According to Golden Finance, Bank of Japan observers said the new measures to tariffs announced by U.S. President Trump has greatly reduced the possibility of a rate hike at the Bank of Japan meeting in May. "The likelihood of a rate hike in May is even lower, and the Bank of Japan must carefully study the impact of tariffs on the economy. They cannot complete the work before the May meeting," said Atsushi Takeda, chief economist at the Itochu Institute. The Bank of Japan is looking for the right rate hike opportunity as consumer inflation continues to hover above its target. The 25% tariff will put pressure on the automotive industry, the core component of Japan's economy, and may affect a wider range of industries. Katsutoshi Inadome, senior strategist at Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Asset Management, said: "U.S. auto tariffs are not conducive to the Bank of Japan's early interest rate hikes, and long-term interest rates may drop below 1.5%." (Kim Ten)