Bank of Japan official Junko Nakagawa: The environment for raising interest rates is more mature now than it was in April.

Bank of Japan policy board member Junko Nakagawa stated that compared to April, the current economic environment in Japan is more favorable for raising interest rates. She said at a press conference on Thursday in Yamaguchi City in western Japan that prices are slightly more inclined to rise than before, long-term interest rates are determined by the market, and the uncertainty related to U.S. tariffs has slightly decreased but remains highly uncertain. She mentioned that the Bank of Japan will formulate policies based on all available data at each meeting, and that short-term surveys are an important reference data.