Tag - japanese-economy

 
 

JAPANESE ECONOMY

Japan’s civil servants will likely see the biggest salary increases in over three decades in the current fiscal year.
BUSINESS / Economy
Aug 8, 2024
Japan’s public servants may see biggest pay hike in 32 years
The Finance Ministry estimates that implementing these recommendations could increase the financial burden of sustain services by roughly ¥382 billion ($2.6 billion).
Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda speaks to reporters on July 3.
BUSINESS / Economy
Aug 8, 2024
Bank of Japan’s surprise rate rise a real head-scratcher for some analysts
Some analysts are skeptical about consumption actually being stimulated, saying that positive wage growth will not necessarily guarantee that.
As investors look for opportunities in the new environment created by the Bank of Japan and the resulting market turmoil, there is broad consensus that they will have to reevaluate what they thought they knew about the country.
BUSINESS / Markets
Aug 7, 2024
Japan morphs into the center of worry for global investors
In less than a week, Japan has completely upended the world’s expectations for its markets and economy.
The Bank of Japan headquarters in Tokyo. BOJ Deputy Gov. Shinichi Uchida sent a strong dovish signal in the wake of historic financial market volatility in Japan by pledging to refrain from hiking interest rates when markets are unstable.
BUSINESS / Markets
Aug 7, 2024
BOJ deputy governor plays down chance of near-term rate hike
Shinichi Uchida's remarks stand in contrast with Gov. Kazuo Ueda's hawkish comments made last week when the BOJ unexpectedly raised interest rates.
Shigeru Ishiba speaks during an interview in Tokyo on Tuesday.
BUSINESS / Economy
Aug 7, 2024
LDP bigwig Ishiba endorses BOJ's rate hikes
"The Bank of Japan is on the right policy track" in raising interest rates, Shigeru Ishiba said.
Bears think the best days for bank shares may be over, but for investors who are worried the yen may have further room to gain, bank shares have the additional benefit of having limited exposure to foreign-exchange fluctuations.
BUSINESS / Markets
Aug 7, 2024
Massive losses set stage for big rebound in Japan’s bank stocks
In the first three days of August, the Topix Banks index lost 26.5%, more than the 20.3% fall in the broader Topix index.
Ngun Nei Par, the general manager at Ginshotei Awashima in Numata, Gunma Prefecture, graduated from a university in Myanmar with a degree in geography.
JAPAN / Society
Aug 6, 2024
Japan needs foreign workers, but it might not want them to stay long
Japanese politicians remain reluctant to create pathways for foreign workers, especially those in low-skill jobs, to stay indefinitely.
The Bank of Japan released minutes from its June policy board meeting Monday.
BUSINESS / Economy
Aug 5, 2024
Up rates before it’s 'too late,’ one BOJ policy board member said in June
Some members of the nine-member policy board mentioned that a weak yen could inflate import prices and put upward pressure on consumer prices.
The Nikkei stock index saw the biggest plunge in eight years Friday following the Bank of Japan's rate hike earlier in the week.
BUSINESS / Markets / FOCUS
Aug 4, 2024
Investors take long-term view as rate hike whipsaws Japan
As the country normalizes after years of negative interest rates, corporate pricing power and higher pay for workers may spur economic growth, analysts say.
A government white paper stressed the need to pay attention to the impact of interest rate hikes by the Bank of Japan on personal consumption.
BUSINESS / Economy
Aug 2, 2024
Japan warns of weak yen impact on households in government white paper
A weak yen has become a source of concern for policymakers as it has dampened consumption by inflating the cost of importing fuel, food and raw material.
Kazuo Momma, former assistant governor of the Bank of Japan
BUSINESS / Economy
Aug 2, 2024
BOJ likely to hike in October after big shift, former official says
The BOJ’s basic stance now seems to be that as real rates are extremely low, they can keep raising them as long as no major shock hits the economy.
The Bank of Japan headquarters in Tokyo. A majority of the analysts surveyed by Bloomberg said this week’s rate hike by the central bank was appropriate, and nearly 70% expected the rate to be raised again by the end of this year.
BUSINESS / Economy
Aug 2, 2024
Most BOJ watchers rethink pace of hikes after Ueda’s hawkishness
Some 68% of 41 economists see the policy rate rising to 0.5% from 0.25% by the end of this year, according to a Bloomberg survey.
Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda attends a news conference after the central bank's policy meeting, in Tokyo on Wednesday.
BUSINESS / Economy
Aug 1, 2024
BOJ’s sudden hawkishness attributed to yen defense
Economists believe political pressure may have had something to do with the central bank’s shift in stance.
Japan's personal mortgages are set to rise for the first time in a generation following the Bank of Japan's rate hike.
BUSINESS / Economy
Aug 1, 2024
Japan’s ultralow mortgages to see first increase in 17 years
Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group said it plans to increase the short-term prime rate for the first time in 17 years in September.
Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda holds a news conference at the central bank's headquarters in Tokyo on Wednesday. The bank raised rates to 0.25% in just the second hike since 2007.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Aug 1, 2024
Ueda’s big day was lost in a communication black hole
The BOJ should improve its information release process, including fixing leaks and setting fixed release times, to avoid similar issues in the future.
Japan's industrial production in June fell 3.6% from the previous month, reflecting plant suspensions at vehicle-makers including Toyota due to faulty vehicle certifications.
BUSINESS / Economy
Jul 31, 2024
Japan’s industrial output falls, clouding recovery outlook
The production of cars and auto parts drove the reading lower as an ongoing probe involving carmakers such as Toyota continues to disrupt output.
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris might maintain some of the economic policies of former President Donald Trump.
BUSINESS / Economy / FOCUS
Jul 30, 2024
A President Harris might be decidedly Trumpy in approach to Asia trade
The efforts to contain China economically is a common theme that is likely to be maintained after the election.
The emphasis on lifting earnings is prompting more Japanese companies to boost investments abroad.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jul 30, 2024
Japan corporate cleanup fuels appetite for record debt sales
Japanese corporate dollar bonds have been outperforming U.S. peers, and borrowers have piled into the market with record issuance in recent months.
Japan's unemployment rate edged lower to 2.5% in June from 2.6% a month earlier.
BUSINESS / Economy
Jul 30, 2024
Japan’s labor market stays tight, supporting wage growth
Japan's unemployment rate edged lower to 2.5% in June from 2.6% a month earlier, the Internal Affairs Ministry reported.
Taro Kono, Japan's digital transformation minister, during a Bloomberg Television interview in Tokyo, during which he mentioned that the Bank of Japan to needs to introduce a rate hike to stop the weak yen trend.
BUSINESS / Economy
Jul 29, 2024
Doves in ascendancy ahead of big Bank of Japan meeting this week
The central bank will likely hold rates where they are when it meets this week, according to analysts.

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Visitors walk past Sou Fujimoto's Grand Ring, which has been recognized as the largest wooden structure in the world.
Can a World Expo still matter? Japan is about to find out.