Group 1 - Japanese Finance Minister Kato Katsunobu expressed concerns over the depreciation of the yen, which has fallen to its lowest level since March due to dovish signals from the Bank of Japan [1][3] - The yen broke the 150 yen per dollar mark, with warnings from Tokyo market strategists that it could further depreciate to 155 yen per dollar, potentially prompting intervention from Japanese authorities [1][3] - The yen depreciated approximately 4.5% in July, influenced by domestic political uncertainty and tariff issues, alongside reduced expectations for a Federal Reserve rate cut [3][4] Group 2 - Kato noted that recent trade agreements with the EU and the US could help mitigate trade policy uncertainties and their negative impacts on Japan and the global economy [4] - The US White House set a 15% tariff rate on Japanese goods, effective August 7, as part of the trade agreement, which Kato emphasized requires ongoing monitoring for its impact [4][5] - Kato stated that the Japanese government will take necessary measures to alleviate the impact of tariffs on domestic industries and employment [5]