Economy · July 2026

Japan on July 1, 2026, saw the yen sink to a 40-year low against the dollar, reaching 162 per dollar, as the currency's weakness persisted despite past intervention efforts. Japan's FX Chief stated that previous yen interventions have shown impact, while Finance Minister Katayama said Japan is ready to act. The yen's slide has put markets on alert for further intervention, with the dollar rallying and bond markets turning hesitant. Sony announced it will stop producing physical game discs for PlayStation consoles by 2028, moving fully to digital sales and closing digital stores for PS3 and PS Vita on the same day. Japan tripled its departure tax for tourists and raised visa fees fivefold to combat overtourism, effective Wednesday. The US government lifted its ban on advanced AI Fable, making it available in Japan.