Megumi Fujikawa

Tokyo

Tokyo Corporate Correspondent at The Wall Street Journal

@WSJ reporter in Tokyo. [email protected]

Articles

Japan’s Exports Fell for First Time in Eight Months as Tariffs Weighed

1 week ago | wsj.com | Megumi Fujikawa

Updated June 17, 2025 11:45 pm ETTOKYO—Japan’s exports fell for the first time in eight months in May, bolstering views that the impact of President Trump’s tariffs could tie the Bank of Japan’s hands on rate hikes. Exports, a main engine of growth for Japan’s economy, declined 1.7% in May from a year earlier, compared with April’s 2.0% rise, Ministry of Finance data showed Wednesday. That marked the first on-year drop since September 2024. Copyright ©2025 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
Bank of Japan Stands Pat on Rates, Plans to Slow Bond-Buying Tapering After April 2026

1 week ago | wsj.com | Megumi Fujikawa

The Japanese central bank held its policy rate unchanged at 0.5%TOKYO–The Bank of Japan on Tuesday left its policy settings unchanged amid ongoing trade uncertainty and announced that it would slow the pace of its bond-buying reduction after April 2026. The Japanese central bank held its policy rate steady at 0.5%, where it has remained since its last hike in January. BOJ Gov. Kazuo Ueda has said the bank will continue to consider further interest rate increases, depending on economic conditions.
Switch 2’s Record Sales Make It Nintendo’s Fastest-Selling Console

2 weeks ago | wsj.com | Megumi Fujikawa

Uncertain environment doesn’t seem to have curbed demand for console so farTOKYO—Nintendo 7974 1.11%increase; green up pointing triangle seems to have hit a home run with the Switch 2, as red-hot demand for the gaming device makes it the fastest-selling console in the company’s history. The Switch 2—Nintendo’s first new gaming device in eight years—has sold more than 3.5 million units worldwide since its June 5 launch.
Japan’s Economy at Risk of Technical Recession, Revised Data Shows

2 weeks ago | wsj.com | Megumi Fujikawa

Real gross domestic product contracted 0.2% on an annualized basis in the January-March periodTOKYO–Revised data confirmed that Japan’s economy shrank in the first quarter, solidifying the risk of a technical recession. Real gross domestic product contracted 0.2% on an annualized basis in the January-March period, government data showed Monday. That compared with the 0.7% decline estimated initially. The economy was flat on quarter. Copyright ©2025 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Rising Inflation, Weak Production Put Bank of Japan in Tough Spot - Update

4 weeks ago | tradingview.com | Megumi Fujikawa

Rising Inflation, Weak Production Put Bank of Japan in Tough Spot — UpdateTOKYO--Japanese government data released Friday present a mixed picture of rising inflation and sluggish industrial activity, placing the Bank of Japan in a difficult position when it considers future rate hikes. Consumer prices excluding fresh food in the Tokyo metropolitan area rose 3.6% in May from a year earlier, up from April's 3.4% increase, driven by continued food price gains.
Rising Inflation, Weak Production Put Bank of Japan in Tough Spot

4 weeks ago | wsj.com | Megumi Fujikawa

Consumer prices in Tokyo rose 3.6% in May from a year earlierTOKYO—Japanese government data released Friday present a mixed picture of rising inflation and sluggish industrial activity, placing the Bank of Japan in a difficult position when it considers future rate hikes. Consumer prices excluding fresh food in the Tokyo metropolitan area rose 3.6% in May from a year earlier, up from April’s 3.4% increase, driven by continued food price gains.
Bank of Japan Posts Record Bond Loss as Interest Rates Rise

1 month ago | tradingview.com | Megumi Fujikawa

Bank of Japan Posts Record Bond Loss as Interest Rates RiseTOKYO--The Bank of Japan reported a record loss on its holdings of Japanese government bonds in the latest fiscal year, reflecting the impact of interest-rate increases. The Japanese central bank recorded an unrealized loss of 28.625 trillion yen, equivalent to $198.29 billion, on its JGB holdings in the year ended March, significantly wider than the Y9.434 trillion loss in the previous fiscal year.
Japan Bonds Draw Weak Demand as Rise in Superlong Yields Sparks Concern

1 month ago | wsj.com | Megumi Fujikawa

The bid-to-cover ratio declined to the lowest level since July 2024TOKYO—An auction of 40-year Japanese government bonds drew the weakest demand in nearly a year, signaling investor caution amid a global rise in yields of ultralong bonds. The auction results accelerated an afternoon climb in superlong JGB yields on Wednesday, part of a broader trend that reflects concern over fiscal deficits in major economies, including the U.S. and Japan. Copyright ©2025 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
Japan Bonds Draw Weak Demand as Rise in Superlong Yields Sparks Concern - Update

1 month ago | tradingview.com | Megumi Fujikawa

Japan Bonds Draw Weak Demand as Rise in Superlong Yields Sparks Concern — UpdateTOKYO--An auction of 40-year Japanese government bonds drew the weakest demand in nearly a year, signaling investor caution amid a global rise in yields of ultralong bonds. The auction results accelerated an afternoon climb in superlong JGB yields on Wednesday, part of a broader trend that reflects concern over fiscal deficits in major economies, including the U.S. and Japan.
Japan Bonds Draw Weak Demand as Rise in Superlong Yields Sparks Concern - Update

1 month ago | morningstar.com | Megumi Fujikawa

By Megumi Fujikawa TOKYO--An auction of 40-year Japanese government bonds drew the weakest demand in nearly a year, signaling investor caution amid a global rise in yields of ultralong bonds. The auction results accelerated an afternoon climb in superlong JGB yields on Wednesday, part of a broader trend that reflects concern over fiscal deficits in major economies, including the U.S. and Japan.