Japan, China lead foreign government retreat from U.S. Treasuries as Gulf War fallout stokes currency fears

China reduced its stash of Treasury to $652.3 billion, the lowest level since September 2008. Japan, the single largest foreign holder, shed approximately $47 billion to $1.191 trillion.

CNBC • May 19, 2026

Japan's economy grows at an annualized 2.1% rate in the first quarter, beating expectations

GDP rose by 2.1% on an annualised basis, compared with Reuters-polled analysts' average estimate of 1.7%, and against the 1.3% in the previous quarter. On a quarter-on-quarter basis, the economy expanded 0.5%, compared with estimates of 0.4%, and improving from the 0.3% expansion at the end of 2025.

CNBC • May 18, 2026

Japan's Economy Accelerated in First Quarter, Backing Case for Rate Hikes

Japan's economy continued to expand during the first quarter of 2026, backing the case for an imminent rate hike by the Bank of Japan.

WSJ • May 19, 2026

Japan: I See An Opportunity

I am bullish on Japanese equities, emphasizing that Japan's high debt/GDP is offset by a robust asset base and pension fund scale. Japan's Government Pension Investment Fund and BOJ asset accumulation provide significant competitive advantages and underpin market resilience.

Seeking Alpha • May 15, 2026

The Yen Is Wobbly. What It Means for Japan.

The U.S. and Japan jointly worry about the yen, which is showing increased weakness. How to buttress the currency is another matter.

Barrons • May 14, 2026

Japan's global defense business may be on the cusp of a big breakout

Experts say Japan will initially export arms in areas where it's already strong, such as air defense systems and naval platforms. Global military spending hit a record of $2.89 trillion in 2025, the 11th straight year of increase, according to SIPRI

CNBC • May 13, 2026

Japanese investors sell foreign stocks in April as energy costs rise

Japanese investors turned net sellers of foreign stocks for the first time in four months in April, ​as concerns over higher energy costs from the ‌Iran war and the risk of broader inflation prompted caution on overseas equities.

Reuters • May 13, 2026

Japan PM Takaichi to visit UK and Italy in June, NTV reports

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi plans ​to visit Britain ‌and Italy before attending a Group of Seven leaders' ​summit in France ​in mid-June, broadcaster NTV reported ⁠on Wednesday, citing ​multiple unnamed government officials.

Reuters • May 13, 2026

Japan sells foreign stocks in April amid inflation worries

Japanese investors became net sellers of foreign stocks in April for the first time in four months, as concerns over rising energy costs linked to the Iran war and broader inflation risks weighed on sentiment toward overseas equities. Data released by Japan's Ministry of Finance on Wednesday showed that investors sold a net 636.4 billion yen ($4.04 billion) worth of foreign stocks during the month.

Invezz • May 13, 2026

Bessent believes Japan's economy is strong as the US and Japan work on a trade deal

Bessent believes Japan's economy is strong as the US and Japan work on a trade deal.

Yahoo Finance • May 12, 2026