The Japanese yen has moderately risen against the US dollar. The current USDJPY pair stands at 156.73.
Bank of Japan monetary policymakers are actively commenting on current developments. Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda noted that it is premature to address interest rate issues until inflation expectations consolidate. Assessing a fair, neutral interest rate level is currently very difficult.
His colleague, Bank of Japan Deputy Governor Shinichi Uchida, believes the BoJ is close to completing its battle against deflation. He noted that wage growth will likely continue. Japan has been combating deflation for over a decade and has yet to be successful.
Previously released inflation data exerted local pressure on the yen. The overall consumer price index decreased to 2.5% in April from 2.7% in March. April’s core inflation fell to 2.2% from 2.6% in March, marking the second consecutive month of decline. These are not the most favourable figures.
The Bank of Japan continues to fight for stable prices. The interest rate will remain unchanged until signs of confidence in this area emerge.