TOKYO (Feb 23): The Bank of Japan may raise interest rates as soon as March if the yen renews its slide ahead of a US-Japan summit expected to be held during the month, former central bank board member Makoto Sakurai told Reuters. The best way to counter a weak yen is for the BOJ to raise interest rates," said Sakurai, who retains close contact with incumbent policymakers. "It would make better sense to wait until April but depending on yen moves, there's a chance the BOJ could raise rates in March," Sakurai said. A majority of economists polled by Reuters expect the BOJ to raise rates to 1% by end-June, while markets have priced in a roughly 70% chance of a hike by April. The BOJ next meets for a policy meeting on March 18-19.

Source: The Edge Markets February 23, 2026 09:24 UTC