Japan Market Daily | Kabutaro & Friends

On April 19, 2026, while financial markets remained closed for the weekend, renewed concerns over the Strait of Hormuz cast a shadow over the upcoming trading week. Although Nikkei 225 futures briefly touched the 60,000 mark last week, the threat of a blockade and soaring transit fees by Iran have heightened risks of another surge in crude oil prices. Following the G20 meeting in Washington, BOJ Governor Ueda reaffirmed his stance on maintaining accommodative conditions while closely monitoring the impact of inflation. In the real economy, Japanese consumer confidence is weakening, with Golden Week holiday budgets decreasing for the first time in two years due to rising living costs. Meanwhile, China is accelerating its economic security measures by strengthening Free Trade Zones to build a more resilient domestic economy amidst escalating global geopolitical risks.