0133 GMT - President Trump's latest criticism about a weak yen may be a good opportunity for Japan to think more seriously about how to fix the excessive depreciation of the yen, which has caused import-price inflation, says SMBC Nikko Securities strategist Makoto Noji. With the yen near historically weak levels, Trump is unlikely to agree that Japan isn't trying to depreciate its currency because the Bank of Japan is raising interest rates gradually, Noji says. "It seems like a clear mistake to ask the BOJ to raise interest rates more as Japan is still far from achieving a virtuous cycle, and excessive rate hikes would ultimately lead to capital flight through an economic slowdown," he adds. USD/JPY is last at 148.80. (megumi.fujikawa@wsj.com)
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
March 03, 2025 20:33 ET (01:33 GMT)
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