The pace of Japan's economic recovery has accelerated, and strong exports have raised the possibility of the Bank of Japan raising interest rates

Japanese trade and investment data released today reinforced expectations that the Bank of Japan will raise interest rates by 25 basis points this week, according to analyst Eamonn Sheridan. Signs of economic recovery continue to strengthen after a contraction in the last quarter. Japanese exports rose for the third straight month in November, rising 6.1% year-on-year, comfortably beating market expectations. The rebound was fueled by strong demand from the United States and Europe, as well as a recovery in global semiconductor demand following the finalization of the U.S. trade deal. Exports to the United States rose 8.8% and exports to the European Union rose nearly 20%, highlighting the improvement in external momentum. (Jin Ten)