PANews reported on February 25th that former Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda stated that the Bank of Japan is likely to raise interest rates twice a year in 2026 and 2027, bringing the rate to around 1.5% to 1.75%. He believes the Japanese economy is in good shape and that tightening fiscal and monetary policies is necessary. He also noted that the yen's recent level of around 157 against the US dollar is "somewhat too weak." Furthermore, he believes that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's spending and tax cut plans could exacerbate inflation and push up bond yields.