Core Viewpoint - The U.S. Treasury Secretary's call for aggressive and contrasting monetary policies from the Federal Reserve and the Bank of Japan has caused significant market reactions, highlighting potential contradictions in current market narratives [1] Group 1: U.S. Monetary Policy - The U.S. Treasury Secretary advocates for the Federal Reserve to start cutting rates by 50 basis points in September, with a cumulative reduction of 150 to 175 basis points thereafter [1] - Current market expectations suggest that the Federal Reserve's target rate will not reach 3% until autumn next year, indicating a significant divergence from the Secretary's proposals [1] Group 2: Japanese Monetary Policy - The Secretary recommends that the Bank of Japan should raise interest rates to combat inflation and stabilize the yen [1] - The Japanese economy has shown resilience against U.S. tariffs, with a second-quarter GDP annualized growth rate of 1.0%, surpassing market expectations of 0.4% [3] Group 3: Market Reactions - The Japanese stock market experienced a significant surge, while the yen strengthened due to the dual expectations of U.S. rate cuts and Japanese rate hikes [1] - The market's response reflects a complex and divided sentiment regarding the implications of these contrasting monetary policies [1] Group 4: Feasibility and Risks - The feasibility of simultaneous U.S. rate cuts and Japanese rate hikes depends on key conditions, including the pace of U.S. rate cuts and the stability of Japan's economy and political landscape [2][3] - Political uncertainty in Japan, particularly the potential resignation of Prime Minister Kishida, poses a risk to the Bank of Japan's tightening expectations [4] Group 5: Macro Perspectives - A macro view suggests that the current interest rate scenario, with U.S. rates above 3% and Japanese rates below 1%, is "unnatural" and will likely require correction [6] - Two potential scenarios are identified: one where the Federal Reserve lags behind economic trends, necessitating aggressive rate cuts, and another where the Bank of Japan must accelerate rate hikes to keep pace with inflation [6][7]

Economic Outlook - The Japanese economy is experiencing a moderate recovery, with improving corporate profits and stable business confidence, but signs of weakness are emerging, and economic growth is expected to slow down [3] - High uncertainty regarding trade policies, particularly U.S. tariff measures, poses a negative impact on Japan's economy, primarily affecting export companies and potentially weakening consumer confidence [3][8] Wage and Consumption - Actual wages in Japan are currently negative, significantly impacting consumption and the economy [7] - As real wages gradually improve, consumption is expected to maintain a moderate growth trend [6] Inflation and Prices - Japan's core inflation rate is slightly below the 2% target, with the gap between basic inflation and overall inflation expected to narrow [9] - Cost-push inflation is having a significant adverse effect on households, but pressures from rising import prices are anticipated to diminish [9] Monetary Policy - The Bank of Japan has no preset plans for interest rate hikes and will consider raising rates only when economic and price conditions align with expectations [11] - The central bank aims to achieve a 2% inflation target and will implement monetary policy based on price and economic developments [12] Currency and Bond Market - A strong yen negatively impacts export and manufacturing profits but improves household real income; stable exchange rates are crucial for market stability [14] - Long-term bond yield fluctuations can affect short- and medium-term yields, with domestic investors being the primary buyers of long-term Japanese government bonds [14] Recent Rate Decisions - The Bank of Japan raised the policy interest rate from 0.25% to 0.5% in January, marking the largest increase among three hikes since March and July 2024 [16] - The central bank remains optimistic about economic and inflation conditions, with a projected CPI inflation rate of 2.4% for FY2025, up by 0.5 percentage points [16]