{
  "id": 8173552,
  "title": "Bank of Japan Decides to Raise Interest Rates to Around 1.25％, Highest Level Since 1995",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/18/bank-of-japan-decides-to-raise-interest-rates-to-around-1-25-highest",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-09-18T04:47:10.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Japan News by The Yomiuri Shimbun",
    "slug": "the-japan-news-by-the-yomiuri-shimbun",
    "url": "https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/business/economy/20260918-349345/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On Friday, the Bank of Japan announced a decision to increase the target range for short-term interest rates, also known as the policy rate, from approximately 1.0% to around 1.25%. This marks the highest level for the policy rate since 1995, with the change taking effect on September 24.\n\nThe bank felt compelled to take this action due to concerns that prices might rise beyond expectations, driven by increasing crude oil costs and a weaker yen. This marks the first rate hike since the June policy meeting, and it is the shortest interval between rate hikes since Japan ended its large-scale monetary easing measures, including its negative interest rate policy, in March 2024.\n\nThe decision to raise rates was supported by seven out of the nine policy board members, which include the governor, deputy governors, and board members. However, Toichiro Asada and Ayano Sato voted against the decision, suggesting that the policy rate should remain around 1.0%. They both proposed maintaining the current level.\n\nDuring a meeting with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on August 30, the Bank of Japan's policy decisions were praised. Bessent expressed support for Japan taking decisive market and monetary policy measures to address the issue of excessive yen weakness.",
  "summary": "The Bank of Japan decided Friday to raise the target range for short-term interest rates, also known as the policy rate, from around 1.0% to around 1.25% at a monetary policy meeting on Friday.",
  "key_points": [
    "Bank of Japan raises interest rates to 1.25%, highest since 1995",
    "Policy rate change effective September 24, 2023",
    "Seven out of nine board members supported rate hike"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "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."
}