According to Golden Finance, Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda said that if U.S. tariffs damage Japan's economy, the central bank may need to take policy actions, suggesting that the central bank may suspend the interest rate hike cycle. Kazuo Ueda said the risks surrounding U.S. President Trump’s policies have been “close to” the bad scenario envisioned by the Bank of Japan, adding that recent developments have affected confidence in businesses and families. He said the Bank of Japan will continue to raise interest rates “at the right pace” if the economic and price development is consistent with the Bank of Japan’s forecast. “But we will carefully examine the extent to which U.S. tariffs may harm the economy without preconceptions,” he said. "It may be necessary to adopt a policy response. We will make appropriate decisions based on changes in the situation." The remarks reinforce the mainstream view of the market that the Bank of Japan will suspend interest rates at its next policy meeting from April 30 to May 1, with the current interest rate of 0.5%. (Jin Shi)