Japan Economics Weekly BoJ will hike rates again in June The recent turmoil in Japan’s bond market seems to have prompted some soul-searching among policymakers in Tokyo and we remain convinced that a decisive LDP victory in the upcoming Lower House... 6th February 2026 · 5 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly An LDP majority will not be fiscally profligate New polling suggests that the ruling Liberal Democratic Party is on track to secure an outright majority in the lower house following elections on February 8th. Although there have been concerns in... 30th January 2026 · 4 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly BoJ reluctant to cap government bond yields The Bank of Japan unveiled today that it had discussed tweaking the planned reduction in its bond purchase plan in response to the huge sell-off triggered by PM Takaichi’s campaign pledge to suspend... 23rd January 2026 · 5 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly Hawkish BoJ may lift JGB yields even further We aren’t convinced that the continued rise in long-term bond yields coupled with the further weakening of the yen signals a loss of confidence in Japanese assets. But if the BoJ signals a more... 16th January 2026 · 5 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly China export ban more bark than bite The simmering tensions between Japan and China escalated further this week as China announced an export ban on “dual-use” goods that could be used for military purposes. To be sure, China will only... 9th January 2026 · 4 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly BoJ flags further hikes, Sino-Japan rift hits tourism With the outcome of today’s meeting no great surprise, the Bank of Japan used it to lock in expectations that further policy rate increases will follow. One potential obstacle is an imminent fall in... 19th December 2025 · 6 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly Economy bigger than thought and poised to rebound Rebased national accounts data released this week show that Japan’s nominal GDP is around 5% higher than previously estimated, which in turn implies that the ratio of public debt to GDP is lower. This... 12th December 2025 · 6 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly 10-year JGB yield set to reach 30-year high In the wake of the BoJ signaling a rate hike at its December meeting, the 10-year JGB yield has approached 2% and we think it will climb to a 30-year high of 2.5% over the next couple of years. We... 5th December 2025 · 5 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly Bank of Japan opening the door to December rate hike Recent communication from the Bank of Japan has left the door open to a rate hike in December. However, it’s not clear whether the Bank has already gathered sufficient information on the likely... 28th November 2025 · 4 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly 10-year JGB yield will reach 2% next year The government indicated this week that it will loosen fiscal policy by around 1% of GDP in the upcoming supplementary budget. Coupled with PM Takaichi giving BoJ Governor Ueda a free hand on when to... 21st November 2025 · 5 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly The risks from escalating tensions with China There is a risk that the recent tensions with China escalate into a full-blown trade spat akin to the conflict around the Senkaku islands in the early 2010s. There are several avenues through which... 14th November 2025 · 6 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly Better rice harvest won’t result in price plunge The renewed jump in rice prices in recent months probably reflects the depletion of inventories ahead of this year’s harvest. If rice output picks up as strongly as the government is anticipating... 7th November 2025 · 3 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly BoJ on course for January rate hike While the Bank of Japan left policy settings unchanged this week, Governor Ueda signaled that the Board won’t wait much longer before resuming its tightening cycle. Indeed, with structural labour... 31st October 2025 · 4 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly Weaker inflation reduces urgency for BoJ rate hikes While new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is reportedly preparing a larger supplementary budget than the one last year, coalition partner Ishin No Kai has dropped its demand to slash the sales tax on... 24th October 2025 · 5 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly Incoming PM unlikely to loosen fiscal policy much The stars are aligning for Sanae Takaichi to become Japan’s first female Prime Minister as soon as Tuesday. While the parties that she needs to rely on to secure a parliamentary majority have all been... 17th October 2025 · 6 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly Fiscal uncertainty adds to case for BoJ inaction Sanae Takaichi won Saturday’s LDP leadership elections but is struggling to gather enough support in parliament to become PM as long-standing partner Komeito has threatened to abandon the coalition... 10th October 2025 · 4 mins read
