empty
21.03.2025 12:46 AM
The Outlook for the Japanese Yen Remains Confidently Bullish

The Bank of Japan (BoJ) kept interest rates unchanged on Wednesday, and the market reacted neutrally, as this outcome was widely expected. BoJ Governor Kazuo Ueda stated that the risk of rising core inflation remains as wage growth and food prices remain elevated. Inflation data for February will be released overnight, and so far, the trend clearly favors further increases.

This image is no longer relevant

This marks the third consecutive BoJ meeting in which the interest rate has remained unchanged. In January, expectations were that the BoJ would raise rates in March, but the new U.S. president's announcement of a tariff review on imports increased uncertainty, leading to another pause—an outcome that was largely anticipated.

Japan is closely monitoring U.S. trade policy changes, with an expected announcement on April 2 regarding tariff increases on automobiles. The United States is Japan's largest export market (over $140 billion), with automobiles accounting for 28% of total exports. Japan fears it may become the next target of trade restrictions, as surveys indicate that business sentiment among manufacturers deteriorated in March.

Domestic wage growth is the second key factor influencing the BoJ's position, as it plays a crucial role in consumer demand and inflation. On Friday, the Japanese Trade Union Confederation (Rengo) announced that it had secured an average wage increase of 5.46%, exceeding last year's figures and marking the largest gain in 30 years. If these numbers are confirmed, expectations for a BoJ rate hike in May will strengthen, further boosting the yen. Current forecasts suggest that the BoJ will raise rates to 0.75% at one of its upcoming meetings, most likely in July, but now the market is increasingly considering the possibility of an earlier hike. Since the Federal Reserve is cutting rates, the trajectory for USD/JPY is quite clear.

Net long positions on the yen have reached $11.3 billion, the strongest speculative bet against the U.S. dollar among G10 currencies. Despite minimal changes in positioning over the past week, bullish momentum for the yen remains strong, and the estimated fair value of USD/JPY continues to decline.

This image is no longer relevant

After forming a local low at 146.50, USD/JPY rebounded slightly but remained within a bearish channel, with little reason to expect sustained growth. There was some speculation that the Bank of Canada might opt for another rate hike, but this did not materialize, and it has not changed the overall market sentiment—the yen is expected to continue strengthening.

Currently, the BoJ is the only major central bank tightening monetary policy, while others are shifting toward easing. We see a high probability of USD/JPY breaking below 146.50 and moving toward the long-term target of 139.59. The only potential disruption to this scenario would be a sharp increase in U.S. inflation expectations, which could alter the FOMC's rate outlook—but for now, there are no signs of such a shift.

Kuvat Raharjo,
Analytical expert of InstaForex
© 2007-2025
Select timeframe
5
min
15
min
30
min
1
hour
4
hours
1
day
1
week
Earn on cryptocurrency rate changes with InstaForex
Download MetaTrader 4 and open your first trade
  • Grand Choice
    Contest by
    InstaForex
    InstaForex always strives to help you
    fulfill your biggest dreams.
    JOIN CONTEST

Recommended Stories

AUD/USD. RBA Delivers Dovish Scenario, but It's Too Early to Rush into Selling

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) followed the most expected scenario at its May meeting, cutting the interest rate by 25 basis points. However, AUD/USD sellers remain vulnerable

Irina Manzenko 11:44 2025-05-20 UTC+2

Financial Markets Still Gripped by Uncertainty (Potential Decline in #USDX and Gold Prices)

Despite the 90-day truce between Beijing and Washington, market conditions remain extremely tense. Investors are uncertain about what will happen after three months—whether Donald Trump will hike tariffs again

Pati Gani 09:42 2025-05-20 UTC+2

The Market Ignores Warning Signs

When a crowd identifies a leader, it relentlessly pushes forward, clearing everything in its way. Retail investors heeded Morgan Stanley's call to "buy the dip" and began snapping up U.S

Marek Petkovich 09:11 2025-05-20 UTC+2

GBP/USD Overview – May 20: The British Pound Keeps Basking in the Sunlight

The GBP/USD currency pair traded higher on Monday, and we can "thank" the Moody's rating agency for that. As noted in the EUR/USD review, the U.S. credit rating was downgraded

Paolo Greco 07:31 2025-05-20 UTC+2

EUR/USD Overview – May 20: Fearless Moody's and a New Blow to the Dollar

The EUR/USD currency pair found a reason to resume its decline on Monday. As mentioned before, the U.S. dollar's position looks very shaky. It had risen for over a month

Paolo Greco 07:31 2025-05-20 UTC+2

What to Pay Attention to on May 20? A Breakdown of Fundamental Events for Beginners

There are no macroeconomic events scheduled for Tuesday, so the macroeconomic background will have no influence on price movements today. However, reports and data releases have rarely impacted currency pairs

Paolo Greco 06:02 2025-05-20 UTC+2

The Fed Allows Only One Rate Cut in 2025

The Federal Reserve continues to remain silent this year. While the European Central Bank has already cut interest rates three times and the Bank of England twice, the FOMC

Chin Zhao 00:40 2025-05-20 UTC+2

AUD/USD. RBA May Meeting: Preview

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) will conclude its meeting on Tuesday, May 20, which may result in a softening of monetary policy parameters. The "dovish" scenario is the most

Irina Manzenko 00:40 2025-05-20 UTC+2

The Dollar Has Sold America Out Completely

Overall, the strength of the EUR/USD uptrend remains intact. The erosion of confidence in the U.S. dollar outweighs the divergence in monetary policy between the Fed and the ECB. Technical

Marek Petkovich 00:40 2025-05-20 UTC+2

AUD/USD. Analysis and Forecast

Spot prices for the AUD/USD pair remain within the familiar range held over the past month, as traders await a fresh catalyst before committing to the next directional move

Irina Yanina 18:22 2025-05-19 UTC+2
Can't speak right now?
Ask your question in the chat.
Widget callback
 

Dear visitor,

Your IP address shows that you are currently located in the USA. If you are a resident of the United States, you are prohibited from using the services of InstaFintech Group including online trading, online transfers, deposit/withdrawal of funds, etc.

If you think you are seeing this message by mistake and your location is not the US, kindly proceed to the website. Otherwise, you must leave the website in order to comply with government restrictions.

Why does your IP address show your location as the USA?

  • - you are using a VPN provided by a hosting company based in the United States;
  • - your IP does not have proper WHOIS records;
  • - an error occurred in the WHOIS geolocation database.

Please confirm whether you are a US resident or not by clicking the relevant button below. If you choose the wrong option, being a US resident, you will not be able to open an account with InstaForex anyway.

We are sorry for any inconvenience caused by this message.