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Japan vows action as yen hits 40-year low.

6/19/2026

25 4 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said Tokyo is ready to act to defend the yen near 40-year lows.
The yen slipped to 161.80 per dollar, its lowest since July 2024, and a rise above 161.96 would match the weakest level since December 1986.
Japan’s Ministry of Finance intervened in May, spending a record ¥11.73 trillion ($72.8 billion) to support the currency.
Katayama told G7 leaders Japan will act against yen shorts at their July 2024 peak.

History

Historical Context

In 1985, Japan, led by Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone and Emperor Hirohito, hosted the Summer Universiade, earning 16 medals, and staged the World Figure Skating Championships, reinforcing its international engagement. The era’s rapid economic expansion created later currency challenges, and Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama’s 2024 warning of yen weakness echoes those 1980s concerns.

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Story summary

Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said Tokyo is ready to act to defend the yen near 40-year lows.
The yen slipped to 161.80 per dollar, its lowest since July 2024, and a rise above 161.96 would match the weakest level since December 1986.
Japan’s Ministry of Finance intervened in May, spending a record ¥11.73 trillion ($72.8 billion) to support the currency.
Katayama told G7 leaders Japan will act against yen shorts at their July 2024 peak.

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