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July 24, 2026
 

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FINANCE MINISTRY

Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama has cited proposals to promote investment in Japanese government bonds, including possibly making them eligible for the nation¡¯s tax-free Nippon Individual Savings Account program and easing inheritance tax rules.
BUSINESS / Economy
Jul 14, 2026
Japan finance chief floats JGBs in tax-free accounts and GPIF portfolio review
Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama¡¯s remarks were seen as part of stepped-up efforts to attract cash to domestic markets as the yen weakens.
Record growth in tax revenues reflects higher wages and corporate earnings, as well as a rise in the value of consumption amid inflation.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Jul 4, 2026
Japan tax revenues hit record ?84 trillion in fiscal 2025
The growth reflected higher wages and corporate earnings, as well as a rise in the value of consumption amid inflation.
Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama speaks during an interview on Monday.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Jul 2, 2026
Finance Minister Katayama says G7 will discuss AI defense standards
Japan¡¯s Financial Services Agency is considering using advanced AI models to conduct cyberattack response drills at financial institutions.
Atsushi Mimura, Japan's vice finance minister for international affairs, during an interview in Tokyo on Wednesday
BUSINESS
Jul 1, 2026
Japan¡¯s forex chief flags contact with U.S. and intervention impact
Mimura¡¯s remarks indicate that he continues to see intervention as a useful tool to stem excessive moves in the currency market.
A female technician maintaining and inspecting machinery
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Politics
Jun 26, 2026
Takaichi¡¯s blueprint of women¡¯s policies focuses on menopause, education and housekeepers
Support for women¡¯s health in different stages of life forms one of the main pillars of the government plan.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks during a news conference in Tokyo in April
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Politics
Jun 25, 2026
Japan unveils multiyear framework as part of budget reform
The mechanism is expected to start next fiscal year and will be used to fund measures including investments in economic security and crisis preparedness.
The trade balance flipped to a ?378.6 billion ($2.36 billion) deficit in May on an unadjusted basis, according to the Finance Ministry.
BUSINESS / Economy
Jun 17, 2026
Japan¡¯s trade balance swings to deficit as yen inflates imports
The deficit suggests trade may weigh on growth in the second quarter, when economists largely expect a slowdown due to the impact of the war in Iran.
Vice Finance Minister for International Affairs Atsushi Mimura speaks to reporters in Tokyo on May 1 following reports of Japan's possible intervention in the currency market.
BUSINESS / Markets
Jun 5, 2026
Japan likely sold Treasurys to fund yen intervention
Treasury sales may not go down well in Washington where officials have become increasingly focused on the stability of the U.S. government bond market.
The Japanese government and the Bank of Japan conducted foreign exchange market interventions totaling over ?11 trillion between April 28 and May 27.
BUSINESS
Jun 4, 2026
Japan official calls forex intervention a key tool to send message
Such intervention should be used when foreign exchange market moves that clearly deviate from economic fundamentals persist, Mimura said.
Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama's comments on the yen came after the Finance Ministry disclosed monthly intervention data on Friday.
BUSINESS / Economy
Jun 2, 2026
Katayama restates readiness to act on yen after data shows record intervention
Ministry figures released Friday show that Japan spent ?11.73 trillion supporting the yen between April 28 and May 27, in a record for a monthlong period.
Capital expenditure excluding software fell 3.5% from the previous quarter in the three months through March, according to the Finance Ministry.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jun 1, 2026
Japan¡¯s firms cut spending over Iran stress despite record profits
Capital expenditure excluding software fell 3.5% from the previous quarter in the three months through March, the Finance Ministry reported Monday.
Passersby walk past a screen displaying the Nikkei share average and current yen exchange rate against the U.S. dollar outside a brokerage in Tokyo on Monday.
BUSINESS / Markets
May 30, 2026
Japan used record $73.6 billion to support yen over past month
Finance Ministry data for the month from April 28 to Wednesday showed a total intervention of ?11.73 trillion ($73.6 billion) over a period marked by several spikes in the yen.
Initial analysis of Bank of Japan accounts indicates as much as ?10 trillion ($63 billion) was spent to bolster the yen from April 30 through May 6.
BUSINESS / Markets
May 28, 2026
Japan intervention data eyed as yen hovers near 160 per dollar
A person familiar with the matter said intervention took place on April 30 and price moves through May 6 bear the hallmarks of government purchases.
Japan¡¯s net external assets rose to an all-time high at the end of 2025, but the total was surpassed by China, Finance Ministry data shows.
BUSINESS / Economy
May 26, 2026
Japan slips to world¡¯s No. 3 creditor behind Germany and China
Japan¡¯s net external assets rose to an all-time high at the end of 2025, but the total was surpassed by China¡¯s, which climbed at a faster pace.
Japan's trade balance in April was a ?301.9 billion ($1.9 billion) surplus on an unadjusted basis, according to the Finance Ministry, remaining in the black unexpectedly on strong exports and a sharp drop in energy imports.
BUSINESS / Economy
May 21, 2026
Japan¡¯s trade surplus remained in the black in April as energy imports plunged
Exports remained robust, with chip exports rising 44% amid strong demand for artificial intelligence-related products.
An electronic screen displays the yen exchange rate against the U.S. dollar, euro and other foreign currencies in Tokyo on Tuesday.
BUSINESS / Markets
May 16, 2026
Curious yen spikes have traders gaming Japan ¡®warning shots¡¯
Investors and strategists are debating whether Japanese authorities are trying to stem further weakness in the yen through smaller operations.
Talk about Japan¡¯s market action has dominated trader discussions in recent days, with many seeing the 160 level as a trigger point for currency officials.
BUSINESS / Markets
May 7, 2026
Yen spikes to 10-week high and sparks intervention chatter
Japan is prepared to respond on all fronts to speculative moves in the foreign exchange market, the nation¡¯s top currency official signaled.
Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama speaks during a news conference in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on Monday.
BUSINESS / Markets
May 6, 2026
Yen rallies to build on gains spurred by recent intervention
Japan¡¯s currency rose as much as 1.8% to ?155.04 per dollar in Asia trading, its strongest level since Feb. 24, before paring the move to trade around ?156.37.
Ohbuchi Sasaba, a popular scenic spot in Shizuoka Prefecture known for its breathtaking view of Mount Fuji and tea fields, in May 2022
BUSINESS
May 1, 2026
Japan¡¯s green tea exports surged in fiscal 2025 amid matcha boom
By value, exports rose more than twofold to ?84.7 billion due to soaring prices amid growing global demand.
Sapporo Station, which is set to be the terminus of the Hokkaido Shinkansen line extension.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Apr 24, 2026
Panel questions profitability of Hokkaido Shinkansen project
Rising prices, which are one of the reasons for the increase in the project¡¯s cost, may also push profitability upward through an increase in fare and real estate income.
Japan scientists identify clusters of protein believed to trigger Alzheimer¡¯s disease
A team of researchers said they found a ¡°seed¡± that accelerates the amyloid beta accumulation process in the brain, naming it ¡°Peak 1 amyloid beta,¡± as seen in a mouse's brain.
Indian brothers make manga debut in Japan
Two Indian brothers made their manga debut in Japan with "Kung Fu Kung Fool" ¡ª an action-comedy series that follows the adventures of a notorious thief and a young boy.
Japan weighs regulating Pokemon cards amid trading mania
A Pokemon event is held in Jakarta on July 11
Low-income families in Japan cut food and air conditioning during summer break
Yumiko Watanabe, the chairperson of nonprofit Kidsdoor, explains the results of a survey in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward on July 1.
Iran strikes on CIA facilities prompt questions about possible Russian role
Iranian drones are displayed in an undisclosed location in Iran, in this handout image obtained on Jan. 13, 2025.U.S. officials have acknowledged that Russia has ?provided targeting ?and other support for Iran in its drone strikes on U.S. targets in the Persian Gulf region.
The sci-fi sensibilities of electronic trio Black Boboi
Black Boboi was formed in 2018 when solo artists Julia Shortreed, Utena Kobayashi and Ermhoi came together under Kobayashi¡¯s newly founded label, Bindividual.
A perfect storm: Kaze Fujii fans flock to Fuji Rock
Okayama-born singer-songwriter Kaze Fujii has carved out a distinctive place in Japanese pop since his major-label debut in 2019.
Can Japanese comedy get laughs in English? Yoshimoto Kogyo lets the jokes rip
Wes-P has millions of followers and his viral clips made him recognizable out of Japan.
The 180-day locals: Life on Japan¡¯s digital nomad visa
Christopher Flinn works remotely from Tokyo earlier this month. Japan issued 646 digital nomad visas in 2025, but tourism officials are hoping to increase that figure in the coming years, with Japan's relatively cheap cost of living and the weak yen seen as potential draws for young professionals.
Japan reveals hint of new defense spending target in fiscal blueprint
The Self-Defense Forces' Type 16 mobile combat vehicle fires during a joint live-fire drill with U.S. Marines as part of the annual Resolute Dragon exercises in Yufu, Oita Prefecture, on June 28.

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For many people, utility poles and power lines have become such a familiar part of Japan¡¯s landscape that they often go unnoticed.
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