Japan Interest Rate

The Bank of Japan (BoJ) kept its key short-term interest rate at around 0.5% during its March meeting, maintaining it at its highest level since 2008 and in line with market expectations. The unanimous decision followed the central bank’s third rate hike in January and came before the U.S. Federal Reserve’s rate announcement. The board took a cautious stance, focusing on assessing the impact of rising global economic risks on Japan’s fragile recovery. The BoJ pointed to ongoing uncertainties in the domestic economic outlook amid higher U.S. tariffs and headwinds from overseas conditions. While the Japanese economy had recovered moderately, some weaknesses remained. Private consumption continued to grow, helped by wage hikes, even as cost pressures persisted. However, exports and industrial output were mostly flat. Inflation ranged between 3.0% and 3.5% yearly, driven by higher service prices. Inflation expectations increased moderately, with underlying CPI projected to rise gradually.