Japan Wholesale Prices: Ideas Later.

Japan wholesale prices up 7.2% in July amid Middle East tensions, AI demand

Article to be deleted after ideas.

Article:

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan's wholesale prices in July rose 7.2 percent from a year earlier, the Bank of Japan said Thursday, led by increases in electric power, gas and water, reflecting higher crude oil prices amid escalating tensions in the Middle East and strong artificial intelligence-related demand.

The growth in prices of goods traded between companies slowed for the first time in five months, decelerating from an upwardly revised 7.3 percent in June, the biggest rise since March 2023.

The data came as the BOJ is assessing the right timing for raising its key policy interest rate to sustainably achieve its 2 percent inflation target. Following a hike in June to a 31-year-high of 1.00 percent, some market analysts are anticipating another rate increase at the central bank's next policy meeting in September.

Speculation about a faster pace of rate hikes has been fueled since Japanese and U.S. monetary authorities recently conducted a joint yen-buying intervention, showing their strong determination to stem the yen's weakness.

Electric power, gas and water prices rose 6.3 percent from a year earlier due partly to a fuel cost adjustment system that passes fluctuations in fuel costs on to electricity rates with a time lag.

Prices for petroleum and coal products, including naphtha, a raw ingredient of chemicals used to make plastics and packaging materials, climbed 17.5 percent from the previous year, slowing from a 22.8 percent increase in June.

Although prices have risen amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, the slowdown in growth reflected a decline in crude oil prices in June and was just a one-month movement in July, a BOJ official said, adding that prices remained at a relatively high level compared with a year earlier.

Chemicals and related product prices grew 12.9 percent from a year earlier, while nonferrous metals increased 40.6 percent.

Amid strong AI demand, which has boosted prices for semiconductor memory used in computers, electrical machinery and equipment rose 4.6 percent, while information and communications equipment climbed 17.3 percent.

Import prices surged 29.1 percent from the previous year and export prices jumped 18.9 percent, with the BOJ official saying both appeared to be particularly affected by AI-related demand.

Article source:  https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20260813/p2g/00m/0bu/024000c

Japan Bankruptcies: Updated Aug, 14, 2026.

Japan bankruptcies in July top 1,000 for 2nd straight month

Ideas

Its unfortunate that any Japanese company has to file for bankruptcy as most likely the company and the employees have families that are significantly affected because of the the bankruptcy.

And its even more unfortunate that probably most if not all of the bankruptcies are related to small Japanese companies due to either labor shortage challenges and or increased cost challenges or both.

It would good, if the Japanese government could find a way to help these small companies with subsidies to help them during this period, but at the same time, some might say too much government help or interference in the market or economy would hinder the overall market or economy situation.

Its unfortunate, but a given fact, that in a market economy, there are going to those who enter the market and those who exit the market and some again would say normal market operations are more fair and just as it signals who should be in the market and who should exit a market.

Whats most unfortunate, if a large well know name brand company was considering bankruptcy but had thousands of employees and maybe thousands more suppliers and contractors, then the government might consider stepping in to help that company as there would thousands of jobs lost and the supply chains would be significantly disrupted.

But there seems to be no one coming to the aid of Japanese small companies with only a few employees or a few hundred employees at the most as they are not that important overall related to large name-brand companies in Japan.

As there is a supposed labor shortage in Japan now many workers know thatAn companies are willing or know companies need to increase their wages to attract or keep workers and its a significant strain on small companies that don't have the resources needed to increase wages and again, there doesn't seem to be much help or relief from the government or even local Prefectures to help small businesses in Japan.

And yes, a weaker yen is causing havoc with imports and increased prices as many companies  now and their profits margins are constantly under stress and it seems like an never ending struggle for many small companies now in Japan.

It seems no matter which industry or sector a small company is in they are under siege and can't seem to get out of it unless, again, they can find a way to get some kind of temporary help from their local prefecture or the overall government.

It might be a little too early to blame some bankruptcies on AI as mismanagement and the use of AI, at this time, could be a major contributor as companies are still learning how to use AI and many still don't know how or what to do with it.

For the service sector, which normally has very thin profit margins increases in labor costs and increases in raw material and energy costs probably caused most of the bankruptcies instead of AI mismanagement. 

Once again, its very unfortunate that any small company has to go bankrupt as again there are people and families involved and maybe, even with small companies, suppliers and supply chains are disrupted one way or another.

The truth is, maybe some of the bankrupt companies should never have been in business in the first place but at the same time, who is to say who should or should be able to pursue their dreams of owning a small company as again unfortunately, due to the mechanics of a market economy, there are going to be some that do well and some that unfortunately have to exit the market.

Have a nice day!

Article source:   https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20260810/p2g/00m/0bu/025000c

Japan Current Account. Updated Aug. 13, 2026.

Japan's current account surplus grows 22.5% in 1st half

Ideas

Japan is a major export economy and as such it depends heavily on its current account which is like a country's bank account. A current account surplus is very important for Japan as its also a major fiscal spending economy and needs a lot of income to try and reduce its current high debt.

The Japanese economy needs to have a current account surplus in order to try and reduce its current debt to GDP ratio which is one of the highest among advanced economies but the challenge is the government, in order to try and help Japanese families, keeps spending and or makes new budgets and or uses subsidies to lesson the high energy costs.

Due to the weak Japanese yen, overseas investments is positive now but if the yen were to suddenly become stronger those investments could be less than good for many investors in due time.

Again, the weak Japanese yen, as been able to move the goods trade balance into the positive zone after many months of trying to figure out what is/was going to happen due to the US tariff situation which might have temporarily reduced the amount of goods traded between the US and Japan.

And yes, it seems Japan is back in the game related to chip related electronics as it had lost significant market share to Taiwan and South Korea but has now been able to gain some market share, along the idea that car exports to the US might be back to normal levels.

And imports increased too and it should be noted that the Japanese economy is resource-poor country and has to import much of what it needs which means its subject to global price fluctuations and the weak Japanese yen makes it even worse due to the fact that a weak yen increases the prices of import goods for the domestic economy.

Primary income is another way for the current account to increase which again will or should help reduce Japan's bloated government debt situation but only time will tell if it is really helping reduce the debt.

As the Japanese yen is very weak, it might mean there are not so many Japanese citizens traveling overseas as with a weak yen they lost significant purchasing power which means they have less to spend in whatever country they travel too.

And at the same time, as the yen is weak it means foreign/international tourists going to Japan have more purchasing power which means, potentially, they can spend more in Japan.

Its very possible, that some areas such as Kyoto in the Osaka area have instituted a tourism tax or a tax that tries to alleviate the over-tourism now going on in some areas of Japan and maybe some tourists have now decided not to travel to Japan because of the tourist tax situation.

And its possible, due to the changes in Japan immigration making it harder to emigrate to Japan some people have stopped going to Japan to see what the country is really like.

And then there is the continued Chinese situation where the on again off again diplomatic dispute between the two countries which might hvae reduced the number of Chinese tourists from going to Japan.

The decease in primary income but down 73.7 percent might be sign that overseas investors are now seeing Japan as a good place to invest and a current account deficit, while not good for some might be OK for some too, as the US always runs a current account deficit as it imports are always more than it exports.

But overall, it seems Japan depends on its current account more than the US does and Japan might need it more to try and pay off some of its current debt situation.

Have a nice day!

Article source:  https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20260810/p2g/00m/0bu/013000c

Japan Company Economy Expectations: Ideas Later.

Half of firms expect Japan's economy to grow amid inflation concern

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Article:

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- About half of major Japanese companies expect the domestic economy to grow in the year ahead, down from 70 percent six months ago, reflecting concerns over inflation from the prolonged conflict in the Middle East, a Kyodo News survey showed Saturday.

Some 51 percent expect gradual economic growth over the next 12 months, while 38 percent expect growth to be flat and 5 percent expect the economy to contract moderately, according to the survey of 111 companies conducted from early to late July.

In the January poll, 70 percent expected steady growth and 25 percent expected the economy to move sideways and 1 percent expected it to shrink moderately.

Among those expecting moderate economic contraction or flat growth, 54 percent cite rising prices as a reason for the outlook with multiple answers allowed, while 50 percent cite sluggish consumer spending and 48 percent cite a surge in energy costs.

Some 81 percent of the companies forecasting gradual economic expansion see capital spending recovering, 77 percent point to rebounding consumer spending and 68 percent expect wage hikes to help growth. None expects stronger expansion.

Government data showed Friday that Japan's household spending fell from a year earlier for the seventh consecutive month in June, while Japanese companies agreed to raise wages by more than 5 percent on average this year for the third consecutive year since the first such increase in 33 years in 2024.

Among all the surveyed companies such as Toyota Motor Corp., Panasonic Holdings Corp. and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc., 58 percent expect their earnings to grow or grow moderately.

About half, on the other hand, say tensions in the Middle East have had a negative impact on their businesses, citing higher costs for raw materials, energy and transportation.

To mitigate the impact of heftier costs, nearly half say they plan to raise prices over the coming year, while three companies say they will neither increase prices nor lower them. Still, many others declined to answer or remained undecided

The survey does not reflect the impact of the magnitude 7.1 earthquake that struck Kumamoto Prefecture on July 28 or a joint intervention by Japan and the United States in the foreign exchange market.

Article source:   https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20260809/p2g/00m/0bu/009000c

Japan Household Spending in June: Updated Aug. 9, 2026.

Japan's household spending in June falls 3.3% on year.

Ideas

There are many variables that can cause a change in household spending and not just the weather and a change in temperatures as noted in the article.

There is also the idea of consumer sentiment or the mood of consumers or shoppers that is a major variable that can cause good moods or less than good moods which can increase spending or decrease spending too.

The fact that Japan household spending decreased for the seventh consecutive months by 3.3 percent might indicate that the decrease was by more than the change in the weather but it that could have been a cause that have to be other reasons just as the continued inflation situation in Japan and maybe households were saving up a little for the coming August Obon holiday period or the longer holiday period in September this year.

Of course, yes, the drop in temperatures might have been a reason for the 2.5 percent decrease in beverage sales but what about also if there were increases in the price of beverages and Japanese consumers felt they have become a little too expensive and were cutting back on buying a lot of them.

The 290.886 yen spent by two or more consumers seemed about right but what about the the amount spent by single people or even the lower-income groups as that might be a more accurate metric to see what is really happening in Japan instead of what is happening with the middle income or even high income groups in Japan.

The decrease in dining out is not a surprise as inflation cause decreased disposable incomes in Japan and households or whomever has less extra income to use outside the home and dinning out is always one of the first expenses to be cut from the budget.

And yes, consumable goods, again due to inflation, which is a repeatable expense as they have to be bought often and maybe, again, due to less disposable incomes households are cutting back, as much as possible on not buying consumables as often as before in Japan.

Its seems, not to criticize, but sometimes due to the threat of significant typhoons, earthquakes, and tsunamis in Japan households are prone or quick to horde or buy things for possible emergency situations which was very evident during the 2024 earthquake scare which saw a surge in the many consumable items which actually caused a temporary shortage of some items and couple with the supposed shortage or rice there was actually a significant rice shorter in Japan too.

And even during the pandemic it was reported that there were were shortages of many consumables such as face masks, tissue and other paper products too during that time, due to hording by some in Japan.

Again, there could have been many reasons for the decrease in spending on transportation and equipment and not just because of unfavorable weather or one fewer Sunday as again inflation and the decrease in disposable incomes might have been the main reason and the less than good weather of course might have been a reason to wait and travel later and save a little more for future travel.

Yes, private consumption or consumer spending is about half of Japan's GDP but at the same time, it seems, Japanese households and consumers are spending less due to the decrease in disposable or extra income and of course due to the continued increase in inflation in Japan these days.

A 2.0 percent increase in real income, while good, is a good estimate but to be fair, what about the income of the lower-income groups too which might be a better indicator or metric about what is going on in Japan.

A description of just the middle-income group or even the upper-income group is not a good description of what is really happening in Japan as just examining to middle and upper-middle groups doesn't give the complete picture of what is happening in Japan.

As again looking at the lower-income groups, the part-time worker groups and even the contract workers groups in Japan might give a complete picture of the state of the economy in Japan and of what is really happening in Japanese society these days.

Have a nice day

Article source:  https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20260807/p2g/00m/0bu/005000c

Japan Planned Food Cuts: Ideas Later.

Japan's planned food tax cut faces consumer, retailer skepticism

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Article:

TOKYO -- Japan's Cabinet on Aug. 5 approved a policy to cut the consumption tax rate on food and beverages from 8% to 1%. However, with prices continuing to rise and the reduction set to apply for only two years from April 2027, the plan has drawn a cool response from consumers and retailers. The restaurant industry, where the 10% rate is expected to remain in place, has also voiced concerns about the impact. Will Japan's first consumption tax cut since the tax was introduced prove effective?

"When it returns to 8%, the impact will be substantial, so I can't simply welcome the cut," said Emi Hashimoto, 42, a financial planner in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward who is raising six children, from a first grader to a second-year high school student.

With her children at growing ages, the family's monthly food bill, excluding meals out, comes to about 100,000 yen (roughly $630). In 2024, she managed to keep the monthly total to around 60,000 yen (approx. $380), but relentless price increases are now weighing heavily on the household budget.

The tax cut would theoretically reduce the family's monthly burden by about 7,000 yen (around $44). But Hashimoto is skeptical.

"Stores that have held off on raising prices may do so when the tax cut takes effect, and the costs of adjusting to the new rate may also be passed on to consumers," she said. "I doubt we'll actually save the full 7,000 yen."

"In the end, the tax cut is essentially another giveaway," she added. "Rather than spending so lavishly, the government should tighten its belt, eliminate waste and stop unnecessary spending."

Retailers weigh the impact

The more consumers spend, the greater the benefit they would receive from the tax rate cut. But how do retailers selling high-end food products view the measure?

About 40 pieces of Wagyu beef are displayed at Tokyo Cowboy, a butcher shop in Tokyo's Setagaya Ward. Popular items include cuts such as "ichibo," or top sirloin cap, and "misuji," or top blade, priced at around 2,500 yen (roughly $16) per 100 grams.

A 600-gram purchase for a family would cost 15,000 yen (about $95), with the tax cut reducing the consumption tax by 1,050 yen (roughly $6.70). The benefit may appear substantial, but the shop is not entirely optimistic.

According to company President Nozomi Ueno, 53, many customers place greater importance on the quality and value of the meat than on its price.

"It's hard to imagine the tax cut producing a major boost in foot traffic," he said.

Although the tax burden on purchases by the shop would be reduced, continued increases in the cost of ingredients and packaging materials could still force it to raise prices.

"I don't know whether we'll be able to pass the full savings on to customers," Ueno said.

Concerns in the restaurant industry

The proposed cut is expected to follow the reduced-rate system introduced in October 2019, excluding dine-in meals. If so, the tax rate on dine-in meals would remain at 10%, while the rate on takeout food would fall from the current 8% to 1%, widening the gap.

On July 14, the Japan Foodservice Association and other industry groups issued an "emergency message on reducing the consumption tax rate on food products."

They warned that the difference in tax rates "would put dining out at a price disadvantage, affect the many job roles that sustain the food service industry and place a heavy burden on the management of various restaurants."

An association official said, "Restaurants have told us they are concerned that the difference in tax rates will discourage consumers from dining out."

A 53-year-old man who operates a stand-up soba shop in Tokyo said, "The tax cut may lower my purchasing costs, but considering how customers would react if I raised prices when the tax rate returns to 8% in two years, I can't lower my prices this time."

Facing higher operating costs, he had just increased the price of a basic bowl of hot soba from 430 yen (about $2.70) to 480 yen (around $3) in June.

"I just hope we won't have to compete with takeout businesses covered by the tax cut or with restaurants that lower their prices," he said.

Article source:   https://draft.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/2653803302921314930/1150161409062193337

Japan Editorial: Ideas Later.

Editorial: Japan needs basic economic policy review, not reliance on US, to stop yen's slide

Article to be deleted after ideas.

Article:

The responsibility for securing confidence in the yen as a currency rests with the Japanese government. Relying on the United States will not overcome the negative spiral of a weaker yen and higher prices.

In response to the yen's historic depreciation, the Japanese and U.S. governments have moved to buy yen in the market. It is the first coordinated intervention in 15 years, since 2011, when the yen surged immediately after the Great East Japan Earthquake. It is the first yen-buying intervention in 28 years, since 1998, when Japan fell into a financial crisis over bad-loan problems at Japanese banks.

Such a move is unusual outside of a major disaster or a global economic crisis. That is because it could distort financial markets.

This time, the political calculations of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's administration and the administration of President Donald Trump in the United States aligned. Japan had repeatedly intervened on its own to buy yen and sell dollars, but those efforts failed to correct the yen's weakness, and Tokyo had been hoping for help from Washington.

With congressional midterm elections coming in November, the United States was concerned that the negative effects of "selling Japan" -- a simultaneous weakening of the yen and rise in long-term interest rates -- would spill over into its own economy. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who led the coordinated intervention, was deeply wary that turmoil in Japanese markets would push up U.S. long-term interest rates.

Japan has, in effect, incurred a major debt to the United States. President Trump has been emphasizing that Japan "wanted a little bit of help." Washington may seek something in return, such as the early completion of the $550 billion, or about 86 trillion yen, in investment in the United States that Japan promised under the Japan-U.S. tariff agreement.

The Takaichi administration is touting the move as "the completed form of the Japan-U.S. currency alliance," but intervention alone will not easily reverse the stream of yen selling.

At the root of the yen's weakness is market distrust of the Japanese government's economic policies, which disregard fiscal consolidation and independent monetary policy.

The U.S. side argues that an early interest rate hike is essential to correcting the yen's weakness. Monetary policy, however, is something the Bank of Japan should decide. To put the brakes on the weaker yen and higher prices, it is only natural to raise the policy rate, which is far too low relative to the inflation rate.

It is also essential that the Takaichi government change its irresponsible fiscal policy. If it forces through a consumption tax cut without identifying a funding source or presses ahead with fiscal expansion, long-term interest rates will rise further.

There are limits to the stopgap method of coordinated intervention. It is time for the Japanese government to review economic policy itself to restore market confidence.

Article source:  https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20260805/p2a/00m/0op/017000c