On April 27, Kei Fujimoto, an economist at Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Asset Management, stated that Japan's central bank is expected to keep its policy rate at 0.75% on Tuesday. According to Jin10, Fujimoto noted that even if the bank pauses its actions, it does not necessarily mean that the timing for a rate hike will be further delayed. He emphasized that the Bank of Japan has repeatedly stressed that the financial environment remains accommodative, and its policy stance still has a tightening inclination. Fujimoto added that if tensions in the Middle East ease and uncertainty decreases even slightly, the likelihood of a rate hike in June or July will increase.