest net sales of Japanese government bonds since January.
Bonds

Foreign investors unloaded net $9bn of Japanese bonds in July

JGB sell-off came on speculation of tweak to Bank of Japan's yield curve control

22 August 2023
Japan intervened in currency markets last September when the dollar rose past 145 yen, and traders now expect officials to start warning of intervention soon.
Currencies

Yen falls past 145 per dollar to weakest level this year

Market expects BOJ's monetary policy to remain easy despite tweaks last month

14 August 2023
The Bank of Japan's Tokyo headquarters. The BOJ has made its yield curve control more flexible. (Photo by Konosuke Urata)
Bonds

Japan life insurers set to buy more ultralong bonds on BOJ policy shift

Closely watched JGB investors have plenty of firepower for purchases

11 August 2023