Bessent Aims to Visit Japan in May

Washington, April 15 (Jiji Press)–U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Wednesday expressed his intention to visit Japan in May, Japanese Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said. Bessent expressed a willingness to visit Japan before a trip by U.S. President Donald Trump to China in mid-May for a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Katayama told reporters in Washington following a meeting of the two ministers. Katayama and Bessent discussed the conflict in Iran and foreign exchange rates. The Japanese minister signaled her country’s readiness to intervene into foreign exchange markets to counter the yen’s weakness, saying Japanese authorities “will take resolute measures if necessary.” Katayama said she and Bessent agreed to stay in even closer contact. In September, Katayama’s predecessor, Katsunobu Kato, and Bessent issued a joint statement that said intervention in foreign exchange markets “should be reserved for combatting excess volatility and disorderly movements in exchange rates.” Bessent last visited Japan in October when he met with Katayama on the sidelines of a summit between Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Trump. In July, he traveled to Osaka to attend the World Exposition in the western Japan city. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]