Kōno may not speak for government on yen, but hints at LDP debate to come

key takeaways

• The Kishida government was quick to disavow remarks by Digital Affairs Minister Kōno Tarō about the desirability of higher interest rates.
• The government’s thinking on a rate increase likely has not changed: raise interest rates, just not yet.
• As a potential leadership candidate, Kōno’s comments suggest that the impact of yen weakness could be a central issue in the leadership campaign.