Japan Economics Weekly Stronger inflation points to further yen gains This week’s producer price and wage data show that inflationary pressure in Japan remains firm. That should set the stage for the Bank of Japan to pick up the pace of policy tightening. Meanwhile, the... 11th September 2026 · 5 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly Japanese firms continue to weather energy shock The Japanese economy has continued to shrug off the energy shock. Corporate profit margins rose to a record high in Q2, while industrial production held up well in July as supply shortages eased. That... 4th September 2026 · 5 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly BoJ unwilling to toe government’s line The regular budget for FY2027 will probably include the largest increase in spending since the early 1990s. However, this partly reflects the government’s aim to incorporate spending previously... 28th August 2026 · 5 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly Economy shrugging off higher energy costs Japan’s economy didn’t expand as strongly as most had anticipated in Q2, but with crude oil imports normalising, downside risks to economic activity are diminishing. Indeed, amidst mounting signs of... 21st August 2026 · 4 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly Stars are aligning for a September BoJ hike The Bank of Japan’s July Summary of Opinions suggests that the Board is increasingly open to stepping up the pace of tightening. With producer and import-price data pointing to persistent and broad... 14th August 2026 · 6 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly FX Intervention won’t fix Japan’s credibility problem Joint US-Japan intervention provided some initial support to the yen. However, the currency has since given back some of its gains, and we don’t believe official purchases can substitute for a... 7th August 2026 · 4 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly Sales tax suspension adds to fiscal concerns While the government’s decision to press ahead with lowering the sales tax on food next year will reduce headline inflation sharply, we don’t think it will have major consequences for the outlook for... 31st July 2026 · 5 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly Fiscal loosening has further to run Our fiscal tracker shows a marked acceleration in public spending since PM Takaichi came to power. While we expect the budget deficit to remain very low this year as spending growth has yet to surpass... 24th July 2026 · 5 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly BoJ’s optimism will be put to the test The recent pick-up in crude oil prices vindicates the Bank of Japan’s concerns about upside risks to inflation. To be sure, the renewed closure of the Strait of Hormuz could prompt the Bank to flag... 17th July 2026 · 5 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly GPIF set to come to the bond market’s rescue Finance Minister Katayama’s announcement that the government will encourage pension funds, including the GPIF, to invest more in Japanese financial assets has helped unwind the spike in bond yields... 10th July 2026 · 4 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly BoJ will have to respond to stronger inflation The latest Tankan survey showed that output prices hit a record high, driven by the influence of higher energy costs on upstream industries. While higher input costs will be passed on to consumers... 3rd July 2026 · 4 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly Investment splurge may lift bond yields further The government’s new investment target may well turn out to be smoke and mirrors. But large-scale attempts to influence private investment decisions could result in resource misallocation and lower... 26th June 2026 · 5 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly Urgency for further monetary tightening diminishing The reopening of the Strait of Hormuz vindicates the BoJ’s assessment that downside risks to economic activity have declined. But the resulting plunge in crude oil prices also means that inflationary... 19th June 2026 · 4 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly BoJ on track to hike despite Ueda’s absence Following his unexpected hospitalisation, Governor Ueda will miss next week's BoJ meeting. However, with inflation pressures continuing to build, there will almost certainly still be a majority in... 12th June 2026 · 5 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly Japan edges closer to policy normalisation BoJ Governor Ueda strongly hinted this week that a rate hike is imminent, with policymakers growing concerned about falling behind the inflation curve. With wage growth remaining historically strong... 5th June 2026 · 4 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly Resilient activity data point to rate hike next month While the BoJ’s measures of underlying inflation were the weakest they’ve been in years in April, the recent surge in input costs due to the Iran War will result in a renewed strengthening. Indeed... 29th May 2026 · 5 mins read
