Trump expressed concern about weak yen at talks with Japan's prime minister

US President Donald Trump expressed concern about the weakening of the Japanese yen during a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in New York. The Japanese side revealed the currency part of the negotiations for the first time a few days after the summit.

Japan's Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama announced this on September 25, The Japan Times reports. According to her, Trump directly raised the issue of the weak Japanese currency in conversation with Takaichi.

The Japanese prime minister agreed in response that excessive weakening of the yen creates problems for the economy. Katayama noted that she disclosed the details of the conversation only after consultations with the prime minister's office, because currency policy remains a sensitive issue in relations between Tokyo and Washington.

After the publication of the comments, the yen strengthened. For markets, the statement was an additional signal that the authorities of both countries continue to pay heightened attention to the Japanese currency's exchange rate.

Japan has already taken large-scale measures to curb the yen's fall. In July and August, Japanese authorities spent a record 15.39 trillion yen on currency interventions, selling dollars and buying the national currency. At the end of July, Tokyo and Washington also conducted a coordinated intervention for the first time in about 28 years.

Despite these measures, pressure on the yen persists. Among the main factors are the difference in interest rates between the US and Japan, the high cost of imported energy resources, and expectations regarding the budget policy of the Takaichi government.

Japan's finance minister said that she will continue to closely coordinate actions with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Previously, the sides emphasized the need to prevent excessive and disorderly exchange rate fluctuations and did not rule out new joint actions on the market.

Based on materials from: The Japan Times, Ministry of Finance of Japan