By creating a moderately inflationary environment, also called a “high-pressure economy,” a weak yen was an important catalyst for Japan’s post-World War II economic miracle. Now, as the currency continues to depreciate against the dollar, it is worth considering whether something similar will happen.
NEW HAVEN – Currency fluctuations affect different populations in different ways. Consider the recent decline of the yen, which slid from around ¥103 against the dollar at the end of 2020 to a multi-decade low of around ¥151 in late 2023. The weak yen has forced some of my economist friends in Japan to cancel their research trips to the United States because their grants now fall far short of travel expenses. On the other hand, Japan’s tourism sector is booming, as a trip to Tokyo has become a bargain.
NEW HAVEN – Currency fluctuations affect different populations in different ways. Consider the recent decline of the yen, which slid from around ¥103 against the dollar at the end of 2020 to a multi-decade low of around ¥151 in late 2023. The weak yen has forced some of my economist friends in Japan to cancel their research trips to the United States because their grants now fall far short of travel expenses. On the other hand, Japan’s tourism sector is booming, as a trip to Tokyo has become a bargain.