Bank of Japan

Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda on July 28: The central bank took a small but significant step back from its ultra-easy monetary policy stance in its latest policy meeting. (Photo by Satoko Kawasaki)
Opinion

BOJ will need to be more flexible given inflation uncertainties

Loose stance still makes sense for now, but central bank must be ready to pivot

8 August 2023
Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda has said that the central bank underestimated the rise in consumer prices.
Bank of Japan

Inflation concerns loom over BOJ as 2% target comes into focus

Opinions from latest meeting reflect growing uncertainties over prices

8 August 2023
The yen's fall has put investors on alert about another possible currency intervention by the Bank of Japan and the government. (Nikkei montage/Satoko Kawasaki)
Market Spotlight

Bank of Japan's policy adjustment hasn't stopped the yen's slide

Japan-U.S. yield gap remains wide after Treasury rates shoot up

7 August 2023
The Nikkei Stock Average, the year's best-performing index, on Aug. 3 experienced a second straight day of sell-offs. (Photo by Satoko Kawasaki)
Markets

Nikkei average sheds over 1,300 points in two days

Japan stocks suffer biggest blow from U.S. downgrade by Fitch

3 August 2023
The Bank of Japan has expanded its target band for the 10-year yield, but market watchers think its exit from ultralow rates remains far away. (Photo by Konosuke Urata)
Bank of Japan

Yen weakens despite BOJ's policy tweak allowing higher yields

Japan's central bank signals it is not yet ready for drastic jump in rates

3 August 2023
New PBOC Gov. Pan Gongsheng, seen here in 2017, is a battle-tested policymaker. 
Opinion

New PBOC chief Pan Gongsheng has a harder job than BOJ's Ueda

First challenge will be to decide on additional monetary stimulus

2 August 2023
The wide interest rate gap between the U.S. and Japan is fueling a sell-off in the yen. (Photo by Nanami Sato)
Currencies

Yen falls to one-month low of 143 per dollar after last week's BOJ move

Japanese currency plunges 5 yen in two sessions due to limited yield rise

2 August 2023
The Nikkei Stock Average ended July on an up day. (Photo by Satoko Kawasaki)
Markets

Japan stocks shrug off higher interest rates as earnings outlook brightens

Nikkei rebounds above 33,000 for first time in about a month

1 August 2023
Global bond markets were rattled on July 28 with the BOJ effectively raising the permitted range for long-term yield fluctuations to 1% at its monetary policy meeting. (Photo by Satoko Kawasaki)
Bank of Japan

Japan's 10-year bond yields reach 9-year high on BOJ policy changes

Changes by financial 'anchor' could rattle global financial markets

31 July 2023
Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda speaks to reporters after the July 28 policy board meeting. (Photo by Satoko Kawasaki)
Bank of Japan

BOJ lightens grip on yields under shadow of weak yen, inflation

Gov. Ueda cites aim of reining in currency 'volatility' in tweaking policy

29 July 2023
 Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda speaks at a news conference on July 28. (Photo by Satoko Kawasaki)
Bank of Japan

BOJ tweaks policy to allow 10-year yields to rise up to 1%

Gov. Ueda says bank has no plan now to drop yield curve control policy

28 July 2023
The Bank of Japan's policy board is set to meet on July 28.
Bank of Japan

BOJ to discuss yield curve control tweak to allow rates over 0.5%

Central bank likely to keep current cap while taking flexible approach

28 July 2023
The yen has seen increased volatility against the dollar in recent weeks.
Bank of Japan

Yen, Japan bonds face greater volatility over BOJ's next move

Bank of Japan, Fed to make interest rate decisions next week

22 July 2023
On the Tokyo foreign exchange market, the yen hit the level of 139 per dollar on July 12. (Photo by Kento Awashima) 
Bank of Japan

Yen rises on speculation of BOJ policy shift

Wage, price data seen as opening door for change to yield curve control

12 July 2023
BOJ Deputy Gov. Shinichi Uchida was a central figure in designing the central bank's quantitative and qualitative easing policy introduced in 2013. (Photo by Satoko Kawasaki) 
Interview

BOJ deputy chief urges 'balanced decision' on yield curve control

Uchida tempers expectations for a swift adjustment in policy

7 July 2023
Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda's policy reticence signals that there is every reason to bet that 22-plus years of quantitative easing will stretch on and on. (Photo by Suzu Takahashi)
Opinion

Markets are losing interest in the BOJ's Ueda already

Central bank's autopilot approach is weighing on the yen

5 July 2023
Domestic fixed investment in manufacturing is expected to rise 23.2% in fiscal 2023, according to the Bank of Japan's latest Tankan survey. (Photo by Mayumi Tsumita)
Economy

Nikkei average hits 33-year high on capital spending hopes

Machinery joins semiconductors in driving up stock prices

4 July 2023
Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda speaks at a forum hosted by the European Central Bank on June 28. (ECB via Kyodo)
Bank of Japan

Inflation rising into 2024 would give BOJ reason to change policy: Ueda

'There's still some distance to go' on reaching 2% sustainably, central bank chief says

29 June 2023
The depreciation of the yen against the dollar makes a revision to monetary easing policy more likely, analysts say.
Bank of Japan

Speculation grows of BOJ change to yield curve control policy

Japanese officials express concern about yen's slide

27 June 2023
Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda explains the decision to maintain the central bank's monetary policy stance in Tokyo on June 16. (Photo by Suzu Takahashi) 
Bank of Japan

BOJ would rather do too much easing than too little: Gov. Ueda

Japanese central bank sticks to ultra-easy policy, bucking global trend

16 June 2023
Rising prices are eating into Japanese workers' nominally higher paychecks and their disposable income. (Photo by Makoto Okada)
Inflation

Japan's real wages dropped for 13th straight month in April

Persistent inflation overwhelms workers' nominal pay raises

6 June 2023
Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda presides over a BOJ policy board meeting in April. (Pool photo)
Bank of Japan

BOJ's stay-the-course approach runs into Japan's widening inflation

This week's wage data will provide clues to Ueda's next move

5 June 2023
A similar meeting held by finance officials was a prelude to a currency market intervention in September.
Currencies

Yen's slide eases as finance meeting raises hints of intervention

Japan may be long way from yen-buying measures as pace of drop remains modest

1 June 2023
Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda answers questions from reporters May 25 at the central bank's headquarters in Tokyo. (Photo by Taro Yokosawa)
Bank of Japan

BOJ's Ueda warns of consequences of tightening too soon

Central bank chief vows to stick with easing despite inflation 'burden'

26 May 2023
Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda may keep the central bank on autopilot indefinitely. (Pool via Reuters)
Opinion

Japan's stock rally is making life harder for new BOJ governor

Like predecessors and premiers, Ueda can't be seen to short-circuit surge

24 May 2023