TOKYO — Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has said that efforts to strengthen the country’s economic competitiveness will help sustain market confidence in the yen, while rejecting claims that her administration is seeking to manipulate exchange rates.
In a recorded interview broadcast by Nippon Television on October 1, Takaichi said Japan’s economic policy was focused on expanding the nation’s growth potential through increased investment in crisis management and strategically important industries.
“Our economic policy is not aimed at manipulating exchange rates,” she said, adding that greater supply capacity and stronger global competitiveness would support confidence in the Japanese currency. Takaichi also said she had raised concerns over the yen’s undervaluation with US President Donald Trump during their meeting in September.
The prime minister said US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had expressed support for Japan’s economic policy and made no specific demands during talks with Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama on August 31. She reaffirmed that the government would continue pursuing both economic expansion and sustainable fiscal policy, as Tokyo seeks to revive growth while maintaining market stability.