Wednesday February 15, 2012

JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION

Japanese consumers enjoy benefits of strong yen

Lifestyle Dec. 20, 2008 - 07:02AM JST ( 24 )

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

Order by Time Order by Popularity

24 Comments

0

bdiegoDec. 20, 2008 - 08:04AM JST

Win-win way for Japan and the west to balance out trade and currency imbalances. Too bad it'll take $5 Trillion before we make up for all the yen bought back in the last 2 months.
0

sensei258Dec. 20, 2008 - 08:10AM JST

My wife and I are fortunate to have full-time legitimate Japanese jobs. Because of the rate, we are exchanging our yen for dollars and shopping on U.S. military facilities. We appreciate living here, especially now.
0

some14someDec. 20, 2008 - 09:01AM JST

A small benefit for consumers, oil prices remain high, so is imported whiskey, gold, precious metal, these big benefits are for the government only.
0

Mark_McCrackenDec. 20, 2008 - 09:57AM JST

I’m not telling my husband,” said Ouka

If it's a secret, you might want to avoid telling it to a reporter, and giving your name.
0

mareo2Dec. 20, 2008 - 10:03AM JST

I go and chech the brazilian-nikei supermarket in my city.
0

zaichikDec. 20, 2008 - 10:21AM JST

oil prices remain high, so is imported whiskey

Imported single malt used to be cheap as chips at Yamaya 2 years or so ago. Have prices increased or are you just shopping in the wrong place?
0

StatisticianDec. 20, 2008 - 10:34AM JST

Well, I'm glad someone's enjoying it all. As an old age pensioner whose only income is in Sterling I'm penniless.

Lucky I moved some savings here a while back. Should be able to afford Buckingham Palace soon when I convert back into pounds.
0

AlfGarnettDec. 20, 2008 - 10:56AM JST

I'm skint, and i live in bleeding BRitain. But the Japanese whilst enjoying cheap imports won't sell any of their now over priced good will they?

Inj Britain imported grub is sky high. 69 pence for a packet of frog apples, i ask ya. Japan will suffer like we all are.
0

johnshiomiDec. 20, 2008 - 11:16AM JST

The ironic thing is that with the exchange rate being so good people get too excited and end up spending even more money that they normally would which defeats the purpose of good rate in the first place. Something to think about.
0

DogdogDec. 20, 2008 - 11:58AM JST

But the Japanese whilst enjoying cheap imports won't sell any of their now over priced good will they?

Don't worry about that, Japan will get around that one with unfair trade practices such as invisible government subsidies for exports or subsidising the price of an export good by pricing the same good at twice the price for the domestic market.

Japan Inc is far from finished.
0

cleoDec. 20, 2008 - 12:27PM JST

Good-quality Scotch is still cheap at Yamaya, and, joy oh joy, they also had a good selection of sherries at a third the price that used to be gouged out of me when I would finally track down that one dusty bottle hiding at the back of the 'We can't sell this stuff, no wonder at these prices' shelf at my local sake-shop.

Cheers, all.
0

YuriOtaniDec. 20, 2008 - 01:04PM JST

Wondrous the home front is happy! It is pure hell for Japanese firms operating overseas. With the increase value of the yen there is not a lot of value to bring home and this is before the American recession. The strong yen is bound to bring on a long dark recession possible depression in Japan! Think of it this way the value of our overseas assets is going down. This does not help the balance sheet at all. Things look good for the Japanese consumer now but there is a very dark side to this! I think that deflation is going to the new concern. The money supply in Japan is going to shrink so get drunk now! The check for the party is on it way! It has happened before and will happen again.
0

Suzu1Dec. 20, 2008 - 01:59PM JST

Enjoy it while it lasts. The Japanese government will likely stage an intervention in the currency markets over the holidays while trading is thin.
0

30061015Dec. 20, 2008 - 02:00PM JST

YuriOtani> "The money supply in Japan is going to shrink so get drunk now!"

Yuri...chill dude:) I mean, go get drunk on all that ￥asui wine if you want, but Govts can ALWAYS tax, spend and inflate the money supply till the cows come home...its what they do best.
0

borschtDec. 20, 2008 - 02:03PM JST

“strong yen sales” on imported food.

Is this the same food the consumers were refusing to buy a few weeks ago because only Japanese food was 'safety food'?
0

mareo2Dec. 20, 2008 - 02:38PM JST

Hmmm.... for export growth an Asian common currency like the Euro can benefit J, because is likely to be a lot weaker than the yen. The other option is currency devaluation, but is not very popular with the voters.
0

elbudamexicanoDec. 20, 2008 - 07:25PM JST

I still think the Japanese Yen will go from it's current 94-93 Yen to 1 USD, to hopefully somewhere in the 70 Yen to 1 USD, god I love my Japanese salary!
0

billclintonDec. 20, 2008 - 08:47PM JST

“It’s so low right now, I’m doing it as an investment, though I’m not telling my husband,” said Ouka as she ate lunch with her young daughter at a restaurant in Tokyo.

Thats because her husband probably works for a bank or Nomura.
0

GWDec. 20, 2008 - 11:49PM JST

McCraken

the husband probably only reads manga so no problem
0

Pukey2Dec. 21, 2008 - 12:56AM JST

god I love my Japanese salary!

Me too! It gets converted to my home currency, and sent home to earn interest.
0

HeathenCabinDec. 22, 2008 - 02:09AM JST

Have no fear, as the Japanese government has decreed that a strong yen is not in the interest of Dear Leader Taro Aso. So Japan will keep printing with the japanese printing press, until the currency loses all value. Keep in mind most people are only looking at the value to other currencies on the world market. Other countries have also printed alot of money.
0

ScroteDec. 22, 2008 - 11:05AM JST

I'm selling Yen as fast as I earn them. The current exchange rates won't last much longer. Probably.
0

natosucksDec. 23, 2008 - 08:48AM JST

Buy & spend all your money!, thats good 4 the economy....
0

kokuryuDec. 23, 2008 - 09:02AM JST

This article says people are enjoying the strong yen. Yet another article says the strong yen is destroying Japan's economy. Personally I believe the latter is the case. Japan has long relied upon exports of its goods for their economy. With the strong yen, however, Japan's money is instead of reaching Japanese companies, now flowing out to foreign countries and being diluted into the world market. The strong yen also makes Japan's goods more expensive to purchase overseas, so exports and sales of Japanese made goods are sinking to an all time low worldwide. All this does not bode well for Japan.