Yen Drops Amid Speculation of No Further BOJ Rate Hikes

TOKYO, Mar 20 (News On Japan) - The yen momentarily weakened to 150.90 against the dollar at approximately 2:15 a.m. on March 20th, driven by market speculation that additional BOJ rate hikes are unlikely in the near future.

Although the Bank of Japan (BOJ) decided to end its negative interest rate policy at the monetary policy meeting on March 19th, the statement included the phrase "a continued accommodative financial environment is expected for the time being."

In the United States, with the results of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting on the 20th pending, there is speculation that interest rate cuts will be postponed beyond the market's original expectations. This has brought the interest rate differential between Japan and the U.S. back into focus.

Japan Looks to Limit Continuous Work

Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's advisory panel has outlined a proposal for amending the law to prohibit working more than 14 consecutive days. Under the current system, workers can technically work up to 48 days in a row through a system known as 'four-day-off-per-four-weeks,' while labor agreements also allow for holiday work, meaning there are no effective restrictions on consecutive workdays.

First 'Rose of Versailles' Manhole Covers Appear in Chiba’s Kashiwa

Manhole covers featuring characters from Riyoko Ikeda’s popular manga The Rose of Versailles were unveiled on November 11th at three locations within Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture.

USJ to Open 'Donkey Kong Country' in December

Universal Studios Japan (USJ) has announced that the new 'Donkey Kong Country' area will open on December 11th, expanding the 'Super Nintendo World' by 1.7 times.

Japan Plans to Raise Teacher Pay

Japan's Finance Ministry presented a plan on November 11th during the Fiscal System Council to gradually increase the 'teacher adjustment allowance' --currently awarded as a substitute for overtime pay -- from its current 4% of monthly salary to 10% over a span of five years.

Satellite Malfunction Leaves Japan Weather Images Unavailable

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) is currently experiencing issues displaying images from the Himawari weather satellite on its official website. Efforts are underway to identify the cause and restore normal service, but the timeline for recovery remains unclear.

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