Japanese Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki said on Tuesday that the rapid foreign exchange (FX) move is undesirable and the officials will monitor the effect of FX on the Japanese economy and livelihoods.
Key quotes
Forex fluctuations have both positive and negative impacts on the Japanese economy.
Will respond appropriately after analyzing the impact of Forex moves.
Rapid FX moves are undesirable.
Important for currencies to move in a stable manner, reflecting fundamentals.Government will continue to analyse the impact of the strengthening Yen on the economy and respond appropriately.
The stronger Yen could affect the economy both positively and negatively through various channels, such as overseas sales of exporters and import costs on households and businesses.
Noted that the yen has been trading above an average 145.00 to the dollar that Japanese firms assume for the second half of the fiscal year, but their earnings and financial conditions have been generally healthy.
Market reaction
At the time of writing, USD/JPY is trading 0.03% higher on the day at 140.65.
Japanese Yen FAQs
The Japanese Yen (JPY) is one of the world’s most traded currencies. Its value is broadly determined by the performance of the Japanese economy, but more specifically by the Bank of Japan’s policy, the differential between Japanese and US bond yields, or risk sentiment among traders, among other factors.
One of the Bank of Japan’s mandates is currency control, so its moves are key for the Yen. The BoJ has directly intervened in currency markets sometimes, generally to lower the value of the Yen, although it refrains from doing it often due to political concerns of its main trading partners. The current BoJ ultra-loose monetary policy, based on massive stimulus to the economy, has caused the Yen to depreciate against its main currency peers. This process has exacerbated more recently due to an increasing policy divergence between the Bank of Japan and other main central banks, which have opted to increase interest rates sharply to fight decades-high levels of inflation.
The BoJ’s stance of sticking to ultra-loose monetary policy has led to a widening policy divergence with other central banks, particularly with the US Federal Reserve. This supports a widening of the differential between the 10-year US and Japanese bonds, which favors the US Dollar against the Japanese Yen.
The Japanese Yen is often seen as a safe-haven investment. This means that in times of market stress, investors are more likely to put their money in the Japanese currency due to its supposed reliability and stability. Turbulent times are likely to strengthen the Yen’s value against other currencies seen as more risky to invest in.
Information on these pages contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Markets and instruments profiled on this page are for informational purposes only and should not in any way come across as a recommendation to buy or sell in these assets. You should do your own thorough research before making any investment decisions. FXStreet does not in any way guarantee that this information is free from mistakes, errors, or material misstatements. It also does not guarantee that this information is of a timely nature. Investing in Open Markets involves a great deal of risk, including the loss of all or a portion of your investment, as well as emotional distress. All risks, losses and costs associated with investing, including total loss of principal, are your responsibility. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of FXStreet nor its advertisers. The author will not be held responsible for information that is found at the end of links posted on this page.
If not otherwise explicitly mentioned in the body of the article, at the time of writing, the author has no position in any stock mentioned in this article and no business relationship with any company mentioned. The author has not received compensation for writing this article, other than from FXStreet.
FXStreet and the author do not provide personalized recommendations. The author makes no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of this information. FXStreet and the author will not be liable for any errors, omissions or any losses, injuries or damages arising from this information and its display or use. Errors and omissions excepted.
The author and FXStreet are not registered investment advisors and nothing in this article is intended to be investment advice.
Recommended content
Editors’ Picks
Gold trades near record-high, stays within a touching distance of $3,100
Gold clings to daily gains and trades near the record-high it set above $3,080 earlier in the day. Although the data from the US showed that core PCE inflation rose at a stronger pace than expected in February, it failed to boost the USD.
EUR/USD turns positive above 1.0800
The loss of momentum in the US Dollar allows some recovery in the risk-associated universe on Friday, encouraging EUR/USD to regain the 1.0800 barrier and beyond, or daily tops.
GBP/USD picks up pace and retests 1.2960
GBP/USD now capitalises on the Greenback's knee-jerk and advances to the area of daily peaks in the 1.2960-1.2970 band, helped at the same time by auspicious results from UK Retail Sales.
Donald Trump’s tariff policies set to increase market uncertainty and risk-off sentiment
US President Donald Trump’s tariff policies are expected to escalate market uncertainty and risk-off sentiment, with the Kobeissi Letter’s post on X this week cautioning that while markets may view the April 2 tariffs as the "end of uncertainty," it anticipates increased volatility.
US: Trump's 'Liberation day' – What to expect?
Trump has so far enacted tariff changes that have lifted the trade-weighted average tariff rate on all US imports by around 5.5-6.0%-points. While re-rerouting of trade will decrease the effectiveness of tariffs over time, the current level is already close to the highest since the second world war.
The Best brokers to trade EUR/USD
SPONSORED Discover the top brokers for trading EUR/USD in 2025. Our list features brokers with competitive spreads, fast execution, and powerful platforms. Whether you're a beginner or an expert, find the right partner to navigate the dynamic Forex market.