The Bank of Japan raised interest rates on Friday to their highest since the 2008 global financial crisis and revised up its inflation forecasts, underscoring its confidence that rising wages will keep inflation stable around its 2% target.

The Bank of Japan ((BoJ)) has raised its key short-term interest rate by 25 basis points to 0.5%, marking the highest level since 2008. The decision was influenced by wage hike momentum

Governor Kazuo Ueda and his fellow board members lifted the overnight call rate by a quarter-percentage point to 0.5% at the end of a two-day meeting.

The yen was front and centre for currency markets on Friday ahead of a Bank of Japan (BOJ) policy decision where it is all but certain to raise interest rates, while the dollar was headed for its worst week in two months.

TOKYO: The Bank of Japan raised interest rates on Friday (Jan 24) to their highest since the 2008 global financial crisis, underscoring its confidence that rising wages will keep inflation stably around its 2 per cent target.

Recent data show Japanese workers are gaining better wages and are generally set to receive solid pay raises in their upcoming annual union negotiations

The Bank of Japan raised its key policy rate Friday to the highest level in 17 years, as Governor Kazuo Ueda continues his mission to return to central bank orthodoxy.

TOKYO (AP) — The Bank of Japan raises its key interest rate to about 0.5%, citing stronger wages and inflation. Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

The Bank of Japan has raised its key interest rate to about 0.5% from 0.25%, noting that inflation is holding at a desirable target level.

After a long period of stagnation, the return of inflation and wage growth is giving the Bank of Japan room to raise interest rates.

The BOJ raised interest rates to their highest since the 2008 global financial crisis, with attention now shifting to any clues from BOJ Governor Kazuo Ueda in his briefing on the pace and timing of f