Economic news(2025/01/17)
The national primary balance is estimated to remain in deficit in fiscal 2025 due to the impact of supplementary budgets, etc.
2025-01-17 21:45:00
The Cabinet Office has estimated that the primary balance, an indicator of fiscal soundness, will be in the red by about 4.5 trillion yen in the new fiscal year of 2025, a complete reversal from the previous projection of a surplus. Due to the large scale of this year's supplementary budget, the government's stance on fiscal soundness is likely to be called into question once again.
TOP
The national primary balance is estimated to remain in deficit in fiscal 2025 due to the impact of supplementary budgets, etc.
2025-01-17 20:59:00
The Cabinet Office has estimated that the primary balance, an indicator of fiscal soundness, will be in the red by about 4.5 trillion yen in the new fiscal year of 2025, a complete reversal from the previous projection of a surplus. Due to the large scale of this year's supplementary budget, the government's stance on fiscal soundness is likely to be called into question once again.
TOP
The yen temporarily rose to the 154 yen range per dollar.
2025-01-17 19:39:00
On the 17th, the Tokyo foreign exchange market saw the yen strengthen against the dollar, reaching the 154 yen range, due to speculation that the Bank of Japan would raise interest rates further. However, dollar-buying then emerged and the rate of increase narrowed.
TOP
Chairman of Federation of Electric Power Companies of Japan to request government support for offshore wind power generation due to worsening business environment
2025-01-17 19:20:00
Regarding offshore wind power generation, where the business environment is worsening due to rising construction costs, Federation of Electric Power Companies of Japan Chairman Kingo Hayashi has indicated his intention to ask the government to improve the investment environment and provide financial support in order to expand its adoption.
TOP
Bullish Trump trade: Tech stocks take a dive? [New York Economics Column]
2025-01-17 18:56:00
Next week on January 20th, Trump will be re-elected as the 47th president of the United States. "Trump trade," which involves financial transactions such as stock trading in anticipation of Trump's policies, remains active on Wall Street in New York, with many analysts at major financial institutions expressing bullish outlooks. Meanwhile, tech stocks, which have been a major driver of stock prices in 2024, have recently been experiencing volatile price movements. Are there any pitfalls to this bullish market? (Arai Toshiki, Americas Bureau)
TOP
Fisheries Agency to set new "fishing quota" to prevent overfishing of yellowtail
2025-01-17 18:50:00
As the conservation of fishery resources becomes an issue, the Fisheries Agency has decided to set a new upper limit on the catch of yellowtail, a "fishing quota," to prevent overfishing. However, the most recent yellowtail catch has fallen short of the quota, so the impact on the fishery is expected to be limited for the time being.
TOP
Rice bilateral trading price: 60% up from the same month last year, hitting a new record high for four consecutive months
2025-01-17 18:40:00
Last month's relative trading price of rice for all varieties increased 60% on average from the same month last year, hitting a new record high for four consecutive months.
TOP
Funds flowing into investment trusts reaches highest level since statistics began due to expansion of NISA
2025-01-17 18:38:00
Last year, when NISA was expanded, the amount of funds flowing into investment trusts exceeded the amount of funds flowing out due to redemptions and other reasons by more than 16 trillion yen, the highest figure since statistics began in 1965. This is because the expansion of NISA led to a rise in the purchase of investment trusts among individual investors.
TOP
Bank of Japan survey finds more people expecting prices to rise "significantly" in a year
2025-01-17 16:14:00
A survey on personal lifestyle attitudes conducted by the Bank of Japan found that 31% of respondents believe prices will rise "significantly" one year from now, an increase of more than 5 percentage points from the previous survey and three months ago.
TOP
25% of Japanese companies in China say Trump administration policies have had a "negative impact"
2025-01-17 16:07:00
Ahead of the inauguration of the new Trump administration, the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) conducted a survey of Japanese companies in the US. With regard to the impact of the policies of the new Trump administration, nearly half of the companies said they could not predict them at this time, while 25% said they would have a "negative impact."
TOP
Stock price slightly falls. It temporarily fell by more than 500 yen, but there is a buying back movement.
2025-01-17 15:59:00
On the Tokyo stock market on the 17th, sell orders spread in response to the strengthening of the yen, and the Nikkei average temporarily fell by more than 500 yen, but there was then a buying back movement, resulting in a small drop in prices.
TOP
Economic Revitalization Minister Akazawa and Digital Minister Taira to attend Davos Conference next week
2025-01-17 15:09:00
Japan's Minister of Economic Revitalization Akazawa and Minister of Digital Affairs Taira will attend the World Economic Forum's annual meeting, the Davos Conference, to be held in Switzerland next week. They plan to promote Japan's efforts in the fields of economy and digital.
TOP
[Explanation] What will wages, prices, and interest rates be like in 2025?
2025-01-17 13:58:00
A single head of cabbage is over 500 yen...! Prices just aren't stopping. To make people feel more comfortable in their daily lives, it is essential to achieve wage increases that exceed price increases. What will happen to Japan's economy in 2025? The three points that determine our lives are prices, wages, and interest rates. Economic expert and commentator Imai Junko will provide a detailed analysis of where these trends are headed using the latest data. *Information current as of January 17th. (Video: 7 minutes 34 seconds)
TOP
Finance Minister: "Monitor measures to prevent recurrence" in Mitsubishi UFJ Bank incident
2025-01-17 12:57:00
Regarding the case in which a former Mitsubishi UFJ Bank employee was arrested on suspicion of stealing gold bars from a safe deposit box, Minister of Finance Katsuyuki Kato stated his intention to monitor the situation to ensure that measures to prevent recurrence are properly implemented.
TOP
Stock prices fall. Many stocks sell due to the rise in the yen.
2025-01-17 12:08:00
Following the fall of the three major stock price indexes on the Tokyo Stock Exchange on the 17th and on the New York Stock Exchange on the 16th, and the continued appreciation of the yen, sell orders were placed on many stocks, including semiconductors and automobiles, causing the Nikkei Stock Average to fall.
TOP
The yen temporarily rose to the 154 yen range against the dollar as interest rate differentials between Japan and the US narrowed
2025-01-17 11:45:00
On the 17th in the Tokyo foreign exchange market, expectations regarding the monetary policies of Japan and the United States led to awareness of a narrowing interest rate gap, leading to a rise in the trend of buying yen and selling dollars, and the yen temporarily rose to the 154 yen range per dollar for the first time in about a month.
TOP
The yen temporarily rose to the 154 yen range against the dollar as interest rate differentials between Japan and the US narrowed
2025-01-17 11:03:00
On the 17th, the Tokyo foreign exchange market saw a trend of buying yen and selling dollars, with the yen temporarily rising to the 154 yen to the dollar range for the first time in about a month. There are speculations that the US will speed up its further interest rate cuts, and that the Bank of Japan may decide to further raise interest rates at its monetary policy meeting this month. This has led to a trend of buying yen and selling dollars in anticipation of the narrowing interest rate gap between Japan and the US.
TOP
Mitsubishi UFJ Bank President: "Safe deposit box service will indicate a certain direction by March"
2025-01-17 10:45:00
Following the incident in which a former Mitsubishi UFJ Bank employee was arrested on suspicion of stealing gold bars from a safe deposit box, President Junichi Hanzawa spoke to reporters on the morning of the 17th, apologizing and saying that he takes his responsibility seriously. He also revealed his intention to review the content of the safe deposit box services currently being offered nationwide and to indicate a certain direction by March of this year.
TOP
U.S. December retail sales up 0.4% from previous month as consumer spending remains strong
2025-01-17 06:13:00
Retail sales in the United States, an indicator of trends in personal consumption, increased 0.4% in December compared to the previous month, indicating continued strong personal consumption.
TOP
US Steel acquisition plan: next US Treasury Secretary: "If resubmitted, normal review will be conducted"
2025-01-17 05:18:00
Regarding Nippon Steel's plan to acquire U.S. Steel, for which U.S. President Biden has issued a ban order, Bessent, who is nominated for Treasury Secretary in the incoming Trump administration, said that if the acquisition plan is resubmitted, "we will conduct the review as usual."
TOP
Nintendo Switch 2 to be released this year, first new console in 8 years
2025-01-17 03:08:00
Nintendo has announced that it will release a successor to its flagship game console, the Nintendo Switch, in 2025. This will be the first new game console release in about eight years.
TOP
