The Bank of Japan raises the benchmark interest rate from 0.5% to 0.75%, the highest in 30 years.

Interest rate hike after 11 months,

[Tokyo=AP·Kyodo/Newsis] Kazuo Ueda, Governor of the Bank of Japan, is seen arriving at the Bank of Japan headquarters in Tokyo on July 31. 2025.12.19.,

‘[Seoul=Newsis] Reporter Im Cheol-hwi = The Bank of Japan, Japan’s central bank, increased the base interest rate from the existing 0.5% to 0.75% on the 19th.’,

“In the two-day monetary policy meeting concluded today, the Bank of Japan decided to raise the short-term policy interest rate, the base interest rate, by 0.25 percentage points to approximately 0.75%.”,

‘As a result, Japan’s short-term interest rate has returned to the highest level in about 30 years since 1995.’,

‘Previously, the Bank of Japan ended the negative interest rate policy last March by raising the short-term policy interest rate for the first time in 17 years and then increased it to approximately 0.25% last July and further to 0.5% this January.’,

‘The Bank of Japan has previously stated that it could further raise interest rates if prices rise above 2% stably and wages also increase.’,

‘Governor Kazuo Ueda’s press conference is scheduled for 3:30 PM today.’