US support for Japan’s yen-stabilization is deepening, with coordination at levels not seen in decades. On Thursday Japan reportedly bought yen, estimated at about $53bln, while US authorities made exchange-rate inquiries to banks — moves the market viewed as a precursor to intervention. Treasury Secretary Bessent said the yen is “severely undervalued” and excessive volatility is unhealthy. Nobuyasu Atago, chief economist at Lotte Securities and a former BOJ official, said Bessent’s influence is

2026-07-31

US support for Japan’s yen-stabilization is deepening, with coordination at levels not seen in decades. On Thursday Japan reportedly bought yen, estimated at about $53bln, while US authorities made exchange-rate inquiries to banks — moves the market viewed as a precursor to intervention. Treasury Secretary Bessent said the yen is “severely undervalued” and excessive volatility is unhealthy. Nobuyasu Atago, chief economist at Lotte Securities and a former BOJ official, said Bessent’s influence is significant and the US is increasingly cooperating with Japanese intervention. The timing — between Fed and BOJ rate decisions — has spurred market speculation that monetary-policy coordination may be part of the effort. Japanese officials remained ambiguous on further intervention but emphasized US coordination; Jun Mimura, the Ministry of Finance’s top currency official, said the US provided more than “moral support.”