2026-01-13 03:25:31

There are differing opinions within the Bank of Japan regarding the pace of policy adjustments. Former Policy Board member Makoto Sakurai's recent statements have attracted attention — he believes that, due to the impact of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's fiscal policy risks, the yen's weakness is unlikely to improve, and the BOJ may start raising interest rates as early as April, rather than after June as widely expected by the market.

According to market consensus, the BOJ's rate hike cycle is approximately once every six months. If Sakurai's judgment is correct, a rate hike in April would mean that policy tightening occurs two months earlier than expected. More importantly, he hinted that in the upcoming two BOJ meetings, the central bank might not take additional actions to stabilize the yen. As a result, the responsibility for maintaining exchange rate stability would fall on the Ministry of Finance.

For traders, this means that the yen's appreciation expectations could be re-priced, and the volatility of related trading pairs warrants attention.

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hodl_therapist

· 19h ago

Will there be rate hikes in April? Seiji Sakurai is digging a hole for the Ministry of Finance. --- Once again, internal conflicts within the central bank. Japan's tactics are getting old. --- Wait, two months early? That’s a big positive for yen bulls. --- The Ministry of Finance is definitely the scapegoat; the central bank is perfectly shifting the blame haha. --- Volatility is coming; this is a carnival for traders. --- A retired committee member's remarks can shake market expectations. The credibility of the Bank of Japan is in question. --- Is Sano Takashi's fiscal policy risk really that high? I didn't notice earlier. --- The promised June, now it's April? Feels like a show. --- The yen appreciation expectation is being re-priced; it will be very interesting in the short term. --- Sakurai just loves to leak information; don’t take it too seriously.

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AirdropHunter420

· 19h ago

Is the rate hike in April? Is this guy just teasing or is there real insider info? --- The Bank of Japan is divided, and the Ministry of Finance doesn't want to take responsibility. --- Wait, is the yen really about to take off? I need to quickly adjust my positions. --- What is Seiji Sakurai hinting at with this move... Only when volatility picks up do we have a chance. --- Another "earliest" — same old trick. Is this for real this time? --- Stability of the exchange rate is handed over to the Ministry of Finance, haha. The central bank is playing the hands-off boss very skillfully. --- If the rate hike happens two months early, the trading pairs will be wiped out in a bloodbath. --- The key is that the yen's appreciation expectations are being re-priced. I am optimistic about this direction. --- Interesting, internal conflicts within the central bank and external buyers—common script.

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MEVHunterX

· 19h ago

Sakurai's buddy is talking a bit too aggressively, raising interest rates in April? If that really happens, the market will explode. Wait, the Ministry of Finance is here to stabilize the exchange rate? Laughing out loud, it's just another excuse to pass the buck. How to play the yen this time, it feels like there's an opportunity. The internal conflicts within the central bank are starting to surface; this might really be a turning point. Anyway, the volatility of trading pairs is definitely coming, so we need to stay alert. Sakurai's mouth is a bit loose, but this time the information is substantial enough to pay attention to.

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SelfRugger

· 19h ago

Sakurai, is this guy setting a trap for the market or does he have insider information? The April rate hike was moved up by 2 months, and this group of people in my crypto circle are already used to being harvested.

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PebbleHander

· 19h ago

Oh no, Sakurai Makoto is stirring up trouble. Is he planning to do something in April? If it's true, we need to be cautious with our yen short positions. The exchange rate is being managed by the Ministry of Finance themselves; it's unexpected that the central bank has stepped back. Volatility is bound to soar. If I had known earlier, I wouldn't have gotten in so early. Now, every central bank meeting requires us to be on high alert. It's really just a matter of one sentence; market prices all need to be recalculated. That's the power of policy divergence. If Sakurai Makoto's statement isn't just a warning, then he really has some plans. Anyway, we need to keep a close eye on the yen next month.

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FlatTax

· 19h ago

Sakurai, is this guy trying to cause trouble? If the April rate hike actually happens, we need to reconfigure our strategy. --- Is the yen appreciation expectation being re-priced? We need to keep a close eye on this trend; volatility will definitely surge. --- Is the Ministry of Finance taking the blame? Laughable, the central bank's way of shifting blame is quite slick. --- Arriving two months early may not seem like much, but for traders, it's enough to cause some turmoil. --- Is April for real? It still depends on how the central bank responds later; don't get caught up in the hype. --- Relevant trading pairs are worth watching, but don't go all-in. Such policy disagreements are still prone to reversal.

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OnChainArchaeologist

· 19h ago

Sakurai, this guy is trying to stir things up, raising interest rates in April? Traders who didn't do their homework are going to get liquidated. I've already said that the Bank of Japan is internally divided, and now it's confirmed. The yen's appreciation expectations are being re-priced... let's wait and see if the Ministry of Finance can hold up. If they really move in April, USDJPY will plummet. I bet the crypto circle will find out first.

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