Japan's central bank (BOJ) announced a slowdown in government bond purchase cuts starting April 2026, reducing the quarterly reduction from 400 billion yen to 200 billion yen. The benchmark interest rate remains at 0.5%. This adjustment aims to improve the functioning of Japanese government bond (JGB) markets. The decision follows the BOJ's plan to reduce purchases to approximately 3 trillion yen by March 2026. The Nikkei 225 rose slightly following the announcement, while the yen strengthened against the dollar.

Prepared by Christopher Adams and reviewed by editorial team.