Skip to content

Weekday Japan business intelligence for finance professionals.

Join the list
Tokyo Brief東 京 ブ リ ー フJapan's day, wrapped and delivered by morning.

Sep 18, 2026

Latest Issue

Full issue
Illustration of an interest-rate dial moving from 1.0 percent to 1.25 percent next to bank reserve ledger blocks and a capped climate-lending meter.
01

Bank of Japan Raises Policy Rate to 1.25% on a 7-2 Vote, Reworks Its Climate-Lending Terms

Japan's central bank lifted its overnight call rate guideline to around 1.25% from 1.0% on a 7-2 vote effective September 24, raised the rate it pays banks on reserves to match, and unanimously converted its ¥50tn climate-lending facility to a floating rate, with each bank's borrowing limit now tied to its own climate loan book and capped at ¥10tn.

Inbox First

Get Japan's business day in five minutes.

No spam, unsubscribe anytime. By subscribing, you accept our Terms and Privacy Policy.

MARKETS

Market pulse

As of: September 18, 2026 JST
Nikkei 22565,018.95+1.38%
TOPIX4,091.14-0.07%
JPX Prime 150 Index1,712.32+0.07%
USD/JPY157.49+1.16%
10Y JGB yield2.993%-0.5 bps

Tokyo equities softened while the 10Y JGB yield nudged lower.

Sourced from Nikkei, JPX, BOJ, MOF - values, not commentary.

Inside Latest Issue

Tokyo desk

Also that day

Earlier Issues

newest first

Sep 17, 2026

Japan cuts the food tax, refuses to borrow for it

Full issue
Illustration of a supermarket shelf with food price tags being changed next to a ledger sheet showing government budget line items crossed out.
01

Japan Bars Deficit Bonds to Fund Its Food Tax Cut

Japan Bars Deficit Bonds to Fund Its Two-Year Food Tax Cut

Tokyo's cabinet has locked in a two-year cut to the consumption tax on food and drink, and Japan's finance minister says the shortfall must come from spending and revenue reviews, not deficit-covering bonds that investors would have to absorb.

Also that day

Sep 16, 2026

Oasis Turns Up the Heat on Nidec — And Puts Delisting on the Table

Full issue
Illustration of an ownership-percentage bar chart nearing a marked governance threshold beside an empty boardroom chair being swapped out, symbolizing an activist investor's rising stake and leadership demands.
01

Oasis Turns Up the Heat at Nidec

Oasis Lifts Nidec Stake to 7.97% and Puts Delisting, Board Control on the Table

Oasis Management has lifted its Nidec stake to 7.97% and told regulators it wants new directors appointed, the manufacturer delisted from the Tokyo Stock Exchange and its capital policy reworked, while reserving the right to buy more than five additional percentage points of stock within roughly three months.

Also that day

Sep 15, 2026

Hamaoka's Restart Bid Dies, Takeover Season Heats Up

Full issue
Editorial illustration of seismograph data and withdrawn permit paperwork with a coastal nuclear plant in the background, symbolizing regulatory scrutiny after seismic-data misconduct at a nuclear plant.
01

Chubu Electric's Nuclear Reboot Implodes on Bad Data

Chubu Electric Withdraws Hamaoka Restart Bid After Seismic-Data Misconduct

Chubu Electric has withdrawn its restart applications for two Hamaoka reactors after its internal whistleblowing system failed to catch irregularities in seismic ground-motion data, and Japan's industry minister says he will weigh a maximum-strictness regulatory response once the utility answers a formal information order tied to the Electricity Business…

Also that day

Tokyo Brief | Covering Japan's policy, markets, and public-company signals for English-speaking professionals.