Japanese Finance Minister to Join G20 Talks; Markets Eye Yen Outlook

By Makiko Yamazaki and Leika Kihara

TOKYO, Aug 28 (Reuters) – Japanese Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said Friday she will attend next week’s gathering of G20 finance leaders in Asheville, North Carolina.

“I hope to contribute to discussions on the global economy and international finance,” Katayama told reporters after a regular cabinet meeting.

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda is also expected to be present at the same event. While the BOJ has yet to confirm Ueda’s attendance, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has expressed anticipation for a meeting with the BOJ chief in Asheville.

Investors are closely watching whether Katayama will hold a bilateral meeting with Bessent on the margins of the G20 session, following their coordinated currency intervention last month to support the yen.

The yen has retreated from the 40‑year low of about 164 per dollar that it touched last month, but it has slipped back toward 160 after briefly rallying to 155.20 after the joint action was announced. It stood at 155.41 per dollar on Friday.

“The joint statement with Secretary Bessent on coordinated intervention was very strong and still resonates,” Katayama said when asked about the persistent weakness of the yen.

She added that the government’s push to increase investment and bolster Japan’s growth potential should enhance the yen’s credibility by improving its global competitiveness.

(Reporting by Makiko Yamazaki and Leika Kihara; Editing by Thomas Derpinghaus)

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