Takaichi’s plan to cut Japan’s food tax is a short-term political move with limited consumer benefit, and the resulting bond market turmoil is largely exaggerated. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2026/01/22/japan/takaichis-bad-tax-plan/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #japaneseeconomy #taxes #sanaetakaichi #inflation

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s proposed plan to cut tax on food purchases risks lowering Japan’s revenues and undermining the nation’s finances in the long term, according to S&P Global Ratings. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2026/01/22/economy/sp-japan-tax-cut-concerns/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #economy #sp #fitch #japaneseeconomy #consumptiontax #ldp #sanaetakaiachi

Japan’s exports managed to rise last year despite the first fall in shipments to the U.S. since the pandemic, in a year that was roiled by tariffs from U.S. President Donald Trump. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2026/01/22/economy/japan-exports-rise-2025/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #economy #economicindicators #trade #japaneseeconomy #tariffs #cars #donaldtrump #usjapanrelations

The LDP pledged in its election manifesto to secure a stable supply of rare earths, as it looks to counter “economic coercion,” an apparent reference to recent moves by China to halt the flow of the minerals to Japan. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/21/japan/politics/ldp-election-manifesto/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #ldp #sanaetakaichi #rareearths #china #chinajapanrelations #2026lowerhouseelection #diet #defense #inflation #japaneseeconomy #familyregistry #marriage #familylaw #names #women039sissues

The Bank of Japan is expected to keep rates steady at 0.75%, a 30-year high, ahead of the Lower House election in February. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2026/01/21/markets/boj-preview-jan-2026/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #markets #boj #us #tariffs #usjapanrelations #inflation #japaneseeconomy

Convenience store sales in Japan hit a record high for the fourth straight year in 2025 thanks to increases in the number of stores and visitors to the country, the Japan Franchise Association has said. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2026/01/21/companies/convenience-store-sales-2025/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #companies #conveniencestores #japaneseeconomy #tourism #shopping

Vanguard Asset Management, previously one of the biggest bulls on Japanese government debt, hit pause on a steady buying spree of the nation’s long-dated bonds at the start of the year. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2026/01/21/markets/vanguard-asset-management-japanese-bonds/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #markets #bonds #jgbs #2026lowerhouseelection #sanaetakaichi #japaneseeconomy

The government is unlikely to secure the passage of its fiscal 2026 draft budget by March 31, after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi announced her decision to dissolve the Lower House. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2026/01/20/economy/japan-election-budget-passage-delay/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #economy #budgets #2026lowerhouseelection #sanaetakaichi #japaneseeconomy #satsukikatayama

A Bank of Japan quarterly survey for December 2025 has shown that consumer sentiment rose for two straight quarters while views on living conditions deteriorated for the first time in two quarters. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2026/01/20/economy/consumer-sentiment-boj-december/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #economy #boj #surveys #japaneseeconomy #economicindicators

The Bank of Japan will potentially raise interest rates three times this year to double the current level if the yen’s weakness persists. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2026/01/20/economy/citigroup-boj-rate-hike-projection/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #economy #citigroup #boj #inflation #yen #japaneseeconomy #negativeinterestrates

Japan has so far taken an “innovation-first” approach to AI governance, avoiding stringent rules or penalties that could stifle adoption or experimentation. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2026/01/19/japan/japan-worlds-next-ai-leader/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #japaneseeconomy #ai #artificialintelligence #tech

Most Bank of Japan watchers believe Gov. Kazuo Ueda and his colleagues have been slow in ratcheting up interest rates, and they expect the next move will still be several months away in their base case scenarios. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2026/01/16/economy/boj-rate-hike-july/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #economy #japaneseeconomy #kazuoueda #boj #yen #inflation #sanaetakaichi

Prime Minister Takaichi's growth strategy is not merely about domestic economic expansion. It is a geoeconomic and security strategy aimed at elevating Japan’s status in the international system. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2026/01/12/japan/takaichis-twin-challenges/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #sanaetakaichi #japaneseeconomy #trade #defense

Japanese households boosted spending in November in a positive sign for Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who oversaw passage in parliament of a large fiscal stimulus plan in the following month. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2026/01/09/economy/household-spending-november/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #economy #internalaffairsministry #boj #japaneseeconomy #food

The Bank of Japan has suggested it remains on track for more interest rate hikes by leaving its economic assessments intact for all regional economies. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2026/01/09/economy/bank-of-japan-regional-report-more-rate-hikes/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #economy #boj #japaneseeconomy #inflation

2026 looks to be a year of competing forces for Japan, with strong underlying momentum and reform potential outweighed by the risks from inflation, geopolitics and policy missteps if leadership does not act decisively. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2026/01/08/japan/top-10-surprises-for-2026/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #japaneseeconomy #2026 #boj #jgbs #samuraiblue #worldcup #inflation #cybersecurity

Japan’s fiscal opacity and reliance on supplementary budgets and inflation-driven gains make transparency and clear reporting essential for accountability. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2026/01/08/japan/japan-needs-fiscal-transparency/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #japaneseeconomy #donaldtrump #sanaetakaichi #bankofjapan #boj #asiandevelopmentbank #europe #covid19 #gdp #monetarypolicy #interestrates

Growth in Japan’s base salaries held firm even as nominal wage gains decelerated sharply, sending mixed signals to the Bank of Japan two weeks before authorities next meet to decide policy. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2026/01/08/economy/base-pay-november/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #economy #boj #japaneseeconomy #wages #kazuoueda #sanaetakaichi #rengo

Japan enters 2026 with rare political stability under Prime Minister Takaichi, but her durability will depend on managing a fragile coalition, navigating U.S. pressure and delivering long-term economic solutions. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2026/01/07/japan/takaichis-2026-political-landscape/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #sanaetakaichi #ldp #jip #donaldtrump #usdefense #indopacific #japaneseeconomy

Many Japanese business leaders are hoping to achieve wage hikes at or above last year's results in this year's spring wage negotiations. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2026/01/07/companies/business-leaders-positive-wage-hikes/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #companies #japaneseeconomy #wages #newyear #keidanren #jcci #inflation #keizaidoyukai