As the yen fell to the ¥163-per-dollar range, reaching its lowest level in approximately 39 and a half years, Japan and the United States carried out coordinated intervention for the first time in 28 years. This article also summarizes a domestic rare-earth recycling initiative, AI trials and other economic news.
The yen surged following coordinated intervention for the first time in 28 years. As tensions overseas and concerns about currency intervention intensified, the Japanese and U.S. governments took coordinated measures to curb the yen’s depreciation. The yen is believed to have moved in response to these developments.
In Japan, a first-of-its-kind domestic initiative to recover and recycle rare earths from air conditioners was announced. The reuse rate for magnetic materials containing neodymium and other elements is expected to reach approximately 35%, highlighting once again the importance of securing rare earths in global markets.
A series of trials involving AI adoption and digitalization also took place. The AI service at Midori no Madoguchi ticket offices seeks to obtain the information required for ticket purchases in advance, with the eventual aim of automating the process through ticket issuance. A Fujifilm-affiliated company’s trial also featured display optimization through inventory and sales visualization, as well as an initiative conducted in collaboration with NewDays.
Other economic topics included the widening trade deficit, the impact of cyberattacks, the yen’s depreciation and demand for the dollar during emergencies, and customer-attraction measures by family restaurants using late-night discounts.