Japan Finance Chief Effectively Accepts BOJ Rate Hike

Jiji Press

12:05 JST, December 14, 2025

SENDAI (Jiji Press) — Japanese Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama on Saturday effectively signaled acceptance of an anticipated interest rate hike by the Bank of Japan.

“There is no major disagreement between us and the BOJ,” Katayama said in a speech in Sendai. “I thought I should say this since reports have been circulating.”

The central bank is reportedly likely to raise its policy interest rate to around 0.75% from around 0.5% at present at its two-day monetary policy meeting through Friday.