Japan finally did it. On December 19, 2025, the Bank of Japan raised its benchmark short-term interest rate to 0.75%. That may not sound dramatic if you live in the U.S. or Europe. In Japan, it is a big deal.
This move pushed rates to their highest level since September 1995. That is a 30-year gap. It also sends a clear message. Japan is serious about stepping away from an ultra-loose monetary policy after decades of stimulus, zero interest rates, and even negative interest rates.
The hike itself was modest at 0.25%. The meaning behind it was not. This was the second increase in 2025, following a similar step in January. Together, they mark a steady march toward policy normalization, following Japan’s official end to negative interest rates in 2024.
Even so, the central bank stayed cautious. Officials stressed that financial conditions remain supportive. Real interest rates are still deeply negative, since inflation runs well above nominal rates.
In other words, borrowing is still cheap, and the economy is still getting help.
Why the BOJ Pulled the Trigger Now
That problem looks different now. Companies are generating profits and sharing a greater portion of it with their workers.
The BOJ believes wage growth will continue into 2026. Surveys show firms plan to raise pay again, backed by solid profits. More importantly, those higher wages are sticking. Businesses are passing costs on to consumers, keeping prices firm. That wage-price loop is what Japan chased for decades.
Inflation has now stayed above the 2% target for 44 straight months. That gave policymakers confidence. They said the chance of underlying inflation reaching and staying at 2% is rising. That line matters. It signals belief, not hope.
However, the BOJ did not lock itself into a fixed plan, but the hint was clear. If growth and prices move as expected, further hikes are likely to follow. Most analysts expect a slow pace, with roughly one hike every six months.
Governor Kazuo Ueda avoided putting a number on the final destination. He again refused to pin down the neutral rate, the level that neither boosts nor cools the economy. The official range remains wide, from 1.0% to 2.5%. That vagueness is intentional. It keeps options open if growth stumbles.
Markets React, Not Always the Way You’d Expect
That level had not been seen since 1999. Traders read the message as hawkish, even with the cautious language.
Higher yields mean investors expect less support from the central bank going forward. Japan’s bond market has lived under heavy BOJ control for years. This jump suggests that the grip is loosening.
The yen told a different story. Instead of strengthening, it weakened. The currency slid past ¥157 per $1. That surprised some observers, but the reason is simple. Japan is still tightening far more slowly than other major economies.
Real rates remain negative. The interest rate gap between Japan and the U.S. stays wide. Traders focused on that gap, not the symbolism of the hike. As long as that difference persists, the yen remains under pressure.
Stocks liked what they saw. Japanese equities climbed more than 1% after the decision. A weaker yen boosts exporters by inflating overseas profits when they are converted back into ¥. That tailwind helped lift the market.