{
  "id": 4673480,
  "title": "Bessent expects Japan to take action to boost yen, signals BOJ rate-hike chance",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/bessent-expects-japan-to-take-action-to-boost-yen-signals-boj-rate-4673480",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-08-31T15:05:06.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Channel News Asia",
    "slug": "channel-news-asia",
    "url": "https://www.channelnewsasia.com/business/bessent-expects-japan-take-action-boost-yen-signals-boj-rate-hike-chance-6352621"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent expressed confidence that Japan's government and central bank, the Bank of Japan, will take measures to strengthen the yen, according to CNBC. This expectation suggests a high probability of a Bank of Japan interest rate increase in September, as previously suggested by Bessent. During a G20 finance leaders' gathering in Asheville, North Carolina, Bessent stated that he possesses information not available to the market, and he believes the Japanese government and the BOJ will implement actions leading to a stronger yen. When asked about the potential for a rate hike, Bessent indicated that the market has already considered this possibility.\n\nFollowing Bessent's comments, the yen experienced a gain against the dollar, reinforcing the prevailing market assumptions about the BOJ's potential rate hike. The dollar was trading at 159.73 yen on Monday, remaining near the 160 mark, which implies a heightened likelihood of yen-buying intervention. Bessent had previously communicated his intention to meet with BOJ Governor Kazuo Ueda during the G20 meetings taking place on Monday and Tuesday. According to sources, the BOJ is anticipated to raise rates as soon as its September 17-18 meeting and could adopt a more aggressive approach to rate hikes compared to the current frequency of approximately two times per year.\n\nBessent's persistent calls for BOJ rate hikes have contributed to markets nearly fully pricing in the chance of a September rate hike. The BOJ had increased rates in June, and some analysts suggest that a rate hike in September, rather than in October, may prompt markets to anticipate the BOJ raising rates on a quarterly basis. A weaker yen has led to higher import prices and broader inflation, creating challenges for Japanese policymakers. The issue has been partly attributed to the slow pace of rate hikes by the BOJ, which has resulted in a significant gap between Japan's and the U.S. interest rates. Following a joint yen-buying intervention by Japan and the U.S. on July 31, Bessent indicated that he did not perceive recent yen movements as disorderly, signaling that Washington was not inclined to intervene in the market to support the currency.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "CNA - Business",
        "title": "Bessent says he believes Japan will take action leading to stronger yen",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/bessent-says-he-believes-japan-will-take-action-leading-to-stronger",
        "published": "2026-08-31T15:05:06.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Investing.com",
        "title": "Bessent says he believes Japan will take action leading to stronger yen",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/bessent-says-he-believes-japan-will-take-action-leading-to-stronger-4661562",
        "published": "2026-08-31T15:12:30.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Yahoo Finance",
        "title": "Bessent expects Japan to take action to boost yen, signals BOJ rate-hike chance",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/bessent-expects-japan-to-take-action-to-boost-yen-signals-boj-rate",
        "published": "2026-08-31T16:10:32.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}