Japan let its economy do the talking at the Group of Seven meeting in Washington over the weekend, as controversial currency-exchange issues were put on the back burner.
Financial chiefs of the G-7 countries celebrated the global economic improvements achieved since the last G-7 meeting in February, with Japan earning its share of praise in this regard.
But the lack of substantive discussions on foreign-exchange policies allowed Japan to keep a low profile throughout the two-day meeting through Saturday, unlike the previous two gatherings, in which Japan's heavy market intervention was the focus of attention.
"I was able to commend Japanese colleagues on the good performance in Japan, which is showing strong signs of growth and sustainable growth," U.S. Treasury Secretary John Snow said after the G-7 issued a statement featuring a rosy assessment of the economy.