The Japanese yen is on fire.

That’s the strongest level since October 19, 2014 — right before the Bank of Japan shocked the markets by boosting its quantitative-easing program.
The yen is now up about 10% vs. the dollar in 2016.
Thursday’s surge followed comments from the Bank of Japan’s (BoJ) governor, Haruhiko Kuroda, who suggested that the central bank could ease policy even further if needed.
Generally speaking, a weaker currency helps Japan’s exporters and corporate profits. So, some economists argue that a surging yen is bad for business.
Moreover, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said later on Thursday that “We’re watching the foreign exchange market with a sense of tension,” adding that “the government believes excessive and disorderly movements in the exchange rate have a negative effect.”

Despite all of that, analysts don’t think the BoJ will intervene this time around given the imminent G7 meeting next month.
“With Japan hosting the next key G7 meeting on 26-27 May, we doubt that politically challenging intervention is likely at this stage, especially if USDJPY’s decline is slow and steady and the Nikkei avoids a disastrous meltdown,” a Credit Suisse research team led byShahab Jalinoos argued in a note on April 6.
“The summit is the focal point of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s diplomatic strategy for the year and intervention to weaken the yen would destroy any chance he has of G7 leadership,” explained the Financial Times’ Robin Harding and Claire Jones.
For what it’s worth, Abe told The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday that countries should avoid competitively devaluing their currencies.
As an end note, the Credit Suisse team also cited other tricky political concerns.
“We suspect at a sensitive time ahead of the US presidential election in November, and with the recently agreed Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) deal still far from being passed by Congress, Japan will not want to risk becoming a candidate for official inclusion in the US Treasury’s FX manipulation report,” they wrote.
“Indeed, aside from brief periods in the post-2008 period, the type of ‘line in the sand’ strategy that was employed in the early 2000s has not been a feature of Japanese currency policy in recent years,” they added.
The yen is stronger by 1.2% at 108.43 against the dollar as of 3:49 p.m. EST.



Japan enters Golden Week vacation period, survey shows one in three plan to ride it out at home
Japan’s new Pokémon jackets give you the look and powers of the Kanto starter trio
Studio Ghibli releases new anime keychains that are like miniature figurines
Retro-style Evangelion T-shirts coming to Uniqlo sister brand GU[Photos]
Japan’s Mister Donut Japan tries its hand at Taiwanese-style street food donuts
Japan enters Golden Week vacation period, survey shows one in three plan to ride it out at home
Japan’s new Pokémon jackets give you the look and powers of the Kanto starter trio
Studio Ghibli releases new anime keychains that are like miniature figurines
Retro-style Evangelion T-shirts coming to Uniqlo sister brand GU[Photos]
Japan’s Mister Donut Japan tries its hand at Taiwanese-style street food donuts
Bandai cancels gacha/blind-buy system for anime cosmetics, will let fans choose what they buy
Only five branches of Japan’s beef bowl giant Matsuya serve milk shakes, but how do they taste?
Dorayaki from 89-year-old Japanese confectionery shop is one of the best sweets hidden in Tokyo
Live-action Ghibli Princess Mononoke stage play tickets are now on sale
Shinto shrine will bless your bike helmet and give you a sacred bike helmet stamp
New Kyoto Converse sneakers celebrate Japan with traditional kimono fabrics for your feet
Japan’s 5.3 million beautiful Hitachi Nemophila flowers are now in full bloom[Photos]
Tifa’s Final Fantasy VII bar is going to pop up in real-world Tokyo
Studio Ghibli launches huge new anime movie T-shirt collection with special design details
Brand-new Square Enix Cafe to open in Tokyo…and in Los Angeles too!
Japanese convenience store gives away free ice cream with creative ad at Shinjuku Station
Hello Kitty is now a transforming truck robot[Photos]
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Pokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration events
Wisteria season starts early with blooming of Japan’s Great Wisteria in its beautiful garden
Japan’s best conveyor belt sushi restaurant of seven years ago has now, finally, come to Tokyo
Brand-new Pokémon manhole covers coming to help the recovery of a disaster-stricken part of Japan
Japan’s awesomely beautiful Alpen Route snow corridor is now open
Injuries on stairs in Tokyo highlight an overlooked design flaw
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Bandai cancels gacha/blind-buy system for anime cosmetics, will let fans choose what they buy
Only five branches of Japan’s beef bowl giant Matsuya serve milk shakes, but how do they taste?
Dorayaki from 89-year-old Japanese confectionery shop is one of the best sweets hidden in Tokyo
Live-action Ghibli Princess Mononoke stage play tickets are now on sale
Shinto shrine will bless your bike helmet and give you a sacred bike helmet stamp
Tifa’s Final Fantasy VII bar is going to pop up in real-world Tokyo
Police in Japan summoned to deal with bank intruder…who is also a deer[Video]
McDonald’s and Gundam team up for customized anime mecha and fried chicken sandwiches[Video]
War in Iran threatening Japan’s pudding production
New Kyoto Converse sneakers celebrate Japan with traditional kimono fabrics for your feet
Princesses, fruits, and blacksmiths: Study reveals the 30 most unusual family names in Japan
Japanese sweets souvenirs don’t get more beautiful than this
Brand-new Square Enix Cafe to open in Tokyo…and in Los Angeles too!
Tokyo store makes you to pass a quiz in order to buy Pokémon cards as part of anti-scalper policy