Japan Signals Readiness to Act on Yen Weakness

Japan’s Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said on Wednesday that the government remains prepared to intervene in currency markets if excessive exchange-rate moves threaten financial stability, after the yen weakened beyond JPY 163 per U.S. dollar to its lowest level in about 40 years. Speaking to reporters, Katayama declined to comment on specific exchange-rate levels but reiterated that authorities stand ready to act if necessary. The remarks reinforce the government’s long-standing position of closely monitoring currency movements and signal that policymakers remain willing to step into the foreign-exchange market should volatility become excessive, even as they avoid specifying a level that could trigger intervention.