The yen falls below the key 160 level as traders focus on the Bank of Japan's next move.

```htmlGolden Ten Data reported on April 29 that following the Bank of Japan's April meeting, the yen weakened against the US dollar, breaking below the critical 160 level. In yesterday’s rate decision, Governor Kazuo Ueda did not provide clear signals regarding the timing of the central bank’s next interest rate hike. The yen’s renewed weakness may heighten concerns among Japanese policymakers. Prior to the Bank of Japan’s decision announcement, Finance Minister Shunichi Katayama stated that Japanese authorities are ready to respond to exchange rate fluctuations around the clock as needed, and Tokyo remains highly vigilant against speculative moves driving down the yen. If the yen breaks below the year-to-date low of 160.46 touched on March 30, it will return to its lowest level since mid-2024. Authorities have intervened in the market several times as the yen approached the 160 threshold in 2024, but officials have repeatedly emphasized that their focus is on excessive volatility rather than defending a specific exchange rate level.```