Yen jolts as officials stay quiet; dollar tops 159.00, BOJ holds 0.75%

On January 23, 2026, the yen swung sharply as the dollar briefly exceeded 159.00 before sliding to 157.33 and later hovering near 158.00, leaving the pair down 0.3%. The Bank of Japan kept short‑term rates at 0.75%, while senior officials declined to comment on intervention talk or reported rate‑check calls with banks.