US President Donald Trump confirmed American participation in a currency intervention to support the Japanese yen, characterizing the actions as “an act of friendship” and a sign of solidarity with a key Asian ally. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, the US leader said Tokyo had asked Washington for help amid a sharp weakening of the national currency and added that the operation would also bring direct financial benefit to the United States.
The joint currency operation by US and Japanese monetary and financial authorities is the first of its kind since 2011. Against the backdrop of the intervention, the yen has strengthened for a third consecutive day, moving from around 163.5 to about 155 yen per dollar. Analysts and market participants note that regulators from both countries carried out large‑scale yen purchases at the end of July and are poised to support the Japanese currency in the first week of August.