Japanese media: Bank of Japan may keep interest rates unchanged next week

Odaily Odaily According to multiple Japanese media reports, the Bank of Japan may keep interest rates unchanged at its meeting next week. People familiar with the matter said that policymakers at the Bank of Japan believe that although the development of the Japanese economy and prices are in line with expectations, they should pay close attention to wage trends in Japan and the global economy. The above-mentioned people familiar with the matter said that policymakers are therefore unlikely to raise interest rates at meetings next Wednesday and Thursday unless there is a risk of a sharp depreciation of the yen, which would push up import prices. The last time Bank of Japan policymakers voted to raise the short-term policy rate target to 0.25% was at a meeting in July. The December meeting comes amid growing concerns that the profitability of Japanese companies, especially exporters, will deteriorate as U.S. President-elect Trump promises to raise tariffs. People familiar with the matter said that some officials at the Bank of Japan said it was time to raise interest rates, but most believed that the central bank should not act in a hurry. (Jinshi)