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David Scutt, FOREX.com APAC Market Analyst, explains why persistent inflation and rising fiscal costs are pushing Japan’s bond yields higher and what it means for global markets.
Tokyo’s core inflation measure excluding food and fuel rose 3.0% in August, only slightly below July’s pace. Coupled with unemployment falling to 2.3%, the lowest since 2019, the data point to persistent inflationary pressures. Scutt notes that this keeps the Bank of Japan on course to raise short-term rates from 0.5%, with markets pricing a two-in-three chance of another hike by year-end.
The Finance Ministry plans to request a record $220 billion for debt servicing in the next fiscal year, the highest since the global financial crisis. Rising yields are pushing costs higher just as the government prepares to remove a longstanding gasoline surcharge, reducing annual revenue by 1.5 trillion yen. Finance Minister Kato has acknowledged market concerns and reaffirmed fiscal discipline as a priority.
Benchmark 10-year Japanese government bond yields have climbed above 1.6%, the highest since October 2008. Fiscal strains and monetary tightening are pressuring the market, and the ministry is consulting dealers on potentially reducing ultra-long issuance to help contain long-term yields. The move highlights how fiscal management and bond supply are now central to market dynamics.
Scutt highlights that Japan’s yield surge matters for more than domestic investors. Higher JGB yields are already adding pressure to global long-term rates, with similar strains seen in France and the UK. By contrast, US long yields have been trending lower, though questions remain about whether that divergence can last if fiscal pressures continue. For a global economy long accustomed to low borrowing costs, the risk to interest rate-sensitive sectors is mounting.
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---- Written by Frederic Guetin, StoneX TV Producer>
---- Expert: David Scutt, FOREX.com APAC Market Analyst
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