Yen Weakness Stokes Intervention Fears

2026-03-13 02:02 By Jam Kaimo Samonte 1 min. read

The Japanese yen traded around 159.4 per dollar on Friday, hovering near its weakest levels since July 2024, raising concerns of possible intervention by authorities.

Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said they are preapred to take all necessary steps in currency markets amid surging oil prices.

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda also warned that a weak yen could intensify imported inflation amid rising oil prices, potentially prompting the central bank to accelerate policy normalization.

Ueda added that exchange rates now have a larger impact on inflation than in the past, giving them greater weight in policy decisions.

Oil prices surged after Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, pledged to keep the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed while Tehran increased attacks on regional oil and transport facilities.

The Middle East conflict showed no signs of easing, with defiant rhetoric from Tehran and Washington signaling that the Iran war remains far from de-escalation.



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