The return of inflation and wage growth is giving the Bank of Japan room to raise interest rates and declare the end of a long period of stagnation.

The Bank of Japan raised its key interest rate to about 0.5% from 0.25% Friday, noting that inflation is holding at a desirable target level. “The economy is gradually recovering,” BOJ Gov. Kazuo Ueda told reporters after a two-day policy board meeting in Tokyo.

The Bank of Japan ((BoJ)) has raised its key short-term interest rate by 25 basis points to 0.5%, in line with market consensus, and marking the highest level since 2008 and the third rate hike since the central bank ended negative interest rates in March 2024.